CHAPTER 44: CHAPTER 44 OFFERING TREASURE_1

BUZZ!

After the rune was completely drawn, he gave it a slight push, sending it into the broken inner armor.

The moment the rune attached itself to the inner armor, the armor flashed with golden light, and a mottled, shattered opening was gradually repaired.

Next, he repeated the process, continuing to inscribe runes.

Repairing a magic artifact was much less difficult than crafting one, and the procedure was not as complex.

Shen Mo only needed to complete the inscriptions that bolstered defensive properties, based on the Artifact Forging technique.

However, though the method was simple, it was still exceedingly time-consuming.

Trying his hand at forging for the first time, Shen Mo was fully concentrated on every step of drawing and embedding each rune.

He dared not be the slightest bit careless.

Unconsciously, a full day and night passed.

When he finished drawing the final rune and perfectly embedded it within the damaged armor, the taut string in his heart finally loosened.

All the runes were successfully carved.

The silvery-white "Heart Protector" inner armor was now augmented with many faint golden profound crystals, which completely repaired its damaged sections.

He took the inner armor in his hand and caressed it. It was incredibly smooth, without any of the previous rough, prickly sensations.

[You have successfully restored the low-grade Profound Level Inner Armor "Heart Protector." This is your first attempt at forging. You have learned many details of forging, and your proficiency in the Forging Path improved. Forging Experience +12.]

Well, it may look a little ugly, but as long as it works.

Looking at the prompt on the information panel, Shen Mo was overjoyed and meticulously examined the finished product of his first-ever forging effort.

He was fairly satisfied.

After his repairs, the once-shattered "Heart Protector" inner armor was as good as new.

Its defensive capabilities were even stronger than when he had first bought it.

...

After a day and night of toil, Shen Mo, having finished repairing the "Heart Protector" inner armor, finally pushed open the door.

He stepped out, intending to get some fresh air.

Currently, he was the only one in the cave mansion.

Chen Mengze had probably gone on night patrol.

As for Guo Zhao, he had just been rejected yesterday after confessing his feelings, so Chen Mengze most likely wouldn’t be patrolling with him now.

But Guo Zhao was still not in the cave mansion; Shen Mo wondered where he had gone.

CHIRP! CHIRP! CHIRP!

Just as he was about to go for a stroll, he suddenly heard an exotic beast crying out from the stone pavilion.

It was the Spirit Storage Rat!

It seemed to have been waiting in the stone pavilion for some time. Upon seeing Shen Mo emerge, it became excited, immediately leaped down the stone steps, and jumped straight to his feet.

It rubbed its head against Shen Mo’s ankle, looking at him with expectant eyes, apparently begging for food.

Oh, I almost forgot!

Seeing it, Shen Mo finally realized and slapped his forehead.

He had spent so much time forging that he had become muddled and forgotten the agreement he had made with the Spirit Storage Rat the previous day.

"Wait here for a moment; don’t wander off."

After instructing it, he went to the cave mansion’s storeroom and brought out five kilograms of Red-browed Deer thigh meat.

He then sliced it, coated it with barbecue seasoning, and placed it on the grill to roast.

Shen Mo had grilled meat quite a bit recently, so he was very adept at it.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he had roasted all five kilograms of raw Red-browed Deer meat. It turned into golden, crispy barbecue, filling the air with an irresistible aroma.

CHIRP!

As the aroma of roasted meat wafted through the air, the Spirit Storage Rat, waiting by the stone pavilion, was practically drooling.

It excitedly ran over, using both paws, to ask Shen Mo for meat.

Shen Mo held the plate of roast meat, a faint smile on his face, but he didn’t immediately give it to the creature.

Instead, just like the creature, he extended his hand.

"I told you yesterday, reciprocity is key to a lasting relationship. Did you bring me a gift today?"

"If you didn’t bring anything, you’ll just have to watch me eat today."

If you want meat, you pay first!

Shen Mo wasn’t some great benefactor who let others freeload.

CHIRP! CHIRP!

The Spirit Storage Rat spun around in place twice, then, under Shen Mo’s expectant gaze, it opened its mouth.

From its bulging mouth, it spat out a jade slip.

It actually brought something!

Shen Mo’s eyes lit up; he immediately put down the roast meat and picked up the jade slip.

SQUEAK!

Seeing Shen Mo finally put down the roast meat, the Spirit Storage Rat leaped up and immediately began to feast.

Shen Mo didn’t bother with it and instead used his sense to probe the jade slip, curious about what gift this creature had brought him.

"Bloody Dragon-shaped Body."

When Shen Mo’s soul entered the jade slip, five large, pale golden characters immediately appeared before his eyes.

The next moment, these five pale golden characters transformed into countless pieces of information that swiftly burrowed into his Mind Sea.

After a long while, Shen Mo finally digested all this information, a sense of surprise rising in his heart. This is... a Body Tempering cultivation method!

A Body Tempering cultivation method, as the name suggests, is a type of cultivation method specifically for tempering physical power and enhancing one’s vitality.

Usually, such cultivation methods are the rarest and most expensive among magic of a similar tier.

For instance, a low-grade Profound Level offensive cultivation method might cost only seventy or eighty Spirit Stones. Defensive cultivation methods were slightly more expensive, around one hundred Spirit Stones.

Lightness magic, on the other hand, was worth even more, typically reaching a value of one hundred and twenty Spirit Stones.

Finally, there were internal magic and Forging Body Immortal Techniques.

According to the market prices Shen Mo had observed in the Market, an average low-grade Profound Level Body Tempering cultivation method usually sold for no less than two hundred Spirit Stones!

I’ve found a treasure! Shen Mo murmured to himself, his heart wild with joy.

This Spirit Storage Rat really does have treasures!

Remembering how he’d used food to tempt it into reciprocating, Shen Mo felt he had been incredibly clever.

And... this Body Tempering cultivation method, although its grade isn’t apparent, seems... to be above low-grade Profound Level.

Shen Mo immersed himself in the information from the jade slip again. After careful analysis, he muttered to himself, "Absorb the essence of Bloody Fiend, condense the Dragon-Elephant True Form... this cultivation method is truly extraordinary!"

Shen Mo estimated that this Body Tempering cultivation method was at least mid-grade Profound Level, or possibly even higher!

It’s just a pity... the information in this jade slip isn’t complete!

At this, Shen Mo’s brow furrowed slightly, and he felt a touch of regret. According to the cultivation method’s description, this Body Tempering cultivation method has three major realms: Elephant Body, Dragon Body, and Bloody Fiend Body.

But the cultivation method recorded in the jade slip only includes the Elephant Body and Dragon Body; the Bloody Fiend Body doesn’t seem to be included!

He frowned, looking at the Spirit Storage Rat, which was contentedly enjoying the meat, its mouth glistening with oil, and tentatively asked, "This jade slip seems incomplete. Where did you get it? Is there any more to it?"

CHIRP! CHIRP!

The Spirit Storage Rat paused its gnawing and shook its head, as if to tell him that was all there was.

It seems to be an incomplete cultivation method.

Shen Mo felt somewhat disappointed but quickly adjusted his mindset.

I’ve been lucky enough. It would be too greedy to want more.

To trade a few kilograms of roast meat for such a valuable, albeit incomplete, Body Tempering cultivation method fragment... what more could I ask for!