In the Back Mountains of Tianhun Academy, Bai Yunfei was currently sitting in his crafting cave.
At this time of the day, the sun was already setting beyond the horizon so that only a few rays of sunlight could be seen. Several stars were already visible in the sky, barely shining from where they hung near the moon.
There was a weak sheen of light from Bai Yunfei's cave. Inside the cave, a single person could barely be seen, barely moving and deep in heavy thought.
This person was of course, Bai Yunfei. In his hands was the newly-repaired Devouring Chain, but right now, the chains looked dark like any other normal chain did.
Equipment Grade: Low HeavenElemental Affinity: Fire, Darkness
Upgrade Level: +8
Attack: 2800
Additional Attack: 1000
Soul Compatibility: 25%
Equipment Effect: Drain up to 10 soulpoints per second of any constricted target (One at the most).
(Amount is determinant on the difference in strength between user and target).
Amount of soulforce drained cannot exceed total soulforce reserve.
Upgrade Requirement: 180 Soulpoints
There was a glimmer of light from the Devouring Chains for a moment. Eyes flashing, Bai Yunfei stared at the chains with excitement.
+8.
He started upgrading the chains when it was already evening. Two hours passed since then, but he was only able to get the chains to +8?!
From the looks of Bai Yunfei, he was actually extremely happy about upgrading it to +8?!
……
Indeed. Bai Yunfei was quite happy with the results because of one simple thing. Rather than using the Upgrade Technique to get the Devouring Chains to +7, he had used….the manual upgrading method himself!
He wanted to used the manual style of upgrading for the Devouring Chains. Because of him upgrading through this method rather than the usual Upgrade Technique, it took a lot longer to actually upgrade.
Bai Yunfei didn't feel the passage of time, however. All he could think about was upgrading the chains in his hands. Right now, he was in the best 'state' of mind to upgrade.
As soon as the Devouring Chains was upgraded to +8, Bai Yunfei took a moment to think. Curling his lips as if coming to a decision, he gripped at the chains with his left hand.
"Upgrade."
The Devouring Chains shined this time with light different before. He was using the Upgrade Technique.
He succeeded.
Bai Yunfei narrowed his eyes. Was he displeased even with upgrading the chains with his Upgrade Technique??
He exhaled slowly. "Upgrade."
The moment he gave the order to upgrade, Bai Yunfei's eyes glinted with a strange light. Fast like lightning, his right hand rose up to the space above the chains three inches away from his left hand and swiped down!
It was a strange piece of motion, but also a fast one. In the moment he tugged at the chains, there was a small ripple of energy that seemed to appear in the area around the chains, as if agitated by Bai Yunfei's actions. As quick as it appeared, however, the ripple dissipated fast enough that if anyone was potentially looking, all they would've saw was Bai Yunfei swiping at thin air.
Upgrade SuccessfulEquipment Grade: Low Heaven
Elemental Affinity: Fire, Darkness
Upgrade Level: +10
Attack: 2800
Additional Attack: 1500
Soul Compatibility: 33%
Equipment Effect: Drain up to 10 soulpoints per second of any constricted target (One at the most).
(Amount is determinant on the difference in strength between user and target).
Amount of soulforce drained cannot exceed total soulforce reserve.
+10 Additional Effect: Add an additional target that can be drained.
Increase the amount of soulpoints drained per second to 15.
Targets lose additional soulforce equivalent to 50% of their soulforce drained when breaking free.
Upgrade Requirement: 180 Soulpoints
As a result of his strange action, a set of notifications popped up into Bai Yunfei's head afterwards.
"It worked!!"
His eyes lit up brilliantly in joy. In this one moment, Bai Yunfei had successfully 'changed' the upgrading outcome!!
The 'Upgrade Failed' notification had only just started to pop up into his head a split-moment before he did anything. But before it could fully appear, he had moved his hand and consequently changed the outcome. The notification—which had the failure message on it—'flickered' for a moment before it was turned into the 'Upgrade Successful' message!
For a second time now, Bai Yunfei was able to change the upgrading outcome!!
"This is it! This is the feeling!" Bai Yunfei was lost in his own thoughts, muttering to himself about his new insights. The +10 additional effect of the Devouring Chains was already lost to him as he kept thinking.
"It can be done…..it really can be done…." Eyes still bright, Bai Yunfei felt his heart pound furiously against his chest. "Again!!" His eyes flew open in anticipation.
Honing in on the chains, Bai Yunfei lifted it up to eye level.
"Upgrade!"
His hand got ready to move as he spoke the two words. His mind was fully-concentrated on the chains, waiting for the right moment to act.
But….
Upgrade SuccessfulEquipment Grade: Low HeavenElemental Affinity: Fire, Darkness
Upgrade Level: +11
Attack: 2800
Additional Attack: 1950
Soul Compatibility: 43%
Equipment Effect: Drain up to 10 soulpoints per second of any constricted target (One at the most).
(Amount is determinant on the difference in strength between user and target).
Amount of soulforce drained cannot exceed total soulforce reserve.
+10 Additional Effect: Add an additional target that can be drained.
Increase the amount of soulpoints drained per second to 15.
Targets lose additional soulforce equivalent to 50% of their soulforce drained when breaking free.
Upgrade Requirement: 180 Soulpoints
……
"Uhm….." Bai Yunfei froze up. His right hand hovered in midair for a good two seconds as he stared strangely at the notification.
"It….the upgrade actually worked?!" Bai Yunfei cried out. He was in disbelief as he stared at the chains, and just a little bit…..disappointed?!
Even after a successful upgrade, he was feeling disappointed?
"Well, that's what it is….." He sighed and shook his head. The chains came up for him to take a second look at.
In all honesty, Bai Yunfei really did feel 'disappointed'. He was prepared to use whatever insights he had on this 'power' to alter the outcome of the upgrade—
—but that moment never came. The upgrade stones weren't even needed as the Devouring Chains was immediately upgraded into a +11 rather than fail. He had been so prepared for the Upgrade Technique to fail so he could relish in that power to change the outcome again.
Reality was reality in the end, however…..he had instead succeeded in upgrading the first time around! Needless to say, Bai Yunfei hadn't anticipated that.
"Should I try again then?" Bai Yunfei muttered. There was hesitance in his voice.
"Nah….it's too risky."
He shook his head.
"But what a shame! What a great big shame…."
Being in the 'state', or 'zone', was as quick to go as it was to come. The spark of enlightenment that hit Bai Yunfei was now gone, and Bai Yunfei no longer felt confident in his chances to change the outcome now. If he were to try, he would most definitely fail to succeed. And if he failed, then the +11 heaven-tier soul armament would be lost to him.
And that would really be a crying shame.
……
Still, he learned a lot in these past few hours. That 'power' to be able to change the upgrading outcome felt a little more familiar to him now, and that was already a great big step in improvement.
There'd definitely be a day where he'd be able to grasp and use that 'power'!
Calming down, Bai Yunfei this time looked at the chain to check on its stats.
"Another +11 heaven-tier soul armament, and its soul compatibility is forty-three percent somehow. If I upgrade it again, it'll become a soulbound armament." Bai Yunfei quirked a smile. "It's additional effect seems to….increase the effects of the equipment effect and lower the soulforce of an enemy at the same time. Not bad…."
After a briefly study of the chains, Bai Yunfei stored it away into his space ring along with his cauldron. Stretching lazily, he strode out from the cave.
"It's already night time huh…." He thought as he stared up at the starry canopus up above.
"You're finally done, Yunfei! I was starting to think you'd be sleeping here for the night!"
Xiao Qi immediately came to greet him when he came outside.
Xiao Qi told him that Tang Xinyun and the others tried to come see him earlier in the evening, but since Bai Yunfei was busy repairing the Devouring Chains, they didn't want to disturb him. Waiting a while, they decided ultimately to go back and rest. Crafting and repairing armaments was a lengthy process, and sometimes it'd take multiple days to do. Tang Xinyun and the others were no stranger to such an event, and so they didn't find it weird.
"Ah, well, let's go back and rest then." Bai Yunfei nodded and started for the road back to the academy.
At the foot of the mountain, Bai Yunfei was only just walking past the gates into the academy when he took in the sights. Since it was already late at night, the entire Tianhun Academy was deathly quiet and dim. As he walked across the paved ground, Bai Yunfei could even hear his own footsteps.
Up ahead was a building several dozen meters tall. It was chairman Mo's 'library'.
"Bzz….."
Just as Bai Yunfei was a hundred meters away from the library, a strange sound started to hum into his ears. At the same time, the ground beneath him was starting to shake!
This sound was coming from down below!!