Destiny in Cinders

The greenwood pastries tasted rather decent. It was refreshingly sweet and had the texture of stiff frozen fruit. The moment he swallowed it, a warm, gentle stream of qi essence spread through An Jing’s empty meridians.

”Wow, you really gave me the whole package.” He was quite touched by this act. What was Huo Qing if not a true friend? He came with some eight hundred merits’ worth of medical supplies and pastries immediately after reading the message.

Though, An Jing couldn’t help but shake his head in disapproval. ”It’s too much of a waste. I’m sure you can see that I’m not that beaten up. Why did you waste all those precious medicines?”

”Why would that... gulp... be a waste?” Huo Qing said, still enjoying the pastry. His martial practice had tired him out too much. He desperately needed that spirit food to nourish him back up, but he usually wouldn’t splurge on it for himself. Yet, he didn’t hesitate in the slightest when it came to treating a friend.

”An Jing, you understate your importance way too much. Since Uncle Metalhand and Auntie Rustfeather started to work with you, they’re made quite a huge profit! It isn’t just the spirit items you bring them. The fact that you had them for sale at all opened up lots of market opportunities. Auntie Rustfeather’s firm managed to claw back their reputation from some ten years ago in such a short time! This isn’t something that money alone can buy. A few hundred merits is nothing compared to your health and safety. Not to mention, you’re my friend.” Huo Qing wasn’t that direct of a person, preferring to veil his true feelings with a long preamble.

When Huo Qing had enough of the pastries, he asked, ”Did you get into a fight with some giant beast in the badlands? I wouldn’t be surprised if you died with those injuries... Fortunately, you’re much more adept at body refinement than I am. If it were me, I’d be crying out in pain from my sickbed.”

”I guess you can call it that. It was a powerful monster indeed,” An Jing said, not denying it. He didn’t feel as much pressure to survive in Skysource and let his guard down, acting more like a youth of his age. ”I can’t tell you everything yet, but one day, I’ll boast about all the amazing things that I’ve done.”

”It must be a fascinating story indeed.” Huo Qing laughed before he smacked his head. ”Oh, just look at me. I forgot about the main thing.”

He rose and opened the second layer of the box he brought with him and took out a pitch-black inner armor bodysuit. ”This is the armor bodysuit you commissioned using the fiend material!”

The bodysuit was black and somewhat glossy. Upon closer inspection, its surface was covered in intersecting red patterns that formed a mesh similar to tightly woven snake scales, spliced with capillary-like structures.

”Whoa! This is a massive help!” An Jing stood up at the sight of the armor and received it from Huo Qing, staring at it intensely. ”I didn’t think I’d need it so soon, but it came in the nick of time!”

An Jing was initially not that concerned about getting his hands on fiend-qi resistant gear since Void Embrace’s fiend qi was the inert sort that didn’t react with anything. He also wouldn’t be venturing into Skysource’s badlands anytime soon, so he was more concerned with having a stealth-boosting bodysuit. However, his recent discovery of the snow calamity’s fiend qi made him reevaluate the risks. It couldn’t hurt to be prepared.

”This armor is called Netherscale. It’s forged by a great smith in Deepnight City,” Huo Qing said, glad to see how satisfied An Jing was with the item. ”I don’t really know anything about artificing, but Auntie Rustfeather told me that it has four features, namely, fiend resistance, concealment, dampening and regeneration.

”Fiend resistance is a feature shared by all artifacts made using fiend materials. Concealment helps mask your presence more while you move. Dampening works for mitigating sudden, forceful blows. It can also be applied to another outer layer of armor. As for regeneration, it’s quite a typical feature of most fiend-material artifacts. Once damaged, they can be restored with an infusion of qi essence.”

”Perfect. They’re just what I need.” An Jing felt the texture of the bodysuit. It seemed rather tough and would be quite difficult for him to tear and damage, a sign that the dampening was working. While Netherscale might be vulnerable to cuts or stabs, it was highly resistant against blunt force attacks and could even be layered with outer armor.

An Jing immediately put it on. Bodysuit though it was, it didn’t seem overly tight either. Instead, it looked more like a breathable athletic garment. The capillary-like structures across Netherscale were there for the circulation of talisman script, allowing for the exchange of spirit qi inside and out. It helped filter out the fiend qi in the environment and aided one’s cultivation as well.

”I’m glad you like it.” Huo Qing breathed a sigh of relief. He had been worried that An Jing’s standards would be so high that Netherscale wouldn’t fit the bill.

An Jing, still overjoyed, remembered a different request. ”By the way, you mentioned something about high-voltage pylons earlier. What I’m looking for more specifically is a spirit material that can hold lots of lightning-aspect energy. Are those things really that cheap?”

”Of course.” Huo Qing switched on his waterscreen and showed it to An Jing. ”Initially, lightning-aspect spirit items were really pricey. However, it’s a technology that’s already been developed since the time of the ancient Dao Sect. Megacorps of this day and age have many subsidiaries that manufacture spirit items like these. Some examples are Shouyang’s brightlight iron or Luofu’s rumblestop copper, both of which can contain really powerful lightning true intent. There’s also Xuandu’s skyback jade and Lianshan’s sunset rainbow earth.”

Huo Qing seemed rather eager to delve deeper. ”Is your cult trying to set up your own electric net? That kind of lightning formation is going to be quite the large undertaking. Would you mind if I went to take a look?”

”I wouldn’t mind if that’s what we were doing, but no. I need this for my personal cultivation.”

”I see.” Huo Qing didn’t appear dejected in the slightest. ”Either way, this kind of spirit item isn’t rare. Usually, I would order it for you right now, but I’m sure you know that the reopening of the black market is right around the corner. I’m sure they’ll sell it there for cheap too to draw customers back in.”

”Indeed. I plan to buy a void artifact too and some portable personal vehicle. It’s about time.”

”Take me there too,” Huo Qing said, also interested in the upcoming sale. ”I can never have enough materials for formation practice.”

”When do we leave, then?”

”How does now sound?”

”Let’s go!”

They were still young and filled with energy. Despite the fact that one had just recovered from heavy injuries and the other had driven halfway across Mortality Plains, neither was worn out in the slightest.

Before leaving, An Jing brought a crate of frostjade with him. A void artifact would probably cost all the savings he had, so he would probably have to barter to get the lightning-aspect spirit item and a vehicle. They immediately set off for the black market.

***

Meanwhile in Deepnight City... 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

”What? You want me to be the leader for the black market’s tournament?” Nian Quan furrowed his brow when he heard what the principal had to say. ”Will I even be allowed to?”

Principal He didn’t even seem the least bit shaken. ”Hah. Who do you think backs the black market now? It’s the Luofu Group’s Skywatch Bureau. Don’t worry, this tournament’s properly registered with the authorities. It’s not just legal; it’d be broadcast across the entire city as well! It’s far bigger of an event than any friendly combat tournament that the ten middle schools can arrange among themselves!

”In fact, the Skywatch Bureau even opened their arsenal for the winners. Don’t worry, the school won’t take what you earn with your own ability. If you manage to win, the artifact you pick will belong solely to you.”

”Alright then, I’ll join.” Nian Quan agreed once he ascertained that this wouldn’t negatively affect his future prospects. ”Who are the opponents going to be?”

”The Second, Fifth and Seventh Middle Schools are taking part in the youth group,” Principal He said with a chuckle. ”They’ve already lost to you before. However, do be careful. I heard that some people from First Middle School also received invitations. They might decide to join too.”

Nian Quan furrowed his brow. ”First Middle School? Aren’t their students all descendants from Purple Mansion households? They’re certified to have celestial spirit roots, right? Why are people like them joining a tournament of this caliber?”

”Well, the spirit artifacts of the Skywatch Bureau aren’t your typical mass-market variety, so it’s going to draw in quite a few people. Not to mention, the winners can also catch the eye of some elite figures. The opportunity to perform before such esteemed people is what they truly want.”

The attention of elites, huh... Interesting. This is indeed a good chance to show off one’s skills. Nian Quan nodded and said, ”When does it start, then?”

”If you’d like, you can start today,” Principal He said.