Chapter 403 - 284: Divine Techniques Reactivated
Inside the Particle Furnace workshop, he took the "Broken Star" Short Sword, his long-time companion, out from the Void Stone.
The blade still looked sharp, but after several high-intensity battles—especially the one with Blood Shadow—it was riddled with hidden damage. Its internal Spiritual structure was compromised, and its luster had dimmed considerably.
"Time for a major operation," Han Feng muttered to himself.
He activated the Particle Furnace and, without the slightest hesitation, tossed "Broken Star" inside.
Under the terrifying heat and particle flow capable of melting Tier Four Alloy, the Half-Step Spiritual Artifact began to disintegrate inch by inch, eventually becoming a fist-sized glob of molten metal shimmering with silvery-white light.
Han Feng’s Spiritual Power surged into the furnace like a tide, forcefully stabilizing the liquid that contained the essence of the Demon Emperor’s Spine.
’Not enough.’
With a thought, he used his Divine Sense as a carving knife, directly shaping the liquid in mid-air.
Soon, a crudely shaped "Metal Flying Sword" that barely possessed the contours needed for flight was levitating in the center of the furnace.
He then mobilized a sliver of Sword Essence, using the Wind Manipulation Technique to make it wobble through the air inside the furnace.
Only after doing all this did he issue a command to the system in his mind.
’Link!’
[Ding! A Gold Attribute flying item has been detected. It contains a weak, fragmented Spiritual nature.]
[Warning: Forcing a Spiritual Link may trigger a backlash from its spiritual instincts, causing a Spiritual Shock!]
[Assessment: The host’s Spiritual Strength is 4500 Hz and you have reached Mastery Level in the Three-Inch Heart Sword Observation Method. You are completely immune to a Spiritual Shock of this level.]
[Do you confirm the forced Spiritual Link?]
’A mere sliver of spiritual nature in a dead object dares to talk about a backlash?’
’Force the link.’
[Command confirmed.]
BOOM!
Han Feng’s consciousness instantly sank.
The feeling was like pushing open a rusty gate and barging into a dilapidated room.
His vision filled with a gray, hazy space.
In the center of that space floated a faint speck of light, like a candle sputtering in the wind.
The speck of light was a murky gray and trembled violently, seemingly terrified of Han Feng, this brutish invader.
’So this is the so-called "Spiritual nature"?’
Han Feng was a little disappointed.
They weren’t even in the same league.
’No wonder that after I used the Sword Storage Technique for so long, the sword remained so dull, without undergoing any fundamental change.’
’Its foundation was too poor, its nature inherently lacking. No amount of nurturing could fix it; it would only make it look deceptively strong.’
He ignored the trembling, weak consciousness and seized direct control of the entire "body."
From the microscopic perspective granted by Man and Sword Unity, the internal structure of "Broken Star" was laid bare.
It was a complete disaster.
What should have been complex and precise natural bone patterns now looked as if they had been haphazardly scribbled on by a mischievous child—broken, twisted, and blocked.
This was hidden damage from the crude initial refinement, as well as traces of erosion from foreign Energy.
These patterns were unlike any Runes he had ever seen. They seemed to be an innate part of the material, filled with the rhythm of life.
’Life Patterns...’
This was the biggest difference between Tier Four and Tier Three.
Unfortunately, over seventy percent of the Life Patterns inside "Broken Star" were broken and dim, like a dried-up riverbed that had lost all its vitality.
’First, repair. Then, reinforce!’ Han Feng settled on a plan.
His vast Divine Sense instantly split into countless invisible threads, delving into the molten metal at a microscopic level.
He didn’t use his Sword Essence to forcefully inscribe new patterns; that approach was far too crude.
What he needed to do was guide!
Under his precise control, the Spiritual Particles belonging to the Demon Emperor’s Spine, which lay dormant deep within the material, were awakened one by one.
Then, like the most skilled embroiderer, he used these particles as "thread," meticulously mending and reconnecting the broken Life Patterns, stitch by stitch.
The process was tedious and complex, consuming a massive amount of Spiritual Power.
Every second, a vast amount of information flowed through his Sea of Consciousness.
The movement of every particle and the connection of every pattern required his absolute concentration.
Time ticked by.
Inside the glob of molten metal, the once dim and fractured "riverbed" began to brim with vitality once more.
One by one, silver patterns lit up and linked together, ultimately forming a complete and profound internal diagram.
The moment the last fracture was repaired, the entire glob of molten metal trembled slightly.
A harmonious, self-contained Spiritual fluctuation emanated from within.
’It’s not over yet!’
Han Feng’s eyes narrowed as he began the second step.
If the repairs were about restoration, then what came next was creation!
The models for the Magic he had been making Magical Modifications to over the past few days flashed through his mind.
’The main material of this sword is the Demon Emperor’s Spine, which already contains powerful Life Energy and a subtle Trait of Sharpness.’
’Simply being Solid and sharp is too low-level.’
’I’m going to add the attributes of ’Growth’ and ’Breaking Technique’!’
His Divine Sense once again became a carving knife. Using the newly repaired network of Spirit Patterns as a foundation, he began to construct a brand-new Rune Array.
He didn’t choose conventional options like the Vajra Array or the Sharp Gold Array.
Instead, he integrated the Traits of "Proliferation" and "Mutation" that he had comprehended from the Thorn Cage!
Using the inherent life and spiritual nature of the Demon Emperor’s Spine as a foundation, he inscribed a "Spirit Absorption Array" capable of slowly absorbing external Energy and converting it into nourishment to strengthen the sword’s body.
At the same time, he simplified the principle of extreme penetration from the Spiral Water Needle and constructed a "Breaking Aura Array," which could highly compress Energy at the tip of the sword at the moment of attack!
The two new Arrays integrated perfectly into the original network of Spirit Patterns, like a pair of newly grown meridians.
Energy flowed between them without the slightest obstruction, as if they were a part of the natural design.
When the final Rune node was complete...
Han Feng could clearly feel that inside the sword, the activity of its sliver of spiritual nature had risen another notch.
It was like a sleeping infant slowly being roused from its slumber.
’Still not enough!’
Han Feng activated his Sword Storage Technique.
This time, he wasn’t gently nurturing it. Instead, using the Sword Storage Technique as a catalyst, he forcefully mobilized the newly restored spiritual flow within the sword to assault and nourish the core remnant of its spirit.
The effect was remarkable.
He could feel that speck of spiritual light growing stronger and more solid at a rate visible to the naked eye.
But... it was still too slow!
At this rate, it would take at least a year or two of continuous nurturing for it to develop a complete consciousness and form an Artifact Spirit. That was impossible.
Han Feng couldn’t wait that long.
A crazy idea flashed through his mind.
He glanced at the fifty incomparably precious strands of silver Sword Aura within his Dantian Qi Sea.
This was the foundation of his Enlightenment Realm, his strongest form of Energy.
Each strand contained one hundred times the energy density of his Sword Essence.
’It’s time to use a Divine Technique again!’
Han Feng’s gaze sharpened.
He unhesitatingly activated the Divine Power Module.
’Consume fifty strands of Sword Aura and enhance the Sword Storage Technique!’
[Ding! Host’s request detected. All Sword Aura will be consumed to apply a one-time Divine Technique enhancement to "Sword Storage Technique (Proficient)."]
[Enhancement Direction: Spiritual Catalysis.]
[Enhancement commencing...]