novelraw Chapter 223: You Won the Jackpot Again! Wanna Draw?
Chapter 223: You Won the Jackpot Again! Wanna Draw?
[Dimensional rift calculating results...]
[Rift mutation rate reduced by 0%, mutation rate remains unchanged.]
[Victory forged from corpses: Your death count reached 2,601 times, exceeding one thousand.
Master of Trash Talk: You taunted enemies viciously only to die within five seconds a total of 101 times!
Masochist: During repeated deaths, stubborn you gradually began enjoying the pain of being sliced apart.
Ascendant: Through prolonged combat, your strength improved dramatically. You could now defeat two of your former selves!
Provoker: You discovered the Blade Witch's fear of books and the Book Witch, successfully using literature to enrage the brutal Blade Witch!
Creative Deaths: You died in 130 different artistic ways - your deaths were simply too cool!
Witch's Approval: Your spirit and perseverance earned the witch's recognition. You are a legendary trial-taker!]
The dust slowly settled...What kind of bizarre evaluation system was this? Why were creative deaths being counted... Chen Qi gasped for breath.
Unexpectedly, he hadn't died. Instead, his body was gradually recovering.
No, I need assistance... Chen Qi struggled to move his fingers, opening his Backpack Card to summon Deepsea Water Spirit Number Three.
Splash!
A round blob popped out from the Backpack Card.
The moment the Deepsea Water Spirit entered the Trial Grounds, it immediately panicked from the overwhelming Blade energy present, turning to flee.
After half a second of running, it remembered it had a master and rolled back, carefully helping Chen Qi up.
"Waku waku! (Master! Master! Are you okay?)"
"I'm fine. Actually, I feel... remarkably refreshed! Unprecedentedly refreshed!"
Chen Qi forced himself upright, leaning on his blade, then placed the water spirit on his lap.
In this rift, the earlier evaluations meant nothing. What truly mattered was his final score!
After all, the Blade Witch's entry alone was worth a full 500 points!
Her frenzied combat style, memory retention, and occasional unpredictable strikes had tormented him endlessly.
Yet this hard-won victory felt absolutely exhilarating!
Chen Qi eagerly checked his rift evaluation.
[Your score: 900 points. Comprehensive evaluation: S! You are a legendary trial-taker!]
As a second-tier Transcendent, achieving an S-rank in a C-tier Trial Rift - this broke records!
Chen Qi rubbed his hands together. Even on elite player forums, this would be considered exceptionally rare.
[You obtained a Blade Witch's Treasure Chest. You may select one reward from three options...]
Three choices? Chen Qi frowned.
He had to admit, this trial rift loved its gimmicks.
[1: Witch's Battle Armor
2: Blade Witch Breathing Technique
3: Ever-Burning Blade]
Chen Qi silently examined the options.
Witch's Battle Armor? That light armor the Blade Witch wore?
Could I even wear a witch's clothing?
He recalled it being silver light armor with red accents on the pauldrons.
Though called "Witch's Battle Armor," it was probably unisex...
Still felt weird though... Chen Qi focused, hoping to view detailed information...
[Witch's Battle Armor: Possesses exceptional defensive capabilities, able to absorb spiritual energy attacks, thereby reducing most techniques' effectiveness.
Additionally, when equipped, Blade-affinity techniques are enhanced. Charisma increases, making it easier to emit blood scent.]
Chen Qi petted the water spirit while evaluating the armor's worth.
Though aesthetically pleasing, its combat effectiveness wasn't exceptional. Many Moonstone City workshops could produce equipment achieving 80% of its performance at absorbing spiritual attacks.
For example, Victoria Workshop's inner armor or Men's Home Workshop's shirts offered comparable protection for just thirty million Shell Coins.
Similarly, the Ever-Burning Blade shared this issue.
Much like his Black Blade, it provided substantial additional attack effects.
However, the Ever-Burning Blade's flames depended on the user's spiritual energy reserves - more energy meant stronger flames.
While rare, Chen Qi currently had Flesh Cleaver Bone Breaker and didn't need a secondary blade.
That left only one option!
Chen Qi examined the Blade Breathing Technique's effects.
[Blade Breathing Technique Lv1 (Blade Witch Modified Edition):
Affinity: Blade
Description: We don't breathe air! We breathe DOMINANCE! (Blade Witch's note!)
Learning Requirements: Mastery of Breathing Technique, Body Forging Technique, Constitution exceeding 40, and possessing exceptional cardiac endurance.
Effects: A unique Breathing Technique created by the Blade Witch combining legendary Body Forging and Breathing methods. Classified as Special-grade.
After training, physical strength increases by 30% at higher spiritual energy cost. Strength grows exponentially with accumulated power!
Additionally, can convert strength into higher-tier 'Blade Strength.' Techniques utilizing this energy deal 50% more damage than standard strength techniques!
Note: Training this technique grants minor Blade affinity comprehension and certain bloodlust.
Note: Upon leveling up, practitioners gain passive strength shielding.]
Chen Qi's pupils contracted as he scanned the description.
A Special-grade Breathing Technique skill card!
This was DOMINANCE incarnate...
Despite the odd notes, the effects spoke for themselves.
Breathing Techniques formed the foundation of strength - the stronger the technique, the greater the power.
Typically, strength-focused players would obtain an E-tier rift's Breathing Technique at first-tier, only upgrading at third-tier.
Most avoided changing at second-tier because intermediate-tier Breathing Techniques offered minimal improvement over low-tier ones.
But Special-grade was different!
Special-grade Breathing Techniques represented qualitative leaps! Once mastered, all technique potency increased by at least 30%!!!
However, their extreme rarity meant most players only considered them at third-tier.
Chen Qi never imagined obtaining a Special-grade Breathing Technique here, let alone a Blade Witch special edition!
Jackpot!
Witch's Armor, Ever-Burning Blade, or Breathing Technique... After brief hesitation, Chen Qi selected the technique.
"Blade Breathing Technique."
With his declaration, a crimson card materialized in his hand.
The back depicted a blood-red blade.
The front showed a red-haired witch with a ponytail standing motionless beneath a waterfall, practicing with a longsword.
So this was the Blade Witch's appearance? Exquisite card craftsmanship.
My constitution just exceeds forty... Chen Qi flicked the card, slicing his finger.
As blood touched the card, it dissipated, flooding his mind with knowledge.
Incredibly complex assimilation... Chen Qi processed the information.
This skill card's difficulty surpassed even his Spiritual Core ability 'Bonfire Heart'!
Another lengthy training session ahead...
This skill could be upgraded twice...
The Blade Breathing Technique joined his skill repertoire.
Chen Qi reviewed his current non-professional skills:
White Mist Breathing, Blade Body Forging Technique - Beginner, Burst, White Pigeon Perception, Hunter's Eye, Shadow Armor, Bonfire Heart, Low-tier Meditation, Candleflame Meditation, Charm of Shadows, Shadow Step, Hound's Pace, Shadow Blade Slash, Blade Breathing Technique...
Plus his newly acquired Blade Release 'Sacrifice My Flesh and Blood, Sever My Bones and Sinew'!
His skill library was taking shape.
Though not extensive, his skills showed little redundancy, being mostly essential and synergistic.
Especially regarding Inspiration and Agility.
By all measures, Chen Qi had become a fully qualified second-tier Transcendent.
If forced to identify deficiencies, he lacked two key elements: First, advanced strength techniques. He desperately wanted 'Qi Transformation' - the core of many high-tier strength abilities.
Without Qi Transformation and advanced strength techniques, his offensive options remained limited to Shadow Blade Slash and its derivatives!
Second, Body Forging Techniques - the primary source of constitution and strength.
His current Body Forging Technique came from an E-tier rift.
Chen Qi's constitution mainly stemmed from excellent nutrition rather than skills.
Skill-derived constitution and strength represented significant gaps!
However, like Breathing Techniques, second-tier Body Forging options were too weak, making it better to wait for third-tier.
Speaking of which, the Blade Breathing Technique was typically third-tier Transcendent loot...
Chen Qi took a deep breath and upgraded the Blade Breathing Technique!
He'd accumulated 10,000 Spirit Points!
Leveling to Lv2 required 3,000 Spirit Points!
Two quick upgrades!
[Your Blade Breathing Technique upgraded to Lv2. Upon full mastery, gain passive strength shielding.]
[Insufficient Spirit Points. Lv2 to Lv3 requires 20,000 Spirit Points!]
What? 20,000 Spirit Points!
Chen Qi's eyes widened in shock.
20,000 was astronomical!
For a second-tier Transcendent, accumulating that amount might require clearing four C-tier rifts!
Chen Qi rested his chin on his hand.
Though expensive, this proved the technique's exceptional power.
The only challenge was learning it without Blade affinity.
Without the Blade Witch, skill comprehension would rely solely on daily rigorous practice!
"Sigh—"
Chen Qi gazed at the smoke-shrouded Blade Witch:
"Blade Instructor, can we call a truce? Care to give me more lessons?"
Chen Qi joked.
First day missing the Blade Instructor.
Suddenly, the Blade Witch's indistinct arm twitched.
Corpse revival? No way... Just wind? Chen Qi startled.
This Blade Witch was merely a projection, unrelated to the real one, right?
The actual Blade Witch from five hundred years ago should be long dead.
Probably nothing... Chen Qi thought.
During those 2,000-plus deaths, he'd taunted her while kicking her face, even mocking her illiteracy!
Later, due to her memory function, he lost his legs fifty consecutive times.
Admittedly, without those provocations, she might not have face-tanked his Blade Release.
Fortunately, no corpse revival occurred. Instead, with the wind, a notification appeared!
[Rift calculation continues. Congratulations! Your S-rank evaluation triggered the Trial Grounds' Lucky Moment!]
Before Chen Qi, five twenty-sided dice materialized again!
These damned dice!
Chen Qi smiled wryly.
Though they'd caused at least a thousand extra deaths, they'd also brought him the Blade Breathing Technique.
[Roll your dice. Different results yield different rewards.]
[5-20 points: Absolutely nothing! You're the Void Affinity's chosen heir!
21-40 points: A Blade-affinity skill card!
41-60 points: An exceptionally rare Blade-affinity skill card!
61-80 points: Select an affinity, randomly obtain one artifact from the Trial Grounds' treasury!
81-99 points: One free selection from the Trial Grounds' sealed treasury!
100 points: Select an affinity, obtain an ultra-rare skill card! Plus one free selection from the Trial Grounds' sealed treasury!!]
The Trial Grounds had its own treasury? Chen Qi's eyes sparkled, heart pounding.
This trial's rewards exceeded expectations.
Chen Qi's gaze locked onto the final reward.
Five twenty-sided dice!
Roll one hundred points! Another grand prize!
But why include empty rewards between five and twenty points?
Chen Qi swallowed hard.
Anything above eighty points meant free treasury selection.
Choosing freely from a sealed treasury sounded thrilling.
But the probability was low - roughly one in five.
Hitting the jackpot? A minuscule one in ninety-five chance!
Abysmal odds... Chen Qi frowned.
Even with S-rank evaluations, luck remained crucial in Dice-affinity rifts.
Chen Qi produced his Lucky Die.
Fortunately, he had cheats!
The six-sided die could alter randomization events in C-tier and below rifts, guaranteeing optimal outcomes regardless of probability.
A godsend for the unlucky - fortune rested in his palm!
With the Lucky Die, ten consecutive legendary draws became possible!
This die obtained from Palu finally found its purpose!
Though rare, this trial rift was still C-tier - perfectly meeting the Lucky Die's usage conditions!
No better occasion existed for the Lucky Die.
Activate!
Chen Qi took a deep breath and focused.
The Lucky Die spun briefly before vanishing.
"Activation successful, right...?"
Chen Qi rubbed his hands and selected draw!
Roll!
The five twenty-sided dice spun wildly before settling.
16, 1, 5, 3, 15 points!
The middle three numbers made Chen Qi inhale sharply.
Suddenly, a six-sided die shimmered midair, causing all twenty-sided dice to spin violently!
Under the six-sided die's power, they all landed on 20!
[May the twenty-sided dice bless you, traveler from afar!]
Five twenties! One hundred points!
This was the Lucky Die's power! Chen Qi exhaled heavily.
[Congratulations! You 'drew' the highest reward!]
[Trial complete!]
[You are the trial's third successful challenger! (Note: You may leave after over half of participants clear the rift.)]
[You will proceed to the Sealed Vault for rest and final treasure selection!]
With this revelation, the world disintegrated!
The Blade Witch's fallen corpse dissipated in the wind.
Amid blood mist, Chen Qi and the Deepsea Water Spirit found themselves in a sealed vault resembling a collector's meticulously curated treasure chamber.
The grand hall's spacious interior featured vaulted ceilings adorned with intricate carvings depicting past glories and legends.
The air carried musty antiquity blended with aged wood's distinctive fragrance - an indescribable historical ambiance.
Ancient artifacts and weapons lined stone display cases throughout.
"I'm the third to clear? Then who were the first two?"
Chen Qi stood, testing the floor's solidity as he surveyed the surroundings.