Chapter Thirty-Three: The Dagger of Moonlight

The superheroes in ancient civilization-era science fiction films were just heroes who wore their underwear inside out—Joanna said this, clearly mocking Luo Chen. But Alice couldn't bear to listen; Joanna really was too much, always using such crude language for a girl.

So Alice stepped in to diffuse the situation, saying, "Alright, alright, stop complaining. Time is short, let's begin!" Joanna hadn't vented enough, but knowing there would be plenty of opportunities later, she let it go for now.

The two girls then began tutoring Luo Chen. In truth, the Qi Blade was the simplest entry-level combat technique; it wasn't particularly difficult to master. The most crucial aspect was to evenly channel the flow of spiritual energy into the weapon. If balance was lost, the Qi Blade couldn't manifest within the blade.

Alice explained twice how to regulate the speed and output of spiritual energy using the Energy Control mantra. Joanna, growing impatient, interrupted, "Alright, Lily, Qi Blade is simple. We picked it up as soon as we learned it. Why say so much? Let him try first!"

Alice thought to herself, Joanna, you act as if everyone grew up like us, receiving spiritual training from childhood with a solid foundation. Still, she wanted to see how much Luo Chen had grasped in theory, so she nodded, "Very well, Luo Chen, try it as I described."

"Alright," Luo Chen replied, taking out a crude, inferior longsword to begin his attempt. His original weapon had been lost to a beast in the Forest of Fear, and he'd scraped together his wages last week to buy a new one from a street vendor in Silo City—just a stopgap, cheap in quality due to his limited funds.

"Wait!" Alice interjected, "Where's your old longsword?"

A fine weapon required not only durability and sharpness but also excellence in conducting spiritual energy. Luo Chen's street-vendor sword, both in material and craftsmanship, was the lowest quality, with poor conduction. Alice could manage, but it would be difficult for Luo Chen.

During their mission in the Forest of Fear, Alice had seen Luo Chen's weapon; it wasn't great, but at least it was serviceable.

Luo Chen, embarrassed, rubbed his nose and replied, "I lost it."

Joanna, in her usual cold tone, remarked, "Probably got so scared by the beast he forgot his sword altogether!"

"Joanna, can't you say a little less?" Alice chided her friend, then hesitated briefly before drawing a dagger. "Luo Chen, use this to try."

The dagger was exquisitely crafted; compared to Luo Chen's street-vendor weapon, it was a masterpiece. Its blade was clear as jade, reflecting in the moonlight a cold, autumnal gleam—clearly no ordinary item.

Joanna nearly leaped up, "Lily, that's your Moonlight Dagger! You're actually lending it to him? Are you mad?"

The Moonlight Dagger was a legendary weapon.

After Earth entered the era of spiritual energy, equipment became a warrior's most vital tool, and people classified gear by various grades.

For example, weapons were divided into: White-grade, Blue-grade, Bronze-grade, Silver-grade, Gold-grade, Dark Gold-grade, Legendary-grade, Epic-grade, and Sacred-grade.

White-grade was like Luo Chen's street-vendor sword: shoddily made, offering minimal protection, and the cheapest available.

Blue-grade matched Luo Chen's previous longsword, mass-produced by formal shops with assembly lines, barely passable in quality.

Bronze-grade weapons were likewise mass-produced, but with better materials—refined iron or higher-quality ores—thus the grade improved.

Silver-grade weapons also used refined iron or superior ores, but were crafted by skilled artisans rather than assembly lines. The craftsmanship was superior, and artisans would add small portions of precious, high-quality minerals during forging to create better alloyed weapons.

Gold-grade weapons used high-quality ores as main materials, added some top-tier enchanted minerals, and were personally forged by renowned craftsmen. Thanks to the enchanted minerals, users could, by special methods, convert non-attribute spiritual energy into attributed combat energy—such as fire, ice, or wind—even without using combat techniques.

Dark Gold-grade weapons were forged from top enchanted minerals by master craftsmen. Besides the energy attribute conversion of gold-grade, dark gold-grade weapons could even store a certain amount of spiritual energy.

Legendary-grade weapons, in materials and craftsmanship, matched dark gold-grade, but as the name suggests, were entwined with time. The enchanted materials had special properties; after forging, successive generations of users would refine them with spiritual energy, gradually unlocking their potential. Their power and stored energy would increase, finally reaching legendary-grade. However, legendary gear usually belonged to families, since only a family's bloodline and combat energy would remain consistent enough for the enchanted materials to suit them. If a legendary weapon was often used by incompatible individuals, its power could diminish or even revert to dark gold-grade.

Epic-grade weapons were based on enchanted materials, but incorporated the rarest ores with special effects—such as causing opponents to become dizzy, hallucinate, or lose balance—likewise refined by generations of powerful users.

Sacred-grade weapons were similar to epic-grade, but carried special significance, such as the Sacred Sword, symbol of the Hall of Holy Arms.

Alice's Moonlight Dagger was a dark gold weapon forged from enchanted ice jade, elevated to legendary status after generations of her ancestors' refinement. Such family treasures were exceedingly rare, and legendary gear could suffer if wielded by incompatible spiritual warriors, hence Joanna's strong reaction.

"Lily, you're truly mad! That guy isn't from your family; his spiritual energy doesn't match the Moonlight Dagger!"

Luo Chen, aware of the legendary gear's traits, quickly waved his hand, "Joanna is right, I'd better use my own sword."

"It's alright." Alice handed the Moonlight Dagger to Luo Chen. "Your spiritual energy is weak and non-attributed; its side effects on the Moonlight Dagger are negligible, so there's no problem."

Though legendary gear could regress to dark gold-grade, it wasn't so easily done. The stronger the user, the greater the risk; ideally, the attribute and enchanted material should be opposing. For example, Joanna, who practiced the Burning Heaven Mantra and Blazing Rage combat energy, would be the worst candidate for the Moonlight Dagger.

Luo Chen hesitated, but Alice pressed the Moonlight Dagger into his hand. "No more excuses. Mentor Andrew appointed me as your tutor—I intend to do my best!"

Holding the Moonlight Dagger, still warm from Alice's touch, Luo Chen felt she truly was a rare, remarkable girl. Sadly, due to misunderstandings, the two could not become close friends.

Nonetheless, out of respect for Alice's earnest guidance, he resolved to do his best.

Following Alice's instructions, Luo Chen used the Energy Control mantra to summon his spiritual energy, slowly and evenly channeling it into the Moonlight Dagger.

A crisp sound was heard—a burst of Qi Blade emerged from the dagger's tip, flickering like a flame, brightening and dimming, restless. Yet the "flame" felt cold, for the Moonlight Dagger's enchanted attribute was ice, converting ordinary spiritual energy to ice.

"Is this it?" Luo Chen asked.

Joanna had been right—it was quite simple.

At that moment, Alice and Joanna were both struck speechless. Yes, Qi Blade was the simplest combat technique, but most people took about a week to master it. Even with exceptional talent, outstanding physique, and rigorous family training, like Alice and Joanna, their first attempt at Qi Blade had not succeeded. Yet Luo Chen had managed it, and even with the Moonlight Dagger—the finest spiritual energy conductor—it shouldn't have been so easy.

Seeing Alice lend the Moonlight Dagger to Luo Chen, Joanna was displeased. She had prepared a barrage of biting insults, planning to ridicule Luo Chen thoroughly. "Are you brainless? Can't do something so simple?" "Even an idiot is smarter than you—how shameful!"

But now, thanks to Luo Chen's performance, those poisonous words died before they were spoken. Joanna herself had failed at her first attempt at Qi Blade; if Luo Chen was an idiot, wouldn't that make her an idiot to the third power?