Apotheosis

The last instance when some heavenly essence was sold via an auction in the Blessed Auction House, the elders from noble families of Imperial Capital regretted that they were not present there that particular day for a long time. Or else the price of the fifty drops of heavenly essence would have been far higher than the few hundred thousand cubic crystals.

After asking for the price, Zen returned the 'Green Wave' sword to the shopkeeper and then in a following movement pointed towards the third one and asked, "Sir, could I know the name of the third sword?"

The shopkeeper gently placed the sword 'Green Wave' back on the shelf. He then looked at the third sword as he shook his head and said, "As per what I know about the third sword, I strongly advice you not to buy it and choose some other sword."

"Oh? May I know the reason?" Zen asked in an apparent tone of surprise.

"Well, I simply say so because the third sword is an unfinished one," the middle-aged shopkeeper responded in a soft hushed voice. "When Chase was forging this sword, he remained relentlessly awake for over two whole days. He began meditating after he took the refining fire back from the sword. And then he never woke up--Chase passed away in an upright sitting posture."

Zen raised his eyebrows and asked with curiosity, "Does this mean that Chase died from making this particular sword?"

"You could probably say that, but it would not be completely true or even reasonable. Around the same time, Chase's natural lifespan too was coming to an end and he knew it very well. But for him, to make a fairy weapon was far more important and superior over one more year of mortality. It really is a pity that the sword remained unfinished even with the way he exerted himself for excellence one last time. It could have been a fairy weapon if Chase did not die. So now it is less valuable because it is a semi-finished s

y years, several weapon refiners have seen the sword, but none of them can be sure to succeed!"

"Condensation needs the weapon refiner's understanding of Heaven's derivative and he needs to condense it into the weapon. How about directly filling the sword with heavenly essence?" Zen blurted out yet another question.

"Ha ha ha," the shopkeeper laughed loudly upon hearing Zen's words and continued, "Heavenly essence is the essence of Heaven's derivative. Of course it will be better than the original method!"

"Why don't they buy the sword and fill it with heavenly essence directly?" Zen was still puzzled.

"That is a good question. First, heavenly essence is very expensive, and people usually can't buy it even they have many cubic crystals. Second, the sword is an unfinished weapon. Who knows how much heavenly essence it would need? It is a hit and missing process depending on skills and knowledge of the subject. Let's assume it is a fairy weapon. It can't become a fairy weapon without dozens or even hundreds of drops of heavenly essence. Moreover, a weapon refiner can strengthen a finished high-level spiritual weapon. It will be a better choice and it also will definitely guarantee a good result." The middle-aged shopkeeper replied confidently.