Stronger with Crimson Modifier-Chapter 87: 7 Shà

In the days that followed, Hu Qi obediently remained within the academy.

He became a shut-in, never once stepping outside.

During this time, he was either practicing his Pile Skills or walking his duck. This uneventful life continued for over a month.

...

In the kitchen, tongues of blue flame licked at the bottom of the wok.

As the temperature steadily rose, the oil in the wok began to let off a faint wisp of smoke.

At that moment, a duck egg was cracked into the wok, letting out an instantaneous SIZZLE.

The egg solidified in a flash, its edges crisping into a golden-brown ring. The unmistakable aroma of a fried egg began to waft freely from the kitchen.

When he felt it was ready, Hu Qi flipped the egg with a flick of his wrist.

After another moment, he slid the fried egg directly onto a plate.

He grabbed a handful of chopped scallions and sprinkled them over the top.

Next, he tilted a small bottle of pepper, and a fine powder fell like black sand, settling in a thin layer on the egg’s surface.

The aromas of scallion, pepper, and fried egg mingled, a mouth-watering combination.

Hu Qi picked it up with his chopsticks, blew on it to cool, and then finished it in a few bites.

He washed the wok and walked out of the kitchen.

"HONK! HONK!" A familiar, grating cry echoed.

Hu Qi turned to see a creature resembling a large black goose locked in a cage in the corner.

It was the Camphor Tea Duck, and it had grown much larger.

At a glance, it looked almost identical to an ordinary black swan.

’It laid another one? Excellent, excellent!’

Hu Qi’s gaze shifted. He glanced toward the creature’s rear, then bent down and reached into the cage.

The Camphor Tea Duck, familiar with the routine, helpfully lifted its behind, revealing a pale purple egg nestled in the straw.

Though it was a duck egg, it was nearly the size of a goose egg.

It was faintly warm to the touch.

Looking at the egg, Hu Qi reached out and encouragingly stroked the Camphor Tea Duck’s smooth feathers.

The Camphor Tea Duck had made a full recovery ten days after the last incident.

It was full of energy every day, and the eggs it laid were now much larger.

Previously, each egg only provided sixty percent of a Modification Point. Now, a single egg yielded almost one full point.

And it laid an egg almost every day.

This meant Hu Qi gained one Modification Point daily without having to lift a finger.

However, aside from its change in size, the Camphor Tea Duck’s appetite for meat also seemed to have grown.

It ate four to five pounds of meat every day.

Yet, compared to its contribution, this bit of consumption was nothing.

’Crimson!’

A thought flickered in Hu Qi’s mind.

————

[Snake Form Posture (Eighth Layer) △]

[Ghost Slaying Saber (Entry-Level) △]

[White Whale Posture (Incomplete)]

[Cloud Iron Body (Perfection) Traits: Immune to Blades and Guns]

...

[Modification Points: 31 (10%)]

After more than a month of quiet accumulation, factoring in the duck eggs and the two Exotic Beasts Song Jian had sent over, Hu Qi’s Modification Points reached an unprecedented 31.

The panel showed that several of his skills could be upgraded. Hu Qi’s gaze immediately fell on the one at the very top, Snake Form Posture.

’Crimson, modify Snake Form Posture and upgrade it to the Ninth Layer!’

The instant the command was given, his Modification Points dropped by four.

In the next moment, the Qi and Blood within his body underwent another massive transformation.

The Qi Blood Power that had been coursing through him began to converge frantically at his chest, ultimately forming a fist-sized, blood-red sphere that radiated intense heat.

This Qi Blood Ball throbbed slowly and powerfully, just like a heart.

Each pulse drove the Qi Blood Power in his body to circulate even faster.

[Snake Form Posture (Ninth Layer) Traits: Berserk]

At the same time, the text on his panel changed.

’Berserk?’

He noted the new Trait.

Hu Qi focused his senses on the Qi Blood Ball in his chest.

He had a feeling.

If he willed it, he could detonate this Qi Blood Ball to achieve a meteoric, short-term boost in strength.

Suppressing the urge to try it, he turned his attention to another skill.

’Crimson, modify and perfect the Ghost Slaying Saber. Eliminate its side effects and increase its power.’

He was experimenting to see if he could consciously guide the Crimson Modifier’s alterations with his own will.

Unlike last time, the panel changed the very instant he focused his intent.

In a flash, a massive amount of new information flooded his mind, combining with the original knowledge of the Ghost Slaying Saber to form a completely new style of Swordsmanship.

[Seven Evils Saber (First Layer) △]

...

[Modification Points: 7 (10%)]

’It actually cost 20 Modification Points!’ Hu Qi’s expression shifted. The steep price made him wince.

But after sorting through the new memories in his mind, he felt this Sword Technique was worth every point.

The essentials of this Sword Technique were immeasurably more profound and exquisite than those of the Ghost Slaying Saber.

Not only was it now complete and without any drawbacks, but he had also entered it directly at the First Layer.

The Seven Evils Saber.

It was an unparalleled Killing Technique with a total of seven layers, each corresponding to one of the seven fiends: Tribulation, Calamity, Age, Sheep Horn, Heavenly Dog, Blood Blade, and White Tiger.

He was now at the First Layer: Tribulation Fiend.

’So that’s how it is.’

Hu Qi opened his eyes, a look of dawning realization on his face.

Now that he had the Seven Evils Saber, he finally understood why the Ghost Slaying Saber was considered incomplete.

Compared to the incomparable sophistication of the Seven Evils Saber, the Ghost Slaying Saber was just a crude imitation, haphazardly pieced together by later generations.

The biggest difference, among many, was that the Ghost Slaying Saber required one to cultivate killing intent. The stronger the intent, the greater the power, but the drawbacks were immense.

After all, even the strongest will has its limits. As the Ghost Slaying Saber’s power grew, the day one lost control was inevitable.

The Seven Evils Saber, however, was different. It worked by slaughtering other living beings and absorbing the Evil Energy left behind after their deaths.

In other words, the more one killed, the stronger the Sword Technique became.

Although this had some effect on the user, it was negligible compared to the Ghost Slaying Saber, and its potential was far higher.

Looking at his remaining 7 Modification Points, Hu Qi immediately initiated another upgrade.

The familiar sensation washed over him once more.

A moment later.

[Seven Evils Saber (Second Layer)]

...

[Modification Points: 2 (10%)]

The cost was already far greater than that of the Snake Form Posture.

But it was worth it.

Seeing that he could not upgrade it any further, Hu Qi withdrew his focus.

’It’s about time I went out for some fresh air.’

The only reason he hadn’t gone out before was his limited strength.

Now that his power had increased once more, he wasn’t planning to stay cooped up.

Hu Qi was very curious whether continuing to feed the Camphor Tea Duck could make it evolve again.

As for the philosophical question of whether hunting man-eating Black Blood Species, feeding them to a duck, and then eating the duck’s eggs was equivalent to cannibalism—he felt the topic wasn’t worth a single thought.

If a dog eats shit and a man eats the dog, is the man eating shit? No, he’s eating dog meat, not shit.

With that, Hu Qi logged onto the Zhu Xi website and began searching for a suitable mission.

He soon found a target.

But unlike his first time, he was now familiar with the basic procedures. He had no intention of teaming up, and instead prepared to go it alone.