Chapter 3
When the final fragment of the golden slip embedded itself in Tyler's mind, the tiny pieces that clung to his skin gradually faded away. Suddenly, memories surged within him—memories that were not his own.
"Divine Body Refinement Technique…"
"The most ancient method of purification…"
"Your soul is your true self, so cleanse your physical body and use it as your weapon…"
What kind of refinement technique is this? Tyler was aware of a few refining methods, but those were mostly for forging weapons, not for the body itself.
Using the body as a weapon… What could that even mean?
Could it actually be… that this refinement method was meant to turn the body itself into a true weapon?
But then, Tyler felt a sudden heat within, as if he'd developed a blazing fever.
"How… How can this be? Why is my body so hot?"
If this kept up, his whole body would burn to ash.
In desperation, he staggered over to the water tub in the corner of the cellar. Without thinking, he plunged in.
Instantly, thick steam began to rise from the tub. Soon, the water was completely vaporized by the heat pouring off his body, filling the entire cellar with heavy mist.
But even the water could not cool him down—instead, his temperature only climbed higher. Before long, his skin began to emit a fierce crimson glow, like red-hot steel. The pain was unbearable, but there was nothing he could do.
At last, the agony brought him to his knees. He collapsed face-down on the dark stone floor.
Within his consciousness, a transformation of unthinkable scale had begun.
Suddenly, an enormous cauldron appeared in his mind. It was pitch black, with two blue words written on it—"Nine-Serpent Crucible." Around its surface were eight serpent sculptures, each one different.
The Divine Serpents came in many colors—red, black, white, blue… They appeared so lifelike that Tyler shivered. Some had five heads, others nine.
Of all eight Divine Serpents, each had its eyes closed, and their tails trailed downward… where a ninth serpent—a blue one—lay coiled. It had seven heads, and unlike the rest, its eyes were wide open, blazing with consciousness.
It seemed those blue eyes had remained open for countless eons, radiating overwhelming power.
The gaze of the blue serpent made Tyler's very soul tremble. He felt cracks spreading through his spirit, as if he were about to tumble into an abyss without end.
Then, the blue serpent let out a hiss, and the gigantic crucible began to spin. Strange tongues of flame erupted from within.
These flames were an immaculate, pure white! They radiated an undeniable sanctity. Was there really such a color of fire in this world? It felt as if these flames could incinerate all existence!
"Is this the Sacred White Flame?"
There was no time for wonder. The vast crucible, wreathed in white fire, surged towards his soul.
No ordinary person could endure the agony of their soul set ablaze. Yet Tyler, now in his soul form, could not even black out. He could only grit his teeth and bear it.
"Ah…! Let me die!"
At that moment, all he wanted was for death to end this torture.
But death would not oblige him—not in this spirit form.
Soon, his soul was on the verge of shattering, pushed to the very brink of destruction. But in that instant, a divine ray of seven colors burst forth from the crucible, piecing his soul back together.
Burning, breaking, repairing, burning again, breaking again, repaired again… The cycle repeated over and over.
Life and death ebbed and flowed for ages—on and on, until at last, it stopped.
"At last… The pain is over."
Tyler sucked in a shuddering breath. Just the memory of that agony made his body tremble. Even then, his soul was radiating a brighter golden light than ever before.
After a long while, Tyler finally escaped from his inner world, returning to full consciousness. His physical body felt unbelievably weak.
Yet inside him, the massive crucible had ceased its spinning, though the white flame still burned on. The fire spread throughout him but no longer felt threatening, just ever-present, wrapping him in a strange warmth and power.
"Divine Body Refinement Technique! Use your body as a weapon!"
Suddenly, those words exploded in Tyler's mind. He realized his soul and flesh had both been transformed by the crucible. Was this the "divine formula" that Sage Brigham had meant in the ancient text? And what on earth was this Nine-Serpent Crucible?
Questions flooded Tyler's mind. This world was a strange place, full of bizarre wonders and horrors. Some blacksmiths would use all manner of forbidden arts to craft weapons; some even slayed humans, using their blood to strengthen a blade, others trapped souls within weapons to create evil artifacts.
But a technique to forge one's own body into a magical weapon… was unheard of—madness itself!
Yet, Tyler had been given a "gift" that was both miraculous and ominous.
After calming himself, Tyler realized that what had happened might not be so terrible after all.
In this world, magical weapons were ranked into five tiers: Mortal, Spirit, Earth, Sky, and Divine. And within each tier were Low, Mid, and High sub-levels.
Tyler's body had just been reforged as a magical weapon, but for now, it was only at the lowest level.
Describing himself as a weapon seemed laughable. A wry smile touched Tyler's lips. He glanced at the only exit—the heavy cellar door—realizing dawn was already breaking.
Strangely, though he hadn't slept at all, he felt no exhaustion. Instead, he was brimming with vigor, and he no longer felt the same agitation that had plagued him last night.
Sage Brigham had hidden the divine secret so well that no one could reach it—yet by fate's blessing, Tyler had become the one to unlock it.
He glanced at the charred remains of the book on the floor and sighed. Just then, the sound of the cellar door's lock being opened echoed into the dawn…
What happens next? What is this "Nine-Serpent Crucible" and what secrets does it contain? Are the Divine Serpents truly sealed within it? And what effect will all of this have on Tyler's fate?