Chapter 262: Dragon Skin (Requesting Monthly Votes)

As for the other three artisan artifacts, Xu Yuan glanced at them briefly and then smiled with amusement.

The first was a square, silver-white metal block.

When activated, it would transform into a flowing pool of silver-white liquid.

This item could open various "locks" and dismantle various complex mechanisms.

This was clearly targeted at his own carriage; if he were captured inside, he would use this to dismantle it.

This item was probably at the sixth-rank level; Xu Yuan secretly curled his lip: Did they think this could dismantle the stepmother's carriage?

That was wishful thinking.

However, this item was indeed a fine artisan artifact; after Xu Yuan's Fate Weight increased to the sixth rank, this item could be kept for his own use.

"I shall call you... Clever-Hand Artisan," Xu Yuan even gave it a name.

The second item was the bronze mirror that reflected the gaze of the Haikou Toad.

This mirror could reflect all seventh-rank and below ghost techniques.

But it could only be used once per day.

Moreover, this artisan artifact belonged to the relatively "fierce" category.

Even if the user's Fate Weight could suppress it, every so often it had to be fed blood offerings, otherwise it would uncontrollably gnaw on its master!

The reason such artisan artifacts appeared was: there was a good piece of material, but the artisan cultivator's own ability was insufficient.

Although it was smelted into an artisan artifact, the processing was inadequate.

Too many evil and demonic parts remained within the artisan artifact.

This category of artisan artifacts possessed considerable power but was prone to accidents.

In the great surnamed families, there were many such artisan artifacts.

When the disciples needed them, they were equipped and borrowed their power.

Once the mission ended, they were removed.

As for blood offerings, for the great families, this was not a problem.

Although Xu Yuan was confident he could suppress it, he did not intend to use this item.

As long as he suppressed it, its craving for blood offerings would grow stronger and stronger.

If one day he removed it and stopped using it, this item would likely instantly transform into a demon!

As for how to handle this item, Xu Yuan planned to hand it over to the stepmother tomorrow.

The third artisan artifact was Fu Chongjiu's long blade.

This blade had only one function: to amplify electric current.

Do not underestimate this artisan artifact; it was also at the sixth-rank level, and it was certainly custom-made by Fu Chongjiu, so its price was extremely high.

This item could indeed be used in combination with Longzhu Waidan.

Xu Yuan decided to keep it for now; placing it inside the carriage posed no carrying issues.

There was also the eighth-rank artisan artifact obtained from the begging bowl.

This was a rosewood slingshot.

It possessed one characteristic: "Certain Hit."

Regardless of whether you knew how to use a slingshot, once you pulled it back and fired, it would definitely hit the target you aimed at.

But... this item was very useless; how much power could a single pellet have?

If it were like Xu Yuan's previous method, where he integrated gunpowder inner pills into golden pellets, there would be no need for a slingshot to fire them.

Xu Yuan tossed it aside: He would award it to his subordinates.

After organizing the gains from this time, Xu Yuan yawned—but along with the drowsiness, the strange itch on his body also surged up.

"It's time to shed the skin..."

Xu Yuan found a table leg and rubbed against it.

The ten-zhang human skin from last time was still usable.

But it would soon crumble.

If he inflated it to ten zhang, it would likely burst immediately.

If he only used the "three-year-old child" ability, it could barely be used twice more.

"I wonder what ability this time will be?"

Xu Yuan felt somewhat expectant.

After a moment, a thin layer of human skin shed itself.

A wave of weakness and exhaustion struck, making Xu Yuan's drowsiness even stronger.

But Xu Yuan still wanted to hold on and examine this skin.

Shaking out the skin and hanging it before him, Xu Yuan stroked his chin and gritted his teeth: "What kind of monster is this?!"

This skin did not even resemble a human!

Instead... it was three parts like a flood dragon, three parts like a fish, and three parts like a pig-crocodile!

Only one part resembled Xu Yuan himself.

This one part was mainly reflected in the face.

A human face hanging on such a strange thing; one could imagine how bizarre it was.

Even Xu Yuan himself felt... it was ugly enough to make one cry.

Xu Yuan carefully sensed the effects of this skin again and discovered that once it entered water, it could expand and grow, measuring about five or six zhang in length.

He could control it at will, as if he had gained an additional water-based clone.

Moreover, his inner pills, Longzhu Waidan, and various artisan artifacts could all be placed inside the skin, and it could use them.

It can also share the effect of its fate pattern with itself.

Xu Yuan instantly perked up: "Something good!"

This skin no longer fears corruption by evil spirits; that is to say, regardless of whether the Forbidden River is present, this skin can swim freely in rivers and lakes.

Moreover, if the strength is sufficient, it can do many things on one's behalf.

"Find an opportunity to throw it into the river and test it."

Xu Yuan couldn't help but think.

Then, fully satisfied, he rolled up the skin and put it away.

He didn't feel it was ugly anymore.

With this my lord's handsome face attached to it, how could it be ugly?

Then Xu Yuan fell onto the bed and entered the dream world almost instantly.

After sleeping deeply for an unknown duration, a sudden rooster crow rang out; Xu Yuan opened his eyes, feeling he hadn't slept enough.

He lay lazily in bed, unwilling to get up.

But suddenly, with a clatter, the door was knocked open.

Three huge black shadows appeared outside the door.

The light from outside filtered in, casting shadows as hideous as evil demons.

Immediately after, Xu Yuan felt the entire world shake, with a continuous rumbling boom!

Then the entire house was pulled straight up!

The house was like a large lid, and outside, a giant monster had just lifted this lid!

Xu Yuan saw three terrifying figures in horror.

They were like mountains, with blood-red eyes; fire and smoke billowed from their noses, ears, and huge blood-filled mouths, while evil qi swirled around their bodies, rising hundreds of zhang into the air!

The giant monster in the middle opened its mouth and issued a voice like heavenly thunder, demanding: "A mere sixth-ranker dares to interfere in our affairs?"

"Today, I shall give you a lesson!"

Then, a terrifying giant claw was seen reaching toward him!

That claw, when opened, was fully two zhang in size, covered in sharp spikes and crisscrossed with cracks; from every crack, blood-red flames erupted.

Xu Yuan wanted to flee but found himself pinned firmly to the bed by a force utterly impossible to resist, unable to move at all!

Xu Yuan tried to activate his Inner Dan and Longzhu Waidan, but found neither the Inner Dan nor the Longzhu Waidan responded in the slightest.

His Dan Xiu cultivation had vanished without a trace.

When he tried to activate his various craft artifacts, those artifacts showed not the slightest reaction.

That giant claw pressed down—Xu Yuan exerted all his strength, struggling fiercely, yet remained completely unmoved.

The claw had pressed down; Xu Yuan let out a loud scream: "Ah—"

He shot straight up from the bed.

Looking closely again, everything in the room was normal.

The house was intact and undamaged.

All around was quiet and still.

That mountain-like giant monster had turned out to be just a dream.

Xu Yuan let out a long breath, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, but then frowned, realizing something was amiss.

The feeling just now was simply too real.

In this bizarre world, nightmares cannot be regarded merely as nightmares.

"Is an evil spirit secretly attacking me?"

"But why was it only a nightmare?"

Xu Yuan looked out the window; it was pitch black, still in the night.

The bridge stones emitted a warm yellow glow.

Dafu, as if sharing a telepathic bond with Fan Zhe, poked his head out of his nest, looked drowsily in this direction, then shrank back and continued sleeping.

(End of this chapter)