Chapter Seventeen: The Card of Destiny

Little Chrysanthemum watched Lord Phantomfeather as flames once again erupted from her hands. To be honest, Little Chrysanthemum couldn't comprehend what kind of ability this was, yet she dared not ask. Despite these past few days spent together, Lord Phantomfeather always struck her as a good person. However, Lord Phantomfeather was constantly busy with cultivation. Clearly, in Little Chrysanthemum’s eyes, her strength had already reached an almost absurd level, and yet she continued to devote herself wholeheartedly to training. Perhaps that was precisely why, despite her youth, Lord Phantomfeather was already so formidable.

Having gathered up the bedding and clothes, Little Chrysanthemum retreated indoors. Since Lord Phantomfeather had already assured her the ghost would be dealt with, all she needed to do was carry out her daily duties.

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Meanwhile, in a concealed and luxurious residence elsewhere—

"Setting fire to the house? It seems necessary to inquire about the reason," mused Kagaya Ubuyashiki, listening thoughtfully to the crow’s report. He harbored no intention of blaming Phantomfeather; he merely wished to understand the specifics. When the Demon Slayer Corps battles demons, some damage to property is inevitable. Usually, though, once the demon is dealt with, they don’t resort to burning the house down. Moreover, reports have been coming in with increasing frequency recently—it was time to summon the Pillars for a meeting.

Thus, Kagaya Ubuyashiki sent the crow to summon Chu Fan, asking him to come the next day.

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In the depths of night, Chu Fan heard the steady, rhythmic breathing from within the house. Knowing Little Chrysanthemum had gone to sleep, he washed his face and hands, pausing his cultivation for the moment. Seated in his chamber, two candles cast their glow across the room. Chu Fan drew a card from his backpack.

[Fate Card lv.6]

Seeing the level, Chu Fan felt perplexed, unsure how the ranking system for these things worked. "Chosen Sanctuary, how is the card’s grade determined?" he asked directly.

[Fate Cards are ranked according to the level of the fated one before their death.]
[Because this was not a designated hunt, you have only three opportunities to activate the card, each granting you one item previously possessed by the deceased.]

Such a question didn’t require any special permissions, so Chosen Sanctuary replied straightforwardly.

"A designated hunt mission, huh? So you can get more chances to claim items," Chu Fan mused.

Quickly, however, Chu Fan lost interest in pondering it. He hadn’t received any hunting missions yet, nor did he know what kind of enemy he’d need to hunt. Rather than speculate, he decided it was best to open the Fate Card before him.

Holding the card, he saw the activation prompt. With a simple tap, the card began to glow, floated into the air, and transformed into a swirling blue vortex. Chu Fan reached into it and pulled something out.

[Divine Elixir of XX]

Item Description: Awakens a man's most primal instincts, granting enduring vigor and bravery—a lifelong companion for every man.
Uses remaining: 5/10
Chosen Sanctuary buyback price: 50 Chosen Coins.

"..." Chu Fan was momentarily speechless at the sight. For someone of level six, who must have traversed several worlds, he expected something better. Yet, this was what the man carried. Useless to Chu Fan, he set it aside, intending to sell it back to the Sanctuary.

Reaching into the vortex again, Chu Fan drew forth another item. This time, at least, it was not utter trash.

[Experience Book: Dagger Mastery lv.3] Accumulates all the assassin experience of Fated One #107851.
Upon use, the reader acquires all knowledge of Dagger Mastery lv.2.
Buyback price: 500.

"So the man was of the assassin class—no wonder his strength was so low," Chu Fan thought, recalling how, during their clash, the man indeed wielded a dagger. This piqued Chu Fan’s interest. If this person possessed dagger mastery, perhaps among Fated One #107851’s relics there was a decent dagger.

Although Chu Fan had chosen the path of a mage due to his inheritance, had he started with a high-quality dagger, it wouldn’t have been surprising to pursue the assassin route. Anticipation mounting, Chu Fan reached into the blue vortex once more, searching by touch. Feeling something hard, he pulled it out—only to be struck with dismay, not needing the Sanctuary’s prompt to realize what it was. He tossed it to the ground in disgust.

[Obtained: Intimate Item, Lady’s Companion]...

Without waiting for the Sanctuary’s evaluation, Chu Fan immediately sent both the intimate item and the Divine Elixir for recycling.

[Received 100 Chosen Coins]

Chu Fan heard the Sanctuary’s response with some exasperation. That cold, hard sensation he’d felt—he’d thought it was a dagger, but it turned out to be such a wretched thing.

Judging by the buyback price, neither of those items would have fetched much even if directly purchased. Still, not all three relic draws were a waste. Looking at the book in his hand, Chu Fan contemplated his future path. Though he couldn’t do it yet, he was certain that one day he’d be able to shape elements into weapons. Whether to use the Dagger Mastery lv.2 himself or sell it was a question.

If he were to sell it, it certainly wouldn’t be to Chosen Sanctuary. In the trading market, this would easily fetch over a thousand Chosen Coins—assuming he made it out of the Demon Slayer world alive. After much thought, Chu Fan decided to use it himself. Even if he might not wield daggers often, possessing some knowledge could only help him master weapon techniques and gain assassin experience.

He opened the book; its pages fluttered rapidly. After ten seconds, Chu Fan felt his mind flooded with knowledge he’d never known before. He stepped outside, resuming his training beneath the night sky, employing the techniques now fresh in his mind. He swung his wooden blade.

Swish! The wind in the courtyard howled with greater force. In the tranquil night, the air was filled with a dense, rustling sound, endlessly echoing. Chu Fan wielded the wooden sword—the force was the same, yet because of improved technique, everything felt so much more natural.

"Seems all kinds of weapon masteries are worth learning, even if I don’t plan to use them," Chu Fan murmured, a faint smile on his lips as he sensed the power in his movements outstripping his training during daylight.

Chu Fan believed that becoming strong meant tirelessly overcoming one’s weaknesses. Despite his superior overall aptitude, he knew he was destined to tread the mage’s path. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have spent 4,000 Chosen Coins on Advanced Meditation. Learning weapon masteries was simply a way to shore up his shortcomings. Now, with dagger mastery in hand, Chu Fan was determined that, if given the chance, he’d acquire proficiency in every weapon—if not to reach mastery or grandmastery, then at least to surpass entry-level and attain true competence.

He had no desire to be left defenseless if an enemy closed in and magic was his only recourse. So he continued his practice beneath the night sky, pausing to meditate whenever fatigue arose. Originally, Chu Fan’s main reason for learning Advanced Meditation was to restore mana without resorting to so many potions. But now he discovered its greatest boon: it allowed him to greatly reduce his need for sleep—an unexpected blessing.