Runes • Rifles • Reincarnation
102. Forging New Weapons

Most metals used to forge cultivator weapons could only handle a handful of runes. Barely any could support more than one weak, basic formation.

And that one formation?

In most cases, two or three well-placed runes could achieve the same effect—even better. So runesmiths never bothered with formations.

Most didn’t even bother learning them, leaving that to rune crafters and formation masters.

But that didn’t mean no metals could accommodate formations. The ones on Jin Shu’s crafting table right now?

They could hold four, maybe even five advanced formations—far stronger than the single, basic one that most weapons could handle.

The problem?

They would shatter within two or three strikes from a Core Realm cultivator’s Qi. That was why they couldn’t be used for melee weapons. And in this world, melee weapons were all that existed.

Bows and crossbows? They were too weak against cultivators and used little to no metal.

But Jin Shu wasn’t like other cultivators. He had memories of a world where ranged weapons ruled.

Guns.

Guns didn’t need to withstand cultivators' attacks. They just needed to be strong enough to handle the force of a bullet firing from within.

And for that, he could use metals that didn’t need formations at all. Instead, he could strengthen them with runes.

After all, guns weren’t made from a single piece of metal. They had many different, separate parts—each requiring different materials.

Jin Shu exhaled sharply.

“This is going to be insane… Can you even imagine how powerful these weapons are going to be?”

His mind reeled as he processed Long Jinshu’s revelation.

Weapons that combined every form of runes—

From pure, individual runes to formations made of hundreds or more.

The power they would unleash…

Was simply unimaginable.

But… that would come later.

Right now, the runes and formations he had access to—while powerful—weren’t going to be world-shattering.

At best, they’d let him fight back against Liu Hua… and probably win. But he wasn’t about to test that theory. Because he’d rather stay safe than dead.

Right. Time to stop getting sidetracked.

It was time to forge some weapons.

“What do you two recommend?” he asked his other selves.

Let’s make three weapons. One for close-range—a shotgun. Another for medium-range combat and multiple enemies—an SMG. And for longer range… Well, it doesn't have to be another sniper rifle… His main soul suggested. 

How about the XM7? It is the weapon I know best. His older self suggested.

“Sure. But, what about the one for Liu Hua?”

…hmm?

“What if we give her something crazy? But, like, one-time use. Something disposable—like a bazooka?”

Do you even know how to make a bazooka? Because I don’t. I barely know a few dozen weapons, and that’s only because I learned how to maintain the ones I actually used. His older self questioned.

“Hmm… then just another sniper rifle?”

…Are we sure it’s okay to use these materials for ourselves…? His main soul asked.

“...I mean, they wouldn’t mind… right?”

As he mulled it over—

Knock, knock.

Jin Shu tilted his head.

Who…?

“Can I come in?” Ying’s voice came from the opposite side of the door.

“Ah, yes, of course!” he called back.

The door opened, and Ying stepped inside.

Her hair was down again, her bangs falling over her face like before.

“I came to get your bowl.”

“Oh, sure, it’s right there.” He gestured toward the table.

Silence.

“...Where?” she asked.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I forgot…”

“No, it’s fine. Normally, I can feel it, but the heat in the forge messes with my Qi.”

Jin Shu quickly grabbed the bowl and placed it into her hands.

“You can use Qi to feel your surroundings?”

She nodded. “Yes. Master helped me create a technique so I can move around normally.”

“Wow! Your Master is amazing. A technique to cultivate while asleep, and another so you can ‘see’ without eyes?” He half-joked, but still meant it.

“She is amazing. So is my Big Sis.”

Ying’s voice lifted with excitement. “You know, she created an element by combining three others!”

“Wait, what?!”

“Master said she wasn’t the first to do it, but she definitely did it the fastest.”

“Three elements? But that should be impossible—cultivators can only have one elemental Qi in their body.”

Ying shook her head. “Not elemental Qi—elemental affinities. Water, Wind, and Fire.”

Jin Shu’s knees nearly buckled in shock.

“WHAT?! Three affinities?!”

Ying giggled. “Yup. But is that so surprising? You have two, don’t you?”

Jin Shu froze. “Eh? How do you know that?”

“I can feel it.”

“Your technique?”

She nodded. “Uh-huh.”

“I see. Well, my affinities came from an epiphany… and my daughter.”

“Daughter? You have a child?” Ying tilted her head, curious.

“Uh… technically, she’s a tiger cub I found, but she calls me Da—” Jin Shu coughed. “I mean, Mommy… so, yeah. She’s essentially my daughter.”

“A tiger cub?” Ying frowned. “Not the little girl you were with at the Resting Phoenix Pagoda?”

“No, that was her. She took on a human form.”

“Oh. She was cute… from what I could feel.”

“She certainly is.”

A comfortable silence settled between them, their conversation winding down.

Ying bowed slightly and turned to leave.

Then a thought struck Jin Shu.

“Oh! Before you go—can I use these metals to make some weapons for myself?”

She turned back. “The ones from the chest?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, use as many as you’d like. Master left them there because she didn’t want to haul around a bunch of junk. Or so she said.”

Jin Shu blinked. He glanced at the precious metals.

“...Junk?” He muttered under his breath.

“Okay, I’m going now. If you need anything, come find me.”

She waved and exited the forge.

Jin Shu shook his head.

“Junk. Really?”

He still couldn’t believe it. All those rare and expensive materials, just tossed aside as ‘junk.’ But… It worked out for him. So he wasn’t about to complain.

“Time to get to work.”

Jin Shu rubbed his hands together, anticipation thrumming through him.

He couldn’t wait to see what his weapons would become when combined with runes and formations.

He got to work.

First, he prepped the forge, heating it to the perfect temperature for each metal.

Then, one by one, he placed them inside—at just the right time, at just the right heat.

Timing and temperature were crucial.

But he had been taught how to handle any metal, so there was no way he’d make a mistake.

He made a mistake… his other two souls groaned in unison. 

“No, I didn’t! I just missed the timing a bit. Nothing I can’t fix.”

He had pulled the last metal out too soon, before it had reached the right temperature for smelting.

Now he had to reheat the cooled metal and start over. It was a minor setback, but still. Annoying.

After redoing the process, he finally poured the molten metal into the molds he had prepared earlier.

His older self had mentioned that this would have been far more difficult in their previous world.

Lucky for them, they weren’t in that world.

After a few hours of waiting—and several tedious steps—the molds were ready.

He carefully removed the excess metal, sanding down the surfaces until they were flawless.

And at last—

It was time for the inscription process.

"Hey, little buddy, can you give me the knowledge of more powerful runes from that compendium?" Jin Shu asked Nano.

"...I can. However, didn't you say you wanted to learn on your own?"

"Ah, that’s the other two's thing."

You sure you want to do that? his older self asked.

Jin Shu took a deep breath, he really needed to get something off his chest, otherwise he felt like he would never get a better chance.

"Yeah. I get that you don’t want to rely on assistance, but I don’t subscribe to that methodology. You grew up having to fend for yourself. I didn’t, but I still understand where you’re coming from."

He hesitated, then continued.

"But listen… We call you my older self, and the other one the main soul. But this is my life. And I want to live it my way."

I see…

"Do you, though? Because I don’t think you’ve ever had your body hijacked by another soul. Or had to deal with whatever the hell happens when your soul gets mixed with someone else’s."

...You're right. I haven’t. Would you like us to take a step back? His olderself asked, his tone subdued and understanding. 

Jin Shu let out a slow breath.

"Yes. Please."

Alright. You’re right. It’s your life. You should be the one living it.

…

That went a lot easier than expected. He had been holding that in for too long.

Finally saying it out loud felt…

Liberating.

"Have you made up your mind?" Nano asked.

Jin Shu squared his shoulders.

"Yeah. Do it."

"Alright."

He braced himself, expecting pain.

But instead—

Nothing.

Not a single sensation.

"It is done."

"That's it? Just like that? I don’t feel any different."

"Just like that. I copied the same Qi patterns the compendium used when it first attempted to download its information into your brain. However, I only gave you what you can use currently."

"Huh… cool. But how do I access it?"

"You should be able to just think of the runes you know… I assume. However, I can't say for sure."

Jin Shu closed his eyes and focused. Sure enough, new knowledge surfaced. Runes he had never seen before were now inside his mind.

First was a variant of the Sharpness Rune:

Void Rune: Inflicts damage that ignores armor and defenses, nearly cutting through space itself.

His eyes widened.

"Wow! That one is definitely going on my weapons."

Next was a variant of the Durability Rune:

Indestructible Will Rune: Grants resistance to Qi-based attacks.

He frowned in thought.

"Hmm… this would be good on armor… or maybe my body?"

If he could inscribe this rune onto his skin, he might be able to shrug off pure Qi-based attacks.

It wouldn’t protect him from weapons or physical blows, but against cultivators who relied solely on Qi?

A lifesaver.

The third rune didn’t seem very useful—at least for now.

Sound Devourer Rune: A variant of the Silence Rune, it absorbs sound in the vicinity and converts it into Qi for the user.

He’d have to test that one later. For now, he moved on.

Next was a variant of the Qi Circulation Rune:

Qi Amplifier Rune: Temporarily boosts the efficiency and power of Qi-based techniques channeled through the weapon it was placed on.

He sighed.

"Not much use for me right now… I don’t even have any Qi-based battle techniques."

Still, it could be useful down the line.

Then—

A variant of the Explosion Rune:

Destruction Rune: Creates an outward blast in a sphere around itself.

Jin Shu’s lips curled into a grin.

"Now that could be useful…"

He moved on.

A variant of the Weight Increase Rune:

Gravitational Rune: Multiplies the weight of objects around it significantly, pinning targets to the ground.

Jin Shu nodded to himself.

“That could be a nice surprise for anyone who gets too close.”

Then—its opposite.

A variant of the Weight Reduction Rune:

Anti-Gravity Rune: Reduces weight within a specific area, making objects—or enemies—float.

His eyes gleamed.

“Oh! If I combine these two… the effects could be very interesting.”

His breath hitched as he stumbled upon the next rune.

A variant of the Flame Rune:

Dragon’s Breath Rune: Conjures flames infused with a destructive, dragon-like aura.

"Wow… just wow!"

He was at a loss for words. This rune was power incarnate.

Next—a variant of the Frost Rune:

Absolute Zero Rune: Reduces temperature to an absolute zero state on anything the weapon touches.

Another devastatingly powerful rune.

A variant of the Wind Rune was next:

Hurricane Barrier Rune: Surrounds the user in a vortex of wind, deflecting projectiles and attacks.

Jin Shu tapped his chin.

“Huh… I wonder if I could use this with the Indestructible Will Rune?”

A near-invincible defense…? Probably not. But combined, they could create something strong—very strong.

He thought that was the last rune—until he noticed one final entry.

This one was different.

Not a variant.

Something entirely new.

Lightning Rune: Summons bolts of lightning to strike foes.

Jin Shu chuckled.

“Ha! This must be fate. This is perfect for Liu Hua’s weapon… and I think I’ll use it too.”

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