Violating a Sacred Artifact

Seizing the moment while Aliza wasn't looking, Du Chen slipped the Sacred Artifact into his voluminous sleeve. Turning back, he praised, "Aliza, you did well today! When we get back, I'll treat you to two whole roasted suckling calves!"

"Heh heh! Two roasted suckling calves!" Though Aliza's body was a canvas of bruises and battle scars, he paid them no mind, instead leaping up with the glee of a small child.

At that moment, the first lotus flower on Du Chen's backside stirred. Its petals trembled, unfurling one by one until the flower was fully open. This was his reward for saving the two unfortunate elders — his Precious Lotus Scripture had advanced again!

Now, all the petals of the first lotus had opened, save for its pistil. Once the pistil unfurled, Du Chen would have mastered the first realm of the Scripture!

A surge of smug satisfaction filled Du Chen as he felt the change on his backside. He approached the two elders, extending a hand and offering his most brilliant smile. "You needn't fear any longer, old ones; I've driven them away!"

The elderly couple had witnessed and heard everything. They clasped Du Chen's hand, rising to bow repeatedly. "Most noble Titled Battle God Scion, we praise you! Your virtue rivals that of your ancestor, Sigurd Saint-Shine, Battle God!"

Their gratitude was sincere, yet their eyes held a flicker of doubt as they scrutinized Du Chen. Hadn't they heard that Francis was an idiot? Yet, this golden-haired youth before them bore no resemblance to a simpleton. Indeed, with his charming smile and handsome face, he clearly seemed to be a kind-hearted noble young master!

"You flatter me too much!" Du Chen chuckled. "I am but an ordinary person, though I simply cannot stand some of the scum among the nobility!"

Du Chen's hand instinctively brushed the metal sphere hidden in his sleeve. His heart began to itch with anticipation. He hadn't had a proper look at this Sacred Artifact yet; how could he waste time chatting with an elderly couple? He chuckled, "You should hurry home. I must go elsewhere and see if there are other unfortunate souls who need my help!"

"May the Battle Gods bless you! Young Master Francis, you truly are a good person!"

Du Chen unclipped a small, pearl-like trinket from the sash of his white robe and handed it to them. "Should you ever find yourselves in trouble again, take this and come to Saint Sigurd Cain Estate to find me. I will surely help you!"

True acts of charity, after all, were long-term investments, like a steady stream flowing endlessly. These elders were clearly among the lowest stratum of St. John's City, bound to face further bullying. They would undoubtedly present Du Chen with plenty of future opportunities for 'good deeds'!

"Alright, Aliza, let's go!"

It was evening now, and the setting sun cast its golden rays upon Du Chen's retreating figure at the alley's mouth. In the eyes of the elderly couple, his silhouette appeared impossibly tall, truly radiating the splendor of the ancient Battle Gods of legend!

Just then, the old man shouted, "Young Master Francis, my name is Matthew! I will tell everyone that you are not the idiot of St. John's City; you are the very virtue of St. John's City!"

"'The Virtue of St. John's City?' That's quite a title!" Du Chen hopped onto Aliza's back.

He secretly glanced at the metal sphere in his sleeve. It was egg-sized, a dark teal hue, and meticulously covered in intricate metal plates. The sphere also had four small holes. No matter how he looked at it, Du Chen felt the object possessed a certain sentience, an inexplicable allure drawing him in. This was a Sacred Artifact of the Battle God world! Du Chen slapped Aliza's shoulder, commanding, "Home! And then, to find my elder brother!"

...

Back at Saint Sigurd Cain Estate, Steve was just about to leave for a noble ladies' banquet, but Du Chen waylaid him at the entrance of his garden pavilion.

"What? You want to know more about Battle God Sacred Artifacts?" Steve stared at Du Chen in surprise. "Uh, alright, I'll give you the rundown!"

He led Du Chen back into the garden, settling onto a stone bench as he explained, "No one knows the true origin of Sacred Artifacts anymore; they're simply too ancient. However, Sacred Artifacts contain mysterious power—part of it stemming from the artifact itself, and part from its previous owners. Uh, perhaps I should just show you!"

Steve unclasped a necklace from his neck, on which hung a small spherical object. Similar to Kaman's, its surface wasn't smooth, boasting intricate metallic patterns. Additionally, this sphere also featured several small holes. Beyond that, Kaman's metal sphere was dark teal, while Steve's glowed a fiery red.

Steve motioned for Du Chen to watch closely. A burst of pure green flame erupted from his hand, its temperature clearly significant. With one hand holding the metal sphere, he swiftly guided the flame onto it with the other. Du Chen's eyes were riveted. Steve's flame snaked into the small holes on the metal sphere. In an instant, the sphere flared with intense light, transforming like a complex machine assembling itself, into a pair of fiery red metal gauntlets that enclosed Steve's hands.

"This is my Sacred Artifact, Sigurd's Gauntlets! They are a part of our ancestor Sigurd Saint-Shine, Battle God's battle armor!" As he spoke, Steve let out a low roar, "Meteor Flame!" He threw out two phantom punches, and two orbs of flame shot from his hands. They exploded violently before his fists, dissolving into glittering sparks that streaked like meteors towards a nearby stone bench. BOOM! The stone bench shattered.

"This is the power of a Sacred Artifact merged with Battle Qi," Steve explained. "Sacred Artifacts also have ranks, corresponding to a Battle God's profession and restricted by their Battle Qi. For example, I, your elder brother, am a Third-Rank Yellow-Robed Fiend Warrior, and these gauntlets are a Fifth-Rank Sacred Artifact. Therefore, my own strength limits the artifact's potential, allowing it to display only the power of a Third-Rank Sacred Artifact! Conversely, a Sacred Artifact won't drag down a Battle God. A Tenth-Rank Battle God wielding a Fifth-Rank Sacred Artifact can still exert Tenth-Rank Battle Qi, though the assistance gained from the artifact will be significantly less!"

Steve retracted the flames from the gauntlets, and the metal gauntlets transformed back into the metal sphere, which he casually rehung around his neck. "Alright, I've told you the basic knowledge. Now, I really must get to that banquet!"

"Hold on, dear Elder Brother!" Du Chen stopped Steve, who was about to leave, then patted his own pocket with a sheepish grin. "Elder Brother, you just casually hang your Sacred Artifact around your neck like that?"

"Of course! Sacred Artifacts must be carried at all times!" Steve declared. "A Battle God could face combat at any moment. What kind of Battle God would they be without their Sacred Artifact nearby?"

"Aren't you afraid of losing it then?"

"Heh heh, not at all!" Steve's chest puffed out. "Because Sigurd's Gauntlets have already recognized me as their master!"

"Sacred Artifacts can recognize masters?"

"Indeed!" Steve explained, "Sacred Artifacts possess sentience and will choose their own suitable master. Once a master is recognized, a wondrous connection forms between them. Should I ever discover my Sacred Artifact lost, I can simply use this connection to retrieve it! So, while carrying a Sacred Artifact might carry some risk, there's no fear of it being truly lost."

Du Chen's heart pounded. "Elder Brother, is there any way to sever the connection between a Sacred Artifact and its master?"

"Of course! You just need to make the Sacred Artifact recognize someone else as its master!"

"And how does one make a Sacred Artifact recognize a master?"

"My dear little brother, why do you ask?" Steve playfully patted Du Chen's cheek, chuckling. "Making a Sacred Artifact recognize a master is a very complicated, exceedingly complex, and difficult process! However, there is one direct method: forcefully activate it with Battle Qi far surpassing the artifact's own rank… Uh, you could think of it this way: a Sacred Artifact is like a chaste maiden. You might not win her heart, but you can *violate* her to possess her!"

"Elder Brother, you're a pervert!"

"Go on, I call it being suave! Bye now, I'm off to the banquet!" Steve dashed out of the garden, waving over his shoulder at Du Chen. "Read more books, don't keep thinking about *forcing* Sacred Artifacts. That's not something you can do. Father is already an Eighth-Rank Black Tortoise Battle God, yet even his Eighth-Rank Battle Qi can only force a Second-Rank Sacred Artifact!"

After Steve's figure vanished, Du Chen hurriedly pulled the metal sphere from his pocket. "Young Master Kaman, you've really landed me in a pickle!" Du Chen examined the metal sphere in his hand, his mind working furiously. Returning it was certainly out of the question; what kind of thief would ever 'cough up the loot'? But if he didn't return it, Kaman had a connection to the Sacred Artifact. Once he realized it was missing, it would inevitably lead back to Du Chen!

Earlier, Du Chen had been thinking of forcefully making the Sacred Artifact recognize him as its master. But after Steve's explanation, he'd discarded that idea. It took Eighth-Rank Battle Qi to coerce a Second-Rank Sacred Artifact into submission. And he, Du Chen, didn't even possess First-Rank Battle Qi! Kaman was far too careless. Why didn't he protect his Sacred Artifact better? Wasn't this just asking for trouble for Du Chen?

As he toyed with the metal sphere in his hand, Du Chen's fingers unconsciously began to itch. There was no helping it; this was the nature of a thief. Would a lecher not be tempted by a naked maiden? Could Du Chen, hailed as the 'Master of All Locks,' see the small holes on the metal sphere and not yearn to 'poke them'?

Moments later, Du Chen could no longer resist the itch in his hands. He scanned the garden around him. With a 'whoosh!' he darted beneath a row of flower trellises. Beneath the trellises, he found a rack supporting various types of wire — thick, thin, flat, and round, all neatly organized. They must have been left by the gardeners.

Upon seeing these wires, Du Chen felt as if he had reunited with old friends after years of separation! Using both hands and feet, within minutes, Du Chen had fashioned the wires into various shapes. He then sorted and tucked them into his belt. "Sigh. Acetylene torches, crowbars, lily keys, universal tooth molds… Heavens, my old friends aren't here! I'm stuck with these measly wires! Damn it, even a piece of chewing gum would be better!"

Du Chen wasn't asking for gum to chew. He was a true master lock-picker from Earth, capable of opening even the most intricate locks with just a piece of chewing gum! And Du Chen was precisely such a master! Counting them, the metal sphere had a total of four small holes. Du Chen's right hand nimbly grasped four thin wires. His left hand formed a cradle, supporting the metal sphere. Slowly, he inserted the wires into the small holes.