Tear of Blood

Su Ran sat at the table, his gaze fixed on the silver chest he had just taken out of his personal space.

It was smaller and more exquisite than a wooden chest, its entire body a soft, understated silvery white. It had no latch on its surface, only a few simple, flowing cloud-pattern reliefs that seemed to contain a rhythm of their own.

It was cool to the touch, but not piercingly cold. Instead, the metal had an almost warm, smooth texture.

Just holding it, he could feel how utterly different its weight was from an ordinary wooden chest.

It was not just a physical difference, but a difference in energy level.

A Silver-grade chest.

This was his first time encountering a reward of this grade.

Although he did not know exactly what it would contain, even his toes could tell him it had to be worth far more than the low-grade wooden chests he had farmed countless times.

This was perhaps the highest-grade source of rewards he had encountered since transmigrating.

He took a deep breath, calming the heartbeat that had quickened slightly with anticipation. Su Ran placed the chest in the center of the table.

"First opening."

At his thought, a faint light flowed over the cloud patterns on the Silver Chest, as though they had come to life. The lid slid silently upward, as if lifted by an invisible hand.

Inside, there was no burst of dazzling light. Only two items lay quietly on the silvery-white silk lining.

The first thing to catch his eye was a gold coin.

It was larger than a silver coin, with a deeper, more brilliant luster. Its edge had been polished until it was exceptionally round and smooth, and the intricate, imposing pattern embossed on its surface gave off a substantial, pure sense of value.

That single gold coin alone had an official exchange value of 100 silver coins—one million Credits!

For Su Ran, struggling at the bottom, that was an astonishing fortune in itself.

Beside the gold coin was a scroll bound in dark red leather of an unknown kind, giving off a faint aura of savagery and blood.

Twisted, forceful runes had been painted on the leather in dark gold. Just looking at them, he could almost hear warriors roaring and war drums thundering.

Su Ran picked up the scroll, and information flowed into his mind:

[Berserk skill scroll (single use)]

Use to instantly master Lv. 1 [Berserk].

Effect: greatly increases strength and attack speed for a short time, and slightly increases physical resistance, but slightly reduces rationality and defense, with a brief period of weakness afterward.

Satisfaction flashed in Su Ran's eyes.

[Berserk]! This was the burst skill melee class holders dreamed of!

Though its side effects were obvious, at a critical moment, whether fighting for his life or unleashing a burst of damage, it could deliver the decisive blow.

Such scrolls fetched high prices on the market, and often could not be found at any price, since they were difficult to make and in enormous demand. Whether he used it himself or sold it, its value was immense.

The first opening had yielded a gold coin, a hard currency, and a practical, high-demand skill scroll. The haul had already far exceeded his expectations.

He put down the scroll and looked at the Silver Chest again.

As he watched, the lid slowly closed, and the light in the cloud patterns faded, returning it to its unopened appearance.

The reset was complete.

Su Ran's heart involuntarily beat a little faster again. The first haul had been so rich already, so this one-of-a-kind second opening...

He steadied himself and gathered all his attention.

"Second opening."

The lid slid open silently once more.

This time, the sight inside made Su Ran's breath catch slightly.

The first thing he saw was a pile of silver coins. Not one or two, but a small pile, neatly stacked and gleaming with a soft silver light!

A quick glance told him there were at least fifty! That money alone was equivalent to five hundred thousand Credits!

And beside the pile of silver coins was an even more eye-catching item.

It was a miniature bottle no bigger than a thumb, made of a material that resembled both crystal and amber. The bottle was crystal clear.

Sealed inside was a drop of dark red liquid, so thick it would not disperse, slowly swirling and flowing like a living thing.

At the center of the liquid, a trace of profound sorrow and blazing power seemed to have congealed. Just gazing at it made his mind sway slightly.

Su Ran carefully picked up the miniature bottle. It felt warm and smooth, and the drop of dark red liquid seemed alive, as though it had turned to look at him from within the bottle.

Information flowed into his consciousness, clearer and deeper than before, as though bearing some kind of imprint:

[Tear of Blood potion (rare)]

An essence said to have been condensed by an ancient life-form under extreme emotion, containing incredible powers of life and soul.

Effect: permanently increases spirit by 2 and strength by 1. (Only effective on first consumption.)

Warning: consumption is accompanied by a powerful mental and physical shock and must be undertaken in a safe environment. Those with weak willpower should use caution.

"Gasp..."

Su Ran sucked in a sharp breath, his fingers turning slightly white from how tightly he gripped the miniature bottle.

It increased attributes! And permanently! Spirit +2! Strength +1!

The effect was astonishing!

For any awakened one, base attributes were the foundation of strength.

Aside from the fixed increases granted by one's class upon leveling up, and a very small number of special opportunities or heavenly materials and earthly treasures, there were almost no reliable ways to permanently increase attributes.

Every point gained meant an all-around improvement in skill power, casting speed, stamina, endurance, survivability, and more.

For a spirit-focused class like Su Ran's [Scholar], in particular, the value of two points of spirit was impossible to measure!

That meant deeper reserves of spiritual power, finer control over spells, and stronger learning and analytical abilities!

The additional point of strength would also slightly improve his frail physique, giving him an extra measure of security whether he was swinging an oak club or dealing with a sudden crisis.

The value of a potion like this could no longer be measured in mere gold coins!

It was the kind of strategic resource that truly could not be bought at any price!

Out in the world, a few dozen gold coins would never be enough to buy it. It would inevitably spark competition among a small circle, and it would most likely be traded for other goods or in return for an enormous favor.

Su Ran's heart pounded and blood rushed through him. He gripped the bottle of [Tear of Blood] tightly, as though holding a key to a broader world.

The second opening of the Silver Chest had indeed not disappointed him.

No, it had far exceeded his wildest imagination!

He forced himself to calm down and carefully stored the potion and the fifty silver coins in the deepest, safest part of his personal space.

He also put away the gold coin and the [Berserk] scroll.

Then he looked at the place where the empty chest had slowly dissolved into specks of silver light, saying nothing for a long time.

The life-and-death crisis in the otherworld rift had exposed many things, but for him, the gains had been just as unimaginably immense.

Levels gained, skills advanced, a huge sum of money, a useful scroll, and... this rare potion, capable of changing part of his aptitude.