Armor glyphs could wait. Chen Xu knew neither magic nor Signs, and the effects of his Tracking Technique and Stealth Technique had nothing to do with spell intensity.
For him, filling the rune slots on his steel sword Gram was a better priority right now.
If Gram had not sliced through Zhaotian Zhi's longsword in their very first exchange, he would very likely have died on the spot.
Before leaving White Orchard, Geralt had given him a [Lesser Chernobog Runestone], which granted +5% attack power.
But even filling every slot with runestones of that grade probably would not upgrade Gram to a rare-grade weapon.
He glanced at Fergus's runestone prices. Even the inferior kind he had cost 24 crowns.
Standard runestones cost 53 crowns, and those that inflicted effects such as poisoning, bleeding, burning, and stagger cost even more.
Elemental enhancement types were a little cheaper, since they sold poorly.
The top-quality [Greater Chernobog Rune Stone], meanwhile, was the shop's prized offering, priced at an astonishing 150 crowns-enough to buy a plot of land and become a farmer in present-day Velen.
Chen Xu scanned the price list and spotted a loophole:
"Give me seven black pearls and two infusion crystals."
Those two materials alone provided the ingredients for two greater runestones. With the discount, they cost only 174 crowns altogether.
With Geralt's Lesser Chernobog Runestone as a reference, Chen Xu was confident he could extrapolate the patterns for a Greater Chernobog Rune Stone.
Making them himself would be almost 42% cheaper than buying them from the smithy.
This was a big sale. Beaming, Fergus headed to the storeroom to fetch the goods, only to be stopped by the shop's actual owner now-the master armorer Yoana:
"Wait, you're going to make your own runes?"
As expected of one of only two master smiths in the North, she had caught on instantly.
Chen Xu instinctively wanted to use [Deception] on her, then realized there was no need at all. Yet his frank admission left Fergus rooted to the spot, at a loss:
How is that possible? My forging skills are about on par with Willis's, and I mostly have to buy runestones.
With skills like that, what if he comes to compete for business...
He was simply overthinking it. Yoana, as a woman, instead intuitively felt that Chen Xu's ambitions lay elsewhere.
Still, she gave him a serious warning, then added:
"Making them for yourself is fine, but you can't sell them here... Also, I'd like to watch your forging process."
Chen Xu readily agreed and took the materials from Fergus, whose eyes held a complicated look.
His coffers had dwindled considerably. Yoana was reasonably considerate and waived the fee for renting the smithy.
Chen Xu undid the brace on his right arm and used a grinding wheel to grind the two green infusion crystals into fine dust.
Black pearls were precious jewels in their own right. Those at the smithy were small, irregular rejects, making their prices much friendlier.
Yoana grew a little impatient and simply exchanged the seven black pearls for eight bottles of ready-made black pearl dust.
Chen Xu checked it. The quality was the same.
But if an outsider came to have materials broken down, one pearl would generally be ground into one bottle of pearl dust. It was the same principle as "a cook who doesn't steal won't have grain to eat."
The dwarf did not sit idle either, preparing distilled water as the two requested.
With all the materials ready, Chen Xu began combining the black pearl dust into blank runestones.
He discussed the plan with Yoana, then first forged some pressing tools in the shape of runestones.
Black pearls were a perfect combination of organic and inorganic matter, capable of accommodating most forms of Dark Energy infusion.
But they were too small, with insufficient storage capacity, and could not meet the requirements for engraving runes with infusion dust.
That meant these tiny particles had to be perfectly fused into a regularly shaped stone.
So-called runestones were actually very similar to the check-in sanctuary, the "Place of Power."
His proficiency in [Forging] allowed Chen Xu to keenly perceive the similarities between the two.
Both could independently absorb [Dark Energy] drifting between heaven and earth. The only difference was that a Place of Power absorbed it and stored it in large quantities;
runestones were more intricate, capable of refining, converting, storing, and providing a constant output.
Chen Xu added the calculated quantities of distilled water to the two portions of pearl dust, then poured them into the runestone pressing molds.
This was a special form of water refining.
It was common knowledge that inorganic particles could be sintered into solid pieces.
For example, the common building material "red brick" was fired at a high temperature of around 900°C. Its internal structure did not fuse, greatly affecting the material's performance.
But after some rapid mental calculations, Chen Xu determined that ordinary heating would suffice, with 0.2 parts water molecules for every one part pearl dust;
applying around 0.9 GPa of pressure would then produce a bulk material with a continuous structure.
There would be fewer interfaces and gaps between particles than in the original black pearls, and they could even form a crystalline structure!
Chen Xu commandeered all sorts of metal blocks and heavy anvils to press the molds.
Yoana could not help asking why he was doing this, but her worldview imposed its own limits. Even with Chen Xu patiently explaining the microscopic world, she remained utterly bewildered.
In any case, she just had to follow the instructions. Yoana herself needed high-quality smithing tools to make mastercrafted armor; her skills were a notch below to begin with.
With these tools and notes, she would be able to reproduce the process perfectly in the future.
Once the heating was complete, he carefully pried open the molds, bringing two flawless black biocrystals into the world.
Chen Xu rinsed them with water. They truly were as smooth and lustrous as jade, though unfortunately they would soon be carved.
He studied the patterns on the Lesser Chernobog Runestone, then quickly began carving. These patterns had been completed using the experience and knowledge in his mind, and might not be the original Greater Chernobog Rune.
Finally, he filled them with melted infusion crystal dust, and the work was done.
[You have crafted a fine-grade item: [Greater Power Rune]. Your [Forging] has improved slightly.] -------- Item: Greater Power Rune Quality: Fine Effect: Runic weapon attack power +12% Sale price: 100 points --------
The original Greater Chernobog Rune granted only a 10% attack power bonus, making it slightly inferior to his modified version.
After socketing the two greater runestones and the lesser one into Gram, Chen Xu's compulsion for uniformity kicked in, and he pried the small one back out.
Even so, its original 27 attack power still soared to 33.
Something in the air seemed to be plundered by the runestones, and the energy circuits along the blade gradually lit up white.
The modified Temerian armor he wore had only 31 defense in the areas without armor plating. One slash could break through its defense!
Now, only the gem socket inside Gram's hilt remained empty. Inserting gems of different types and qualities would produce different kinds and degrees of enhancement.
For example, a sapphire could produce a freezing effect by drawing away heat, while an emerald could add corrosive properties to Dark Energy, akin to releasing toxins, and so on.
He favored rubies, which could make the blade exceptionally hot and even set enemies alight, inflicting tremendous pain.
But when he asked Fergus about the prices, he learned that even amber, the cheapest option, cost 89 crowns. Chen Xu had only 56 crowns and a handful of copper coins to his name.
Besides, he had not even mastered Dark Energy yet. Buying one would only be a waste.
After they tidied up the smithy, which had been left in complete disarray, Yoana still had questions, but Chen Xu was already unbearably sleepy.
He had to venture deep into the swamp with Geralt tomorrow, so he needed to rest and build up his strength.
"Follow my method step by step, and you can do it too. Good luck!" With a quick shift of his feet, he slipped away.
He left the young master armorer standing there, frowning in thought.
It was late at night. Most of the residents of Crow's Perch had already gone to bed, and only a few soldiers stood watch in the inner keep.
Unable to see Randall or the other Chosen, he kept feeling uneasy, so he slipped into the kitchen and stole a large handful of cutlery.
Back in his guest room, he rigged tripwires across the door and windows, hanging them with knives, forks, and spoons.
That way, even if a Chosen tried to attack him at night, they would never escape his 14 reaction.
He closed his eyes and slept straight through until morning. Awakened by the clatter of a tripwire, Chen Xu discovered that the intruder was merely Gretka, who had wanted to come in and clean.