Chapter 57: Killer Queen

The refinement process looked simple, but it was still too difficult for Xu Miao.

First, Xu Miao filtered unusable substances from the ore by smelting them with his Yang Qi. Once the useless rocks and dirt had been removed, the remaining pieces of ores had to be merged.

Next, the merged ores had to be heated by a drop of Yang Essence or 1,000 strands of Yang Qi. The heated demonic ore would be liquidized, and it would automatically collect surrounding energy to enhance its demonic qi by itself.

Everything was similar to a common smelting technique. However, the refining issue came after that.

Once the demonic ore began collecting the surrounding energy, it would also consume the refiner's Qi. To save the refiner's life, a drop of a demon's blood was required. After dropping demon blood onto the rampaging demonic liquid, it would condense around the blood, slowly forming a ball-shaped crystal.

Then, after leaving the crystal alone for a night, it would gather Yin Qi and stabilized its energy.

The process was so easy and simple for demons, but Xu Miao couldn't do it. He lacked demon blood since he wasn't a demon.

"I'm sorry, your majesty. I don't have demon blood."

[Bullshit! You can digest my demon Qi, so you're definitely a demon!]

"But, I'm a human."

[HOO-MAN, my ass! I drank your blood, and I can confirm that you're a fucking demon! Just follow my instruction and complete the goddamn crystal, or I'll freaking slice you into sashimi!]

"Okay! Okay!"

Xu Miao processed the ores like how Killer Queen had instructed. When it reached the blood dropping part, the ghost sword stabbed his hand and sprayed several drops of blood on the smelted ore.

"Ow! Take it easy!"

[Shut it, HOO-MAN demon! Now, we wait and let the crystal do the work.]

"Is that it?"

The process was too easy to the point that Xu Miao questioned KQ's knowledge and her common sense. He thought the refining process was more profound and sophisticated.

[Yup! Oh, by the way, do you have more of those defected weapons?]

"Excuse me? Defected weapons?"

[Yeah. The one that you fed it to me, that big-ass crude saber.]

"..."

Xu Miao glanced at the broken magic dadao. It might be a low-grade weapon. But in the eyes of Killer Queen, it was a trashy defected weapon.

"Are these defected weapons, too?"

Xu Miao showed the remaining low-grade weapons, which he had obtained by defeating the 1st stage clones in the Isolation Chamber. He was hoping that one or two of them might be recognized as a good weapon.

[Yup! They're all trash! Now, give them to me. Let me eat all of their energy!]

"Hey! If you keep destroying my weapons, what am I going to use!"

[Stupid HOO-MAN! Do you think I drank your filthy blood because I desire your blood or something!?]

"Well, wasn't it?"

[Fuck no! I drank your blood, so you can use me! Take me out of this place with you! I'm tired of rotting here for centuries. Do you know how bored I am laying by myself in the darkness? I'm hungry! I'm bored! I want to fight! I want freedom! I want to shove my blade into someone's ass!]

"..."

Xu Miao almost laughed because of Killer Queen's childish attitude. Still, his novel experience told him that the ghost sword might be considered a heavenly artifact for local cultivators since it was kept hidden in here without anyone noticing its existence.

'If this world was a cultivation novel, the MC should have stumbled on this place before me and found her by an accident. Then...'

While Xu Miao was fantasizing what kind of plotline that MCs might encounter a sentient sword like Killer Queen during an adventure arc, the ceiling shook. Dirt and dust fell from above.

*RUMBLE*

[Meh, that stupid tree is probably at it again.]

"Stupid tree? Is it a giant blue Ent?"

Xu Miao referred to the tree that almost killed him. It was also the reason that he fell down to this unknown mine.

[Yeah, that's the one. It's a demon-eating tree that can shoot ice. That orcfucker is one of the raiders, and it almost killed my former master. That bastard always dug around the mine and took a few dead bodies for its fertilizer. I'm planning to stab that mofo and suck its Qi!]

There was a history between Killer Queen and the blue tree monster.

*BOOM*

As Xu Miao and Killer Queen was chatting and waiting for the refined crystal to stabilize, they heard the loud sound of landslide and earthquake. Somewhere in the mine, another portion of the ceiling collapsed.

Xu Miao and Killer Queen stopped chatting. He laid prone and placed his left ear on the ground, listening to the movement and the earthquake. Meanwhile, Killer Queen used her remaining Qi to sense the surroundings.

*Poek*

Something fell along with the landslide. Xu Miao heard the sound of something big falling on the ground.

The ghost katana also sensed another being in the mine.

[I sense another demon in the mine. I think it's an oni!]

"Oh?"

Xu Miao's face changed. If KQ could easily identify that there was another living demon here, Xu Miao might be in trouble. Yet, he recalled something.

'Wait a second. An oni? A demon? Is it her? She's a demon, but is she an oni?'

The face of Wei Yuan appeared in Xu Miao's mind.

[Hey, HOO-MAN, go and dig the place below my sheath. My ex-master buried her clan's assets there. Take it and bring me with you. We need to leave this place soon.]

"Why? Aren't all onis your friends?"

[True, but I sensed that asshole tree is digging through the ground above us. Just dig the ground and grab the treasures! We need to leave!]

Xu Miao gulped. If KQ was panicked, the tree might be absurdly strong.

"What's the tree's strength or cultivation level?"

[It doesn't matter! Just go dig and get the fuck outta here!]

"..."

Xu Miao stopped trying to squeeze more information out of the sentient katana. He dug the place where KQ had told him.

After digging down 30 centimeters, Xu Miao found a small steel box. He brought it out of the hole and shoved it into one of his available inventory slots. However, he took out all magic weapons and carried it outside.

*BOOM*

The earthquake got stronger. Cracks appeared on the ceiling, and dirt poured from the leaked parts.

[GO! GO! GO! WE DON'T HAVE TIME!]

"Where to!?"

[FOLLOW ME!]

KQ extended its dark aura, wrapping around several dead bodies with rainbow bones and the unfinished demonic crystal. Then, she took off, flying away from the dead-end tunnel.

Xu Miao carried the magic weapons that he couldn't deposit in the inventory in his arms. He dashed and followed Killer Queen.

*BOOM*

As if they were in a scene in a movie, the ceiling above the sealed pathway collapsed. Three giant roots pierced into the room, searching for dead bodies.

After the roots couldn't find anything to be used as fertilizer, more roots destroyed the mine tunnels, searching for any dead body. They found several corpses in front of the sealed passageway. Then, the tree stopped attacking. The blue ent's roots collected the corpses and pulled them into its main root.

...

Xu Miao and KQ managed to get away from the collapsed section and avoided the detection of the blue tree. However, they got further inside the mine, and they got lost.

"Your majesty, do you know the exit?"

[Huh? I thought you know the exit?]

"Err, I fell into this shithole by an accident. I thought you knew about the mine layout."

[I'm a fucking sword! Remembering a freaking useless map of this mine is none of my business! Now, gimme all those juicy weapons! I want to eat those!]

Xu Miao facepalmed. He didn't know if the encounter was beneficial for him or not, "If I give you my weapons, can you replace them if I need a weapon to use?"

[Of course, you stupid HOO-MAN! What am I, a talking decoration? I'm the KILLER QUEEN! I kill your enemies for you, and you keep feeding me crystals. Deal?]

KQ was assertive. Before Xu Miao could agree with her proposal, she already pushed him around and assumed that he would be her next master.

"Are you sure? I'm a weak hooman."

[I don't give a fudge! Just bring me out of this shithole, and I'll be your weapon, okay?]

"Ah, fine!" Xu Miao tossed his remaining low-grade weapons to KQ, "There. You can have them."

[Yay!]

Like a kid, KQ swung her blade at them and destroyed the magic weapons in one slash. However, their residual Qi and aura merged with the ghost katana, becoming one with her.

KQ burped as if she was full.

[Thanks for the meal. But heck, I still can't recover the strength that you stole from me. Hey, HOOMAN, take out the treasures in the box. I need to eat some of them.]

"Hey, my name is Xu Miao, not HOOMAN. Also, I'm not your servant. Stop ordering me around."

[Of course. You're not my servant. You're now my master. Isn't it the master's duty to feed your precious spirit weapon? Now, fetch me my ex-master's treasures, peasant!]

"..."

Xu Miao wanted to keep the so-called treasures inside the mysterious box to himself. Unfortunately, KQ exuded a threatening aura around herself, hinting him that she might kill him if he didn't cooperate.

Without a choice, Xu Miao brought out the box from his inventory. The system listed it as [Sealed Spatial Box].

Normally, spatial rings couldn't be stored inside the inventory. However, this box was an exception because of the seal.

Xu Miao tried to open the steel box, but he couldn't open it. There was no handle, hinge, or any indicator that it could be opened.

The sealed box was a seamless grey cube at the size of his palm, which could be seen as a cubic metal. If the system inventory didn't show its description, Xu Miao could have believed that it was a worthless metal.

"How do I open it?"

[I don't know.]

"..."

Xu Miao gave KQ an odd look. He doubted her abilities.

[What are you looking at?]

"Do you know anything else other than your ex-master's history or killing?"

[That's rude! I'm a fucking sword, so my expertise is sword and battles. Do you expect me to be an all-knowing sage? I'm not omnipotent!]

"Then, how do I get the so-called treasures inside the box for you?"

[I don't know. You figure!]

"..."

Xu Miao had a headache. He didn't know if encountering with this sword could be considered as a fortuitous encounter.

...

Xu Miao and his sword's voice were so loud that everything was audible inside the mine.

Inside the underground maze, a young maiden was also trapped in here. She closed her eyes and tried to pinpoint the direction of the voice.

Wei Yuan doubted her ears at first when she heard Xu Miao's voice, but she was certain when his voice kept coming.