Chapter 56: Talent Enhancement—Material Summoning

Spiral, ascension—
It was as if he had crossed a certain boundary.
*
Zhou Yan’s eyes cleared, and he found himself back in the familiar bathroom.
Before him was the mirror he had been gazing into before setting out.
Now, the reflection was not that of a bio-soldier clad in exoskeleton, exuding formidable strength.
Instead, it was a handsome young man, his right eye covered by an eyepatch, his left hand gloved in black.
“I’m back…” he thought silently.
Two messages flashed before his eyes.
[Third “Calamity Realm Walk” completed]
[Next Calamity Realm Walk: in 10 days]
“Ten days…”
Zhou Yan pondered. He had expected the interval between these walks to increase, but it had remained unchanged.
No use overthinking it.
He gathered his thoughts and called up his panel to tally his gains.
[Attributes: Physique 13, Acuity 10, Spirit 12]
[Skills: Nanming Sword (proficient), Nanming Secret Sword: Swallow’s Frenzy (standard), Crane’s Cry Breathing Method (beginner)]
[Spirituality: 22,086]
[Items: Ghost Spider Spinner: Modified, Micro Life Essence (40), Runic Circuit Core: Broken (1), Talent Blood Crystal]
As expected, his physique and acuity remained the same, but his spirit had risen to “12.”
After some thought, that made sense; within the Calamity Realm, he had maintained the fusion form, where his spirit was many times stronger than his current self.
It was like a driver used to speeding on the highway returning to regular roads—everything seemed too slow.
Having grown accustomed to sensing the world with several times his normal spiritual capacity, even after returning to his ordinary state, that powerful perception and unmatched will had naturally grown a little.
He clenched his fist, feeling the subtle difference in his body.
Beneath the surface values, he still enjoyed the hidden bonuses of his life equipment. Even without wearing it, he retained twenty percent of its effects, already bringing his actual attributes close to twice those of a normal person...
Then there was spirituality—a tremendous haul, over twenty thousand points, primarily earned by exterminating great swarms of Corrosive Locusts. With such a sum, he could freely use the spirituality-burning function to aid his training over the next ten days.
As for items—

The “Ghost Spider Spinner: Modified” needed little explanation; when equipped, he could play a discount version of Spider-Man. He’d already used it in the Calamity Realm, and with careful development, it could be a formidable piece of gear.
The Micro Life Essence… he’d collected some after slaying spiders, and more when he killed the giant wasp outside the lab; now he had forty units in total. According to the description, it was something like a “health potion” or “nutritional supplement”—he’d try using some before practicing the new breathing method.
Next came the real highlight.
With a thought, a thumb-sized, blood-red octahedral crystal appeared in his hand.
This was the perfect score reward for this walk—another Talent Blood Crystal!
[Talent Blood Crystal: Upon use, further develops the Calamity Realm Walker’s latent talents, enhancing effects and unlocking new abilities]
Indeed, just like the last Talent Blood Crystal he had obtained!
A supreme item, capable of further strengthening his innate talent.
Zhou Yan did not hesitate and chose to use it immediately.
The blood-red crystal dissolved into a strange crimson light, shooting toward his forehead and instantly merging into his brow.
His mind detached from reality, plunging into the sea of his soul.
He didn’t know how long had passed—it felt both eternal and instantaneous.
Zhou Yan’s vision cleared.
[By using the Talent Blood Crystal, your talent has been further developed]
[You have gained the ability to “Summon Materials,” allowing you to call forth items in your archive and use their abilities to a certain extent]
[Talent “Super Fusion” can now archive up to three types of “Materials”]
[Currently archived materials: Karma Lotus Calamity Sword, Corrosive Proto-Insect: Malice Locust (2/3)]
Hm!?
Zhou Yan looked at the refreshed information, delight rising in his heart.
This time, the Talent Blood Crystal not only increased his archive limit but also unlocked a new ability?
“Summon Materials…”
Zhou Yan mused quietly and decided to test it at once.
He extended his right hand, focused his will, and instantly felt weight in his palm.
A familiar, alien sword appeared in his grasp.
Long and curved, edged on both sides, its guard shaped like a double-layered black lotus—unmistakably, the Karma Lotus Calamity Sword.
Now, in his ordinary form, this black sword did not grant him the massive basic attribute boost of the fusion state, nor did it allow him to use the “Calamity Eye” or “Black Lotus Bloom” techniques.

Yet it remained peerlessly sharp, and—perhaps because he had summoned it—felt utterly weightless in his grip.
More importantly, Zhou Yan could sense that he could expend the durability of his life equipment to shift the sword into a mysterious state—the Miasma Flame Mode.
This would envelop the blade in black and crimson fire, letting it deal both physical and energy damage with each strike.
Though not as powerful as in fusion form, it was still formidable.
Most crucially, he instinctively knew—he could, while fused, also summon another material for use.
For instance, he could don the “Corrosive Locust Armor” and summon the Karma Lotus Calamity Sword as his weapon.
This would further enhance his combat versatility.
He gave his old companion a few experimental swings, then willed the sword to vanish.
His testing was not yet done.
In the next second, a black locust nearly half a meter long appeared on the bathroom floor, resting motionless.
“That’s a bit too large…”
Zhou Yan adjusted his thoughts.
Mist drifted from the locust’s body, and it rapidly shrank before his eyes, soon no larger than an ordinary grasshopper.
It hopped lightly, spread its wings, and landed on Zhou Yan’s shoulder, where it settled quietly.
Zhou Yan nodded.
By instinct, he knew the summoned Malice Locust’s abilities.
First, size adjustment—the locust could shift between regular and giant (up to half a meter long) form at his command.
Second, consciousness attachment—the locust had no will of its own. Without orders, it was simply a living ornament. However, if Zhou Yan projected his mind into it, he could control its actions directly.
For example, to spy… or perform reconnaissance tasks.
Zhou Yan set aside these thoughts, and the locust on his shoulder dispersed into starlight.
A smile spread across his face, unbidden.
His talent was growing ever stronger, ever more versatile.
*