"Rhode!"

​​

Scarlet's loud call cut off Gu Qing Shan's train of thought.

"Huh?" Gu Qing Shan turned to her with a questioning expression.

Scarlet pulled him to one side, then told him in a whisper:

"Rhode, I have something to ask you"

"What is it?" Gu Qing Shan asked.

"I originally wanted to wait until you've finished with everything before slowly telling you, but I don't think there's time for that now" Scarlet nervously said.

"Tell me then, I'm listening" Gu Qing Shan replied.

Scarlet took out the black flames scythe and asked: "This weapon is actually the key to the Death God's authority, isn't it?"

Gu Qing Shan nodded: "Indeed, just like the Book of Prophesized Destinies was the weapon of the Lord of Radiance, this scythe is the weapon of the Death God, representing the two Law's authority"

Scarlet handed the long-handled black scythe to Gu Qing Shan and said: "I originally wanted to use it to complete the final step of my Star Force technique, but I can feel that it wouldn't cooperate with me------ perhaps only the Death God would be able to utilize it to the greatest degree, so I'm giving it back to you now"

Gu Qing Shan glanced at the long-handled scythe, then at the dejected Scarlet.

--------I really don't like to use scythes as weapons.

He received the scythe and carefully sensed it.

Sure enough, just like Scarlet had said, if she were able to use it during her Star Force construction and summoned a Beast of Death, it would definitely become very powerful.

But this scythe is the Death God's personal weapon, so others cannot use it.

However, there was one exception.

If someone had a grasp of the Law of Death that surpassed even the Death God, then this weapon would naturally follow that person's order and exert its full power.

Gu Qing Shan pondered briefly and said: "Scarlet, try and release your full strength for me"

"Ah, ok"

Scarlet wasn't too sure about what he wanted to do, but she still obediently released her full power of Death while standing still.

Layers of black flames rose from her body and continuously burned.

"If I have a drink, I'd get even stronger" Scarlet explained.

"Then have a drink" Gu Qing Shan smiled.

Scarlet took out a bottle of liquor and chugged it down.

Hoh------

The flames on her body abruptly grew 30% stronger.

Gu Qing Shan silently nodded.

In the mortal realm, alcohol and Death were definitely the best companions.

"Ah, it really was effective, can you get even stronger?" Gu Qing Shan asked.

"But why do I have to do that?" Scarlet asked confusedly.

Gu Qing Shan casually explained: "If you hold even more power of Death compared to the Death God, you'd naturally also be able to fully exert the power of this Divine Weapon"

"Oh! So it was like that"

With that realization, Scarlet eyes were filled with spirit once again.

Gu Qing Shan also smiled: "Try your best to come up with something, as long as the power of Death that you carry is stronger than mine, I'll give this scythe to you so that you can construct your Star Force technique"

"Got it! Then I'll try my best!" Scarlet exclaimed.

She took out several bottles of alcohol from her personal storage and began making herself a cocktail.

She speedily finished mixing and displayed a glass of deep blue alcohol in her hand.

"Rhode, this is a type of strong alcohol I made that can make my power of Death grow 20% more!" Scarlet proudly showed it off.

"Oh? Does this alcohol have a name?" Gu Qing Shan asked.

"Yes, it's the same name as my Star Force technique, it's called The Crab"

"The Crab?" Gu Qing Shan chuckled.

------no one had ever named a drink they made 'The Crab'.

Scarlet's face flushed red: "Yeah, that name was suitable with my Star Force technique, I was going to create a crab with my Star Force, but regretfully, the scythe didn't cooperate with me"

"Why a crab?" Gu Qing Shan asked.

"Because among the Star Force techniques Shroud taught me, the properties of my powers were especially suitable for manifesting two protective techniques, which correspond to the two claws of a crab" Scarlet replied.

"And also" Scarlet clenched her fists and continued: "I'm a follower of the Death God, I want to rampage on the battlefield1!"

Gu Qing Shan couldn't help but chuckle again, telling her: "Two protective techniques? You mean defensive techniques, are you only just going to defend yourself?"

"Hm, I've decided to support you----- you can fight in front while I provide you with two of my unique protections" Scarlet explained.

Gu Qing Shan pondered for a moment.

Any Star Force techniques that Boss taught her must have been the very best.

But for Scarlet's growth, in particular, just defense isn't enough.

Gu Qing Shan sternly told her: "Scarlet, that isn't enough. Other than providing protection to others, you should also prepare a means of offense for yourself. On the battlefield, this is very important, especially since there are so few of us. Under emergencies, there wouldn't be anyone else who would be able to help you"

"Ah… I'll keep that in mind…" Scarlet appeared contemplative.

"Alright, show me your power" he said.

Scarlet drank the entire glass of dark blue liquor at once.

Fwoom!

An even more intense fluctuation radiated from her body, the black flames rose even higher.

"So? Did I surpass you yet?" Scarlet cautiously asked.

Gu Qing Shan stood on one side and silently evaluated her.

------she's still quite a bit lacking compared to me.

If that's the case, she wouldn't be able to exert all of the black flames scythe's power.

She wouldn't be able to use it…

At the receiving end of Scarlet's hopeful gaze, Gu Qing Shan's lips twitched, then sighed.

The situation is only getting more dangerous by the second, no one would be able to tell what would happen at the very next second, so I wouldn't be able to ensure the safety of this girl, Scarlet.

I need to provide her with a bit of strength…

Gu Qing Shan touched the Bramble Bird ring on his hand, then made his decision.

"Come with me Scarlet, you're just a little bit away from surpassing me. Let us research a few new cocktails and see if they'd be able to help your power of Death grow a bit more" Gu Qing Shan said.

He put down several bottles of alcohol on the ground, before quickly taking out almost a dozen of them.

Scarlet pulled the flames around her body back in, crouched down, casually opened one of the bottles, and tried sniffing it.

"This smells very normal to me" she commented.

Gu Qing Shan smiled and told her: "Mixology is like that-------- you can find your own feeling of supernatural from the mundane"

He quickly made a cocktail and put it in front of Scarlet.

Scarlet observed the glass.

Several kinds of light-colored drinks, after going through Gu Qing Shan's mixing, had been turned into a liquid of crimson hue with a hint of black.

"What kind of alcohol is this?" she asked out of interest.

"I call it the Flames of Death" Gu Qing Shan casually replied.

Scarlet picked up the glass and took a light sip.

"It's good!"

She then drank the entire glass all at once, but still seemed a bit unsatisfied as she licked her lips.

Gu Qing Shan looked straight at her.

"Huh? It goes down really nicely------ why are you looking at me?" Scarlet asked.

"Did you think I made that just for fun? Hurry and try to see if your power of Death has improved!" Gu Qing Shan said with an impatient tone.

"Oh sorry, I forgot!" Scarlet said with a flushed expression.

She fully released her power, noticing that the black flames had risen a few centimeters higher.

Gu Qing Shan silently nodded and encouraged her: "That's great, seems like we just need a little bit more until we achieve our goals"

He took out a few more bottles of alcohol and made a new glass of cocktail.

"What's this?" Scarlet asked, full of expectations.

"The Bloodthirster" Gu Qing Shan replied.

Scarlet picked up the glass then tried a sip.

"Such a strong liquor, yet it makes one feel a bit sorrowful. It was as if you weren't in a very good mood when you made this" she frowned.

Gu Qing Shan appeared reminiscent, feeling emotions welling up in his heart.

"Try again" he told her.

Scarlet fully released her power of Death again.

The black flames rose a few centimeters higher.

-------at this point, the power of Death on her body had basically become equal to Gu Qing Shan.

"Alright, just a little bit more and you'd be able to surpass me" Gu Qing Shan commented.

Scarlet jumped from joy, then hugged Gu Qing Shan's arm and said: "Give me another shot, Rhode, I beg you, give me your best drink, my Star Force technique is only one final step away!"

"Alright, you don't have to beg me like that, let me think about what other kinds of alcohol there are" Gu Qing Shan smiled.

He carefully thought for a while.

---------among all the cocktails and liquor I know, perhaps only that one would be able to surpass 'The Bloodthirster' and 'Flames of Death'.

Gu Qing Shan's smile stopped as he popped open one bottle.

He continuously picked out several bottles of liquor, then skillfully prepared a glass of cocktail.

"Oh, what kind of alcohol is this?"

Scarlet licked her lips and asked full of expectations.

Gu Qing Shan paused briefly and answered: "There's no name, just hurry and drink it"

Scarlet raised her glass and drank it all at once.

The drink was as strong as fire itself, scorching away at her emotions, causing her to subconsciously close her eyes.

Strong.

Intense.

Burning.

Destruction, loneliness, sorrow.

And finally, a hint of deep longing sweetness.

After closing her eyes for a while, Scarlet opened them again and looked at Gu Qing Shan in surprise with drops of tears rolling down her face.

"Huh? What's the matter?" Gu Qing Shan frowned and asked.

Scarlet wiped the tears from her eyes and confusedly answered: "I don't know"

She stood up, then focused her power---------

Fwoom!

Intense flames erupted from her body, turning her surroundings into a mass of blurred dark and red hue.

"Rhode, I can sense it… I've surpassed you" she muttered.

After saying that, she waved her hand into the void of space, manifesting numerous stars to appear from the darkness that gave off blinding light.

Gu Qing Shan happily nodded.

"You can use it now"

He handed the black flames scythe to her.

Scarlet received the scythe and placed it in the middle of all the stars.

"Rhode, earlier you said that aside from defensive techniques, I also need offensive means" she said.

"I did" Gu Qing Shan replied.

"I understand now. Aside from the two protective techniques, I will establish a technique for offense as well"

"If that's the case… my Star Force technique won't be called The Crab anymore"

"I'm going to call it--- Scorpio"

in Chinese, 'going side to side and across the battlefield' means to rampage as one wished, so this is a play on word on how crabs move