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Soul weapons were something innate to everyone. They were basically armaments crafted from your soul. Although, it was sort of improper to call it 'crafted', since it was a part of one's soul from the get-go.
It had to be awakened, though. It involved a long ritual with a hired mage who "pulls out" the weapon.
Great Leyline Academy was the only exception to this, as the principal had a soul weapon that could work around the process and just push it out with mana.
The academy was the only school that actually had soul weapon awakening as a part of the entrance ceremony.
While everyone had a soul weapon, not everyone could actually afford to awaken it.
While the awakening ritual wasn't a high-level magic, it wasn't a low level one either. It required materials and mana crystals, and those costed money.
Money that most commoners could not simply afford.
Rufus was one such commoner, even if he was in an "economic hub", his parents were not rich enough to even send their children to school.
Without a soul weapon, Rufus couldn't make it rich as an adventurer, so he turned into a life of crime.
His adventuring career had brought him away from the heart of the de Leon province, and into some less fortunate parts of the territory.
As good as the ruling family was, they could not completely eradicate poverty.
There, he found out how to make an addictive substance called kokune. The ingredients and process wasn't too cheap, but the chances to make a profit was high.
He found some equally desperate friends and hopped from city to city selling kokune in the slums, and sometimes even to adventurers or commoners.
It was a wonder how they weren't caught.
Eventually, they made it as a small-time criminal organization that settled in a city near the heart of the Leon province.
Their luck ran out one day when Rufus decided to get a soul weapon.
He did an under the table deal with a corrupt mage to have it awakened.
---
The mage flicked his hand, finishing the spell and crushing the mana crystal.
The willow leaf in Rufus' mouth suddenly withered away, but he felt something enter his body.
He felt a sharp pain in the area around his abdomen, the correct age for awakening a soul weapon was 14, Rufus was nearly in his 40s.
A dagger was pulled out of his body, it was unstable and looked damage, but it was still a soul weapon.
Rufus grasped the dagger, he gave it a few swings, and each swing left particles of fire around it. He felt that with enough practice, he could control the fire's shape, intensity and temperature. It would be hard however, since he was already old.
The black robed mage in front of him scoffed.
"Hmph, a dagger that can control flames, magic can do that as well. Whatever, I hope you're happy. Speak nothing of this." The mage stood up and examined the crate which supposedly had that payment.
"Oh I'm very happy alright. Now leave before I'm not." Rufus said, waving his hand.
"Ungrateful cur."
The mage scoffed, confirming that the payment was correct, he lifted the crate and walked out of the room.
A group of twelve men walked up to Rufus, they were his friends and partners-in-crime.
"Rufus, bud! Haha. How's it like to have a soul weapon? You're the reason we're here, so it's only right for you to have one first." One of the men spoke.
"It feels amazing! I can burn our enemies to a crisp! I'll tell you more later, for now, we got a job to do."
Rufus 'sheathed' the dagger, and the men nodded.
They had some crates to transfer to another base, this one was already known to some people, so they had to move if they don't want any authorities knocking at their door.
It was dead of the night, in a secluded ally, no one would be there to spot them.
Except a curious ten-thousand year old.
A man with a bulky figure clad in a black cloak approached Rufus.
"Hey, what's in those crates, I smell a faint medicinal aura?."
Panicking, Rufus brought out his soul weapon.
The flames of the dagger grew intense, so much that it started to burn Rufus' hand, and he had to tone it down a little.
"Back off bud, or I'll burn you to a crisp."
The bulky man simply walked pass Rufus, bumping into his shoulder and approaching the men carrying crates.
"Get him boys!"
The men dropped their crates, bringing out weapons and rushing towards the bulky man.
Normally, Rufus would not have attacked a big, burly man in mysterious clothes who was walking down a dark alleyway in the middle of the night.
A guy like that is bad news.
But Rufus was simply in too much of a power trip to know that.
"Hmph, arrogant juniors. Kneel."
All of them immediately kneeled, unable to even form a coherent thought.
The man cracked open a crate, grabbing a packet of white powder.
"This is-!"
He tore it open and took a sniff. Taking off his hood, a blank expression could be seen on his face, and a slight euphoria can be observed in his eyes.
"Enlightenment... Pill..?"
He spoke to Rufus, who could now see his scary face.
"Where did you get this?"
Rufus spoke in a scared tone of voice.
"I- I made it myself sir!"
"You made it yourself?"
"Y- yes sir! Please don't report me to the officials."
The man scoffed.
"Report you? Why would I do that? Your dao of alchemy is great for this place! Junior, you have talent in alchemy. You're selling this right? I'll teach you alchemy, and then you can sell more!"
Rufus was confused as hell, but in the spur of the moment, he yelled out.
"YES TEACHER! You can take over my organization if you want.."
The man let out a chuckle.
"No, you can keep it, just consider me your Mysterious Benefactor."
That was the beginning of a legend, the father of alchemy, Rufus Salazar.
Coincidentally, Louis was 6 at that time.
bruv, snorting white powder found in crates, is my life! first the weaponized flag, now this?! do you hate me?
You say I won't achieve enlightenment but I beg to differ. Personal experiences and all lmao
@Anon_Y_Mousse You know I haven't actually read many xianxia novels. Mostly because for some reason they just don't pop up in my recommendations. Its a damn shame