Chapter 2: Soul Essence Absorption
"Wake up, slowpoke!"
The bellow could've cracked bedrock. Xing Yan jolted upright, slamming his head against the underside of the top bunk.
THUNK.
"ARGH! Son of a—"
"Morning greetings, rookie." The bulky shadow of Foreman Tie loomed at the entrance like a demon of overtime shifts. "You've got five minutes to drag that half-dead body of yours to Shaft 27-B. Today, you meet Cold Quartz."
Xing Yan winced, rubbing his head for the second time in two days. "Any chance I can trade that for a warm breakfast and a nap?"
"Sure," Foreman Tie nodded. "Just sign this form. Title: 'Voluntary Organ Donor for Savage Beast Feeding.'"
"…I'll be there in four minutes."
He stumbled out of bed and hastily splashed mineral-rich water on his face. The sting of sulphur woke him faster than any coffee. He glanced under his pillow—the Softsteel ingot still pulsed faintly he put it back between his pillows. He's not interested in it anymore after reading the description of the Primordial Forge.
Outside, a line of young miners were already assembling, pickaxes in hand. The tunnel air was cold this morning, biting into their skin. Today's shaft entrance was lower, darker, and unnervingly quiet.
Shaft 27-B – Cold Quartz Vein (Grade: Mortal-Grade Mid Tier)
Temperature Warning: High Conductivity Risk
Xing Yan read the sign, trying not to groan. "Sounds like mining inside a glacial powered by lightning."
A girl next to him laughed under her breath. "More like mining a block of angry ice. Cold Quartz fractures if you hit it wrong. And if you hit it too hard, it explodes. One guy last week lost his eyebrows."
"Just his eyebrows?"
"Okay, and part of his nose."
"Comforting."
The girl stuck out her hand. "Name's Mo Lin. Welcome to Rookie Hell."
He shook it. "Xing Yan. A brave miner that will save the world."
She snorted. "Oh yeah? You'll fit right in."
---
Inside Shaft 27-B, the air was crisp. Crystals jutted from the walls, sharp and glassy. Each pickaxe strike echoed like bells chiming in a frozen cathedral.
Xing Yan took a breath and readied his swing. He channeled the memory of the Softsteel vein—feeling the ore, sensing its lines, reading the "pulse" behind the wall.
CRACK.
A thin fracture spread like a spider web.
No explosion.
He exhaled. "Not bad, huh?"
Mo Lin gave a low whistle. "First try? Either you're a natural or the god really favors you."
Xing Yan grinned. "Probably both."
As he worked, he felt it again—that instinct. That connection. The pickaxe wasn't just a tool—it was an extension of him. Every strike became cleaner. Sharper. Like his very soul understood how the rocks breathed.
In the back of his mind, the Primordial Forge pulsed faintly, sensing the Cold Quartz chunks he tucked into his pouch.
---
By noon, his cart held several Cold Quartz pieces. The glow was subtle but sharp—like moonlight trapped in ice.
As he sat for a break, hiding behind a pillar of crystal, he slipped one piece into his palm and whispered mentally:
[Primordial Forge – Insert Material]
The chunk vanished with a shimmer. The virtual forge blinked to life.
> Cold Quartz Detected. Refinement will begin.
Timer: 8 Minutes | Heat Level: Rising
Warning: Ore sensitivity high. Risk of implosion if failure
"Uh… wait, what?"
He watched in horror as the forge emitted tiny red symbols. A bead of sweat formed. He realized—this wasn't like Softsteel.
Cold Quartz required precision. One misstep and boom—spiritual shrapnel.
"Come on, baby. Don't explode inside my soul."
He counted down the minutes like a bomb squad. Around him, miners worked and sweated and cursed, oblivious to the nuclear accident brewing in his inner world.
At last—
DING.
> Refinement Complete: Cold Quartz Core (Stabilized)
Purity: 18% | Soul Essence: 36
Effect: Mind Cooling (Minor)
- Birthed in a damped and cold place, Cold Quartz are commonly found 160 meters depths. It is said to have the ability to cool the mind and enhanced concentration. Used to forge Inferior-Grade weapons.
The ingot floated in his mind like a shard of frozen starlight. Xing Yan swallowed.
This thing was cold. Not physically—but spiritually. The moment it entered his palm, it leeched warmth. His breath fogged.
He wrapped it in cloth and tucked it into his satchel.
Then, suddenly—
SCREEEEEEE!
A sharp, metallic scream echoed through the tunnel.
Miners stopped. Forman froze. Even the burly Foreman Tie, unflappable as a mountain, clenched his jaw.
Xing Yan whispered, "What the hell was that?"
Mo Lin turned pale. "Savage Beast. And it's close."
---
The scream came again, louder now. This time, the wall to their left cracked.
Something thudded behind it—massive, heavy. Then—
BOOM!
A monstrous claw burst through the wall.
Silvery white fur. Jagged crystal claws. Six eyes glowing like frozen fire.
"WHITE VEIN WARG!" someone shouted.
"Fall back!"
Panic erupted. Miners ran. Foremen barked orders. Pickaxes were dropped as the tunnel shook.
The beast lunged—straight at Xing Yan.
"F*ck why me?!"
He dove, barely missing being bisected by the sharp crystal claws of the Savage Beast. The hard Cold Quartz shattered in its wake, signifying the power behind that strike.
As Xing Yan scrambled back, something clicked in his soul.
The Primordial Forge reacted.
> [Emergency Combat Protocol Initiated]:
Warning! Weapon Unavailable!
Material Detected: Cold Quartz
Function Available: [SoulForge Level 1, Soul Essence Absorption]
>Absorb Cold Quartz Core?
"…HELL YES."
He shouted mentally, pouring his will into the forge.
In a flash of light, the Cold Quartz Core he hid inside his satchel turned into a bright light and slowly seeped inside his body.
After the light vanished, Xing Yan felt that he became slightly stronger, like he just drunk a whole case of energy drinks.
Although it's not enough to defeat the White Vein Warg, he felt that it is somewhat possible to dodge another attack.
ROAR!
Another roar coming from the White Vein Warg as it prepares to tackle Xing Yan once more.
Like a lightning, it shoot itself towards Xing Yan again, but now much quicker ensuring that Xing Yan won't have the chance to dodge the attack.
Swish!
Xing Yan side stepped making the attack of the Warg miss again.
Missing its target two times already, the Warg got impatient and this time raised its speed even higher.
Swish~
In just a split of a second, the White Vein Warg is already standing in front of Xing Yan with its claws trying to rip Xing Yan to pieces.
"F*ck its much faster than before! I can't dodge this!"
He gritted his teeth summoning all his strength in attempt to block this incoming attack! He can't give up now, he just gained this life yesterday and a stupid dog wants to take it away!
'First a furnace, now a dog wants to take my life?! What is this luck?' Xing Yan cursed in his mind while bracing for the attack.
Then–
Boom!
A large burly man appeared in front of Xing Yan blocking the incoming attack.
"Foreman Tie!"
Holding a pickaxe with both hands, Foreman Tie blocked the White Vein Warg claw before it reaches Xing Yan.
"Run now!" Foreman Tie shouted as he lifted his pickaxe trying to perform a counterattack.
"Ha!"
Boom!
Foreman Tie performed a normal swing, but the power it contains was above the "normal" standard.
The air cracked. The ground trembled. That single strike sent the White Vein Warg flying like a bag of shattered ore, crashing into the collapsed wall with a thunderous bang!
Xing Yan's eyes twitched. Was that really just a normal swing? Is this what a real miner looks like in this world?
"Phew…" Foreman Tie let out a breath, casually planting his pickaxe into the ground. "Old bones, don't fail me now."
From afar, a miner called out, "Is it... dead?"
Another scoffed. "Dead your ass. That thing is in Intermediate-Spirit level. It won't drop just from that."
As if in answer, the dust finally settled.
The White Vein Warg stood tall again—its chest caved in slightly where the blow had landed, but its six icy eyes were still burning with primal rage. Crystal blood dripped like molten silver.
ROOOOAR!
It howled in fury, its scream reverberated in the entire cave sending shivers to those who heard it. The miners' faces turned pale.
Foreman Tie's brow furrowed. "Tch… Still breathing? I didn't bring my Excellent-Grade Pick today… Brat, you might need to run a bit further, its gonna be a little dangerous."
But Xing Yan wasn't listening. His mind is running at full speed. Trying to find any solution for this crisis.
"Damn it, why am I so unlucky today."
He gritted his teeth. The Soul Essence of the Cold Quartz Core he absorbed earlier still simmered inside him. That icy energy had fused with his bones, flowing like frost through his meridians. It was weak—just 36 Soul Essence—but enough to sharpen his senses and dodge an attack from that quick mutt.
'I need more. One piece of refined ore isn't enough…'
Xing Yan glanced around. The collapsed wall was lined with glimmering veins of Cold Quartz buried in some crumbled rocks.
His eyes lit up.
'If I can reach those veins… just a bit more Soul Essence… maybe I can distract it. Maybe I can help.'
There's no time to think.
Xing Yan blasted off, quickly running towards the small crevice the Cold Quartz Veins resides.
Behind him, Mo Lin shouted, "Xing Yan, are you mad?!"
Xing Yan didn't respond. He dashed forward, eyes locked on the mineral veins.
The Warg turned at the running Xing Yan, its icy gaze locking onto the tiny, insignificant human sprinting toward the wall.
ROAR!
Another lunge. Another blur of death.
But when the mutt arrived, Xing Yan was already sliding, diving into a crack beside the exposed wall.
Bang!
Dust clouded the air. The White Vein Warg's claws missed him by inches, raking the stone and sending sharp shards flying.
Inside the narrow crack, Xing Yan pressed his palm to the small vein of Cold Quartz.
> Cold Quartz Vein (Impure)
(Estimated Yield: 136 Soul Essence)
Warning: Spiritual pressure unstable. Soul Essence have been reduced.
>Refine Cold Quartz Vein (Impure)?
"Refine. Now."