"RROOWWLL!!"
With a final snarl, the towering brown wolf collapsed—dissolving into pale light. Copper coins, glowing potions, a pelt, and a weathered manual clattered onto the moss.
"Whoa! A skill book?!"
Lin Feng's eyes blazed. He lunged, snatching the manual.
Just a Level 5 mini-boss... and it dropped this?! He'd only played Soul Master World for half a day, grinding to Level 8 without a single skill. Official forums swore skill books had drop rates below 0.1%. Yet here one was—his.
Ignoring the scattered loot, he scanned the text:
"Equipment Repair": Grants secondary profession "Artificer." Repairs damaged gear.
Learn? Y/N
A translucent panel flickered before him. Not a combat skill... but a crafting profession? Hell yes! "Maybe I'm the first player to unlock this!" He jammed Y.
The book dissolved into light, searing his veins.
Status Panel
[Secondary Profession: Artificer]
» Equipment Repair (Apprentice)
- EXP: 0/100
- Tier 1: Repairs Common (White) gear.
- Mastery Path: Apprentice → Initiate → Master → Grandmaster → Divine.
(Tip: Higher tiers repair rarer gear. Hidden perks await!)
Lin Feng gripped his chipped iron sword—a Level 1 starter weapon:
[Iron Sword | Common]
ATK: 15
Durability: 5/10
"A blunt hunk of metal."
He focused. Diagnostics flared:
Damage: 50%
Materials: Iron Chunk ×2
Repair? Y/N
Damn. Materials too? He sighed, pulling two dull ore lumps from his pack. "Repair."
The blade flashed white. His MP dipped by 10.
Durability: 10/10
Artificer EXP: 3/100
No more paying NPC blacksmiths! Grinning, he pictured the gold: "Dungeon runs just got lucrative—"
System Collapse
The forest warped. Trees flickered like glitched holograms.
"Server lag? Power outage?" Lin Feng reached for the logout button—
CRACK!
The world shattered.
Darkness swallowed him.
Azure Cloud City | Mooncloud Realm
Sunset bled over slate rooftops. Lin Feng trudged through crowded streets—a threadbare robe hanging loose on his gaunt frame. His fingers brushed the lump beneath his tunic: Ten low-grade spirit stones. Enough to attempt Qi Refining Stage Four again.
Three months of hauling ore. Three months since his last failure.
"Maybe I'm not cut out for cultivation..." His knuckles whitened.
Then, resolve hardened: "I will find Mother and Father."
He ducked into an alley—and froze.
Two thugs blocked the path. Muscles coiled. Grins sharp as daggers.
Ambush.
Lin Feng whirled—only to face two more men sealing his retreat.
"Your coin. Now." The mountain of a man cracked his neck. "Or I break your legs."
Lin Feng tossed his purse. "Take it. Let me pass."
The leader caught it, eyes narrowing. "The spirit stones , fool."
Three milky crystals hit the dirt. Lin Feng's nails drew blood from his palms.
The brute smirked—then moved.
SLAP!
Lin Feng crashed against the wall, cheek burning. He's Stage Five. Maybe Six.
A fist grabbed his collar, lifting him off his feet.
"Problem?" Hot breath scorched his ear.
"N-no."
The brute laughed, hurling him like rags.
THUD.
Something snapped around Lin Feng's neck. A black ring skittered across the stones.
The Ring
Lin Feng's blood turned to ice. "GIVE IT BACK!" He lunged.
The brute kicked his ribs. "Pathetic." Then he saw the ring's inner sigils—
"A spatial ring?!" Ecstasy twisted his face. "Even Foundation Establishment cultivators kill for these!"
"IT'S MINE!" Lin Feng scrambled up, charging again.
A henchman's fist smashed his sternum. He flew.
Staggered up. Charged.
CRUNCH!
A knuckle cracked his temple. Darkness swallowed him.
The brute eyed the ring, then Lin Feng's limp form. Murder glinted.
"Kill him."
The tallest thug drew a dagger. Glided forward—
ZZZZRRT!
A bolt of gray lightning split the sky.
Lin Feng's body convulsed. Flesh charred. Smoke coiled from his robes.
"Holy shit..." The thugs stumbled back.
"Boss... He's cooked."
The brute spat. "Saves us the trouble. Move!"
Embers
Minutes bled into silence.
Then—
Lin Feng's blackened finger twitched.