Luciel climbed up to the high ground and turned to glance back at the dimly lit street below.

Wei Geng and his team were still busy dissecting the Nine-Sectioned Demon Insect, their figures faintly visible in the flickering glow of several small fires scattered around.

"Activate the Starlight Domain ahead of schedule," Luciel murmured in his mind, sending his intent to the Starlight Tea Tree.

The ancient tree instantly responded. The moment the sixth-grade Starlight Tea Tree unleashed its domain, countless emerald-green specks of light ignited across its leaves.

The towering tree stood over sixteen meters high, and its luminous glow spread across the entire back of the colossal tortoise shell like a sea of shimmering stars.

Beneath it, the plants within the plantation—previously dull and lifeless—were suddenly bathed in this starlit radiance. Under the influence of the sixth-grade Starlight Domain, the soil pulsed with renewed vitality.

Sprouts unfurled. Buds bloomed. Stems lengthened. Some plants even grew visibly before the naked eye, their changes unfolding like a time-lapse of life itself.

For now, no one knew what miracles were happening within the plantation.

But the light—so pure, so brilliant—quickly drew everyone's attention.

---

Boom!

The sound of a door bursting open echoed sharply.

Yu Feier dashed out of her room, her silver hair swaying as she stared in awe at the luminous tea tree. "It's… so beautiful," she whispered dreamily. "I really want to study it."

"So the Starlight Tea Tree can glow like this," Yue Qinlan said softly, her blue eyes reflecting the gentle brilliance, her pupils seeming to hold tiny constellations.

"Wow! It's gorgeous!" Yue Feiyan ran out, holding her glowing beetle in her hands. Yet when she lifted her eyes toward the radiant Starlight Tea Tree, her little pet's glow suddenly seemed dim and ordinary in comparison.

Mino, still a bit shy from being pulled around earlier by the red-haired girl to show off her shining beetle, blushed and stepped aside.

Feiyan had insisted on being friends with her, prying all sorts of questions about how the beetle's light was controlled.

Now, under the brilliant glow of the tea tree, even Mino found herself at a loss for words.

Nearby, Liyue—her white hair catching the green light—gazed at the glowing tree with quiet fascination.

She eventually turned to Luciel and asked softly, "Won't it be too eye-catching at night?"

There was a hint of concern in her voice. The brightness of the Starlight Tea Tree could easily draw outsiders' attention, and she worried that someone might try to steal it.

Luciel's gaze darkened as he looked toward the distant night. "We'll just have to stay alert," he said calmly.

If he wanted the Starlight Tea Tree to accelerate plant growth, the domain had to be activated even at night. During the day, its light could blend with sunlight—but at night, it was impossible to conceal.

Still, activating the domain early had another benefit: it illuminated the area enough for Wei Geng and his men to dissect the Nine-Sectioned Demon Insect safely.

"I'll take the night watch," Liyue offered quietly.

Luciel shook his head. "No. You're heading out tomorrow. Focus on finishing those armguards instead."

He had already commanded the Red Ghost Spider to spin detection threads and traps along the edges of the tortoise shell.

If anyone dared to sneak in under the cover of darkness, they would be detected immediately—and probably regret it.

"Alright." Liyue hesitated for a moment but finally nodded, carrying the insect shell back into the house.

As she left, Yue Qinlan approached Luciel gracefully. "How long will this light last?" she asked curiously.

Luciel frowned slightly, estimating. "About one fire's time."

In this desolate post-apocalyptic era, there were no clocks. People measured time by the burning of firewood or the shifting of the stars.

A single bonfire usually burned for fifteen to thirty minutes, though Luciel sometimes felt it could last several hours.

"Oh? Then Feiyan can keep watch tonight," Yue Qinlan said with a teasing smile.

Though she spoke playfully, her intention was clear—she wanted her daughter to gain experience, to learn responsibility, and to mature.

After all, without resilience, one couldn't stand alone in Black Tortoise City.

Luciel shook his head, smiling faintly. "No need for that tonight. I'll let the domesticated beasts stand guard instead."

He glanced at the red-haired girl, whose expression brightened for a brief moment. "Everyone's exhausted. She can take her turn tomorrow."

"Alright." Yue Qinlan smiled knowingly and walked back inside with her usual poised grace.

Luciel followed, passing Feiyan on the way. He gently patted her shoulder. "Having a mother like that… must be tough," he said with a mysterious smile.

"Huh?" Yue Feiyan blinked, completely puzzled.

Before she could ask, Mino slipped away hurriedly. "I'm going to prepare the barbecue," she said, escaping the conversation.

"What does that mean?" Feiyan muttered, tilting her head.

Yu Feier, who was plucking a branch from the tea tree, replied absentmindedly, "No idea."

Feiyan sighed, looking around. Everyone had already gone back inside. She stomped lightly and ran after them, still confused.

---

Inside, Luciel, Liyue, and Yue Qinlan were gathered around the table, studying the materials for making armguards.

Low-grade spiritual tools were generally crafted by harnessing the inherent traits of fierce beast materials.

Luciel recalled something Liyue had mentioned earlier and asked, "What are the characteristics of the Nine-Sectioned Demon Insect?"

"Light and hard," Liyue answered coolly.

"Light?" Luciel picked up a piece of the insect's shell and weighed it in his palm.

It was light for him—but for others, it might not be.

Yue Qinlan added, "That's before treatment. If the carapace is boiled in hot water, it shrinks and becomes even lighter, while the hardness increases significantly."

This wasn't classified information—anyone knowledgeable about beast materials would know it. The real challenge was acquiring such rare materials in the first place.

"I see," Luciel said thoughtfully. "Then let's boil a small piece first and observe the contraction."

Liyue nodded and cut off a palm-sized section of shell. She carefully noted its exact dimensions before placing it into an iron pot filled with water and setting it over the fire.

Luciel leaned forward, intrigued. "Is there a specific boiling time?"

"No," she replied softly. "You just keep boiling until it stops shrinking."

Yue Qinlan smiled faintly. "The Nine-Sectioned Demon Insect's shell is relatively easy to handle. Materials from higher districts require precise timing and standardized procedures."

Seeing Luciel's growing interest, she continued to explain, "Experienced spiritual artificers all have their own systems of time measurement and material ratios."

Luciel glanced at his wristwatch with amusement. "So they have their own version of timekeeping, huh?"

Yue Qinlan nodded. "Yes—and beyond that, they must also understand the material's vein structure. Only by identifying and aligning the inner channels of the material can one properly infuse it with beast cores or spar.

"If done right, a mid- or high-grade spiritual tool can even rival a true awakened ability."

Luciel nodded slowly. "Material ratios and channel mapping… sounds like metallurgy," he murmured to himself, drawing a comparison to alloy forging from his previous world.

Ten minutes later, Liyue removed the boiled shell from the pot. It was now glossy black, lighter in weight, and clearly smaller.

She compared it with her earlier notes and handed it to Luciel. "It shrank to about half its size," she said. "Hardness increased roughly thirty percent."

Luciel turned it over in his hand. "Much lighter, too," he observed.

"There's a sticky resin inside the shell," Liyue explained. "When boiled, it dissolves into the water, reducing the weight and turning the shell black."

Luciel nodded. "So that's why it changes color."

In that moment, a realization dawned on him—the crafting of spiritual tools was a kind of lost technology from the wasteland era.

As long as one understood the nature of beast materials and the correct processing methods, one could forge spiritual artifacts of immense power.

He smiled faintly. "So, if we know the shrinkage rate, we can shape the shell into a size twice as large as needed. Once boiled, it'll contract to the right dimensions."

"That's right." Liyue picked up a blade and began carving, her movements calm and precise. "It's much easier this way than trying to polish it after it hardens."

Luciel watched her work for a moment, then suddenly asked, "By the way, what did you mean earlier by 'material veins'?"

Yue Qinlan picked up the cooked shell and showed him the cross-section. "Here—look closely."

Luciel peered at it. The interior was filled with countless tiny holes and tunnels.

"These are called veins," she explained. "Some passages connect through, others end abruptly. Skilled artificers can trace the continuous veins and link them together to channel the beast's spiritual energy.

"Only then can the material truly become part of a spiritual weapon."

She sighed softly. "I've spent years studying this craft, but I've never been able to sense the veins clearly."

Luciel's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "So if you can trace all the connected veins, you can make a mid-grade spiritual weapon?"

"Essentially, yes," Yue Qinlan replied, a bit uncertain.

Luciel smiled faintly, confidence flickering in his dark eyes. "Then maybe… I can try."

Both women looked at him in disbelief.

"You?" Liyue blinked. "You don't even know the basics of spiritual weapon forging."

"Are you joking?" Yue Qinlan asked, half amused, half incredulous.

Luciel only smiled. "Guess we'll find out soon."

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