"Luciel, are you joking?" Yue Qinlan asked skeptically.

She had once tried using her water-elemental awakening ability to trace the spiritual veins within beast materials, but she had never managed to map all their connections. The process demanded extreme precision and delicate control of energy—too difficult for most people.

"Are you sure about this?" Liyue paused in her movements, watching him.

"Just try it and you'll see." Luciel took the insect shell from Yue Qinlan's hand.

He pointed at a small opening on the cross-section of the shell. Fine strands of spider silk slipped from his fingertip, threading their way into the hole.

Qiansi's ability granted him tactile feedback—like sensing through countless tiny tentacles. Dozens of silk threads weaved through the intricate spiritual veins inside the shell.

Luciel closed his eyes. In his mind, the inner structure of the shell unfolded like a complex labyrinth. The spider silk connected one vein after another until the entire network was mapped out.

A short while later, he opened his eyes. "All done. I've found every vein."

Spider silk trickled out from the hole in the shell as he spoke.

"Seriously? You found them all?" Yue Qinlan's large blue eyes widened in disbelief. She stared at the thin strands of silk glimmering at the shell's edge. It had taken him barely any time to complete something that had stumped even experienced awakeners.

"It wasn't that difficult," Luciel said lightly.

"Uh…" Yue Qinlan and Liyue exchanged speechless looks. His nonchalance was hard to accept. If finding vein paths were really that easy, intermediate-level spirit weapons wouldn't be so rare.

Luciel examined the shell in his hand. "So, what's the next step?"

He had recently developed an interest in crafting spiritual tools. If he could make one that harnessed awakening power, he could quickly arm an elite force. A team equipped with such tools would rival awakened fighters and mutants alike—perfect for gathering beast crystals efficiently.

After a moment, Yue Qinlan asked with a complicated expression, "What kind of spiritual weapon are you planning to make?"

"An armguard," Luciel replied, glancing at the half-finished shell Liyue had been working on.

If he could forge a strong one, the white-haired girl would be much safer during their travels.

"To make an armguard," Yue Qinlan began explaining, "you first need to map the spiritual veins in each shell. Then you must cut out the sections precisely, making sure the pores and vein channels align."

She had never succeeded in crafting even one intermediate-level spirit weapon. All she could do was recall what she had learned from her research. "Next, you carve a small cavity in the core of the armguard to embed the beast crystal. That's how you elevate it to intermediate rank."

Luciel blinked in surprise. "That sounds like putting together a puzzle."

"It's not that different," Yue Qinlan admitted softly.

"So these cut pieces can't be used?" Luciel asked, glancing at the scraps Liyue had made earlier.

"Not unless they've been treated properly," Yue Qinlan explained. "You need to soak the shells in hot water first. Otherwise, the vein alignments will shift slightly, and the final weapon will be a defective semi-finished product."

"Intermediate spirit weapons use beast crystals to enhance their properties," she continued. "Unlike basic weapons, which rely only on the natural qualities of the material, these must be prepared with extreme precision."

Luciel nodded thoughtfully. "That's a lot of fine detail to consider."

He turned to the red-haired girl sitting idly nearby. "Feiyan, bring me a batch of insect shells, please."

"Got it!" Yue Feiyan put down the glowing beetle she'd been playing with and ran out.

"Are you really trying to make an intermediate spirit weapon?" Liyue asked quietly.

"Why not? If I fail, I learn something. If I succeed, all the better." Luciel's tone was calm and confident.

Before long, Feiyan returned, carrying a pile of dark-red insect shells. She set them on the table, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "Want me to bring more?"

"No, these are plenty." Luciel waved her off and began boiling the shells.

"The barbecue's ready!" Mino announced, setting down a platter of grilled meat.

"It's been ages since I've had roasted devil-worm meat," Yue Qinlan said with a gleam in her eye, licking her lips slightly.

"It's not fishy, and kind of sweet," Luciel remarked after tasting a skewer.

If he didn't start eating, none of the women would.

"I'll take some to Yufei," Liyue said, picking up a few skewers and heading outside. Her friend would never leave her experiments unless absolutely starving.

"Mino, you'll deliver her meals tomorrow," Luciel instructed. "Researchers need support too."

"Okay," Mino nodded obediently.

At the door, Liyue paused, her masked lips curving in a faint smile before she disappeared outside.

After they'd finished eating, Luciel took out the boiled shells. He began examining their vein structures and sketching the armguard's pattern. Once the diagram was ready, he started cutting the puzzle-like pieces.

"This doesn't seem that hard," he said, effortlessly slicing through the shells with a short knife.

Yue Qinlan shot him a helpless look. Of course it's easy—for someone as powerful as him.

Luciel began assembling the cut pieces. "Are these seams really fine?" he asked, a hint of worry in his tone.

"They're fine," Yue Qinlan assured him. "Once you perform the Spirit Revelation Ritual, the seams won't matter."

"Spirit Revelation Ritual?" Luciel echoed blankly. "What's that?"

"After embedding the beast crystal, you'll see," Yue Qinlan replied softly.

Luciel nodded, locating the densest cluster of veins in the armguard. He carved out a small hole, inserted a Nine-Segment Demon Insect crystal, and stepped back. "Done."

Nothing seemed to happen.

"If the armguard's for Liyue, she should know the ritual," Yue Qinlan suggested, turning to the white-haired girl.

"I do," Liyue nodded and took the armguard. "The Spirit Revelation Ritual is also called the Master Recognition Ceremony."

She pricked her finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the crystal.

At once, faint white veins spread across the armguard, glowing softly with a tinge of red.

"If the vein connections are correct, the ceremony will succeed," Yue Qinlan explained. "The beast crystal's energy even mends minor cracks."

A gentle hum filled the air.

"The ceremony's complete?!" Liyue gasped, staring at the now-stabilized armguard. Her heart pounded—years of studying in that underground lab had only allowed her to make low-level tools. Yet Luciel had just crafted an intermediate one… effortlessly.

"Unbelievable," Yue Qinlan murmured, stunned. She had prepared comforting words for Luciel's expected failure—yet he had succeeded on the first try.

Now, she was the one who needed comforting.

Three years of her research had ended in frustration, but Luciel had achieved what she couldn't—overnight.

Luciel, noticing the strange expressions on their faces, frowned slightly. "What's wrong with those two?" he whispered to Feiyan.

"Maybe they're… a bit overwhelmed," Feiyan sighed. "My mother used to be obsessed with making spirit weapons. She spent three years and still couldn't craft an intermediate one."

Luciel blinked innocently. "Really? But it wasn't that hard."

Feiyan tugged at his sleeve, half-laughing, half-crying. "Stop talking before she starts crying."

"I'm… a little tired. I'll head to bed," Yue Qinlan muttered, standing up abruptly. Her expression was stiff as she left the room.

"I'll help you, Mother," Feiyan said, hurrying after her.

When they were gone, Luciel turned to Liyue. "How does it feel?"

"Very good," she said, sitting back down.

Luciel compared the two armguards—the one he made and Liyue's earlier version. His was noticeably heavier.

"This one can only be used by its recognized master," Liyue explained. "If I pick it up, it feels weightless."

"How do you unbind it?" Luciel asked curiously.

"Remove the beast crystal and release the blood connection. Then it becomes ownerless again. You can bind it anew by repeating the ritual," she replied.

"So simple," Luciel murmured, then handed the armguard to her.

"Really? You're giving it to me?" Liyue asked, surprised.

Luciel waved it off. "It's no use to me. I'd break a Tier 4 spirit weapon just by squeezing."

He thought for a moment. Maybe I should try using large lizard scales or a red ghost spider's shell next time. That would make a truly powerful weapon.

He smiled faintly. "Looks like there's another great use for domesticated beasts."

"I'll treasure it," Liyue said softly, a hint of warmth in her voice. The new armguard would protect her without weighing her down—a vast improvement over her old one.

"You should rest too," Luciel told her gently. "We'll need to move early tomorrow."

"Alright." Liyue smiled and held both armguards—his in one hand, hers in the other—as she walked lightly toward her room.

Meanwhile, at the edge of the rock tortoise's shell, the tri-colored lizard and red ghost spider shivered. Their scales and shells felt oddly cold, as though they could sense something terrible coming.

"Hiss…"

"Squeak…"

If you're enjoying the story, I kindly ask you to vote with Power Stones and drop a Golden Ticket if you have one. 💎🎟️

Every little bit of support helps the novel grow, reach more readers, and keeps me energized to write even more exciting chapters for you.

Your encouragement means the world to me—thank you for being part of this adventure! 🙏💖

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.