The shrine was quiet now, the fire reduced to embers. Xiao Yue had fallen asleep again, wrapped in the warmth of his cloak.
Ye Tianfeng sat outside, blade across his knees, watching the moon through swaying branches.
He couldn't sleep.
Not with what was coming.
Not with what he'd seen.
---
🔹 [Heavenly Engraving Panel]
> New Feature: Talent Reserve
– Shadowstep (Lv.2): Stored
– Assassin's Instinct (Lv.1): Stored
Engraving Slot Cooldown: 1h 04m
Active Talent: Minor Wind Affinity (Lv.1)
⚠System Status: Semi-Stable – Core Damaged
Restoration Possible through:
– Engraved High-Tier Talent (Lv.3+)
– Integration of Divine Core Shard (0/3)
---
> "So... the system is injured too."
"Not just me."
He frowned, remembering the whispers that filled his head when he'd first awakened it.
Something divine.
Ancient.
> What are you? he thought, not expecting an answer.
But the panel flickered once.
---
🔹 [Admin Note Fragment – Recovered]
> "Talent is the currency of fate.
You are the forger now. The engraver.
Build the world anew."
– Entry 1: The Architect
---
Tianfeng's eyes hardened.
> "If I must build a world... then I'll start by burning theirs."
He stood and stretched, wind curling gently around him. With Gale Step active and Minor Wind Affinity, he could now feel the air like threads tugging his limbs.
> "Time to hunt."
"Time to engrave."
He turned to Xiao Yue. Still sleeping.
He left a dried meat ration and moved without a sound into the trees.
---
[Scene: Fang Irons Bandit Camp – Midnight Perimeter]
The camp blazed with torchlight. A dozen tents. Two Qi Condensation bandits guarding the perimeter. One talent flared within Tianfeng's scan range.
---
🔹 [Talent Scan Active – Pulse Mode]
> – Target: Qi Condensation Bandit
– Talent: Flame Thread Palm (Lv.2 – Martial Art)
– Status: Awake
– Threat Level: Moderate
Suggested Action: High-speed neutralization.
---
Tianfeng smiled coldly.
---
He moved. Wind burst beneath his feet—Gale Step combined with silence.
The first bandit never saw the blade slide across his neck.
The second turned, alarm rising—
Too late.
Tianfeng struck a precise blow to the man's solar plexus, then drove his knee into the throat.
Silence again.
---
🔹 [Talent Engraving: Flame Thread Palm]
> [Engraving Slot – Ready]
— Initiating…
A searing heat crawled into his veins—rushing through muscle, bone, and nerves.
He clenched his teeth, eyes glowing faintly red.
---
🔹 [New Martial Technique Acquired]
> Flame Thread Palm (Lv.2): Fire-infused strike that burns internal qi pathways. Excellent for countering defensive techniques.
---
His fingers ignited briefly, tracing burning lines in the air.
He flexed.
> "Let's see them stop this."
Behind him, the forest stirred. A wolf howled. A red moon broke through the clouds.
The Fang Irons would awaken soon.
And they'd learn what it meant to be prey.
---
[End of Chapter 5]