Chapter 129 - 126: Unbelievable
Time slipped by, and night fell. The sounds of smithing from the Artifact Refining Shop next door had finally quieted down.
Feng Hao listlessly closed up his shop and returned to his room upstairs. He felt utterly exhausted. A whole crowd of customers had come in, yet he hadn’t managed to make a single sale. Just thinking about it was fucking bullshit.
’Whatever. I’ll ask Brother Xiong about the situation tomorrow. For now, cultivation is more important.’
Shaking his head with a wry smile, he tipped his head back and swallowed a Life Spirit Pill. He then began to absorb the magic energy from a Level 2 Magic Crystal with all his might. After more than half a month of training in the Secret Realm, Feng Hao could clearly feel that his Genetic Tree was on the verge of leveling up.
He sat cross-legged on his bed, cultivating peacefully until the early hours of the morning. At last, the Genetic Tree in his sea of consciousness changed. Ten shimmering, fluorescent Gene Points condensed, and his gene level rose from twenty-eight to twenty-nine.
He allocated the Gene Points according to his new distribution plan, and his overall genetic abilities improved significantly.
’One step closer to Tier 3. I wonder what my Tier 3 branch talent will be?’
Feng Hao smiled, his heart filled with anticipation. It was said that one’s development path was only determined after reaching Tier 3. However, he had chosen the Assassin route from the very beginning. So, for him, it was naturally best if the branch talent he awakened was suited for an Assassin.
Based on the main genetic roots he was cultivating—Meridians, Agility, and Stealth—these three were the most developed, so the chances of awakening a talent from one of these categories were higher. Still, it was possible he could awaken a different type of talent.
After all, while the Genetic Tree grew, all ten of its roots would develop on their own. Anyone could end up awakening a useless talent.
He opened his game panel and briefly checked the changes to his stats, then clicked into the skill panel. After more than half a month of fighting in the Secret Realm, his Moon Wheel Dance proficiency had already reached 80. If not for the long rewind time, he might have raised it directly to 100.
[Moon Wheel Dance]
Secret Skill Soul: Dark Moon
Proficiency: 80
Magic Power Cost: 75
Effect: Condenses Dark Moon Power and unleashes it in a spin, forming a revolving Moon Blade and dealing two instances of 180% Shadow Force damage.
Attack Range: 3.5 meters
Mark Rewind: 10 seconds
Channeling Time: 0.6 seconds
The data alone showed how much Moon Wheel Dance had improved. Two hits of 180% Shadow Force damage was equivalent to 360% Shadow Force damage, plus an eightfold follow-up damage. The output was absolutely terrifying.
Although the Magic Power cost had increased to 75, that was nothing to him. Ever since he awakened his Tier 2 branch talent, he had never worried about running out of Magic Power. And now, with the +2 Qi-gathering effect from the Demon Jade Talisman, he had even less to worry about!
What satisfied Feng Hao the most was the reduction in Mark Rewind and Channeling Time, which greatly boosted his combat effectiveness.
Closing the game panel, he extended his Divine Sense into the Thief’s Mark. Seeing the 3,850 points he had accumulated, he couldn’t help but smile.
’It’s time to learn the Inheritance Demon Pattern. It would be best if I could create my own Secret Technique before reaching Tier 3.’
The five great inheritances of the Thief God Hall required a total of 3,000 points to fully redeem. Fortunately, he had been diligent during this period, grinding out every low and mid-level potion-making job he could find.
After setting his goal, Feng Hao resumed his cultivation and only opened his eyes at dawn.
Leaving the pharmacy, he casually hailed a flying taxi to the Department of Artifact Refining at Five Provinces Academy, planning to ask Xiong Tianfang about the situation.
When he arrived at the department, he was completely stunned by the sight before him. In the bustling streets and alleys, at least half of the students were wearing the cool-looking equipment he had designed.
In reality, there weren’t quite that many; it was just that the students who had bought the cool equipment loved to come out and show it off.
’Good lord, Brother Xiong is way too productive! How long has it been?!’
Feng Hao gulped, his eyes wide as saucers. He knew his equipment designs would be popular, but he never expected them to be *this* popular. What was even more incredible was Xiong Tianfang’s refining efficiency. He could see dozens of sets just by looking around. Other Artifact Refiners couldn’t possibly have made so many, even if they were working at rocket speed.
Weaving through crowds of flexing students, he soon neared Xiong Tianfang’s dormitory. From a distance, he saw several students emerging from the dorm, their faces beaming with joy.
Just as Feng Hao reached the door, Xiong Tianfang burst out impatiently. Without a word, he grabbed Feng Hao and started pulling him off-campus. "Little Thief, come with me! A big shot in the organization wants to meet you."
"What’s going on? Why does a big shot want to see me?" Feng Hao asked, completely confused.
Xiong Tianfang explained as he dragged him along at a run, "It’s about the design blueprints, of course."
"Just for that?" Feng Hao’s eyes widened in disbelief.
"Right, you’ve been away for a while, so it’s normal that you don’t know." Xiong Tianfang chuckled, looking amused. "To be honest, I still can’t believe it myself. Your design skills have actually reached the Master level."
"Uh, designers have levels?" Feng Hao was speechless.
He could understand levels for Artifact Refining and potion-making, since those were technical skills. But design was clearly an aesthetic art, and art didn’t have clear-cut standards.
"A designer’s level is mainly determined by the influence of their work. The higher the level, the greater the influence," Xiong Tianfang explained simply, his eyes glinting. "And in less than a month, your designs have swept through the entire Wolf Country. You absolutely qualify as a Master."
’Swept through the entire Wolf Country?! Does it have to be so dramatic?’
Feng Hao was aghast. He never imagined that cosmetic designs for game equipment, which were a dime a dozen back on Earth, could cause such a huge commotion here.
’Thank god I was cautious and didn’t reveal my identity,’ he thought, recalling the strange customers from yesterday. ’Otherwise, I might have been captured and forced to be a designer by now.’
"It’s not an exaggeration at all. I heard the eight giants of the Beilang Country’s equipment industry have all come to Five States City!" Xiong Tianfang said with a serious expression.
"The eight giants of the equipment industry?" Feng Hao was exasperated. "It’s just a few design blueprints. Is all this really necessary?"
Xiong Tianfang clicked his tongue and grinned. "Hehe, to be honest, I don’t get people these days either. The quality of the equipment is obviously more important, yet they insist on chasing after flashy appearances."
"Right, why does that big shot from the organization want to see me?"
"I forgot to tell you. That big shot is the Minister of the Commerce Department for our Wolf Country’s Thief God Hall. He wants to discuss a partnership with you."
Feng Hao was taken aback. "Isn’t the partnership between the two of us going just fine?" he asked, puzzled.
"Don’t even mention it. I’d like to live a few more days," Xiong Tianfang said, frantically shaking his head. "You don’t know this, but if Minister Qian hadn’t sent people to protect me during this time, you probably wouldn’t be seeing me at all."
Feng Hao nodded in understanding, his brow furrowing in thought.
’To be honest, I have no interest in a business partnership. Unfortunately, things have developed to a point where it’s no longer under my control.’
He followed Xiong Tianfang all the way to the Thief God Hall. Just as they stepped inside, a refined-looking middle-aged man rushed over. Staring excitedly at Xiong Tianfang, he asked breathlessly, "Where? Where is he? Where’s the Master?"
Xiong Tianfang subconsciously pointed at Feng Hao and said, "There. That’s him."
"Uh." Qian Sanduo looked at Feng Hao with a dumbfounded expression, his mouth twitching uncontrollably. For a long moment, he was utterly speechless.