In a secluded corner of the Library Pavilion, a makeshift workbench was covered with an dazzling array of spiritwood cores, warm jade plates, hair-thin mithril wires, and many other faintly glowing spiritual materials.
Chen Jin focused intently. His spiritual power swirled around the engraving knife in his hand as he carved intricate inscription circuits into one exquisite component after another.
These circuits were channels that guided the "essence of the sun and radiance of the moon," much like the blood vessels in a human body.
He first completed the core "internal organs" module to maintain basic physiological balance.
Next came the more complex "respiratory system," ensuring that air could pass through smoothly and be converted into the power of speech.
Finally, there were the "throat and tongue" and the "resonance chamber."
He carved the vocal cords from the finest heart-clearing jade and built the base of the tongue from resilient wood.
When he finished the last component, Chen Jin took a deep breath and activated the inscriptions.
"Ha... ah..."
A faint but clear sound came from the artificial "throat."
Success! Its basic speech function worked!
You have learned a new skill. You may name it freely.
The skill has been named: [Hero Creation]
[Hero Creation]: If you have sufficient materials, you can create puppets of any form. A puppet's effects and strength depend on the materials used.
After each creation, a corresponding blueprint will be generated. Following the blueprint when crafting will greatly reduce the effort required to make a puppet.
Suppressing his joy, Chen Jin immediately asked someone to summon Libationer Jiang Yan and Eleven.
When Eleven arrived and saw the exquisite components on the workbench, his blue artificial eye lit up at once. His body trembled slightly with excitement.
Chen Jin gave him a reassuring nod, then turned to Jiang Yan with a solemn expression. "Libationer, the components are ready. Next, we need to replace Eleven's. This involves connecting his meridians to the inscription circuits, and we cannot afford any mistakes. Sorry for the trouble, but please stand guard. If anything goes wrong, lend a hand at once."
Jiang Yan looked at Chen Jin, undisguised astonishment in his eyes. "In such a short time, you've grasped the Essential Art of Puppetry to this extent. Your talent is truly astonishing, young friend."
The praise came from the heart. Only then did he turn to his adopted son, his gaze softening with encouragement. "Eleven, come over. This is your opportunity, and the fruit of young Master Chen's hard work. Everything will go smoothly."
The replacement was soon complete.
Throughout the process, Eleven clenched his teeth, enduring the strange sensation of foreign components being embedded in him and energy coursing through them. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but his eyes brimmed with unprecedented anticipation.
At last, the final component was secured.
Chen Jin stepped back and said softly, "Eleven, give it a try. Take it slow. Don't rush."
Eleven nervously swallowed and tried to activate the throat components.
His lips moved a few times as he struggled to adjust the tension of his "vocal cords" and the flow of his "breath."
"I... I..."
"I... can... speak... now..."
The words came slowly, but they were clear.
Chen Jin smiled and pointed to a small rune panel beside him that could adjust the tone of his voice. "You can adjust your voice here. I set a few modes in advance. See which one you like."
Eleven curiously touched the rune panel with a tendril of spiritual power.
A crisp, clear boy's voice rang out. "This one..."
He touched another.
A deep, resonant voice belonging to a mature man rang out. "...This one sounds pretty good too?"
He had a great time trying them out. In the end, he temporarily settled on a bright, clear voice that suited his handsome appearance. He still spoke haltingly, one word at a time, and would need practice, but this was already a miraculous beginning.
Overcome with excitement, Eleven faced Chen Jin and Jiang Yan and bowed deeply. In his still-unpracticed new voice, he said, "Eleven... thanks... benefactor! Thanks... adoptive father!"
Once they gave him permission, he practically bounded out of the Library Pavilion, eager to hear the wind and greet every plant and tree in the academy.
Watching Eleven's retreating figure, Chen Jin turned to Jiang Yan, who had been watching with a smile and saying nothing. He voiced the question that had been troubling him. "Libationer, forgive my bluntness. Given your cultivation and mastery of the Mechanism Art, repairing Eleven's throat and tongue shouldn't have been difficult. Why...?"
Jiang Yan stroked his long beard and gazed into the distance where Eleven had disappeared. "Young Master Chen, it's better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish. My original wish was for him to understand the wonders of this puppet armor through his own efforts and personally make up for what he lacked. Only then could he truly stand on his own, instead of living forever under my protection. It was also something he could strive toward."
He sighed, his voice tinged with compassion and helplessness. "It's just a pity that the boy is simple-hearted, and his talent for the Mechanism Art... has indeed developed slowly. Now that you've fulfilled this wish for him, it is his good fortune and your act of kindness. Forcing him would only turn it into an obsession. Let things take their natural course."
Chen Jin nodded thoughtfully.
Then Jiang Yan changed the subject, a mysterious smile appearing on his face. "All right, let's take a look at your old friends."
As he spoke, he drew a black case about three feet long from his wide sleeve and handed it to Chen Jin. It was made of neither wood nor metal.
"I've finished repairing your pair of Resonators. However, in my opinion, their original form didn't entirely suit your Dao. So I made a few small upgrades while I was at it."
Chen Jin's heart stirred. Curious and expectant, he gently lifted the lid.
In an instant, a flash of crimson gold and a shimmer of moonlight gleamed before his eyes.
Lined with dark velvet, the case held two firearms of striking beauty and power.
The one on the left was a warm crimson gold. Its sleek lines had an aggressive edge, like a golden sun crow poised to take flight. Feather-like patterns were faintly visible along the barrel, and it radiated heat.
The one on the right was a cool, silvery moon color. Longer and more elegant in shape, it resembled a concentrated beam of moonlight. Faint cloud patterns and ripples adorned the barrel, giving off a chilling aura.
The two guns lay motionless, yet already emanated a frightening power, as if waiting for their new master to take them in hand and unleash a brilliance beyond anything they had shown before.
"Young Master Chen, give these new Resonators a name."
Chen Jin scratched his head. He really wasn't good at naming things.
"How about [Symphony of Myriad Phenomena—Revised]?"
Jiang Yan fell silent for a moment before speaking.
"According to the ancient rites, when the sun and moon eclipse one another and heaven and earth fall out of order, when yin and yang encroach upon each other, one must shoot through the invasion of the Great Yin and call back the light during the dark moment of a solar eclipse, when the moon obscures the sun. When the earth's shadow veils the moon in the gloomy darkness of a lunar eclipse, one must beat drums and ring bells to drive away the shadows and protect the moon's pure radiance."
Jiang Yan looked up at Chen Jin. "This pair of Resonators accords well with the ancient rites. They embody the idea of harmonizing yin and yang and restoring order. So I'd like to name them Sun Savior and Moon Savior. What do you think, young friend?"
Chen Jin smiled. "You're much better at naming things than I am, Libationer. Those names sound great."
[Sun Savior/Moon Savior] Category: Weapon Quality: Rare Innate Attributes: [Source Remolding]: Abandons the original energy supply method. The core drive has been changed to absorbing and storing the essence of the sun and radiance of the moon. Sunlight and moonlight replenish its energy, and its power increases considerably during the corresponding hours. [Sun and Moon Radiance]: Sun Savior: Fires a solar-flame round infused with the true fire of the sun, which has a devastating advantage against targets of yin, evil spirits, ghosts, and the cold attribute. Moon Savior: Fires a demon-piercing round infused with the pure radiance of the Great Yin, which excels at purifying and tearing apart demonic influences, filth, and frenzied spiritual energy. [Sound and Might Combined]: When fired, it retains its original report while also activating the inscribed runes to produce a grand sound wave, like ancient ritual prayers accompanied by the peal of bells and drums. This sound wave can repel evil, dispel illusions, and suppress demons.
The upgraded dual pistols seemed more powerful, and they no longer consumed his spiritual power.
However, they had also lost the specialized ammunition designed for different situations, such as armor-piercing rounds.
The next time Chen Jin faced a mecha army, his weapons might no longer be able to unleash the same power they had before.
For the moment, Chen Jin couldn't say whether this change was good or bad.
After all, he had asked someone else to repair them, so it would be rude to nitpick. He solemnly closed the case, then bowed deeply to Jiang Yan.
"Thank you, Libationer. I'll make good use of these weapons and harmonize yin and yang, restoring order."