Spirit Infusion

[Paper Craftsman Manual]

A legacy of the Eight Gates' miscellaneous arts. Unless the previous owner approves, it cannot be obtained.

Passive Ability 1: Paper Folding

A basic skill of a paper craftsman, granting the bearer basic paper-folding skills.

Success rate: Practice on your own.

Skill 1: Paper Control Technique

Can control one or two Paper Dolls. The Paper Dolls can be equipped with weapons, but their total weight cannot exceed 30 grams.

Control effectiveness: Practice on your own.

Each use lasts 30 minutes. To extend it, an additional 2 Script Points are consumed for every 10 minutes.

Cooldown: 5 minutes.

Each use consumes 2 Script Points. Controlling two Paper Dolls doubles the cost.

Skill 2: Spirit Infusion

Infuses and reinforces ordinary paper seals, making them tougher and stronger.

Specific effects depend on the material. (Toilet paper is ineffective!)

Each use consumes 3 Script Points.

The above are the basic appraisal results. To improve your skills, find a way to conduct an in-depth appraisal.

Looking at the information floating before him, he could sense how important this item was, even though he was still unfamiliar with these Prop Cards.

He couldn't help replaying Old Man Li's expression in his mind.

He studied the Prop Card with a thoughtful gaze for a long while. At last, the corners of his mouth lifted into a subtle smile, and then he burst out laughing.

Old Man Li had said a lot back then, but never gotten to the heart of the matter. Whether he'd promised to teach him the paper craftsman's trade or asked him to keep the [Paper Craftsman Manual], it had all been empty promises.

Old Man Li probably never dreamed that the promise he'd spun would actually come true!

If Old Man Li hadn't nodded his approval, Xu Tong would never have been able to bring the [Paper Craftsman Manual] out of Script Space.

Thinking about it now, it really was... fate worked in mysterious ways.

Xu Tong had been silent for ages, grinning foolishly at the air. The young woman behind the counter finally couldn't take it anymore.

"Are you done yet? What's wrong with my face?!"

She glared at Xu Tong with furrowed brows. If he dared lie to her, she'd kill him.

After all, because of her face, she hadn't slept well all day yesterday.

Seeing that the woman was about to lose her temper, Xu Tong could only gather his thoughts. He cleared his throat twice and casually picked up the paper on the table.

He scrutinized her face closely.

"You've put on too much powder, but it can't hide the spots coming up under your skin. You've drawn your eyebrows too thick, and they don't suit your face shape. We could consider localized liposuction, laser spot removal, and corrective osteotomy. I can guarantee there won't be any visible scars."

He earnestly searched the woman's face for every possible flaw, listing one problem after another.

The young woman's expression shifted repeatedly. She was already seething with impatience. Beneath the table came a rapid tapping sound, though it was impossible to tell what was making it.

Suddenly, Xu Tong paused. "All in all, you've got plenty of problems, but they're all minor. The biggest problem right now is..."

The young woman's eyelid twitched. One hand slipped beneath the table.

Xu Tong noticed these little movements, of course, but pretended not to see them. He quietly took the young woman's other hand. "If I told you, I'd die. Would you believe me?"

"Hm?"

The young woman's hand tightened beneath the table. A moment later, she smiled and said, "Why don't you tell me first?"

"Some things lose their meaning once you say them aloud. I wrote it on this piece of paper. If you want to know, open it."

The young woman lowered her head. A ring adorned with a blooming paper flower had already been slipped onto her finger.

"Only you..."

Someone gently pressed the play button on the radio on the table.

Under the light, a faint blush appeared on her otherwise pale face.

As she stood there, stunned, a hand suddenly slapped her hard on the shoulder from behind. Before she could react, she heard the teasing voice she hated: "Well, would you look at that! A century-old tree blooming at last! He's already gone, so what are you still standing there for?"

The young woman looked up and saw that Xu Tong had disappeared behind the glass door.

When she turned back, as expected, it was the Jiangnan beauty who had hosted the murder-mystery game earlier.

Her close-fitting qipao showed off her perfect curves. She lightly waved the paper fan in her hand, her alluring eyes fixed on the ring.

"You little minx! I'll tear that mouth of yours apart!" Whether she was embarrassed to have been caught in the act or angry at the teasing, the young woman flew into a rage. She swung the axe from beneath the table at the other woman.

The other woman dodged to the side, but her tongue was still sharp. "Oh my! Who's this wild man? He only touched your hand, and you're already like this. If he gave you some candy, would you tear the whole place apart?"

As she spoke, the woman swung her fan down at the young woman's face.

The radio music continued playing.

Beneath the bar lights, the two alluring women grappled with each other. At first, everything seemed normal, but as they tussled, the shadows on the wall grew more and more twisted...

Too bad Xu Tong hadn't seen it. If he had, he would've stayed to enjoy the show a little longer.

The moment he stepped outside, a bustling shopping mall stretched before him, crowded with people. When he looked back, the murder-mystery game's entrance was gone, replaced by the doorway of the Tongrentang Pharmacy.

A promotional message about discounts and free eggs flashed on the display above the door.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Recalling what he'd seen in the mirror on the table, he grinned. "That was thrilling. I got to live another round, hehe."

With that, he turned and headed straight for the gold shop nearby.

Sunlight filtered through the white curtains. The speakers played a violin piece called "Siberian Gale."

He slowly cut into the beef on his plate with his pristine knife and fork and brought it to his mouth. Every so often, he looked up at the glittering reflections on Kaiyuan Lake in the distance.

On such a sunny afternoon, anyone's mood would be pretty good.

But Xu Tong was the exception.

The bed, the floor, even the sofa were scattered with all kinds of paper seals. The trash can was overflowing with discarded scraps of paper.

A small table nearby held an assortment of delicate objects. Some had been folded into ingots, while others had been folded into daggers.

There were even little oxen and chubby piglets, their expressions lifelike enough to make them look like works of art.

Even the knife and fork before him had been made using Spirit Infusion.

As the knife and fork cut through the beef, they scraped softly against the plate. They looked almost exactly like real utensils.

But that wasn't enough for him.

The success rate of Spirit Infusion was frighteningly low.

After two sleepless days of experimenting in his room, he'd worked out the odds of successfully infusing an object.

For the ordinary yellow paper he'd bought from a funeral-goods shop, the success rate was 60%.

That wasn't very high. After two days of frenzied practice, he'd managed to raise it to 65%.

But even after Spirit Infusion, the yellow paper still wasn't hard or tough enough for his needs. It couldn't kill a person, let alone a chicken.

So he'd tried something else, switching to sturdier paper, like A4 paper. The results were still disappointing: the success rate was only 50%.

No, sometimes it was even less than 50%.

He'd also prepared silver foil and gold foil. The silver foil occasionally worked, but he still hadn't succeeded with gold foil.

He'd already spent a full 80 Script Points on this, burning through money like crazy.

Still, it wasn't as though he'd gained nothing.

His failures with Spirit Infusion had led to huge improvements in his Paper Control Technique.

Now he couldn't even be bothered to feed himself. He let two Paper Dolls holding knives and forks feed him instead. Perhaps he was too tired, because he closed his eyes to rest.

Just then, the music ended, and the radio began randomly playing the local news.

There were also reports about the recent rise in traffic accidents and reminders to drive safely. As Xu Tong listened, his ears perked up and he slowly opened his eyes.

A news report was being broadcast.

"Yesterday, Li Qixiang, founder of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, passed away with deep regret. His handmade kites set several world records. The largest, the China Dragon, was 87 meters long. The lifelike dragon had fifty-seven sections, representing the fifty-six ethnic groups..."

Listening to the report, Xu Tong sank into deep thought. A moment later, he abruptly sat up, gathered his things, and prepared to leave.

When it came to craftsmanship, even if he stayed cooped up here for ten years, he might not figure out much. So he decided to take a walk through the old town. He remembered there was a street over there devoted to funeral goods.

But just as he reached for the doorknob, he froze. A purple-glowing Invitation Card was stuck to it. He couldn't help exclaiming in surprise, "Huh? What a coincidence!"