Chapter 4: Scrap by Scrap
The morning light was pale and thin, filtering through the gaps in Luo Fan's new workspace. The storage shed behind the outer disciple quarters was small—barely ten feet square—but it had a solid door, a lock, and a stone floor that didn't leak. Lu Chen had kept his word, though his generosity had been grudging. He'd thrown the keys at Luo Fan's feet with a sneer and told him to have the first four talismans ready in five days.
Luo Fan had spent the previous evening moving his meager possessions into the shed. The broken awl, the flat stone, the leftover materials, and the small pile of spirit stones Lu Chen had given him as an "advance." It wasn't much, but it was his.
He checked the timer.
[Estimated time to total collapse: 68:14:02]
Two days and change. The essence from the scrap extraction had given him a buffer, but it was still shrinking. He needed more—more essence, more materials, more ways to grow.
He looked at the empty space around him. The shed was barren, but the outer sect was not. Discarded junk was everywhere: broken sword fragments, spent pill bottles, torn formation cloth, rusted tools. The cultivators who lived here threw away things that still held trace value.
Time to go scavenging.
---
The refuse piles were behind the outer disciple quarters, a collection of broken furniture, shattered weapons, and general waste. Luo Fan moved carefully, keeping to the edges of the path. He was still weak, but the 3.8 units of RSE in his body had given him back some strength. He could walk without dizziness now, though his arms still trembled if he pushed too hard.
He found the first pile near the practice yards: a heap of broken swords, their blades cracked or snapped. Most were common iron, their spiritual essence long gone. But a few fragments still held a faint shimmer.
He knelt and began sorting.
A cracked blade tip—still holding trace Qi. He concentrated, pulling the essence into his hands as he'd learned.
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[Essence Extraction]
Source: Cracked Sword Fragment (Mortal‑rank, Damaged)
Refined Spiritual Essence Gained: +0.2 units
---
The metal crumbled. He moved to the next piece. A shattered formation plate – +0.1 RSE. A spent pill bottle with residue – +0.1 RSE. He dug deeper and found a cracked jade slip that had once held a simple technique manual; the spiritual residue was faint but present – +0.3 RSE. Then a torn piece of formation cloth – +0.2 RSE, and finally a broken beast core fragment, long since drained but still holding a whisper of energy – +0.2 RSE.
By the time he had gone through half the pile, his total RSE had risen to 5.0 units.
Then the system pinged with a new notification.
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[New Function Unlocked: Recycling]
Description: Low‑grade items can be broken down into base materials. Materials gained vary by item quality. Recycling also yields small amounts of Forge Points.
Current Recycling Value (Example):
· Low‑grade iron fragment → 0.2 oz iron filings + 1 Forge Point
· Spent pill bottle → 0.1 oz spiritual residue + 0 Forge Point
· Torn formation cloth → 0.3 oz spirit‑infused thread + 1 Forge Point
---
Luo Fan's eyes widened. Extraction gave him essence; recycling gave him materials and Forge Points. He could strip the junk down to usable components and then use those components to forge new items.
He picked up a rusted dagger—not completely broken, but dull and chipped. The system offered a choice.
---
[Recycle]
Materials: 0.3 oz low‑grade iron, trace spirit dust
Forge Points: +2
---
He selected yes. The dagger dissolved into motes of light, leaving behind a small pile of iron filings and a few grains of dust. The system chimed.
[Forge Points: 5 → 7]
He continued recycling. A torn formation cloth gave spirit‑infused thread and +1 FP → total 8 FP. A broken array anchor gave iron and +1 FP → 9 FP. Two more small iron scraps gave +1 FP each → 11 FP.
By the time he finished, he had accumulated:
· Iron filings: 1.2 oz
· Spirit dust: 0.5 oz
· Spirit‑infused thread: 0.8 oz
· Forge Points: 11
· RSE: 5.0 (after extraction)
He checked the timer: 67:38:01. The work had taken over half an hour, but the essence gains had pushed the clock back. A net loss of a few minutes, but he had materials now. Materials he could use.
He returned to his shed, carrying the recovered components. His hands were smudged with dust, but he felt a quiet satisfaction. The scraps were free. Lu Chen's materials would be for the talismans he had to hand over. These scraps would be for himself.
He laid everything out on the flat stone. The iron filings, the spirit dust, the thread. And beside them, the broken awl.
The system's schematic menu glowed. He had 11 Forge Points—enough to unlock a new schematic.
Available Unlocks:
· Sharpening Talisman – Cost: 10 FP
· Minor Healing Salve – Cost: 15 FP
· Concealment Talisman – Cost: 20 FP
The Sharpening Talisman was the cheapest. Its schematic called for beast hide, spirit dust, iron filings, and blood. But he had no beast hide—Lu Chen's next delivery was four days away. He looked at the spirit‑infused thread from the torn formation cloth. It was a different base material, but it still carried spiritual essence.
He focused on the schematic. The system seemed to hum, then displayed a new note:
[Alternate Material Detected: Spirit‑Infused Thread. Compatibility: 72%. Success chance reduced by 8%. Accept?]
Luo Fan accepted. It was a risk, but he had no other choice.
He made his decision.
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[Unlock Schematic: Sharpening Talisman – Cost: 10 Forge Points]
[Forge Points: 11 → 1]
---
The schematic unfolded in his mind. The formation was simpler than the Qi‑Gathering Talisman, but it required an additional physical component: iron filings mixed into the ink to create an "edge" pattern.
He cut a length of the spirit‑infused thread and laid it flat. The material was finer than beast hide, more delicate. He mixed the iron filings with spirit dust and a drop of his blood, creating a gritty paste. Then, using the awl, he began to trace.
The system's guidance was subtle but present. His hand moved slowly, applying the paste along the thread's fibers. The formation was a series of interlocking angles, each one requiring precise pressure. His fingers trembled, but he forced them steady.
Twenty minutes later, the final node connected. A pulse of light ran through the thread, and the pattern hardened, turning the flexible fibers into a stiff, sharp‑edged talisman.
---
[Forging Complete!]
Item: Sharpening Talisman (Mortal‑rank, Low Quality)
Materials Used: Spirit‑infused thread (0.3 oz), iron filings (0.2 oz), spirit dust (0.1 oz), 1 drop blood
Forge Points Earned: +4
Refined Spiritual Essence Absorbed: +3 units
Forge Mastery increased: 1 → 3
---
The essence hit him like a second wind. It spread through his arms, his chest, his legs, knitting together frayed muscles and strengthening brittle bones. When it faded, he felt… solid. Not strong, not fast, but stable. He stood up without bracing himself against the wall. His legs held.
He checked his status.
RSE: 5.0 → 8.0
Timer: 67:38:01 → 67:52:14 (net +14 minutes after forging)
The timer was still a concern, but it was no longer an emergency. He had breathing room.
He examined the Sharpening Talisman. It was crude—the edges of the thread were frayed, the formation uneven—but it held Qi. It would sharpen a blade for an hour, maybe more. A simple thing, but it was his.
First recycle. First new schematic. First self‑made item.
He tucked the talisman into his sleeve. It wasn't for Lu Chen. It was for him—to trade, to use, to build his own path.
He gathered the remaining materials and stepped out of the shed, intending to find more scraps. The outer disciple quarters were quiet at this hour; most disciples were at morning training or meditation. He moved along the edge of the path, heading toward the practice yards where he'd seen more discarded items.
That was when he heard the sound.
A sharp crack—flesh striking flesh—followed by a pained gasp.
Luo Fan stopped. Through a gap between two buildings, he saw a clearing behind the practice yards. A man in outer disciple robes stood over a crumpled figure. The disciple was tall, broad‑shouldered, his face set in an expression of casual cruelty. His robes were better than Lu Chen's—cleaner, with a small jade badge at the collar. A senior outer disciple, perhaps Qi Condensation fifth or sixth level.
The figure on the ground was a servant, dressed in the same rough gray that Luo Fan himself had worn. A thin boy, maybe sixteen, with a bloody lip and terror in his eyes.
"You think you can hide spirit stones from me?" The senior disciple's voice was calm, almost bored. He kicked the boy in the ribs. "I told you. Everyone pays."
The boy curled into a ball, whimpering.
Luo Fan's hands clenched. His first instinct was to step forward, to say something. But his body was still weak. He had no cultivation. A senior disciple could crush him without effort.
He forced himself to stay still, to watch, to remember.
The senior kicked the boy twice more, then bent down and ripped a small pouch from the servant's belt. He weighed it in his hand, smiled, and turned away.
His eyes swept the clearing—and landed on Luo Fan.
For a moment, neither moved. The senior's smile widened, a predator's grin. He had seen Luo Fan watching.
"You," he said. "Come here."
Luo Fan's blood ran cold. He could run—but his legs wouldn't carry him far. He could pretend he hadn't seen—but the senior had already marked him.
He stepped forward, keeping his head down, his posture submissive. The same mask the original Luo Fan had worn for years.
The senior looked him up and down, taking in the worn clothes, the thin frame, the lack of any Qi signature. "You're the trash that's been scavenging behind the quarters."
It wasn't a question.
"I was looking for scraps," Luo Fan said, his voice flat.
The senior laughed. "Scraps. Right." He stepped closer, close enough that Luo Fan could smell the faint Qi residue on his breath. "I've seen you. You're Lu Chen's new pet. Making talismans, I hear."
Luo Fan's heart skipped. How does he know?
"I don't know what—"
"Don't lie." The senior's voice hardened. "I make it my business to know what happens in the outer sect. Lu Chen thinks he's clever, hiding a craftsman. But everyone pays, boy. You'll pay too."
He reached out and grabbed Luo Fan's chin, forcing his face up. The senior's eyes were pale, almost colorless, and they held a cold amusement.
"My name is Wei Feng," he said softly. "Remember it. I'll be coming for my share."
He released Luo Fan with a shove that sent him stumbling. Then he turned and walked away, the stolen spirit stones jingling in his hand.
Luo Fan stood in the clearing, his heart pounding. The servant boy had already crawled away, disappearing into the shadows. The morning light seemed suddenly harsh.
He made his way back to the shed on shaking legs. When he closed the door behind him, he leaned against it and let out a long, slow breath.
Wei Feng.
A new predator. One who already knew about his talismans. One who would demand payment just like Lu Chen.
But Wei Feng was stronger than Lu Chen. More dangerous. And he had seen Luo Fan's face.
Luo Fan looked at the pile of materials on the stone. The iron filings, the thread, the dust. The Sharpening Talisman hidden in his sleeve. The system interface pulsed in the corner of his vision, showing his Forge Mastery: 3. His RSE: 8.0. His timer: 67:52:14.
He had gained today. But he had also been seen. And in this world, being seen was a danger he couldn't afford.
He picked up the awl and stared at it.
I need to be faster. Stronger. I need to make things that protect me, that hide me, that give me an edge.
The cliffhanger of Wei Feng's smirk echoed in his mind. The first real threat beyond Lu Chen had arrived.
He had three days until Lu Chen came for his talismans. Four days until the next delivery of materials. And now, a senior disciple who wanted his share.
Luo Fan set the awl down and began to plan.