I can receive unlimited protection; my parents handed me over to the state.

The following morning, the unique sunlight of the Celestial World, seemingly filtered of all impurities, streamed in through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows of Villa S-0.

Lu Yuan was woken up by hunger.

He struggled to sit up in bed, feeling as if his entire body had been repeatedly trampled by a dozen fiery boars; every muscle and every bone was groaning in pain. Yesterday's hellish training, coupled with the final forging session that nearly drained all his mental energy, had left him sleeping like a stone.

He tried clenching his fist and was surprised to find that, although he was physically exhausted, he felt much stronger than yesterday.

Character Panel

Name: Lu Yuan

Codename: Master Craftsman

[Level: 0]

[Mental Strength: 12/12 (Starry Sea Meditation Technique - Level 1)]

Physical fitness: D

In just one day, his mental strength limit increased by 4 points, and his physical fitness also improved from D- to D-. This would be an achievement that an ordinary person couldn't obtain even after months of hard training outside.

"Is this the power of national resources...?" Lu Yuan murmured to himself, his heavy sense of responsibility growing even stronger.

After washing up and changing into clean training clothes, Lu Yuan went downstairs. In the spacious living room, Zhao Qingxuan was already waiting with a smile.

"Good morning, Mr. Lu. Your breakfast is ready."

The table was overflowing with an outrageous abundance. There were fried eggs made from the eggs of the A-grade star beast "Snow Mountain Flying Dragon," bread made from the flour of the B-grade spiritual plant "Golden Wheat," and a cup of C-grade "Fountain of Life" water that exuded a rich life force.

Lu Yuan was already used to it, and he sat down and began to wolf down his food. The food melted in his mouth, turning into the purest energy to repair every bit of fatigue and hidden injury in his body.

"Today's training plan is double the intensity of yesterday's." Zhao Qingxuan pushed a new tactical tablet in front of Lu Yuan, his tone still gentle, but the content was cold and devoid of any emotion.

"Carry 100 kilograms of weight, run 20 kilometers around the base. Perform 10,000 basic sword strikes. Meditate for five hours."

Lu Yuan paused in his drinking, his lips twitching slightly. "Are they trying to train me to death?"

"No," Zhao Qingxuan adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, his gaze behind the lenses calm and unwavering, "this is to ensure your survival. You only have one month."

A month... an S-rank weapon...

Lu Yuan didn't say anything more, but simply sped up his eating.

Just then, the villa's door was pushed open, and a tall figure walked in.

It's Flame Princess.

Today, instead of the black, form-fitting combat uniform that accentuated her stunning figure, she wore a more streamlined outfit. She wore a pure black, high-elasticity tactical vest that showcased her flat, toned stomach and impressive waist-to-hip ratio. Her lower body was clad in dark green camouflage combat trousers, the legs tucked into high-top military boots, making her legs appear even longer and straighter. Her long, silver-white hair was still tied in a high ponytail, drawing a sharp arc in the air as she moved.

She wore no makeup, her face was bare, but her exquisite features and aloof temperament, coupled with her eyes that seemed to burn with golden flames, gave her a powerful aura that kept strangers at bay.

She walked straight to the dining table, pulled out a chair, sat down, picked up the fountain of life on the table, and took a swig. The way her throat moved had a wild beauty to it.

"Eat faster." She put down her water glass, looked at Lu Yuan who was still engrossed in eating, and said in a cool voice, "I'm taking you somewhere today to give you a taste of the finer things in life."

Zhao Qingxuan walked over at the right moment, holding a long, narrow, insulated metal box in his hands, and respectfully placed it in front of Yan Ji.

"Instructor Yan Ji, this is Mr. Lu's work that he completed last night."

"Oh?" Yan Ji raised an eyebrow, seemingly somewhat surprised. She reached out and opened the box, and the violent aura formed by the intertwining of the three elements of water, wind, and lightning instantly dissipated.

For the first time, Yan Ji's expression changed.

Her golden pupils contracted sharply as her gaze fell on the purple-blue short sword lying quietly on the velvet cushion.

"This is... something you made last night?" She looked up at Lu Yuan, her tone filled with disbelief.

She originally thought that a level 0 newbie, even with the special talent that Elder Su valued, could at most forge a slightly better quality, excellent-grade weapon. That was already considered an extraordinary talent.

But this sword before me...

It felt even more dangerous to her than her own epic sword "Burning Heaven," which cost a fortune and was crafted by an eighth-level grandmaster!

"Hmm, just practicing a bit." Lu Yuan swallowed the last bite of the dragon egg, wiped his mouth, and said it casually.

Yan Ji didn't speak, but instead stretched out her slender, fair fingers and carefully touched the blade.

"Sizzle!"

A tiny arc of electricity shot out from the sword and landed directly on her fingertip.

Yan Ji let out a muffled groan, her finger retracting with lightning speed. A small, charred mark appeared on her fingertip, which was deep enough to bathe in lava.

"Lightning attribute... wind attribute... and water attribute?" Yan Ji's expression completely changed. She stared intently at the sword, as if trying to see through it. "Three completely conflicting forces of power have actually been forcibly fused together? And... the enchantment layers on it... +10 in sturdiness and sharpness? How is this possible!"

As a top-tier Star Envoy of level 78, her knowledge was vast. She knew very well that with regular enchantments exceeding +7, the failure rate approached 100%, and once it failed, the weapon would instantly shatter. As for +10, that was a concept that existed only in theory!

Not to mention those three distinct yet strangely coexisting rules of protection!

"You call this... practicing?" Yan Ji raised her head, and the look in her eyes as she looked at Lu Yuan had changed from initial scrutiny and disdain to deep shock and... a hint of inquiry.

What secrets is this F-rank kid hiding?

"What's the name of this sword?" she asked in a deep voice.

"I haven't decided yet," Lu Yuan shrugged. "How about calling it 'Wind and Thunder Guidance'?"

"Wind and Thunder Guidance..." Yan Ji murmured to herself, then nodded. "That's quite fitting."

She closed the box, stood up, and her golden eyes locked onto Lu Yuan once again.

"Let's go. Even the best sword is just scrap metal in the hands of a good-for-nothing. I want to see if you, a blacksmith, are worthy of the weapon you forged."

She turned and walked out, her high ponytail whipping through the air in a graceful arc...

"Where to?" Lu Yuan followed.

"A dungeon." Flame Princess's voice came from ahead, carrying a hint of cold anticipation. "Go to a place with only monsters and no rules. That's the best slaughterhouse to test weapons and humanity."

Zhao Qingxuan watched the two figures leave, pushed up his glasses, and quickly made notes on his tactical tablet.

[First Day Observation Log of the Master Craftsman Project:]

[Target: Lu Yuan; Complete Extra Training.]

[First forging, item rating: Epic (Pseudo-divine artifact).]

Overall assessment: Potential...unfathomable.

[Recommendation: Immediately upgrade the resource supply level to the highest level and apply for access to the "Abyss 03" primary contaminated zone.]

After writing the last line, Zhao Qingxuan pressed the send button. He knew that from this day forward, the entire world, and even the whole of China, might be thrown into an unprecedented storm because of that boy named Lu Yuan.

In the central region of the Zentradi, there lies a special area designated as the highest forbidden zone. Here, there are no skyscrapers, no birdsong and fragrant flowers, only enormous portals of various shapes, each exuding an ominous aura.

These portals, like scars tearing through reality, float silently in mid-air. Some resemble a distorted vortex of darkness, others a shattered mirror, and still others a spatial rift constantly dripping dark purple liquid.

This is the teleportation hub connecting the various dungeon dimensions of "Star Ocean".

Yan Ji led Lu Yuan directly to a relatively stable-looking teleportation portal. The portal was circular, with an ancient stone structure around its edges, covered with intricate runes. Inside, a dark blue light curtain slowly rotated like a nebula.

"This is the dungeon?" Lu Yuan looked at the portal in front of him, feeling the energy fluctuations emanating from inside, carrying a hint of blood and decay.

"To be precise, it's a 'low-intensity contamination zone'," Yan Ji explained indifferently, standing in front of the door. "Eighteen years ago, the Star Sea descended, tearing open thousands upon thousands of such openings on Blue Star. Behind these openings are subspaces with broken rules and chaotic energy, which are what we call 'dungeons'."

She pointed to the light screen: "These dungeons are one-way passages. Star beasts can continuously spawn inside, but they can never pass through this door to our world. This makes dungeons the most ideal, yet also the most brutal training ground."

"Almost all newly promoted Star Envoys must hone their skills repeatedly in these low-intensity and medium-intensity dungeons to accumulate combat experience and levels before truly stepping onto the front lines to fight against the main force of the Abyss. Here, although death will not truly make you disappear, the mental shock and level penalty brought by each death are enough to break most people."

Lu Yuan nodded; he had learned all this theoretical knowledge in school. But seeing this portal, which resembled an entrance to another dimension, with his own eyes was still an experience of unparalleled awe.

"The place we're going into is codenamed 'T-3 Training Ground,' officially called 'Fallen Star Forest.'" Yan Ji drew her sword "Burning Heaven" from her waist. It was a magnificent longsword, entirely crimson, with magma flowing through its blade. "The monsters inside range from level 5 to 40, and there are many different kinds. It's perfect for a complete newbie like you to practice on."

"Stay close. I won't help you inside. Your life or death depends solely on you and the sword in your hand."

After saying that, Yan Ji did not hesitate at all, and stepped into the swirling nebula, her figure disappearing instantly.

Lu Yuan took a deep breath and followed him inside.

After a brief moment of dizziness, I felt the solid weight of the fallen leaves beneath my feet.

The view before me suddenly opened up.

There were no blue skies or white clouds, only a broken moon emitting a pale, deathly light, hanging high in the gray sky. A damp, rotten smell permeated the air, and all around were countless bizarrely shaped giant trees, twisted as if in agony. Black sap flowed from their trunks, and their branches stretched towards the sky like ghostly claws.

The ground was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, which felt soft and spongy underfoot. Occasionally, one could see the huge skeletons of unknown creatures half-buried in the soil.

It was eerily quiet here, with only the whistling of the wind as it passed through the woods.

"How is it? Isn't it a bit different from the game world you imagined?" Yan Ji's voice rang out from the side. She was leaning against a twisted giant tree, wiping her sword with a piece of silk, looking as relaxed as if she were taking a stroll in her own backyard.

"Not bad." Lu Yuan drew the short sword he had named "Wind and Thunder Guide".

The purplish-blue blade emitted a faint glow in the dim environment, and the faint arcs of electricity flowing along the blade became the only source of light in this desolate forest.

"roar--"

Just then, a deep roar came from the bushes not far away.

Immediately afterwards, a black shadow darted out like lightning, heading straight for Lu Yuan's face.

It was a giant wolf, comparable in size to an adult Tibetan Mastiff. It was entirely black, without a single stray hair, with two eerie green flames burning in its eyes, and corrosive saliva dripping from its mouth.

Shadow Wolf (Common Star Beast)

[Level: 5]

[Skills: Shadow Strike, Bite]

Weaknesses: Photophobia, fragile bones

A line of data flashed across Lu Yuan's retina.

"Here you are." Flame Princess's voice was devoid of any emotion. "Your first lesson begins."

Faced with the overwhelming stench, Lu Yuan's mind went blank.

He understood the theoretical knowledge, and he knew the Shadow Wolf's weaknesses by heart. But when this ferocious monster actually appeared in front of him, the fear stemming from his biological instincts still made his muscles stiffen instantly.

He wanted to hide, but his body wouldn't obey him.

The sharp wolf's bite was about to reach his neck.

"Useless!" Yan Ji's icy voice was like a bucket of ice water, suddenly waking Lu Yuan up.

The instinct for survival overwhelmed his fear. Almost instinctively, Lu Yuan thrust the "Wind and Thunder Guide" forward.

He didn't even think about using any special techniques; it was just the simplest and most basic blocking action.

However, the miracle happened the moment he made the move.

The second layer of protection from "Wind and Thunder Guidance" [Azure Bird] passive effect is triggered!

"Buzz!"

A clear, melodious bird song echoed from the sword. Lu Yuan felt a sudden lightness in his wrist, and the short sword, as if possessed by its own life, sliced ​​through the air at a terrifying speed far exceeding the speed of his arm's movement!

He had only intended to parry, but the sword moved forward on its own, turning into a swift and unparalleled thrust!

"Pfft!"

There was no hindrance whatsoever.

The purplish-blue short sword, like a hot scalpel cutting butter, pierced through the shadow wolf's gaping maw in an instant, penetrating its entire skull and protruding from the back of its head.

The first layer of protection, the "Water God" effect, which "ignores 30% physical defense," makes the Shadow Wolf's hard skull as fragile as paper.

The third layer of protection, [Lightning Source], followed immediately with a paralyzing effect, and the powerful electric current instantly destroyed the Shadow Wolf's central nervous system.

The once-fierce Level 5 Star Beast didn't even manage a mournful cry. Its body stiffened in mid-air for a moment before crashing heavily to the ground, twitching twice, and then falling lifeless. Its green eyes quickly dimmed, transforming into streams of pure data that flowed into Lu Yuan's body.

[Slay a level 5 Shadow Wolf and gain 50 experience points]

Current experience: 50/100

Lu Yuan stood there blankly, staring at the sword in his hand and then at the dissipating Shadow Wolf corpse on the ground, his mind a little blank.

That's it... killing him?

He was clearly terrified just now, unable to move his body, and only subconsciously handed over the sword.

It feels like a complete novice driver stepping on the gas and the car miraculously drifting, cornering, and overtaking, even managing to win first place.

"This..." Lu Yuan opened his mouth, not knowing what to say.

"Nice weapon."

Yan Ji had already walked to his side at some point. She squatted down and looked at the Shadow Wolf's wounds on the ground. A hint of undisguised surprise flashed in her golden eyes.

A single, swift, and clean blow. The wound was smooth, even slightly charred from the instantaneous high temperature of the electric current.

She originally thought that it would be good enough if Lu Yuan could survive under the claws of this shadow wolf, and she was even prepared to rescue him at any time.

But the result...

This isn't a battle; it's a complete rout!

"This sword..." Yan Ji stood up, looking at the "Wind and Thunder Guide" in Lu Yuan's hand, her eyes becoming extremely complicated.

She now finally understood why Old Master Su had given this F-level blacksmith an "ACE" rating.

This kid himself might still be a weakling, but the sword in his hand is practically an unreasonable cheat code! The attack speed bonus makes up for his slow reaction time, the ability to ignore defense allows him to disregard level differences, and the accompanying paralysis effect is a god-tier control skill.

These three effects combined produce a chemical reaction that is far greater than three as a whole.

"It seems Elder Su wasn't wrong about him." A storm raged within Yan Ji. "This isn't just a simple genius; he's a monster capable of creating 'gods' with his own hands. We must...we must cultivate a good relationship with him!"

Just then.

"Awooo—"

"Awooo—"

The howls of wolves echoed from all directions, coming from the depths of the forest.

Although the battle was brief, the smell of blood alerted other predators in the area.

In the darkness, pairs of eerie green eyes lit up one after another, like will-o'-the-wisps, surrounding the two of them.

There are at least twenty shadow wolves!

"This is troublesome." Lu Yuan gripped the sword tightly, his palms starting to sweat.

Killing one would be a stroke of luck, but now it's more than twenty!

"Troublesome?" Yan Ji's lips curled into a playful smile. She took a step back, leaving the entire battlefield to Lu Yuan.

"No, this isn't a problem for you."

"This is like an experience boost delivered right to your door."