C9 System

Chen Yuan chuckled and nodded, slipping the salt into his pocket. Unnoticed by the others, he swiftly transferred it into his system backpack. Then, he crushed the small grain of salt he had previously taken out and sprinkled it evenly over the grilled Wolf Spider Meat before him.

Another taste confirmed that the flavor had indeed improved. Chen Yuan devoured a half-meter-long Wolf Spider leg by himself, leaving him satisfyingly full.

The others had their fill as well, though Mr. Mo's appetite was notably larger, consuming twice the amount that Chen Yuan did.

Once everyone was satiated, Wudian and the rest took advantage of the bonfire's dying warmth to roast a dozen Wolf Spider Eggs. Instead of eating them right away, they packed the eggs back into their bags for later.

Given the difficulty of finding a suitable place to rest and cook on their journey, they usually had to rely on dry rations. Now, with the opportunity to prepare food, they made sure to roast extra Wolf Spider Eggs as a precaution.

With some time to spare, Chen Yuan discreetly accessed the system to check the weapon synthesis feature in the lower-left corner, intrigued to try it out.

He glanced at Mr. Mo's axe and Burning Stick, then ventured, "Mr. Mo, may I borrow these items? I'd like to see if I can craft something—it could come in handy later."

"You can craft weapons?" Mr. Mo asked, visibly impressed.

"I picked up a few things watching Mr. Wang back in the tribe," Chen Yuan admitted with a hint of embarrassment.

"Well then, go ahead and give it a try!" Mr. Mo said, handing over the axe and Burning Stick with a smile, his curiosity piqued about what Chen Yuan might produce.

After all, Mr. Wang was the tribe's sole weaponsmith. If Chen Yuan had picked up the skill, it would be a significant boon.

"Great, just wait here. I'll be right back with some more materials," Chen Yuan said, taking the tools and heading back through the tunnel they had come up.

Mr. Mo and the others were momentarily taken aback, not expecting Chen Yuan to venture out for his crafting. But no one voiced any concerns, confident in Chen Yuan's formidable abilities.

Chen Yuan didn't wander far in the tunnel below. He found a spot, his face alight with excitement, and activated the fusion system with the axe and Burning Stick in hand.

[Do you wish to combine the rusted axe and the damaged spear to create a new weapon?]

"Yes!" Chen Yuan responded instantly.

As his voice echoed, the axe and Burning Stick vanished from his grasp, and new icons appeared on the fusion system's interface, representing the missing items.

Chen Yuan watched as the icons moved together, merging with a brilliant flash. The Burning Stick transformed into the handle, and the axe head affixed itself perfectly to the tip.

[Congratulations, host. You have successfully synthesized a Mountain Splitting Axe x1. Would you like to extract it?]

"Extract!" Chen Yuan thought, and the newly formed Mountain Splitting Axe appeared in his hand.

The axe's size was unchanged, but the rust was gone, and the handle, while looking the same, felt more comfortable in his grip—a delightful surprise for Chen Yuan.

"Hmm? Why did my points decrease?" Chen Yuan's eyes darted to his panel, where he noticed that his original 100 points had dwindled to just 90!

[The system charges a fee based on the weapon's level each time it's used.] The system's icy voice offered an explanation.

Though slightly irked, Chen Yuan held his tongue; the charge was, after all, justified.

He swung the Mountain Splitting Axe a few times and, satisfied with its performance, lingered in the tunnel for the duration of an incense stick.

Once the time had passed, Chen Yuan climbed back into the cave where Mr. Mo and the others immediately gathered around him, full of concern.

"Here you go, Mr. Mo!" Chen Yuan passed the Mountain Splitting Axe to him.

"You actually forged this? And it's so sturdy!" Mr. Mo tested the join between the Burning Stick and the axe, finding it incredibly secure. It wouldn't come loose easily. He stared at Chen Yuan with awe, as if he had discovered a new world.

This young man had brought him so many surprises. If he reported back to the Patriarch that Chen Yuan not only had strong intuition but could also craft weapons, he'd likely be held in high esteem by the Patriarch immediately.

Wudian and the others crowded around, their faces a mix of wonder and envy as they looked at the Mountain Splitting Axe. They even had the audacity to take it and swing it a few times, praising it while they looked hopefully at Chen Yuan.

"Okay, forging this wasn't easy. I spent a long time outside looking for the right materials. If you find suitable materials, I can make something for you too once I'm back at the tribe!" Chen Yuan offered with a grin.

At his words, the crowd erupted into excited cheers.

After the interlude, they rested for a bit before Mr. Mo stood up, clapping his hands. "Alright, everyone's had enough rest. Let's get moving!"

They rose to their feet and retraced their steps through the tunnel they had entered.

Back in the tunnel, everyone appeared invigorated, especially Mr. Mo, who led the way with the Mountain Splitting Axe in hand.

Once they reached the mud tunnel again, they resumed their cautious exploration.

Chen Yuan had hoped for another hint from the system.

But this time, the system stayed silent for over three hours.

In those hours, the group navigated the tunnel without incident, even passing several junctions without any guidance from the system.

Now, they were trekking through a pitch-dark mud layer, the fertility of the soil around them a clear sign, which only made them more vigilant. As Mr. Mo put it, the richer the soil, the closer they were to the surface.

Chen Yuan had lost track of how long they'd been walking, but they were certainly many thousands of meters from their tribe by now.

[Ding! If the host continues forward, he will encounter an attack from Hundred Year Old Tree Vines. It is advisable to avoid them.]

[Of course, if you decide to face them and kill the old tree vines, you might just find a large piece of Moonlight Stone.]

The system's alert made Chen Yuan's eyebrows shoot up.

Instinctively, he wanted to halt Mr. Mo and the rest.

But the mention of a large piece of Moonlight Stone stirred something within him.