The next morning, the first rays of sunlight barely breached the horizon when I arrived at the Refinement Wing. The halls were still empty, save for the low hum of energy resonating through the aether channels embedded in the walls. The soul tool workshop felt like a sleeping giant, waiting for the craftsmen to awaken it.
Dean Xian Lin'er arrived not long after, her long robes whispering over the polished stone floor. Without preamble, she led me to a private fabrication room reserved for individual apprenticeships.
"Today," she said, "you will forge your first true prototype."
She opened a long, sleek storage case with a wave of her hand. Inside lay raw materials, shimmering with soul light: refined Moonlight Silver, compressed Starflame Copper, Blacksteel rods, and a cluster of small, polished soul crystal cores.
"You will not follow any blueprint," she stated firmly. "Instead, design something that reflects you—your instincts, your path."
She left me alone with the materials.
I sat before the drafting board, staring at the blank crystal display. My mind raced.
What did I need?
Versatility. Close-quarters power. Mid-range precision. Minimal soul power consumption, relying heavily on mechanical discharge where possible. Endurance for prolonged engagements. Ease of repair and upgrade in the field.
Slowly, the vision took shape in my mind.
A hand cannon integrated with gauntlet armor. Mounted firmly over the palm, not the wrist. Energy-based primary attack—a condensed, directed blast from the palm, like Iron Man's repulsor beams. Full gauntlet armor for close-quarters protection and enhanced striking force. Recoil dampeners built into the gauntlet. Fold-out mode to strengthen defense. Flexible modules for future enhancements.
It would be an extension of my body. A weapon that moved when I willed it—both shield and sword.
Phase One: Core Design
I sketched the internal frame first: a reinforced gauntlet wrapping around the forearm and hand, anchored to the palm where the main power node would reside. The focused emission lens would sit directly in the center of the palm, surrounded by reinforced alloy supports to handle the stress of discharges.
Backup power reserves and heat-dispersion channels would weave through the gauntlet plates to prevent overload. I added a micro-stabilization chamber at the wrist to dampen recoil when firing.
The knuckles and fingers were armored but flexible, designed for punching, grabbing, and blocking attacks without damaging the internal systems. Micro-servos embedded in the joints allowed seamless articulation.
In addition, a collapsible energy sword and a circular energy shield were embedded on the back of the palm. With a flick of soul power, the energy sword could extend outward for close combat, and the shield could unfold to provide instant defense, offering a balanced combination of offense and protection during battle.
I named it mentally: Phantom Gauntlet: Mark I.
Phase Two: Material Selection
The gauntlet's main frame would be a hybrid alloy of Moonlight Silver and Blacksteel—light enough for speed, durable enough to survive heavy impacts.
The energy lens core would be crafted using a crystallized fragment of Starflame Copper, enhancing energy conduction and allowing rapid, powerful discharge.
For insulation and stealth, I layered thin sheets of Phantom Mithril beneath the external plating, minimizing soul energy leakage and making the weapon harder to detect. I also reinforced the inner layers with Wraith Silk composite—a rare, ultra-light soul-weave material that would further suppress detection and add structural resilience.
Phase Three: Assembly
It took me three grueling days of brutal, painstaking work.
I smelted and hammered the alloys by hand, carefully folding them under controlled soul-fire to maintain perfect resonance.
I engraved the primary rune arrays directly into the gauntlet plates: a stabilization matrix for energy control, a soul power focusing circuit, kinetic feedback suppressor, and modular link runes for future upgrades.
I wired micro-conduits into the fingers, palm, and forearm, integrating the soul crystal cores to flow energy naturally and consistently.
I crafted the external armor—sleek, angular, layered for maximum durability, heavily reinforced around the knuckles, fingers, and the entire palm.
I calibrated the emission lens, testing dozens of adjustments until the discharge beam was tight, controlled, and devastating.
Each night, I returned to my cabin physically broken but spiritually uplifted. This was true creation—a merging of will, skill, and spirit.
Phase Four: First Activation
On the fourth morning, I stood alone in the test chamber.
The gauntlet slid over my hand and forearm, locking into place with a deep, mechanical click. It felt… powerful. Balanced. Alive.
I flexed my fingers. The internal systems calibrated instantly to my movements, adjusting the micro-servos and recalibrating the energy channels with intuitive precision.
Channeling a controlled stream of soul power into the palm node, the emission lens blazed to life—a brilliant sphere of compressed energy hovering an inch above my palm.
I raised my hand, aimed at the soul-reinforced alloy dummy, and activated the firing rune.
BOOM.
A focused blast of kinetic force shot from my palm, slamming into the dummy with a resounding impact. The mannequin flew backward, crashing into the reinforced barrier at the far end of the chamber, leaving a smoking crater in its chest plate.
I triggered the secondary functions.
The collapsible energy sword extended from the back of my palm with a sharp hum, a gleaming blade of pure energy taking shape. I swung it experimentally, finding the balance near perfect for my fighting style.
Then, with another pulse of soul power, the circular shield unfolded and solidified into a shimmering barrier. I struck it with my own fist to test its resilience—the shield absorbed the impact, dispersing the force harmlessly.
I grinned.
Versatile. Precise. Devastating.
This was only the beginning.
As I disengaged the systems and removed the gauntlet, Dean Xian Lin'er entered, her sharp gaze analyzing every detail with a master's eye.
She paced around me once, then twice, before finally speaking.
"Form and function aligned. Minimal energy leakage. High structural integrity. Modular foresight included."
She gave me a rare, approving nod.
"Congratulations, Xiao Tian. You have not only forged a weapon—you have laid the foundation of a legacy."
That night, sitting beside Sea God Lake with the Phantom Gauntlet resting on my knee, I gazed up at the starlit sky.
I was no longer merely a soul master.
I was a craftsman. A creator.
The Tang Sect would rise anew. Heaven's Gate would grow stronger.
And I—
I was forging the future with my own two hands.