[Specialization: Equipment Creation]
[Tier: 1. Next Level: 10/100 Experience]
After forging a sword, Li Ang's experience in equipment creation increased by 10 points.
The system notification he had ignored earlier told him that he gained more experience because he added extra materials and performed excellently, resulting in equipment with skills.
It seems that adding extra materials is a positive enhancement.
He continued his crafting, but the Water Mist Stone is not unlimited, and could only be added to two pieces of equipment. This time, he added materials from the Two-legged Flying Dragon.
Having crafted another sword and a pair of Iron Gloves, Li Ang examined the two pieces of equipment.
[Dragon Fang Standard Iron Sword (Clear Spring)]
[A sword forged through standard processes, with water-element materials added, giving it water attributes. Low tier Dragon Fang and Dragon Claw endow it with a hint of Power of Dragon]
[Tier: 2]
[Category: One-Handed Sword]
[Equipment Skill: Water Flow Array (Torrent)]
The suffix for armor's array looks different from that for weapons:
[Dragon Scale Standard Handguard (Clear Spring)]
[A handguard forged through standard processes, with water-element materials added, providing effective defense against heat and flames. The inclusion of Low Tier Dragon Scale further enhances this aspect]
[Tier: 2]
[Category: Handguard]
[Equipment Skill: Water Flow Array (Vortex)]
Li Ang also noticed that the skill activation requirements were reduced; the Water Flow Array activation method for the Dragon Fang Sword is "Coordination Units 3," while the Iron Gloves only require 2.
He put on the gloves, held the Dragon Fang Sword, and found that the array skill of the gloves was activated, ascending it to tier 3. The metals and dark green scales on the surface felt cold to the touch, with water attribute magic power contained within.
Li Ang picked up the first sword he crafted, holding one in each hand.
This time, the sword requiring coordination units 3 activated its skill, also ascending to tier 3. The blade, adorned with patterns due to the Dragon Fang, appeared to be misted with water, likely possessing the flexibility of water and capable of elemental damage during slashes.
The sword requiring 5 units for skill activation remained unchanged.
Understanding now, as long as there are other Water Flow Array equipment, they count towards the array, but only the equipment meeting the activation conditions will increase in tier. The reduction in array activation requirements might be due to the addition of superior materials.
However, he neither uses swords nor dual-wields.
He can make use of the Iron Gloves for now, and as for the sword, when dual-wielding long swords, the Dragon Fang Sword will ascend to tier 3 together with the gloves, useful in critical moments.
The remaining materials were exhausted crafting 3 more weapons.
This brought his experience to 57.
The leveling speed is quite considerable, but crafting items he doesn't need is somewhat wasteful of time and effort; for targeted upgrades, materials from outside the island will be necessary.
Stretching his back, he noticed it was already sunset without realizing it.
Li Ang glanced around, noticing that Zoe had left at some point, but he had glimpsed her several times, indicating she had sat there for a while. Being a lively character, it would be unusual for her to stay patient until now.
The door to her house was open, and there was some noise inside. Li Ang followed the sound to see what was happening indoors.
The small house was quite spacious, suggesting the owner has a penchant for a quality living environment.
Inside, there was a wooden scent, with the kitchen directly facing the door, and two rooms on either side. The kitchen also had a small door, likely leading to the backyard.
Surprisingly, there was not only a ladder leading to a narrow attic, but also one going to a basement.
Seeing Li Ang enter, Zoe, who was fiddling with something in the kitchen, hurriedly said, "Ah, wait a moment, it's almost done."
She made a clattering noise before coming out holding a large bowl.
The bowl was filled with various melons and some scattered berries, bright red and looking very cute.
Outside the kitchen door was a dining table surrounded by three chairs, one of which was smaller.
Zoe carefully placed the bowl on the table, then walked around to his side to pull out a chair for him.
"Please, please catch, I mean sit."
Such tasks clearly made the young girl uncomfortable, even mispronouncing her words.
Li Ang raised his dirty hands, "I'd like to wash my hands first."
"Ah, th-th-this way."
Zoe, with her head lowered, ran over to open the small door leading to the backyard. Just outside the door was a simple water diversion device with a faucet for water.
While washing his hands, he glanced at the backyard garden, where the plots were divided into sections with different crops planted. This should have been distributed by Zoe's parents, as there was a faded wooden sign before him that read "White Gourd Planted Here," and similar signs placed around other areas, seemingly reminders for the young girl.
The white gourd is a white tuber crop, a staple food in many places in Nebis.
When Li Ang returned to the dining table after washing his hands, Zoe was gnawing on a white gourd, but seeing him approach, she nervously put it down.
She didn't sit in the smaller chair, even though she was petite, she had grown enough not to need a child's chair.
The young girl gently pushed the bowl towards Li Ang, lowering her head.
"Um, I don't know if this is right; these are the best things I could offer."
In front of Li Ang, besides the white gourd, were several common and high-yield fruits and vegetables from Nebis, which seemed to be Zoe's usual meal.
This big bowl was likely not typical for a fifteen-year-old girl; it must have been picked specifically to entertain Li Ang.
Every fruit's skin was neatly peeled, and the vegetables were placed orderly, with the scattered berries deliberately arranged in noticeable positions.
It's hard to imagine the girl who would directly charge at Demons could patiently do this.
"Not at all, thank you."
Li Ang smiled at her, "I've been busy all day and just got hungry; you saved my life."
Hearing this, Zoe, with lips pursed, nodded like a little bird, her eyes opening slightly wider, showing a bit more light.
Li Ang picked up one of the berries from the bowl, "This is the wild berry you said you liked, right? Thank you for sharing it with me."
"I really like it, so I wanted you to try it too."
Watching as the young girl's lips curled into a smile, Li Ang popped the berry into his mouth.
Hmm, sour.
Oh boy! That's really sour!
It felt like his entire mouth was protesting; centered at the muscles of his face, Li Ang felt like every muscle on his head that could move started to twitch.
He quickly swallowed the wild berry and grabbed a familiar sweet orange, stuffing it into his mouth.
Once the orange juice filled his mouth, covering the sourness, his frantically twitching facial muscles gradually calmed down.
Throughout the entire process, he maintained a straight face.
It wasn't about saving face; he didn't want to dampen the girl's enthusiasm.
However, this berry is incredibly sour. Li Ang looked into Zoe's eyes, deeply red like pigeon blood rubies, but saw no sign of mischief.
She was now very happy, stuffing those wild berries one after another into her mouth.
Being able to handle sour flavors is remarkable; Li Ang could only think of the covered ice cream at Bingxue Inn in the Holy City.
"Who taught you to pull out a chair for guests?"
He found a topic to chat about.
"Is it wrong to do that? I saw Dad often pull out a chair for Mom, and then they'd say things I couldn't understand and be very happy." The young girl replied.
"Your parents must be very loving."
"Yes, they often do things together; I don't understand what they're saying, but they seem very happy."
Saying this, Zoe slightly lowered her head again.
"I don't understand much, so I don't know why they just left by themselves, why they didn't take me with them, why they promised to come back but didn't."
Zoe curled up, holding her legs, burying her face between them, her shoulders trembling lightly.