166: Chapter 165 From Ragged Robe to Little Golden Man! Thirty Centimeters Tall and Quite Handsome

Lin Feng poured the pile of loot out from his wanxiang ring and piled it on the ground.

Spirit Stones, Medicinal Pills, equipment, and Materials of all sizes and colors formed a small mountain.

He crouched in front of the pile, rummaging through it as he calculated how to handle it all.

The items he had scavenged from the dozen or so foreigners were of average quality; most were blue or purple, with very few gold ones!

As he was fretting over what to do, that mass of black mist floated over and stopped beside him, looking at the pile in silence.

Lin Feng looked up at it. "Tell me, how should I handle these things?"

The black mass was taken aback. "You're asking me?"

"Yes. You've stayed here for ten thousand years, so you've seen a lot. Tell me, what's the best way to handle these?"

The black mass looked at the pile and thought for a moment. "Fuse them. Don't you have the ability to perform Fusion? You're good at turning trash into treasure."

Lin Feng smiled. "You certainly know how to flatter."

He stood up, patted the dust off his clothes, and looked at the pile, then at the black mass, as a sudden thought flashed through his mind.

He wasn't going to fuse that trash; he was going to fuse *it*.

He would fuse it together with that trash.

His Fusion Talent could fuse all things.

He could fuse medicinal herbs, equipment, skills, books, and Materials.

An artifact spirit was also a thing, so why couldn't it be fused?

The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.

Seeing him staring, the black mass felt uneasy. "What... what are you looking at?"

Lin Feng withdrew his gaze and smiled. "Nothing. I'm just thinking about how to help you fuse a body."

The black mass's eyes lit up. "You've thought of a way?"

Lin Feng nodded. "I have. But I need your cooperation."

The black mass floated over and stopped in front of him. "How do I cooperate?"

Lin Feng pointed at the pile. "Go stand on top of those items."

The black mass looked at the pile, then back at Lin Feng. "Stand on them? Why?"

Lin Feng's expression remained unchanged. "I need to see your form first before deciding which Materials to use. If you stand up there, I can see you clearly."

The black mass hesitated for a moment but eventually floated over and stopped on top of the pile.

It hovered there, the size of a fist, pitch black and looking like a crumpled piece of paper.

Lin Feng looked at it, took a deep breath, and aimed both hands at the pile and the black mass, palms facing down.

"Talent—Activate."

A pale golden light surged from his palms, enveloping the pile of items and the black mass.

The black mass was stunned; it wanted to run, but it couldn't.

The golden light was like an invisible giant hand, gripping it tightly.

It struggled and screamed, "You! What are you doing?!"

Lin Feng ignored it.

His mana was dropping frantically: three million, 2.8 million, 2.5 million.

The pile of items floated up within the golden light—Spirit Stones, Medicinal Pills, equipment, and Materials—all taking flight like a swarm of colorful butterflies.

They swirled, collided, and fused as if dancing.

The black mass also struggled within the golden light, but it could not break free.

It was pulled into the swirling vortex, mixing with those Materials.

[Detectable Fusion targets: Taixu Dojo Artifact Spirit (Gold), various Materials (Blue, Purple, Gold)]

[Super Fusion]

[Warning: Fusion targets include a living consciousness; risk is extreme, success rate unknown]

[Suggested Consumption: 3,000,000 - 5,000,000 mana]

[Fusion Direction: Artificial Body]

Lin Feng gritted his teeth and injected three million mana.

The golden light exploded, forcing him to squint his eyes.

The black mass screamed inside the vortex, "You lied to me! You said you'd help me fuse a body! You didn't say you were going to fuse me too!"

Lin Feng ignored it.

The Materials melted, turning into various colored liquids that wrapped around the black mass.

It struggled within the liquid like an insect trapped in amber.

But it couldn't escape; the liquid was solidifying and taking shape.

It was changing from a pitch-black mass into... a human shape.

It was very small, only the size of a palm, but it was indeed the shape of a human.

It had a head, a body, arms, and legs.

It slowly took form within the golden light, becoming clearer and clearer.

The head was round, the body was long, the arms were thin, and the legs were short.

Its features were also taking shape: eyes, nose, mouth—nothing was missing.

The golden light lasted for fifteen minutes before slowly dimming.

The little person fell from mid-air, landing in Lin Feng's palm.

It was very small, only the size of a palm.

But as the golden light dissipated, it grew, expanding from palm-sized to thirty centimeters tall, like a small doll.

It was golden all over, shimmering as if cast from pure gold.

It had arms, legs, a nose, and eyes.

It was actually quite handsome, with sword-like eyebrows, starry eyes, a high bridge on its nose, and slightly pursed lips—like a beautiful man from an ancient painting.

It was just too small, only thirty centimeters tall.

It stood in Lin Feng's palm, looking down at its hands, touching its face, and then looking down at its body.

It was stunned, and only after a long while did it speak. "This... this is me?"

Lin Feng smiled. "Yes. This is you. Handsome, isn't it?"

It looked down at itself again and fell silent.

Then it looked up at Lin Feng with a complex expression. "You... you fused me?"

Lin Feng nodded. "Yes. Fused. Didn't you want a body? I fused one for you. Golden, handsome—handsomer than that guy. It's just a bit small."

It opened its mouth as if to say something, but it didn't know what to say.

It had a body, hands, feet, and a face.

It was no longer that pitch-black thing that didn't even look human.

It was a person now.

Though small at thirty centimeters tall, it was a person.

It wanted to be angry, but it couldn't find the rage.

It wanted to scold Lin Feng, but the words wouldn't come out.

It stood there with its head bowed, silent.

Lin Feng looked at it. "What? Not satisfied? If you're not satisfied, I'll fuse a bigger one for you later. But I don't have enough Materials; I'll have to find more once we're out."

It looked up. "No need. This... is fine."

It paused, "It's just too small."

Lin Feng laughed. "What's wrong with being small? Even small, you're a person. Before, you weren't even human. Now you have arms, legs, a nose, and eyes, and you're still being picky?"

It didn't say anything.

It hopped down from Lin Feng's palm and landed on the ground.

Its feet stepped onto the sandy soil; it felt soft, and it wobbled, nearly falling over.

It steadied itself and looked down at its feet.

The feet were tiny, only the size of a fingernail, but they had five toes, all perfectly formed.

It tried taking two steps, swaying like a toddler just learning to walk.

It fell after a few steps, crawled back up, and walked again.

It fell again, and got up again.

Lin Feng couldn't help but laugh as he watched. "Take it slow. You just got a body; you're not used to it."

It ignored him and continued walking.

After a dozen steps, it finally stopped falling.

It stood there, tilting its head back to look at Lin Feng.

Lin Feng was very tall, like a mountain.

It had to crane its neck to see his face.

It spoke. "What... what should I do from now on?"

Lin Feng crouched down to look at it eye-to-eye. "What do you mean?"

It pointed at itself. "Like this, how can I go out? What will people think I am when they see me?"

Lin Feng thought for a moment. "A pet? A toy? A Magical Artifact that's gained sentience?"

Its expression changed. "I don't want to be a pet! I don't want to be a toy! And I don't want to be a sentient artifact! I am a person! I am the artifact spirit of the Taixu Dojo! I am—"

"You are Xiao San," Lin Feng interrupted.

It was stunned. "Xiao San?"

Lin Feng nodded. "Yes. Xiao San. You're thirty centimeters tall, so calling you Xiao San makes it easy to remember."

He paused, "If you think that sounds bad, I could call you Xiao Sanshi. But Xiao San flows better."

Its face flushed red, its golden complexion turning a reddish-gold. "I don't want to be called Xiao San! That sounds terrible!"

Lin Feng smiled. "Then what do you want to be called?"

It thought for a moment. "I'll be called... I'll be called Taixu."

Lin Feng shook his head. "Taixu is the name of the Dojo. If you're called Taixu, people will think you're the Dojo. Pick another one."

It thought again. "I'll be called... Ling Yi."

Lin Feng still shook his head. "Too ordinary. Pick another."

It got anxious. "Then you give me one!"

Lin Feng looked at it and pondered. "You're golden all over and so small, how about Xiao Jin? But Xiao Jin is my dung beetle; you can't have the same name. Xiao Huang? Too rustic. Xiao Liang? Too tacky."

He thought for a bit, "Let's call you Xiao Guang. Golden light, it suits you well."

It repeated it twice. "Xiao Guang... Xiao Guang... fine. I'll be called Xiao Guang."

Lin Feng smiled. "Good. Xiao Guang. From now on, your name is Xiao Guang."

Xiao Guang nodded, then looked down at itself before looking back at Lin Feng. "How... how will I follow you? I'm so small, I can't walk fast."

Lin Feng reached out his hand. "Come up. I'll carry you."

Xiao Guang hesitated for a moment before climbing onto his hand.

It stood in his palm, tiny and golden, like an exquisite ornament.

Lin Feng held it up to his eyes and looked at it. "Xiao Guang, listen. From now on, you are my partner. I'll take you out, find you food, clothes, and a place to live. But you must listen to me. You can't run off, you can't talk out of turn, and you can't let others discover you. Otherwise, you'll be captured as a Essence Spirit and locked in a cage for people to gawk at."

Xiao Guang's face changed. "I... I don't want to be locked in a cage."

Lin Feng nodded. "Then listen to me."

Xiao Guang nodded vigorously. "I will!"

Lin Feng placed it on his shoulder.

Xiao Guang sat on his shoulder, tiny and golden, like a golden bird.

It gripped Lin Feng's collar, terrified of falling off.

Xiao Jin crawled out from the Breathing Earth and was stunned when it saw Xiao Guang.

It tilted its head, its compound eyes full of curiosity.

It crawled over and poked Xiao Guang's face with its golden front leg.

Xiao Guang was poked so hard he leaned to the side, and he glared at it. "Don't poke me!"

Xiao Jin chirped as if laughing.

It poked again, and Xiao Guang leaned again.

Xiao Jin was tireless, poking again and again until Xiao Guang was swaying back and forth.

Xiao Guang lost his temper. "Poke me again and I'll set a Formation to trap you!"

Xiao Jin wasn't afraid and poked him again.

Xiao Guang was so angry his face turned red; his hands formed seals as he chanted under his breath.

A beam of golden light shot from his fingertips, transforming into a palm-sized Formation that trapped Xiao Jin inside.

Trapped in the Formation, Xiao Jin lunged left and right but couldn't get out.

It got anxious and started chirping frantically.

Lin Feng laughed, reached out to crush the Formation, and rescued Xiao Jin.

Xiao Jin hid behind Lin Feng's neck, poking its head out to look at Xiao Guang, not daring to poke him again.

Xiao Guang held his head high triumphantly. "Hmph, now you know how powerful I am?"

Lin Feng patted his head. "Alright, stop messing around. It's time to go."

Xiao Guang nodded and sat down obediently.

Xiao Jin also quieted down, lying on Lin Feng's shoulder and watching Xiao Guang.

One gold and one black, one on the left and one on the right, they looked like two guardian deities.

Lin Feng stood up and looked around.

The desert was still the same desert—grey, dusty, and lifeless.

But he knew there were still many things in this desert he hadn't taken yet.

He patted Xiao Guang's head. "Xiao Guang, do you know if there's anything else good in this Secret Realm?"

Xiao Guang thought for a moment. "Yes. Deep within the Dojo, there is a Treasure Pavilion. It contains all sorts of treasures collected by that person. Medicinal Pills, Magic Treasures, Cultivation Techniques, Materials—it has everything."

Lin Feng's eyes lit up. "A Treasure Pavilion? Where?"

Xiao Guang pointed into the distance. "Over there. Cross that mountain and walk for another half hour, and you'll be there."

Lin Feng looked in the direction he pointed.

In the distance was a mountain, not very high but very steep.

At the summit, a building was faintly visible.

He smiled. "Let's go. To the Treasure Pavilion."

He set off toward that mountain.

Xiao Guang sat on his shoulder, and Xiao Jin lay on his other shoulder.

One man, one gold, and one black moved through the desert.

The wind blew from the west, kicking up grains of sand that stung as they hit his face.

But Lin Feng didn't care; he was in a very good mood.