The domain of wizards is vast and all-encompassing.
Rooted in the power of the soul,
it enables the transcendence of the self, the convergence of truth's possibilities, and the arrival at the world's end—unprecedented and uncharted.
Knowledge of potions, enchanted artifacts, and arcane formulas serves as the ladder to truth.
It is not that powerful wizards dominate these realms,
but rather, only those who master these domains earn the right to ascend as higher-ranking wizards.
Nightfall.
Xu Xi was crafting an enchanted artifact for Servia to wield.
"The venomous fangs of a female wyvern may not be the finest forging material, but given Servia's current strength, they should suffice."
"Additionally, there's a bit of silver ore, star-iron, and the shattered armor of a headless knight."
"I hope my current skill in artifact crafting doesn't waste these materials."
Inside the workshop,
within a chamber etched with noise-dampening runes,
Xu Xi pondered alone, surrounded by hovering tomes of considerable weight. Pre-prepared spells were activated—some to provide ample illumination, others to stabilize the flow of soulfire.
Then,
Xu Xi raised his hand slightly, and an object resembling a wand appeared, grasped lightly in his palm.
The wizard's system shares similarities with the magic system,
including the habitual use of wands.
Yet, in the world of wizards, a wand is not a necessity. Many spells depend solely on the caster themselves.
Xu Xi used a wand simply out of habit.
"Then, let us begin."
Holding the wand, he tapped it lightly against the ground.
Deep-blue soulfire twisted and swirled, transforming into pure soul energy that surged into the prepared materials, reshaping them at a microscopic level.
It was a process of flawless fusion, combining the supernatural properties of each material—
an artistry in motion.
"According to the original plan, the body armor should prioritize lightness and ease of movement."
"At the same time, I'll inscribe a few spells to slightly enhance Servia's combat prowess."
"As for the knightly sword, its length will mirror Servia's current blade, augmented with edge reinforcement, durability enhancement, and soul-channeling amplification."
"With this..."
"Servia's strength will rise significantly."
The mesmerizing azure resembled ocean waves,
unbroken and endless,
rippling across the walls of the temporary workshop.
It also cast shifting patterns of light and shadow upon Xu Xi's face.
A flick of the wand, and the formidable soul energy materialized, turning the tranquil blue into a raging tempest that engulfed and compressed all materials.
Destruction, reconstruction, creation.
This cycle repeated multiple times until the artifact crafting neared its conclusion.
Pop—a sound like a bursting bubble echoed, followed by the dull thud of something heavy hitting the floor.
A full-body armor of gray and silver, paired with a gleaming, razor-sharp longsword.
These were the enchanted artifacts Xu Xi had prepared for Servia.
The offensive sword,
the defensive armor—
both bore intricate spellwork,
appearing fantastical and ethereal.
"Perhaps a bit too eye-catching," Xu Xi murmured, waving his wand once more. All activated spell patterns returned to dormancy, becoming trigger-based.
Only when Servia willed it would the patterns glow anew.
Whoosh—
Whoosh—
Outside, the shrill howl of wind currents drew Xu Xi's attention.
Instinctively, he glanced toward the entrance. Under the blood-red moon illuminating the night, everything was bathed in crimson. Amidst that eerie, unsettling glow, a figure ceaselessly swung her sword.
Stroke after stroke, without pause.
The aura of death still clung to her—
an unchangeable, despairing truth.
In the scarlet night, all things grew sinister and silent. Even the distant town twisted and warped in the darkness, as if morphing into a monstrous maw.
Only that lone figure remained unchanged.
"Servia is as diligent as ever today..."
Xu Xi watched for a long while.
To him, the skeletal silhouette, tirelessly swinging her blade and sending out waves of sword-song, seemed to shimmer with a faint, intangible radiance.
It was something formless yet undeniably real—
Servia Clawphire's unwavering knightly spirit, and the tiny dream she had carried since childhood: the yearning to change herself.
"Servia is flawless in every way—except she fears loneliness too much."
Xu Xi lifted his gaze to the moon. The crimson orb hung in the sky like a massive, blood-dripping eye, coldly observing all beneath it.
Raised in a noble household, Servia received a comprehensive elite education.
She was resilient.
She was kind.
Even after being cursed, with half her body turned undead, she never succumbed to true despair, still helping others whenever she could.
Such a Servia was brave—and achingly lonely.
Longing for someone to speak with.
When the people of Clawphire's lands all departed, Xu Xi saw it clearly: the desolate gloom etched across the half of her face that remained.
It was impossible not to worry.
A burden? A hindrance?
Xu Xi didn't think so.
"Servia's swordsmanship is exceptional. Even if she cannot become a wizard, I can enhance her undead body to indirectly boost her strength."
"Perhaps this is... the birth of an Undead Sword Saint?"
The blood moon cast its cold light onto Xu Xi's outstretched palm.
He smiled faintly.
Already, he looked forward to the day Servia would charge into hordes of undead, cutting them down in her wake.
...
[You have forged new equipment for the Hero.]
[The Hero dons the Death Knight's Armor.]
[The Hero wields the Venomwyrm's Blade.]
[Servia expresses deep satisfaction with the new gear and thanks you.]
[Facing the revitalized Servia, you can't help but feel like you're playing a character-raising game.]
The blood moon descended.
The black sun rose.
In the dim world, Servia—now clad in her new equipment—ran her fingers lightly over the armor before raising her sword to scrutinize its engravings.
With half her face missing, Xu Xi couldn't discern her expression.
But the tremulous emerald glimmer in her eyes,
the eager way she looked at him—
said everything.
"How does it feel, Servia?"
"Thank you! I love it!"
Servia turned the blade over and over, caressing it with unrestrained delight.
Her joy wasn't merely that of a warrior acquiring a fine weapon—it was more akin to a child receiving an exquisitely delicious lollipop.
"Great Wizard,"
she turned,
her single remaining eye—bright as jade—peering out from the bandages swathing her face.
Xu Xi's reflection shone clearly within it.
"I truly... love it so much!"
A child who once basked in the light, only to plunge into the abyss of solitude, had now—after so long—received a gift from that light once more.
"Then I am relieved."
Hearing Servia's reply, Xu Xi smiled.
"Great Wizard,"
Servia spoke again, gazing curiously at her sword. "It's almost like a story—receiving fine equipment and setting off on a grand journey."
"Servia, rather than being in a story, you are crafting a new one."
Xu Xi amended her words.
Crafting a story...
The undead hero paused. She didn't believe herself worthy of such a thing, yet an inexplicable flicker of anticipation stirred within her.
spital. Good news: I've bound a system. Bad news: I'm still a baby. "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, do not bully the middle-aged for being poor — Divorce Comeback System." "Your marriage may have failed, but your luck in love has never run dry. Your childhood sweetheart, out of contact for twenty years, reappears. Her beauty remains, yet her eyes are brimming with tears." [Listen to the childhood sweetheart's sorrowful story.] Chen Zhi looked down at the diaper he was wearing, then at the little childhood sweetheart crying her heart out beside him, and fell into deep thought. Can anyone relate? I'm having a midlife crisis at an age where even rolling over is a struggle.
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
close your eyes and open them again, only to find yourself transmigrated into the role of a villainous male supporting character. Readers familiar with urban wish-fulfillment novels know that it is only through the relentless antics of the villainous male supporting character that the plot between the male and female leads can progress. As the villainous male supporting character, Long Aotian not only has to bully the female lead, harass the second female lead, and flirt with the third female lead, but he also has to go all out to antagonize the male lead. In the end, when his body is discovered, he is still clutching half a moldy fried dough stick in his hand. Fully aware of the plot, Long Aotian is determined to change his fate, starting with the female lead! In the beginning, the female lead lacks confidence: "Big brother, I hope I didn't scare you?" In the middle, the female lead treads carefully: "Brother Long, please don't hit me, okay?" Later on, the female lead becomes coquettishly clingy: "Aotian, it's time to pay the 'public grain' tonight." Long Aotian's legs go weak, and he feels like crying: "I taught you to be thick-skinned, not shameless!"
