Chapter 18: The First Carved Brick
Tian Heng spent the next few hours in a state of concentrated recovery. He sat in his relatively quiet corner, using the rich ether in the cave not only to accelerate the healing of his painful side wound but also to solidify his progress toward the "Aether Collector" level. Healing and power accumulation were slow, but they were continuous. Lilith sat crouched nearby, watching him in her usual silence. Occasionally, her head would snap toward one of the dark entrances of the cave, as though hearing or sensing something beyond his perception, but she didn't move from her guard position.
When he felt he had regained enough of his energy and composure, Tian Heng shifted his focus entirely to the shard of new data he had obtained—the partial blueprint for the "Primary Aether Condenser." He closed his eyes and reviewed the complex mental image before him. It was a mix of familiar geometric symbols and other unfamiliar ones that he couldn't immediately recognize, along with flowing lines that likely represented ether pathways.
[Core, compare these symbols with the database of geometric symbols and basic components.] He sent the query.
The core began processing his request, highlighting the familiar symbols and placing question marks over the unknown ones in the mental image. Using logic and context from the blueprint, Tian Heng began decoding the basic design. It appeared to consist of: a small resonant chamber, possibly cylindrical or spherical; a system for drawing surrounding ether, which the blueprint indicated would use crystal shards; a focusing lens, possibly made from quartz or a similar crystalline material; a containment unit for the condensed ether, which seemed sensitive and required specific material properties; and finally, a surprisingly complex low-energy regulation circuit to ensure the stability of the condensation process.
The next step was securing the materials. His most obvious and abundant source of advanced materials at the moment was the massive, deactivated guardian's body.
"Lilith, help me flip this thing over." Tian Heng gestured toward the deactivated guardian, his tone practical as usual.
Lilith immediately rose, and without a word, used her recovering physical strength in the ether-rich environment to help Tian Heng push and shift the heavy parts of the guardian, revealing its internal components and the mechanics of its joints.
Tian Heng began his careful work with his new tools. The "Seraplasma" alloy forming the guardian's structure was incredibly tough; even the sharpest tools barely scratched it. However, the damage from the battle and the last explosion had exposed some of the internal components, wires, and joints that were less protected. He focused his efforts on these areas. Using his sharp blade carefully to cut the delicate wires, a lever to pry apart the damaged plates, and fine tweezers to pull out the small components, he spent several hours in a painstaking and methodical disassembly process.
In the end, he managed to salvage a variety of materials:
Several small sheets of the internal alloy, thinner than the outer armor.
A handful of wires in different colors, some of which appeared to be made from a copper-like metal but more flexible, and others shiny silver.
Several shards of clear blue crystal from the guardian's lens and some internal components that seemed to be secondary power units.
Some small gears and precision servos from the joint mechanism.
A small chunk of black, glass-like, unknown material from what appeared to be a burned internal energy regulator.
He returned to his corner with this modest haul and began inspecting it closely.
[Core, analyze the composition of these extracted materials and compare them with the requirements for the 'Primary Aether Condenser'.]
The response came after a detailed analysis:
[Material Analysis: The silver-colored wires show low-resistance ether conductivity and could be used as a temporary substitute for 'Iridium-Arcanite' alloy in low-power circuits. The blue crystal shards meet the requirements for the focusing lens and ether-drawing system after precise reshaping. Some of the small gears and mechanical components can be adapted for the basic regulation circuit. The black glass-like material is unknown but exhibits interesting energy containment properties, potentially suitable for the containment unit, though it is extremely fragile. The structural alloy sheets are useful for the overall construction. Warning: Manufacturing the regulation circuit and containment unit requires high precision and temperature control not currently available.]
So, he had most of the basic materials, more or less, though they were temporary substitutes. The biggest challenge would be in the precision of the manufacturing, especially for the regulation circuit and containment unit.
But Tian Heng wasn't one to back down due to difficulty. He decided to start with what was possible. He selected the largest shard of blue crystal and one of the precise tools that seemed to function like a small chisel. He placed the crystal on a flat rock and began the most meticulous and patient work he had ever done: attempting to carve and shape the hard crystal shard into a small, concave focusing lens, as shown in the partial blueprint.
The process was painfully slow. The crystal was tough, and the tool barely removed fine dust with each calculated tap. He had to be extremely precise, as any mistake could shatter the precious shard. He became immersed in his work, beads of sweat forming on his forehead from the intensity of focus and effort, ignoring the faint pain in his side, and ignoring the world around him except for the crystal, the tool, and the blueprint in his mind.
Lilith sat watching him, her head slightly tilted, a rare look of curiosity flashing briefly in her crimson eyes before returning to her usual obsessive focus on him. Her master wasn't fighting now, nor training. He was creating something. He was carving the first brick in the construction of his future with his own hands.