Chapter 2: The Designer’s Awakening

Lin Feng sat cross-legged on the cold floor, closing his eyes and focusing inward. Instantly, the familiar interface materialized before him—a sleek, futuristic tablet glowing softly in the void of his mind. Its layout mirrored the design software he had used in his past life, complete with options for importing, exporting, editing, saving, and animating. The sight of it brought a mix of nostalgia and excitement. This wasn't just a relic from his previous existence; it was a bridge between two worlds, an opportunity to rewrite his destiny.

He began experimenting cautiously, starting with the import function . When he activated the import function again, he reached out tentatively toward the air around him. To his amazement, wisps of wind were drawn into the panel, swirling into a translucent vortex that hovered within the interface.

"Air…" Lin Feng murmured, studying the twirling mass. "So I can absorb elements from the environment?"

The realization sent a shiver down his spine. If he could manipulate air, what else might he be able to import? Could he pull energy directly from living things or even people? The implications were staggering—and slightly terrifying. For now, though, he focused on mastering the basics. He opened the editor , manipulating the vortex with ease. With a few mental commands, he reshaped it into a sphere, then elongated it into a blade-like form. Colors shimmered across its surface as he adjusted its properties—blue for calmness, red for aggression, white for neutrality. Each change felt intuitive, as though the panel responded directly to his creative impulses.

Encouraged by his progress, Lin Feng decided to test the limits of what he could import. He glanced at the creaky wooden bed next to him, hesitating for a moment before activating the import function again. As soon as he touched the frame, the entire structure dissolved into the panel, leaving only empty space behind. Shock rippled through him.

"What… What did I just do?" he whispered, staring at the empty spot where the bed had been moments ago. His heart raced as panic set in. Had he destroyed it completely? Was this some irreversible consequence of using his Martial Soul?

To confirm his suspicions, he selected the export function and watched in awe as the bed reappeared—but not quite as it had been. Instead of a solid object, a faint, ghostly replica of the bed emerged behind him, radiating a dim, dark brown aura.

"This is… my Martial Soul?" Lin Feng gasped, realization dawning on him. "I'm creating manifestations based on what I import!"

It was a breakthrough. Unlike traditional Martial Souls, which were fixed and immutable, his soul allowed him to design and customize his abilities. He could craft tools, weapons, even constructs tailored to specific situations—all limited only by his creativity and resources. But disappointment quickly followed. The aura emanating from the bed was weak, barely registering as a Grade 9 Martial Soul—the lowest possible tier. Clearly, mundane objects like furniture weren't enough to produce meaningful results. If he wanted to create something powerful, he'd need better materials—or perhaps larger quantities of raw energy.

With a sigh, Lin Feng deleted the bed from his panel and turned his attention back to the swirling vortex of air he had imported earlier. Determined to push his limits, he activated the import function once more, pulling in additional gusts of wind from the surroundings. This time, he observed the process carefully, hoping to understand how it worked. At first, the absorption was slow, almost imperceptible. But as he grew bolder, the speed increased, drawing in more and more air until the old window rattled violently in its frame.

The noise startled him, snapping him out of his focus. He immediately stopped the import process, realizing that he had pushed too far too fast. A sharp pain throbbed in his temples, reminding him that his newfound power came with consequences. Still, the experiment had yielded valuable insights. Within the panel, the swirling vortex of air had grown denser, taking on a silvery sheen that hinted at untapped potential.

"There's definitely a threshold," Lin Feng muttered, rubbing his forehead. "I'll have to work on expanding it over time."

Despite the headache, Lin Feng pressed on. Using the editor, he shaped the accumulated air into the form of a tornado, adjusting its size and density until it resembled a miniature cyclone. Then, using the animation function, he programmed it to rotate rapidly, imbuing it with destructive potential. Satisfied with his work, he hit the export button . A burst of white light erupted from behind him, accompanied by invisible waves of force that sent loose objects in the room rattling and skittering across the floor. The tornado manifested as a pale imitation of its intended form—a weak breeze that barely disturbed the dust particles in the air.

"Well, that's disappointing," Lin Feng said dryly, watching the feeble gust dissipate almost immediately. "Guess I need more practice—and maybe stronger materials to work with."

Still, the experiment proved one thing: his creations weren't static. They interacted with the real world, albeit in subtle ways. Even a weak manifestation like the breeze carried tangible effects, suggesting that with refinement, he could achieve far greater results. Perhaps if he combined multiple elements—air, fire, water—he could amplify their potency. Or maybe he needed to find a way to infuse his creations with some type of energy, giving them the same kind of destructive force wielded by others.

By the time he finished testing, fatigue had settled deep into his bones. His vision blurred slightly, and a dull ache pulsed through his skull. Clearly, using his Martial Soul came at a cost—one he hadn't fully anticipated. Pushing himself too hard risked burnout, leaving him vulnerable and unable to defend himself if danger arose.

"Damn it," Lin Feng groaned, collapsing onto the cold floor. Without his bed, sleep would be uncomfortable tonight. "Why did I have to experiment with my own bed? Now I'm stuck freezing my ass off."

He pulled the thin blanket over himself, shivering as the chill seeped into his bones. Despite his discomfort, a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. For the first time in either of his lives, he felt a spark of genuine hope. His Martial Soul might not be flashy or immediately powerful, but it offered something no one else had: endless possibilities.

As sleep claimed him, Lin Feng resolved to delve deeper into his abilities. Tomorrow, he would begin gathering resources—starting with stronger materials and larger quantities of elemental energy. And who knew? Perhaps someday, he'd stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the greatest warriors of the Martial Soul Continent, armed with creations no one could have imagined.

The morning sun filtered through the cracks in the thatched roof of Lin Feng's hut, casting golden streaks across the wooden floor. He stirred awake, his body still heavy with exhaustion from the previous night's experiments. His mind, however, was buzzing with excitement—and questions.

Last night had been a revelation. The holographic panel within his consciousness wasn't just a tool; it was a gateway to untapped potential. But mastering it wouldn't be easy. It was clear that his Martial Soul operated on principles unlike anything anyone else possessed. While others summoned weapons or creatures directly into the physical world, Lin Feng could modify them fueled by his understanding of design and summon different ones each time.

But there were limitations. Limitations he needed to understand if he wanted to turn this strange ability into something truly powerful. For starters, he needed to figure out how much energy he could safely absorb without overexerting himself. Then there was the issue of quality versus quantity. Would importing larger amounts of weaker elements yield better results than smaller amounts of stronger ones? And what about combining different types of energy? Could he fuse air with fire to create a blazing whirlwind, or mix water with earth to form a mudslide?

These thoughts swirled in his mind as he rose from the floor, stretching his stiff muscles. Outside, the village was already bustling with activity. Farmers tended to their fields, children played in the dirt, and merchants called out to passersby, hawking their wares. No one paid any attention to the frail orphan boy who rarely ventured beyond his hut. They assumed he was useless, a failure who couldn't even awaken a proper Martial Soul. Little did they know, he was sitting on a secret that could change everything.

Lin Feng stepped outside, breathing in the crisp morning air. Today, he would start small—experimenting with natural elements like fire, water, and earth. He needed to build a foundation before attempting anything more complex.

However, he had only taken a few steps when he noticed a group of youngsters gathering in front of an elderly villager in an open field. The man was none other than the village chief, who also happened to be the strongest person in the village. As for the youngsters—weren't they his peers from the Awakening Ceremony?

"Why are they gathered here?" Lin Feng wondered aloud, his curiosity piqued. Without hesitation, he changed direction and headed toward the crowd.