Tang Shidao felt very strange when he saw that it was parts and not materials.
Based on his professional insight as a refiner, Tang Shidao believed that the test this time was not about skills and ability, but something else that a mage in the network should have: knowledge!
For example, if a mage like Prince Zhou, who lived in an ancient dynasty, didn't know about magic puppets and didn't do quests often, then he would be screwed.
He was a person who lived in modern society.
The quests were relatively simple.
For example, the robots in scientific research, the puppets in games, and the artificial humans in movies. These were all related to 'robot puppets.' It wasn't that the movies were real, but he knew about them through various channels. The ancient people didn't know about robots, so it was very difficult to assemble one just by imagination. He already knew about it, so at least he wouldn't be confused.
Evil Eye wasn't screwing anyone over with this quest. Who could he blame if he didn't even know about it?
In the Mage Network, clockwork puppets were the most basic type of magic puppets, the lowest level of crafting.
Under normal circumstances.
Refiners used magic energy instead of springs. Only in a damned place like the Land of Forbidden Magic, would the magic energy core of the machine be ineffective. Therefore, craftsmen who had some skill wouldn't spend all their time studying clockwork puppets. Evil Eye didn't give him this quest on purpose. On the contrary, it provided parts instead of materials, which was a kind of difficulty.
Parts were things that had already been made, while materials were things that could be freely modified.
The former had a limit … you had to use a fixed method to complete it. Of course, you could also dismantle the parts, but it was hard to say if you could pass the test.
Tang Shidao didn't think too much about it.
He slowly examined the pile of parts, looking for parts that could be pieced together into a clockwork puppet.
On the other hand.
He didn't stop practicing controlling the black flames. This kind of skill was more important than skill. Being trapped in someone else's competition platform, it was better to rely on his own strength than rely on someone else's rules. As long as he didn't lack strength, he wouldn't be afraid even if the Inverse Mage played tricks in the end. His current progress was that the black flames were successful, but the two black flames couldn't touch each other.
As soon as they touched each other, they would fuse into a ball. He was stuck at this step.
A few hours later.
Tang Shidao selected some parts and slowly assembled them into a model of a 'boy worker'.
Submit, and shockingly … it was approved in one go!
There was no perfect reward, only a simple button. Seeing this, Tang Shidao felt that the pit was even bigger. Passing this round was a special reward. The more knowledgeable a refiner was, the easier it was for them to win. For the contestants with more miscellaneous knowledge, this round was an important hurdle for them to win food.
Unfortunately, he did not need food.
It was so easy that Tang Shidao felt that the Perfect Strategy was a trap.
Now that he had cleared the level, he could finally relax.
After dismantling the worker puppet boy, Tang Shidao spent some time to reassemble the worker puppet into a puppy. When he submitted it again, the result was still the same. It was still a 'qualified' assembled product. After succeeding twice, Tang Shidao's brows furrowed.
The difficulty of controlling the black flames was that one had reached the end of the road. There was no other way.
The problem with the clockwork puppet was that it could succeed on every path, but not a single path was perfect.
Of course, Tang Shidao would not admit defeat.
Evil Eye was just a dead man. Why should he lower his head to such a dead man? Tang Shidao no longer cared about winning or losing as his cultivation of the primordial black flames improved. The improvement of his strength was his greatest gain.
He continued to cultivate.
He continued to assemble.
Three or four days later, Tang Shidao assembled another worker puppet warrior. Submit, qualified. Unsurprisingly, there was still no reward.
Another seven or eight days later, he assembled another worker puppet beauty. Improved effect, qualified. Still no reward.
During this process of dismantling and assembling, his cultivation of controlling the black flames did not improve. It was stuck at the fusion step. Tang Shidao himself was a little surprised. He wondered if his talent had reached its limit. He had long felt that cultivating the primordial black flames had given him a rebirth. However, this kind of 'support' also had its limits.
It was the origin power of the Dark Golden Crow, not his … He had to have something that belonged to him.
Thinking of this …
Tang Shidao felt as if he had fallen into a fog. There seemed to be an exit, but he could not grasp it for a while.
In confusion, his hands kept moving.
He continued to dismantle the parts and soon assembled a worker kitten, a worker puppet bird, an old man puppet, and an old woman puppet. Unknowingly, Tang Shidao felt that there were a little too many parts. He made two worker puppets at once, a worker puppet boy and a worker puppet girl.
At this moment …
Tang Shidao trembled all over, as if he had seen a glimmer of light in the fog.
Old man, old woman, warrior, beauty, boy, girl, puppy, kitten, bird … Wasn't this a family photo of his grandparents, parents, children, pets, dogs, and birds? Could this be the answer to the riddle, the real trap set by Evil Eye?
He calculated the parts again.
Not enough!
Far from enough!
All the materials on the table were barely enough to assemble 70% of the total. In other words, he had to lack an adult and a child, or he could not have a kitten or a puppy. At this point, Tang Shidao did not think too much. He tried to piece together a family of parents, children, and pets.
Submit, qualified … but no reward.
"This is not right." Tang Shidao shook his head. He did not want a pet or a child. Submit, still qualified, but there was no reward.
At this time, Tang Shidao stopped.
He thought to himself that this was definitely a super big trap. It was easy to pass, but it was too difficult to be perfect.
He did not think about the robot puppet for the time being.
Tang Shidao urged the primordial black flames again, slowly forming a square. He had done this before, but the combination just now gave Tang Shidao a chance. Doing it did not equate to perfection. The previous success was not a perfect harvest.
The flames turned into a square. This was not what he wanted.
Slowly …
Tang Shidao manipulated the black flames to compress them, transforming them into a pure square without fire. At this moment, Tang Shidao believed that the black flames would be like water adding water. They would definitely merge. There was only one way to prevent water from merging: turn it into ice!
Now he needed the 'hard' primordial black flames.
This was also a path that was different from the Dark Golden Crow. It was a new direction that he had opened up.
However …
Success was not that easy.
The black flames were the black flames, and the fire was the fire. It was extremely difficult to turn it into a solid state. It was just like how the parts could only be assembled by a family of four. It was impossible to assemble a family of six. Send another set of materials? Of course, it could be done by a family of eight. But would it get a perfect evaluation? Absolutely not! Evil Eye was not the only one who was not satisfied. Even he did not think it was a success.
The assembly was not possible.
The solidified black flames were not possible either.
Tang Shidao found a new path, but it was also blocked by this thorny road.
Hard work did not mean success. Inspiration did not mean success. Even if the two were added together, there might be a lack of a factor called luck. Tang Shidao did not stop because he knew that waiting would not succeed. One more step, no, half a step, was better than standing still.
If one day did not work, he would use two days.
If two days did not work, he would use three days.
There was no turning back when it came to cultivation. Turning back meant failure. Failure meant giving up on oneself. In the face of adversity, there was nothing sadder than giving up on oneself. Tang Shidao believed that the Sorcerer's Web would give everyone a platform, but it would not help you walk. If you wanted to learn how to run, you must not be afraid of falling.
Ten days, twenty days. One month, two months …
Time passed like this, and Tang Shidao still did not make any progress.
However …
Maybe the heavens would always favor those who worked so hard.
More than four months later, there was an accident when assembling. Tang Shidao accidentally burned one of the warrior's arms. The power of the primordial black flames was unparalleled. The mere metal parts did not even have a chance to be saved. They directly turned into 'smoke' and scattered. Tang Shidao smiled bitterly and looked up at the warrior who was missing an arm. He was stunned.
It seemed that there was nothing wrong with the warrior who was missing an arm.
This was an opportunity.
Tang Shidao did not rush to assemble and transform. Instead, he thinned the square of black flames in his palm and turned it into the shape of a piece of paper … If the square could not solidify, then he would reduce the difficulty and turn it into a piece of paper. As long as it was a solidified black flame, it did not matter even if it turned into a needle. Tang Shidao only wanted to turn the flame state of the black flame into a solid state.
This' paper 'transformation took him another month and a half. He barely managed to condense a thin piece the size of a thumb.
With such a small thing, Tang Shidao almost wanted to cheer excitedly.
Next.
He returned all the parts and received a complete set again. He continued to control and cultivate while assembling. An old man with a missing leg, a warrior father with a missing arm, and even a pet with a missing eye and a missing claw. Except for a pair of complete children, Tang Shidao thought of ways to save as much as possible.
In the end … there were still not enough materials.
Tang Shidao did not want to make a pair of children with a missing leg and a missing arm. Instinctively, he felt that this was the wrong answer. This was a family portrait. The old man could be missing, the warrior father could be missing, the beautiful mother could be missing, and the pet could be missing, but the two children must be complete. Even if the two children were missing an eye, all of this would be meaningless.
The old man represented the old days, the warrior father represented the future, and the child represented … the future!
If the future was' missing ', then what was the meaning of this family?
Tang Shidao did not even need to try with the missing children. He instinctively rejected this approach. If the future was bound to be unfortunate, then what was the use of today's efforts? The road was blocked, but Tang Shidao insisted on not taking a turn. While practicing control, he thought of ways to piece it together.
Soon.
He controlled the black flame from 'black paper' to a small black stick, and then from a small black stick to a small black square. After several efforts, everything finally returned to its original position. At this time, looking at the two 'complete' children, Tang Shidao felt that he did not choose the wrong path. This was a path that the Dark Golden Crow had never walked, but he had succeeded in opening a path.
Solidifying a small black square, Tang Shidao began the most unknown step again.
He placed another small square on top of one small square.
It was simple.
One piece stacked on top of another.
Tang Shidao focused all his attention. Carefully, very carefully, he gently stacked an even smaller square.
There was a slight sound.
They did not fuse … The two small squares overlapped … The experiment of control's advancement was successful!
Looking at the two small squares, Tang Shidao smiled, "It really succeeded, ha, although you are still as fragile as a newborn baby, I will continue …"
He said to himself happily.
Suddenly, Tang Shidao stopped talking.
He turned his head and looked at the two children again. The word 'baby' inexplicably appeared in his mind.
Three seconds later.
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