Soul Land:The Dragon King's God of Nature

"Phew! Done!" Jing Shaoyu let out a long breath, holding up the blueprint on his desk with a bright smile.

After carefully packing away his design, he left the room, heading to the seventh floor to cross over to the manufacturing building to bring his designs to life.

"Oh, isn't that Shaoyu? It's been over a month since I last saw you!" In the elevator, Jing Shaoyu ran into a familiar face.

"Long time no see, Brother Li," Jing Shaoyu replied with a smile. This Brother Li was a member of the Design Association, a Level 5 Mecha Designer.

Becoming a Mecha Designer was deceptively easy to begin with, but difficult to master. Level 1 and Level 2 certifications only required theoretical knowledge, which was manageable with some study. However, advancing to Level 3 required talent and creativity.

To become a Level 3 Designer, a Level 2 designer needed to successfully create an accessory system for a white-grade mecha or design a Level 3 soul tool, which would then be manufactured and tested by certified evaluators. Only upon passing this test would they officially advance.

Jing Shaoyu had passed his Level 3 Mecha Designer assessment earlier that year at the age of eight, becoming the youngest designer in East Sea City's history. His achievement had created quite a stir, with several Mecha Association heads vying to take him as a student, but the rivalry became so heated that it was left unresolved.

Soon, Jing Shaoyu arrived on the 17th floor of the manufacturing building, entering a room filled with workstations and machinery specifically for making soul tools. Only Level 3 and above Mecha Makers could access it, and, conveniently, Jing Shaoyu was also a Level 3 Mecha Maker.

Yes, in addition to being a Level 3 Mecha Designer, Jing Shaoyu was also a Level 3 Mecha Maker and a Level 3 Mecha Technician. He had chosen the path of the ancient Soul Master, training in all three skills—a rarity even among the Association, where most members focused on one and supplemented with the other two.

For now, Jing Shaoyu hadn't decided which field he'd specialize in down the road, as he enjoyed the versatility of all three.

Reaching the main workstation, he swiftly entered a series of commands into the console, placing his blueprint on the recognition area. After a confirming beep, he rolled up the blueprint and moved to the large fabrication station.

He pressed a red button at the top left of the fabrication station, and after a moment, the workstation sprang to life. On the left, a rack with various chisels and precision tools emerged, while on the right, a recessed circular platform rose, stocked with various metals, wires, and other essential materials.

In the Mecha Association, the first set of materials for testing a new design was free, the second at half price, and full price thereafter. This benefit was a great help, as soul tool materials were costly.

Concentrating intensely, Jing Shaoyu worked meticulously, and after a lengthy period of crafting and refining, he engraved the final rune with a satisfied smile.

"Success!" he cheered, holding up a hexagonal metal block in his hand. "Level 3 Soul Power Core Drive!" After a moment of celebration, he moved on to final assembly, integrating the core drive with other completed components. Shortly, a sleek metal bird about fifty centimeters tall sat in front of him.

This "Scout Bird," as Jing Shaoyu had named it, was the culmination of three months of effort and served as a Level 3 soul tool. As the name suggested, it was designed for reconnaissance, equipped with special cameras in its eyes and chest cavity and powered by the Level 3 Soul Power Core Drive, allowing it to cover a surveillance range of up to five hundred kilometers. The lifelike wings could emit wind blades for basic combat, and his unique design allowed it to evade detection by Soul Grandmasters and those below.

"Let's give it a go!" Jing Shaoyu activated the Scout Bird's controller and guided it into flight.

Following his commands, the Scout Bird took off, soaring out the window towards the lower floors. The cameras in its eyes and chest transmitted a live feed to the control display, showing a bustling crowd on the public 16th floor. Almost immediately, someone spotted it, reaching out just as Jing Shaoyu redirected it, flying it safely back to his room.

"Not bad—it's a success." Jing Shaoyu placed the Scout Bird on the console, a calm smile on his face.

The Scout Bird was inspired by drones from his previous life, adapted for this extraordinary world where such remote-controlled devices held countless possibilities.

At that moment, a knock on the door followed by a deep voice broke the silence. "Shaoyu, are you in there?"

"Coming!" Jing Shaoyu replied, opening the door.

Standing outside was a tall, muscular man in a Mecha Association uniform. Smiling upon seeing Jing Shaoyu, he said, "That little soul tool bird that flew downstairs just now—was that you?"

"It was a new Level 3 soul tool I made; I was just testing it. I didn't expect to draw your attention, Uncle Wu. My apologies," Jing Shaoyu said, scratching his head with a sheepish smile.

"Oh?" Uncle Wu's eyes brightened with interest. "May I take a look?"

"Of course!" Jing Shaoyu replied, handing over the Scout Bird. "Even if you hadn't come, I was planning to show you. This Scout Bird has both practical and versatile potential—I think the Association's experts might find inspiration in it to develop even better soul tools."

Jing Shaoyu handed over the bird, and Uncle Wu immediately started examining it carefully.

This Uncle Wu was Wu Mian, the deputy director of East Sea City's Mecha Makers Association, a Level 7 Mecha Maker, a seven-ring Soul Saint, and a black-level mech master.

"You've got quite an imagination, kid!" Wu Mian exclaimed in admiration after thoroughly inspecting the Scout Bird. "So, what's your arrangement this time?"

"Same as always, Uncle Wu," Jing Shaoyu replied with a bright and confident smile.

"Alright!" Wu Mian agreed readily. "No problem. I'll take this Scout Bird as a sample. Once the final testing results are in, we'll credit the earnings to your Soul Master account as usual."

"Thank you, Uncle Wu!" Jing Shaoyu replied, his face beaming.