Liu Yin's POV:
The light caressed my face as I awoke from slumber, and a gentle breeze passed through my window. Still in a half-sleep state, I began fixing my bed and adjusting my hair. I went downstairs and greeted my parents—my father, a governor of the Xia Dynasty, and my mother, a maiden of The Vermilion Vow and its captain. Surprisingly, I am their child.
Both of them always taught me everything they knew, but for now, we were having breakfast. "Mom, where should I enroll this semester? Do you have any suggestions?" I asked.
She smiled and replied, "Dear, I have a school in mind for you. Why not try the Celestial Lotus Institute? Your father and I both graduated there."
I nodded, "Sure, why not? I didn't have any school in mind, so I might as well try there."
She nodded back and asked, "So, when are you going to the gifting ceremony? You shouldn't miss this, you know. Missing out means delayed growth, and the next event won't be held until next year, so be prepared."
"Yes, Mom," I replied. After finishing my breakfast, I quickly took a shower and dressed for the ceremony. I wore a light tan silk robe with pale green embroidery of mountain peaks and rivers, paired with an ivory cotton shirt and brown trousers. A wide emerald green sash secured the robe.
Once dressed, I hurried to the gifting ceremony, where children of the Xia Dynasty receive an inheritance from their predecessors. As each child approached the podium, they placed their hands on a stone with engravings, receiving their blessings. Some were gifted abilities to control elements, while others could tame animals.
There was one peculiar person, however, who had been blessed by Tiādì, but I couldn't see who it was, as it was my turn to step up. As my name was called, I walked toward the engraved stone and placed my hand on it.
When I opened my eyes, I felt my breath become the wind, my voice turn into thunder, and my flesh merge with the land. I felt all life come forth to me. Then a voice spoke, "I am the great Pangu, Bearer of all life. I bestow upon you my blessing and a tenth of my power. Make the best of it, my child."
Before I could fully understand his words, I was pulled back to the place where I had been before. I was granted five sets of skills:
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1. Claybound Servant (泥土仆从, Ní Tǔ Pú Cóng)
The mage molds earth and vitality into a small homunculus that fights alongside them. The servant attacks enemies and absorbs a portion of damage aimed at the caster.
Effect: Summons a homunculus with moderate attack power and defensive abilities.
Bonus: If the servant is destroyed, it explodes, dealing damage to nearby enemies.
2. Aegis Golem (守护魔像, Shǒuhù Móxiàng)
Constructs a large defensive golem that stands guard over allies, intercepting enemy attacks and unleashing area-of-effect counterattacks when struck.
Effect: Summons a tank-like golem with high durability.
Bonus: Emits a healing aura for allies within its vicinity.
3. Homunculus Burst (人造爆裂, Rénzào Bàoliè)
Sacrifices an existing homunculus or golem, triggering a massive explosion infused with creation energy. The resulting blast deals heavy damage to enemies in the area.
Effect: High-damage area attack at the cost of a summon.
Bonus: Grants a temporary damage buff to the caster after the explosion.
4. Vital Animator (生命操控, Shēngmìng Cāokòng)
Infuses vitality into broken constructs or defeated golems, temporarily reanimating them as powerful berserk entities that prioritize offense over defense.
Effect: Reanimates destroyed creations for 15 seconds.
Bonus: Each reanimated construct deals increased damage but decays over time.
5. Colossus of Creation (创世巨像, Chuàngshì Jùxiàng)
The mage summons a towering colossus made of raw creation energy and earthly materials. The colossus slams the ground, dealing massive damage in a wide radius and slowing all enemies.
Effect: Summons a powerful golem with devastating area-of-effect attacks.
Bonus: The colossus restores health to the mage for a portion of the damage it deals.
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Scanning my skills, I thought they were decent, especially since I could create golems, but I felt disappointed—I was sure I would always be stuck in the backline. After receiving my skills, I hurried home to tell my parents, who were delighted. They assured me that I didn't need to be on the front lines and that I'd be safe. I kind of brushed them aside.
After our little talk, I went to our garden to try my skills. "Clay Bound Servant," I chanted, and the ground began to liquefy, swirling as it molded into a cute, three-foot-tall golem. As I explored my abilities, I realized I could command them individually, and they worked efficiently. However, their durability was somewhat weak. For my other golem, Aegis Golem, it was sturdier and easier to command, though it moved a bit slower.
As the sun set, it was time for dinner, so I disabled my skills. Surprisingly, I received a golem core. Scanning it, I discovered it contained the memories of the golems I had created, except for the Claybound Servant, which didn't retain memory. I shrank the orbs and made them into jewelry for the time being, then headed back to the house.