Farming Games are All About Grinding

Maybe it's because Egger is pretty reserved, this cloak fits his personality completely.

The surface of the cloak is dark blue-green and looks unremarkable, but the inside is adorned with a red and blue intertwined phoenix emblem.

The phoenix has a majestic head, a crane-like body, and elegant, flowing tail feathers.

Though the phoenix design isn't exactly realistic, its essence is unmistakable at first glance—it does have that phoenix vibe!

[Phoenix Cloak (Gold Star Quality)]

[Equip Location: Shoulders]

[Attributes: Speed +25, Defensive Power +25]

[Skill - Ice Phoenix's Wings: When activated, increases movement speed by 100%, maxing out at an additional 50 points of speed. Duration: 5 minutes, Cooldown: 30 minutes]

[Skill - Fire Phoenix's Wrath: When activated, creates a repelling fire ring with a half-meter diameter around the user, pushing enemies away. Duration: 15 seconds (shortens during intense battle). Cooldown: 10 minutes]

[Skill - Phoenix Protection: Calls upon the phoenix's power within the cloak to generate a 5-second invincibility shield. Limited to once per day]

[Note: Ice and fire can coexist perfectly]

The moment Han Qiwu donned the cloak, he immediately felt much lighter. Taking a few steps forward, he felt the wind under his feet, his movement speed notably increased.

He carefully studied the skills and smiled, satisfied.

Egger's crafting skills are impressive!

Who would have thought?

Rough on the outside, refined inside.

Definitely worth keeping an eye on him in the future.

Three skills on one phoenix cloak, each more practical than the last.

Though, looking at the three skills—they don't seem heavy on offense. Ice Phoenix's Wings boosts movement speed, Fire Phoenix's Wrath repels enemies, and Phoenix Protection flat-out gives invincibility.

So they're all life-saving skills.

"How is it? Satisfied? I'm not bragging here—trust me, with this phoenix cloak, you can roam this little mine without a hitch. Can't win? Just run away easily!" Egger proudly patted his chest.

"It's pretty awesome, truly skilled work." Han Qiwu complimented him with a thumbs-up and a grin.

Seeing this, Egger smirked and leaned closer to whisper, "Since you're happy with it, do you have any special materials left? Preferably the kind that could be added to liquor? Don't worry, you won't regret giving them to me!"

Han Qiwu thought for a moment, then deliberately played coy by pulling out a Flame Bird leg he hadn't eaten in ages. "How about this? This is a leg from a millennium-old phoenix, priceless! But... only if you make me ten pieces of equipment at the same quality as the Phoenix Cloak."

Egger: "......"

Egger shot Han Qiwu a perplexed look, pointing to the nearby mirror. "Xiao Han, do I look like I've had too much to drink?"

"Nope," Han Qiwu replied, holding back laughter.

"Well, there you go. This is just a Flame Bird leg! Rare, sure, but hardly priceless. Ten phoenix cloaks? Kill me now because I definitely can't make that happen!" Egger muttered exasperatedly.

And yet, even as he protested, his eyes couldn't stop fixating on the Flame Bird leg.

Sure, it might not mix well into liquor—but it sure would pair nicely with some!

With the right preparation, the fiery intensity of the leg would outshine the hottest peppers!

Maybe it's best enjoyed with the flames intact.

Han Qiwu wasn't bothered; he was just teasing anyway.

Highball the price, settle for reality.

What if Egger fell for the bait?

"Fine, let's switch terms. Do you know where I could find materials to upgrade this item?" Han Qiwu asked, expertly tossing up the dysfunctional compass.

Right on cue during the hour, the compass began spinning wildly, almost ominously.

"What the heck, this thing spins too fast! How am I supposed to examine it?" Egger complained, "At least make it stop first!"

"Wait a bit, it'll stop on its own," Han Qiwu shrugged, equally helpless.

The two of them fixed their eyes on the spinning compass atop the table, quietly staring at each other in a "big eyes versus small eyes" moment.

After a few minutes, the compass finally came to a halt. Egger grabbed it immediately and studied it meticulously, then spoke in an uncertain tone, "Materials to increase this thing's magnetic properties are hard to come by. BUT—I once saw something like it deep in the mine on the eighty-fifth level."

After saying that, Egger dipped his finger in wine and sketched a vague circle on the counter.

Han Qiwu: "......"

Seriously? This vague?

Even Egger seemed embarrassed after finishing his "masterpiece," coughing awkwardly before pulling out a small purple stone from beneath the countertop. He handed it over to Han Qiwu, saying, "This purple magnetic stone is something I got during a past adventure. I'll lend it to you for now. Take it to the eighty-fifth level, and it'll help you find the mineral needed to upgrade the dysfunctional compass."

Han Qiwu took the purple magnetic stone and inspected it with curiosity.

[Egger's Purple Magnetic Stone: It can lead you to minerals with unique magnetic properties]

"Got it." Han Qiwu pocketed the purple stone before promptly handing over the Flame Bird leg.

Even though he didn't get the upgrade material directly, at least now he knew where to find it.

Besides, Egger's craftsmanship was undeniably solid—giving him a drumstick wasn't a bad trade!

Upon receiving the Flame Bird leg, Egger's face lit up with joy. He carefully placed the leg into the nearby fireplace and roasted it patiently.

No clue what type of flames Egger was working with, but within mere seconds, the leg was perfectly cooked, releasing an intoxicating aroma.

Not a single hint of charring.

"This flame is way too efficient for cooking," Han Qiwu chuckled to himself.

Egger, equally captivated by the smell, pulled out a bottle with only one-third of its liquor left from beneath the counter. He poured out half a glass with utmost care, took a deep sniff of the aroma, and happily sipped it.

Only after this "ritual" did he approach the fireplace, retrieving the Flame Bird leg, ready to sink his teeth into the delicacy.

At that exact moment, a rope suddenly shot out from the inner room's doorway, wrapping around the leg and pulling it away with precision.

"My leg!!!!" Egger shouted frantically!

The rope's owner, Jin Tu, strolled out with the leg in hand, smiling mischievously as she greeted Han Qiwu. "So, how's the cloak? Fits well? Skills useful? You've gotta admit, your sister's craftsmanship is pretty top-notch, huh?"

"Wait, this cloak was crafted by Sister Jin Tu?" Han Qiwu finally pieced things together, glancing at Egger.

No wonder Egger said he'd never be able to make ten phoenix cloaks—not even one was in his actual skill set!

Egger muttered sheepishly, "The blueprint and forging concepts were mine—she just... executed them."

Han Qiwu: "..... so you're all talk, huh?"

"Thank you, Sister Jin Tu. The cloak is awesome." Han Qiwu gave his shoulders a proud shake. Giving the Flame Bird leg to her felt right—saved him from gifting twice.

Jin Tu smiled delightedly, snapping another whip to snag the liquor from Egger's counter. She expertly dipped the Flame Bird leg into the alcohol for a few seconds before tossing a spark into the concoction.

"Boom!"

A brilliant blue flame ignited in the glass.

"Ah! My 'Blue Cosmos'!" Egger lamented miserably. "That was all I had left!"

Jin Tu waved the glass smugly. "Next time, if you dare call my creations your own, don't expect to drink the rest either! Stop slacking on your forging and mixology practice. All you do is mess around with kids."

Han Qiwu: "..... I'm 1.8 meters tall! Kid?!?!?"

Can't stay here anymore!