The fire crackled merrily in the hearth, casting a warm glow across the simple living room. But the warmth failed to reach Lin Yang's parents. Worry etched deep lines on Lin Fan's face, while Ming Yu nervously adjusted the worn blanket around her shoulders. The summoning ceremony, a day of both anticipation and anxiety for every family, had just concluded. It was the day a child's spirit, their lifelong companion and potential key to cultivation, was revealed.

Lin Fan, a level 5 blacksmith, a respectable achievement for a mortal, had long since accepted his lot in life. His hammer spirit had served him well, allowing him to reach the pinnacle of mortal blacksmithing. Yet, a part of him yearned for more, a glimpse into the world of cultivators, a world forever beyond his grasp. He knew his son, Lin Yang, shared that yearning.

Suddenly, Lin Yang burst into the room, his face radiating pure joy. "Oldman, prepare to be amazed!" he exclaimed, puffing out his chest with youthful bravado.

Lin Fan managed a weak smile. "Show me then," he replied, a flicker of hope rekindling within him.

"Summon!" Lin Yang commanded, channeling his nascent spiritual energy. A shimmering, rectangular object materialized before him, catching the firelight and casting dancing reflections across the room. It resembled a sleek, polished mirror, yet possessed an otherworldly quality that made his parents gasp.

"This is my spirit," Lin Yang announced proudly, holding up the object. "I've named it 'Future.'" He glanced at his father, a hint of childish competitiveness in his eyes. "It's much better than your old hammer," he added.

Lin Fan, despite his contentment with his own spirit, couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. He approached cautiously, examining Future with growing astonishment. The mirror was flawlessly crafted, its surface smooth and reflective, its edges perfectly defined. He, a master blacksmith, knew the skill it would take to create such an object. Even a cultivator with blacksmithing talents would struggle to achieve such perfection, he mused. The material itself seemed… otherworldly.

"Are you amazed, Oldman?" Lin Yang asked, misinterpreting his father's stunned silence as disappointment.

Lin Fan, still marveling at the object, turned it over in his hands. "Hmm," he murmured, "the forging process… it's incredibly refined. It's even made from titanium metal."

"Titanium metal?" Lin Yang echoed, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"It's a rare and highly sought-after metal, sometimes called Immortal Metal," his father explained. "It's incredibly expensive; a piece this size could cost as much as a level seven item."

A level seven item! The thought sent shivers down Lin Fan’s spine. Spirit stones, imbued with qi, were the currency of cultivators, and a level seven item could fetch anywhere from 500 to 600 of them. The implications were staggering. If this weren't his son's spirit, he would be sorely tempted to sell it immediately.

The thought brought a strange mix of excitement and fear. What did it mean for his son to possess such a powerful spirit?

"So, what does it do?" Lin Fan asked, his curiosity now burning.

"I don't know exactly," Lin Yang admitted, his initial bravado fading slightly.

If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

"But I think I know how to use it! Try pressing the button on the right!"

Lin Fan carefully examined the device, noting a series of small, intricately carved buttons along one edge. He pressed one at random. The mirror’s surface flickered, then burst into life, displaying a vivid image. Lin Fan recoiled in shock.

"That's me in the future!" he exclaimed, recognizing his own likeness clad in the ornate robes of a powerful cultivator, his face etched with wisdom and strength. Beneath the image, a small line of text scrolled: "Loading… 99%".

Lin Fan, despite his years spent focused on the forge rather than books, recognized the characters. "Lil Yang!" he exclaimed, pointing at the mirror. "Your mirror is loading something! And it's almost done!"

As they watched, the “99%” ticked over to “100%,” and the image of Lin Fan faded, replaced by a small blue rectangular box displaying a different message.

System Notice

Unable to connect to the server.

Need Wifi to access system data.

Close

"What happened, Oldman?" Lin Yang asked, his excitement now tinged with confusion.

"See, a message popped up! It wasn't there before," Lin Fan replied, equally bewildered.

"What does it say?" he asked, desperate for any clue.

Lin Fan squinted at the tiny characters. "'Could not connect to the server… Need Wifi to access system data something,'" he read aloud, his voice laced with incredulity.

"What does that mean?" Lin Yang asked, his face a mask of frustration.

Lin Fan pondered the strange message.

"Perhaps," he speculated, "because it's an immortal type item spirit, it's different from mortal items. This 'Wi-Fi'… maybe it’s giving you a direction, a clue on how you can use your spirit's function and maybe become a true cultivator!"

Lin Yang’s eyes widened. "So," he asked, his voice filled with renewed hope, "where is 'Wi-Fi' sold?"

Lin Fan exchanged a bewildered look with Ming Yu. “Wi-Fi?” he echoed. He had never heard of such a thing. He racked his brain, trying to connect the strange words with anything he knew.

“Perhaps… perhaps it’s a rare herb? Something that grows only in the highest mountains, imbued with spiritual energy?”

His mother, ever practical, offered a different perspective. “Maybe it’s a kind of… talisman? Something a powerful cultivator creates to enhance spiritual abilities?”

Lin Yang, however, was not satisfied with these vague answers. He felt the pull of his spirit, a strange connection that hinted at something more. He looked at the mirror again, focusing on the strange message. "Could not connect… server… Wi-Fi…" The words were alien, yet they resonated within him, a whisper of a world beyond his current understanding.

"Dad," he said, a newfound determination in his voice, "we need to find out what this 'Wi-Fi' is. It's the key to unlocking Future's power, I can feel it."

Lin Fan, seeing the fire in his son's eyes, knew he couldn't dismiss his words. He looked at Ming Yu, who nodded in agreement. This was no ordinary spirit, and it demanded an extraordinary response.

"Alright, Lil Yang," Lin Fan said, a hint of excitement creeping into his voice. "We'll find this 'Wi-Fi,' whatever it is. We'll ask the village elder, perhaps he has heard of it. And if not, we'll travel to the city. Someone there must know something about such a… peculiar thing."

The quest for "Wi-Fi" had begun, a journey into the unknown, guided by a mysterious message and the unwavering belief of a young boy and his extraordinary spirit. They knew it wouldn't be easy, but the potential rewards, a glimpse into the future and perhaps even the path to cultivation, were too enticing to ignore. The dancing shadows in the living room seemed to flicker with a renewed energy, reflecting the hope that had rekindled in their hearts.