Chapter 83: Qi-Observing Sprite: Tongmu

Chen Xiyi realized one thing: all those items steeped in Historical Connotation bore truly underwhelming names in the Home Game.

For example, the Ritual Implement Tianhe Scroll, which had lost its power, became the Ancestor Xuanyuan Scroll. The Heavenly Chessboard shrank to just Stone Chessboard, while even the genuine Dragon Ink Jade got dubbed Fengshan Jade Registry.

And now, here came this Ancient Compass.

Such naming skills totally reminded him of common peasant monikers like “Fido” or “Iron Pillar”—that’s when he finally grasped why NPC prefixes were so lackluster.

Chen Xiyi operated the Ancient Compass with his Primordial Spirit. It turned out to be a genuine Ritual Implement, enabling more effective observation and capture of Qi Mechanism, even smoothing spellcasting flow.

Without his Qi Sensitivity skill, this Ancient Compass would’ve been an incredibly handy Ritual Implement.

Of course, it required a Primordial Spirit to unlock full power. Lower-tier professions, lacking Primordial Spirit, could only tap it for judging Feng Shui readings, unable to harness its complete abilities.

After storing it in his Inventory, he wrapped up loose ends and headed back toward the Manor.

Upon rechecking the Game Map to ensure no people lingered, Chen Xiyi finally returned to his Homestead to perform the Enlightenment and Spirit Communication ritual on the Ancient Compass.

【You used Enlightenment and Spirit Communication on the Ancient Compass】

【Ancient Compass’s Spirituality awoke at 1%…】

【You obtained Qi-Observing Sprite: Tongmu】

【Qi-Observing Sprite: Tongmu】

【Satiety Level: 100/100】

【Ability 1: Heaven and Earth’s Favor】

【Ability 2: Man Overcomes Heaven】

【Ability 3: Eye of Qi Observation】

【You received buff from Qi-Observing Sprite: Tongmu, gained status: Spiritual Energy】

【Bonds of All Things list updated】

【Four Great Inventions: Papermaking (Vacant), Compass (Qi-Observing Sprite: Tongmu), Gunpowder (Vacant), Printing (Vacant)】

【Sky and Earth: Sundial (Vacant), Compass (Qi-Observing Sprite: Tongmu)】

【Five Sense Organs: Eye (Qi-Observing Sprite: Tongmu), Tongue (Vacant), Mouth (Vacant), Nose (Vacant), Ear (Vacant)】

【Five Senses: …】

Gazing at the Qi-Observing Sprite Tongmu before him—barely thumb-sized—Chen Xiyi struggled to pinpoint his disbelief. Was it the shockingly tiny size? The freakish physique? Or those baffling “bonds”?

Never had he imagined Tongmu’s true form: a single eyeball coated in armored scales and keratin, sprouting wings alongside three slender yet sturdy tentacles. Its purple body screamed “Tongmu” (“Pupil-Eye”), fitting for a big, floating eyeball. Still, something about it felt deeply unsettling.

Chen Xiyi crafted a Miniature Garden for Tongmu while dissecting its three abilities. As expected from a Qi Refiner’s awakened Ritual Implement, every skill tied back to Qi Mechanism.

Heaven and Earth’s Favor allowed Chen Xiyi to manipulate Qi with minimized cost, heightened force, and greater affinity. Man Overcomes Heaven boosted his Primordial Spirit’s growth potential and control fluidity over Qi Mechanism.

Simply put, one ability conserved energy while amplifying output and recovery speed. The other raised level caps, provided bonus experience, and increased skill mastery.

Crucially, both abilities affected Chen himself—all thanks to the third skill. Eye of Qi Observation let Tongmu transform into an accessory or tattoo to inhabit Chen Xiyi’s body. It could then project a Qi-Manifest Eyeball. This invisible, undetectable orb shared vision/data with Chen, granting flight and gravity-defying movement too.

Unless dismissed, it persisted indefinitely. Yet, it remained fragile as any human eyeball. Stealth and evasion wouldn’t save it from AOE attacks. If destroyed, Tongmu suffered exhaustion, forcing it into recovery. Only through growth would the Qi-Manifest Eyeball toughen—right now, it could pop like soap.

Tongmu proved a top-notch support sprite, especially with Eye of Qi Observation. Chen Xiyi could send it skyward as a reconnaissance drone, studying terrain Qi patterns or scouting inaccessible zones.

Surprisingly, this sprite diverted from pure Homestead farming duties.

Well, technically, it could farm. Heaven and Earth’s Favor enhanced environments, boosting plant/animal growth rates while increasing magical item variety and yield. Man Overcomes Heaven let Chen nurture Magical Items using Qi Mechanism, raising output and shortening growth cycles.

As for Eye of Qi Observation? The real prize wasn’t the floating eyeball—it was channeling Tongmu’s abilities onto Chen himself. This perspective shift struck as downright wack. Even amid the Zhou Tian Qi Circulation framework, Sandbox Games just couldn’t escape Homestead agriculture.

But Chen had other plans for Tongmu now. Besides, Tongmu grew faster near him. Unlike Shanyue and Jianghu needing Earth Qi or Water Qi veins, or Royal Authority maturing over Time, Tongmu craved Qi Mechanism itself.

Chen’s Homestead only offered four Qi flavors: Water Qi, Earth Qi, Purple Qi, plus his own Spiritual Energy—suboptimal conditions for Tongmu. Better to recall it once more sprites joined, by which point Chen wouldn’t need its assistance anyway.

After finishing Tongmu’s Miniature Garden compass dome, Chen crafted 100 sprite-meals.

【Hued Steamed Bread (Sprite Food)×100】

【Satiety Level +100】

【Sprite Growth +1】

【Sprite Mood +1】

Once fed, Tongmu fluttered over to him on buzzing wings.

Perched on Chen Xiyi’s hand, he pondered where this sprite’s tattoo-form should reside. He preferred a hidden tattoo over noticeable accessories.

After deliberation, he settled on the roof of his mouth—secure, undetectable.

A tiny Qi-Manifest Eyeball took cover in his hair, poised for orders. Given Tongmu’s thumb-sized body, this projection was tinier still. Size didn’t hamper performance, though. Minuscule proportions might improve dodge chances against area attacks—fortunately, given its brittleness.

Task complete, Chen departed his Homestead. Greeting Jianghu, Shanyue, or Royal Authority felt unnecessary. He reappeared at the Homestead daily for crop harvests anyway—waste not, want not.