The little spirit girl was exceptionally affectionate. Though technically an energy-based being, her solidified form felt indistinguishable from a real human to Lin Feng.
"Even her dress is energy-made," Lin Feng observed, touching the fabric. Though it felt real, the dress was merely energy materialized into shape.
"Yaa~"
The spirit girl finally stopped nuzzling him. She couldn't speak yet, but her adoring gaze made her fondness clear.
"I'll call you Mengmeng," Lin Feng decided, naming the doe-eyed spirit.
"Mmm... meng..." she attempted, her voice sweet though unsteady.
Patiently, Lin Feng taught her pronunciation. Soon, she could say "Mengmeng" and "Gege" (big brother) clearly. Her crisp, childlike voice warmed his heart.
"Mengmeng, what can you do?" he asked.
Though speechless, she understood. Placing her tiny hand on his chest, warmth spread through his body. Fatigue from the day's labor vanished, and a minor cut on his hand healed instantly.
"Healing powers?" Lin Feng realized. Not just recovery—her energy revitalized him completely. A crucial ability, given the Floating Island World's dangers. After the initial protection period ended, monster attacks would begin.
As night fell, Lin Feng prepared to sleep. Mengmeng nestled beside him, radiating cozy warmth.
*Boom—*
Thunder cracked. Rain poured suddenly—the Floating Island World's first storm.
"Shit, it's raining!"
"Pitch a tent!"
"The wind's wrecking my shelter!"
Chat channels erupted with panicked new island owners.
Yet under the Life Tree, Lin Feng stayed dry. The canopy blocked most rain, while Mengmeng's leafy barrier handled the rest. The trunk shielded them from howling winds.
Exhausted from creating the barrier, Mengmeng fell asleep beside him, her body emitting gentle heat. She felt like a living heating pad—a snug little furnace.
"Sleep time."
Lin Feng draped an arm around her and drifted off.
The next day, Lin Feng woke before dawn. When he opened his eyes, Mengmeng was gone.
"Mengmeng?" he called.
A moment later, she floated down from the upper branches of the Life Tree. She could fly? Of course—she was an Elemental Spirit. Within the canopy's range, she hovered effortlessly.
"Brother~" Mengmeng chirped.
Her status panel now displayed:
Elemental Spirit: Mengmeng
Level: 1 (Requires 500 Energy Points to level up)
Skill: Life Melody (Healing and Status Recovery)
Lin Feng glanced at the Life Tree's panel. It had accumulated 200 Energy Points.
"Maybe summon two more Elemental Spirits?" he mused.
At 100 Energy Points each, he could summon two. Leveling up required 500, but more helpers seemed urgent.
He initiated the summoning, then noticed a new option: the Life Tree could now conjure a **Thunder Elemental Spirit**, capable of wielding lightning. However, only one of each type could be summoned until the tree leveled up further. This new option appeared because the Life Tree had absorbed lightning energy during last night's storm.
"Let's summon a Thunder Elemental Spirit," Lin Feng decided.
He allocated the remaining 100 Energy Points to Mengmeng and grabbed his tools to resume work.
"Yaa~" Mengmeng fluttered beside him, eager to help.
They worked in tandem—Lin Feng tilled the soil, while Mengmeng scattered seeds. By midday, her speed outpaced his. Though she offered to till, her small frame made Lin Feng insist she stick to planting. As they worked, he taught her more words, her vocabulary growing steadily.
After a lunch of compressed biscuits, Mengmeng placed her hand on Lin Feng's chest, easing his fatigue with a pulse of warmth. Then she flew back to the Life Tree, leaving him curious.
By late afternoon, Lin Feng had tilled most of the 1.5-square-kilometer floating island. The soil, though barren-looking, was fertile enough to sustain crops for years without fertilizer. At 5 PM, Mengmeng returned and finished seeding the remaining plots in just over an hour—remarkably efficient.
"That's enough for today," Lin Feng said, inspecting the thriving crops. Cloudberries and other plants would mature in under two weeks, their growth halved again by the system's bonuses.
Returning to the Life Tree, Lin Feng froze.
Beneath its trunk, a dense lattice of branches had woven itself into a small, sturdy treehouse. Mengmeng had spent her afternoon crafting it.
The treehouse merged seamlessly with the Life Tree, appearing natural and harmonious.
"Brother~"
Mengmeng emerged from the treehouse.
"Mengmeng, did you build this for me?" Lin Feng asked.
"Mhm!" She nodded.
Lin Feng stepped inside. The treehouse was spacious, with woven branches forming a bed and small windows.
"Thank you, Mengmeng."
He was impressed. Even the wealthy heirs who hired armies of workers on day one were still stuck in tents. Hiring workers had another perk: they could carry supplies into the Floating Island World. Non-owners could bring 50kg of items per entry. That rich kid with 1,000 workers? He'd imported 5 tons of supplies from day one—a colossal advantage.
Mengmeng beamed at his praise. Lin Feng ruffled her hair, genuinely fond of the devoted spirit.
"Thunder Elemental Spirit has been successfully conjured!"
The system's voice announced.
Outside the treehouse, a blue orb crackling with lightning descended. Like Mengmeng, this Thunder Elemental Spirit could morph based on Lin Feng's preferences. Moments later, a stunning girl in an azure gown materialized. She placed her hands over her chest and bowed gracefully.
Each spirit had distinct traits: Mengmeng was clingy and affectionate, while this thunder spirit exuded quiet independence. Yet both were bound by absolute loyalty to Lin Feng, their creator.
"I'll name you Lansha."
"Lan...sha..."
Within seconds, she mastered her name. Then, unprompted, she added:
"Master."
Amused, Mengmeng mimicked, "Master!"
Lin Feng let it slide.
Thunder Elemental Spirit: Lansha
Level: 1 (Requires 500 Thunder Energy Points to level up)
Skill: Lightning Release
By his third day in the Floating Island World, Lin Feng had two spirits. At night, Mengmeng clung to his treehouse, while Lansha transformed into a streak of lightning, darting through the Life Tree's canopy.
Lansha's upgrades were trickier. Mengmeng thrived on the Life Tree's daily energy, but Lansha needed thunderstorms to absorb lightning. Her combat skills, however, were invaluable—she could unleash bolts of electricity or become lightning itself.
The next morning, Lin Feng discovered his workload had vanished. Lansha and Mengmeng were already at work: one tilling soil, the other sowing seeds. Half an acre was done before he finished breakfast.
"Guess I'm just a supervisor now?"
Lin Feng mused.
Lin Feng soon realized he couldn't fully delegate tasks yet. After yesterday's heavy rain, parts of the floating island were waterlogged. While water was essential, excess pooling risked soil erosion—a critical concern, as fertile soil was precious. Expanding the island was possible later, but for now, all newcomers' islands remained in the lowest layer under novice protection. Once this period ended, crops rich in life energy would attract scattered monsters.
In the Floating Island World, higher layers meant stronger monsters. Advancing upward required defeating set numbers of foes: 10 monsters to reach Layer 2, 100 in Layer 2 for Layer 3, and so on. While the first five layers had minimal restrictions, surviving monster waves was mandatory. Higher layers brought fiercer attacks, especially for newcomers—monsters prioritized fresh targets over seasoned veterans. Years ago, a wealthy heir had rushed to Layer 3 in three days, only to be obliterated by an overwhelming horde despite hiring superhumans and mercenaries. Many cautious veterans opted to stay in lower layers rather than risk ascension.
"If only I could store this water," Lin Feng mused. Rainfall here was sporadic, sometimes absent for months. Without reserves, importing water from Earth would be costly and unsustainable.
"Master."
Mengmeng floated over, sensing his frustration. She pointed at the Life Tree.
"Water... spirit!"
Lin Feng's eyes lit up. *A Water Elemental Spirit!*
The Life Tree could conjure one of each elemental type. Mengmeng handled healing, Lansha wielded lightning—a Water Spirit could manage irrigation and storage. With 150 daily Energy Points and ample water reserves, summoning one was feasible.
Not only would it prevent soil loss, but during droughts, the spirit could sustain crops without costly imports.
"Block the water first!"
With a solution in mind, Lin Feng circled the floating island to stem the runoff threatening to erode the soil. Lansha and Mengmeng joined him, and within half an hour, they'd redirected the floodwaters into natural depressions, pooling it safely.
By then, dusk had settled. Lin Feng returned to the Life Tree with his two spirits.
"I could really use a bath," he muttered.
It had been two days. The rainwater was too murky, and the small lake he'd used earlier now overflowed. A Water Elemental Spirit would solve both water purification and storage—no more hauling supplies from Earth.
"Gold, wood, water, fire, earth… Besides water, could the Life Tree conjure other elemental spirits?"
Lin Feng's mind raced. Each spirit likely required specific energy sources: lightning for Lansha, water for the next, and so on. Fire would demand flames, earth might nurture soil, and light… The possibilities intrigued him. But first, water.
He opened the Life Tree's panel. With 150 Energy Points, he selected Water Elemental Spirit.
"Conjuring a Water Elemental Spirit requires absorbing significant water reserves and 100 Energy Points. Time required: 1 day. Confirm?"
Lin Feng confirmed. A progress bar appeared, tracking the tree's water absorption.
"I'll channel all the water into the lake tomorrow," he decided. Exhausted, he retreated to the treehouse.
"Master."
Mengmeng entered, pointing to a leaf overhead. With a flick of her finger, the leaf released a trickle of clear water.
"Where's this from?" Lin Feng asked.
"Leaves," she replied simply.
The Life Tree's massive canopy, now over 200 meters wide, stored rainwater in its foliage. Mengmeng had tapped into it, offering a makeshift shower.
The Life Tree's canopy, now dozens of meters thick, held countless leaves storing rainwater. Mengmeng gathered it all to help Lin Feng bathe—her thoughtfulness was unparalleled, a genuine snuggle bug!
Lin Feng showered in a small makeshift bathroom beside the treehouse. The used water drained into the Life Tree's roots, recycled for absorption.
"Refreshing," he sighed, stepping out clean.
Lansha had transformed back into crackling lightning, darting through the canopy. Mengmeng, meanwhile, prepared to warm his bed.
Lying down, Lin Feng gazed through a gap in the leaves at the starry sky. He browsed the Island Owner Forum on his wrist device:
"1,000 acres to plant… How? I'm exhausted. Rich kids have it easy."
"Just plant 50 acres and quit. You'll get eliminated anyway—no need to grind."
"Don't drain water carelessly—soil erosion's real!"
"Who cares? We're just one-month tourists here."
The forum buzzed with debates. Most newcomers dismissed long-term planning, resigned to their "one-month trial" fate.
Lin Feng drifted off, only to wake the next morning and find the lake half-drained—the Water Spirit's progress bar at 50%.
"By afternoon, it'll be ready," he mused.
Lansha and Mengmeng had already dug channels to divert water into the lake, a task Lin Feng had planned to do himself.
"With more spirits, I might truly retire as supervisor," he joked.