Hong Fei slipped the five bronze-colored square rings onto each arm, their antique finish gleaming softly in the afternoon light. They looked ancient, weathered by time, yet undeniably precise in their craftsmanship. Aside from their aesthetic appeal, the Ten Rings had another remarkable feature: their inner diameter could adjust seamlessly to fit snugly on his wrists, never slipping off or becoming too tight to remove.
During his battle with Xu Wenwu, Hong Fei had briefly wrested control of two rings using Dragon Power, but the experience had been fleeting and incomplete. Only now, with the full set adorning his arms, did he truly grasp the profound difference they made. The Ten Rings weren't just weapons—they were an unparalleled energy generator and storage device.
The development of micro Arc Reactor technology had revolutionized the world, giving rise to Iron Man and his iconic suits. Even in its prototype stage, the Arc Reactor's energy output surpassed anything Earth had seen before. Over time, Tony Stark refined the technology, creating new elements, improving the reactor, and designing suits for every imaginable scenario. His Iron Legion became a force to be reckoned with, leaving politicians and capitalists marveling from a distance, powerless to intervene.
At its core, Stark's genius lay in perfecting micro-reactor technology—a breakthrough that offered clean, cost-effective, and versatile energy solutions. Energy was the foundation of strategic competition, and the Arc Reactor's significance couldn't be overstated. Yet, when compared to the Ten Rings' capability for energy production, the gap was staggering.
Xu Wenwu himself hadn't possessed much innate energy, but with the Ten Rings, he could unleash devastating attacks with ease. The rings handled the energy production and output, functioning like a self-sustaining engine—always fueled, always ready. As for how they generated energy, Hong Fei, now their Master with a Soul link, still couldn't fully comprehend. The rings absorbed minimal external matter, yet their internal reactions were as volatile and potent as a nuclear explosion.
These energies surged within the Ten Rings, waiting for Hong Fei's command. Beyond their energy capabilities, the rings could alter their size at will—a feature Hong Fei hadn't fully appreciated before. They could shrink to the size of a needle's tip or expand to encircle the entire Sky Base. Even more astonishing, Hong Fei hadn't yet discovered their limits. Through his Soul link, he sensed that with sufficient energy, the rings could theoretically grow infinitely large or shrink infinitely small, defying his rudimentary understanding of physics and mathematics.
Lastly, there was immortality. Not the deceptive kind, but true, unyielding longevity. A significant portion of the Ten Rings' energy maintained Hong Fei's physical state, preserving him from aging and death. This effect was subtle, almost imperceptible, masked by the rings' low-key and refined "Ten Rings Power."
Without his Soul link, Hong Fei might never have noticed it.
This was undoubtedly an exciting result. Because the Ten Rings orange card wasn't a one-time item. Even if they were stolen, lost, or destroyed someday, Hong Fei could craft another set. The Ten Rings were his to wield, now and forever.
Of course, because of the Soul connection, he would try his best to avoid the above results; after all, separating a wisp of his Soul had already let him experience what it meant to be truly agonizing. Fourth, the specific application methods of the Ten Rings. Although they looked independent of each other, they were essentially connected as a set, so its combination methods were also diverse.
Worn on the body, they could be bracelets, armbands, anklets, or even neck rings; held in the hand, they could also form different weapons like long whips or sticks. Even throwing them out to act as a hoop to trap people or even strangle them to death and segment them was possible. Hong Fei even felt that using them on Dr. Cho and Mei would be no problem, because he could autonomously decide the fixed position of each ring, forcibly arranging people into "Big," "M," or other even stranger poses. It could even create a floating effect without injury or fatigue. In short, this set of gear was ever-changing and worthy of exploration.
Fifth, the identical Ten Rings also possessed the function of transmitting signals to the unknown after successful crafting.
Where this signal led was unknown, but after putting them on, Hong Fei took one look and directly turned this function off because he had absolute control over his set of Ten Rings, so no matter how mysterious the newly crafted Ten Rings were, they couldn't block the will of their true father.
He didn't know if Xu Wenwu's set had been activated, so he would have to check it carefully after the New Year. Sixth, Dragon Power and the Ten Rings were an excellent pair, merging without the slightest feeling of lag; both sides could achieve a highly perfect mutual enhancement and cooperation.
The biggest reason might be that the Ten Rings completely belonged to Hong Fei, and the Dragon Power was also partially merged with him; both were closely linked to his Soul.
Seventh, after putting on the Ten Rings, his body and spirit were strengthened to a certain extent, but this kind of strengthening was equivalent to obtaining a passive special effect that took effect immediately after wearing the Ten Rings. Eighth, now Hong Fei could sense the position of the Ten Rings anywhere and summon them at any time, just like Thor calling his hammer.
More other characteristics remained to be further explored and summarized in specific use in the future. In summary, as the first orange skill card Hong Fei obtained, as the Ten Rings that possessed the reality of a true "Orange Weapon," its performance in every aspect certainly did not disappoint Hong Fei. Only after such a summary did Hong Fei couldn't help but feel sorry for Xu Wenwu.
It was imaginable that over the past thousand years, he seemed not to have "upgraded" his own body, because he had formed a serious dependency on the Ten Rings unconsciously. If he could have tried to make himself stronger in the past, then the potential he finally developed in the Ten Rings would have multiplied his overall strength. The teaching of "Qi" was imminent.
"Qi" was not only an energy that could be used to complete powerful attacks but also had the effects of delaying aging and prolonging life. The first wave of teaching would start with Xu Wenwu and Big Head. Both had great merits at this stage; one provided him with an "Orange Weapon," and the other had always been diligent, hardworking, and devoted.
Actually, it was because they might be better at the speed and comprehension of learning and practicing "Qi."
Xu Wenwu naturally went without saying; after Big Head mutated, not only did his head get bigger and he gained Psychic Power, but his desire to learn and learning speed were also breathtaking.
Hong Fei realized that after training both of them, he wouldn't have to personally handle every aspect of future teachings. This was precisely why he'd built and nurtured this team. Of course, he remained fully committed to mentoring Dr. Cho and Mei directly.
Blackwater Town had transformed dramatically. The terrain modifications were complete—mountains that needed leveling had vanished, replaced by a grand avenue stretching from the lakeside plain up to the castle gates. Gone was the unsightly dirt ground; now the lakeside featured either newly constructed single-family homes or preserved turf and forests that had survived the winter.
It was astonishing to think this land had once been barren and worthless. Such was the power of wealth. At dusk, Hong Fei distributed generous red envelopes to his associates, both present and away on missions. He then shared dinner with Dr. Helen Cho amidst effusive praise. As night fell, they retreated to their quarters for an in-depth, extended discussion on "Diverse Applications of the Ten Rings and Development of Unknown Potential."
In this pleasant atmosphere, time quietly ushered in 2013. While others saw it as a fresh start, for Hong Fei, it felt anything but new. New York.
On New Year's morning, Peter Parker, who had planned to go out with friends, opened his door to find a gift delivered by Hong Fei's messenger—a genuine Iron Man suit. Every component and the overall design were crafted by Tony Stark himself.
Of course, Peter, receiving this marvel, didn't dare imagine it was real. He assumed it was merely an exquisite scale model. Thrilled, he immediately called his friends to share (and show off) his new treasure, eagerly inviting them over. Mei, who knew the truth, stood silently behind him with a knowing smile, concealing her own emotions.
In reality, this suit was Hong Fei's special gift to Mei, obtained through considerable effort from Tony Stark. It was the Mark 42 - Prodigal model, capable of assembling in parts. In peaceful times, it served as Peter's favorite toy. But in moments of danger, Mei could use the bracelet Hong Fei had given her to quickly summon and fully deploy the suit anywhere.
As for the effort Hong Fei expended to procure this suit from Tony Stark...
"Tony, do you happen to have an extra Mark 42 lying around?"
"No."
"Really? Not even one?"
"Really not. All suits are part of the Iron Legion. Honestly, I feel we're short on numbers as it is."
"Well, that's unfortunate. By the way, about that exchange plan we discussed last time—I've given it some thought and feel it still requires long-term planning..."
"Ah, now that you mention it, I do recall having one sitting idle."
"Much appreciated!"
"Don't mention it."
And that, word for word, was how it unfolded. Lesson learned?