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--- Chapter 121 ---
"How brave of them." Han Yuan couldn't help but smile faintly.
Lou Gao narrowed his eyes, "Hmm, you seemed to know why the Star Luo Empire ordered a warship."
Han Yuan shrugged, "It was more of a guess than knowing. However, if my guess is correct, the Star Luo Empire is probably looking for another place to inhabit."
"In other words, another continent."
"I gotta give them thumbs up for having such ideas because the current state of Douluo Continent isn't very safe with Spirit Hall's rising ambition and the growing tension between two empires."
"If they lose, they at least have another way to preserve their culture and lifeline."
Lou Gao and Ah Yin's eyes widened in shock. They didn't expect Star Luo Empire to be so careful with their inheritances, but thinking about it, this method might work.
"I see..." Lou Gao rubbed his chin. "No wonder they wanted the sturdiest warship we could build."
"I heard the ocean wasn't a very kind place."
"There are countless dangerous spirit beasts there."
Ah Yin smiled and commented, "The amount of 100,000-year-old spirit beasts in the ocean is much more than you think. Humans don't have a way to find them, so they breed and grow naturally."
Lou Gao glanced at Ah Yin, "Is that so?"
"By the way, I haven't introduced myself to you. My name is Lou Gao, Ma'am?"
"Miss Yin is fine." Ah Yin replied calmly. "Nice to meet you, Sir Lou, and thank you for helping Xiao Yuan all this time."
"Hahaha, this brat is helping me more than I'm helping him!" Lou Gao laughed out loud. "Honestly speaking, the Blacksmith Association is still indebted to him, yes, to this day."
"He helped us, blacksmiths, rise from a simple group of people who made farm tools and weapons for living to make luxury items in the span of years."
"In fact, the city became like this because of him." It would be a lie if Lou Gao said he wasn't grateful to Han Yuan. And Lou Gao's loyalty toward Han Yuan rivals that of Dugu Bo's.
"I'm simply joking around with him earlier."
Ah Yin listened to this and giggled, "I know."
"It's rare for Xiao Yuan to be close with anyone... You, senior, can be close with him, and that says something about your character."
"Haha, that's right~!" Lou Gao laughed again.
"..." Han Yuan rolled his eyes at this greedy old goblin. This stubborn old dude wouldn't have joined his side If he hadn't baited him with that juicy "Spirit Guidance Technology" from the future.
Blacksmiths in this era suffer greatly. Only a handful of people possess the skills to perform the hundreds and thousands of refinements on rare minerals; the number decreases even further when spirit refinements are 'naturally' mentioned.
As for Soul and Divine Refinements, let's not talk about it. After all, Lou Gao sacrificed his life in the OG to make Tang San's weapon. While it's helpful, Han Yuan wanted to achieve more than that.
Lou Gao's potential is much stronger than that.
Pfft, why waste it on Tang San?
Han Yuan shook his head and asked, "Anyway, that old friend of yours didn't make trouble in the association, right?"
"You mean Titan? Hmph, that freeloader only knows how to make trouble instead of luxury teapots. He's even more stubborn than me, refusing to bend his knees a little to those merchants and preferring to perish from being poor instead." Lou Gao snorted unhappily.
"Yet he dared to ask me for money every month. His "One Strength Clan" couldn't survive without it."
Lou Gao glanced at Han Yuan, "I heard you made some troubles with him a few years ago, beating his grandson to a pulp and even provoking him with a contract or something."
"It was just a warning for a group of circus monkeys..." Han Yuan smiled innocently. "If they keep acting like ones, the One Strength Clan might gone from the face of this continent."
"There it is!" Lou Gao pointed his finger at Han Yuan's face. "You said the most scary shit with that innocent smile of yours!"
"Damn it, if you're a villain, this world was 'literally' done for!"
Han Yuan chuckled, "Am I wrong, though?"
"Tch, you're right. That stubborn fool really deserves it for being such a clown." Lou Gao harrumphed. "He borrowed millions of gold from me and hasn't returned it. Let alone talking with me, he hasn't shown any gesture for it yet."
Meanwhile, Ah Yin listened to their conversation and wrote Titan's name in her Death Note. Hmph, how dare a mere One Strength Clan dare to offend my dear baby, Xiao Yuan? Courting Death!
Han Yuan didn't know what Ah Yin had in her mind, but he knew she was planning to do something wicked with that "dark" eerie aura around her, which made him pity those who offended this woman.
He shook his head and wondered how well Tang Hao was right now after a round of beating from Ah Yin.
"Old Man Goblin, your cultivation is improving, right?" asked Han Yuan abruptly.
Lou Gao snorted unhappily again, "You make it sound like I was stuck in the Spirit Emperor Realm forever. With those pills you send me and the newly improved cultivation techniques, I'd be a pig if I couldn't break through to Spirit Sage Realm!"
"Yes, yes, whatever you say..." Han Yuan responded dismissively. "The real question is whether you have absorbed your seventh spirit ring?"
Lou Gao replied flatly, "No. Since you warned me a few months ago, I haven't been holding myself from going to the nearest Soul Hunting Forest."
"Even though I'm not a fighter, a higher cultivation base will allow me to work longer. Unfortunately, the seventh spirit skill was bound to be Martial Soul's True Body."
"So, I can't get a spirit skill that could assist me in building the Spirit Guidance Tools."
As one of the few "Divine Blacksmiths" in this era, Lou Gao cultivated his martial soul to make his blacksmithing easier. He was never a combat-type spirit master, though he could still attack with some of his spirit skills.
Han Yuan smiled at this, "Well, you're in luck, Old Man."
"I have perfected the "Spirit Soul" recently."
Lou Gao's eyes widened, "You perfected it already?"
Han Yuan visited Lou Gao many times and shared his unusual visions with the President of the Blacksmith Association. Among these ideas was the concept of spirit masters forming contracts with spirit beasts, resulting in the creation of the Spirit Soul, a living spirit ring.
Initially, Lou Gao thought Han Yuan was crazy. Most people would likely have shared that opinion. However, as the years passed, he began to realize that this young man had the potential to create something miraculous.
Han Yuan demonstrated his abilities by revitalizing the Blacksmith Association, establishing a business monopoly, and even creating extraordinary pills. He proved he could achieve them all!
"So, this Spirit Soul will be my seventh spirit ring?" Lou Gao asked with a somewhat high expectation.
Han Yuan nodded, "Yes, but I must remind you that Spirit Soul is a living being, so you need to treat it as one because it will be your life-and-death companion from now on."
"In short, treat it like your family."
"Protect your Spirit Soul, and it shall protect you, too!"
Listening to this, Lou Gao and Ah Yin have a mixed reaction.
Lou Gao became solemn because he underestimated the value of Spirit Soul. However, this also excites him.
Meanwhile, Ah Yin's heart becomes warm because her baby son did this to ease the conflict between humans and spirit beasts.
"I understand." Lou Gao said solemnly.
Han Yuan chuckled, "Don't be so tense, Old Man. Let me introduce you to your partner first."
"This fellow is a little shy, but it will be your guardian." A clump of metal appeared on Han Yuan's right hand. Its white, shiny body glimmered as dark-slitted eyes blinked at Lou Gao.
"Nrra!" The spirit beast cried out loud, shaking the workshop.
Lou Gao's eyes lit up because he could tell this spirit beast, no, Spirit Soul, can influence metals.
"I have never seen such a creature before..."
"Well, that's because this fellow is rare. Born from a Metal-Eating Beast and subtype Earth Sacred Dragon, this beast possessed the physique of a dragon and was 'compactly' shrouded with heavy metal armor."
"I call it Steel Wrought Dragon."
"A perfect match for your "Sacred Molding Pen" martial soul."
"So, what do you think?" Han Yuan gazed into Lou Gao's fiery eyes.
Lou Gao stared at the Steel Wrought Dragon and discerned a burning desire in those dark-slitted eyes, "Let's do this!"
"Nrrra~!" The Steel Wrought Dragon cried excitedly.