Later, Chu Chengzhou continued: "Metals above the hundred-refinement level require a certain level of strength from the blacksmith. If you're not a soul master, achieving thousand-refinement is impossible.
To excel in forging, the primary prerequisite is having decent cultivation talent."
If you weren't a soul master, you wouldn't be able to lift a heavy hammer. Even if a Divine Craftsman reincarnated, they wouldn't have the strength to complete metal thousand-refinement. As for subsequent spirit-refinement and soul-refinement, merely being a soul master wasn't enough—you needed sufficient soul power cultivation to support it.
Upon hearing this, Ning Fengzhi raised an eyebrow, temporarily setting aside the matter, and said: "Rongrong wrote that your forging skills have improved again?"
"Mm, this level is called soul-refinement."
Chu Chengzhou nodded.
"You don't usually forge metals, right? How did your skills quietly improve like this?"
Ning Fengzhi asked, puzzled.
The blacksmiths under his Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had a secret method but still couldn't learn it. In contrast, Chu Chengzhou, who didn't normally forge, quietly created forging techniques two levels higher.
They were all humans, but was the gap between people really this big?
"Just talent I guess."
Waving his hand dismissively, Chu Chengzhou spoke without a hint of embarrassment.
Not wanting to dwell on the topic, he turned to Gu Rong and got to the main point: "Grandpa Bone, try infusing some soul power into these two pieces of metal."
As he spoke, Chu Chengzhou took out two small pieces of metal from his storage soul-guided device—one was soul-refined Blue Gold, and the other was soul-refined Nether Iron.
Nether Iron was a rare dark-attribute metal with the characteristic of amplifying dark-attribute soul power. Gu Rong's Bone Dragon martial soul's primary attribute was darkness, with space abilities as a secondary effect.
If the soul power amplification percentage of soul-refined Nether Iron exceeded that of soul-refined Blue Gold, then Blue Gold wouldn't be the most suitable material for Gu Rong's soul-refined armor.
Taking the two pieces of metal handed to him by Chu Chengzhou, Gu Rong infused each with a trace of soul power.
"Hmm?"
Soon, a look of surprise appeared on Gu Rong's face.
"Gu Shu, does this soul-refined metal have something special about it?"
Seeing Gu Rong's expression change, Ning Fengzhi asked curiously.
"Tsk, this kid is truly impressive. This piece of metal amplifies my soul power by 15%, and this one increases it by 20%."
Setting down the two pieces of metal, Gu Rong first pointed to the soul-refined Blue Gold, then to the soul-refined Nether Iron.
'Twenty percent?'
Chu Chengzhou raised an eyebrow, surprised that soul-refined Nether Iron could amplify a Titled Douluo's dark attribute soul power by 20%. This amplification percentage was even higher than that of soul-refined Azure Copper, which was also a single metal.
"Senior, let me introduce them. This is soul-refined Blue Gold, which amplifies soul power.
And this black one is soul-refined Nether Iron, which also amplifies soul power, but only for dark attributes. I plan to craft a set of soul-refined armor for you, and you can choose the material yourself."
If Gu Rong's martial soul was purely dark-attribute, there would be no question—use Nether Iron directly.
However, the problem was that Gu Rong's martial soul also had spatial attributes. Although the soul power amplification percentage of Blue Gold was slightly lower, it wasn't restricted to any particular soul power attribute. It was best to leave the choice to Gu Rong himself.
Without much hesitation, Gu Rong chose Nether Iron.
Compared to a 15% amplification for both dark and space attributes, for Gu Rong personally, it was better to have a 20% amplification for dark attributes alone.
His Bone Dragon martial soul's primary attribute was darkness, and all his offensive and defensive soul skills were dark-based. The spatial ability only provided mobility.
Moreover, there were no opponents on the continent capable of countering his spatial abilities. Whether or not he had that 15% amplification made little difference.
But compared to soul-refined Blue Gold, soul-refined Nether Iron offered an additional 5% amplification for dark soul power. Perhaps this defensive-type Titled Douluo could withstand stronger opponents' attacks.
Two hours later, Ning Fengzhi's soul-refined Blue Gold armor and Gu Rong's soul-refined Nether Iron armor were completed.
There was nothing special to say about Ning Fengzhi's Blue Gold armor. However, Gu Rong's Nether Iron armor wasn't just plain armor. Following the design of Zhu Zhuqing's Blue Gold Cloud Armor, Chu Chengzhou added a pair of detachable soul-refined Plate Crystal Gold claws to the front of the armor's arms.
Metals at the spirit-forged level and above could fuse with a soul master's martial soul. Plate Crystal Gold's characteristic was powerful soul-breaking, and the higher the quality of infused soul power, the stronger its soul-breaking effect.
With Gu Rong's current Level 95 soul power, except for the demi-god-level Qian Daoliu (whose abilities were uncertain), any energy-based shields on the continent would be as fragile as paper before Gu Rong's dragon claws infused with soul-refined Plate Crystal Gold.
Additionally, worth noting was that the soul power amplification effect of soul-refined Blue Gold on Ning Fengzhi, an Soul Douluo, wasn't 15% but 20%.
Different user soul power levels naturally resulted in different amplification percentages.
For example, soul-refined Blue Gold amplified Chu Chengzhou's soul power by 50%, but for Xiao Wu, a Soul Emperor, the amplification dropped to 40%. For Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, Soul Ancestors, the amplification reached as high as 60%.
The phenomenon where lower-level users received higher amplification percentages was entirely because the tier of soul-refined metal was too high for lower-level soul masters.
Of course, Ning Fengzhi was a support-type soul master. Having soul-refined Blue Gold armor didn't mean his attribute amplification soul skill effects would increase by 20%.
The attribute amplification effects of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda series martial soul were fixed. A 20% soul power amplification simply reduced Ning Fengzhi's soul power consumption when using attribute amplification soul skills.
However, as the head of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect—and a sect head without much combat strength—Ning Fengzhi naturally possessed soul bones.
His soul bone skills and non-attribute amplification eighth soul skill could enjoy the 20% soul power amplification provided by the soul-refined Blue Gold armor.
"This armor of yours is pretty good. Can you make a set for your Sword Uncle too?"
After stowing his Blue Gold armor, Ning Fengzhi said to Chu Chengzhou.
"That's natural. Just have Grandpa Sword come to me quietly. I want to ask him for a favor."
Chu Chengzhou nodded and mentioned the fishing operation.
The reason for asking Chen Xin to come quietly was to avoid scaring off the fish.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect was one of the continent's top experts. If the Star Luo assassins learned that Chen Xin had arrived in Tian Dou City and Chu Chengzhou left shortly after, any rational person would realize the trap and avoid biting the hook.
"Mm."
Ning Fengzhi nodded slightly. Taking the initiative to reel in the hidden dangers was a good idea.
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
Twenty miles east of Tian Dou City, along an official road, there was a small village of modest size.
In a house at the entrance of the village, an unremarkable young man stood in the hall, nervously looking at eight middle-aged men and women dressed plainly but exuding strong vitality.
"What's wrong with your intelligence department? It's been over two months, and you still haven't found an opportunity to act?"
Among the eight middle-aged men and women, a burly man at the center glared at the young man in the room, speaking in a low, harsh voice.
"Great Tiger, please forgive us! The target has stayed within Tian Dou City and hasn't given us any chance!"
The young man trembled and quickly explained.
"If there's no opportunity, can't you create one? Are you telling me that if the target doesn't leave Tian Dou City, your intelligence department will just keep us waiting indefinitely?"
Beside the burly man 'Tiger,' a tall, thin man 'Wolf' expressed his dissatisfaction.
Including the burly 'Tiger,' these eight individuals were the assassin squad sent by the Star Luo Empire to kill Chu Chengzhou.
The squad was formidable. Both 'Tiger' and 'Wolf' were Soul Douluos, while the remaining six, though weaker, were Soul Sages.
Of course, in Emperor Dai Yutian's eyes, dealing with just Chu Chengzhou didn't require so many experts.
However, considering that Chu Chengzhou was protected by the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, and Ning Fengzhi might have arranged high-level guards to protect him covertly, they decided to use overwhelming force and sent this many experts.
"Wolf, according to the intelligence gathered, the target hails from a remote mountain village under the jurisdiction of Suotuo City in the Balak Kingdom.
Our department has already sent people to investigate. All of the target's blood relatives are dead, making it difficult to create an opportunity to lure him out.
Moreover, the target has close ties with the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. If we resort to threats to force him out of Tian Dou City, it would surely alert the sect's experts."
The young man earnestly explained.
Chu Chengzhou was obviously not from a remote village under Suotuo City. The reason the Star Luo intelligence department found such information was entirely due to Xue Qinghe's involvement.
With the Tian Dou officials assisting, covering up Chu Chengzhou and Xiao Wu's origins and arranging false identities was simple.
In the current era of Douluo Continent, where travel relied entirely on walking and communication on shouting, combined with the Tian Dou officials' misinformation, the difficulty for Star Luo spies to obtain accurate information was evident.
Of course, this was also because origin-related intelligence wasn't crucial. If they couldn't deal with Chu Chengzhou himself, obtaining his background information was useless.
Otherwise, with the Star Luo Empire's resources, they could eventually uncover the truth if they put in the effort.
"I don't care about that. I'll give you one more month. If you still can't find an opportunity, you know what to do!"
The somewhat irritable 'Tiger' threatened the young man.
"Yes, Great Tiger!"
The young man shuddered and quickly agreed.
As a pawn planted by the empire's intelligence department within Tian Dou territory, the young man was well aware of his position. The infamous Great Tiger could kill him on a whim, and his superiors wouldn't dare protest.
Two days later, in the morning, at the same house.
"What? The target left the city?"
'Tiger' looked astonished at the young man before him.
Indeed, people were stubborn creatures! Only when the knife was at their throat could their potential truly shine.
After two months of no good news, a threat immediately yielded results.
"Yes, Great Tiger! Our intelligence agent personally witnessed the target boarding a carriage outside his residence and leaving Tian Dou City through the southern gate."
The young man reported truthfully.
"Brother, shall we act?"
Hearing this, 'Tiger' brightened and turned to 'Wolf.'
In terms of strength, he surpassed Wolf, but Wolf was sharper-minded.
The two brothers had been together for over twenty years. Whenever decisions needed to be made, Tiger usually left it to Wolf.
"Could this be a trap set by the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect?"
Wolf frowned.
"This…"
At these words, Tiger immediately hesitated.
Although the eight of them were strong, they were far from a match against the full force of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
"Let's stay dozens of li away from the target and wait a few days before acting."
After pondering for a moment, Wolf suggested.
In Wolf's view, even if the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had set a trap, they couldn't wait indefinitely.
After all, if they saw no fish biting, the sect's covertly arranged experts would likely leave. They wouldn't stay with Chu Chengzhou forever, and a distance of dozens of li was beyond the perception range of Titled Douluos.
Without the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's deliberate trap, Chu Chengzhou would only have one or two high-level guards around him.
Sword and Bone Douluo wouldn't be a long-term bodyguard for Chu Chengzhou. At most, Ning Fengzhi would assign a Soul Douluo as a permanent guard.
He and Tiger weren't weak either. Though they weren't top-tier Soul Douluos, they weren't among the weakest either. If one or two Soul Douluos appeared, even if they couldn't defeat them, they could at least stall them.
By then, the six accompanying Soul Sages would strike. Against Chu Chengzhou, whose soul power was only at the four or five-ring level, even if his Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear summon was formidable, victory would be assured.
Early the next morning.
Over two hundred miles south of Tian Dou City, a carriage slowly traveled along the official road.
"What's going on? Where did the fish go?"
Inside the carriage, Chu Chengzhou silently wondered.
Yesterday morning, Chen Xin secretly came to Tian Dou City, crafted a set of soul-refined Blue Gold armor and a soul-refined Plate Crystal Gold sword for him, and then Chu Chengzhou set out in a carriage to begin the fishing operation.
But something must have gone wrong somewhere. Until sunset, he hadn't caught any fish.
And it wasn't just during the day; even at night, he failed to catch anything.
Last night, the moon was dark, and as the saying goes, "On a dark and windy night, it's the perfect time for murder and arson." But the assassins sent by the Star Luo Empire seemed incompetent. Not only were there no assassins, but not even a shadow appeared.
Did the Star Luo assassins not know he had left Tian Dou City?
Impossible, absolutely impossible!
If they truly didn't know, how could he have been so lucky to encounter at least one passerby at every fork in the road or see peasants working in the fields nearby?
Chu Chengzhou was confident that if there weren't Star Luo Empire spies and informants among them, he'd live-stream standing on his head and pulling nonsense!
Another day passed. Glancing at the gradually darkening sky outside the carriage, Chu Chengzhou couldn't help but feel that being a fisherman was tough—it tested one's patience.
Everyone knew that fishing required patience, but not everyone had abundant patience, especially Chu Chengzhou, whose great bow was thirsty for action.
At this moment, the carriage passed a fork in the road, and Chu Chengzhou noticed a young man carrying a hoe approaching from afar.
With sharp eyes, Chu Chengzhou noticed that although the young man was well-disguised, his hands lacked the calluses typical of farmers who had worked in the fields for years.
Thinking for a moment, Chu Chengzhou signaled the carriage driver from his estate to stop.
Getting out of the carriage, Chu Chengzhou looked at the approaching young man.
Then, his spiritual power surged, and he activated his ultimate illusion technique: Void Realm Illusion.
In the next second, the young man disguised as an ordinary peasant immediately became devout, like a pilgrim.
Since the illusion ultimate technique ascended to red quality and was renamed Void Realm Illusion, its effects were no longer limited to creating a single illusion.
It could simultaneously generate multiple illusions, pull multiple targets into the same illusion, and temporarily alter the opponent's consciousness. The duration depended on the relative strength of their spiritual power.
Of course, there were limitations. To alter a target's consciousness, not only did the target's spiritual power need to be weaker than his own, but their willpower also couldn't be too strong; otherwise, alteration would be impossible.
For instance, Chu Chengzhou temporarily altered this young man's consciousness, becoming an unwavering belief in his heart.
Even if Chu Chengzhou asked him to die, as long as the young man's willpower wasn't too firm, he would obediently comply.
Of course, Chu Chengzhou's goal wasn't to make him die—he just wanted to find out where the hidden fish were.
Such spies and informants probably wouldn't know the location of the specific action team of assassins, but they definitely knew where their superior contacts were. By following the vine, he could eventually find the gourd.
What if he guessed wrong, and this young man wasn't a Star Luo Empire informant?
Even if he was wrong, temporarily altering someone's consciousness wouldn't cause lasting side effects. Giving him a gold soul coin as an apology would suffice.
"I ask, you answer. Where is your contact?"
"Great Master, my contact is in the village ten miles to the east!"
Immediately, the young man knelt devoutly.
"Very good!"
Chu Chengzhou nodded in satisfaction.
After dismissing his estate's carriage driver, Chu Chengzhou immediately took the young man to follow the vine (trail).
Under the cover of night, layer by layer, Chu Chengzhou followed the vine, holding different levels of Star Luo spies, heading to multiple locations. After more than three hours, he finally pinpointed the fish's exact location.
'Dai Yutian sure thinks highly of me. He sent two Soul Douluos and six Soul Sages. Could my strength have been exposed?'
On a small mountain peak, looking at the small village at the foot of the mountain, Chu Chengzhou muttered to himself.
Chu Chengzhou hadn't met the Star Luo assassin squad yet, but in the past three-plus hours, he had dismantled the head of the Star Luo Empire's intelligence department planted within Tian Dou territory.
Of course, many fish slipped through the net—he only caught one line of informants.
The intelligence about the assassin squad came from the head of the Star Luo Empire's intelligence branch in the Tian Dou Empire. Under the influence of Chu Chengzhou's illusion ultimate technique, Void Realm Illusion, the head temporarily altered his consciousness, treating Chu Chengzhou as his sole faith. The information was extracted from a Soul Sage.
The squad of two Soul Douluos and six Soul Sages from the Star Luo assassin team was stationed in the small village at the foot of the mountain.
"Kid, can you handle this yourself?"
At this moment, Chen Xin beside him asked.
"Just two ordinary Soul Douluos—they shouldn't be a problem."
After weighing both sides' strengths, Chu Chengzhou replied.
Previously, the reason he brought Chen Xin was his concern that among the assassins sent by the Star Luo Empire, there might be a Soul Douluo capable of initiating the Spirit Fusion Technique: Netherworld White Tiger.
Though the Netherworld White Tiger was a relatively common Spirit Fusion Technique on the continent, mastered by many White Tiger soul masters, there was no denying that a Spirit Fusion Technique was still very powerful.
Generally speaking, an eight-ring White Tiger soul master paired with a seven-ring Netherworld Spirit Cat soul master could achieve at least Titled Douluo-level strength after activating the Netherworld White Tiger.
If a Level 89 White Tiger soul master paired with a Level 79 Netherworld Spirit Cat soul master activated the Netherworld White Tiger, they could even suppress Level 95 Titled Douluos like Ju and Gui Douluo.
Facing Titled Douluo-level opponents, Chu Chengzhou naturally sought backup from a high-level expert to avoid stumbling.
But for ordinary Soul Douluos, killing chickens didn't require a butcher's knife.
More importantly, the two Soul Douluos in the Star Luo assassin squad—one with a Diamond Tiger martial soul, the other with a Blood Wolf martial soul—weren't flight-type soul masters.
Even if defeated, these two Soul Douluos couldn't catch him, a "high-altitude archer."
The only ones in the assassin squad who could catch Xiao Hong were the two flight-type Soul Sages.
As for Soul Sages, borrowing Ning Rongrong's disdainful remark when she entered Shrek Academy: "Just a measly Soul Sage!"
"Looks like I underestimated you, kid."
Seeing Chu Chengzhou's confident demeanor, Chen Xin gave him a deep look.
After all, Chu Chengzhou was currently only a Soul King.
Even a six-winged Angel Soul King who could wield domain power upon awakening couldn't handle a six-ring Soul Emperor. Any weak seven-ring Combat Soul Sage could overwhelm him once their True Body was unleashed.
A Soul King versus two Soul Douluos and six Soul Sages—if it weren't for this Soul King being Chu Chengzhou, who had once killed two Soul Sages with two arrows at the Soul Ancestor level, Chen Xin would have dismissed it as nonsense.
Glancing at the quiet village at the foot of the mountain, Chu Chengzhou manifested his True Spirit Banner martial soul and activated the third soul ring, summoning Fire Phoenix Xiao Hong.
"Chirp—"
Under the night sky, a phoenix cry echoed as Xiao Hong carried Chu Chengzhou toward the half-sky outside the small village at the foot of the mountain.
Chu Chengzhou didn't choose to ambush. With careful planning, an ambush might instantly take out several assassins, turning the battle in his favor.
But choosing to ambush would mean placing the battlefield inside the small village, inevitably affecting the villagers.
With Chen Xin present, those two big and six small fish were guaranteed not to escape. Since this was the case, it was best to avoid unnecessary casualties if possible.
"Something's wrong!"
The phoenix cry in the silent night sky, the soul power fluctuations in the half-sky outside the village, combined with being in a foreign land, alerted the assassin squad, which had arranged nightly shifts to stay vigilant.
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