Rank 3 Soul Master

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.

Over those six months, Liu Xinghan's Soul Power rose another two levels, reaching level eighteen. He was only one step away from becoming a Two-Ring Great Spirit Master.

Liu Xinghan did not tell his parents that he had become the Pope's Disciple and the Acting Hall Master of the Soul Tool Hall.

Bibi Dong did not publicly announce his identity either, keeping it strictly confidential. Only a few high-ranking members of Spirit Hall knew who he was. This was naturally to protect him and prevent him from becoming a target for assassination by hostile forces.

Over those six months, the Soul Tool Hall developed at a rapid pace.

Of the ten people, including Vice Hall Master Lou Gao, Lou Gao had already become a Rank 2 Soul Tool Master and gained the ability to independently craft Rank 2 Soul Tools.

The remaining nine had all, without exception, become Rank 1 Soul Masters.

This rate of improvement was already quite impressive. After all, Liu Xinghan could not teach them every day. Most of the time, they had to research and figure things out on their own.

Their ability to become Rank 1 Soul Masters, or even Rank 2 Soul Tool Masters, so quickly was inseparable from their intelligence!

At the same time, the Soul Tool Hall expanded once again, adding another fifty people.

Most of those fifty were Soul Ancestors, including ten Soul Kings.

Meanwhile, the Soul Tool Hall began assigning ranks.

Liu Xinghan and Lou Gao served as Acting Hall Master and Vice Hall Master respectively, as well as Rank 2 Researchers. The nine researchers who had joined first were granted the title of Rank 1 Researcher after becoming Rank 1 Soul Masters.

The fifty newcomers, meanwhile, were Intern Researchers.

With more people, Liu Xinghan and Lou Gao discussed the matter and established three Hall Regulations for the Soul Tool Hall's long-term development.

1. Soul tool technology must not be passed on to outsiders.

2. No one could publicize their research into soul tools.

3. Every newcomer would have only one year. Anyone who failed to become a Rank 1 Soul Master and advance to Rank 1 Researcher within that year would be expelled from the Soul Tool Hall.

Inside a research room in the Soul Tool Hall.

Liu Xinghan was crafting the first Rank 3 Soul Tool of his life.

Around him, Lou Gao and several Rank 1 Researchers watched with rapt attention.

Witnessing the entire process of crafting a Rank 3 Soul Tool firsthand would greatly improve their own soul tool techniques. Thus, they watched closely without blinking, afraid that even a momentary blink would make them miss some detail.

As for the Intern Researchers, Liu Xinghan did not have the time to oversee them. He left them to Lou Gao and the other Rank 1 Researchers.

After all, his energy was limited. He could not possibly teach so many people.

What he needed to do was have one teach ten, and ten teach a hundred. It was enough for him to be that one.

At that moment, the crafting process had reached its final stage.

Every component had been completed, and all that remained was assembly. With smooth, flowing movements, Liu Xinghan assembled the parts together. Just like that, a Rank 3 Soul Tool was complete!

"Phew!"

The moment he succeeded, Liu Xinghan let out a heavy breath, delight written across his face.

After three months, he had finally broken through this threshold, crafting a complete Rank 3 Soul Tool and becoming a Rank 3 Soul Master.

In truth, if not for the limitations of his Soul Power, he would have become a Rank 3 Soul Master long ago with his soul tool expertise.

It was only after his Soul Power recently broke through to level eighteen that he could barely support the crafting of a Rank 3 Soul Tool.

Lou Gao smiled. "Congratulations, Hall Master. At such a young age, you are already a Rank 3 Soul Master."

He was very happy. Having witnessed Liu Xinghan's entire process of crafting a Rank 3 Soul Tool, he had gained immensely. He believed that it would not be long before he too became a Rank 3 Soul Master.

After Lou Gao, the other Rank 1 Researchers also stepped forward to congratulate Liu Xinghan on his breakthrough.

After responding to each of them with a smile, Liu Xinghan had them leave.

Alone in the research room, Liu Xinghan eagerly opened the system.

"Ding! Soul Engineer Side Quest 3: Become a Rank 3 Soul Master, completed. Please choose your reward." The system's voice rang in his ears.

This time, Liu Xinghan could receive a Rank 4 Soul Tool as his reward.

There were four available items this time: a sword, an inner armor, a pair of shoes, and a pair of wings.

The four soul tools represented attack, defense, speed, and flight respectively.

The wings were a Rank 4 Flying Soul Tool. By activating them with Soul Power, one could gain the ability to fly. Needless to say, they were extremely valuable.

On Douluo Continent, aside from spirit masters with flying abilities, only those at the level of Titled Douluo could fly.

This showed just how precious these Soul Tool Wings were!

After considering it for a while, Liu Xinghan ultimately chose the Soul Tool Wings.

With them, he could fly. If he encountered danger, he would undoubtedly have a much greater chance of escape.

As for offense, there was already a pile of Attack Soul Tools in his Storage Ring, more than enough for him to use.

Besides the Rank 4 Flying Soul Tool, Liu Xinghan also received the Intermediate Soul Master Compendium as he had hoped.

After briefly skimming its contents, he found that the Intermediate Soul Master Compendium indeed contained all knowledge concerning Rank 4 through Rank 6 Soul Tools.

With it, it was equivalent to receiving a teacher's meticulous guidance. Becoming a Rank 6 Soul Master would be easy for Liu Xinghan. As long as his Soul Power met the requirements, it would happen naturally.

As Liu Xinghan read the Intermediate Soul Master Compendium, a knock came from outside the door.

Liu Xinghan opened it, and an incomparably beautiful figure stood prettily outside.

"Senior Sister, why are you here?" Liu Xinghan asked curiously.

The visitor was none other than Hu Liena.

After half a year together, Hu Liena had grown even fonder of this sweet-talking and handsome Junior Brother.

She gestured toward the food container in her hands and said with a smile, "Junior Brother, I brought you food!"

Liu Xinghan's heart warmed as he led Hu Liena into the research room.

Inside the research room, Liu Xinghan wolfed down his meal.

Hu Liena sat beside him, her jade-like hand supporting her chin. Watching Liu Xinghan eat ravenously, she asked curiously, "Junior Brother, you've been neglecting food and sleep. Are soul tools really that fascinating to you?"

She had also tried learning how to craft soul tools.

However, after staying in the Soul Tool Hall for two days, she could no longer stand it and left.

The process was simply too dull and tedious, completely unsuited to her temperament, so she gave up outright.

"Not really. Researching soul tools is only for the sake of becoming stronger. My martial soul is too unusual. Right now, I don't have much total Soul Power and am not suited for prolonged battles, so I can only rely on soul tools," Liu Xinghan said.

When it came to fighting styles,

he still preferred the combat style of Assault Type spirit masters.

In one word, satisfying.

But his martial soul was the Summoning Tome. Worse still, it consumed too much Soul Power and could not last, making his weakness far too easy to exploit for now. He could only use soul tools to make up for his shortcomings.

"Junior Brother, it's all right. Once you reach the cultivation of a Soul Saint, this weakness should improve," Hu Liena comforted him.

A Soul Saint was a watershed. Once a spirit master reached the Soul Saint realm, their Soul Power would undergo explosive growth. By then, Liu Xinghan might no longer have to worry about insufficient Soul Power.

"Senior Sister, later I'll take you to experience something fun."

After shoveling down another mouthful of food, Liu Xinghan spoke to Hu Liena with a mysterious grin.