Lou Gao Joins; Chen Xin Seeks the Sword

Only when the sky had begun to dim and the eastern sunset was blood-red did Qin Shiyuan reappear in Star-Plucking Tower.

This time, however, he went to the sixth floor.

The seventh floor was reserved for her.

"Gentlemen, sorry to keep you waiting."

His rich, magnetic voice reached Chen Xin and Lou Gao's ears as the doors to the VIP Room opened.

"Tower Master Qin!"

Chen Xin and Lou Gao had been left waiting in the VIP Room for two hours.

Anyone else might have long since stormed off.

But both had come seeking something. The moment they saw Qin Shiyuan, not only did they show no dissatisfaction, their faces instead revealed the same fervor and longing.

"Tower Master Qin! I came today to ask..."

Their voices rang out in unison. Qin Shiyuan frowned and interrupted them.

"One at a time. Lou Gao, you go first."

At that, both fell silent.

Lou Gao looked delighted, but he still cautiously glanced at Chen Xin's expression first.

Only after seeing that the other man showed no reaction did he speak to Qin Shiyuan with relief.

"Greetings, Tower Master Qin. I am Lou Gao. Perhaps you have not heard of me..."

"Lou Gao, a Seven Rings Soul Saint, Martial Soul Sacred Casting Brush, one of the Three Great Divine Blacksmiths of the Continent."

"President of the Blacksmith Association, stationed in Steel Capital Gengxin City year-round. Is that correct?"

Qin Shiyuan calmly recited all of Lou Gao's information before speaking indifferently.

"I know of you. I also know that you came for the Soul Tools, correct?"

"You..."

Hearing his background laid bare so completely, several flashes of shock crossed Lou Gao's eyes.

When he looked up again at the mysterious man in the Silver Mask, a bitter smile immediately appeared on his face.

"Tower Master Qin is truly extraordinary. You are entirely correct. I did indeed come for the Soul Tools of your tower."

"Mm. We are all smart people, so I will not beat around the bush."

"Lou Gao, your Martial Soul is actually very well suited for researching Soul Tools, and Star-Plucking Tower truly needs you right now."

"But I believe you also understand that this method is Star-Plucking Tower's Unique Secret Technique and can never be passed on."

"If you wish to learn it, that depends on whether you can be ruthless enough."

"Tower Master Qin, are you serious? You are truly willing to teach me this method?"

Lou Gao's eyes were filled with fervor, as though he had not heard the latter half of Qin Shiyuan's words at all.

The mere thought that he had a chance to learn it made joy instantly spread across his face.

"As long as you are willing to teach me, I can agree to anything!"

Lou Gao could not be blamed for being so crazed. The emergence of Soul Tools was simply too shocking to the world.

In the original tale, Tang San's few hidden weapons alone had been enough to make Lou Gao wholeheartedly convinced.

Soul Tools, appearing ten thousand years early, were even more like the detonation of a colossal nuclear bomb in this era.

Comparing them to the weapons of this age was like pitting cold weapons against hot weapons—they were crushed completely in every respect.

How could such creations, so far beyond their era, not drive Lou Gao, who lived for weapons, mad?

"Do not make promises so lightly. What I want is your freedom, and you may not be willing to give it."

"My freedom?"

"Correct. If you wish to learn, I will plant a Soul Restriction in your Sea of Consciousness."

"Once this restriction is planted, should you disobey my orders or harbor even the slightest thought of betrayal, it will instantly blow you apart and annihilate your soul..."

"So whether you learn or not is up to you."

It was unclear whether Qin Shiyuan simply was not worried that Lou Gao would refuse, or whether he did not care much about Lou Gao joining.

His tone was utterly calm, without the slightest hint of urgency.

"I'll learn!"

Lou Gao's tone was exceptionally resolute, without even a shred of hesitation.

"My intuition tells me that the Soul Tools proposed by Tower Master Qin are a cause to which I can dedicate the rest of my life."

"And you are someone I, Lou Gao, am willing to follow!"

"Good. Since you trust me, I will not say anything more."

Qin Shiyuan chuckled, then raised a hand and pointed at Lou Gao's brow.

"Open your mind."

Lou Gao understood that this was the Soul Restriction Qin Shiyuan had mentioned and immediately did as instructed.

Half a breath later, a stream of gray air formed a hexagonal gray mark within his Sea of Spirit.

"Good. Wait here for now. I will arrange your position later."

Qin Shiyuan withdrew his hand and looked at Lou Gao, whose eyes already held a trace of impatience.

He smiled faintly and flipped his hand, passing over a volume nearly half a palm thick.

"The most important step in crafting Soul Tools is inscribing the core formations."

"These are some of the formations Star-Plucking Tower has developed so far. You can familiarize yourself with them first."

The moment Qin Shiyuan finished speaking, Lou Gao's eyes lit up.

As though he had seen some peerless treasure, he slowly accepted it with trembling hands.

He then walked alone into a corner without saying a word. The room was left with only the faint rustling of turning pages.

"Heh heh, Sword Douluo Chen Xin. I did not expect us to meet again so soon."

After settling matters with Lou Gao, Qin Shiyuan turned toward Chen Xin, who had been waiting at the side for a long time.

Despite waiting for so long, there was still not the slightest impatience in Chen Xin's eyes.

After rising to his feet, he first bowed slightly to Qin Shiyuan. Then, before Qin Shiyuan could speak, he said firmly, "Tower Master Qin, I wish to take you as my master and learn true Sword Intent from you!"

"Heh heh, no need to rush. There are still some matters concerning you that I have not fully understood."

Qin Shiyuan waved a hand, smiling as he refused this ninety-sixth-rank Peak Douluo's request to become his disciple.

"You know the relationship between the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and me. I want to know what you are thinking by coming here today."

Chen Xin's body trembled slightly, and his tone instantly turned cold as he answered without a trace of emotion.

"Tower Master Qin, rest assured. I have completely severed ties with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. There is absolutely no possibility of any lingering attachment."

"The arm cut off from Ning Fengzhi, the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, is Chen's resolve!"

"Good. Then I shall ask no more about this matter."

Qin Shiyuan nodded slowly, but his tone no longer held the ease it had when speaking with Lou Gao.

There was now a faint trace of solemnity.

"I wish to ask Sword Douluo: what price are you willing to pay in order to cultivate Sword Intent?"

"I am willing to give up my freedom. Like Lou Gao, I will willingly accept a Soul Restriction!"

Chen Xin spoke with utter decisiveness. For Sword Intent, for revenge, he could cast aside everything.

"No, you misunderstand."

Qin Shiyuan slowly shook his head and spoke in a deep voice.

"That is the price for learning Sword Intent from me..."

"What I asked is what price you can pay in order to cultivate Sword Intent!"

"The price required to cultivate Sword Intent..."

Qin Shiyuan's words seemed to leave Chen Xin's eyes somewhat lost.

He truly did not know what price he would have to pay to obtain Sword Intent.

At that moment, Chen Xin seemed to faintly realize that this journey was undoubtedly the most correct choice he had made in his wasted half-life.

"Tower Master Qin, forgive my ignorance. Please enlighten me, sir."

"It is very simple. Every person who has cultivated Sword Intent possesses a heart free of distractions, devoted solely to the sword!"

"But your heart is not calm, and your thoughts are cluttered."

"My... heart is not calm?"

Chen Xin mulled over those words again and again. Though he still did not understand where his problem lay,

the faint tremor in his heart told him that Qin Shiyuan was right.

At this point, his expression became even more respectful.

"Please enlighten me, sir."

"Revenge is your distracting thought..."

"You should not have it... and you cannot have it!"