Blood Demon's Story

Lu Jun's fingers trembled slightly, and a fine layer of cold sweat seeped across his back.

Was the gentle-smiling middle-aged man before him the Dark Blood Demon, one of the Holy Spirit Cult's Four Heavenly Kings?

He instinctively took half a step back, but Leng Yulai quietly pressed down on his shoulder.

"What's wrong? You're way too nervous, aren't you?"

"It's only three failed attempts. Keep trying—you can do it."

Unaware of the truth, Leng Yulai was still cheering Lu Jun on.

Lu Jun took a deep breath.

He calmed down.

Be rational. In this era, where Tang San had not intervened, the Holy Spirit Cult no longer existed.

With that thought, Lu Jun began to observe the other man.

He noticed that Gu Chenyu's hands were covered in calluses, the marks left by years of forging. They were absolutely not something that could be faked.

Even more surprising was that the man's temperament was completely different from the evil aura rumored to surround the Dark Blood Demon.

He did not look like someone who had killed many people at all.

"..."

Was he really a Saint Craftsman?

In the original story, the Dark Blood Demon had slaughtered countless people. Yet here, he had become a Saint Craftsman who wielded a forging hammer?

The change was far too drastic. Didn't his Martial Soul need to devour souls to cultivate and grow stronger?

How had that problem been resolved?

"I can sense that your soul is somewhat fearful. Are you afraid of me?"

Gu Chenyu looked puzzled. Then he crouched before Lu Jun and met his eyes at the same level.

A fervent flame unique to forgers flickered in those eyes, which should have been scarlet.

"Little fellow, you don't need to be afraid."

"I've been watching you for a long time."

"Since the first time you failed the Forging Association assessment."

"You were only nine years old, yet already a second-level forging master, and you were even attempting the third-level forging master assessment. Honestly, it wasn't just me—everyone in this Forging Association was amazed by you."

Gu Chenyu smiled kindly.

There was no hint that he had any connection to Evil Soul Masters.

"It's just that your three consecutive failed assessments all earned zero points. Naturally, many forging masters who had been following you were deeply disappointed. They thought you were overreaching."

"I thought so at first as well. But then I remembered that you were Your Excellency, Sky Phoenix's disciple. Your character should not be that poor."

"So I paid Your Excellency, Sky Phoenix a visit. She told me about your situation."

"You can only forge Ice Attribute metals because of your Ultimate Ice Martial Soul. You know nothing at all about other metals."

"That reminded me of my younger self."

At that, Gu Chenyu gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"Back then, I was terribly lopsided in my abilities too..."

"Even the reason I embarked on the path of forging was a coincidence."

"I can observe a person's current state through their soul. Child, it seems you've lost confidence in forging?"

"Did those three consecutive assessment failures strike such a blow to you?"

Lu Jun froze for a moment before nodding.

It was true.

He had once thought that after arriving on Douluo Continent, he might be like the omnipotent protagonists in the novels he usually read.

Able to do anything, and quick to learn everything.

Especially after awakening an Ultimate Attribute Martial Soul, he had become even more convinced that he was a genius.

Until now, his confidence had truly taken a hit.

"Hehe, let me tell you a story."

Gu Chenyu raised his right hand, and a writhing sphere of blood appeared in his palm.

"This is my Martial Soul. It is called the Blood Demon."

Lu Jun raised his head to look at him.

This confirmed it. He really was the Dark Blood Demon, one of the Four Heavenly Kings from the original story.

"This Blood Demon Martial Soul nearly led me down an evil path." Gu Chenyu recalled the past and murmured, "My Martial Soul was born with an urge to devour the souls of others."

"When my Martial Soul Awakened at the age of six, it was extremely weak. I had no innate Soul Power, and it looked like nothing more than a useless Martial Soul."

"The people from Spirit Pagoda helped awaken my Martial Soul. They also discovered that it was unusual—a deeply evil Martial Soul that required human lives as sacrifices before it could fully awaken its Soul Power."

"To keep me from harming others, Spirit Pagoda taught me how to control my Martial Soul's instincts. They also continued researching my Martial Soul, searching for better ways to restrain it."

As Gu Chenyu spoke, he began to smile.

"Then, by chance, I came into contact with forging and came to understand it."

"On top of that, the people from Spirit Pagoda told me that if I wanted to control my Martial Soul's instinct to devour souls, I first needed to redirect my attention and avoid thinking about devouring souls."

"So I thought, wouldn't constantly hammering metal be the best way to redirect my attention?"

"I could vent my frustration, exhaust all my energy, and leave myself utterly worn out every day, too tired to entertain any thoughts at all."

"You know, the people from Spirit Pagoda actually agreed. So, at a very young age, I picked up a hammer and began my path in forging."

"My grandfather was ill, and the people from Spirit Pagoda took care of him. They even arranged for a teacher to teach me forging, letting me work and use the Federal Coins I earned to repay Spirit Pagoda for my grandfather's medical treatment."

"But without devouring souls, my Soul Power could not advance further, nor could I use Soul Power to improve my physical condition."

"Until one day, by chance, my teacher was carrying out Soul Forging. I watched from the side, and after he finished, I was astonished to discover that metal could also be granted a soul and life..."

"Then, after requesting and receiving my teacher's permission, I tried devouring the soul of a piece of Soul Forged metal..." Gu Chenyu paused before continuing, "After that, my cultivation began advancing by leaps and bounds. I jumped straight to Level 10 and was finally able to absorb a Spirit Soul and become a Soul Master."

"Now, I am already a Level 95 Super Douluo. The six-year-old me back then would never have dared imagine that I could rely on devouring the souls of Soul Forged metals to become a Titled Douluo."

Gu Chenyu let out a chuckle.

"Your Excellency, Blood Demon, your journey truly has been miraculous," Leng Yulai said. "I have heard of your deeds many times, and they further prove that Spirit Pagoda is now on the right path."

"I am still deeply grateful to Spirit Pagoda. Without you, there would be no new me." Gu Chenyu looked at Leng Yulai with gratitude written across his face.

"Without Spirit Pagoda, perhaps I would have been unable to control the instincts my Martial Soul gave me and fallen into becoming an Evil Soul Master who devoured the lives of others."

"Although even now, the people of Spirit Pagoda and the Sun Moon Federation still require me to devour the souls of criminals who have committed monstrous crimes, giving them cruel and painful death sentences, honestly, their souls don't taste good at all. Compared to the souls of Soul Forged metals I carefully forge, the difference is like heaven and earth."

Lu Jun lowered his head, forcefully suppressing the urge to complain.

All right, without Spirit Pagoda, you really would have become an Evil Soul Master who killed without restraint.

You wouldn't be a picky eater like you were now.

"So, child." Gu Chenyu raised a hand and patted Lu Jun's shoulder. "Have more confidence in yourself."

"Your starting point is far higher than mine. If I could become a Saint Craftsman, what about you?"

"I understand. Thank you, Your Excellency."

Lu Jun felt much better.

He suddenly felt that the Butterfly Effect he had created was actually quite good.

At the very least, he had reduced the suffering of many ordinary people on Douluo Continent who were living through difficult times.

In truth, quite a few Evil Soul Masters had been forced into becoming Evil Soul Masters.

For example, some merely needed to drink animal blood.

Without Tang Buddha Ancestor's control and manipulation, the Spirit Pagoda so carefully created by Huo Yuhao had finally started doing something decent.

At least they were willing to emulate the methods of the Spirit Hall from Ten Thousand Years Ago, perfectly resolving the problem of Evil Soul Masters at its root and indirectly saving countless lives that would have been slaughtered by Evil Soul Masters.

"Good. Take up your full confidence and forge the most perfect Thousand Refinements metal that belongs to you."

Gu Chenyu smiled.

"Whether or not you pass this third-level forging master assessment, I wish to take you as my disciple and teach you forging. What do you think?"

Lu Jun was stunned.

This seemed rather different from how he had expected things to develop...

"What are you standing there for? He's an eight-star Saint Craftsman," Leng Yulai hurriedly whispered.

Only then did Lu Jun bow to him.

"Teacher."