Short Blade Whale Tooth

The basement directly beneath the castle.

Xu Zihuang sat before a massive metal table covered with countless small metal components of varying shapes.

The most eye-catching among them were five hexagonal metal blocks engraved with intricate Core Arrays. These were the most important components of all Soul Tools: the Core Arrays. Different types of Core Arrays correspondingly required different kinds of Rare Metals.

The five differently colored hexagonal metal blocks before him were engraved with five distinct Level 3 Core Formations.

Besides those, there was a sharp black-and-white blade. Its spine was black as ink, its edge silver-white as snow, and its pattern was the Chaotic Blade Small Clove Pattern. Under the soft glow of the Soul Guiding Lamps, it gleamed with a chilling light, its sharpness faintly carrying a fierce aura.

The main material of this blade was the teeth of that twenty-thousand-year Evil Orca. Xu Zihuang had spent considerable effort grinding it into its current form.

Although he had successfully crafted his first Level 3 Soul Tool more than a year ago, the unfinished Soul Tool before him was the work into which he had truly poured his heart and soul.

Using five Level 3 Core Formations in a single Level 3 Soul Tool made it even more difficult to craft than an ordinary Level 4 Soul Tool.

A sharp gleam flickered in Xu Zihuang's eyes. He calmed his mind and immersed himself completely in the task.

Clear metallic clicks rang out one after another as his slender, fair fingers, exquisite as works of art, danced deftly. A large number of tiny metal components on the table were swiftly assembled in an orderly fashion.

Several Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Corps Soldiers who had been engraving Core Arrays in the basement noticed the scene. Their attention was involuntarily drawn to him, and they silently softened their footsteps as they approached behind Xu Zihuang.

The main body of a Soul Tool was generally divided into an outer shell, an inner shell, and a core. The core was the Core Array. There was not much difference in this regard between close-combat Soul Tools and mid-to-long-range Soul Tools.

However, the outer and inner shells of close-combat Soul Tools were far more complicated than those of mid-to-long-range Soul Tools.

The outer shells of Ranged Soul Tools were generally made from the hardest, most heat-resistant metals, ensuring they would not be easily damaged during prolonged use. The inner shell was different. Its greatest characteristic was amplifying and conducting Soul Power. Thus, it needed to be made from extremely precious conductive metals, such as Crystal Silver. Only by amplifying Soul Power through the inner shell could a Soul Master minimize Soul Power consumption when using a Soul Tool.

But aside from the Core Array, close-combat Soul Tools had even stricter requirements for their outer shells. For example, in this short-blade-type close-combat Soul Tool Xu Zihuang was currently crafting, the blade served as both the outer shell and the primary component responsible for the Soul Tool's killing power.

This was also why close-combat Soul Tools were far more powerful than mid-to-long-range Soul Tools of the same level.

Of course, that did not mean close-combat Soul Tools were necessarily stronger than mid-to-long-range Soul Tools. They simply had different focuses. Close-combat Soul Tools suited traditional Battle Soul Masters with extensive combat experience, while Ranged Soul Tools were more suitable for Soul Engineers.

Xu Zihuang's expression grew increasingly solemn. Only after he embedded the final deep-purple Rare Metal, engraved with a Core Array, into the seam where the blade met the hilt did his brows finally relax.

It was a precious metal called a Thunder Crystal Gem. Even such a small piece was worth over ten thousand Gold Soul Coins. By engraving a Core Array onto it, the short blade would be imbued with the power of lightning once its user injected Soul Power into it.

Click—

Xu Zihuang gripped the hilt. The natural feeling of how perfectly it fit his palm gave him a strong premonition.

He had succeeded.

Sure enough, the instant he injected Soul Power, violent purple lightning abruptly coiled around the blade. The originally ink-black spine transformed into a crystalline deep purple.

"As expected of the Young Master," the onlookers could not help but praise.

Every one of them was a Soul Engineer of at least the fifth rank. Naturally, they could see how difficult it had been to craft the close-combat Soul Tool in Xu Zihuang's hand.

If they were to try it themselves, they could not guarantee a one-hundred-percent chance of success.

Xu Zihuang picked up the silver sheath on the table, made from Demon Shark leather, sheathed the blade, and then stored both in his Storage Ring.

"Fortunately, my previous efforts weren't wasted."

He let out a relieved breath, gave everyone a slight nod, and then left the basement with a smile.

Since its primary material was the teeth of an Evil Orca, he named the short blade Whale Tooth. The name suited it well.

In a spacious room on the top floor of the City Lord's Mansion at the center of Yueshu City's inner city.

Yaoyang, dressed in a luxurious silver-white Soul Master robe, sat at a desk beside an enormous floor-to-ceiling window, frowning as he studied the scroll before him.

"Another merchant ship from the continent has gone missing. If this really was your doing, E Luo, what could you possibly gain from it?"

The Yuenan Islands lay far from Douluo Continent. At least half the reason this place was so prosperous and flourishing lay in the merchant ships traveling between the continent and the Yuenan Islands.

Yet over the past three years, the likelihood of merchant ships meeting with accidents had risen dramatically.

Though there was no conclusive evidence, Yaoyang had still found some faint clues.

And from the standpoint of profit, E Luo had no reason to do this, because he would not gain the slightest benefit from it. It would even greatly harm his own interests.

Unless the benefits E Luo gained from it were enough to make him disregard those losses.

Yaoyang narrowed his eyes slightly as the thought instinctively surfaced in his mind.

But he quickly rejected the speculation. It simply made no sense. Rather than returning to his old trade as a pirate, it would be better to engage in legitimate commerce.

E Luo controlled two islands in the Yuenan Islands. So long as he conducted proper trade with merchant ships from the continent, there would be no risk at all, and his returns would far surpass the former option.

Knock, knock, knock—

Just then, a gentle knock sounded at the door. Zhu Yao, dressed in a cool silver gauze dress, carried a tray bearing a pot of steaming, fragrant black tea as she approached Yaoyang.

Zhu Yao personally poured Yaoyang a cup and softly suggested, "Rest for a while first."

"Mm." Yaoyang's expression eased somewhat. Feeling the warm, delicate touch on the back of his hand, he raised his head helplessly and met Zhu Yao's gaze, which carried both expectation and a trace of resentment.

Though his heart was stirred, he ultimately hardened his resolve and did not respond.

"Is it because of Zihuang? My intuition tells me so. That cousin's identity must be fake too, right?" Zhu Yao parted her red lips. Without waiting for Yaoyang's answer, she continued on her own.

"You don't need to answer me. I know you have your own difficulties."

Yaoyang withdrew his gaze with a complicated expression and sighed wistfully. "Yao'er, there are indeed some things I can't tell you. But to me, Zihuang is my own younger brother. Can you give me some time to think?"

When she heard that last sentence, Zhu Yao, who had turned away from Yaoyang, curled her lips into a faint smile. Her eyes were filled with cunning.

The meaning behind Yaoyang's words was already obvious enough—he had revealed his feelings.

This strategy of retreating in order to advance had indeed been the right one!