Mutual Learning, Mutual Progress

"An Advanced Soul Engineer's greatest advantage lies in their large-scale combat capabilities."

"Especially a Level 9 Soul Master. Their wide-area combat power surpasses that of an ordinary Super Douluo."

Xu Tianming nodded slightly. A single Level 9 Fixed Soul Guidance Cannon shell could strip even a Super Douluo of a layer of skin.

"A Seven Ring Soul Saint is a watershed. Once Spirit Masters possess a Martial Soul Avatar, their physical qualities receive an enormous boost."

"And precisely because Martial Soul Avatars exist, melee Soul Tools cannot achieve particularly ideal results."

Just as Zhang Tiezhu had said, using melee Soul Tools in a war against the original Three Douluo Kingdoms, whose Martial Souls were clearly a cut above theirs in quality, was practically suicidal.

It was simply playing to their weaknesses and avoiding their strengths.

After thinking it over carefully, Xu Tianming realized that there truly did not seem to be any Soul Engineers in the Sun Moon Empire who used Level 9 melee Soul Tools.

Even the Judgment Sword, the Eighth-Level Soul Engineer tool Ji Juechen used later on, was only suitable for him because of his own mastery of the sword.

Ji Juechen was not even a Soul Engineer!

"Your forging technique was practically made for melee Soul Tools."

The light in Zhang Tiezhu's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"I'll teach you everything I know about making Soul Tools. How about you teach me your forging technique?"

No matter what, Zhang Tiezhu was a top-tier Eighth-Level Soul Engineer.

He was also an Eighth-Level Soul Engineer with considerable expertise in melee Soul Tools and Soul Guidance Armor.

Most importantly, he was immensely passionate about forging.

With his help, Battle Armor and Mechas might both be brought into existence quickly.

"Teacher Zhang, to be honest, I'm only a First-Level Soul Engineer."

Xu Tianming spoke somewhat embarrassedly.

"With your attainments in forging, it makes sense that you have not had much time to study Soul Tools."

Zhang Tiezhu waved a hand, looking unconcerned.

"With your talent in forging and my wholehearted instruction, becoming an Advanced Soul Engineer in the future will only be a matter of time."

Xu Tianming pondered for a moment before finally making up his mind.

"Teacher Zhang, I came across this forging technique by chance. It is divided into five levels."

"They are Hundred Refinement: Purification, Thousand Refinement: Spirit Awakening, Spirit Forging: Life Bestowal, Soul Forging: Soul Fusion, and Heavenly Forging: Godhood."

Zhang Tiezhu listened intently, and the light in his eyes became increasingly brilliant.

As the descendant of a forging family, even he had not known that forging was divided into so many levels.

"Just as you said, I'll teach you the forging technique, and you'll teach me Soul Tool technology!"

"Deal!"

Zhang Tiezhu was overjoyed. He gave Xu Tianming's shoulder a heavy slap.

"You're a First-Level Soul Engineer, so I'll start by teaching you the basics."

Zhang Tiezhu somehow produced two stools from nowhere and motioned for Xu Tianming to sit.

In this strange laboratory, Xu Tianming's first Soul Engineer lesson began.

Though he did not know how other students studied, Xu Tianming always felt that there was something slightly off about the style of his own lessons.

Still, even if the setting was a little questionable, one-on-one instruction truly could maximize a person's learning efficiency.

Although Zhang Tiezhu looked like nothing more than a rough man obsessed with forging.

Whenever the topic turned to Soul Tool knowledge, however, Zhang Tiezhu seemed to become a completely different person, explaining everything with remarkable clarity.

It was obvious that his theoretical foundation was extraordinarily solid.

Especially when it came to melee Soul Tools, Zhang Tiezhu was a Grandmaster-level figure.

He explained the principles of Soul Tools and the design principles behind Core Arrays in simple, accessible terms, making Xu Tianming feel as if he had entered an entirely new world.

Relying on his mental power, which far surpassed that of ordinary people, he continuously absorbed this profound theoretical knowledge related to Soul Tools.

In turn, he taught Zhang Tiezhu part of the Tiangong Secret Forging technique he had acquired through the system.

Zhang Tiezhu had always been a Blacksmith who had put in tremendous hard work with forging, and he mastered the art of Thousand Refinement in an extremely short time.

Both of them felt as though they had met too late.

Over the following period, the two spent nearly all their time discussing the possibility of combining Soul Tools and forging techniques.

"All these years of forging, I might as well have learned it from a dog's belly."

Looking at the Thousand-Refined Iron Essence he had hammered out, Zhang Tiezhu wore an exceptionally complicated expression.

"My research into melee Soul Tools was always limited by inadequate materials."

"Now that I have this forging technique, advancing toward Level 9 Soul Master in the future may not be difficult either."

As he spoke, Zhang Tiezhu looked toward Xu Tianming beside him, gratitude nearly overflowing from his eyes.

"When all is said and done, it's thanks to you."

"You're too polite, Teacher Zhang. We're both getting what we need."

Xu Tianming's eyes also held delight.

With his outstanding mental power, he had managed, in such a short time, to engrave Core Arrays onto Level 3 Soul Tools.

In other words, he had already become a Level 3 Soul Engineer.

"It's just a pity that ordinary engraving knives cannot inscribe Core Arrays onto metal that has undergone Thousand Refinement."

"Turning forged metal into qualified Soul Tools is even more difficult than I imagined."

Xu Tianming let out a helpless sigh.

He had still oversimplified things.

The hardness and density of metal strengthened through Thousand Refinement were generally much higher, especially rare metals.

Even leaving a mark on Thousand-Refined metal with an ordinary engraving knife was difficult, let alone engraving a Core Array.

When it came to Ranking Engraving Knives, the first thing Xu Tianming thought of was the Spirit-Devouring Engraving Knife.

Unfortunately, the whereabouts of that engraving knife were currently unknown. It would not appear until the later All-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Tournament.

Thinking about it now, it was probably being kept by the Star Luo Imperial Family.

"I don't have a Ranking Engraving Knife either, but I've heard some rumors. Apparently, a Ranking Engraving Knife is being auctioned in the underground black market of Ming Capital."

At the mention of Ranking Engraving Knives, Zhang Tiezhu could not help leaning close to Xu Tianming and whispering.

"The underground black market?"

Xu Tianming raised a brow slightly.

As a super metropolis standing alongside Shrek City, Ming Capital was filled with all sorts of people, and this had given rise to countless underground factions beyond the control of official powers.

The forces able to operate in the shadows usually had official backers.

That was also why the imperial family turned a blind eye to them.

"I happen to be going to the underground black market to look for some rare metals."

Zhang Tiezhu leaned close to Xu Tianming's ear and whispered:

"So, how about it? Want to go see it for yourself?"

"Teacher Zhang, you need to buy rare metals at the black market too?"

Xu Tianming's expression turned somewhat strange. Zhang Tiezhu was an Eighth-Level Soul Engineer researcher employed by Mingde Hall!

"What are you talking about? My research has never produced much in the way of results."

"The Empire's rare metals aren't blown in on the wind. Every time, I can only get a tiny amount by filing reports."

Zhang Tiezhu snorted, shot Xu Tianming a glance, and urged:

"Are you going or not?"

"I'm going, I'm going!"

Xu Tianming nodded firmly. He also wanted to see Ming Capital's underground black market for himself.