"3, 2, 1, fire!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
On the shooting range, several dozen suits of armor forged from black iron were punched full of holes.
The smoke cleared from the Firearms' barrels. Bibi Dong picked up a suit of armor and inspected it, then smiled with satisfaction.
Though they still weren't powerful enough to completely pierce a Soul Saint's Martial Soul Avatar, an army could simply fire a second shot if the first wasn't enough.
"Someone, pass down the order: produce this new weapon, the Firearm, as quickly as possible. Also, issue a conscription decree and form a Firearm army."
The Red-Robed Cardinal received the order and immediately went to carry it out. Bibi Dong then summoned Hu Liena.
"That brat absolutely cannot be allowed to go back! Nana, I agreed to let him obtain a Soul Ring, but you must take Elder Ju and Elder Ghost with you!"
"Yes!"
Having learned from her mistake, Bibi Dong wasn't about to let the same thing happen again.
Next, Bibi Dong waved her hand. Several people with hoods over their heads and their hands and feet bound were dragged to the spot where the armor had just been set up.
"You actually thought you could infiltrate Spirit Hall and use that to find Li Tianyi's whereabouts? You must be tired of living!"
The Spirit Hall shooters quickly loaded their weapons. After a series of gunshots, the captives' lives were brought to an end.
Meanwhile, in the Heaven Dou Empire, at the Heaven Dou royal court.
Upon learning that the group sent to Spirit Hall to search for Li Tianyi had vanished without a trace, Xue Ye flew into a fit of rage and coughed uncontrollably on his throne.
No one present dared to speak. They simply waited in silence.
Only after Xue Ye's breathing had calmed somewhat did he slowly speak.
"Spirit Hall has probably hidden Li Tianyi away. Sending people there now would be pointless."
Xue Ye wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief. They had almost no chance of rescuing Ling Chen now.
Yu Xiaogang knew that Xue Ye intended to give up on Li Tianyi. They had already alerted the enemy, and Spirit Hall would only increase its defenses to prevent them from infiltrating again.
"Old Zhao, I hope you can hold on a little longer!"
Yu Xiaogang mourned Zhao Wuji for three seconds, then discussed the matter of training soldiers with Xue Ye.
Spirit Hall, dungeon.
Ling Chen had been waiting here for three months, and his Soul Power had already reached level 25.
Why had he been waiting so long? Ling Chen knew that Tang San was building the Tang Sect, and had poached Lou Gao, the president of the Blacksmith Association in Gengxin City, as well as its vice president, Tai Tan.
Spirit Hall had no outstanding blacksmiths either, so production of the Firearms was delayed again and again. Add in all the testing and other procedures, and Ling Chen had ended up waiting three months.
Footsteps soon echoed through the desolate dungeon. Ling Chen hurried to the cell door and asked about the situation.
"Well? Any news yet? My Second Soul Ring has been missing for three months!"
Hu Liena approached with a bright smile. Seeing how anxious Ling Chen was, she took her time and handed him the food first.
"Don't be so impatient. Eat first!"
Ling Chen took the food and wolfed it down in a few bites.
"I'm done. Tell me, when can I go get my Soul Ring?"
Hu Liena quickly cleared away the dishes, then unlocked the cell door.
"We're going now. But I should warn you: Elder Ju and Elder Ghost are coming with us this time. Don't even think about trying anything!"
Ling Chen narrowed his eyes. He'd been locked up here for over three months, and they still didn't trust him one bit. They were sending two Titled Douluos to keep an eye on him. They were probably afraid the Firearm blueprints would reach either of the two great empires.
Whichever empire got hold of the blueprints would pose the greatest threat to Spirit Hall.
An empire had a vast population. If every person was equipped with a Firearm, even a Titled Douluo would have to think twice.
"No problem!"
Ling Chen agreed readily. He only needed to let his clone leave. As for his real body, it could stay here and continue cultivating.
Xue Ye was about to be poisoned to death by Qian Renxue. Ling Chen ought to be able to deprive him of a set of Soul Rings.
An 88th-level Soul Douluo would provide eight Soul Rings, which would be more than enough.
When they entered the Star Dou Great Forest, into the area where Hundred-Year Soul Beasts roamed, Ling Chen felt refreshed. He greedily breathed in the fresh air.
"No time to waste. Let's get started!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo's effeminate voice gave Ling Chen goosebumps.
Ling Chen and the others wandered leisurely around the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest. Since he rarely got to come out, he was determined to spend a little time looking around.
They hadn't gone far when Ling Chen released a clone to scout ahead.
Hu Liena and the others didn't know how Ling Chen's clones worked, so they didn't pay it any mind.
Ling Chen created another sub-clone to stay hidden. His main clone still had to help him with an experiment.
When he absorbed a Soul Ring, and his clone touched a corpse, which would take priority: deprivation or absorption?
If deprivation took priority, then he could try absorbing a Thousand-Year Soul Ring as his Second Soul Ring.
If he showed any signs of bursting apart, he could have his clone intervene and forcibly interrupt the absorption.
The main problem was that two Titled Douluos were watching him, making it difficult to act. He had to find a way to distract them for a while.
For example, by provoking a beast tide.
Ling Chen's clone picked fights with every Soul Beast around the forest's outskirts, making enemies of the lot. Then, as it ran toward Ling Chen's real body, it instantly switched places with him.
Hu Liena only saw Ling Chen sway for a moment. Then the ground began to tremble.
"What's going on?"
Ling Chen feigned confusion and asked Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo.
Chrysanthemum Douluo frowned. He sensed a huge pack of Hundred-Year Soul Beasts charging toward them.
"It's a beast tide! Get out of the way!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo grabbed Ling Chen's clone and pulled it back. Hu Liena and Ghost Douluo leaped up into trees on either side and watched the ferocious herd stampede through the forest.
After Ling Chen met up with his sub-clone, he immediately began experimenting in the Thousand-Year Soul Beast territory. The herd wouldn't hold them off for long, so he had to act fast.
Ling Chen casually killed a three-thousand-year-old Solitary Bamboo and tried to absorb its Soul Ring. The result was obvious: he still couldn't absorb a Thousand-Year Soul Ring, and deprivation took priority.
That meant he could use this to find the best Soul Ring combinations for every level.
What about a two-thousand-year-old Soul Beast? No, he still risked bursting apart. What about a thousand-year-old one? Still no. The risk remained.
After a brief series of tests, Ling Chen reached one conclusion: Grandmaster's theory was sound.
Once the beast tide had died down, Chrysanthemum Douluo brought Ling Chen back to the ground. At that moment, his real body switched places with the clone again.
It was at that instant that Chrysanthemum Douluo sensed something was off, but he couldn't find a flaw.
Ghost Douluo, however, had seen it clearly. Ling Chen's figure had wavered for a moment.
"Did you just use a Soul Skill?"
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