Dugu Bo's Research

Lou Gao's research room was a mess, filled with parts from all kinds of Soul Tools.

As the person who understood Soul Tools better than anyone else in the world, aside from serving the Judgment Hall, he was driven even more by his love for Soul Tools.

"What Soul Tools are the hall mainly researching right now?"

As the hall master, Lin Mian really was somewhat unqualified. He did not even understand the hall's basic circumstances.

If it had been anyone else, they would have long since been sidelined. Fortunately, there were no ambitious schemers in the Judgment Hall, and Lin Mian's position was irreplaceable.

"Hall Master, the Judgment Hall is your property. You actually need to ask me about something like this? You're far too unqualified as a hall master."

A smile appeared on Lou Gao's aged face as he made the joke.

He was not the least bit polite just because of the person before him's status. Their relationship was such that being overly formal would instead feel wrong.

"I'm already the hall master. Do I still need to know everything? Wouldn't that make being hall master pointless?"

Lin Mian was unashamed of it and even proud.

"The Hall Master is right. I was shallow-minded. Please forgive my offense, Hall Master." Lou Gao feigned panic and bowed to Lin Mian.

"Old bastard, quit putting on an act. We haven't met in decades, and you've learned to mock people now, have you? Watch it, or I'll loosen up those old bones of yours."

Lin Mian rolled his eyes at the old man.

"Alright, alright, enough joking. What good thing is it? Take it out."

Lou Gao stopped joking. He knew that the Hall Master could be a little violent. Whenever words failed, he liked to convince people with reason.

He would not truly do anything to him, but at his age, getting beaten up would still be rather embarrassing.

Lin Mian had no intention of keeping the old man in suspense. He took a Communication Soul Tool and some blueprints from his Soul Tool.

"This. Take it and have a look. I guarantee you'll like it."

Lou Gao accepted the items and immediately saw that it was a type of Soul Tool, and certainly not one he had developed.

His attention did not remain on the Communication Soul Tool for long. Instead, Lou Gao became utterly absorbed as he stared at the blueprints.

The things drawn on those blueprints seemed to possess a special kind of magic for him. With just one glance, he was deeply drawn in.

Lin Mian watched him without speaking or interrupting.

After a long while, Lou Gao finally pulled his attention away from the blueprints and asked Lin Mian,

"Hall Master, where did you get this?"

"I can sense that the Soul Tool technology depicted within is decades more advanced than what I currently possess."

"I also examined this Communication Soul Tool closely. The technology it contains can only be described as exquisite beyond compare."

"Every component is exceptionally intricate and fitted together perfectly. The technology here is not limited to this Communication Soul Tool either; it can also be applied to other Soul Tools."

"Do you know what this means?"

"What does it mean?" Lin Mian asked cooperatively.

"It means that the Judgment Hall's Soul Tool technology will develop at an incredible pace from now on."

"This Soul Tool itself is secondary. What matters is the technology it contains."

"Do you have any other samples? I want to take this one apart and study it carefully."

"Yes. Study them however you like."

Lin Mian took out six samples and placed them before him.

"Good, good, good!" Lou Gao's face was full of excitement, and even his gray-white beard trembled along with his aged face.

He took out his tools and carefully dismantled one of the Communication Soul Tools before him.

His gaze was incomparably serious, almost reverent, as though the object before him were a priceless treasure.

Lin Mian did not disturb him. Whenever this old man faced Soul Tools, he always forgot to eat and sleep.

If his cultivation had not reached the level of a Title Douluo, his body likely would have collapsed long ago.

Still, it was thanks to that attitude that the Judgment Hall's Soul Tool standards had advanced by leaps and bounds over the years.

Lin Mian did not intend to return to Shrek just yet. Since he had already shown himself, he had to go see some other old acquaintances.

"Old Poison, busy?"

Lin Mian strode into Dugu Bo's research room without a care.

Dugu Bo was responsible for the Judgment Hall's pharmaceutical research.

The Judgment Hall handled fighting and killing, so injuries among its members were commonplace. Medicine and poison shared common principles, and after Dugu Bo joined the Judgment Hall, he directly took charge of this field.

There were quite a few immortal herbs in the Judgment Hall now.

Of course, they did not all come from the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. More came from all across the continent.

The Judgment Hall had people collecting immortal herbs throughout the continent. Facts had proven that immortal herbs were not produced solely by the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well; as long as the environment was suitable, they could be found elsewhere as well.

For example, in freezing places like snowy mountains or scorching locations like volcanic lava fields, one might encounter Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot.

Dugu Bo seemed to be researching a kind of pill at the moment and did not turn around right away. Only after he finished refining it did he turn to look at the Hall Master.

Once he recognized the visitor, Dugu Bo's tired eyes immediately lit up, and he quickly stepped forward.

"Hall Master, you've finally decided to come out of seclusion. So, have you figured out how to become a god?" Dugu Bo went straight to the point.

"Not bad. It shouldn't be far off."

"What pill were you refining just now? It seemed rather interesting." Lin Mian did not want to discuss that topic further.

"This is a Calm Heart Pill. I refined it for the people at Main Hall Academy. The Visualization Diagram you left behind is good, Hall Master, but the killing intent within it can easily assault their spiritual seas."

"So, a few years ago, I developed this pill for them to use while meditating."

"I remember there should still be a Worry-Free Clearing Heart Grass in the hall. Shouldn't that immortal herb be enough?"

Lin Mian had not stripped the hall bare. He had left behind quite a few good things.

"Immortal herbs are useful, but there are too many people in the academy now. One immortal herb is nowhere near enough, so we could only turn to pills."

"Oh." Lin Mian inexplicably felt a little guilty. As the hall master, he did not know what was going on in the hall at all.

"Your granddaughter should be in the hall's academy too, right? How is she doing now?" Lin Mian changed the subject.

"That girl is doing well. Her Soul Power has already broken through Rank 40. Thanks to the Body Tempering Pills and the Visualization Diagram, her fourth Spirit Ring was a Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring."

"What are Body Tempering Pills?" Lin Mian suddenly felt like a country bumpkin entering the city.

"Body Tempering Pills are pills I developed based on the Body Tempering Prescription you left behind. Their effects are stronger than the prescription's, while their side effects are much weaker."

Dugu Bo's face was full of pride. Over the years, he had accomplished quite a lot.

Lin Mian suddenly felt somewhat sorry for Zhu Zhuqing. When he had left, he should have paid more attention to the changes in the hall.

That way, she would have had to suffer a little less.

"By the way, Hall Master, how long do you plan to stay out of seclusion? Do those two women know that you've come out?"

"If they still don't know, I advise you to go see them. Don't drag us into it."

Dugu Bo's face was full of fear, and even Lin Mian's expression stiffened.

With a mournful face, he said,

"It's already too late. Those two women are already here."

The two of them stiffly turned their heads together and looked toward the doorway.