It went far more smoothly than expected when Su Hui brought up the renovations with Shui Furong.
The moment she heard he wanted to renovate the small courtyard, she agreed on the spot without even asking what exactly he planned to change.
"Do it! Change whatever you like!"
"Renovate it however you want. I'll arrange the construction crew, and the academy will cover all expenses. Just give me a list of the materials you need."
Su Hui had tried to be polite, but Shui Furong waved him off at once. "You're a specially admitted student at Skywater Academy. Your needs are the academy's needs."
"Don't bring up money. That would be disrespectful to the academy."
All right... Su Hui didn't bother with formalities after that.
He stayed up all night drawing up a renovation plan and handed it to Shui Furong.
The precision of the structure and the advanced nature of the design left Shui Furong speechless for a full quarter of an hour.
At last, she managed to ask, "...What is this for?"
"Smithing."
Su Hui lied with a perfectly straight face.
There was no such thing as a blacksmith in this era.
Metalworking was still at the most basic level of a blacksmith hammering iron.
"..."
Shui Furong hadn't expected that, besides grilling, Su Hui also liked smithing.
She didn't press him for an explanation.
Geniuses always had some strange hobbies. She understood.
Once the courtyard renovations were settled,
Su Hui remembered that he also needed a large quantity of ore.
Ten thousand years later, metals with exceptional soul-conducting properties, like Sinking Silver, sold for a pretty penny even in fist-sized chunks.
But in this era, Soul Tool technology hadn't yet emerged on Douluo Continent.
These metal ores were fairly useful to ordinary people, but Soul Masters didn't think much of them.
Su Hui knew all too well that it was wise to stock up while prices were low.
He packed quickly, tucked his money pouch away, and headed for the academy gates.
As he passed the training grounds, he heard the thunderous roar of Soul Power clashing inside.
The members of Skywater Team were probably sparring.
Su Hui picked up his pace. He had no interest in stopping to watch.
He had just reached the academy gates when a cool voice sounded behind him. "Su Hui?"
He turned around.
Shui Bing'er stood three paces away.
Her icy-blue hair fell over her shoulders, and her cool eyes were fixed on him.
"Are you leaving the academy?"
"Yes. I'm going to the inner city to buy some things. I plan to pick up medicinal herbs and metal ores."
"Medicinal herbs?"
Shui Bing'er raised an eyebrow slightly. "Do you know about medicine?"
"I wouldn't say that."
Su Hui answered casually, "I just like tinkering with little things. It's fun."
Shui Bing'er fell silent for a moment.
Little things?
A genius who liked tinkering with little things in his spare time?
The first image that sprang to mind was the grill beside the campfire that day, and Su Hui's fluid movements as he sprinkled on the seasoning.
"Like making seasoning?" she asked without thinking.
Su Hui paused, then laughed and brushed it off. "Something like that. It's all just recipes."
Shui Bing'er didn't ask any more questions. She simply stepped forward to walk beside him.
"You used to set up your stall in the outer city, so you probably aren't familiar with Skywater City's inner city. I'll take you."
Su Hui was about to say there was no need to trouble her when a teasing voice rang out from the Sea of Consciousness.
"Well, well. This human girl is pretty forward."
Ice Empress's voice brimmed with amusement, as though she'd noticed something entertaining.
"She's practically throwing herself at you as your guide. Su Hui, you're one lucky fellow."
"The way she looks at you doesn't seem like she's just looking after a new classmate."
"..."
Su Hui didn't so much as raise an eyelid. He nodded to Shui Bing'er. "Then I'll trouble you."
The two walked out of the academy gates side by side and headed toward the inner city along a road paved with bluestone.
Shui Bing'er proved to be a remarkably conscientious guide.
She pointed out the buildings one by one, explaining in a cool but clear voice.
"This is the oldest auction house in Skywater City's inner city. A Soul Bone occasionally turns up there."
"That's an apothecary. It has a wide selection, but the owner is eccentric and treats customers differently depending on how they look."
"There's a natural ice spring in the courtyard behind the teahouse at the corner. It feels wonderful to soak in."
Su Hui listened, occasionally nodding or murmuring in response.
After about half an hour, Shui Bing'er led him into a somewhat quiet stone-paved alley and stopped in front of a small shop.
"We're here."
"This shop has the widest selection of metal ores in Skywater City. They also have gemstones and raw stones. The owner's been in business for over thirty years, and everything is genuine."
Su Hui glanced up at the sign: Gold Stone Studio.
He pushed open the door, and air carrying the mixed scents of dust and stone greeted him.
The shop was dimly lit, with shelves on all four walls piled high with ores of every size.
A few dusty wooden crates were stacked in the corner, looking as though nobody had touched them in ages.
The owner was a skinny man in his fifties, dozing over the counter.
At the sound of footsteps, he raised his eyelids and glanced over lazily.
"Have a look around. Gemstones are in the cabinet on the left, raw stones in the back. Prices are marked, no haggling."
Su Hui ignored him and swept his gaze over the shelves.
They were filled with exquisite gemstones and raw gemstones.
The metal ores, meanwhile, were on the least conspicuous shelf.
"Looks like metal ores are nowhere near as valuable as gemstones."
Suddenly, Su Hui stopped in his tracks.
On the bottom shelf at the very back, he spotted seven or eight dull-gray metal ores.
Their surfaces were covered in fine silver-colored veins that glimmered faintly in the dim light.
Su Hui's pupils contracted sharply.
"Sinking Silver!"
The foundational material for Thousand Refinement metals, with exceptionally good soul conductivity.
"This is excellent material for forging. How did it end up forgotten in a corner here?"
His gaze shifted to the next ore, and his heart began to beat faster.
"There's Blue Pregnancy Copper too!"
Looking higher, he spotted Tungsten Steel and Star Meteor Iron—all excellent materials for forging.
At that moment, they were piled carelessly on the shelf like junk.
Su Hui forced himself to breathe evenly and picked up a piece of Sinking Silver ore, weighing it in his hand.
The weight was right, the purity was right. It was top-grade.
"Boss."
He turned around, his face giving nothing away. "How much for these metal ores?"
The skinny old man yawned and glanced over. "Those? I bought them years ago. They've been sitting around for ages with nobody wanting them."
"If you take the whole lot, I'll charge you thirty Gold Soul Coins per piece. There are about fifty in all. How many do you want?"
Thirty Gold Soul Coins?
Su Hui nearly lost his composure.
Thirty Gold Soul Coins for a standard piece of Sinking Silver ore?
What could thirty Gold Soul Coins buy ten thousand years from now?
And there was Blue Pregnancy Copper and Star Meteor Iron here too, all selling for the same junk price!
"I'll take them all."
He put down the Sinking Silver ore, his tone as calm as if he were buying radishes and cabbages.
"Every metal ore on the shelves, including those blue and black ones. Count them all together."
The owner blinked, most of his drowsiness vanishing at once. "A-all of them?"
"All of them."
Shui Bing'er stood to one side, her brows drawing together slightly.
She looked at the metal ores, but couldn't see anything special about them.
Soul Masters fought with their Martial Souls and Soul Skills. Few people used weapons.
After all, one type of Martial Soul was the "Tool Martial Soul." Their weapon was their Martial Soul, so there was no need to have one specially made.
Only ordinary people needed weapons made of metal.
And these were nothing but rough, unrefined metal ores.
What did Su Hui want with so many metal ores? Was he going to make weapons?
What kind of weapon needed so many different metals?
She wanted to ask, but Su Hui had already taken out his money pouch.
He set a bag of Gold Soul Coins on the counter.
The owner looked at the pile of coins, his wrinkles spreading into a broad grin.
He hurried to pack up all the metal ores, his manner suddenly becoming exceedingly eager.
"Fine young master, you've got a good eye!"
"These are all excellent materials—"
Su Hui didn't listen to his stream of flattery.
He picked up the packed ores and turned to leave.
Just as his front foot was about to cross the shop's threshold,
a dignified, aged voice slowly rang out from the depths of the Sea of Consciousness.
"Child, don't be in such a hurry to leave."
It was Electrolux!
Before you continue