In the modern age, with Soul Tools, mechas, and Battle Armor developing rapidly, the Blacksmith Association was no longer obscure as it had once been. It had transformed into a major power.
Though it lacked the deep foundations of Shrek, the Spirit Pagoda, and the Douluo Federation, the official organization, it could still be called wealthy.
As for Zhen Hua, a mere Federation Coin was already no different from dirt to him.
If someone wanted him to forge a four-word Battle Armor set, money alone wouldn't be enough.
In fact, even offering money wouldn't get most people an appointment to meet Zhen Hua.
Faced with Tang Heng's offer, Zhen Hua didn't hesitate for a moment. He immediately raised a hand and ordered a hundred Enchanting Tables.
After Tang Heng had just walked him through the process, he'd gained a rough grasp of Enchanting and understood that the resulting attributes were random and uncontrollable.
If he wanted to give a certain metal or component a specific attribute, he'd have to rely on an Enchanted Book.
Enchanting also consumed Soul Power, and quite a lot of it. The higher the attribute level, the more Soul Power the Enchantment would use.
"How's this? I think Protection IV is pretty great."
Tang Heng stood beside him, gently running a hand over Zhen Hua's four-word Battle Armor as he murmured:
"How's this? I think Protection IV is pretty great."
Looking at the Battle Armor, its surface shimmering with a purple glow, Tang Heng sighed inwardly.
This thing was seriously cool. When he was strong enough, he'd have to make himself a set even more stylish and eye-catching than this one.
First, he'd get himself a god-tier mecha made entirely from Heavenly Forged Metal, then wear a four-word Battle Armor set with high-level Enchantments. And his body would be on the Dragon God's level.
That way, fighting him would be like clearing a dungeon: break through one layer of armor, and he'd still have a second and third form.
Then add the boost from a powerful potion. Was he getting a little too sinister?
Zhen Hua nodded, excitement filling his dark eyes.
As a four-word Battle Armor forged from Heavenly Forged Metal, it had long since become one with his life. He could feel it cheering and dancing with joy.
This so-called Protection IV Enchantment had actually raised his armor's defense to a whole new level.
To achieve that so easily without changing the material or forging method would have seemed utterly impossible to Zhen Hua not long ago.
But now, the Battle Armor's spirit and everything before his eyes were telling him that this was real.
"Wonderful. I've never felt anything so marvelous." Zhen Hua spread his arms as if basking in the sunlight, his expression blissful and content.
"My Battle Armor is cheering. I can feel the rhythm of its life."
These Enchanting Tables had to be promoted with all their might! The Blacksmith Association had to monopolize them!
"President Zhen Hua, the hundred Enchanting Tables you ordered should be ready for delivery by this Saturday." Tang Heng rubbed his hands together and said awkwardly:
"Could you take care of the payment...?"
Zhen Hua waved his hand grandly and tossed a gold-embossed card onto the table.
"All the money on this card is yours. And with this Supreme Card, you'll have unlimited credit at every major auction house in the Douluo Federation."
"As long as you guarantee that this Enchanting process won't fall into anyone else's hands, I, Zhen Hua, will cover your expenses from now on!"
Tang Heng swallowed, hesitated briefly, then accepted the membership card.
A benefactor this generous was rare. As for Zhen Hua's plans to establish a monopoly on Enchanting within the Blacksmith Association, what did that have to do with him?
He was just providing the tools. Money changed hands, then the goods. Simple as that.
"When I get back this weekend, I'll take Na'er and Mom and Dad to the best restaurant in East Sea and treat them to a proper feast~"
After privately working out how to spend the money, Tang Heng took out his Silk Touch Diamond Pickaxe, dismantled the Enchanting Tables and bookshelves, and handed them to Zhen Hua.
After a few pleasantries, they agreed to meet at the Blacksmith Association in Eastsea City over the weekend to deliver the rest of the Enchanting Tables and bookshelves. Then Zhen Hua hurried off.
He had to return to Heaven Dou City as quickly as possible, gather all the association branch presidents for a meeting, and discuss how to gradually introduce Enchanting to the blacksmithing world.
He had a feeling that this seemingly insignificant deal might become the beginning of a transformation for the Blacksmith Association.
Once Zhen Hua had left, Tang Heng had no reason to stay either. He went straight back to the Minecraft Plane to craft Enchanting Tables and bookshelves.
The little stockpile he had at home probably wouldn't be enough. After getting a taste of the benefits, Zhen Hua would likely come asking him for another batch.
A week passed in the blink of an eye.
It was Saturday. The boarding students could go home for two days of rest, then return to school on Monday morning.
Tang Heng had Tang Wulin take home the Chicken Cartilage he'd made and deliver it to Na'er. He planned to take a taxi to the Blacksmith Association to deliver the order.
Since his redstone engineering wasn't advanced enough, Tang Heng had spent ages tinkering without managing to set up a sugar cane farm. In the end, he took the payment Zhen Hua had given him to the market, bought a pile of sugar cane, then brought it back to the Minecraft Plane to make paper.
When he walked out of school, he couldn't see a single taxi nearby.
Flying over in broad daylight would draw too much attention. Tang Heng decided to manipulate the space element directly and teleport instead.
He found an empty alley and switched to the Silver Dragon King Martial Soul. His short black hair turned into long silver hair that fell to his waist, and his figure grew taller.
"Hmm, I remember the Blacksmith Association's coordinates being in the southeast..."
Tang Heng spread out his spiritual power and sensed the general direction. Silver light flickered around him, and he vanished from the alley.
When he opened his eyes again, the sight before him left him rooted to the spot.
A dilapidated old house. A thick layer of dust coated the floor, and a dim ceiling lamp rattled overhead.
Nearby, several people in purple-black robes and hoods, their faces obscured, huddled together as if discussing something.
"Is this even Eastsea City? Where the hell have I ended up?"
Tang Heng scratched his head and muttered in confusion.
"A girl? How did she get in here?"
"I-I don't know. I constructed this space. Nobody should know where the entrance is."
A thin man in black shrugged, his tone full of contempt. "Look at you, trembling like mice. With that little courage, you think you'll amount to anything in the Holy Cult?"
Suddenly, the thin man darted in front of Tang Heng like a ghost and stretched out his withered hands from beneath his robe.
"Child, I don't know how you got in here, but people who see things they shouldn't will be punished—severely~"
The instant that hand touched him, Tang Heng reflexively threw a punch. The thin man in black was sent flying, his chest caved in and blood spraying everywhere.
Only after coming to his senses did Tang Heng realize he might have hit a little too hard. He said awkwardly:
"Sorry, I'm a bit of a germaphobe. I don't like people touching me without asking."
"Who are you?!"
The black-robed man at the head of the group shouted sharply. Seven Soul Rings appeared beneath his feet: yellow, purple, purple, purple, black, black, black. The pressure of a Soul Saint surged toward Tang Heng like a rising tide.
More than the man's cultivation, it was his Martial Soul that drew Tang Heng's attention.
A skeletal figure with no flesh clinging to its bones, a sickle in hand, floated behind the man. A stench of rotting corpses and an aura of evil emanated from him.
So they were Evil Soul Masters.
Then why the hell had he apologized just now? He should've beaten them all to death.
His strength had grown by leaps and bounds lately. These Evil Soul Masters would make just the right targets for testing his combat prowess.
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