Na'er still left, and she did so under the watchful eyes of Lan Kai and Juggler.
With Na'er's abilities, there was no way she could disappear without a trace right under Juggler and Lan Kai's noses.
If Na'er dared try, the next moment Juggler and Lan Kai would appear behind her without a trace and give her a terrible fright.
Rather than put her heart through another such terrifying ordeal, she might as well leave on good terms. That way, if they had a chance to meet again, things wouldn't be too awkward.
"Lan Kai, looks like your appearance and mine haven't caused history to change all that much."
"Mr. Juggler, how come you've been corrupted by Heaven's Will too? You don't want to mess with that stuff! What if you turn into an even more nonsensical guy than Asuka Shin? Then what?"
At the mention of the New Three Kingdoms meme, Lan Kai was so frightened he nearly killed himself—no, nearly stabbed his ears deaf to earn the Emperor's Mark—and hurriedly tried to dissuade him.
"I was just lamenting that she still wants to follow that path... But I wonder if she'll still be clever enough to split her feelings among different people."
"Even after living all these years, I've never seen anyone act like that."
Perhaps still marveling at the original Gu Yue's world-shattering wisdom, Juggler remained hung up on her actions. He was nearly as obsessed with them as Asuka Shin had once been with his theory on "the Warrior of Light's way of fighting."
"I can't say I'm looking forward to it. I just want to know which Alien Babarue took the Dark Ring."
Lan Kai sighed. Juggler still didn't understand the fundamental rules of this world well enough.
One of the fundamental codes of the Douluo Continent was being love-struck. In Douluo III, the ultimate reason behind those baffling acts of suicide was always dying for love.
Take one of Shrek's Two Dogs and Donkeys, Light and Dark Douluo Long Yeyue. She died for Vast Sea Douluo Chen Xinjie.
Then there were Tang Wulin and Gu Yuena at the finale. They, too, killed themselves for love, though the purity wasn't quite there. The icy chill of being pierced through the heart just couldn't compare to killing yourself.
If Juggler understood that, he wouldn't be lamenting so many things.
"How do you know it was an Alien Babarue and not some other alien or space monster?"
"Uh... You can ask Mr. Ohtori Gen. I'm sure his opinion of Alien Babarues should answer your question."
"He once gave Alien Babarues a scathing review, claiming they were all sons of bitches."
Seeing how serious Juggler was, Lan Kai froze for a moment, then hurriedly explained.
"Fine. If it really was an Alien Babarue, this could get troublesome. But you're still not strong enough. Keep training when we get back."
"You couldn't even hold out for three minutes in your normal form. You'll need even more practice!"
"Osu!"
Lan Kai answered with great spirit, then Juggler grabbed him hard by the butt. His face instantly twisted into a grotesque grimace.
Even Natsukawa Haruki couldn't withstand the Butt Grabber attack. How could Lan Kai, who was still just a kid, possibly take it?
Eastsea City, Blacksmith's Association.
Mu Chen had specifically brought his daughter, Mu Xi, along to watch Lan Kai's blacksmith rank assessment.
Though Lan Kai's Soul Power was only at rank twenty-eight, twelve ranks short of the minimum requirement for Spirit Refinement, Mu Chen had a strong feeling today that Lan Kai could achieve Spirit Refinement even without transforming into that strange form.
Could even the legendary Ultimate Light compare to such pure power of light?
At first, Mu Xi hadn't thought much of it. She figured Lan Kai was just some spoiled young master whom an important figure from the Spirit Pagoda had pulled strings to get her father to train.
The Spirit Envoy was undeniably handsome—far more so than Teacher Wu Zhangkong at Eastsea Academy—and his dark smile, with its hint of wicked charm, appealed even more to Mu Xi's girlish heart.
But Lan Kai didn't look like a blacksmith. Though he was sturdy enough, he wasn't particularly muscular.
However, when she saw Lan Kai casually swinging two hundred-jin forging hammers as he worked on that piece of Deep Silver, Mu Xi froze as if someone had struck her acupoints. She gaped at him without moving, as though she were looking at a monster.
He'd reached Hundred Refinement just like that?
He'd reached Thousand Refinement just like that?
He was already attempting Spirit Refinement?
Wait, his Soul Power was only a little higher than hers. He was still quite a ways from being able to attempt Spirit Refinement. How was he already trying?
Something was wrong!
"Dad, hurry and stop him! His Soul Power isn't enough to support him through Spirit Refinement. Someone could die!"
Mu Xi couldn't spare a thought for anything else. She hurriedly tugged on Mu Chen's arm and pleaded with him.
But Mu Chen remained unmoved, as steadfast as a pillar holding up the heavens.
"Don't worry. He has a special kind of energy that can keep him safe while he attempts Spirit Refinement."
"Besides, if Lan Kai really can't hold on, Lord Juggler will step in."
Mu Chen answered calmly and pulled Mu Xi behind him.
He used to think the same way Mu Xi did, but after watching Lan Kai forge again and again, he'd gotten used to it.
With a freakishly talented nonhuman like this, all Mu Chen had to do was teach him how to forge. Lan Kai would handle the rest himself.
Besides, once, when Lan Kai had pushed himself too hard to attempt Thousand Refinement Grade One, Juggler had dragged him aside and forcibly interrupted the process the moment his body began to falter.
The speed of it had left Mu Chen unable to react.
So Mu Chen wasn't worried about Lan Kai's safety in the slightest. Instead, he watched Lan Kai attempt Spirit Refinement with great confidence.
But this time, Lan Kai showed Mu Chen a brand-new trick.
From the moment he began forging, he'd already started using the Light of Orb in the process. With his very first hammer strike, he used it to imbue the Deep Silver with a spirit.
For the very best blacksmiths, this had become instinct. That was why they could finish Thousand Refinement or even Spirit Refinement in just a few strikes.
By a lucky accident, Lan Kai had figured it out on his own and reached that realm years ahead of schedule.
So when he attempted Spirit Refinement, he didn't run into the problem other blacksmiths faced: having to pour in a vast amount of Soul Power to imbue the metal with a spirit.
The light the Deep Silver had emitted upon reaching Thousand Refinement Grade One had grown increasingly dim, but the radiance coiling around its surface had grown stronger and stronger.
At last, Lan Kai adjusted his stance and brought both hammers down at once. A silver-white beam of light shot into the sky. Within it, a Giant of Light seemed to be taking flight, radiating an immensely powerful pressure.
Though it lasted only an instant, Mu Chen was already sweating with fright. Mu Xi's legs had nearly given out.
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