At the laboratory entrance, Su Ming took out his exclusive Soul Card and lightly swiped it through the access slot.
"Beep—" A clear Soul Power chime rang out, and the heavy alloy stone door slowly swung inward.
Wu Feng, the most impatient of the group, couldn't wait for the others. As soon as the door cracked open, she rushed inside in a flurry.
The moment she stepped in, a distinctive atmosphere enveloped her: the chill of metal mingled with a faint, pleasant scent of machine oil.
Faint ripples of Soul Power seemed to linger in the air, washing over her. Wu Feng's steps halted, and she froze on the spot.
The laboratory was tucked away on the ground floor of a quiet little building deep within the academy, far from the teaching and dormitory areas. It was exceptionally peaceful.
Its interior was spacious and open. The walls were built of specially made soundproof, heat-resistant rock, their texture solid and substantial.
They perfectly shut out all the noise from outside. The moment one stepped inside, it felt as if one had been cut off from the world.
A ring of tiny Night-Glow Crystals was set around the dome. Their soft, pearly-white light fell gently, warm and easy on the eyes.
The glow illuminated the entire laboratory, making every corner clearly visible.
The floor was covered with large, matte Dark Iron tiles, solid and substantial in feel, with a finely textured, slip-resistant surface.
They were naturally capable of withstanding the impact of forging and the aftermath of a Soul Tool's explosive malfunction—sturdy and imposing.
Several broad, finely crafted wooden workbenches were arranged throughout the room, their surfaces polished smooth and even.
Precision Soul Tool measuring instruments, Soul Power compasses, small quenching furnaces, and metal-drawing machines were neatly arranged on them. Every specialized tool had its place.
A row of white jade storage boxes sat in perfect order beside the benches. Each held rare forging materials such as Dark Iron, Adamantine, and Silver-Vein Secret Steel, all exuding a faint metallic spiritual aura.
Several tiers of wooden storage shelves stood against the wall, their compartments packed with all kinds of Soul Tool Cores and precision circuit templates.
Special insulating materials and rare ores were sorted neatly, easy to distinguish at a glance. Everything radiated an air of professionalism.
A separate forging area had been set aside in one corner of the laboratory. Neat Soul Power tempering arrays were carved into the floor, with a tall, heat-resistant forging furnace standing nearby.
The furnace walls still held a trace of warmth, and the air carried the faint, lingering heat of metal freshly scorched.
Several half-finished Soul Tool components rested quietly on the massive worktable in the center. Their surfaces were covered in intricate, finely crafted, streamlined circuit patterns.
The lines were mysterious and fluid, and the layout was conceived with singular ingenuity. Every detail reflected a design philosophy that went beyond conventional Soul Tools.
The laboratory felt neither cluttered nor cramped. Its layout was clean and orderly, with clear divisions between the equipment, materials, and forging area.
It had the character of a workshop devoted to painstaking craftsmanship, yet also the feel of advanced precision technology. Understated and restrained, it nevertheless concealed countless mysteries capable of overturning the existing Soul Tool system.
Ning Tian and Nanmen Yun'er followed him inside. They, too, were stunned by the scene before them, their gazes slowly sweeping across the room.
Their eyes were full of surprise and astonishment. They had never imagined that Su Ming's supposedly tiny team of just two people would have such a high-grade laboratory.
Wu Feng was even more dumbfounded. She stood there with her mouth hanging open, her gaze darting from one thing to another as she stared at everything around her.
She had never been interested in Soul Tools, and in her daily life, she had never seen what a proper high-grade Soul Tool laboratory looked like.
She had assumed Su Ming's so-called research space was just a shabby little workshop. What she saw before her completely overturned her previous understanding, and most of her disdain vanished in an instant.
After a brief pause, Wu Feng couldn't hold back her curiosity. She looked around, her gaze roaming over the equipment and materials before abruptly settling on two objects atop the central workbench.
One was a humanoid metal suit of armor, its lines sharp and upright, its proportions handsome. Its appearance and bearing bore a striking resemblance to Su Ming in Martial Soul Possession—about seven parts in ten—and it exuded a commanding presence.
She then turned her gaze to the other construct beside it, shaped like a metal Armor Beast. It looked much like a common Beast Martial Soul, only slimmer and smaller, its design refined and bristling with mechanical edge.
Unable to contain her curiosity, Wu Feng moved closer of her own accord and inspected them carefully. Ning Tian and Nanmen Yun'er were also drawn to the two unusual creations.
They walked over slowly, their curious eyes settling on the armor and Armor Beast as they examined the intricate patterns on them.
Su Ming stood to one side, taking in the three women's astonished, curious expressions. A surge of smug satisfaction welled up inside him, and a teasing smile tugged at his lips as he deliberately turned to Wu Feng.
"Well, little redhead? Now that you've seen my laboratory and research results with your own eyes, I bet you've got a whole bellyful of questions. Surprised?"
Wu Feng had just been mocking him, calling his place a beggar's den and a shabby workshop. Now it was finally his turn to hold his head high, and he intended to savor it.
Sure, the team was a little small, but the facilities and depth of their research spoke for themselves. She couldn't just make fun of him however she pleased.
Su Ming's smug expression left Wu Feng momentarily speechless. She was clearly shaken, but she refused to admit it.
She wanted to argue, but couldn't find the right words. All she could do was swallow her pride and force out a retort:
"So what? Those two things do look a little unusual, but who knows if they're just pretty to look at or if they actually have any real capabilities. What good are they, anyway?"
Su Ming pursed his lips, a trace of amusement in his eyes as he regarded Wu Feng's stubborn expression.
"You're a classic case of all bark and no bite. You were practically gaping at them, and you still won't admit it."
He walked over to the workbench and pointed at the two unusual metal creations, his tone confident and proud. "Then let me properly introduce the two most distinctive research projects our team is focusing on. These two unfinished Soul Tools in front of you—the humanoid battle armor is called Battle Armor, and the metal beast beside it is called an Armor Beast. Both are auxiliary combat Soul Tools made specifically for actual battle."
After a brief pause, Su Ming's tone grew more solemn as he continued, "Once development is complete, and all the circuits have been engraved and adapted to Soul Power, their effects will far exceed your imagination."
"Even the lowest-grade, first-level Battle Armor, when worn by a One-Ring Soul Master, can guarantee enough combat power to stand against a Three-Ring Soul Master. It boosts both offense and defense, with a terrifying enhancement. As for the Armor Beast, as long as it works in sync with its user and their Soul Power is properly coordinated, its combat boost is nearly on par with Battle Armor."
His words sent a jolt through all three of them.
Su Ming spoke so casually, as if it were only natural. Wu Feng, Ning Tian, and Nanmen Yun'er stared at the Battle Armor and Armor Beast, their eyes blazing with astonishment and disbelief.
A One-Ring Soul Master fighting a Three-Ring Soul Master—such a leap completely defied conventional understanding of Soul Master cultivation and combat. If it could truly be done, it would be a groundbreaking achievement in the history of Soul Tools.
Ning Tian could no longer contain her excitement. She stepped forward, her breathing quickening slightly as she fixed her gaze on Su Ming, her voice brimming with eagerness.
"Senior Su, if every word you've said is true, then joining your team was the wisest decision I could've made. I haven't lost out at all. I'm just curious—how much longer will these two projects take to finish?"
Su Ming scratched the back of his head and considered for a moment, his voice tinged with helplessness. "At our current pace, we're already in the final stages.
"At a conservative estimate, we'll definitely have everything finished before the next Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament begins."
He let out a faint sigh and revealed the biggest problem they were facing.
"We're stuck on rare materials and ongoing expenses. Our research funds are badly lacking, and that's slowed our progress considerably.
"If we had a large, steady flow of funding to buy rare materials and acquire precision equipment, we could speed up our research by a great deal. Finishing ahead of schedule wouldn't be impossible."
Ning Tian looked around at the precision equipment and rare materials filling the laboratory, as well as the Battle Armor and Armor Beast with their limitless potential. The more she heard, the more interested she became, and her eyes grew brighter.
Without the slightest hesitation, she made a solemn promise.
"Senior Su, you don't need to worry about funding at all. Leave this entirely to me. With the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's resources, covering these research expenses will be nothing."
Then she voiced her wish, her tone full of anticipation.
"I have just one request. I hope you can make a custom set of Battle Armor or an Armor Beast for me before the Continental Tournament begins.
"I want to use that powerful advantage to shine at the tournament, make a name for the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect, and bring fame to our sect throughout the Soul Master World."