Shi You's Warning, Investment!

The boy had the strength of a thousand jun. The anvil seemed weightless as Fang Le lifted it with one hand.

But before Fang Le could show off by tossing the anvil around like a juggling act—

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy! Steady!! That's my good steel! Don't you dare let it hit the ground!"

Shi You was like an old father whose secret stash of money had just been stolen.

He pleaded with Fang Le to put the anvil back where it belonged.

No, more accurately, he wanted Fang Le to put the metal he'd been forging back where it belonged.

"Get out of here, you little rascal! You nearly ruined my fine steel!"

Shi You helped Fang Le set the anvil back in place without a wobble.

Then he pushed Fang Le away, steering him toward what he considered a safe spot.

Afterward, he carefully carried the steel to a secure place with his tongs. Only then did he turn back and scold Fang Le, still rattled.

"Couldn't you have just swung that hammer a couple of times? Why show off so much? What if some slave trader saw you and took you away to work as a laborer?"

Seeing Fang Le looking like a child who'd made a mistake and was now taking a scolding, Shi You snapped at him without pity.

"I was just afraid that swinging the hammer wouldn't show off my strength enough, and you wouldn't invest in me~~"

Fang Le said, picking at his fingers and looking aggrieved.

"Sigh! Don't do that again. It's only an investment. It's not like I can't afford it."

This child's talent was truly exceptional, but his disposition was far too innocent.

There were few people in this world who were jealous of geniuses, couldn't stand seeing others excel, and wanted to snuff them out.

But now he was young and weak, with no backing. He should hide his abilities and keep a low profile until he'd made something of himself.

How could he flaunt himself like that?

"Then, heh heh, how much are you planning to invest? I don't need much. Just one good sword! I promise you'll get your money's worth."

But perhaps because he'd spent too long in a harmonious society and a simple little village, Fang Le still hadn't adjusted to this cruel world.

He hadn't understood what Shi You was worried about.

He just kept grinning, thinking about his very first sword.

Shi You could only shake his head helplessly.

"You're still thinking about that sword of yours? It's just that there weren't many people around just now, and nobody noticed us.

"Plus, you moved quickly and hid in time.

"Otherwise, you could've woken up tomorrow in some noble's dungeon without even knowing which one."

As soon as Shi You said that, Fang Le looked completely baffled.

"Huh!?"

Faced with Fang Le, still so innocent and clueless, Shi You could only explain helplessly:

"What's there to be surprised about?

"A couple of years ago, I heard that a gifted little kid came to Nuoding Academy.

"But what happened? The moment he showed what he could do—

"The next day, he was sold to a noble's household and trained as a death warrior.

"The methods those noble lords use...

"Drug conditioning, physical and mental control, breeding heirs and keeping the children while disposing of the fathers—I don't even know how many little geniuses they've ruined..."

Nuoding City seemed stable these days, but geniuses—especially those from commoner backgrounds—were all assigned a price.

This boy had just been lucky enough to run into him.

If he'd met someone more calculating, someone looking to make quick money, he might've been sold and still helped the buyer count his cash.

Douluo Continent might've seemed frozen in feudalism for ten thousand years, but those methods of devouring people had only grown more vicious with each passing year.

"This... Damn! None of this was in the novel!"

Only after hearing Shi You's explanation did Fang Le break out in a cold sweat.

Right—this wasn't the novel he'd once read! This was a real world.

There was no story where the protagonist showed off his talents and all the factions came flocking to recruit him.

Outsiders could never be as close as one's own family, raised by one's own hands.

Sure, people might invest in you, but first you had to be capable of handling it.

Those protagonists in novels either had to navigate between the various factions themselves or had powerful backing.

The nobles weren't fools. (At least, some of them weren't.)

Someone like him, with no ties? They could just grab him, raise him, then keep the child and dispose of the father.

No one would fight over the inheritance, and no one would seek revenge! They'd even improve the quality of their bloodline. What could be better?

It was all about playing it safe.

"Got it now? It's only because I've got a kind heart—and no daughter—that I haven't grabbed you and kept you around to give me an heir.

"You've got natural divine strength. At your age, you can lift my six-hundred-jin anvil. Heaven itself has decided you were born to be a blacksmith."

Seeing Fang Le looking terrified in hindsight, Shi You couldn't help giving him another scare.

He might as well go all out and be kind.

He'd already started helping the boy; he might as well see it through to the end!

"Thank you for the warning, Uncle Shi. I understand! I definitely won't make such a show of myself again."

Fang Le bowed in gratitude.

At the same time, he was relieved that he'd really been lucky enough to meet a good person. Otherwise, the consequences—

The founding emperor's enterprise had not yet been half completed before he met his end...

Being forced into prostitution would've been the least of it. He'd have been lucky to get away with that.

If they'd brainwashed him, with his scrawny little body as it was now... He couldn't bear to imagine it. He really couldn't.

"Good. From what you said earlier, you seem to be a gifted kid. And now you're here to buy a weapon. Innate Full Soul Power?

"Anyway, your Soul Power should be pretty high. That's your secret, so I won't pry.

"You're going Soul Hunting to get a Soul Ring, right?"

Looking at the quick-witted child in front of him, Shi You made a casual guess.

He hadn't guessed much correctly, but he'd gotten one thing right: Fang Le really was going to hunt Soul Beasts.

Killing monsters and gaining experience—that was the new result of his exploration of his Martial Soul.

As long as he kept his Minecraft domain active, any living thing he killed within it would turn into experience and become his Soul Power cultivation.

Very much like an Evil Soul Master, but without the evil part. With his talent of Innate Half-Rank Soul Power—

If he could reach level twenty-nine before turning fifty, that would already mean he'd cultivated diligently.

Well... Everything was for the sake of surviving in this damn world!

"Yeah! I'm going to hunt Soul Beasts! I thought one sword would be enough, but after hearing what you said, Uncle Shi, I realize I still wasn't being cautious enough!"

Fang Le didn't explain further. He just murmured his agreement, indicating that everything Shi You had said was right.

Shi You listened with a pleased look. He hadn't known he had a talent for teaching people. He really was something.

"Good! You're a quick learner."

But what Fang Le said next showed him just how huge the contrast between one person's different sides could be.

"Exactly, I wasn't cautious enough! Uncle Shi, can you make arrowheads?

"Also, do you know anywhere around here that sells poison?

"Even aphrodisiacs would do, if there's nothing else.

"And what about armor? Can you make that? I don't need full-body protection, just something to cover the vital parts.

"If I don't have enough money, I can work for you a few more days and save up!

"And it'd be even better if you could get your hands on some defensive or offensive Soul Tools!"

Fang Le spoke with complete seriousness.

It was better to attack from a distance whenever possible. Add some poison, and he'd be even safer.

As for armor and defensive Soul Tools, he was just throwing those out there. He didn't dare dream of getting his hands on such things right now.

If he wasn't too badly injured, he could eat something and tough it out until he recovered.

Though he knew he was destined to become powerful, he still had to develop quietly and avoid acting recklessly.

For now, staying alive and growing stronger came first.

"You! All right, come along! I'll take you to get some good stuff!"

Shi You's expression ran through every color of the rainbow, but in the end, it settled into a look of determination. He headed toward the back room of the smithy.

He gestured for Fang Le to follow.