Xuan Ziwen / A Deal

"You don't need to thank me. If you want to thank someone, thank the hall master. It was the hall master who recognized your talent and gave you this special treatment. Work hard from now on, and don't disappoint his expectations."

"Okay!"

Bai Chen nodded excitedly and watched Lin Jiayi leave the classroom with a beaming smile.

Only after Lin Jiayi had completely disappeared from view did he let out a breath of relief.

It seemed his disguise had been fairly successful.

If he acted too weak, people might suspect him of faking it. But if he revealed too much, he would be seen as a threat.

He needed to display abilities at the level of an ordinary genius. That way, Jing Hongchen would not only refrain from showing hostility toward him, but might even try to recruit him.

"But I really can't just learn from the teachers."

The Young Masters' Class was filled with children only six or seven years old, so naturally, the teachers would not teach anything too advanced. It was all beginner-level knowledge.

That knowledge had long since become useless to Bai Chen.

Therefore, he had to find someone else to teach him.

"Since that's the case..."

Bai Chen muttered to himself as a candidate appeared in his mind.

That person was Xuan Ziwen, the future Chief Researcher of the Sun-Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy and Huo Yuhao's teacher in the field of Soul Tools in the original work.

Xuan Ziwen

If Bai Chen were to rank the research talents among the Soul Engineers of the Douluo II Era, the top three would definitely be Kong Deming, Huo Yuhao, and Xuan Ziwen.

As the first Level-Ten Soul Engineer in the history of the Sun-Moon Empire, Kong Deming had not only developed mass-producible Humanoid Soul Guide Devices, but had also created the Life-bound Soul Guide Device, the Silvermoon Divine Light Barrier. As a level-ninety-five Super Douluo, he could even contend with a Limit Douluo. He truly deserved the title of Father of Soul Tools.

As the male protagonist of Douluo II Era, Huo Yuhao had crossed four ranks in just over a year, rising from a Level-Two Soul Engineer to a Level-Six Soul Engineer. When he became a Level-Six Soul Engineer, he only had three rings. After ascending to the Divine Realm, he even developed Soul Tools like the Divine Transmission Tower, which could affect even God Kings.

As for Xuan Ziwen, the last of the three, Bai Chen naturally had his reasons for placing him on equal footing with the other two.

Although this Soul Engineer's talent as a Soul Master was far inferior to theirs, he was an unquestionable scientific research genius.

Throughout the entirety of Douluo II Era, the Soul Tools he developed included, but were not limited to, the Soul Ring Storage Device, Sealed Milk Bottle, and Ice Extreme War God Armor. Every one of them was an era-defining invention. Even after joining the Tang Sect, he had forcefully developed Linked Soul Devices and shells capable of countering Linked Soul Devices within a few years, greatly narrowing the gap with the Sun-Moon Empire.

At just over thirty years old, he had become the Chief Researcher of Mingde Hall, the Sun-Moon Empire's foremost Soul Tool workshop. If his cultivation talent had not been so abysmal, he might not have been unable to become the second Level-Ten Soul Engineer.

There were still around eight years before Huo Yuhao met him in the original work. He certainly had not attained such lofty achievements yet, but he was definitely capable of teaching Bai Chen.

Rather than merely thinking about it, Bai Chen took action. After school that afternoon, he immediately went to the upper-year district. Taking advantage of his appearance, he acted cute and obtained plenty of information about Xuan Ziwen from several senior girls.

Xuan Ziwen was twenty-five this year, a research-oriented Level-Seven Soul Engineer. Two years ago, he had earned the qualifications to enter Mingde Hall with exceptionally outstanding results. Over the past two years, his status within Mingde Hall had risen rapidly, drawing much attention.

Someone like him naturally had a few admirers. However, he rejected every girl who showed interest in him, claiming that he needed to devote himself entirely to researching Soul Tools.

Over time, some people even joked that Soul Tools were his girlfriend.

How to persuade someone so obsessed with research to become his teacher would be Bai Chen's most important task next.

In the original work, Huo Yuhao had attracted Xuan Ziwen's attention with the Zhuge Divine Crossbow Cannon, a Soul Tool he had created himself. Bai Chen needed to do something similar.

"Since that's the case..."

Bai Chen smiled. He had already thought of a plan.

Soon, half a month passed.

At dusk, Xuan Ziwen walked out of the cafeteria and headed toward his dormitory.

However, midway there, his path was blocked by a child who looked exceptionally adorable.

"Senior, could you help me take a look at this Soul Tool?"

"Phew..."

Xuan Ziwen sighed somewhat irritably. Just as he was about to refuse, he saw a hand holding an open wallet extend before him. Even by rough estimation, there were more than a hundred Gold Soul Coins inside.

With a bright smile on his face, Bai Chen said,

"As long as you help me inspect this Soul Tool, these three hundred Gold Soul Coins will be yours."

"...Let me see it."

Xuan Ziwen immediately changed his mind.

Do not assume that Soul Engineers never lacked money. In fact, research-oriented Soul Engineers like Xuan Ziwen faced enormous research expenses.

Three hundred Gold Soul Coins for spending two minutes inspecting a Soul Tool was definitely a worthwhile deal.

"Sure, here."

Bai Chen had been waiting for those words. He immediately stuffed a compact Soul Tool into Xuan Ziwen's hand.

"Mm, a Level-Two Soul Ray. As for its power..."

Xuan Ziwen fiddled with the Soul Tool. At first, his expression was dismissive, but it quickly began to change.

"Wait, this power... That's impossible... With the material of this casing, it shouldn't be able to withstand it... Strange..."

His gaze turned serious, and he began muttering as though he had forgotten Bai Chen entirely.

Bai Chen watched with a smile, waiting for Xuan Ziwen's conclusion.

It was only natural that Xuan Ziwen could not understand it, because this Soul Ray had been crafted entirely from Thousand-Forged Metal.

Because the metal's strength far exceeded that of an ordinary Level-Two Soul Ray, Bai Chen had used an extremely bold design while making it. He had practically ignored the material's load limit and simply piled on power.

If the material had not been Thousand-Forged Metal, this Level-Two Soul Ray would have been nothing more than a defective product that broke after a single use.

Xuan Ziwen studied it for five minutes before raising his head again.

He exhaled deeply and asked with some difficulty,

"If I'm not mistaken, you used some special method to increase the strength of the crafting material, correct?"

"Impressive."

Bai Chen praised him sincerely.

In an era when forging techniques had yet to rise, reaching that conclusion so quickly was already enough to demonstrate Xuan Ziwen's skill.

Xuan Ziwen hurriedly asked,

"Can you teach me this special method? As long as you can..."

"Click."

Bai Chen raised a hand in a stopping gesture, cutting Xuan Ziwen off.

He lowered his voice.

"Senior, let's talk somewhere without anyone around."

There were people coming and going here. It would not be good if others overheard them.

"...Sorry, I understand."

Xuan Ziwen also realized that he had lost his composure and took the initiative to suggest,

"Then let's go to my research room. No one will disturb us there."

"Okay."

Seeing the impatient look on his face, Bai Chen relaxed.

It seemed certain now.

Led by Xuan Ziwen, Bai Chen arrived at his laboratory.

Along the way, Xuan Ziwen appeared distracted. The moment the laboratory door closed, he immediately asked Bai Chen excitedly,

"Kid, can you tell me how you achieved that special method?"

As a genius Soul Engineer, he understood the importance of materials science.

It could be said that the two most important factors determining a Soul Tool's strength were the Soul Engineer's skill and the strength of the materials.

If the materials were too weak, even the greatest Soul Engineer would find it difficult to use them to create powerful Soul Tools.

Likewise, if the materials were strong enough, the Soul Tools created from them would most likely not be weak either.

If he could master this technique, his path of research would become far broader.

Facing the excited Xuan Ziwen, Bai Chen did not immediately give him the answer he wanted. Instead, he tilted his head slightly.

"Senior, can you promise that you absolutely won't tell anyone else about this?"

A Deal

"Uh... Sorry, I was being presumptuous."

Xuan Ziwen came back to his senses and coughed awkwardly twice.

Come to think of it, the other party definitely would not hand over a technique of this level so easily.

He raised his hand and swore,

"I swear upon my own Martial Soul that if I reveal any secret related to this technique to anyone else without your permission, I will never again be allowed to research Soul Tools for the rest of my life."

"Thank you for your cooperation."

Bai Chen was relieved.

In the Douluo world, oaths were extremely important. In particular, a poisonous oath sworn upon one's Martial Soul was something no Soul Master would violate.

Xuan Ziwen daring to make such a poisonous oath was enough to prove his attitude.

This was also another reason Bai Chen had chosen Xuan Ziwen.

Xuan Ziwen's talent for Soul Tools was indeed terrifyingly high, but he had not yet fully matured. The Sun-Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy surely had people more suited than him to be a teacher at present.

Bai Chen chose him because he possessed a particular quality: he was exceptionally pure and did not harbor malicious intentions.

In the original work, even though he was Huo Yuhao's teacher and was extremely curious about the structure of the Zhuge Divine Crossbow, he had not tried to use his status to pressure Huo Yuhao. Instead, he spoke to him politely and attempted to exchange his proudest research for it. This showed that he was not someone who liked to use power to bully others.

Later, Huo Yuhao moved him, and he prepared to leave the Sun-Moon Empire. Yet before leaving the Sun-Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, he left behind the most important Sealed Milk Bottle technology for the Sun-Moon Empire, bringing a transformation to the empire's technology.

At that time, he could already be considered a member of the Tang Sect. No one would have blamed him even if he had not left behind the Sealed Milk Bottle technology, but he still did so. That was enough to reveal his character.

This combination of virtue and talent was the most important reason Bai Chen had chosen him.

Bai Chen took out a piece of metal and asked Xuan Ziwen for confirmation.

"Senior, are you sure no one will come to your laboratory?"

"No." Xuan Ziwen immediately said with certainty, "There is a junior girl who occasionally comes here to visit, but she's busy sparring with someone today, so she definitely won't come."

"Good."

Bai Chen placed the metal on the worktable and said calmly,

"Explaining it verbally is too troublesome. I'll just demonstrate it for you directly."

With that, he swung his black-gold forging hammer and began forging with blazing intensity.

In less than ten minutes, a piece of Second-Grade Thousand Forging metal was freshly produced.

As his forging skill improved, Bai Chen now had a chance of forging First-Grade Thousand Forging metal. His success rate for Second-Grade Thousand Forging metal had also surpassed fifty percent. Even among Level-Four Blacksmiths, that counted as exceptionally outstanding.

Bai Chen handed the piece of Second-Grade Thousand Forging metal to Xuan Ziwen and smiled.

"Here. This is the finished product of my technique."

"..."

Yet Xuan Ziwen, who had always valued Soul Tools above everything else, did not immediately accept the metal. Instead, he looked at Bai Chen as though he were a monster.

"Are you really a One-Ring Soul Master?"

It had to be said that Bai Chen's wild strength had genuinely frightened him.

Although Xuan Ziwen now possessed Seven Rings, he had forcibly raised them by spending money without regard for the cost and swallowing pills. They did not represent his true level.

Moreover, he had devoted nearly all his time to Soul Tool research. His actual combat ability as a Soul Master was extremely poor. Without Soul Tools equipped, even a stronger Soul King could easily defeat him.

Bai Chen smiled and reminded him,

"Senior, my own special qualities are also one of the core factors behind this technique."

"I know. I won't reveal your information, so don't worry."

Xuan Ziwen rolled his eyes irritably, but his hands did not hesitate in the slightest. He snatched the metal from Bai Chen's hand and began examining it carefully.