Planning to Acquire Life Gold, Friction in the Ming Dou Mountains

Hall of Virtue, top-secret laboratory.

Yan Jingchuan personally drew up a blueprint and handed it to Kong Deming.

"This is a Dragon Halberd?"

Kong Deming studied it carefully, while Ye Yulin set aside what he was working on and leaned over as well.

The blueprint depicted Yan Jingchuan's proposed design for his own Lifebound Soul Tool.

Ever since Yan Jingchuan had put forward those advanced theories, Jing Hongchen had cleared out five separate laboratories in the Hall of Virtue and combined them into one, dedicated specifically to testing his various theories.

Kong Deming and Ye Yulin practically lived there now. They no longer even returned to the Worship Hall, spending every day researching with tireless enthusiasm.

And they were not the only ones. Xiao Hongchen was there too.

His main duty was still forging metal. After all, during the early stages of research and experimentation, the metal wasted on trial and error was always enormous in quantity.

During his spare time, he still had to cultivate and learn how to make Soul Tools. It could practically be said that the moment he opened his eyes, he started working.

This was only the initial phase, yet Xiao Hongchen was already nearing his limit. Once they truly began mass-producing Lifebound Soul Tools and mechas in the future, the metal supplied by Xiao Hongchen alone would be far from enough.

Having realized this, Kong Deming had asked Jing Hongchen to seek out and even train blacksmiths outside. However, very few people met the requirements and were qualified to take part.

"A single-purpose offensive Soul Tool? I thought you'd be like that brat Xiao and want to build a fortress right away."

Kong Deming was full of helplessness when he mentioned that. The first thing he had undertaken was trying to create an alternative Lifebound Soul Tool for Soul Masters according to Yan Jingchuan's theories.

After nearly half a month of research and experiments, he had indeed completed his second Lifebound Soul Tool using Spirit Forged metal.

Although its overall structure was relatively simple and it had only achieved an initial fusion with his martial soul, it truly counted as a Lifebound Soul Tool. Yan Jingchuan's theory was correct and completely feasible.

As soon as Kong Deming achieved tangible results, he wanted to arrange them for his two young disciples. Even if they could not use them at their current strength, it was all about preparing early to enjoy the benefits early. Then Xiao Hongchen went and pulled something huge on him first.

He drew a fortress design, and the materials it required nearly matched those of a mecha.

At this stage, even Spirit Forged metal was scarce. When Xiao Hongchen wanted to build a fortress, Kong Deming immediately gave him a hard knock on the head.

Of course, Yan Jingchuan was behind that bad idea. He still remembered Xiao Hongchen egging Ji Juechen on to challenge him to a fight. This time, he was purely getting revenge on Xiao Hongchen.

"There are quite a few problems with your blueprint. It'll take a long time to produce. You'll be going on break soon, right? What are your plans?"

Kong Deming asked as he lowered his head and revised Yan Jingchuan's blueprint.

Kong Deming, the father of Soul Engineers, would personally handle the Soul Tool's construction. On one hand, Yan Jingchuan and the others were not high enough in Soul Engineer rank. On the other, experimental research, cultivation, and studying already kept them far too busy.

Even now, Yan Jingchuan had only barely touched the threshold of a third-rank Soul Engineer. He had the most duties and positions of them all.

Xiao Hongchen was already a fourth-rank Soul Engineer and advancing toward the fifth rank; Meng Hongchen had only emerged from seclusion today, and she had just reached the fourth rank as well.

"We're making a trip to the Star Dou Great Forest. After that, we'll return and head to Skysea City to see if we can obtain some high-grade whale gelatin."

Upon hearing Yan Jingchuan's answer, Kong Deming nodded without saying anything more.

They were going to the Star Dou Great Forest to find Meng Hongchen's fourth soul ring. The Extreme North was definitely out of the question, so the next best options were the Star Dou Great Forest and the Ice Sea.

The Ice Sea had countless sea soul beasts, and they were neither skilled at fighting in water nor familiar with the ocean. The Star Dou Great Forest was the best choice.

What Yan Jingchuan did not mention was that during this trip to the Star Dou Great Forest, he also wanted to try searching for the Golden Tortoiseshell that had swallowed Life Gold.

If he wanted his third soul ring to be a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring, Life Gold was indispensable.

Of the three known pieces of Life Gold, the largest lay beneath the Lake of Life, where it was surrounded by fierce beasts and simply impossible to obtain.

The smallest was the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife, but even if Yan Jingchuan acquired it, he had no way to remove the curse upon it.

The only remaining option worth attempting was the piece inside the Golden Tortoiseshell.

The experts accompanying them as protection on this journey were the Unbreakable Douluo Zheng Zhan and the Starlight Douluo Ye Yulin.

In secret, Yan Jingchuan used his status as the Holy Son to summon the Holy Spirit Cult's third elder, the Nether Lightning Douluo, and fourth elder, the Nether Douluo.

With four Titled Douluo accompanying them, they would not face any danger so long as they did not enter the core region.

Once this matter in the Star Dou Great Forest was settled, Yan Jingchuan also planned to visit the Holy Spirit Cult headquarters in the Evil Forest. He had delayed it again and again; if he continued putting it off, Zhongli Wu would surely take issue with him.

Two weeks later, the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy went on break, and the three people preparing to depart gathered at the entrance.

Xiao Hongchen spread his arms and let out a delighted groan:

"Ahahaha!! This genius is finally out! The air of freedom! The sky, the flowers, the sunlight! Wonderful!!"

Yan Jingchuan stood some distance away, simply watching Xiao Hongchen lose his mind.

"Meng, I think your brother has gone crazy..."

Meng Hongchen stood beside Yan Jingchuan, the corner of her mouth twitching.

"Normal. If he really can't control himself, just knock him down."

"Worthy of being his biological sister!"

Yan Jingchuan gave her a thumbs-up.

Behind them, the Unbreakable Douluo Zheng Zhan and Ye Yulin both chose to close their eyes. Out of sight, out of mind.

Just as they were about to set off, two people blocked their path.

"Ji Juechen, Jing Ziyan!"

The moment Yan Jingchuan saw them, he immediately guessed what they wanted. He did not want to waste time on the two of them; he only wanted to get away as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, they clung to Yan Jingchuan's group like stubborn plaster and refused to let them go.

Ever since learning that Yan Jingchuan had obtained his second soul ring, Ji Juechen had wanted to spar with him. However, Yan Jingchuan had been too busy with too many matters, so the opportunity never came.

Now that he had caught him at the entrance on the day break began, Ji Juechen would not give up easily.

Yan Jingchuan truly had no desire to fight Ji Juechen. He knew exactly how annoying Ji Juechen was. If he agreed this once, there would be countless more times afterward. It would be endlessly irritating.

Three ran while two chased, and Ye Yulin sighed from the air that young people were full of energy.

By the time they reached the outskirts of Bright City, Ji Juechen still refused to give up.

"Stop chasing us, stop chasing us! I surrender, all right?"

"If you won't fight me, then where are you going? Take us with you."

Ji Juechen knew Ye Yulin and Zheng Zhan, and he still had to show the two Titled Douluo some respect, so he reluctantly took a step back.

Yan Jingchuan considered it briefly. Since he could not shake them off, he might as well bring them along. They could count as two extra fighters.

Both sides took a step back and reached a compromise, unanimously deciding to travel together to the Star Dou Great Forest.

As they neared the Ming Dou Mountains along the border between the Sun Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire, they heard explosions, followed by waves of soul power fluctuations.

"What's going on?"

Jing Ziyan was somewhat puzzled.

The five of them exchanged glances, while Ye Yulin and Zheng Zhan's expressions turned rather unpleasant.

"It's probably another clash between our Soul Engineer Legion and Star Luo's White Tiger Legion."

Ye Yulin explained at the right moment.

Yet Yan Jingchuan keenly caught the word "another."

The Sun Moon Empire and the Original Douluo Three Kingdoms were locked in deep conflict. Ever since the Sun Moon Continent collided with the Douluo Continent a thousand years ago and the Sun Moon Empire was defeated, major wars had been few, but minor wars and skirmishes had never ceased.

"Should we go take a look?"

Zheng Zhan asked Ye Yulin, but Ye Yulin looked toward Yan Jingchuan instead.

"Let's take a look."

Yan Jingchuan spoke decisively.

Before their group could even get much closer, a resounding tiger's roar suddenly rang out.