Ah Yin was clearly overthinking things.
Although Chu Xiu had teased her plenty, especially since they had returned from their last mining trip together, he had been flirting with her at every opportunity.
Thanks to his efforts over this period, Ah Yin's bond with Chu Xiu had risen from a little over ten points to its current 31.
It was still very low, but at least Chu Xiu could see hope.
Today, however, Chu Xiu wasn't trying to get everyone drunk on fruit wine so he could find an opportunity to give her Q-coins.
He wanted to return to the Douluo Continent early to test his second spirit ring and Ice Phoenix martial soul.
"Rongrong, have some more. There isn't much wine left. If you don't drink now, there won't be any left."
"Bing'er, you have some more too. There are no outsiders here, so don't be shy."
"Sister Xue, thanks for all your hard work lately. This one's for you."
"Ah Yin, pour your own. We're celebrating today, so everyone has to drink their fill."
Chu Xiu transformed into a Lu Province banquet host, raising his cup carved out of stone and offering the four ladies toast after toast.
After so many days of hard work, they really did need a celebration.
Everyone accepted every toast, and their modest supply of fruit wine was soon drained dry.
The effects were obvious, of course.
Apart from Qian Renxue, who could hold her liquor best, and Chu Xiu, who deliberately kept toasting others while drinking very little himself, Ning Rongrong, Shui Bing'er, and Ah Yin had all drunk too much.
"Sister Xue, can you still drink? If you can, I'll go bring some more back from the wild apple grove right now."
Chu Xiu looked at Qian Renxue, who was showing signs of tipsiness.
Fruit wine easily went bad if stored improperly, so Chu Xiu and the others only brought back a little each time. There was still plenty in the wild apple grove.
Qian Renxue glanced at the three women beside her, who were already drunk, then looked at him with a half-smile. "Three aren't enough for you to fool around with? You want to get me drunk too?"
"Ahem, Sister Xue, what are you talking about? I don't understand."
Chu Xiu gave an awkward smile.
Qian Renxue said casually, "We've lived together for so long that we know each other pretty well. Other than being lecherous, you don't have any real faults."
"How you fool around with them is none of my business, but leave me out of it."
"Sister Xue, you really have misunderstood."
Chu Xiu said helplessly, "I may be lecherous, but I would never force anyone. Even if I really wanted to do something, I would definitely get your consent."
Qian Renxue nodded. "That much I believe. But I still need to remind you, just so you don't misread my intentions."
Chu Xiu knew Qian Renxue had misunderstood him.
Still, he didn't explain any further.
Explaining more would only make him look hypocritical.
Since Qian Renxue didn't mind anyway, he might as well let her think he was taking on three tonight.
"I'm a little drunk. I'm going to rest."
Qian Renxue slowly stood up and, supporting herself against the wall, swayed with every step as she returned to her room.
Chu Xiu had originally intended to take Shui Bing'er and Ah Yin back to their respective rooms, but Qian Renxue's warning instead sparked a mischievous idea.
"If I put all three of them in my room, I wonder how they'll react when they wake up tomorrow."
Chu Xiu chuckled.
He certainly wouldn't touch Shui Bing'er or Ah Yin tonight. Even if he were going to, it would definitely be while they were sober.
But having a little fun teasing them was fine.
First, he carried Ah Yin, who had the best figure and was also the heaviest, back to his room. Then he tucked Ning Rongrong and Shui Bing'er under one arm each and dumped them onto the bed too.
Only after seeing that they were sound asleep did he silently command himself to return.
The Douluo Continent.
Behind a wall in a secluded spot in Heaven Dou City where no one passed by, Chu Xiu's figure gradually appeared.
"I'll test my martial soul once I'm out of the city. First, I'll go say hello to Master Tai Cai."
Chu Xiu had already completed his apprenticeship. He could now smelt iron on his own and even forge ironware.
Thus, his visit to the smithy today was also to bid farewell to Tai Cai and the others.
The moment he entered, Tai Cai approached him with a broad smile.
"My fine disciple, why are you here so early today?"
Chu Xiu smiled faintly. "I went to bed early last night and woke up early today, so I came over sooner."
Usually, he had to tend to Ning Rongrong until she fell asleep first. By the time he reached the Blacksmith Shop, it was already afternoon on the Douluo Continent.
This was the first time he had arrived so early.
"Master, I'm planning to leave for a while."
Chu Xiu had learned everything he needed to learn. He couldn't keep working day and night forever.
Tai Cai froze. "So soon?"
"That's true. Your forging skills are good enough to complete your apprenticeship now. It's only natural that you'd want to go out and make a living on your own."
"Ahem."
Chu Xiu said, speechless, "Master, I only learned forging out of interest. I'm not planning to set up my own shop. When I need to forge soul tools in the future, I'll still have to come back and ask for your guidance."
"Soul tools?"
Tai Cai froze again, then asked in confusion, "Forging soul tools isn't something an ordinary smith can do. You also need exceptional attainments in martial soul cultivation."
"With your trash martial soul, you can forget about it."
Chu Xiu chuckled. "Master, I actually lied to you. I don't have a trash martial soul."
Chu Xiu had kept things hidden before because he feared someone would discover his identity while he was learning to forge.
But now that he had completed his apprenticeship and no longer needed to visit the smithy every day, he naturally no longer feared exposing his identity.
After all, he could enter the Deserted Island world at any time. Even if every Titled Douluo on the Douluo Continent came to surround him, he wouldn't have to worry about being trapped.
Besides, he clearly possessed a top-tier mutated martial soul. If no one knew about it...
Wouldn't that be like wearing splendid brocade through the night? Not being able to show off would be far too boring.
"Haha, I knew you didn't have a trash martial soul! How could someone with a trash martial soul have your incredible strength?"
Tai Cai laughed. "Come on, tell your master what kind of strength-type martial soul you have!"
"Master, I really don't have a strength-type martial soul. See for yourself if you don't believe me."
Looking helpless, Chu Xiu released his Ice Phoenix martial soul.
As an enormous blue Ice Phoenix rose behind him, four dazzling spirit rings-yellow, yellow, purple, purple-rose beneath his feet.
The light of the spirit rings shone into the smithy, drawing the attention of the busy smiths and apprentices, who all looked outside.
When they saw that Chu Xiu's martial soul was an Ice Phoenix and that he had four spirit rings, everyone was stunned.
"Holy shit, isn't that Chu Xiu? His martial soul is actually a mutated Ice Phoenix?"
"I remember a girl in the last All-Continent Soul Master Tournament had an Ice Phoenix martial soul. How does Chu Xiu have one too? Aren't mutated martial souls supposed to be unique?"
"Who knows? Maybe they're brother and sister."
"Did none of you notice? Chu Xiu is a Soul Ancestor above rank forty!"
"He's only just turned eighteen, right? He's already a Soul Ancestor, and he even has a top-tier mutated martial soul. There can't be many geniuses like that on the entire continent!"
Exclamations rose one after another throughout the smithy.
Tai Cai was dumbfounded too.
He had never imagined that the young disciple who had been learning forging from him all this time was actually a Soul Ancestor with a top-tier mutated martial soul.
Why would a genius like that come to him to learn forging?
If Chu Xiu revealed his identity, even the chief of their Strength Clan would undoubtedly scramble to teach him.
What virtue or ability did he possess that he had dared to become such a genius's master?
Before you continue