The ring forged from mithril was silver-white throughout, engraved with a blue circular Runes, in which several gold coins flowed.
It was none other than the Future Rune: Future Market!
After putting it on, Lou Xu excitedly fed a wisp of primal fire into it...
Brilliant blue light enveloped him, and his powerful soul power climbed steadily under the guidance of a mysterious law.
Crack!
A faint sound came from within his body, and the bottleneck in his soul power shattered with a crash.
Soul power level: twenty-six!
It really worked!
Feeling his soul power level break through once again, Lou Xu was ecstatic.
Only two months had passed since he awakened his Martial Soul, and his actual cultivation time totaled less than a week!
His current cultivation was entirely thanks to his Soul Ring's hard work and Brother Sky Dream's talent.
With this ring, he could keep drawing on his future soul power levels in advance. He would never have to cultivate again!
His face flushed, and Lou Xu injected another wisp of primal fire.
Blue light flashed...
But nothing happened.
Huh?
Again!
...Still nothing.
He tried two or three more times, without any response.
No way!
Suddenly realizing something, Lou Xu hurriedly sat cross-legged and began to meditate.
He drew Heaven and Earth Essence into his body and cultivated for a good while using the Advanced Meditation Method the old man had given him, yet his soul power did not increase in the slightest.
"Heh..."
Lou Xu opened his eyes with a bitter smile and stared blankly at the night sky.
He understood now. Until he repaid the soul power he had borrowed, the Future Market would not extend him any more credit.
His plan had gone bankrupt.
And now he was saddled with debt.
Watching the gold coin patterns flowing across the Runes ring, Lou Xu sighed helplessly and settled cross-legged again.
So it's a loan shark. Fine, I'll pay it back. Right now.
The joys and sorrows of humans and Soul Beasts were not shared.
"Little Xu, I broke through!"
Early that morning, Xiao Wu ran over excitedly, her face beaming and her cheeks rosy.
After spending their days together during this time, her human transformation had grown increasingly complete. Unless she released her Martial Soul, her ears and tail no longer appeared.
She had also grown much closer to Lou Xu. Her naturally lively, restless personality gradually emerged, and she always called him Little Xu with a smile.
Her spoiled, headstrong temper had mellowed considerably, however. Perhaps reading so many books had given her a measure of composure.
She was still frightened when she saw Xiong Jun, but it was much better than back in the Star Dou Great Forest.
Most importantly, with Lou Xu pushing her, her soul power had progressed rapidly. She had already condensed her first Soul Ring and reached level twelve.
"Mm."
With his eyes closed, Lou Xu squeezed a sound from his throat.
Seeing his lukewarm response, Xiao Wu pouted and stamped her feet in anger, her heels clacking against the floor tiles.
Noticing Xiong Jun dozing with narrowed eyes, she rolled her eyes and hit upon an idea.
"Little Xu, help me test how powerful my Soul Skill is, won't you?"
Her voice was soft and sweet. Her two fair, lotus-root arms wrapped around Lou Xu's arm and gently shook it, but he still gave no response.
"Lou Xu! Spar with me!"
"Not in the mood. Go to the Soul Fighting Arena yourself."
Lou Xu turned irritably, putting his back to Xiao Wu as he continued meditating.
Deliberately drawing out her words, Xiao Wu gave a petulant huff.
"And you call yourself an innate level twenty! If you're afraid you can't beat me, you'll have to call me Sister Xiao Wu from now on!"
After condensing her first Soul Ring, Xiao Wu had unlocked the origin power within her for the first time. Her spiritual power and physical strength had soared, and she felt she could now easily hold her own against a Battle Soul Master of the same level.
"Little rabbit, are you really itching for a beating?"
Lou Xu shot her a sidelong glance and slowly rose, deciding to teach the little rabbit a lesson before her smugness went to her head.
The Star-Iron Furnace Anvil quietly hovered behind him. Primal fire blazed, and the surrounding temperature abruptly soared.
"Don't bully me just because your soul power's higher! You have to suppress it!"
"Sure. I can even do without soul power. But if you lose, you'll be a well-behaved pet rabbit from now on."
"Then if you lose, you have to listen to Sister Xiao Wu too! From now on, you'll follow my lead!"
Xiao Wu refused to back down.
Lou Xu waved to show he understood. Watching her swiftly back away with a fighting spirit written all over her face and take her stance, he shouted.
"Begin!"
Xiao Wu eagerly watched him. Seeing that he did not move and seemed riddled with openings, she immediately sprang into motion, darting around to charge from the side.
"First Soul Skill, Waist Bow!"
She planted both hands on the ground and vaulted into the air. Gravity pulled her short, fitted top halfway down, exposing her smooth, flat belly, while her feet mercilessly aimed straight for Lou Xu's neck.
Lou Xu's expression did not change. He could easily have thrown the hammer in his left hand at the wide-open Xiao Wu and knocked her down in one blow, but after a moment's thought, he merely shifted slightly sideways, letting her toes brush past his hair.
Xiao Wu's physical strength was impressive, but his was even greater!
After all the enhancements he had received, watching Xiao Wu attack was like watching a dance in slow motion.
It was almost as though she were acting coy.
As they passed each other, Lou Xu swung his hammer with the momentum. It tore through the air and smashed toward Xiao Wu's waist.
Her hair stood on end!
At the last possible instant, Xiao Wu desperately twisted her waist in midair, barely evading the perilous blow. Gritting her teeth, she used her remaining momentum to sweep her right leg fiercely at Lou Xu.
Seeing that she was about to hit Lou Xu, Xiao Wu could not help curling her lips into a smug smile.
The next instant.
"Bam!"
Xiao Wu's smile vanished, and she was smashed to the ground.
Her right leg had been inches from his ribs when Lou Xu swung the anvil in his right hand, following up the hammer strike with a vicious blow to the back of her head.
Xiao Wu's rabbit ears trembled wildly. Her eyes rolled back, and she clutched her head with tears welling up.
"You... you ambushed me! This one doesn't count!"
"Even without Soul Skills or an external soul bone, my defense, speed, and strength far surpass yours. Do you understand the beauty of raw stats?"
Seeing her trying to wriggle out of the wager, Lou Xu withdrew his Martial Soul and reached out with an unfriendly expression. He pinched her rabbit ears and gave a hard tug, hauling her entire body up.
Xiao Wu hung in the air, her whole weight suspended from her ears. She stood on tiptoe, easing the tearing sensation at their roots a little.
Two tears spilled from the corners of her eyes at the pain. She clenched her pearly teeth and stared indignantly at Lou Xu.
"Do you yield?"
"No... gentler! I yield! I yield!"
"I was wrong, Little Xu. Let me go, please."
Lou Xu said nothing, only tightening his grip until Xiao Wu begged for mercy from the pain. Only then did he ease his hand and pinch her chin, looking her over.
"If you know you were wrong, honor the wager! What does a pet rabbit say?"
Xiao Wu hung in midair, her ears burning beneath his grip.
Her eyes were red, and her cheeks were flushed too, whether from embarrassed anger or hurt.
After struggling for a long while, she finally lowered her head and squeezed out a murmured word. Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's whine, her soft tone carrying a slight tremor.
"...Master!"
Lou Xu froze for a moment.
That word... interesting.
"..."
When they returned to the Blacksmith Association, a long line of merchant caravans had gathered at the entrance.
Seeing their matching carriages and matching hammer-and-flame emblems, Lou Xu felt a surge of delight.
He sent Xiong Jun upstairs first, then brought Xiao Wu briskly to the front of the line, where he found a figure he had not seen in a long time.
"Second senior brother, long time no see!"
Siyu turned around, and a smile spread across his face when he saw Lou Xu.
"Junior brother! Haha, let me have a look at you. You've grown taller again! And this is..."
He warmly patted Lou Xu's shoulder, looking him over with eyes full of delight, then turned a puzzled gaze toward Xiao Wu behind him.
He was Siyu, Lou Gao's second disciple.
Although he was not skilled at forging, he had a nimble mind and exceptional appraisal skills, and often traveled between the two great empires to conduct trade.
The hundreds of different metal ores being steadily unloaded from the carriages and carried into the tall building were all materials he had procured.
"She's Xiao Wu, my maid."
Lou Xu tugged Xiao Wu's arm and looked at her as he spoke.
"Xiao Wu, greet second senior brother."
"Hello, second senior brother..."
Before you continue