Four hundred li outside Nuoding City, in the Soul Hunting Forest.
"Have you heard? The Clear Sky Douluo... has fallen!"
In a restaurant beside the main road, several Soul Masters who looked like mercenaries were discussing it in hushed voices.
"Shh, he was a legend once. Even Spirit Hall..."
"What are you shushing me for? The news is everywhere. I heard his corpse was nailed up in Gengxin City..."
Clang!
The bowl and chopsticks in Tang San's hands struck the table, splashing a few drops of soup onto his clothes.
Clear Sky Douluo...
Hao.
He lowered his head in a daze. For some reason, the unease that had gripped his heart for two days surged even more fiercely now.
Tang Hao...
As though compelled by some unseen force, he recalled his father's silent face beneath that thick beard.
Dad, what are you doing right now?
He instinctively turned toward Holy Soul Village, an unshakable longing welling up in his eyes.
"The Clear Sky Douluo has fallen?"
Beside him, Grandmaster's hand, which had been sketching in a soul beast field guide with a pen, suddenly trembled. Ink spread across the page in a dirty blot.
He slowly raised his head, his stiff face filled with disbelief and shock. His lips trembled, and only after a long while did he squeeze out a broken murmur.
"The man who confronted a Titled Douluo head-on as a Soul Douluo... who subdued Spirit Hall... how could he..."
That was someone he had looked up to in his youth, a figure who truly stood at the summit of the continent.
Of the master and disciple, one gazed toward Holy Soul Village, missing his father, while the other clutched his stained field guide.
Both remained lost in thought for a long time.
On the fifth floor of the Blacksmith Association, five sickbeds stood in an unused forging room that had been converted into a ward.
"I'm sorry, Grandpa..."
Standing beside the old man, Lou Xu's voice was choked with emotion.
The master and his four disciples had all suffered grievous injuries.
Lou Xu had consumed half his life energy forging the Myriad-Era Catalyst Stone. Nearly all the rest had gone into treating them, but it had only kept them alive, not healed them.
After the incident, Dai Changkong had immediately sent people to check on them and maintain order. He had also found a powerful healing-type Soul Master for Lou Xu, who was already on the way.
The old man's cultivation was high, and he had absorbed more life energy, allowing him to wake sooner. Lou Xu's four senior brothers were still unconscious.
Lou Gao leaned against the headboard, his body wrapped in bandages, yet still managed to pull his lips into a faint smile.
"You little brat. There's no need to apologize to your grandpa."
"Here's some good news. Your grandpa and your senior brothers have overcome the final hurdle to inscribing complete main-system runes."
The Main-System Rune Array was the core of a fourth-tier runic weapon.
While the old man and the others were researching third-tier runic weapons, Lou Xu had used Primal Fire to forge finished weapons above his tier and handed them over for reverse engineering. He had never expected them to advance to fourth-tier runic weapons so quickly.
His voice was terribly weak, but when he spoke of their research results, an exuberant gleam lit his face.
"You're a Divine Craftsman. The greatest Divine Craftsman in the world."
Lou Xu's eyes reddened as he praised him in a slightly hoarse voice.
Lou Gao wanted to reach out and stroke his head, but his broken hands could not extend. He could only laboriously shift his arm sideways and gently touch Lou Xu's hand with his bandaged one.
"That's right. This old man's still hale and hearty. A mere... cough, cough... scratch. A couple of days' rest, and I'll be fine."
Speaking aggravated his injuries. Lou Gao coughed up a mouthful of blood, and his voice grew even fainter.
Lou Xu hurriedly rubbed his back and helped him lie down, then fetched a towel and hot water to clean him up.
"Grandpa, get some proper rest. Leave the Blacksmith Association to me for now."
He rubbed his eyes, steadied his emotions, and left the ward.
Lou Xu gave instructions to the maid waiting at the door.
"Thank you for looking after them until the healing Soul Master arrives. Let me know immediately if anything changes."
The maid entered to carry out his instructions, while he headed downstairs with Xiong Jun and Xiao Wu, who had been waiting at the door.
Along the way, Xiao Wu saw Lou Xu's stern expression and did not dare start a conversation. She simply reached out and held his hand tightly.
When they reached the blacksmith registration and assessment area on the third floor, it was already filled with veteran blacksmiths from the association and the stewards of its various sections.
"Everyone, Grandpa and my senior brothers need to recuperate. I'll be managing the Blacksmith Association during this time."
"Yes, young master!"
Everyone answered him loudly, and not a single person objected.
After Runic Forging had been unveiled, Lou Xu, who had previously seldom ventured out, had dealt with quite a few people here. Word had spread from mouth to mouth, and everyone present trusted his abilities and praised his maturity beyond his years.
"First, metal trading on the first and second floors will continue as usual. Auctions on the fourth floor will be suspended. The fourth-floor stewards will help the others keep the association's trading operations steady. Leave anyone who comes to cause trouble to the City Guards. Call me if you encounter someone they can't handle."
"Rank assessments will be suspended. Examiners with high soul power levels will work with Gengxin City's City Guards on security patrols. Anyone causing trouble in the city is to be arrested and detained!"
"Also, call in the association's apprentices and repair this place as soon as possible."
"Understood. We won't betray your trust, young master!"
"Second, post a notice. No runic weapons will be produced for the next six months. Once production resumes, only fifty of varying tiers will be sold each year. The rest of our time will go toward researching and perfecting Runic Forging. The day Runic Forging is perfected will be the day it is passed on to every blacksmith under heaven."
The moment he finished speaking, shock filled everyone's hearts.
Although blacksmithing had no rules requiring a formal apprenticeship before instruction or passing skills only to men and not women, ordinary blacksmiths who wished to learn still had to begin as apprentices.
Three years as an apprentice, one year of labor, one year learning while assisting the master, one year doing half the work; after three years, they could graduate and enter the trade, and only after seven could they establish their own workshops.
This was Runic Forging-something that could make even a Titled Douluo, among the continent's strongest, cast aside all shame and break in to seize it. Something that could earn blacksmiths the reverence of Soul Masters.
To pass it on to every blacksmith under heaven just like that-every blacksmith on the continent would have to remember the immense kindness of Lou Gao and the Lou Family!
Everyone exchanged glances, then cupped their fists and bowed together, preparing to kneel and kowtow.
"The president is righteous! The young master is wise!"
Bang!
Held in his hands, the Star-Iron Furnace Anvil slammed together with a tremendous metallic crash, interrupting their movements.
"No kneeling!"
Lou Xu's face was stern, and his voice rose as though it would pierce straight into their hearts.
"When you enter these doors, no one makes you kneel. Once you leave them, you're even less permitted to kneel!"
"Remember this, all of you. I'm giving this to you so you can help other blacksmiths and ordinary people. If anyone dares cling to the powerful and wealthy, amass riches, and harm lives, I won't spare him!"
Activating runes required soul power, but forging and inscribing them required skill.
Thus, Runic Forging had the same entry requirements for ordinary people and Soul Masters: Hundred Refinement craftsmanship and an understanding of rune arrays.
The original purpose of Runic Forging had been to find blacksmiths a path to advancement. This was something he had agreed upon with Grandpa and the others. Of course he would not keep it hidden, much less establish a faction and treat it as a family heirloom.
Besides, passing it on sooner would mean fewer vermin like Tang Hao harassing his family.
As for anyone who relied on cultivation or influence to imprison these blacksmiths?
Lou Xu lowered his head and glanced at the Star-Iron Furnace Anvil in his hands.
My hammer and anvil are no less hard!
"We will faithfully follow your instructions, young master!"
Everyone shouted in unison. Lou Xu pressed both hands down slightly, and their cries instantly fell silent.
"The supervisors of each floor will stay. Everyone else, get to work."
"Yes!"
The crowd dispersed, and five supervisors came over to Lou Xu.
They were all trusted men promoted by Grandpa. Even the weakest had a soul power level of sixty-three.
Lou Xu took a bound book from inside his clothes and handed it to the man at their head.
"This is the Beginner Runic Forging Manual that I've reorganized and revised. It contains the knowledge needed to forge first- and second-tier runes."
"Learn it as quickly as you can, then select a group of experienced blacksmiths and teach it to them."
Accepting the manual with both hands, the man glanced back at his colleagues, and they all bowed together.
"Understood, young master!"
Before you continue