"What explanation?" Luo Chen walked out of the clothing store and found a secluded corner.
"What happened with the Star Luo Empire Federation?" Chen Xinjie forced down his anger.
"Wasn't I following your instructions to cause some trouble for the Star Luo Imperial Family? Now the imperial family is gone altogether. Isn't that even better?"
"The interests of all the major families in Star Luo are being redistributed now. They won't be able to stir up anything in the short term. They might even end up locked in fierce arguments over the redistribution."
Luo Chen explained over the call.
Chen Xinjie fell silent on the other end for a long while. "All right, I understand. Have you returned to the Federation?"
"Of course. I'm not from the Star Luo Empire, so why would I stay there? The Federation is my home," Luo Chen joked.
"I understand." Chen Xinjie ended the call and sighed helplessly. He knew Luo Chen was bound to have his own motives.
But at least Luo Chen's heart was with the Federation. That alone was enough.
After putting Chen Xinjie's concerns to rest, Luo Chen returned to the shop and called Wang Qiu'er over, ready to leave.
The Blacksmith Association in Heaven Dou City was the continental headquarters of the Blacksmith Association, located in the city center.
The thirty-story black tower rose right up to the height limit. It stood out sharply among the traditional buildings and was one of Heaven Dou City's most striking landmarks.
Because Hua Zhen had been staying at the Heaven Dou City Blacksmith Association lately, countless people crowded outside the building every day.
Outside the Sky Screen, Tang Hao's eyes reddened with anger at the sight of such an imposing blacksmith headquarters.
"Aren't they just a bunch of lousy iron-beaters? What do they need all that grandeur for? How much money can hammering iron possibly earn?"
In their era, blacksmiths earned very little.
Thus, in the eyes of the world, blacksmiths were the very image of shabby poverty.
But that was not the case in the Legend of the Dragon King era.
"Look! The Divine Craftsman is here!"
Luo Chen had barely reached the building when he heard someone cheering in the square.
"Have you heard? The Divine Craftsman recently took in a disciple. She's a beauty who could topple a nation, and her talent for forging is extraordinary too. She's only been learning for a few months, but apparently she's already reached the threshold of spirit forging!"
"Mu Xi, the daughter of Mu Chen, the president of the Eastsea City Blacksmith Association, is a nation-toppling beauty too. She's also exceptionally gifted."
"No, no, no. Mu Xi is beautiful, but she definitely can't compare to the Divine Craftsman's new disciple."
"I wonder if the Divine Craftsman will bring her out today."
Hearing this, Luo Chen sensed something was wrong.
Going by the original story, when had the Divine Craftsman Zhen Hua ever had a stunning female disciple?
Something was wrong. Nine out of ten parts wrong!
Ever since he had awakened the conquest system, this world had almost become unrecognizable to him.
Even if Bibi Dong became the Federal Speaker one day, it somehow seemed like that could make sense now.
Before long, Zhen Hua appeared outside the Blacksmith Association.
The Divine Craftsman was immensely popular in Heaven Dou City. After all, he was the only known Divine Craftsman on the entire continent.
Today, Zhen Hua intended to explain spirit forging to the blacksmiths present.
Of course, the most important thing was to use this opportunity to teach the essentials of spirit forging to the disciple he had finally managed to take in.
Thinking of that disciple left Zhen Hua feeling helpless.
No matter what he said, Wang Dong'er refused to become his direct disciple. She would only agree to be a nominal disciple.
To think that a Divine Craftsman of his standing would one day struggle so much just to take in a disciple.
As Zhen Hua began explaining spirit forging, it was hard to tell whether the crowd gathered in the square understood him.
Lou Gao, who was listening outside the Sky Screen, certainly did.
"So that's how it works!"
He had spent these past days pondering spirit forging, but Luo Chen's explanation back then had been too general. As a result, he still had not grasped it.
After hearing Zhen Hua's explanation, he understood at once!
Within the Sky Screen, Luo Chen paid little attention. He could already be considered a Divine Craftsman himself, and Zhen Hua was only explaining the basics of spirit forging.
He had mastered all of that long ago.
Just then, a forging table suddenly rose up in the square.
"I'll demonstrate spirit forging for everyone first."
Zhen Hua moved slowly and explained just as slowly, as though he were putting on this demonstration specifically for someone.
"Looks like Zhen Hua really cares about this new disciple," Luo Chen murmured to himself.
He had never seen Zhen Hua teach him with such patience.
At that moment, Luo Chen noticed that Wang Qiu'er was listening intently too.
Right, Tang Wulin's Golden Dragon King bloodline gives him exceptional talent for forging. Wang Qiu'er has the Golden Dragon martial soul, so could she take the forging path too?
With that thought, Luo Chen walked over to ask her.
"Qiu'er, do you want to learn forging?"
Wang Qiu'er glanced at Luo Chen and said, "It seems pretty interesting."
"Then how about I teach you?" Luo Chen asked.
"Yes!" Wang Qiu'er was still very interested in the novel things the human world had to offer.
As Zhen Hua finished his demonstration.
A figure slowly stepped out from behind him.
As she walked, she deftly gathered her long blue-and-pink hair into a neat, center-parted high ponytail, leaving only two wisps against her cheeks and securing it with a butterfly-shaped metal hairband.
Her blue eyes were particularly striking. But unlike the Wang Dong'er in Luo Chen's memories, she had shed her softness and gained a measure of resilience and spirited confidence.
A simple casual outfit paired with a short blue skirt further accentuated her bearing.
"Come quick! It's the Divine Craftsman's new disciple!"
"She's so beautiful!"
After waiting so long, everyone finally saw Wang Dong'er appear.
There was only one exception: Luo Chen!
"Wait??? Is this right???"
Luo Chen looked at Wang Dong'er, who had brought out the Clear Sky Hammer and was preparing to forge, then looked at Wang Qiu'er beside him.
No way!
Did these two really not plan this together?
Wang Qiu'er watched Wang Dong'er forge with the Clear Sky Hammer.
The fire of competitiveness flared in her heart once more.
"Luo Chen, you're going to start teaching me forging today!"
An expression of "just as I expected" appeared on Luo Chen's face.
Whenever Wang Dong'er and Wang Qiu'er met, they would clash, each determined to prove herself superior. Luo Chen had already experienced that in the Peerless Tang Sect era.
He had never expected to go through it again after arriving in the Dragon King era.
[System, system, you haven't sent Qian Renxue over too, have you?]
Qian Renxue, who was undergoing the Angel Nine Trials: "???"
Come to think of it, no one from twenty thousand years ago seems to have appeared in the Dragon King era.
Luo Chen took stock inwardly. Everyone he had encountered lately had come from ten thousand years ago.
Outside the Sky Screen, in the Peerless Tang Sect era, within Shrek Academy.
"To think Dong'er was transported ten thousand years into the future too," Yan Shaozhe said with a sigh.
Ever since learning that Wang Dong'er possessed twin martial souls, he had wanted to take her as his disciple, but she had refused.
The reason was simple: Luo Chen disliked Yan Shaozhe.
Xu Jiujiu and Wang Qiu'er had already set two precedents.
Thus, seeing Wang Dong'er appear ten thousand years in the future did not particularly surprise anyone.
Just then, in a certain corner of Shrek Academy.
Two figures suddenly appeared, a man and a woman.
The man's snow-white hair was meticulously tied back, and a long, slender silver-white beard hung down his chest. Two long white eyebrows reached his jaw, framing sharp, deep-set features that carried the imposing presence of a dragon emperor.
The woman was breathtakingly beautiful. Her skin was pale and translucent, yet almost bloodless. Her features were exquisite and luxuriant, her eyes naturally blood-red. She was tall, with graceful curves, and her smile seemed gentle, though beneath it lay nothing but icy calculation.
Judging by the aura emanating from them, they unmistakably possessed the cultivation of Limit Douluos.
"Shaozhe really is our descendant..."
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