Soon, Gu Tong pushed open the hall doors, bringing a reluctant-looking Wang Yanfeng with him.
Behind them followed Chen Yu and Chen Lü, peeking about furtively.
After hearing that Wang Yanfeng could help make Soul Tools, the two had refused to believe it and insisted on coming along to see.
Though they knew little about Soul Tools, they did know that making them was delicate work.
Thus, when Gu Tong told them that Huo Yuhao needed Wang Yanfeng's help, they declared that they had to come and get to the bottom of it.
There was no reason their illiterate brother, who had been competing with them to see who could pee the farthest just two days ago, should suddenly transform into a genius in the field of Soul Guidance today.
Wang Yanfeng entered the hall, and the first thing he saw was metal parts scattered all over the floor.
Jiang Yixi had dismantled all of them.
"Junior Brother," Wang Yanfeng asked in confusion, "you want me to help you make Soul Tools?"
Huo Yuhao nodded.
"But forget carving knives-I've never even touched the sect's broadswords."
Wang Yanfeng looked at the carving knife in Jiang Yixi's hand. "When it comes to dexterity, these hands of mine can't compare to Yixi's. What can I help you with?"
Huo Yuhao did not explain, merely hurrying over with a smile to take his arm.
He pulled Wang Yanfeng to the workbench and pointed at a piece of bright silver metal. "Look at this."
Wang Yanfeng, Chen Lü, and Chen Yu lowered their heads to take a look.
"Isn't that just a lump of iron?" Chen Lü said.
Gu Tong shook his head and explained, "This is spirit silver iron."
"This metal contains considerable spirituality. The empire specifically provided it for the Body Sect to conduct Soul Guidance experiments on the unification of spirit and flesh."
"According to Mr. Linghu, we can use it to make the following Soul Tools."
Wang Yanfeng felt his head buzzing, unable to understand a word Gu Tong was saying.
He raised both hands to interrupt Gu Tong. "Big Eyes, telling me all this is useless."
"Exactly." Chen Yu pointed at Wang Yanfeng's head. "All Old Wang has in here is punches and kicks. Just listening gives him a headache."
Chen Lü folded his arms behind them. "That wooden head of his can't even write the words 'Soul Tool.'"
Neither impatient nor annoyed, Huo Yuhao merely gave a mysterious smile. "Senior Brother Wang has a very important role to play."
Chen Yu and Chen Lü did not believe him.
Huo Yuhao brought Wang Yanfeng to the forge and said, "Actually, Senior Brother Wang, you don't need to understand Soul Guidance principles. You just need to pound this piece of metal with your fists, just as you normally practice your punches."
"Of course, you'll need to watch your strength and rhythm to avoid damaging the internal structure of the spirit silver iron."
Hearing Huo Yuhao's words, Chen Yu and Chen Lü immediately laughed and patted Wang Yanfeng on the back.
"And here I was wondering what you wanted Old Wang for. Turns out he's here to be a blacksmith."
Jiang Yixi could not help glaring at them.
Her understanding of Soul Tools had now changed completely.
Especially after listening to Huo Yuhao and Linghu's discussion, she had come to see this as an opportunity for the Body Sect and the Heaven Dou Empire to rise.
Jiang Yixi stood and snapped at Chen Yu and Chen Lü, "Keep your mouths shut. You'll both regret this soon enough."
"At least Wang Yanfeng can help with forging. What about you two?"
Huo Yuhao also explained at this point, "Senior Brother Wang, hold on. This isn't ordinary smithing."
"Based on my discussion with Mr. Linghu just now, we believe that using special techniques while refining metal might improve its quality."
"We suspect that making Soul Tools from specially forged metal could improve their performance, allowing a Class 1 Soul Tool to unleash power at the level of Class 2, or even Class 3."
"It might even allow us to create Soul Tools with entirely new functions."
By now, Wang Yanfeng and the others understood what Huo Yuhao meant.
They simply knew little about Soul Tools; that did not mean they were unaware of the important role metal played in making them.
After all, over the years, the Body Sect had done plenty of work for Di'ao Academy's Soul Tool Department, robbing the Sun Moon Empire of rare metals.
Now that they heard the Heaven Dou Empire might actually be able to overtake the Sun Moon Empire on a bend in the field of Soul Tools through materials, all of their breathing grew heavy.
"That's not all."
Jiang Yixi laid out Huo Yuhao's ideas in detail.
Finally, she looked Wang Yanfeng in the eye and said earnestly, "If Junior Brother's ideas can be realized, our Body Sect might become the next generation's holy land for Soul Engineers."
Huo Yuhao understood how to encourage Wang Yanfeng at this moment.
He patted Wang Yanfeng's shoulder and said with earnest gravity, "Senior Brother Wang, our Body Sect has already stepped over Shrek to make its way forward. If we then pull the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy off its throne as the holy land for Soul Engineers, just imagine..."
Wang Yanfeng's face instantly flushed red.
He panted like an ox. "Junior Brother, say no more!"
"Tell me now! How do I become this hammer?"
"Just like your usual punching practice." Huo Yuhao placed the spirit silver iron on the forging table. "But you'll have to follow my instructions and Mr. Linghu's."
"Come on, first circulate your Soul Power and use the method from Tiger Roaring Fist that makes Spiritual Power resonate with Soul Power."
"Yes, yes, just like that, but control your strength and frequency."
A faint bronze glow rose over Wang Yanfeng's fists.
As his fist fell, ripples like splashing water immediately spread across the surface of the spirit silver iron.
Excitement appeared on everyone's faces at once.
It worked!
The Mind-Soul Forging Method, using the spirit as fire and Soul Power as a hammer, really worked!
"Junior Brother! Mr. Linghu!" Wang Yanfeng hurriedly said. "Sorry for the trouble, but please quench the spirit silver iron!"
"I can withstand the quenching temperature! I feel that forging metal this way might be more effective!"
"It's also a form of cultivation for me. It's truly killing two birds with one stone!"
Linghu immediately directed them. "All right! Miss Jiang, prepare the ice spirit spring water. Young Master Gu, control the temperature. Young Master Huo, please use Spiritual Detection Sharing to guide Young Master Wang's spiritual and Soul Power fluctuations!"
The three immediately did as instructed.
Huo Yuhao unleashed his Soul Skill to help Wang Yanfeng adjust the rhythm of his punches.
It was not that Wang Yanfeng had to use his fists to hammer the metal.
Rather, Huo Yuhao and Linghu believed that, since Wang Yanfeng's hands were his Martial Soul, forging with them would help them analyze more quickly whether this theory had any chance of succeeding.
Bare-chested, Wang Yanfeng stood before the forge, his fists unafraid of its heat.
White mist rose, and faint tiger roars spread through the hall with the swings of his fists.
Linghu stared fixedly at the piece of spirit silver iron.
"With Spiritual Detection's assistance, through the Mind-Soul Resonance Forging Method, I actually saw the metal breathing!"
"Metal... is actually alive!"
Crack.
The piece of spirit silver iron, from which a faint silver glow had begun to rise, suddenly cracked for some unknown reason.
Guilt immediately appeared on Wang Yanfeng's face. "Junior Brother, Mr. Linghu, I..."
"It's all right."
Huo Yuhao reassured him. "This was only our first attempt. Achieving results like these is already a tremendous success."
"When you master the Heaven-Man Unity Secret Method, perhaps you'll be able to finish the forging with a single punch."
Jiang Yixi also said, "Exactly. Forging metal isn't only about strength and frequency. It's also closely linked to factors like the furnace temperature. You don't need to feel guilty. What happened just now has already shown that we're walking the right path!"
Gu Tong said nothing, instead joining Linghu in picking up the metal fragments from the floor and examining them closely.
Chen Yu and Chen Lü looked at each other.
"The two of us..." Chen Lü said hesitantly. "Really don't seem able to help with anything."
Chen Yu glanced at the wings on his back, then shook his head.
His gaze was firm. "No, you're the useless one."
"At least I can fan the forge and help them control the heat."
"What can those calves of yours do? Tsk, Trash Martial Soul."
Chen Yu hurriedly drew a clear line between himself and Chen Lü, declaring that he was the true core strength of the Body Sect.
As for Chen Lü, he was merely a remnant of the old era.
Keeping company with such a person was simply a disgrace to refinement, not the bearing a Body Sect Disciple of the new era should have.
Chen Lü was instantly furious, his face turning green and then white under the barrage, yet he could find nothing to refute.
Just then, a sudden commotion came from outside the previously quiet hall.
Everyone turned to look and saw Jin Peng striding over with several Body Sect Elders.
"Wang Yanfeng! Chen Yu! Chen Lü! What are you three little brats doing here?"
"Didn't I tell you not to come here and disturb Yuhao and Gu Tong while they study Soul Tools?"
"Elder Jin, we..."
Before the three could offer any explanation, the great palms of Jin Peng and the others had already landed on their backsides.
"We, what? The Body Sect's rule is that everything waits until after the beating!"
The screams of Wang Yanfeng and the other two pierced the clouds.
Jiang Yixi huddled behind Huo Yuhao, Gu Tong, and Linghu.
Only after seeing that not a single female elder was present did she dare step out without worry.
"Jiang Yixi! Don't you stand idle either!"
"Since you like hiding so much, go be a target at the training grounds!"