Four months slipped by quietly. Mu Changqing and Bei Bei had become seasoned junior blacksmiths, now capable of forging some components for Class 1 and Class 2 Soul Tools.
Mu Changqing had been at the Douluo Guild for nearly a year. His cultivation had improved significantly during that time, and he was now a Rank 36 Soul Elder.
Bei Bei and Na'er had both become Soul Elders during that year, and the three of them were becoming increasingly in sync.
The Shrek personnel had gained a great deal during their year in Gengxin City. Fan Yu had advanced to a Class 8 Soul Engineer, while Qian Duoduo was still in seclusion, though his advancement to Class 9 Soul Engineer would be no problem.
The Blacksmiths' Guild in Gengxin City had also been brought under Shrek's banner. From now on, the Sun Moon Empire would no longer be able to choke off the supply of materials to Shrek Academy's Soul Tool Department.
Over the past year, blacksmith shops large and small had moved out of Gengxin City, all heading for Shrek City.
Ever since Mu En's injuries had improved, he had begun personally managing Shrek Academy and Shrek City. Under his management, Shrek Academy had undergone major changes.
The cafeteria and dormitories of Shrek Academy's outer court had changed dramatically in appearance. Previously, the outer court cafeteria had had no chairs or benches; now, it was furnished with brand-new Soul Tool tables and chairs.
The former mixed-gender outer court dormitories had all been demolished. New, separate boys' and girls' dormitories had been built in their place, all equipped with Soul Tools.
The outer court's Martial Soul Department and Soul Tool Department now occupied equal areas. The conflict that had set the two departments against each other for years was gradually fading, and their standing was gradually becoming equal.
The Soul Tool Department had now added a Forging Department, and Shrek Academy's admission requirements had changed once again. Previously, applicants had needed to be twelve or younger, have Soul Power of at least Rank 15, and possess a recommendation letter from a city lord.
Under Mu En's forceful intervention, future applicants would no longer need a city lord's recommendation letter, and the Soul Power requirement had been lowered slightly to Rank 13. This measure of Mu En's offered some benefit to commoner Soul Masters.
The principle Mu En championed was that Shrek Academy did not only admit monsters. As long as you were willing to work hard, you could enter Shrek Academy too.
If you had talent for cultivation, you could enter the Martial Soul Department. If you had talent for Soul Tools, you could enter the Soul Tool Department. Even if you had neither, you could enter the Forging Department as long as you were strong.
Every gate of Shrek City was equipped with a free awakening room. Children from ordinary families no longer needed to pay gold soul coins to awaken their Martial Souls here.
This measure by Shrek City had provoked dissatisfaction among the upper echelons of the three empires originally belonging to Douluo. Some had come to negotiate with Shrek in person, but all had returned empty-handed.
For the time being, Shrek City only offered free Martial Soul awakenings to children from commoner families under its own jurisdiction. Under Mu En's direction, the Shrek Inspection Team was also gradually discarding the notion of acting for Shrek's glory.
The Shrek Inspection Team had been replaced by the Shrek Inspection Pavilion. Students were no longer forced to go together to eradicate evil Soul Masters; instead, they accepted missions and formed teams to eliminate evil Soul Masters together.
The Shrek Academy Inspection Pavilion had also opened to the outer court, though only to students in their third year or above.
The Shrek Academy Inspection Pavilion had begun recruiting experts of Soul Sage level and above from across the continent as guard captains. Only those who passed the assessment could join.
The guard captains of the Shrek Academy Inspection Pavilion had to protect the students' safety with their lives.
Mu En had made so many changes to give Mu Changqing a better foundation, so that he could accomplish greater things in the future.
Na'er's Martial Soul awakening three years earlier had made Mu En realize that her origins were certainly far from simple.
"Brother! Elder Qian is out of seclusion. Let's go take a look!"
Bei Bei suddenly pushed the door open and entered, smiling. Mu Changqing was floating in midair as he cultivated with the aid of his Soul Power, while Na'er lay nearby reading a picture book.
A month earlier, Bei Bei had tried making a somewhat more precise Class 3 Soul Tool, but every attempt at assembly had failed. Either something had gone wrong with the inscription of the formation, or there had been a problem with the materials.
Bei Bei's senior brother, Fan Yu, had left the Blacksmiths' Guild on a mission, so Bei Bei had been unable to find anyone to guide him. He could only pray that Qian Duoduo would advance to Class 9 Soul Engineer soon.
Naturally, Bei Bei was the happiest about Elder Qian emerging from seclusion this time.
"Let's go!"
Mu Changqing stopped cultivating, took Na'er's hand, and followed behind Bei Bei. The two headed toward the forging room deep inside the Blacksmiths' Guild.
Along the way, Mu Changqing noticed that the entire Blacksmiths' Guild felt deserted, as though someone had emptied it out.
Most of the Blacksmiths' Guild's personnel had begun preparing to relocate to Shrek City two months earlier.
The three entered the forging room. Qian Duoduo now had dark circles around his eyes, and his hair had become a bird's nest. He no longer looked as dashing as he had when he first arrived.
The forging room reeked of machine oil, and many Soul Tool core components lay scattered across the floor. Several damaged Class 9 Soul Tools stood on the ground.
Beside the damaged Class 9 Soul Tools stood two brand-new Class 9 Soul Tools: one defensive model and one long-range attack model.
"Well? Aren't they cool?"
Qian Duoduo stood up and stretched, his bones cracking as he patted the body of a Soul Tool.
"Of course they are!"
Bei Bei jogged up to the Class 9 Soul Tools, his eyes gleaming as though he had spotted some rare treasure.
Bei Bei's dream was to one day casually manufacture Class 9 Soul Tools and use them like firecrackers. His ultimate goal was to become a Class 10 Soul Engineer.
"Elder Qian, how much pressure can this defensive Soul Tool withstand? How powerful is the long-range attack Soul Tool?"
Mu Changqing stroked his chin, thinking, If I'd had these two Soul Tools the last time those evil Soul Masters were hunting me down, I would've blasted them into dust.
Na'er stared blankly at the lumps of metal before her, her face filled with worry. Would it hurt a lot if a Soul Beast was hit by a Soul Tool like this?
"This Class 9 defensive Soul Tool can withstand attacks from Titled Douluos below Rank 95 without sustaining damage."
"A full-power strike from this Class 9 long-range attack Soul Tool can kill a Soul Douluo. Even a Titled Douluo would be left half-dead if one hit them."
Qian Duoduo stroked the two Soul Tools excitedly. He had Pavilion Master Lou's forging skills to thank for their creation as well.
Lou Li's forging work had made the Class 9 Soul Tool components more precise and perfect, making them better suited for assembling Class 9 Soul Tools.
"Bei Bei, as your teacher, I'll leave this Class 9 defensive Soul Tool with you for protection!"
Qian Duoduo pressed a button on the Soul Tool, and it immediately folded into a defensive core. Bei Bei accepted the Class 9 defensive Soul Tool core with an excited look.
"Changqing, Na'er, once we return to Shrek Academy, I'll personally make custom Class 9 Soul Tools for both of you!"
Qian Duoduo planted his hands on his hips, then thumped his chest hard.
"Old Qian, you're out of seclusion!"
A burly figure blocked the doorway. It was Lou Li, his face radiant and a large iron hammer still gripped in his hand.
Qian Duoduo and Lou Li caught up for a while before Lou Li turned and left.
"Go pack your things. We're preparing to return to Shrek City."
The three children immediately ran back to their dormitories, packed their belongings, and then came to the Blacksmiths' Guild's main entrance.
Mu Changqing and Na'er boarded one Soul Tool carriage, while Qian Duoduo and Bei Bei boarded another. The two carriages started up and drove out of Gengxin City.
After a year of forging, they were finally returning to Shrek City. The people from the Blacksmiths' Guild would set out later to catch up with them.