Lu Chen froze for a moment. "Upgrade? How?"
"Easy!" Constantine shoved the Soul Guidance Device into Lu Chen's hands, speaking as fast as a machine gun. "The array in your Soul Guidance Device is too rigid. It can only hold inanimate objects, right? I'll tweak its patterns and reinforce it with Dragon Clan Alchemy. I guarantee it'll hold living things, and its storage space will expand to more than three times its size!"
At those words, Lu Chen's eyes instantly lit up. A Storage Soul Guidance Device that could hold living things would fetch an astronomical price!
There probably weren't more than a handful in all of Aolai City.
"But..." Constantine changed tack, scratching his head as he said somewhat sheepishly, "I'm not in good shape right now, so I can't work on it directly. I'll need your help."
"Tell me." Lu Chen nodded without a second thought.
"I need you to use the Dragon King Bloodline inside you to draw out a thread of bloodline power and inject it into the Soul Guidance Device. Then I'll use that thread of bloodline power to redraw the array." As Constantine spoke, his fingertips traced a few strokes in the air. "Don't worry, just a thread. It won't really affect you."
Without hesitation, Lu Chen reached out and grasped the Storage Soul Guidance Device.
A warm stream of bloodline power slowly flowed from his fingertips and seeped into the patterns on the Soul Guidance Device.
The previously dull ring instantly took on a faint golden glow.
Constantine's eyes widened, and he immediately lunged forward, his fingertips darting across the surface of the Soul Guidance Device.
Golden patterns spread across the ring at a speed visible to the naked eye, merging perfectly with the original array and giving off an ancient, mysterious air.
Fenrir stared, unable to help muttering, "This guy really does know a trick or two..."
Before long, Constantine abruptly withdrew his hands and let out a long breath, a fine sheen of sweat beading on his forehead.
He handed the Soul Guidance Device to Lu Chen, looking eager for praise. "Done! Try it!"
Half-convinced, Lu Chen held the Soul Guidance Device and willed it to activate.
The next second, he discovered to his surprise that the Soul Guidance Device's storage space really had expanded to more than three times its previous size. Moreover, the atmosphere inside had become mild and gentle. He could clearly sense that living things could now be placed inside, too.
"Holy shit!" Lu Chen couldn't help swearing, looking at Constantine with eyes full of admiration.
The praise left Constantine a little embarrassed. He scratched his head, reverting to his timid demeanor. "I-it's nothing. Just a little trick..."
Fenrir rolled his eyes and mercilessly undercut him. "Oh, give it a rest. Who was getting as worked up as a madman just now?"
Constantine's face flushed bright red. He hung his head low and didn't dare utter another word.
Clutching the upgraded Storage Soul Guidance Device, Lu Chen rubbed his fingertips over the newly emerged golden patterns, itching to try it out.
First, with a thought, he left Nibelungen.
He summoned his old forging hammer from beneath his dormitory bed into it.
The space that could previously barely fit the hammer now had more than half its capacity left over. Even after he added his earlier notes and new forging hammer, everything fit easily, without the slightest crowding.
"Now that's some serious space!" Lu Chen clicked his tongue twice, liking it more the longer he looked.
Fenrir watched from beside him, his enormous claws impatiently scraping the ground. "What's the fun in only putting inanimate objects in it? Try something alive."
Lu Chen's eyes lit up, and he looked around.
Aside from Fenrir, who had become a Spirit Soul, there was only a potted plant and a butterfly that had just flown into the room.
First, he took that.
Before the little butterfly could react, a gentle suction enveloped it, and it was sucked into the Soul Guidance Device with a whoosh.
Lu Chen quickly extended his Spiritual Power inside to inspect it.
The little butterfly inside the Soul Guidance Device was perched beside the potted plant, curiously flying around it, quite lively.
"It worked! It really can hold living things!" Lu Chen nearly jumped with excitement and quickly released the little drab butterfly.
The moment the little butterfly emerged, it flew off and vanished in a flash, probably scared witless by the sudden change in space.
Fenrir chuckled at the sight of him. Just as he was about to say something, he saw Lu Chen suddenly frown and raise a hand to touch the Soul Guidance Device.
"What's wrong?" Fenrir leaned closer to ask.
"This thing... seems to have bound itself to me." Lu Chen ran his fingertips over the surface of the Soul Guidance Device, clearly sensing a faint, elusive connection. "When I was putting things inside just now, it seemed to absorb a tiny bit of my Soul Power."
By then, Fenrir and Lu Chen had returned to Nibelungen.
Upon hearing this, Constantine smacked his forehead and said, "Oh, I almost forgot! Objects modified with our Dragon Clan Alchemy all form a bond with their owner's bloodline. That's a good thing! No one else can steal it, and even if you lose it, you'll be able to sense its location."
Lu Chen's eyes shone even brighter. He slipped the Soul Guidance Device back onto his wrist, finding it more pleasing the longer he looked.
With this thing, he would no longer have to lug around bags upon bags of forging materials or personal belongings. It was ridiculously convenient.
Lu Chen rubbed the Storage Soul Guidance Device on his wrist, looking at the interwoven golden dragon patterns on it, when a thought suddenly popped into his head.
Soul Arrays seemed to have something in common with mecha design.
It looked like he would have to find time to buy a few related books and chew through them. Perhaps he could uncover some new approaches.
He also pondered whether, if he used Dragon Script throughout the forging and inscription process when making Battle Armor in the future, that Battle Armor would be even more compatible with his Dragon King Bloodline.
Just thinking about it was exhilarating.
That afternoon, the director, whom he called Mom, came over especially to help him pack.
The director worked deftly, getting him some new daily necessities such as towels and a toothbrush.
At the same time, she picked out clothes and bedding that were still almost new from among the things he was used to using, carefully folding them and tucking them into his bag, afraid he might suffer any hardship in Eastsea City.
Once everything was packed, Lu Chen shouldered his bag and hurried to the train station. He had just found his seat and sat down when, with a thump, a familiar figure bounded over beside him.
Who else could it be but Tang Wulin?
At the sight of the boy, Lu Chen's heart immediately lurched. An inexplicable chill shot up his back, and he couldn't help shrinking his neck.
There was no helping it. Tang Wulin's reputation as the "Train Killer" was simply too resounding. Who knew what sort of trouble might crop up when riding a train with him?
Fortunately, their luck was fairly good this time. The entire journey went smoothly. Never mind anything as hair-raising as an attack by evil soul masters-there wasn't even a delay, and they arrived safely in Eastsea City.
When the two arrived, dusk had yet to fall, but they had been in such a hurry that both were panting with exhaustion.
Feeling the pitiful amount of money in their pockets, the two exchanged a glance and instantly reached an understanding.
They would first try their luck at the Blacksmith's Association and see whether they could pick up some work, if only to earn themselves a meal.
Still, business was business, but going hungry wouldn't do.
The two bona fide foodies proposed almost in unison, "Let's grab a feast first!"