"It actually worked..." Outside the laboratory, Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Xue Qinghe watched Ning Rongrong swing a wind blade at a metal target. Their usually gentle gazes grew sharp and burning, and even their hands trembled uncontrollably.
Ever since the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had been founded, countless generations of predecessors had worked to find a way to gain offensive power. Now, it had been achieved in his generation.
"The dream of every support-type Soul Master has come true..." Ning Fengzhi's throat tightened slightly, his voice a little hoarse. Then he looked at Ling Yu and asked, "How did you do it?"
"Let's talk inside. I've drawn up the blueprints too." The corners of Ling Yu's lips lifted slightly into a faint smile. He calmly raised a hand, inviting them into the laboratory.
Ning Fengzhi signaled for Sword Douluo to stay and keep Ning Rongrong company as she happily played, then followed Xue Qinghe inside.
"The dot array and array patterns work together with the Soul Power-conducting lines in the inner casing to form a Soul Skill release module."
"My preliminary assessment is that this is a first-tier Soul Tool. Its output depends on the amount of Soul Power injected, with a maximum power comparable to a first-tier Battle Soul Master's hundred-year Soul Skill."
"Then wouldn't having another Soul Tool be equivalent to having another Soul Ring skill?" Ning Fengzhi's eyes brightened slightly. His curious, probing gaze instantly lit up, his expression gaining a measure of anticipation and emotion.
"That's right, but the cost isn't low, and there's also the issue of durability."
"Then how long does it currently take to make one?" Price? Price was the last thing the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect cared about. To Ning Fengzhi, converting money into strength was more important than leaving it piled up in storerooms.
"With enough materials, and if I'm in good condition, roughly three to five days."
"What about its service life?"
"I haven't tested its durability yet, but frequent use at full output will overheat the array and Soul Power lines. Once something goes wrong with the array patterns, it stops functioning."
"In fact, that's why almost all those discarded Soul Tools were abandoned."
Ning Fengzhi unconsciously rubbed his fingertips against the table, his brows drawing together slightly. He desperately hoped Ling Yu would make a batch of daggers for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, yet felt that would be too wasteful. With Ling Yu's talents, it would be more fitting for him to first research higher-tier Soul Tools and establish a system.
"Could the work be divided up, like having blacksmiths forge part of it, as you mentioned before?"
"It could, but this design isn't particularly cost-effective."
"Oh?"
Design? Cost-effective? Was his knowledge really so extensive? Thoughts stirred in Ning Fengzhi's mind.
"Melee Soul Tools have more troublesome forging designs. They aren't as simple as energy-discharge Soul Tools. In fact, that Wind Blade Dagger should be classified as an energy-discharge Soul Tool." Ling Yu propped his chin on his left hand, his elbow resting lightly on the table, and pointed to a spot on the Wind Blade Dagger's blueprint with his right hand.
"The best design would be something like a Soul Guidance Lamp, with pure energy discharge. These six array patterns serve as the array core, elemental gathering, elemental compression, elemental blade formation, discharge, and array boundary sealing, respectively."
"If we modified them and adapted them to a Soul Guidance Lamp, perhaps it could directly fire energy projectiles for ranged bombardment."
They had thought Soul Tools would only grow more difficult and consume more resources at higher tiers, never expecting there to be such a simple, convenient design.
Had she known, she would have sent him to Spirit City. Hundreds of Soul Masters firing a volley-and what if it could be scaled up? Wouldn't that needlessly make things harder for Spirit Hall?
"However..."
The instant Ling Yu uttered that word, both their hearts leaped into their throats.
"This is theoretical. There are still plenty of problems to overcome, such as heat dissipation and the service life of the materials. If we really developed it, it probably wouldn't be limited to the first or second tier, either. The entire design would still need to be replanned."
After hearing Ling Yu's explanation, both felt it made sense and sighed softly.
"Then what are you planning to do next...?"
"First, I'll organize and model the Soul Tools you sent over to build up my knowledge of array patterns. I also need to raise my cultivation level. I'm still a student, and I'll only be able to make higher-tier Soul Tools once my level is higher."
At the word "student," Ning Fengzhi and Xue Qinghe both felt a strange distortion of common sense-the person changing the entire landscape was actually saying he still needed to attend school.
Ning Fengzhi nodded slightly. "Then I'm sorry to trouble you with all this, Xiao Yu. If you need anything, tell me at any time. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will spare no effort."
"All right, Uncle Ning." Ling Yu nodded, his gaze calm yet firm, as though he had already seen the entire road ahead clearly.
Why had a talent like this been unwilling to join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect back then? Ning Fengzhi felt a wave of regret.
"Daddy, what are you talking about?" Ning Rongrong quietly poked her head through the doorway. Sweat had dampened the strands of hair at her temples, leaving them stuck to her pretty little face. The tip of her nose was slightly red, lending her a lively, breathless look.
As a support-type Soul Master, she had always dreamed of unleashing an offensive Soul Skill. So when this Soul Tool dagger had landed in her hands, she had played with it to her heart's content, only stopping when her Soul Power was nearly exhausted.
Looking around the target range, she had found only her Grandpa Sword watching her affectionately, while her father, Brother Qinghe, and that amazing Ling Yu had disappeared. She had guessed they were inside the laboratory.
"We're discussing Soul Tools. Rongrong, would you like to learn? If you do, Brother Ling Yu can teach you." A gentle smile rested on Ning Fengzhi's lips, and a hint of anticipation flashed through his eyes.
Ning Rongrong shook her head. "No. Didn't you say I'd have to forge metal too?" Ning Fengzhi sighed softly, forcing a wry smile onto his lips as a little more helplessness and melancholy entered his gentle features.
"Daddy, could you buy this Soul Tool dagger for me?" Ning Rongrong threw herself into Ning Fengzhi's arms and wheedled, secretly stealing a glance at Ling Yu. She knew she needed his agreement too if she wanted this dagger.
"Well..." Before Ning Fengzhi's wry smile had fully faded, he turned his gentle gaze toward Ling Yu. His usual composure had left his eyes, replaced by a measure of earnest appeal.
Aren't you spoiling her too...? The thought stirred in Ling Yu's mind, and then he nodded.
"Rongrong, hurry and thank Brother Ling Yu."
"Thank you, Brother Ling Yu." Ning Rongrong lowered her head slightly, her long lashes trembling gently as a faint blush colored her cheeks.
"Since you're tired from playing, let's head back." Ning Fengzhi stroked Ning Rongrong's head.
"Xiao Yu, we're counting on you for everything. If there's anything you need our help with, you must tell us. Don't stand on ceremony. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will keep collecting discarded Soul Tools and sending them over to you."
"All right, Uncle Ning."
"Say goodbye to your Brother Ling Yu." Ning Fengzhi tugged at the hem of Ning Rongrong's clothes.
"Goodbye, Brother Ling Yu." As soon as she finished speaking, Ning Rongrong ran behind Sword Douluo and hid.
Not long after the group left, Qian Renxue returned to her true form. She reached out with two fingers and gently pinched Ling Yu's cheek. "Why didn't you tell me about the energy cannon sooner?"