Reforging the Short Staff · A Nighttime Talk with Dugu Yan
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Nan Feng spent the entire morning at the Blacksmith Association.
The Blacksmith Association in Heaven Dou City is smaller than the headquarters in Gengxin City, but it has just as many blacksmiths' workshops and cutting boards.
Nan Feng used the leftover scraps of Cold Iron Core core and the remaining Star-Patterned Copper to ask an old craftsman in the association to make him a new short stick.
The old craftsman, surnamed Tie, was in his fifties. He was a man of few words but with skillful hands. He glanced at the materials Nan Feng handed him, then at Nan Feng's figure and posture.
Without asking any further questions, he put the materials into the furnace and started the bellows.
Sparks flew from the furnace opening and landed in the basin of water next to the anvil, emitting white smoke.
The new short stick is an inch shorter than the previous one, the shaft is thicker, and the center of gravity is shifted forward by half a palm's width.
The old craftsman used a layering forging method, stacking the Cold Iron Core and Star-Patterned Copper together layer by layer, repeatedly folding and hammering them dozens of times. When it was formed, a layer of fine wavy patterns emerged on the rod, with dark gold threads interspersed in the bluish-black color.
Nan Feng held it in his hand and weighed it. It was nearly 30% heavier than the previous one, with a forward center of gravity, making the force of the swing more concentrated.
The old craftsman handed him the stick. "This material is hard; ordinary Soul Elder can't use it. The strength of your Tower Suppression is just right to hold it down."
Nan Feng paid the wages, tucked the new short stick behind his waist, and walked out of the Blacksmith Association.
He returned to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy in the evening, where Dugu Yan was waiting for him outside the back gate.
Her purple ponytail swayed in the twilight. Dugu Yan leaned against the doorpost, arms crossed, and straightened up as she walked over when she saw him.
Her expression was different from usual. The smile at the corners of her mouth had faded; she wasn't smiling.
"Come with me," she said in a low voice, turning and walking into the alley next to the college.
Nan Feng followed behind her, and the two of them turned into a quiet alley.
The walls of the courtyards on both sides of the alley were very high, and the light in the twilight was so dim that it was impossible to see the path underfoot. Dugu Yan walked quickly, as she was very familiar with the terrain.
She stopped under an Old Huai deep in the alley, turned around to face the Nan Feng.
"Chrysanthemum Douluo came looking for you," she said, her tone very certain.
Nan Feng looked at her. "How did you know?"
"My grandfather said so," Dugu Yan said, lowering her voice even further.
Her purple eyes shone in the dim light. "Last night, Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan went to the Dugu Family's villa in the east of the city, saying he wanted to see you, but you weren't there. He chatted with my grandfather for a bit."
"My grandfather was Poison Douluo, level 92. He and Chrysanthemum Douluo were both Titled Douluo, but their Soul Power Level differed by three levels. When Chrysanthemum Douluo left, he left a message saying that the Spirit Hall was very interested in that rogue cultivator from the Bronze Tower, and that the Dugu Family should not interfere."
Nan Feng was silent for a moment.
Chrysanthemum Douluo went to the Dugu Family's villa and spoke those words to Dugu Bo face to face. He had lived in Heaven Dou City for so long, Dugu Family had always been one of his supporters. Dugu Bo had never publicly expressed his support, Dugu Yan had helped him, Dugu Bo had indirectly protected him in Gengxin City. Chrysanthemum Douluo's visit to the Dugu Family's villa was to cut off his escape route.
"Chrysanthemum Douluo gave me three days," Nan Feng said.
What about three days later?
"Either go to Spirit City, or be formally arrested by the Spirit Hall."
Dugu Yan frowned. She took a step forward and stood closer.
"You can't go to Spirit City. My grandfather said that the Spirit Hall's assessment is a disguised form of recruitment. If you go to Spirit City, you'll either become one of their people or become their experimental subject. Given the abnormality of your Martial Soul, they will never let you go."
"I know."
"Then what do you plan to do?" Dugu Yan's voice held a hint of urgency. "The Heaven Dou Royal Academy can't protect you. Qin Ming is only Soul Emperor, and the strongest teacher in the entire academy is only Soul Saint. Chrysanthemum Douluo alone could raze this place to the ground. If you stay in Heaven Dou City, you only have two paths: either be taken away by the Spirit Hall, or be crippled in the resistance."
Nan Feng looked at her.
Dugu Yan's breathing was a little rapid, and a few stray hairs from her purple ponytail fell behind her ears. She clenched her fingers at her side and then released them, repeating this twice.
She was worried about him. This worry was more obvious and undisguised than when they parted in Gengxin City.
Nan Feng recalled the time in Gengxin City when she was drugged and lay on his back, her warm breath brushing against his neck. At that time, she didn't know him very well.
Now she stood before him. Moonlight streamed through the gaps above the alley, illuminating half her face while the other half remained in shadow.
Those purple eyes shone brightly even in the darkness.
"I plan to leave Heaven Dou City," Nan Feng said.
Dugu Yan's eyelashes fluttered. "Where to?"
"Deep within the Star Dou Great Forest, at the Lake of Life."
Dugu Yan remained silent for a moment. Her brows furrowed even more, and she did not speak immediately.
She knew what the Lake of Life was. It was a forbidden area deep within the Star Dou Great Forest, the territory of Ferocious Beast, where the survival rate for human Soul Master was extremely low. She also knew that Nan Feng possessed many extraordinary abilities: the tower, the Power of Creation, and the Tower Realm's dual absorption of Soul Power and attributes. He had his reasons for choosing the Lake of Life.
"Are you going alone?" Dugu Yan asked.
"Um."
"Chrysanthemum Douluo has given you three days. When do you plan to leave?"
Tomorrow night.
Dugu Yan remained silent for a while. She turned her head to look at the old vines on the alley wall, tapping her fingers twice on her arm as if she were pondering something.
Then she turned back to look at Nan Feng, her gaze even more determined than before.
My grandfather asked me to pass on a message to you.
What did you say?
"He said that when Chrysanthemum Douluo came to the Dugu Family's villa, he told Chrysanthemum Douluo that the Dugu Family would not interfere in the matter between the Spirit Hall and a rogue cultivator. But he also said that the Dugu Family would not help the Spirit Hall deal with someone who had once saved the Dugu Family's granddaughter."
These two sentences seem contradictory, but you understand what he means.
Nan Feng looked at her.
Dugu Bo's words were subtle, but his meaning was clear. The Dugu Family wouldn't openly help him, as that would be tantamount to a direct conflict with the Spirit Hall. Nor would the Dugu Family help the Spirit Hall deal with him, because he had once saved Dugu Yan in Gengxin City. This was a balance that a Titled Douluo had found between the Spirit Hall and morality.
"Please thank your grandfather for me," Nan Feng said.
Dugu Yan nodded. She took out a small porcelain bottle from her sleeve and handed it to him. A thin snake pattern was engraved on the bottle.
"This is my grandfather's antidote pill, made with poison attributes by Titled Douluo. It can neutralize most poisons from Soul Beast and Soul Master. Take it with you to the Star Dou Great Forest; if you get bitten by a poison-attribute Soul Beast, this can save your life."
Nan Feng took it and put it into her bundle.
Dugu Yan then placed another, even smaller bottle into his hand. This bottle had no patterns on it, and the stopper was sealed tightly with wax.
"This is my Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison, concentrated. If you encounter Soul Beast you can't defeat, throw this at it; it will corrode Soul Power shields. It took me three months to condense just this small bottle, don't waste it."
Nan Feng carefully put both bottles away.
Dugu Yan stood before him, the moonlight casting her long shadow on the alley wall. She tilted her head to look at him, the smile on her lips curving back into place.
"Once you reach the Lake of Life and are safe, try to send a message back," Dugu Yan said. "Don't worry my grandfather. He may not say it, but if he truly didn't care, he wouldn't have mentioned your name at all when Chrysanthemum Douluo came that night."
Nan Feng nodded.
Dugu Yan took a step back, turned around and took two steps towards the alley entrance, then stopped. She didn't turn around; her voice drifted from ahead, softer than before.
"Don't worry about things in Heaven Dou City. I'll talk to Ye Lingling about it and tell her not to be too anxious. If you need any medicinal herbs while you're out there, just send a message to me, and I'll try to find a way to help you."
She finished speaking and left. Her purple figure flashed around the corner of the alley and disappeared into the twilight.
Nan Feng stood under the Old Huai, took the two bottles out of his bundle, and looked at them again.
The antidote and the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison — Dugu Bo's goodwill and Dugu Yan's sentiments are all contained in these two small bottles.
He put the bottle away and turned to walk back down the alley.
The deep black Soul Ring in his palm pulsed against his skin, echoing the blue light emanating from the crack at the bottom of the tower.
He will leave Heaven Dou City tomorrow night, cross the outer edge of the Star Dou Great Forest, and head towards the Lake of Life. Chrysanthemum Douluo gave him three days, but he only needs one.