Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Young Gilas, Sandstorm King!

Chapter 40 Bibi Dong's Attitude, the Possibility of Forging Firearms!

Silong held his breath, lowered his head even further, and awaited his fate.

He couldn't see the Pope's expression, but he could feel that invisible gaze sweeping across the letter line by line.

Although Silong had not seen the contents of the letter in person, he knew a little about it.

Time passed by minute by minute.

Silong felt that his back was soaked with cold sweat.

Finally, a very soft, almost imperceptible snort came from above.

The sound was very soft, yet it pierced Si Long's eardrums like an ice pick, making him feel as if he had instantly fallen into an ice cave.

Silong seemed to feel a chilling coldness instantly spread throughout the side hall.

Then came the faint sound of the paper being folded back up.

"The craftsman is truly ingenious; you've put a lot of thought into this."

Bibi Dong's voice rang out again, still in that cold and dignified tone, revealing little emotion, but Si Long keenly caught a trace of indescribable...coldness within it?
Or perhaps it was a calm killing intent that arose after confirming a certain suspicion?
"I am aware of what is stated in the letter."

Bibi Dong's gaze seemed to pierce through the letter and land on the distant Gengjin City.

"The Blacksmiths' Association is the pinnacle of craftsmen on the continent, with exquisite skills and contributions to the nation. Master Craftsman Lou Gao understands the greater good and is willing to lead the entire association to join the Spirit Hall and make great strides together. This is a blessing for the Spirit Hall and also for the forging industry on the continent."

Hearing this, Si Long felt a huge weight lifted from his heart, and a surge of joy welled up inside him, almost bringing tears to his eyes.

Become!

The association's crisis has been resolved!

The teacher's hard work paid off!

However, Bibi Dong's next words made Silong's heart jump again.

"As for Miles Garcia, the Bishop of the Martial Soul Temple in Gengjin City..."

Bibi Dong's voice paused slightly, and a clear, cold glint finally flashed in her deep phoenix eyes, like a crack beneath a millennia-old ice plain, icy and bone-chilling.

Bibi Dong parted her red lips slightly and uttered the command clearly, word by word.

"The Ghost Elder."

An elderly man in a long black robe, with a stern face and sharp, hawk-like eyes, who was standing in the shadows beside the throne, immediately bowed and replied:
"My subordinate is here!"

"With this order, depart immediately and secretly proceed to Gengjin City."

Bibi Dong's voice was devoid of any warmth.

"Investigate everything that happened during Miles Garcia's tenure. Remember, everything—what he did, what he took, what he said, who he contacted... I want to see the most detailed and conclusive evidence. Do not let anyone go unpunished or guilty!"

"Your subordinate obeys! You will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust!"

The ghost nodded deeply, its voice firm.

"Go."

Bibi Dong waved her hand.

The ghostly figure silently withdrew from the side hall and vanished instantly.

After dealing with these two crucial matters, Bibi Dong's gaze returned to Si Long, the suffocating coldness now gone, replaced by an unfathomable calm.

"Silong".

"My subordinate is here!"

Silong quickly responded respectfully.

"I grant your master's request."

Bibi Dong's voice seemed to have softened a little.

"Regarding the Blacksmiths' Association joining the Spirit Hall, once Salas has investigated the true situation in Gengjin City and eliminated the long-standing abuses, I will issue an edict to announce it to the world. Until then, everything will proceed as usual, so please do not make a fuss. You shall remain in Spirit City and await further orders."

"Yes! I will obey His Holiness the Pope's decree! On behalf of my master and all the craftsmen of the Blacksmiths' Association, I thank His Holiness for his grace!" Si Long was extremely excited and bowed his head to the ground.

He knew that the day when Miles, that cancer that had been weighing on the association for so many years, would be destroyed was not far off!
"Ah."

Bibi Dong nodded slightly, her gaze returning to the documents on the table.

"Go back."

"Thank you, Your Majesty! This subordinate takes his leave!"

Silong kowtowed again, suppressing his excitement and shock, and carefully stood up. Led by the paladin knights, he bowed his head and respectfully withdrew from the council hall, which symbolized the pinnacle of power.

The heavy palace doors slowly closed behind him, shutting out the suffocating majesty.

When Si Long walked out of the Papal Palace and stood under the huge angel statue, bathed in the sunlight above Wuhun City, he felt like he had come back to life, his back already soaked with cold sweat.

Recalling everything that had just happened in the hall, especially the Pope's cold gaze and decisive orders when he mentioned Miles, Si Long felt a sense of awe, but also a surge of great hope.

"The association...is saved!"

Si Long clenched his fist, looked in the direction of Geng Jincheng, and let out a long sigh of relief.

Lin Xia and the others were naturally unaware that Si Long had arrived in Wuhun City, let alone the turmoil that secret letter was causing.

He was still reading various books.

Just then, Lou Gao's signature loud voice broke the tranquility of the courtyard. He strode up to Lin Xia, who was studying forging blueprints, a thoughtful smile on his kind face.

"Xia! How's it going? Have you thoroughly studied those classic texts on forging fundamentals, mineral identification, and heat control?"

Lin Xia looked up at the sound, put down the diagram in her hand, her face showing the humility of a beginner, but her eyes were clear and confident.

Lin Xia made no attempt to hide anything, clearly listing the names of the books she had devoured during this period and summarizing the key points in each one.

His understanding was so thorough and his memory so precise that it far exceeded Lou Gao's expectations.

Lou Gao listened, his scrutiny gradually replaced by immense surprise, and his thick beard trembled slightly with his smile.

He slapped Lin Xia's shoulder hard, making a crisp "smack" sound.

"Good! Good lad! This new brain of yours is really useful!"

A glint of light flashed in Lou Gao's eyes, and he said with boundless pride:
"Talk is cheap! You're my disciple, Lou Gao. How can you just talk the talk? Today, I'll see with my own eyes whether your theoretical skills can be applied to this iron anvil! Do you dare to give it a try?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Xia felt a surge of intense interest and an urge to try it out.

Forging, in this world, is an extension of power and the foundation of creation.

In his previous life, he also believed that firearms held the potential to change the nature of warfare!
The principles behind those intricate components and powerful kinetic energy were crystal clear in his mind, but he had never tried them due to laws and regulations.

Now that he has the opportunity to forge steel with his own hands, how could he not be excited?
"Okay, teacher!"

Lin Xia's eyes shone brightly, and she nodded in acceptance of the challenge without hesitation.

"I'm eager to experience the taste of this rigorously refined process myself!"

"Hahaha! You've got guts! Come with me!"

Lou Gao laughed loudly and led Lin Xia to the primary forging area specially set up on one side of the front yard.

The fire in the stove is blazing, and the clanging sound is incessant.

Lou Gao personally selected a standard-sized cast iron ingot, dark and rough, with the cold and heavy feeling unique to metal.

He then took a heavy, single-handed forging hammer from the shelf next to him. The hammerhead was jet black and shiny, clearly indicating that it was frequently used.

Lou Gao steadily handed the hammer handle to Lin Xia.

"use this."

　Hidden weapons can kill gods, but can firearms do the same?

　　
　
(End of this chapter)