Douluo Continent: The Legend of the Gods

The laboratory fell silent, save for the sound of hammers striking metal, one strike after another, slowly and deliberately.

Yun Qinglin carefully put away the blank blanks and sat down to watch for a long time as he worked on the shell.

Her movements were much more stable than a few days ago. Every hammer blow was accurate, and although the edges were still a bit rough, at least they weren't crooked anymore.

She knocked for a while, then looked up at him and asked, "Why are you staring at me?"

"You've improved."

"Of course." She proudly raised her chin, then lowered her head to continue tapping. "I'm not the kind of person who cries when my friends leave me behind. You can be good at what you want, I'll learn what I want."

Yun Qinglin didn't reply, but leaned back in his chair and looked at her hand.

Where the hammer fell, the iron sheet bent down little by little. Although the curvature was not yet perfectly round, the shape of the shell was already visible.

Following the previous procedure, he made several identical core magic arrays and handed them to Elder Gu. Elder Gu assembled them one by one and found that they were completely identical and their power had been increased. A smile appeared on Elder Gu's face.

"Qinglin, from now on, you and Jiujiu will need to come here every afternoon to learn how to make soul tools. Even the best talent will be wasted if you don't practice diligently."

"Okay, Mr. Gu."

After a long time, the metal shell was almost finished. Gu Qinghong was somewhat surprised to find that it was actually quite good and had excellent ductility. He explained it to her again, and after a few more days of practice, she could try making the core magic array.

It was already evening when the two of them left the laboratory.

"Come on, let's go eat."

"canteen?"

"No. It's about my brother." Xu Jiujiu pulled him outside. "He sent word that I need to meet someone tonight. It'll be no fun for me to go alone, so you'll come with me."

Yun Qinglin was dazed as she was pulled to the side hall where Xu Jiawei usually handled government affairs.

The palace doors were open, and voices could be heard coming from inside.

After a long while, she slowed down, turned around and made a "shh" gesture to him, and the two of them quietly went inside.

Xu Jiawei was sitting in the main seat, talking to two people.

A man who looked to be in his thirties, tall and with a resolute face, exuded an imposing aura.

He was dressed in dark casual clothes, with a white tiger-patterned jade pendant hanging from his waist.

Standing next to him was a young man who looked to be about the same age as Yun Qinglin. His eyebrows and eyes resembled the man's by about six or seven points, and he had a straight back.

The white tiger-patterned jade pendant made Yun Qinglin pause. "Duke of the White Tiger, Dai Hao."

Xu Jiawei saw them come in and waved with a smile: "You've come at the right time. Come, let me introduce you."

He pointed to the man, "This is Duke Baihu, Dai Hao." He then pointed to the boy beside him, "This is his eldest son, Dai Yueheng."

Dai Hao turned around and bowed slightly to her after a long pause: "Your Highness."

His voice was deep and resonant, with the crispness and decisiveness characteristic of a soldier.

When she turned to Yun Qinglin, her gaze lingered on him for a moment, taking a second look. "Is this Elder Wang's newly accepted disciple?"

Xu Jiawei nodded: "Yun Qinglin. Emerald Swan Martial Soul, innate full soul power. Elder Wang's judgment has always been good."

Dai Hao's gaze lingered on Yun Qinglin for a little longer than he had expected.

It wasn't a condescending scrutiny, but rather a careful observation.

His gaze swept across her face, landed on the royal offering token at her waist, and then looked away. The whole process was quick, but he didn't miss a single detail.

He nodded, his tone gentle: "Elder Wang's disciple is no slouch."

Yun Qinglin stood there without bowing.

He was a disciple of the Immortal Physician Douluo and a candidate for royal honor. According to the rules of the Star Luo Empire, he only needed to treat the Duke with equal courtesy and a nod. He nodded slightly and called him "Duke White Tiger" in a tone that was neither humble nor arrogant, showing neither deliberate intimacy nor deliberate distance.

Dai Yueheng stood to the side, his gaze sweeping over Yun Qinglin and then landing on Xu Jiujiu. He bowed respectfully, his movements perfectly executed, but the sense of superiority he possessed was undeniable.

Xu Jiujiu glanced at Dai Yueheng, nodded in return, and then pulled Yun Qinglin to sit down on the chair next to him.

Her movements were unhurried, her posture upright, her hands on her knees, her back straight, and a faint smile on her face.

Yun Qinglin sat next to her and noticed that her usual bouncy manner had subsided, and her tone of voice had also changed. It was no longer the casual tone she used when talking to him, but a more steady and slower way of speaking.

She put on airs like a princess in front of Dai Hao.

Xu Jiawei gestured for Dai Hao to sit down: "What brings the Duke back this time?"

Dai Hao sat down in the guest seat, and Dai Yueheng sat down next to him.

"Your Majesty, my wife gave birth to a son last month, and I have come back to visit." He had a smile on his face, seemingly very happy.

Xu Jiawei asked a few questions about the child's condition, and Dai Hao answered them one by one.

Yun Qinglin listened from the side, a thought stirring in his heart. Dai Hao's youngest son had been born; that was Dai Huabin, Huo Yuhao's half-brother and one of his greatest enemies in this life.

Huo Yuhao must have just been born, right? He lowered his eyes, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and remained expressionless.

Dai Hao then described the situation on the western border.

"The Sun Moon Empire hasn't made any major moves lately, just constant small-scale harassment, but they haven't crossed the border. I reckon they're still building up their strength, and there won't be any major battles anytime soon."

After listening, Xu Jiawei pondered for a moment and said, "Your Excellency has worked hard. With you on the western border, I am at ease."

He spoke sincerely, but Yun Qinglin noticed that his fingers gently circled the rim of the teacup.

It's a very subtle movement; you wouldn't notice it unless you looked closely.

When Dai Hao said, "There won't be any major battles anytime soon," Xu Jiawei's fingers paused for a moment, then continued spinning.

Is the relationship between the Xu family and the Dai family really as good as it appears on the surface?

Yun Qinglin sat beside him, quietly drinking tea, his mind racing as he recalled the gaps between the original work and reality, combining them with the historical knowledge that modern people have learned.

Back when the Sun Moon Continent clashed with the Douluo Continent, Shrek Academy led the Star Luo and Heaven Dou kingdoms to defeat the Sun Moon Empire. The Dai family was severely weakened in that war, and the Xu family seized the opportunity to rise and take its place.

The Dai family abdicated the throne, were granted the title of dukes, and guarded the western border for generations.

On the surface, the Xu family treated the Dai family well, granting them the hereditary title of duke, military power, and enduring favor.

But military power is the most sensitive issue in any country.

Dai Hao was stationed on the western border for a long time and did not return to Xingluo City for several years. His army, the hundreds of thousands of Dai family soldiers, only obeyed his orders.

Can Xu Jiawei sit in the palace of Xingluo City with complete peace of mind?