Douluo Continent: The True Body and Blood Soul, Starting from Blacksmithing

Chapter 101: Just wait, it'll come sooner or later (5k bonus words)

Once Qian Daoliu's footsteps had completely disappeared at the end of the corridor, Lin Yu slowly turned around and retrieved the leg bone that had been fused with her right leg but had been completely consumed and spat out.

Lin Yu doesn't yet have a specific idea of ​​how to use this leg bone, but it certainly can't be forged hastily like the Golden Thunder Bone-Shattering Staff; it needs to be melted and forged at the very least.

When Lin Yu raised her gaze again and looked at Xue Qinghe, her eyes immediately became resentful.

There was a hint of resentment in his eyes, but not enough to actually turn hostile. It was like being hit on the back with a stick, turning around to find the person who hit him smiling at him. He wanted to lash out, but felt it would be beneath him.

"Your Highness," Lin Yu lowered his voice, his tone revealing an undisguised accusatory tone.

"Aren't you going to explain yourself? Why would you tell someone else about my research on melting and forging without my permission?"

The two of them had clearly agreed that, at this stage, they would only forge weapons made from one type of metal spirit for outsiders. Once he was able to forge the molten metal spirit, he would then reveal to a select group of high-quality clients that they could provide weapons forged from multiple metal spirits.

This pace was carefully designed by him; taking too big a step would make him easy to spot, while moving too slowly would waste his technical advantages.

Now, Xue Qinghe has directly revealed his trump card to someone he doesn't want to deal with for the time being.

If Xue Qinghe is willing to reveal his true identity to me now and openly admit that he is Qian Renxue, then this matter can be put aside.

But since he still intends to face me with the identity of the eldest prince and a spy for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, then this matter cannot be left unresolved.

Xue Qinghe did not avoid Lin Yu's gaze. He remained leaning against the wall, his arms crossed in front of his chest. The light cast a shadow on his profile, making his expression appear more composed than usual.

"After your spirit forging technique was exposed, weren't there many people coveting the technology you possess?"

Xue Qinghe's tone was calm, as if stating a fact that both sides knew perfectly well: "That senior promised to arrange two Title Douluo-level bodyguards to protect us. He offered two Title Douluos right off the bat, what could I do? I had to show my sincerity."

As Xue Qinghe finished speaking, two figures appeared silently at the entrance of the training room.

The light was blocked by the two people's broad figures, casting two heavy shadows on the ground in front of the door.

The person standing on the left was tall and thin, wearing a dark-colored robe with worn-out fabric at the collar and cuffs, and the dark patterns on the robe had long since faded.

He stood at the doorway, his gaze sweeping across every corner of the training room before finally settling on Lin Yu.

The feeling of that gaze falling on Lin Yu was like a thin rope wrapping around him, neither too tight nor too loose, but slippery and cold.

"Title: Serpent Spear." His voice had a hissing quality, his tongue lightly brushing between his teeth. "In odd-numbered months, I will openly protect the two of you."

The man standing on the right was half a head shorter than the man with the spear, but nearly twice as wide. His features were somewhat close together on his broad face, and his eyes were small and round with a narrow distance between them, giving the impression of a fixed gaze.

His robe was stretched taut over his shoulders, the fabric almost bursting open, and with each breath, the seams at the cuffs creaked slightly.

"Title: Porcupinefish." The voice was a full tone lower than that of the Serpent Spear. "During even-numbered months, I will openly protect the two of you."

Snake spear and porcupinefish.

Upon hearing these two names, Lin Yu exclaimed, "Good heavens! Aren't these the bodyguards who secretly protected Qian Renxue in Tiandou City in the original novel?"

Now, I might as well use my own name as a blacksmith to bring these two into the open.

They said these two appeared to protect themselves, but I guess their appearance was to make it easier to protect Xue Qinghe.

Despite her inner complaints, Lin Yu outwardly maintained a grateful demeanor.

He leaned slightly towards the door, supporting himself with the broken bone club, the club making a soft scraping sound against the ground: "Thank you for your help, seniors. With your protection, my safety is assured."

Later, Lin Yu used the excuse that the courtyard was not big enough to arrange for the two titled Douluo to stay at his mansion in the future.

At this stage, we can only trouble the Crown Prince to arrange accommodation for them.

The two titled Douluo refused Xue Qinghe's offer to arrange accommodation for them, promising that they could visit Lin Yu's mansion once it was completed, as they currently had their own residence.

Lin Yu didn't ask any more questions. He exchanged a few awkward pleasantries with the two of them. After they left, Lin Yu turned to the leisurely Xue Qinghe with a dark face.

"Your Highness," he said in a low voice, making sure the two who had just left couldn't hear him.

"Are you sure these two are there to protect us, and not to be used by that senior to hold us captive?"

Faced with Lin Yu's questioning, Xue Qinghe looked completely innocent. He even tilted his head slightly, looking as innocent as could be.

"Really? Wasn't that senior quite friendly? He just casually gave you two herbs. By the way—"

He changed the subject, pointing a finger at the location of Lin Yu's storage soul tool and gesturing with his chin, "I should have a share of those two herbs, right? After all, if I hadn't told that senior about your situation, you wouldn't have earned his respect."

Lin Yu exclaimed inwardly, "Good heavens!" How dare this person ask for herbs when they were in the wrong?

His anger surged, and Lin Yu's expression turned somewhat unfriendly. He took a step closer to Xue Qinghe, reducing the distance between them to less than an arm's length.

At this distance, he could clearly smell the faint scent of soap on Xue Qinghe's body, and he could also see his own slightly angry reflection in the usually calm pupils of Xue Qinghe's eyes.

"I'm willing to call you Crown Prince because of our five-year friendship."

Lin Yu's voice softened, each word escaping from between his teeth, "Don't actually think of yourself as the eldest prince."

The words weren't loud, but within the less than an arm's length distance between the two people, every word was clearly audible.

At this angle, the light casts the shadows of the two people on the ground, their shadows intertwined, their boundaries blurred, making it impossible to distinguish who is who.

Xue Qinghe shrugged. As he shrugged, his collar lifted slightly, revealing a small section of his neck where his Adam's apple stood out.

"So?" Xue Qinghe's tone carried a hint of amusement, the last syllable rising slightly, a provocative intent hidden beneath his nonchalant demeanor. "You're going to turn against me?"

Lin Yu raised her hand and placed it on Xue Qinghe's shoulder.

When my palm lands, I can feel the delicate texture of the fabric beneath my palm, and the strong outline of my shoulder joints beneath the fabric.

He didn't speak, but tightened his fingers one by one, the fingertips digging into the soft flesh of the other's shoulder, the force just right to make one feel the pressure.

Silence. The only sounds in the training room were the occasional crackling of the embers from the forge and the overlapping breaths of the two people.

Lin Yu's breathing was slightly rapid, and the air exhaled from her nostrils was noticeably warm. Xue Qinghe's breathing remained steady, with almost no change in the rise and fall of his chest.

Ten seconds later, Lin Yu pursed her lips and withdrew her hand.

The opponent's soul power was still greater than his own, and he couldn't suppress it. Their physical strength was also greater, and he couldn't hold them back. As for the mental aspect, Lin Yu couldn't discern it because he didn't yet possess any mental attack methods.

When Lin Yu withdrew her hand, her fingertips brushed against the fabric on Xue Qinghe's shoulder, making a soft rubbing sound.

He was genuinely puzzled as to what level Qian Renxue had reached.

With innate soul power at level 20, her talent is undeniable. However, the time she spent as Xue Qinghe's maid must have delayed her cultivation by at least a year. It was only after being reminded by herself that she gave up her official duties and began to cultivate.

Judging from Qian Daoliu's words, he could even forge weapons for his granddaughter. It seems Qian Renxue's cultivation level hasn't reached Soul Saint yet.

Lin Yu had a deep understanding of the Soul Saint's soul power concentration and physical strength. Although he still couldn't fight against him, he could at least make the opponent react to some extent.

But Lin Yu never inquired about the other party's private affairs. After all, if we were to talk about it, Lin Yu had always been the one benefiting from the other party's success in the early years.

As for the future, I estimate that he will have to come clean with himself soon!

Five years. My best friend, whom I've spent every day with for five years, is actually a beautiful woman disguised as a man.

We ate together every day, studied forging together, and discussed plans, big and small—although we weren't completely open with each other, we were inseparable.

Even knowing that the other person was a woman disguised as a man, Lin Yu couldn't see anything suspicious about it.

This was a thorn in Lin Yu's side; the more she couldn't find out, the more she wanted to verify it.

But it's not a big problem. At my current pace, I estimate I can master spirit forging after melting and forging in less than a year.

When it comes time to forge weapons for Qian Daoliu's granddaughter, Qian Renxue will definitely have to show up.

When that time comes, Lin Yu doesn't believe he won't slip up.

The thought of being able to openly and legitimately pin his best buddy to bed in the future—tsk, Lin Yu's heart was pounding with excitement.

I will repay the losses I have suffered today by selling hooks in the future.

"The First Prince."

Lin Yu snapped out of her thoughts and her tone returned to its usual calmness, though the warmth in her voice was a few degrees colder than before.

"You should go back now. That senior said there are other guests coming tonight."

He skipped the topic and started to shoo people away.

Xue Qinghe simply smiled. That smile contained a mix of emotions, yet revealed nothing at all.

Without saying another word, he turned around decisively and disappeared into the shadows of the corridor.

Not long after Xue Qinghe left, a figure shrouded in a black robe silently entered the forging room.

The person's footsteps were heavy, and the soles of their boots made a dull thud as they landed on the stone slabs.

The black robe was made of rough fabric, with dew stains at the edges, giving it a dull sheen under the lamplight.

The hood of his robe was pulled down neither too high nor too low, covering most of his face, revealing only a section of his chin with its strong lines and a thick layer of bluish stubble.

The person who arrived was Tang Hao.

He stepped through the door without making any further movements; with a flick of his wrist, he tossed out a soul bone.

The soul bone landed in mid-air, tracing an arc, and the faint light flowing on its surface left a pale green trail as it moved.

It was a head bone with delicate patterns on its surface. Deep within the patterns, a faint green luster emanated. This green was not the normal color of life, but rather carried a hint of gloomy poison.

The soul bone tumbled a few times in the air before Lin Yu caught it with lightning speed. As soon as he touched it, a sticky, cool sensation seeped into his palm from the bone's surface.

"Little Master, I've already dealt with Dugu Bo." Tang Hao's voice was hoarse and low, his tone completely flat when he uttered that name.

"His head bone—"

Tang Hao's words were on the tip of his tongue, but he abruptly changed the subject.

He originally wanted Lin Yu to give the head spirit bone to Tang San. Tang San is at an age where he needs a spirit bone to lay a foundation. Having a head spirit bone by his side would greatly improve his mental strength and make his future path much smoother.

But Tang Hao had also heard about what had happened during this time: the young blacksmith in front of him had actually mastered the legendary Ten Thousand Forging!

Rather than letting the mistress take the soul bone directly, it's better to befriend the kid in front of us and increase the mistress's potential for the future.

"This head bone will be given to the young master."

97

Tang Hao finished speaking, his voice a few decibels louder than before, "I only hope that Master can forge a hammer for Xiao San that looks exactly like the Haotian Hammer. If possible, please also use spirit-forged metal after smelting and forging."

What Tang Hao originally wanted was just a hammer that could conceal Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer martial soul.

But after hearing the words of the senior he couldn't fathom, Tang Hao had a new idea: the upper limit of spirit-forged metal after melting and forging must be higher, and its power should be greater even without the Clear Sky Hammer.

It's fortunate that I came here tonight; I was able to pick up some intelligence for free.

Tang Hao had another reason for being willing to take out this soul bone.

This soul bone has been with Dugu Bo for too long, and his toxicity has affected it to some extent.

The greenish sheen deep within the bone's texture is the trace left after it has been soaked in poison.

He feared that if he gave this soul bone to Xiao San, her body would be consumed by the poison before it could even fully develop.

Lin Yu held the soul bone in his hand and played with it for a while, but in the end, he still pushed the soul bone away.

The soul bone slid across the table between the two, making a series of fine scraping sounds as the bone base rubbed against the metal panel.

After absorbing the soul bone of the three-headed Fiery Lion, Lin Yu had a clear plan for his future path.

The most urgent task is to collect the soul bones of the five elements. Only by combining the five element soul rings with the five element soul bones, and adding the "soul spirits" with the five element attributes, can one truly establish a solid foundation.

Although this head bone is precious, it was not part of his plan.

In addition, there was one more thing Lin Yu was unsure about: when he absorbed a soul bone that had been absorbed by someone else, would the reappearing soul belong to the soul beast corresponding to the soul bone, or to that soul master?

If the spirit beasts are decent, they will call you "Master" and obediently work for you.

If it were a Soul Master, they would definitely cause destruction out of revenge. Even if they didn't cause destruction, leaving hidden dangers is never a good thing!

"Young Brother Tang San is more suitable for this soul bone than I am, so I won't take what belongs to someone else."

Tang Hao was stunned for a moment.

The titled Douluo possessed a soul bone, which this kid examined over and over several times before simply pushing it back without even blinking.

A rare look of genuine surprise appeared on Tang Hao's weathered face.

"Little Master, you still need to worry about the mistress's affairs?" Tang Hao raised his voice, his tone now carrying a more sincere insistence.

"Please accept this soul bone."

"I will definitely take good care of Brother Tang San for you." Lin Yu's tone was firm, and her gaze did not avoid Tang Hao's bloodshot eyes.

"But I cannot accept this soul bone. If you truly wish to help me, senior, I have a request."

An unreasonable request?

Tang Hao's brow twitched. His eyebrows were thick and dark, with a broken line left by an old wound at the end, which made his expression appear more stern.

Someone who could refuse a Title Douluo-level soul bone, yet claimed to need his help. Tang Hao's curiosity was genuinely piqued for the first time.

What is it that this kid values ​​more than a Title Douluo's soul bone?

Lin Yu smiled. Then he mentioned one of the few people he disliked since he transmigrated.

When that name was uttered, the pronunciation was very light and faint, as if afraid that using too much force would prematurely ignite the thing suppressed in the heart.

Upon hearing that person's name, Tang Hao fell silent, a silence that had been absent for a long time.

The silence lasted a long time. Long enough that the last embers in the forging furnace were completely extinguished, and a faint, crisp sound of metal contracting echoed from the furnace.

Tang Hao's gaze was fixed on Lin Yu: "I can't kill him."

"I didn't mean to make things difficult for my senior."

Lin Yu's voice remained calm.

"I just hope that you won't interfere when the time comes; I'll find someone else."

Tang Hao didn't speak again. He simply scrutinized Lin Yu carefully, inch by inch, finally fixing his gaze on Lin Yu's eyes.

He stared at those eyes for a long time. The light shone on Lin Yu's face from the side, making his pupils appear half-lit and half-dark.

Those eyes were usually calm and still, revealing no extra emotions.

"Okay," Tang Hao finally spoke, his voice even hoarser than before. "I won't interfere."

Just as Tang Hao turned to leave, Lin Yu called out to him again.

"Senior, there's one more thing."

Lin Yu's voice returned to its usual calm, as if he wasn't the one whose tone had changed slightly when he mentioned his enemy's name.

"Even if the Heaven Dou Royal Academy waives Tang San's tuition and fees, it will still cost him a considerable amount to get enough nutrition. If I were to give him money directly, he probably wouldn't agree, given his personality. Should I take him to Yuexuan?"

Upon hearing the name "Yuexuan," Tang Hao was about to refuse when his instinct to refuse made his lips move.

After all, he didn't want to face that place and that person right now. But as the words were about to come out, he remembered his son's personality.

Just like I was when I was young. Stubborn to the core, not even ten oxen could pull me back. I want to rely on myself for everything and I refuse to owe anyone any favors.

With this kind of personality, in this dog-eat-dog world, how long can one rely on their own fists to carve out a place for themselves and endure hardship?

Tang Hao exhaled a breath of stale air from deep within his chest and nodded rather helplessly: "Okay."

Seeing that Tang Hao had relented, Lin Yu added, "Senior, how about you leave me a keepsake or write me a letter? Otherwise, I'm afraid that person from Yuexuan won't recognize me."

This request was truly difficult for Tang Hao. He stood there, his shoulders tense beneath his black robe, his fists clenching and unclenching countless times inside his sleeves.

After much deliberation—so long that Lin Yu was even considering changing her approach—Tang Hao finally reached out for paper and pen.

The pen seemed excessively slender between his thick fingers. The pressure he applied to the paper varied, with the pen tip pausing several times, leaving irregular ink blots.

The letter was short, ending in just a few lines. After finishing it, he folded the paper in half, and when he pressed his fingertip across the crease, he pressed too hard, leaving a straight, sharp ridge on the paper.

The letter was placed on the table. Tang Hao didn't say anything more, turned around and strode away.

Lin Yu didn't even read the letter; he simply put it into his storage soul tool.