Chapter 63: Integration and Permeation

The original Iron Inner Armor, after being hammered and forged, was reduced to the size of a fist, and Tie Li forged it into a knee guard.

As for the new inner armor, Tie Li plans to craft it with the hardest Diamond and Thunder Tin.

Each time during the forging process, excess scrap appears, and it is often then that Tang San shows up.

Because he has been constantly stealing from masters, he feels embarrassed to refuse and gives everything to Tang San.

These are High-Level Metals that Tie Li bought from Geng Xin Cheng, far beyond ordinary iron blocks.

After tempering, High-Level Metal naturally surpasses ordinary iron blocks in hardness and effect.

Even the scrap, when used to make hidden weapons, is far better than ordinary metal.

When he first obtained the Storage Bracelet, it contained many good items; Tie Li disposed of them at the Black Market in Geng Xin Cheng and bought numerous High-Level Metals and rare metals there.

It was only through his interactions with Tang San that Tie Li witnessed a genius's cultivation speed.

Being so busy all day, he could only cultivate at night, and after more than a year he rose to Level 20.

In contrast, Tie Li himself, aided by the Lei Long Meditation Method and the Thousand-Year Lei Mang Inner Pill, took two years to raise his Soul Power Level to Level 33.

But now, each time Tie Li gains a level, the added attributes rival the martial soul quality of a Pre-Heaven Level 7.

The Forging Hammer for Pre-Heaven Level 2 Soul Power, if Tie Li's attribute increase per Soul Power Level was originally twenty, then since beginning the Lei Long Meditation Method, it has silently enhanced the martial soul quality, and now the hammer's martial soul quality has reached Pre-Heaven Level 4.

Adding the absorption of high‑age Soul Rings, the Thousand-Year Lei Mang Inner Pill, and the marrow‑amplifying effect of ten‑thousand‑year soul bones gave him his current height.

Tie Li can vaguely estimate the age of a soul bone; it is certainly not a thousand years—he once used the soul skill of a soul bone to leap several major tiers and kill a Five Ring Soul King, so it could not be merely a thousand‑year soul beast bone.

The current Forge Hammer Martial Soul may need a metamorphosis.

A powerful‑bloodline Soul Beast becoming his Soul Ring, or perhaps some rare heavenly treasure.

But for Tie Li, all of these require luck.

Tang San went to obtain a second Soul Ring and took leave from Shi San for a while.

He originally thought that after acquiring the Soul Ring, Tang San would return to the blacksmith shop.

What Tie Li didn't expect was that Tang San finally came to bid farewell to Shi San, giving a simple reason: his teacher told him to focus all his mind on cultivation.

Perhaps this butterfly of his caused some effect, altering the gears of fate.

Yet merely learning the essence of the Chaos Cloak Hammer Method from Tang San is enough; by combining it with his own forging skill, he can still discover the hammer technique best suited to him.

It is not just forging art but also a combat strategy, though all of this remains experimental.

Shortly after Tang San's departure, Tie Li formally said farewell to Shi San.

"Hahaha, I guessed this day would come," Shi San said openly.

After bidding Shi San farewell, Tie Li intends to first collect this month's Martial Soul Allowance.

A year ago he completed the Soul Elder registration at the Spirit Hall in Nuo Ding City, and now receives a monthly Soul Master allowance of one hundred Gold Soul Coins.

After leaving Nuo Ding City, Tie Li did not rush back to Geng Xin Cheng but wanted to make a foray in the Soul Master World.

The new metal inner armor focuses on defense; during forging, Diamond is the primary material, with Thunder Tin as a supplement, boosting the Thunder and Lightning Attribute by about three percent.

As for the two greaves, also defense‑oriented, the added Thunder‑attribute metal is scant, granting a two‑percent boost; this is mainly because Tie Li forges them using his martial soul, giving a two‑percent self‑attribute increase;

If another Soul Master did it, the effect would be limited to defense.

Stacking the attributes of his armor reaches a ten‑percent total, equivalent to an auxiliary Soul Master releasing an Amplification Soul Technique on him.

……

"This is Fikesi City; indeed it's a big city."

Tie Li left Nuo Ding City, headed north for a journey, and arrived at Fikesi City; as a major city, its most famous landmark is the Grand Soul Battle Arena.

Tie Li's purpose here is to see whether his expensive Soul Master Handbook and Imperial Certificate can register a new identity at the Grand Soul Battle Arena.

His previous identity is absolutely unusable and cannot re‑enter the arena; Tie Li doesn't want to cause himself trouble.

Registering at the arena is merely to verify his identity's legitimacy, so he can appear there openly thereafter.

After all, the Soul Battles at the Grand Arena bring in a hefty income.

Familiar with the arena's layout, Tie Li presented his Soul Master Handbook and Imperial Certificate at the front desk, registered without issue, and succeeded.

Tie Li signed up for a personal Soul Battle; since he's here, earning ten Gold Soul Coins isn't too little.

Before the match, a routine Soul Power test was conducted.

A Soul Elder's personal Soul Battle at Level 30+ is rare at the Grand Arena in Fikesi City.

After placing his belongings in the lounge, Tie Li was led by staff to the Waiting Battle Area beneath the Soul Battle Platform.

"Next up are two Soul Master Sirs: Deng Shan, a Soul Master who has kept seven consecutive wins at our Grand Arena, and Wan Li, a newly joined Soul Master."

The host gave no further introduction; the mere Soul Elder duel was enough to capture their attention.

"Another Soul Elder Soul Battle, truly rare."

"It's just a personal Soul Battle; you haven't been to Suoto City—team Soul Battles of Level‑30 Soul Elders are the real spectacle."

"Who do you think will win this Soul Battle?"

"I'm betting on Deng Shan; his Soul Power Level is 38, nearly breaking into Soul Ancestor."

The uproar in the audience already showed the anticipation for this Soul Battle; the host stepped down from the platform, and a judge signaled both sides could enter.

Tie Li's face was masked, hiding his true appearance, while his opponent was unmasked, small yet wiry, with a hint of frenzy in his eyes, clearly craving the Soul Battle—and, more precisely, the Gold Soul Coins it rewards.

He has seven consecutive wins; winning the next Soul Battle would net a hundred Gold Soul Coins.

"Soul Battle begins."

The moment the judge announced, Deng Shan instantly entered Martial Soul Possession State and launched a fierce attack toward Tie Li.

Gray monkey hair sprouted from his body, his limbs elongated and thinned, and his strength increased markedly.

Beneath him was a Soul Ring Configuration of white, yellow, and purple, belonging to a Three Ring Soul Honorable who possesses a thousand‑year soul technique.

The instant Tie Li summoned his martial soul, his opening move was the Forging Technique.

(End of Chapter)