Chapter 175

A research lab in Mingde Hall had gathered a large crowd, all staring at the core circle, eyes unblinking.

Two people were preparing to compete there.

As they grew familiar over this period, Xu Mo expressed a desire to witness Huo Yuhao's Soul Guide technology, so this competition came about.

As a Researcher who joined Mingde Hall after graduating from Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, he was already a Seven-Rank Maker.

And what they were competing on this time was a Sixth-class Manufacturer project — manufacturing a One-Word Battle Armor Core Component.

Although Third- and Fourth-Rank Makers can manufacture ordinary One-Word Battle Armor components, the core component must be completed by a Sixth-class Manufacturer or above.

Xu Mo and Huo Yuhao each stood before their own workbench, with the Rare Metals and tools for making a One-Word Battle Armor Core Component placed before them.

Xu Mo glanced at Huo Yuhao, gave a slight nod, took out an entirely jade-green carving knife from his Storage Ring, its tip flashing with a strange light, and began outlining complex patterns on the Rare Metal surface. With every stroke, a thread of soul power was injected, and the metal surface immediately lit up with a faint glow.

Xu Mo's technique was indeed superb; his wrist flew, the carving knife drawing graceful arcs on the metal surface, and the prototype of the Soul Guide Array gradually emerged.

"Senior Brother Xu is going too far, right? He's actually using the Biling Carving Knife? This knife can automatically correct soul power fluctuations, reducing array carving error by ten percent — bringing it out for a competition isn't bullying?"

A young Researcher muttered secretly.

"You've been researching lately, haven't heard the outside talk; he doesn't want to lose too tragically."

Another Researcher looked toward Huo Yuhao's direction, cheek twitching, "Look at Researcher Huo Yuhao's movements."

The young Researcher turned his head and instantly stared wide-eyed.

He saw that Huo Yuhao did not use his hands to grip the carving knives, but controlled them with Spiritual Power.

Three carving knives simultaneously landed on the levitating Spirit Alloy — Spirit Gold — and began carving arrays from different angles.

As a Mingde Hall Researcher, what technique hasn't he seen?

This technique he truly had never seen before!

"He can simultaneously control three carving knives?" The young Researcher murmured to himself; even with the fact before him, it still felt like a dream, "Such technique and Spiritual Power operation level — even if you called him a Ten-Rank Maker I'd believe it."

The person beside him spoke with a complex tone, "Not only that, he's also using Internal Carving Method, probably intending to manufacture a Double Nested Formation!"

The entire Zhi Zao Shi fell instantly silent enough to hear a needle drop.

Internal Carving Method, unlike traditional Soul Tools that must damage the material surface to carve, requires the Soul Master to directly construct a complete Soul Guide Array system inside the material while minimizing damage to it. This technique's demands on Spiritual Power and soul power control can be called perverse; those who can do it are all masters without exception.

And to accomplish this while controlling three carving knives... a freak.

Huo Yuhao's carving knives traced minute trajectories hard for the naked eye to discern inside the metal; every trajectory was precise to a suffocating degree. These trajectories did not remain on a two-dimensional plane, but interwove into a three-dimensional network in three-dimensional space — like weaving a living, breathing organ with gold thread inside a sealed glass sphere.

The metal sphere's interior began to emit a dreamlike streamer; those interwoven energy channels formed a double helix structure of ultimate precision at the sphere's center. While the outer array rotated stably, the inner array underwent a completely opposite reverse motion.

It was unmistakably a Double Nested Formation. The outer array handled energy conversion, the inner array controlled soul power compression, plus some effects the researchers couldn't immediately identify.

Xu Mo had stopped moving at some point, secretly sighing.

No need to compete further.

The two sides' techniques were fundamentally not on the same level; the competition had already lost meaning, just treat it as broadening one's horizons.

Thinking this, Xu Mo subconsciously studied Huo Yuhao's operation.

'This inner layer's soul power compression method somewhat resembles a Soul Core; what is its function?'

As time passed, the patterns on the Spirit Gold surface gradually grew from simple to complex, from shallow to profound. Various textures interwove and entwined, slowly producing a wondrous resonance.

When the final pattern was completed, Huo Yuhao withdrew his soul power, the light in his eyes gradually fading. He waved a hand lightly, and the finished core component floated into his hand, its surface flowing with a dreamlike luster.

Everyone fixed their gaze on it.

It was a silver-white coronet, shimmering with a dreamlike Moon Hua luster under the Soul Guidance Lamp. The headband surface was densely covered in fine dragon scale patterns, layered like flowing waves. At the very center of the coronet a purple crystal slowly rotated, appearing incomparably magnificent.

Even they, these Mingde Hall members, had never seen such a magnificent One-Word Battle Armor Core Component; it could already compare shoulder-to-shoulder with Two-Word Battle Armor components.

"Battle Armor Core Components are generally on the chest or helmet; the former suits most Soul Masters, the latter suits Soul Masters skilled in Spiritual Power, and the carved arrays relate to amplifying Spiritual Power. This core component couldn't be...?"

Some people realized, looking toward the Corner.

In the Corner, Gu Yue Na, who had also been watching this competition, blanked for a moment, then walked slowly toward Huo Yuhao. Silver long hair swayed gently with her steps, reflecting starlike luster under the Soul Guidance Lamp. When she stopped before Huo Yuhao, her purple crystal-like eyes reflected the coronet's flowing light.

Huo Yuhao smiled faintly, lifted the silver coronet, and placed it on Gu Yue Na's head.

The moment the coronet touched Gu Yue Na's hair strands, those dragon scale patterns suddenly came alive. Fine silver scales flipped up layer by layer, the purple crystal's rotation speed abruptly accelerated, drawing faint purple light traces in the air.

The instant the coronet was fully worn, Gu Yue Na's whole body suddenly burst forth with dazzling silver light. The other ten Battle Armor pieces on her body simultaneously manifested, silver-purple energy patterns connecting into a complete circuit among all pieces.

The head piece was refined by her in a moment, becoming the Battle Armor's final puzzle piece.

The metal for forging the Battle Armor was Spirit Alloy — Spirit Gold — personally forged by Gu Yue Na under Huo Yuhao's reminder, perfectly compatible with her; coupled with Gu Yue Na's Spiritual Power unknowingly recovering to Spirit Abyss Realm, the fusion naturally had no difficulty.

From now on, the Battle Armor personally designed and manufactured for her by Huo Yuhao was already complete.

In an instant, a vast imposing aura erupted from within her; a silver-purple energy storm swept the surroundings, even the air trembling.

Silver-purple streamers flowed on the armor; Gu Yue Na stood quietly within. The chest armor outlined graceful curves, shoulder armor dragon patterns nearly breaking the sky; arm armor scale patterns flickered with her breath, leg armor lines sharp as blades. And that coronet was most eye-catching — purple crystal suspended before her brow, silver scales flowing, setting her off like a Dragon Clan Empress, majesty innate.

A Four-Ring One-Word Battle Armor Master!

Many researchers' brows twitched.

To become a One-Word Battle Armor Master at Four Rings, and at this age — this probably never happened in Federation history.

However, more than shock, they felt a kind of "fullness".

Gu Yue Na and Huo Yuhao's relationship they saw with their own eyes.

The person one likes personally completing the Battle Armor Core Component for oneself, crowning her, making her a true One-Word Battle Armor Master... which girl could not be moved in such a scene?

"No wonder Researcher Huo Yuhao, who usually focuses on research, agreed to the competition; turns out it was to manufacture a Battle Armor component for Miss Gu Yue Na." Xu Mo smiled helplessly.

Behind him, Mingde Hall researchers looked at each other in dismay. Someone muttered softly: "This isn't a competition at all, it's clearly a massive PDA scene..."

Stuffed a mouthful of dog food into them.

Gu Yue Na looked at Huo Yuhao with gentle eyes, also feeling a throb for the other's "cunning".

'Not saying a word in advance; if this keeps up, I really...'

"Is this style satisfactory?"

Huo Yuhao transmitted his voice, smiling: "Or do you want to add a pair of dragon horns?"

"Satisfied."

Gu Yue Na shook her head slightly, her voice gentle: "My One-Word Battle Armor's name is Hao."

Huo Yuhao's movement paused, and his gaze met those purple eyes. The air inside the manufacturing room seemed to freeze at this moment, even the sound of breathing was clearly audible.

"Cough." Xu Mo stepped forward timely, saluting Huo Yuhao solemnly, "Researcher Huo, today I was rash. Your technique commands my admiration. The data promised earlier will be given to you now."

He took out a Soul Guidance Crystal Element glowing with blue light from his bosom.

Since he proposed the contest, there had to be some stakes.

"Trouble Researcher Xu." Huo Yuhao returned to his senses, nodding as he accepted the crystal element.

Seeing this, Xu Mo waved to the colleagues around: "Everyone disperse, don't delay Researcher Huo's research."

The researchers dispersed reluctantly, looking back from time to time.

"That headpiece design is truly beautiful, it makes me want to try it too..."

"Simultaneously controlling three carving knives, how exactly was that done?"

"If there's a chance, I must ask for guidance."

After everyone dispersed, Huo Yuhao just wanted to put the crystal element into the Soul Guidance Light Screen, when he suddenly felt a soft warm touch on his cheek. Gu Yue Na leaned close, touched his cheek once, then quickly withdrew. Amidst her falling silver hair, her reddened eartips were faintly visible.

Huo Yuhao felt the warmth on his face, looked toward Gu Yue Na, but saw she had already casually linked his arm, staring at the Soul Guidance Light Screen.

The data Xu Mo gave was about Mingde Hall's research on Rare Metals, and was also what Huo Yuhao needed.

"Yuhao, wait for me a while longer. Once my Spirit Forging level advances a step further, I can help you manufacture Two-Word Battle Armor. At that time, how many kinds of metal do you plan to use for the alloy?"

Huo Yuhao also looked at the Soul Guidance Light Screen, "One-Word two kinds, Two-Word start with three or four kinds, you just adapt slowly. This path we are pioneers, we need to explore it ourselves."

"Mm."

Hearing this, Gu Yue Na nodded lightly.

Among Blacksmiths, an alloy made of nine metals is called Godly Alloy. Legend says Battle Armor Heavenly Forged with that alloy can raise a Limit Douluo's strength another level, reaching... the level of Gods!

However, from ancient times to now, no Blacksmith has ever completed Godly Alloy.

But Yuhao found the technique to fuse sources, making metal Fusion Forging simple. As long as she can complete the forging of those alloys, perfectly bringing out their properties, perhaps one day she can truly complete the Heavenly Forging of Godly Alloy!

The two stayed in the research institute for two hours. Gu Yue Na's Soul Guidance Light Screen received a message. She took it out and glanced at it.

"Yuhao, Xiao Yan sent me a message, asking us to visit the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy when free. The Yuan En Yehui we met before wants to see us... possibly to apologize?"

"After seeing old friends later, we'll go over."

Hearing this, Huo Yuhao put away the crystal element, looked toward the doorway, his eyes flashing slightly.

Gu Yue Na seemed to sense something, looked outside. The next second, her figure dissolved into specks of silver light, scattering in the air — leaving the alone time considerately to Huo Yuhao and his old friend.

At the same time, she also set up a Spatial Barrier here, to avoid outsiders disturbing and seeing the scene here.

The room returned to silence.

Huo Yuhao gazed at the direction she disappeared, the corner of his mouth unconsciously curving into a gentle arc.

However this smile had not yet reached his eyes, when the laboratory's metal door suddenly opened. What entered Huo Yuhao's view was a fist wreathed in flames. Space distorted before it.

Facing this, Huo Yuhao did not move, not even a corner of his clothes stirred. The flames halted abruptly one meter from him. The violent fire element instantly became docile as a lamb, turning into specks of flowing fireflies that scattered in the air.

"Long time no see." Huo Yuhao gazed at the figure gradually appearing at the doorway, "Tian Huo's unique greeting method is somewhat surprising. Is testing people's cultivation a habit formed in the War God Hall?"

"Not so. Just that for so many years, there was no news of you. I thought you had already become a God or... met with an accident. Now suddenly hearing someone display Seven-Colored Lotus, doubts arose in my heart. Worried there might be a variable, I made a move to probe. For the offense, please be forgiving."

Standing at the doorway was a humanoid creature composed of flames, precisely the leader of the Fire Li Clan on Douluo — Tian Huo.

He stepped into the room, saluting and apologizing solemnly.

The Fire Li Clan has no living environment, it's truly painful. Some of his clansmen couldn't hold on while searching for a magma environment, perishing completely.

If not for Huo Yuhao suddenly appearing before them, pointing them a clear path, they wouldn't know how many detours they'd have to take to reach Mingdu and find the War God Hall.

For their clan, Huo Yuhao has the grace of saving their lives.

Although he gave Huo Yuhao a reward, that was another equal transaction. This life-saving grace hasn't been repaid.

"No problem. If it were me, I'd also probe." Huo Yuhao shook his head, smiling: "After all we've only met once, we're not familiar with each other. Your doubts are not improper."

Hearing this, Tian Huo secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"What is your purpose in contacting me through clansmen this time? Speak directly. If it can be done, I absolutely won't refuse."

In his words, he had already planned to unconditionally do one thing for Huo Yuhao.

The grace from back then must be repaid after all.

Huo Yuhao restrained his smile, selectively told him about the Evil Soul Master and the God-Killing Grade Soul Cannon Shell matter.

Hearing this, Tian Huo had many doubts in his heart, but still nodded: "Can do. If the God-Killing Grade Soul Cannon Shell is truly placed in the War God Hall, guarding it is also what I need to do. After all this is the contract between War God Hall seniors and us."

Speaking here, Tian Huo looked at Huo Yuhao, "Anything else you need us to help with? The matter just now was our duty. We even need to thank you for the intelligence."

Huo Yuhao shook his head lightly, palm facing up slowly spreading open: "Back then I just pointed a path. Tian Huo need not mind. Besides... this prepaid reward is already the best gift!"

A lotus flower imprint appeared in Huo Yuhao's palm. White-hot flames rose from within, seven-colored brilliance flowing inside.

When this flame appeared, the fire elements in the air began to rage, gathering toward his palm like pilgrims.

It was precisely the Fire Li Clan's Innate True Fire — Seven-Colored Lotus!

(End of Chapter)