Haotian Castle.
"Big Brother, is there really no other way?"
Tai Tan lifted his wine jug, a hint of unbearable pain flashing through his eyes.
The questioned Niu Tian's expression remained unchanged, though his dim eyes seemed to say it all. He waved his hand, "What way can there be? We can only trust his methods. Besides, he also said it's only Xiao Dong's childhood memories; it shouldn't cause any impact on Xiao Dong. All we can do is delay the time for Xiao Dong a bit more, nothing more."
What a bastard!
Suppressing the indignation in his heart, the silent Tai Tan could only lift the entire wine jug to his mouth and pour it down fiercely.
What kind of mess is this!?
Having lived for a hundred thousand years, they knew full well that souls and memories weren't something to be trifled with. Yet Tang San still had to pull such a stunt! How could Sister Xiao Wu agree to this!?
Furthermore, if they knew this would happen, why didn't they choose to seal the memories back then, instead of insisting on splitting them?
Sigh…
But now, they could only follow what Big Brother said.
They couldn't possibly go against Tang San, or rather, Sister Xiao Wu, right? They could only hope that Tang San's "craftsmanship" was a bit better.
Just as Tai Tan was drinking non-stop and Niu Tian was silently brooding, suddenly a disciple of the Haotian Sect came to report that a letter had arrived from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, related to the Young Master.
"Why would it come from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"
Hurriedly putting down the wine jug, Tai Tan took a big step and snatched the letter into his hand. As he was tearing open the envelope, Niu Tian waved his hand to dismiss the sect disciple, then said:
"Isn't the son-in-law he wants to test a member of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? So what's the problem with Xiao Dong staying at her 'in-laws' house?" Although he said this, Niu Tian's tone was obviously not good. As for how not good... it was probably the kind of displeasure like watching the cabbage you raised get snatched by a pig, even making the term 'in-laws' sound sarcastic.
However, his tone had restrained quite a bit, after all...
"That kid Huo Yuhao! Doesn't Xiao Dong ask us first?"
Having just opened the letter, Tai Tan roared with wide, angry eyes.
He had previously gained their approval, but that was only based on Dong'er's 'boyfriend' status; he wasn't a 'husband' yet!
For a moment, he completely forgot that it was Wang Dong'er who had brought Huo Yuhao and the others to stay at Haotian Castle in the first place. Or rather, these two total girl-dads chose to selectively forget this point.
"Alright, stop talking about whether she asked or not. Are you going to read the letter in your hand or not? If you're not, give it to me, I'll read it."
Seeing Tai Tan holding the letter without reading it, and even having the desire to keep talking, Niu Tian spoke up to interrupt his complaints.
This matter, just a simple grumble was enough. After all, Dong'er had already set her heart on that kid Huo Yuhao, and that kid was indeed not bad, worthy of Xiao Dong. Furthermore, that kid Huo Yuhao was going to suffer later on, targeted by Tang San, who said he would put him through a severe trial for a while.
And the so-called trial was something even they, the brothers, couldn't bear to watch.
"Read, read, Big Brother, I'm reading."
Glanced at by his big brother like that, Tai Tan hurriedly scanned the text on the letter. As a result, as soon as he saw the signature, his previous interest instantly lost more than half. Chen Junting, who was this kid...
Doubt had just risen in his heart, and Tai Tan immediately remembered. *Why would this kid be the one sending the letter? Logically speaking, if it wasn't Xiao Dong, it should be Huo Yuhao, right? Could it be that something unexpected happened to Xiao Dong and the others!?*
Thinking of this possibility, Tai Tan's breathing couldn't help but rush and then become chaotic. Although the movement wasn't big, it immediately attracted Niu Tian's attention and vigilance, "Second Brother, what does the letter say?"
Before he finished speaking, he snatched it away.
He had only just scanned it once, while Tai Tan, who had already read the letter's contents in a second and calmed his breathing, scratched the back of his head in confusion, "Big Brother, it seems that kid named 'Chen Junting' who came to our place back then is inviting you to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect as a guest. This is really damn weird."
Regarding Chen Junting, Tai Tan could be considered to have a deep memory of him.
Because this kid was awesome!
It was just that he suddenly invited his Big Brother to be a guest, and even mentioned Xiao Dong. This matter... was a bit strange?
"A guest?" Niu Tian, who had already put the letter aside and was pondering, suddenly curled his lips slightly upward, "Interesting."
"Big Brother, how about I go this time?"
Glancing at Tai Tan who leaned his big head over, Niu Tian pushed his face away in disgust, "Why would you go? They invited me, the Great Sect Master of the Haotian Sect. Besides, you already went out once before! This time, no matter what, it should be my turn. Am I the only one who wants to go out for a stroll?"
Although back when he was a soul beast in the Star Dou Great Forest, he stayed cooped up in the lake day after day for centuries, that didn't mean he didn't want to go down the mountain for a stroll after being resurrected in the lower realm.
So Niu Tian rejected his brother without hesitation.
Second Brother, you should let Big Brother enjoy himself for a bit!
Seeing this, Tai Tan couldn't help but mutter.
"Then Big Brother, what excuse are you going to use to go down the mountain?"
Niu Tian gave Tai Tan a look, letting him comprehend its meaning himself. "Of course, it's to go down the mountain and bring Xiao Dong back to the sect. Just say that Xiao Dong hasn't returned to the sect all these years because she can't bear to leave that kid Huo Yuhao. So this time, I personally made a trip down the mountain to bring Xiao Dong back to the sect."
This excuse left Tai Tan dumbfounded!
'Big Brother, you are truly a bit unkind! Pinning the blame on that kid Huo Yuhao, wouldn't Tang San's subsequent trial torment that kid to death!'
But it had to be said, this excuse was absolutely effective.
It seems they can only let that kid Huo Yuhao suffer a bit.
Since the excuse was thought up, they acted immediately.
Niu Tian hurriedly used the Sea God mark left by Tang San to inform Tang San of his fabricated excuse. After meeting a moment of silence from Tang San, he approved Niu Tian's request.
He simply instructed him to pay attention to his identity.
After all, during this period, that guy the God of Destruction might pay attention to the Douluo Plane from time to time because of the Rakshasa God's inheritor. Even though Tang San was quite confident in his methods, believing that as long as Niu Tian didn't desperately force open the seal, even the God of Destruction wouldn't notice, it was still better to be careful.
To this, Niu Tian naturally agreed wholeheartedly.
"Rakshasa God's inheritor... that kid named 'Chen Junting'..."
After thinking about it briefly, he tossed it to the back of his mind.
Now, down the mountain!
After so many years, he hadn't really gone down to take a look! Should he take the opportunity to visit the Star Dou Great Forest...
Thinking like this, Niu Tian drifted away.
The entire sect was left with Tai Tan watching enviously.
...
Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Soul Tool Research Institute.
"Success!"
"Finally succeeded!"
"Hahaha—"
"Boohoohoo"
"..."
A burst of cheers and rejoicing that seemed capable of overturning the entire institute, occasionally mixed with a few sobs of extreme joy, echoed continuously at this moment. This made Chen Junting, who had been called over by Jing Ziyan, show an even stronger look of joy on his face, quickening his already rapid pace once again.
The moment the Battle Armor research room's door opened, what caught his eyes were the usually rigorous soul engineer researchers acting like they had gone mad one by one, filling the institute with a joyous atmosphere.
And the first to notice Chen Junting was naturally the Thousand-Jin Douluo Tai Yu, who had long since been transferred back to the sect as a permanent resident by Sect Master Ning Bowen.
He turned sideways, squeezed past the excited soul engineer researchers to come to their side, gave Jing Ziyan a brief greeting, then pointed at Chen Junting with a forced bitter smile, "You kid really made me suffer. For more than four whole years, I basically haven't taken a single step out of this research institute; eating, drinking, and bathroom breaks were all solved right here. If I wasn't forging metal, I was studying forging. In a single day, my rest time didn't exceed an hour and a half. Even as a Super Douluo, I can't withstand such torment."
Listening to Tai Yu's complaints, Chen Junting also smiled and said:
"It's really been hard on you, Uncle Tai."
"Eh—what are you saying."
Tai Yu waved his hand, "Mine can't be considered hard work yet."
Actually, to be honest, what made Tai Yu feel the most palpitating wasn't this, but these Battle Armor researchers. Each and every one of them acted as if they were possessed, making him feel admiration.
To this, Chen Junting deeply agreed.
These soul engineer researchers were treasures!
Especially Xuan Ziwen, who was a treasure among treasures.
Under his guidance, within ten years, he had cultivated quite a few Level 9 Soul Engineers for the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Moreover, every single one of them was a researcher. Even Huo Yuhao had become a Level 9 Soul Engineer during Chen Junting's five years of secluded cultivation, and even joined the ranks of Battle Armor research. Of course, this didn't delay his cultivation either.
After a simple chat with Uncle Tai, Chen Junting sought out Xuan Ziwen. At this moment, he was standing together with Huo Yuhao, who was wearing a set of deep blue armor. And Chen Junting's gaze was immediately drawn to the armor on his body.
The deep blue armor was equipped with eleven components, full of a breath of life and an ancient, vicissitudinous feel. Every part was meticulously crafted, like pieces of deep blue ice crystal, perfectly fitting Huo Yuhao's body. Even his entire person was like a humanoid sapphire, emitting a soft blue halo. Only the three blood-red characters for "Haodong Love" on the armor appeared somewhat abrupt compared to the whole suit.
Now, the aura emitted by the armor-wearing Huo Yuhao had already surpassed the current Gu Tianchen in Chen Junting's perception.
And this armor was the Three-Word Battle Armor born from the painstaking creation of a large group of people over the past five years, combining the blood, sweat, and tears of all the soul engineer researchers in the Battle Armor Institute, with the help of Tai Yu, and Huo Yuhao assisting Xuan Ziwen!
Perhaps due to the influence of methods like artificial soul bones, the Battle Armor researched by Xuan Ziwen and the others somewhat differed from the Battle Armor in the original timeline, such as Battle Armor of any level being able to integrate into the body, and even overlapping with soul bones. Therefore, under these differences, Huo Yuhao's Ghost Sculpture Divine Knife and the Sigh of the Ice Snow Goddess · Morning Dew Knife were indispensable in making their moves.
Moreover, based on the above differences, Xuan Ziwen also proposed a theory. That was, if the Battle Armor was combined with the person from the very beginning, and designed according to the corresponding soul bones, in the end, it might even be possible to fuse these two into one.
"This Battle Armor is predominantly forged using the metal material known as Ice Extreme Divine Crystal. Because without an Ultimate Ice Martial Soul, it's very difficult to match this armor, so with the Sect Master's approval, it was designed according to this kid Yuhao's data."
At some unknown point, Tai Yu walked up to Chen Junting.
At this moment, his eyes were full of emotion.
"To be honest, if it weren't for a metal like the Ice Extreme Divine Crystal, I would have really thought that metals giving birth to life and spiritual intelligence was a joke. And this discovery also let me see the future path for blacksmiths."
Because some Ice Extreme Divine Crystals contained ice spirits, Xuan Ziwen and the others chose this material for their research.
After all, it was easier to work with.
And this also made Tai Yu take quite a few detours in the forging stage. Precisely because of this, he solemnly said to Chen Junting, who had not only brought back the Ice Extreme Divine Crystal but also proposed this project:
"This is all thanks to you."
Hearing this, Chen Junting neither admitted nor denied it. He only said: "When the research on humanoid soul tools began, this was already the trend of the times. I merely saw the future."
Hmm?
Tai Yu looked at Chen Junting in surprise.
Since when did you kid speak so profoundly?
Coincidentally at this time, Xuan Ziwen, who had just finished measuring the Battle Armor data, and Huo Yuhao, who had just had his Battle Armor data measured, finally completed the final closing steps at hand, which allowed the two, who had long noticed Chen Junting's arrival, to greet him.
"Brother Junting."
Chen Junting smiled and nodded, asking:
"How does it feel?"
Huo Yuhao clenched his fist, his tone quite confident.
"It feels great. Now, even if an Ultimate Douluo were in front of me, I would dare to tussle with them." After speaking, he noticed Chen Junting's look and hurriedly added, "I mean the most ordinary kind, like Elder Xuan, and in a conventional state."
Hearing this, Chen Junting said in a slightly teasing tone, "That's what I thought too, otherwise what did you think I was thinking?"
And what responded to him was naturally an awkward yet polite smile.
After ending the conversation with Huo Yuhao, Chen Junting also congratulated Xuan Ziwen, then asked: "Teacher Xuan, apart from the Battle Armor made of Ice Extreme Divine Crystal which comes with ice spirits, if you were to create another Three-Word Battle Armor, would you succeed?"
"Naturally, we can."
Regarding research, Xuan Ziwen held the most rigorous attitude.
"As long as the metals can be resolved."
"Even alloys are no problem, except for... Heaven Refined..."
At first, Tai Yu even vouched for it. That is, until the Heaven Refined metal required for the Four-Word Battle Armor was mentioned. To be honest, the difficulty was too great; he had tried a few times and never succeeded.
"Is that so..."
Chen Junting wasn't disappointed.
He was well aware of the difficulty of the Four-Word Battle Armor, and since they already had the Three-Word Battle Armor now, what more could he demand?
"Then I'll trouble Teacher Xuan to design Battle Armors for me, the Sect Master, the Elders, as well as the sect geniuses like Xiao Tian and Old Gu. As for the metals, I'll trouble Uncle Tai."
"No problem." ×2
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