Hu Liena and Mu Xi were both intelligent girls, but their personalities were vastly different. Hu Liena was confident, assertive, and always spoke her mind—never one to bottle things up. Mu Xi, on the other hand, had a gentler exterior but a strong will, shaped by her circumstances in life.
Despite their differences, the two shared one important thing in common—they both loved Li Chang'an. That was the true reason behind today's meeting.
"I'm a few years older than you, so why don't you call me 'Sister Nana'? That way we won't feel so distant," Hu Liena said with a smile, exuding a natural charm that made her hard to dislike.
"S-Sister Nana…" Whether out of respect or simply due to social pressure, Mu Xi reluctantly addressed her that way. She didn't seem the type to fight over such things anyway.
"Did you enter the academy with Chang'an?" Hu Liena asked gently, noticing Mu Xi's shy demeanor and choosing not to press further. After all, she wasn't the type to make things difficult unnecessarily—it was just a bit awkward adjusting to the situation.
"Now, on behalf of the both of us, I have to ask you something, Chang'an—other than us, is there anyone else?" Hu Liena suddenly turned her attention to Li Chang'an with sharp intent.
Li Chang'an quickly shook his head, "Of course not, no one else..."
"That's good then…" The two girls exchanged a deep glance, seemingly satisfied with his answer.
After that, the conversation became much smoother. Both girls were still young, and in a world like this one, polygamy wasn't uncommon. Considering Mu Xi's temperament, the atmosphere gradually lightened.
Still, Hu Liena and Mu Xi both understood that Li Chang'an wasn't someone easily controlled. And honestly, they had no intention of trying—because it simply wasn't realistic.
Once the meeting concluded, Li Chang'an finally breathed a sigh of relief. At least the emotional battlefield of Spirit Academy was resolved for now. As for the future? He'd deal with that later.
___
After wrapping things up, Li Chang'an returned home for a short rest before heading to the underground base beneath the Heaven Soul Forest—home to the Spirit Hall's largest research institute, equipped with the most advanced technology of the era.
Of course, unofficial estimates suggested that over the past six years, this research institute had consumed a full tenth of the Spirit Hall's total annual budget. And that was with Li Chang'an guiding it in the right direction. Without him, who knows how much it might've cost?
Currently, the research institute occupied nearly a quarter of the Heaven Soul Forest, and one year ago, the walls twenty meters underground had been upgraded to white alloy, giving the facility a distinctly modern and high-tech feel.
After passing several layers of security and being personally scanned by a resident Titled Douluo's spiritual sense, Li Chang'an was finally allowed entry. Following protocol, he donned a white lab coat, gloves, and changed his shoes.
The moment he entered, the Deputy Director came out to greet him—not because of status, but out of genuine respect for Li Chang'an's knowledge and expertise.
The Deputy Director, Yang Liming, was a soul tool enthusiast and researcher in his fifties with impressive strength. In the entire research institute, Li Chang'an was the only one Yang Liming truly admired.
"You're finally here, Chang'an! I've got a pile of projects waiting for your approval," Yang Liming said eagerly, dragging Li Chang'an toward his office.
"Hey, Old Yang, you're already the deputy director! Just approve some of them yourself. Why wait for me?" Li Chang'an groaned. He wasn't an engineering major, and at best, he could offer a strategic direction—anything beyond that was outside his expertise.
"You don't understand. Without your input, I can't make the call on some things. Here, look at this project." Yang Liming handed him a report.
"Further Applications of Gunpowder."
This application proposed expanding the study of newly produced gunpowder—specifically, testing how much damage it would do to spirit masters of different ranks.
Li Chang'an nodded. "Looks good. Also, add a suggestion to explore different gunpowder loading mechanisms."
"Got it." Yang Liming took note, then opened the door to Li Chang'an's office and ushered him in.
"Any big problems recently?" Li Chang'an asked casually, sipping tea as he took his seat at the main desk.
"There is one major issue—not enough soul tools. Ever since you proposed a classification system for soul tools, we realized that the strongest we have here are only Grade Five, and we've only got two of them! Without more, how can we develop new inscription arrays?"
Yang Liming was clearly frustrated. Soul tools were mostly found in ancient ruins and rarely sold on the market. Without enough samples, there was no way to conduct proper research.
Li Chang'an nodded. "Then put out some bounty notices. We'll not only buy soul tools from the market, but also encourage spirit masters to explore ruins. We'll provide funding, technical support, and pay top prices for what they bring back!"
It wasn't a perfect solution, but thankfully, some of the institute's innovations were starting to become profitable. Otherwise, they'd really be in trouble.
As the saying goes: "If money can solve it, it's not really a problem."
"I actually came today with specific instructions for you. Old Yang, take a look at this."
Li Chang'an pulled out a thick report from his Nullspace. The cover read:
"The First Five-Year Plan!"
"I'll be leaving Spirit City for a while soon. Of course, I'll check in when I can. But before I go, there are several projects that must be treated as priority mandates."
"First is research into steam power—I've detailed my thoughts in the report. Second is the standardization of production lines. Third, the development of Grade Two Soul Cannons. And fourth, something for the people—advancements in loom technology."
Li Chang'an's plan was long-term and covered a wide range of industries. It would be more than enough to keep the research institute busy for the next five years. This was his blueprint for the future—because until gods entered the picture, military strength still ruled the world.
After finishing his instructions, Li Chang'an gave Yang Liming some words of encouragement and left with a bundle of the institute's latest innovations.
The Worship Hall was sorted. The Pope's Palace had no issues. The Academy's emotional battlefield had been cleared. The Research Institute was running smoothly.
Next stop—Sunset Forest!
Yes, collecting the Immortal Herbs of Sunset Forest was Li Chang'an's final and biggest move before leaving Spirit Hall. It was also a bold probe into the will of the world of Douluo.
He was curious—without the immortal herbs, what kind of Tang San would be left?
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T/N:
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