"You're here?"
Old Du glanced at Su Wen, a bit frustrated. Such talent in forging, yet he wasted so much of it…
If only Su Wen spent all his time forging, he'd have become a Divine Craftsman within three years by now.
A Divine Craftsman! The dream of every blacksmith, and a title even more prestigious now than ten millennia ago.
"Yeah." Su Wen grinned.
This visit was all about battle armor.
That's right—the thing that haunts everyone's dreams, the thing that could trigger a continent-wide revolution… How far had it come?
Come with me.
Old Du waved his hand.
The three of them entered the underground forging building. The decor was monotonous, all black iron, until at the end of the corridor a splash of white appeared.
Opening a white door, lights flickered on, revealing a spacious laboratory.
And front and center stood a suit of ice-blue armor.
"Ice Extreme Divine Crystal?" Su Wen's eyes widened as he stepped forward to touch the armor's engravings. He never expected Old Du's execution to be so terrifying. He'd just mentioned the idea, and less than half a month later, here was the finished product…
The Ice Extreme Divine Crystal could create the Ice Extreme War God Armor thanks to its powerful spirit power extension and affinity with ice. This was the first time, on the Douluo Continent, that humans had truly "tamed" metal.
"That's right. Try it on." Old Du said with a grin.
"That kid Xuan Ziwen really is a genius. He designed a complete control system—spirit power-controlled, moves like your own arm, fully unleashing the armor's potential." Old Du stroked his beard with emotion.
"Where is Teacher Xuan?" Su Wen asked, surprised.
"He and an outer court girl hit it off—now he's just like you, lost in a sugar jar, living in a daze." Old Du sneered at Su Wen.
Su Wen's mouth twitched.
What would this old man know about the joys of love…
"When I was young, I was obsessed with forging and knew romance was just a red-pink skeleton, a drag on my progress… That's how I became a Divine Craftsman. My fellow apprentices all fell in love, even the most talented among them only became Saint Craftsmen." Old Du frowned. "Kid, if you keep getting distracted by worldly things, you'll never become a Divine Craftsman."
"Are you saying I should become a monk?" Su Wen joked.
"Same difference." Old Du nodded.
"So I'm a burden?" Wang Dong'er, finally awake, glared at Old Du with her pink-blue eyes. "Yeah, I'm a pink skeleton, ruining Su Wen's cultivation, a heinous sinner. But didn't you say just days ago I'm one of the top ten geniuses ever?"
"Why not say he's holding me back?"
Old Du looked embarrassed and picked his nose. "He's number one."
Wang Dong'er: "…"
"Well, clearly I'm in the wrong. Hope big brother, next time you come to my room at night, don't immediately dive into my bed, groping and complaining my hands and feet are cold, trying to warm me up." The beauty rolled her eyes, tossed her pink-blue hair, and looked at Su Wen, who was smirking.
"How could that be an interruption… That's called mutual progress." Su Wen righteously took her hand.
"Take a look—see if it suits you." Old Du grumbled, seeing the couple snuggle up and flirt, completely ignoring the old man, and quickly changed the topic.
"Alright."
Su Wen soothed Wang Dong'er, then donned the Ice Extreme War God Armor. The cold metal pressed against his neck and bare skin. Following Old Du's guidance, he released his spiritual power—like connecting via Bluetooth in his previous life. With a "beep beep," the armor's deep blue exterior glowed faintly.
It felt as if it had come alive.
And Su Wen's eyes widened in wonder.
"This feeling of life…"
The mecha felt alive.
"It's the Ice Extreme Divine Crystal!" His eyes narrowed, recalling the original story.
There were two sets made in the original: one for Nan Qiuqiu, crafted from ordinary Ice Extreme Divine Crystal without an ice spirit; and one for Huo Yuhao, whose core formation used Ice Extreme Divine Crystal with an ice spirit.
The ice spirit represents life.
Just like after a thousand-forging, the metal is given life.
In the original, Huo Yuhao used the Ice Extreme Divine Crystal, skipping the "forging" step and letting the "metal" itself provide what forging was supposed to instill…
But this only works for Ice Extreme Divine Crystal.
Such exceptions are rare.
Su Wen moved, finding the armor didn't feel bulky at all. The outer shell fit snugly, his spiritual power lively—almost excited, as if the armor sensed his Ultimate Ice attribute and was eager to unleash its true power.
Yes, there was another restriction:
You needed extremely strong spirit power, and the wearer had to possess the Ultimate Ice attribute.
Also… This Ice Armor seemed a bit different from the original.
Why did the boost from the ice spirits—these "living beings"—feel so overwhelming? In the original, Huo Yuhao, a Titled Douluo, could defeat all Sun-Moon Empire Rank 9 Soul Engineers in this armor (except maybe Kong Deming). That was a big boost, but even before, Huo Yuhao could withstand a strike from a Rank 97 Super Douluo.
So, in his view, the "first-generation" battle armor gave a big bonus, but not to the point where now…
He almost felt he could fight a Titled Douluo with just the armor and his own spirit power.
"It's not an illusion." Old Du grinned.
"Kid, didn't you notice anything different about this Ice Extreme Divine Crystal? If Xuan designed the control system, and the crystal is naturally flawless, how could I claim to have forged this armor myself?"
"Heavenly Forged?!" Su Wen was shocked.
"That's right." Old Du grinned. "Those ice spirits are metal-born lives, like post-soul-forged metals. I only guided the power of heaven and earth, letting them evolve from ordinary life to something greater…"
"Whoa…" Su Wen was amazed.
No wonder!
When his spirit fully merged with the armor, his Ultimate Ice aura blended with it, and the armor revealed its true form.
The surface flowed with ice-blue light. The chest piece emitted icy mist and pale gold patterns. The shoulder plates were layered ice-crystal blades, sharp and angular. The leg and arm guards melded into scale-like plates, fitted to his muscles. The back held a foldable rank 9 soul tool flight pack, using the Sun-Moon Empire's latest bionic tech: dark blue metal frame with ice crystal membrane wings.
When the ice spirits awakened, the entire suit pulsed like it was breathing.
"Attack me," Old Du said lazily, hands behind his back, beckoning Su Wen.
As the creator, he knew its limits well. Though it could let Su Wen leap three levels in power, approaching Titled Douluo, he was still no match for Old Du.
"Are you sure?" Su Wen smirked.
"Of course! Come on!" Old Du snorted.
He planted his feet, putting on the master's pose.
"I'm worried you can't take it…" Su Wen sighed.
"Can't take it? I'm standing right here—if you can make me move, I'll write my name backwards!" Old Du scoffed.
"In that case…" Su Wen called out in his mind, "Snow Empress, I'll leave this armor's debut to you."
"Alright!"
Snow Empress's voice sounded.
A wave of extreme cold instantly swept through the lab—frost spreading rapidly from Su Wen's feet, white mist rising.
"Don't—!" Old Du was shocked.
"Kid, what are you doing?!"
With his Rank 95 Super Douluo power, he could clearly sense this wasn't Su Wen's aura—
Meanwhile, outside the forging building.
Countless students looked up at the sky in surprise. Moments ago, it was clear and sunny; now, snowflakes fell. In the height of summer, this freak weather drew everyone's attention.
"Rumble!!!"
"Kid, you're cheating!"
Thunder boomed. The ground near the forging building exploded, leaving a pitch-black crater. Extreme cold poured out, forming a trail of ice crystals, making nearby students shiver.
Old Du's face was pale, eyebrows and beard frosted over. Remembering that terrifying moment, he felt a chill down his spine.
Luckily, he escaped fast—punched through the roof and shot out. One second slower and he'd have become an ice sculpture.
Su Wen flew out of the crater, smiling at Old Du. "Weren't you supposed to stay put? Why'd you run before I even attacked?"
"You brat, you're still human!" Old Du spat.
"Bah, bastard!"
With Old Du grumbling away, Su Wen smiled, stored the armor in his soul tool ring, and landed.
It was just a new experiment.
The result was obvious—very successful.
Old Du and Teacher Xuan could now truly begin developing "battle armor."
"Disperse!" A short, white-haired elder called out, and the students left. The elder hurried over, a bit deferential.
"Vice Dean."
Su Wen gave a few instructions—basically promising the vice dean position would be his someday.
The white-haired elder was flattered and declined repeatedly.
Taking the armor, Su Wen and Wang Dong'er headed for the inner court.
….
"Still not full?" Su Wen was perplexed.
When did his beautiful Wang Dong'er become a big eater?
"Mm…" Wang Dong'er looked pitiful.
"Forging takes a lot of energy."
"If I'm not full I have no strength. I get hungry."
Su Wen: "…"
But the thing is, you haven't forged at all today?
If you had devouring abilities, I'd get it. But you're the proud Goddess of Light Butterfly and Clear Sky Hammer—neither of those should be…
Outer court cafeteria.
Watching Wang Dong'er wolf down her food and order a big bowl of wontons, she finally slumped back, patting her slightly rounded belly, her beautiful face deeply satisfied.
Her other hand rested in Su Wen's palm, letting him knead it at will.
Most outer court disciples were in class at this hour. Only a few people were in the cafeteria.
"Su Wen? Dong'er?"
A commotion came from across the room.
"Senior Brother Bei Bei… and Sister Xiao Ya, what are you doing here?" Wang Dong'er sat up, pulling in her stomach, surprised at their sudden appearance.
"Xiao Ya's not in a good mood, so I brought her here for a change of pace." Bei Bei smiled.
"Sister Xiao Ya…" Wang Dong'er opened her mouth.
Beside her, Tang Ya also slowly lifted her hood, her eyes tinted purple, the corners faintly marked—signs of her "darkened" state.
"Thank you."
Tang Ya suddenly bowed to them.
"Ah, no, no…" Wang Dong'er jumped up, waving her hands. Clearly, she didn't know Su Wen had been the one to save Tang Ya.
"It's fine. Azure Luan has healed her; those amnesia quirks are gone, and her brain's fine. At worst, it's a soul mutation issue… She can only improve by absorbing life and gets addicted, but that's fixable." Su Wen pondered.
"I have a way in the Golden Tree—it's the Blue Silver Emperor. With her bloodline, she should be able to help Sister Xiao Ya recover."
"Maybe even… evolve her martial soul."
"We already owe you too much." Bei Bei said bitterly.
Su Wen raised an eyebrow, waiting for more.
But Bei Bei smiled. "Then we'll owe you a bit more. If we can't pay it back, we'll take our time. No need to settle all debts."
"Hahaha!" Su Wen laughed.
Bei Bei was a good guy.
All family here—no need to keep track.
"No time like the present—let's do it today." Su Wen waved, pulling a dazed Wang Dong'er toward Sea God Island.
The towering Golden Tree.
Bei Bei and Tang Ya were both a bit nervous, seeing Su Wen casually chatting with elders whose names they couldn't even recall. Bei Bei couldn't help but sigh, a bit envious—but not jealous.
He was a sunny, open-hearted guy—no dark thoughts.
Tang Ya kept her head down, clenching her hands. She could sense the elders' surprised looks.
But she knew her hands were stained with more than a few lives.
Even innocents.
Since waking, this had been her heart demon, tormenting her every moment.
"Tch…"
Su Wen, walking ahead, suddenly remembered something…
He poked Big Eye in his mind.
"Remember to remove Tang Ya. She hasn't recovered yet—if she meets her dark self in the trial, it could turn ugly."
"Blub-blub~" (Got it.)
Big Eye surfaced in Su Wen's mind, blew a few bubbles, then sank back down.
"Tch, where'd you pick that up…" Su Wen said in disgust.