"Infusing metal with vitality? Senior Chu, this Thousand-Refined metal is stronger than ordinary metal, but in what aspects is it stronger?"
Confused, Ning Rongrong asked with a bewildered expression.
"It's stronger in all aspects, but the strength lies only in the material. If it cannot be engraved with a soul-guiding array and made into a soul-guiding device, its strength is still limited.
Of course, if the level of blacksmithing enters the next stage, reaching the Spirit Forging level, even as a mere material, it would be extremely powerful.
Because Spirit Refined metal can be absorbed into a soul master's body and, if crafted into armor, can manifest on the body like a martial soul at any time.
Moreover, Spirit Refined metal is exceptionally sturdy. Even relying solely on the material's inherent defensive properties, low-level soul masters wouldn't be able to breach it.
Additionally, rare metals possess unique properties. For example, Blue Coppertite can amplify soul power, and Sunfire Iron can enhance fire-attribute soul power. When the metal's forging level increases, its amplification effect also significantly improves."
"Such incredible power?!"
Ning Rongrong's eyes widened.
Why don't soul masters like wearing armor?
It's simple—armor is inconvenient to wear, and non-soul-guide armor is not only cumbersome but also has poor defensive capabilities.
Even if some soul masters do wear armor, they are usually low-level soul masters. High-level soul masters naturally don't need armor since their own protective soul power offers better defense than ordinary armor.
But if the performance of the metal material greatly improves and can be absorbed into the body for instant use, the awkward position of armor would no longer exist.
Moreover, with something like Spirit Refined Armor, couldn't she, an support soul master, double as a defensive soul master?
Standing firm leads to better output, and the same applies to support roles.
With Spirit Refined Armor, she, a pure support, would undoubtedly be able to better protect herself when facing enemies.
And it's not just her; her Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had many support soul masters who would have a high demand for this!
"Senior Chu, could you teach me this extraordinary art of blacksmithing?"
Immediately, Ning Rongrong stated her purpose.
"Family secret techniques are never passed on!"
Chu Chengzhou shook his head.
Ning Rongrong: "…"
Family secret techniques? You've been an orphan since childhood—what family secrets?
"Senior Chu, do you have any plans after graduation?"
After thinking for a moment, Ning Rongrong changed the subject.
Won't teach your secret art? No problem, as long as you come to our Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, I'm sure you'll teach us eventually.
"Plans after graduation? Marry multiple wives and have kids!"
Stroking his chin, Chu Chengzhou said.
Such an unambitious statement directly shocked Ning Rongrong.
No, no, multiple wives?
Instantly, Ning Rongrong's gaze filled with disdain.
"Rongrong, do you think children should be filial to their parents?"
Seeing the disdain in Ning Rongrong's eyes, Chu Chengzhou didn't care and directly countered with a question.
"That's a given!"
Though she didn't understand why Chu Chengzhou asked this, Ning Rongrong still nodded without hesitation.
"If the father passes away, as children, shouldn't we inherit his aspirations and fulfill his last wishes?"
"This should be done!"
Ning Rongrong couldn't help but think of her father, Ning Fengzhi.
Her father was already over sixty, yet he was still busy maintaining alliances with the Tian Dou Empire, networking with various powers, and recruiting talented soul masters across the continent—all to develop the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect further.
And this was the inherited aspiration of the successive patriarchs of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect!
"My father's wish was to develop the Chu family into a soul master family. But I am an only child, with no siblings. If I only marry one wife, how long will it take to develop into a powerful soul master family?"
Chu Chengzhou declared righteously.
Ning Rongrong: "… "
What a guy! Clearly, you want to be a playboy, yet you make it sound so noble?
"Cough, Senior Chu, why don't you consider joining our Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect? Our sect warmly welcomes talented soul masters!"
Ning Rongrong extended an invitation to Chu Chengzhou.
Just want a wife? That's easy!
As long as you join our Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, I'll get my dad to send you ten, no, a hundred! In twenty years, your Chu family might have thousands of members.
"I'll pass; I don't like being constrained."
Chu Chengzhou shook his head. Joining the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect was impossible, but becoming its son-in-law wasn't a problem.
Seeing this, Ning Rongrong was deeply disappointed. The two purposes of visiting Chu Chengzhou tonight seemed to have both failed.
"Senior Chu, I have another suggestion. Please consider it carefully?"
Regaining composure, Ning Rongrong spoke again.
"You say"
Chu Chengzhou slightly nodded. He wanted to see what this rich girl could come up with.
"Senior Chu, if you want to establish a soul master family, it's best to have a strong supporter because every new soul master family's emergence will encroach on the interests of existing powers.
How about having our Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect protect you until you grow stronger?"
Ning Rongrong said with a smile.
"In the end, you still want my blacksmithing secret technique?"
Chu Chengzhou said expressionlessly.
"Aiya~, Senior Chu~, we're classmates and good friends. Just agree, please~!"
Ning Rongrong decisively used her coquettish tactics, standing up and hugging Chu Chengzhou's arm, shaking it vigorously.
This move worked wonders on her father and the two grandpas, and she believed it would have some effect on Chu Chengzhou too.
"Stop! Rongrong, if it were Zhuqing, being coquettish might work, but you… Tsk~, the effect is lacking."
Glancing at Ning Rongrong's underdeveloped chest compared to Zhu Zhuqing's, Chu Chengzhou shook his head regretfully.
What are you shoving around for? Those ribs almost hurt my hand!
Of course, hurting his hand was an exaggeration, but it was undeniable that Ning Rongrong was the smallest among the three girls in the academy.
"You—, despicable!"
Hearing this, Ning Rongrong was furious.
Are you discriminating against my small chest?
Hmph, if it weren't for gender differences, I'd let you experience what hidden depths mean!
"Senior Chu, name your conditions. As long as you give me this blacksmithing secret technique, even soul bones—I'll have my dad send them over!
And with your great cultivation talent, isn't spending time forging iron a waste of your potential?"
Facing the 'unyielding' Chu Chengzhou, Ning Rongrong had no choice but to unleash her ultimate move—'money power'.
"My cultivation talent is good?"
Chu Chengzhou suspiciously glanced at Ning Rongrong. With his apparent talent, it was indeed good for ordinary people, but in the eyes of a genius like Ning Rongrong, shouldn't it be considered mediocre?
"Uh~, forget I said anything."
Unintentionally, Ning Rongrong almost revealed Chu Chengzhou's intentionally hidden details but managed to stop in time.
Chu Chengzhou frowned, feeling something off about Ning Rongrong but didn't pay much attention.
"Senior Chu, I guarantee in my capacity as the young mistress of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, as long as you give me this blacksmithing secret technique, you can set any conditions!"
Ning Rongrong patted her chest in assurance.
"Do you have spare ten-thousand-year soul bones in your Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect?"
"No~"
Instantly, Ning Rongrong's face stiffened. Forget whether their sect had spare ten-thousand-year soul bones; even if they did, they wouldn't give them away!
Ten-thousand-year soul bones were treasures in the soul master world—no one would willingly give them to others.
"Then forget it. I look down on soul bones below ten thousand years. As for ordinary wealth, I have no use for it."
Chu Chengzhou shook his head.
Speaking of which, the four elements of cultivation—wealth, companionship, method, and place—in the Douluo Continent, 'wealth' was the least important, even less significant than the 'place' representing simulated training grounds, far behind the 'method' representing cultivation techniques and self-created arts, and the 'companionship' representing teachers and partners.
Because gold spirit coins were hard to buy things that could significantly benefit soul masters, especially genius soul masters.
For instance, soul bones, though purchasable with gold spirit coins, most were below ten thousand years.
And ordinary soul bones below ten thousand years, while useful for low-level soul masters, were like chicken ribs for genius soul masters or powerhouses—they were exorbitantly priced and offered little practical value.
"What do you want?"
Seeing that money power didn't work, Ning Rongrong was very frustrated.
"What do I want? Tsk~"
Chu Chengzhou didn't answer directly, merely eyeing Ning Rongrong.
Meeting Chu Chengzhou's scrutinizing gaze, Ning Rongrong instinctively tightened her collar, sensing a bad premonition.
You want me, Miss?
Thinking this way, Ning Rongrong suddenly felt that Chu Chengzhou's room was like a wolf's den, and she was a lost lamb who accidentally fell into it.
"Well then, Senior Chu, think about it carefully. I'll leave first!"
Saying this, Ning Rongrong quickly got up and fled Chu Chengzhou's room as if escaping.
Watching Ning Rongrong hurriedly open the door and run off, Chu Chengzhou chuckled and didn't mind.
The fish has swum to the edge of my pond. How can I worry about it not entering later?
Besides, he knew Ning Rongrong wasn't inherently bad. Even if she wanted his forging secret technique, she wouldn't forcibly take it.
On the other hand, Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, and Gu Rong were quite cunning—he needed to be cautious of them.
Uh, it seems vigilance wouldn't help. If they really came forcefully, he could only obediently comply.
Three days later.
Early in the morning, Flender once again assigned a physical training class to Ning Rongrong and Oscar, who were support-type soul masters.
However, Flender forbade Oscar from cheating with his Golden Wing Flight Sausage. But Flender wasn't unreasonable either; this physical training task was just the routine ten laps around the entire village, approximately sixty miles.
After finishing the ten laps, Ning Rongrong lay on the living room sofa without any decorum.
Her body wasn't tired—thanks to Oscar's Recovery Large Sausage restoring stamina, not only ten laps, but with perseverance, even twenty or thirty laps were possible.
But mentally, she was exhausted. While stamina could be restored, the boredom during the process and the suffocating discomfort were real experiences.
Of course, these weren't the key points. What mattered was that despite the fatigue, the results were disappointing.
Simple running alone—how much exercise effect could it have?
At this moment, Ning Rongrong noticed Chu Chengzhou and Xiao Wu practicing their Body Refining Skill and Zhu Zhuqing training her soul skills outside the wooden building.
This scene was already familiar to Ning Rongrong.
Zhu Zhuqing practiced diligently. Besides occasionally being dragged shopping by her and Xiao Wu, she would train whenever she had free time.
As for Chu Chengzhou, he was somewhat similar to Zhu Zhuqing, but there were parts Ning Rongrong couldn't understand. Every day, half of his free time was spent going through forms, and the other half sleeping. Who knows what he did at night?
In comparison, Xiao Wu was more normal—she boxed and slept, but neither lasted long, and like her, loved reading storybooks.
Suddenly, Ning Rongrong thought of a key point. That Thousand Refined Heavy Silver Bow weighed over a hundred pounds, yet in Chu Chengzhou's hands, it was as light as a feather. Was his physique so strong because he practiced boxing every day?
Immediately, Ning Rongrong carefully observed Chu Chengzhou and Xiao Wu's boxing routines.
Yes, since learning about Chu Chengzhou's "great ambition" of marrying multiple wives to create a soul master family that night, Ning Rongrong labeled him as a playboy.
Being flirtatious was common—many people on the continent were like that. For instance, her father Ning Fengzhi, who had already celebrated his 60th birthday, frequently visited the Tian Dou Grand Auction House to rescue beautiful cat-eared or fox-tailed girls.
Thankfully, their home's doors were wide enough; otherwise, her stepmothers would have nowhere to stay.
But someone who could justify their flirtatiousness so eloquently—only Chu Chengzhou could do that. Isn't this a playboy?
After observing for a long time, Ning Rongrong increasingly felt that the boxing routine was extraordinary, though she couldn't articulate how.
What Ning Rongrong didn't notice was that Chu Chengzhou had already discovered her spying.
However, since the spy was Ning Rongrong, Chu Chengzhou didn't care.
His cheat-enhanced Body Refining skill—the boxing routine was just the surface. The true core was the specific soul power circulation route within the body while practicing.
Unless the spy had X-ray vision or strong spiritual power to see through his internal soul power circulation, even if they mastered the boxing routine by simply watching, the actual effect—well, it couldn't be said to be nonexistent, but it was definitely minimal, with a very low ceiling.
For instance, the current Body Refining art was at the Black-Tier, but without the internal soul power circulation route, mastering just the boxing routine would yield even less effect than the Yellow-Tier Body Refining art.
Of course, it was because the spy was a potential fish in his pond. Otherwise, even the superficial boxing routine, he wouldn't disclose.
After all, excluding the initial Gray-Tier radio calisthenics, even the White-Tier Body Refining method was considered a highly valuable self-created skill for a soul master faction.
Because for soul masters who haven't officially advanced to the first ring, even the White-Tier Body Refining skill could offer very good effects.
Every qualified soul master knows the benefits of adding high-year soul rings.
Soul rings were like rolling snowballs. A higher year for the first soul ring meant greater bodily function improvement, allowing the second soul ring to handle even higher years. Accumulating over multiple soul rings, the difference becomes significant.
Even obtaining the White-Tier Body Refining art, without refining soul bones, the accumulated advantage of previous soul rings still allowed for the ability to add hundred-thousand-year soul rings at level 80.
Of course, forget about killing hundred-thousand-year spirit beasts—even finding their traces wasn't easy.
Not long after, Xiao Wu stopped training.
For a lively and playful Xiao Wu, interesting storybooks were far more attractive than boring training.
At this moment, Ning Rongrong picked up a towel nearby and walked towards Xiao Wu.
"Xiao Wu, are you tired? Wipe your sweat!"
Ning Rongrong cheerfully handed over the towel.
"Not tired at all, thank you, Rongrong!"
Without hesitation, Xiao Wu took the towel.
"Xiao Wu, were you practicing some boxing technique with your brother just now?"
Ning Rongrong proactively steered the conversation.
"Nope~, this boxing routine is for physical strengthening."
Wiping the fine sweat beads on her forehead, Xiao Wu shook her head.
Upon receiving Xiao Wu's affirmative response, Ning Rongrong's heart stirred. Sure enough, this boxing routine was indeed a technique for physical enhancement!
Ning Rongrong: I want it!
However, the problem was that even if she wanted it, they had to be willing to give it.
Why were secret techniques called "secret"? The emphasis was on the word "secret"—not shared with those outside the sect or blood relatives.
Take, for example, the Great Sumeru Hammer and the Nine Absolutes of the Hao Tian Sect, or the Dragon Transformation Secrets of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family.
She wanted to learn this body-strengthening technique, but it was awkward to bring it up directly.
Otherwise, if she failed to learn the secret technique and made Xiao Wu and Chu Chengzhou resentful, losing both a friend and a sister would be a big loss!
Her beautiful eyes darted around, and Ning Rongrong immediately had an idea.
"Ah~, Principal Flender is really something, always making me run. It's exhausting and the training effect is poor. What use is physical training for a minor support soul master like me~?"
Sighing plaintively, Ning Rongrong began to complain.
As long as I don't blatantly ask for your secret technique, it doesn't count as coveting your secret technique, right~?
Upon hearing this, Xiao Wu quickly advised, "Rongrong, having a strong physique is very useful. Not to mention anything else, being able to withstand higher-year soul rings alone is a lifelong benefit."
Xiao Wu was well aware of the benefits of a strong physique.
If not for the Body Refining technique, how could she have condensed her ten-thousand-year fourth soul ring?
Moreover, high-year soul rings could bring more soul power growth during advancement.
Take herself for example, without a strong physique, advancing to the second-rank Soul Grandmaster, third-rank Soul Elder, and fourth-rank Soul Ancestor would at most bring a 1 level soul power increase. But after practicing the Body Refining technique, the soul power increase was much more than 1 level.
Even Chu Chengzhou, after advancing to the third-rank Soul Elder, reached level 33.
Though her cultivation speed was fast, the additional soul power brought by high-year soul rings still saved her a lot of training time.
"Xiao Wu, I often see you practicing this boxing routine. But your soul ring years seem no higher than mine?"
Ning Rongrong expressed her doubts.
If this Body Refining technique was effective, Xiao Wu's first and second soul ring years should be noticeably higher than hers.
But the issue was she hadn't seen Xiao Wu's soul rings—they looked about the same color as hers, not surpassing the limits of ordinary soul masters.
If the secret technique's effect was poor and the physical enhancement was negligible, why bother training?
Regarding this, Ning Rongrong couldn't figure it out.
"This... Sorry, Rongrong, I can't say unless my brother agrees."
After hesitating, Xiao Wu shook her head and pushed the responsibility onto Chu Chengzhou.
The soul ring colors looking the same was due to her practicing the control technique to disguise the soul ring colors.
However, Chu Chengzhou had explicitly instructed that the secret techniques must not be disclosed, especially regarding their soul ring situations.
Fortunately, unlike soul power, soul rings weren't easily judged unless using soul skills. The only way to determine soul ring years was by the depth of the soul ring color.
Even if a Level 99 Supreme Douluo came, as long as the soul ring colors were altered, they wouldn't be able to discern anything.
Upon hearing this, Ning Rongrong couldn't help but glance at Chu Chengzhou.
This scoundrel Chu seems to have some substance!
Xiao Wu speaking so mysteriously—it goes without saying that the effect of this Body Refining technique must be excellent.
If it were a poorly performing, dog-not-teaching self-created soul skill, would there be a need to hide it so much?
"Ah~! Running is killing me, and the training effect is so poor. Xiao Wu, should I tell Principal Flender to cancel the physical training class?"
Her eyes spinning, Ning Rongrong brought the topic back to the original point.
My dear Xiao Wu, your little sister is so pitiful and helpless. Shouldn't you actively mention to Scoundrel Chu, see if he can teach me this Body Refining technique?
We are good sisters. In the future, my Sword Grandpa and Bone Grandpa will be your grandpas too. If anyone dares to bully you, the two grandpas will surely support you!
"This isn't good. After all, Principal Flender is doing this for your own good.
Rongrong, keep it up. Believe that sooner or later, you will become the strongest support soul master on the continent!"
As good sisters, Xiao Wu didn't want to see Ning Rongrong 'go astray' and quickly encouraged her.
Hmm, it could be seen that Xiao Wu's emotional intelligence wasn't high. She didn't catch the underlying meaning of her little sister's words.
Upon hearing this, Ning Rongrong's face stiffened, and she sat down on the chair in exasperation.
My dear Xiao Wu~ what I want to hear isn't this!
Why is your brain so slow?! Forget it, I'm tired, f*ck it!
Outside, Chu Chengzhou found this scene amusing.
He figured it out. After the forging technique, Ning Rongrong had now set her sights on his Body Refining technique.
Afraid of being rejected again and feeling embarrassed to ask directly, she indirectly complained to Xiao Wu about how difficult her situation was, hoping to find an opportunity through Xiao Wu.
Unfortunately, Xiao Wu's cultivation talent was good, but her emotional intelligence was lacking. To Xiao Wu, her complaints were like playing a zither to a cow—thinking her little sister just disliked physical training and failed to grasp any other meanings.
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