Chapter 243: By the Angel God Above, I, Han Li, and I, Lou Gao…
Inside the reception room, the supposed host, Lou Gao, now found himself standing awkwardly in the center of the room. Beads of sweat rolled down his chubby face, and his normally jolly expression had turned rigid.
"Let me explain…"
Nervously wiping his forehead, he only managed to smear more grime onto his already dirt streaked face, making him look even more comical.
"Mhm, I'm listening. Though, I must say, most of the people brought into the Spirit Hall's Tribunal begin their statements in a very similar fashion."
Han Li had already put away the blueprints and returned to his seat. His expression was still unpleasant, but it perfectly suited the current situation.
"What if I told you that these items were given to me by a client who wanted me to analyze them? Would you believe me?"
Lou Gao tested the waters.
I do believe you. In fact, I can even guess that these blueprints most likely came from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. But can I say that out loud? Of course not.
"Is that your final statement?"
Han Li responded coolly.
"Haha… You jest, Holy Son. Of course not."
Lou Gao forced an awkward laugh, frantically brainstorming ways to smooth things over.
The problem was, he had no escape.
The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had sworn up and down that these blueprints had nothing to do with any other major factions. And yet, here he was busted.
Worse yet, his "client" turned out to be the very source of the original designs!
And to top it all off, he couldn't afford to offend either party.
"Was it Star Luo? Heaven Dou? Or… was it the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect?"
Just as Lou Gao was spiraling into an internal crisis, Han Li's voice pierced through his thoughts.
He looked up, only to see the Holy Son carefully observing his reaction.
"Oh, so it was the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect?"
Before Lou Gao could even react, Han Li nodded with certainty.
Damn it.
How did he confirm that so quickly?!
Lou Gao's face fell, his expression now resembling a dejected, saggy faced cat.
"Mhm. A moment ago, I wasn't completely sure. But now, thanks to your reaction, I can confirm that it was indeed the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect."
Then, Han Li spoke again this time, with absolute confidence.
Lou Gao's body stiffened.
He stared at Han Li in disbelief, his spirit completely crushed.
Since when did young people become so ruthless?
How could they trick an elderly man like this?!
He felt utterly betrayed.
But what he didn't know was that for Han Li, this entire act was just a performance.
This was an open book test.
How difficult could it be?
"So, President Lou Gao, how do you propose we handle this situation? You wouldn't want to take a trip to the Tribunal, would you?"
Han Li's low voice carried a hint of amusement, yet to Lou Gao, it sounded like a whisper straight from the depths of hell.
A shiver ran down his spine.
Even though the temperature in Gengxin City was scorching hot, he suddenly felt like he was standing naked in a freezing tundra.
Seeing his reaction, Han Li smirked inwardly.
For once, he actually felt grateful toward Bibi Dong.
Back in the past, Spirit Hall's Titled Douluo rarely appeared in public.
Most external factions weren't even sure how many Titled Douluo Spirit Hall had.
But after Bibi Dong took power, that changed.
Since she couldn't fully command all Titled Douluo, she instead relied heavily on Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo.
As her personal enforcers, they frequently made high profile appearances, solidifying Spirit Hall's reputation.
And because Yue Guan (Chrysanthemum Douluo) served as the head of the Punishment Hall, his Tribunal forces had also become infamous.
They handled all the dirty work interrogations, executions, and political suppression.
As a result, the Tribunal's name alone was enough to strike fear into the hearts of many.
After all, the last person they dragged away was a Grand Duke from a vassal kingdom.
He had been colluding with evil soul masters.
Spirit Hall's Tribunal had stormed into his estate, brushed aside his military guards, and forcibly taken him away.
To this day, the Heaven Dou Empire hadn't dared to make a single complaint.
Lou Gao knew all of this.
And that's what terrified him.
Compared to that Grand Duke, his own status wasn't much better.
If Spirit Hall truly wanted to take him away, even the Star Luo Empire wouldn't dare to resist.
In fact, they'd probably distance themselves from him as quickly as possible.
As for the Blacksmith Association?
Most of its members weren't even combat capable.
Even if some were, who would be foolish enough to risk their lives for him?
Hell, even the last Divine Blacksmith who came from the Clear Sky Clan a Titled Douluo himself had disappeared without a trace.
And what did the Clear Sky Clan do?
Nothing.
They even sealed off their entire sect.
"…The Sleeved Arrow blueprints are still in my possession. I haven't handed them over to my client yet. And as for the Flying God Claw… I haven't fully replicated it. I will abandon all research on its construction."
Lou Gao spoke cautiously, sneaking glances at Han Li's expression.
Even now, he refused to directly name the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
After all, he had signed a contract.
Just because Han Li had guessed correctly didn't mean he could openly admit it.
This was his final act of defiance his last shred of professional integrity.
"…Hmm. That sounds like a decent attempt at making amends."
Han Li's expression softened slightly as he looked at Lou Gao.
Hearing those words, Lou Gao finally exhaled in relief.
As long as they were still talking, it meant he wouldn't be dragged away.
"…I will personally cover all costs for the commission you're about to place."
Lou Gao offered quickly.
"Of course, that doesn't include mass production of standardized weapons. I can't afford that."
Lou Gao straightened his posture. He had already prepared himself for a massive loss.
Of course, he wasn't stupid. Before agreeing to anything, he made sure to set clear limits. Otherwise, he feared that this Holy Son before him would demand enough weapons to arm three to five hundred people.
"If it's just one, that won't do. Ten. If you agree to that, then I'll pretend none of this ever happened. How about that?"
The coldness on Han Li's face melted away, replaced by a warm smile.
Before Lou Gao could refuse, he quickly added, "I'll provide the materials myself. If anything is lacking, I'll purchase it from the Blacksmith Association at market price."
Lou Gao studied him for a moment before giving a slight nod. "Agreed."
This deal meant he would only have to invest his time and effort rather than taking a financial hit. For someone who had braced himself for a huge loss, this was a pleasant surprise.
His impression of Han Li improved slightly.
Knowing when to let things go this young man had tact.
No wonder he was the Holy Son.
Of course, he conveniently ignored the fact that just a minute ago, he had been cursing Han Li in his mind.
"Well then, Holy Son, may I now take a look at the blueprints?"
Now that the agreement was settled, Lou Gao's expression changed entirely. His eyes sparkled with anticipation as he looked at Han Li's wristband where the blueprints were stored.
Even with just a glance at the sleeve dart and the Flying God Claw, he had already gained so much inspiration.
And it was clear that Han Li didn't value them much, treating them as mere basic or entry level weapons.
Now, he couldn't wait to see what other designs were hidden away.
"There's no rush, Master Lou Gao. Before I show you the blueprints, there's something we need to do first."
Han Li's smile remained gentle, but his words carried a deeper meaning.
After all, this wasn't just a set of schematics it was a treasure trove.
"Wouldn't you agree?"
As he spoke, a piece of paper appeared in his hand.
However, it wasn't a blueprint.
"…Right, of course! Before anything else, we need to sign a contract."
Lou Gao reached out to grab the paper, fully prepared to sign it without hesitation.
Yet, the moment he saw the contents, he froze.
This wasn't a contract.
It was an oath.
And not just any oath it was a lengthy one, filled with at least a hundred clauses.
"What is this…?"
Lou Gao looked up at Han Li, confused.
"A Martial Soul Oath. Unlike a standard contract, I place my trust in oaths made upon one's martial soul. After all, I am the Holy Son of Spirit Hall. By the Angel God Above."
Han Li gestured with a sacred hand sign, exuding an air of devout reverence.
A true holy priest.
"Besides, normal contracts can't guarantee information won't be leaked, can they?"
"For example just look at what happened earlier."
"…That's… true."
Lou Gao hesitated, feeling at a loss for words.
Only now did he truly realize that, aside from its raw power, Spirit Hall was also a religious institution.
In a way, this actually made a lot of sense.
"But… don't you think this oath is a little too much?"
Lou Gao glanced down at the text, his head starting to ache.
It wasn't that he didn't want to agree.
In his eyes, an oath and a contract were basically the same thing.
He had never planned to leak anything anyway.
But seriously this was way too long!
"This is a demonstration of our devotion to the Angel God."
Han Li's expression remained serene.
"Of course, if you have any concerns, as the Holy Son, I can try to communicate with the divine on your behalf. The Angel God is benevolent and will surely understand your doubts."
His gentle tone was full of piety.
His attitude? Unyielding.
He might as well have been saying: "No, you don't have a choice."
"…Fine."
Lou Gao sighed in resignation and began reading through the oath.
Since he had no way out, he might as well treat it like a contract.
At least he could make sure there were no hidden traps.
As he read, he nodded to himself.
Despite the excessive wording, the terms were actually quite fair.
Well… except for the fact that every single punishment for violating the oath involved 'purification.'
Then again, considering Spirit Hall's methods, that was hardly surprising.
By the Angel God Above.
Now that he thought about it, he could probably use this format for future contracts, too.
Though, he didn't notice one key detail.
Throughout the entire document, the words "Angel God" never appeared.
Instead, every reference to a divine figure was either "God" or "Han Li."
"Alright, no issues. I'll take the oath now. But what about you?"
Lou Gao looked up at Han Li.
The agreement was one sided.
Han Li had promised certain conditions earlier.
But if he went back on his word, there would be no proof.
"No need to worry. I will also take an oath upon my martial soul."
Han Li smiled, as if he had anticipated this question.
Lou Gao nodded approvingly.
At least he was fair.
A Holy Son this devoted to his faith wouldn't go back on his word.
If he was willing to swear on his martial soul, then there was no need to worry about future betrayals.
Lou Gao silently reassured himself.
…Though he failed to notice that, throughout the entire exchange, the black clad girl standing beside Han Li had been watching him with quiet pity.
Someone had finally taken the oath.
"Alright, let's begin."
Han Li's expression remained sacred as he looked at Lou Gao.
"Very well."
Lou Gao nodded solemnly.
A brief pause followed.
Then, two voices echoed inside the reception room.
"By the Angel God Above… By the Divine Will… I, Han Li… I, Lou Gao…"
(Chapter End.)
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