Chapter 244: A Thoughtful Gift and the Beggar's Continent
More than an hour later, Han Li, now back in his original appearance, walked side by side with Lou Gao down the stairs, the latter grinning from ear to ear. Zhu Zhuqing followed behind them in silence.
"Don't worry, little brother! I'll finish crafting this as fast as possible and get started on the other ideas you mentioned. Ah, what a pity! If only I had met you earlier, I wouldn't have wasted all these years. It pains me!"
Lou Gao's words were full of genuine regret. After hearing Han Li's ideas, he felt like they had finally found a true purpose in life.
"Better late than never. You're still in your prime, big brother. You've got plenty of time ahead of you."
Han Li's tone was equally sincere.
After all, a tool this valuable? Even if Lou Gao were at death's door, Han Li would find a way to extend his life.
This time, he had made sure to emphasize using soul beasts for blood sacrifices rather than sacrificing oneself for the weapon.
Seriously, what kind of nonsense was that? A lifeless object not even a true Soul Tool and yet people were throwing away their lives for it?
If Han Li truly wanted destructive power, he could fire a single arrow with his Martial Soul, and it would be far deadlier than any so called divine weapon.
Seeing how quickly his teacher had bonded with Han Li, Si Long couldn't help but rub his eyes in disbelief. Since when was his master so easy to get along with?
Meanwhile, the merchant representative from the Seven Treasure Chamber of Commerce kept his eyes down, acting as if he had seen nothing at all.
"Alright, big brother, you get back to work. I have urgent matters to attend to and can't stay long. Once the items are ready, just send them through the Chamber of Commerce."
Han Li pointed toward the merchant representative.
"Fine, I won't see you off, then. Not gonna lie, my hands are already itching to start crafting!"
Lou Gao laughed heartily, making no effort to hide his excitement.
"You're a true craftsman, big brother. With your passion, success is just a matter of time."
Han Li gave him a thumbs up, genuinely impressed by his enthusiasm.
Lou Gao was even more delighted and turned to Si Long.
"Oh, right! Si Long, bring out those two Eight Treasure Soft Armor suits. Give them to my little brother and…"
Han Li smiled. "To my wife."
"Yes! To my little brother and his wife."
Lou Gao nodded along, though he couldn't help but wonder, Which noble house does this young lady belong to?
"Master…"
Si Long hesitated for a moment but was immediately met with a glare from Lou Gao.
Fool!
Do you have any idea how rare it is for someone to even accept a gift like this?
And you're hesitating?
Si Long quickly shut up and hurried off to retrieve the armor.
"Don't mind him, little brother. He's still green and shortsighted."
Lou Gao waved his hand dismissively.
"No problem. It's your masterpiece, after all. If I were in his shoes, I'd be reluctant too."
Han Li smiled knowingly.
And he truly meant it.
In a world like Douluo, where defense relied almost entirely on physical durability and Soul Skills, a lightweight armor that could withstand attacks from Soul Emperors (rank 60) was as valuable as a Soul Bone perhaps even more.
Unlike a Soul Skill, this armor didn't require soul power to activate.
It was essentially a fixed Soul Skill a permanent protective barrier.
That was why Divine Blacksmiths were still respected in this world.
Of course, most of that reputation was built by Lou Gao.
As for Tang Hao and Tai Tan, their "Divine Blacksmith" titles were questionable.
Han Li suspected that the Blacksmith Association only gave them the rank because the Clear Sky Clan was too powerful back then.
Of course, he wouldn't ask Lou Gao about this.
But if he ever ran into Tang Hao, he might just ask.
Hopefully, Tang Hao wouldn't fly into a rage over it.
Receiving a gift of this caliber, Han Li naturally had to return the favor.
He glanced at the merchant representative standing beside them head lowered, hands folded like a meditating monk.
Han Li's expression darkened slightly as he looked back at Lou Gao.
"Remember the oath. Those who break it will be purified."
This time, his voice carried a trace of spiritual power, ensuring the words engraved themselves into Lou Gao's mind.
Lou Gao froze.
For a split second, he shivered, even though the weather was scorching hot.
By the time he snapped out of it and looked at Han Li again, his expression had already returned to a friendly smile.
But the words still echoed in his head.
Lou Gao felt uneasy. It wasn't like he had any intention of breaking the oath…
He wanted to ask what that was all about, but before he could, Si Long returned carrying two boxes.
"Master."
"Give them to my little brother."
Lou Gao gestured toward Han Li.
Han Li took the boxes casually and handed them to Zhu Zhuqing.
He didn't open them it would be rude.
"Alright, big brother, I'll accept your gift, then. If anything comes up, we'll communicate through the Chamber of Commerce. I won't keep you any longer inspiration is fleeting, after all."
Han Li glanced toward the stairs.
"Haha, well said! See you next time!"
Lou Gao cupped his hands in farewell and then turned to Si Long.
"Si Long, escort them back."
"Oh, and…"
He hesitated for a moment.
"Forget it. I'll pick out the ore myself. Don't disturb me unless it's a message from little brother."
With that, Lou Gao practically sprinted back upstairs.
Han Li chuckled and shook his head.
Then, without hesitation, he headed toward the exit.
Si Long scratched his head, puzzled, but hurried to follow.
He didn't understand what was going on, but if his master said to send them off, then that's what he'd do.
Meanwhile, on the fifth floor…
Lou Gao had just begun reviewing the blueprints.
His enthusiasm was sky high
Until, out of nowhere, Han Li's earlier words resurfaced in his mind.
"Remember the oath. Those who break it will be purified."
Lou Gao shivered.
His hands trembled.
And he nearly tore the blueprints apart.
Damn it, why did that phrase keep echoing in his head?
Lou Gao couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling as he subconsciously recalled the contents of the oath. It felt a bit eerie, and he decided he'd better be careful.
After sending Si Long and the merchant representative away, Han Li and Zhu Zhuqing returned to their room.
"Open it up and check. That soft armor is for you try it on to see if it fits. Since we're still in town, it'll be easier to get it adjusted if needed."
"Besides, your fighting style leans toward close combat. This armor can withstand attacks below rank 60, making it much safer for you."
Han Li pushed the box in front of her, but Zhu Zhuqing hesitated even more.
She stared at him seriously and said, "Give it to LingLing instead. She needs it more than I do."
Han Li gazed at her young, stubborn face for a long time.
Just when she couldn't take it anymore and was about to look away, Han Li smiled and said:
"No need. This is your gift. Just accept it. As for LingLing, if you don't mind, we can modify the men's armor and give it to her instead. What do you think?"
"After all, this armor's defense is too low for me anyway."
Zhu Zhuqing finally nodded.
"Alright, let's open them up. It's my first time seeing this type of soft armor too."
Han Li pulled one of the boxes toward himself and opened it. Zhu Zhuqing did the same.
One blue, one white. Both finely crafted and elegant.
Han Li picked up the armor and stretched it.
The fabric stretched significantly under his strength, yet snapped right back into its original shape once he let go.
"Looks like no adjustments are needed. The elasticity is more than enough."
Han Li glanced at Zhu Zhuqing, who was doing the same test with her own armor, and made a casual remark.
Then, he carefully tested its resistance to elements, energy attacks, and sharp weapons. Once satisfied, he put the blue one away.
The light blue color wasn't overly masculine or feminine, so giving it to LingLing wouldn't seem strange.
His gaze shifted to Zhu Zhuqing, who was still holding the white armor.
"Aren't you going to try it on? What if it doesn't fit?"
Hearing that, Zhu Zhuqing, who was about to put the armor back into its box, hesitated for a moment.
She lowered her head slightly.
"…I'll try it on later, at night."
White basic soft armor?
Or white long dress enhanced armor?
Of course, Han Li didn't ask out loud.
A cornered cat might run away.
Perhaps feeling overwhelmed by his gaze, Zhu Zhuqing quickly closed the box and changed the subject.
"The weapons you mentioned to Lou Gao can they really be built?"
She had been listening closely during their discussion. While she felt fascinated, she also felt fear.
"If it's just basic firearms and cannons, Lou Gao's skills are more than enough to make them. But even if he does, they won't be able to spread easily."
Han Li spoke confidently. After years of observing this world, his judgment was clear.
"Why not?"
Zhu Zhuqing was confused.
From what she understood from their conversation, such weapons should be almost unstoppable for any Soul Master below rank 70.
"Because this world is ruled by Soul Masters. Their numbers may not be large, but they are the only ones who hold real power."
"Besides, do you think the Blacksmith Association has the ability to mass produce weapons?"
"The moment news leaks, they'll be wiped out by every major force before they even finish production."
Han Li thought about Lou Gao's workshop and shook his head.
Right now, the Blacksmith Association is like a one legged man trying to run.
They're all hardcore craftsmen, forging everything by hand
Using Martial Souls and brute force to craft parts instead of molds.
They even view mold casting as heresy, let alone assembly line manufacturing.
However, Han Li had no intention of correcting them.
Not yet.
In his long term plans, the future would be a world where everyone cultivated.
Rather than investing in conventional firearms, it was better to shift toward Soul Tools.
That was the true future.
That's why, when painting a vision for Lou Gao, Han Li steered the discussion toward this direction.
Of course, the time spent so far was far from enough.
So, he made a specific request after Lou Gao finished making certain key "plot devices," his main research focus should be on gunpowder.
When Lou Gao first examined the gunpowder formula, he had been surprised but ultimately not too impressed.
He simply acknowledged that it was a better formula than what they previously had.
And since it could enhance the power of firearms, he agreed without hesitation.
Though Lou Gao knew this wasn't exactly what Han Li promised in his "big picture" vision, he still obediently played along for now.
He could only hope that once his research was complete, Han Li would give him some guidance to kickstart the so called "Great Blacksmith Renaissance."
On that point, Han Li hadn't lied.
With his understanding of the world's rules, he might not know how to build a Soul Tool, but he could engrave the necessary formations.
For him, the hardest part was actually the easiest.
One notable discovery Han Li made from his discussions with Lou Gao
In terms of materials, the gunpowder on the Douluo Continent was definitely a weaker version.
However
Even a weaker version was still useful.
After all, everyone else was using the same weak version.
No one had anything better.
So, in the end
It was still fair.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/johanssen