As Lou Gao thought about it, he suddenly realized the value of the plans Su Ming had brought. With the blueprint for the Charged Soul Tool Gun, he had already managed to create the first level of its capabilities, and he wanted to show Su Ming his progress. Descending to the main floor, Lou Gao's gaze immediately locked onto Su Ming.
Among the group, Su Ming was the only one who looked like a young man, while most of the others were familiar faces, including the clan leaders of three single-attribute clans. Noticing Titan's absence, Lou Gao felt curious but suppressed his question. There were more pressing matters to attend to.
"It was you who provided the plans for the soul tool, wasn't it?" Lou Gao's eyes bore into Su Ming, showing a mixture of excitement and nervous anticipation.
Su Ming nodded with a smile. "Yes, Lou Gao. We finally meet in person. Those were my plans. May we go inside to discuss further?"
Lou Gao quickly nodded. "Yes, yes! Let's head to the fifth floor. And don't mind Ren Yuan earlier; he didn't know any better."
As they ascended, Su Ming noticed that Lou Gao looked every bit the part of a dedicated craftsman, his hair disheveled as if he hadn't left his workshop in days, his robe dusted with metallic residue.
In the fifth-floor office, Lou Gao excitedly displayed a partially completed soul tool gun. "Su Ming, look! Using your blueprints and samples, I've managed to make a prototype with a single setting—the power equivalent to a full strike from a Soul King."
Su Ming nodded, impressed. Lou Gao's skill was unparalleled, allowing him to grasp soul tool manufacturing so quickly. Even in the original story, Huo Yuhao, a soul tool prodigy, took years to reach this level. With a grin, Su Ming said, "Incredible work, Lou Gao! If you've achieved this already, I imagine production will only become more efficient as you refine the process."
Lou Gao laughed modestly. "It's all thanks to you, Su Ming. But I doubt you came all this way just to see an old man and his work."
Su Ming met his gaze directly. "Master Lou Gao, I'm here to formally invite you and the Blacksmith Association to join Spirit Hall."
Lou Gao's brow furrowed. "The whole Blacksmith Association? And have you all joined Spirit Hall as well?" He glanced at Taino, Bai He, and the others, recalling the enmity that had existed between Spirit Hall and the single-attribute clans.
Taino scratched his head and nodded. The four clans were, indeed, aligning with Spirit Hall. Bai He then explained the events that had led to their decision.
Understanding the situation, Lou Gao looked sympathetically at Taino. "I'm sorry for your loss, Taino. We never wanted it to come to this."
Taino nodded, accepting the condolences. Lou Gao, while saddened by Titan's fate, felt no obligation to resent Spirit Hall for it, particularly after the recent reforms Spirit Hall had made in Gengxin City, which allowed him to focus on his craft without interference.
After a thoughtful pause, Lou Gao said, "Su Ming, I'll join you personally. However, I'd prefer to keep the Blacksmith Association independent. I don't want to disrupt the balance of the continent by pushing the Association into this conflict."
Su Ming expected this reaction and continued with a gentle but direct appeal. "Master Lou Gao, wouldn't you want to see the Blacksmith Association reach its full potential?"
"Without the Association's official support, I can't let you share soul tool plans. If you do join alone, the Association could struggle without you, possibly declining without its revered master. Your guild's reputation stems in large part from your presence. Could you trust the current masters to uphold its legacy?"
Lou Gao fell silent, considering Su Ming's words. His departure would indeed leave the Association vulnerable, especially since it had just begun to recover. As he wrestled with the moral dilemma, Bai He spoke up, his tone calm.
"Lou Gao, are you afraid that if you join Spirit Hall, you'll be contributing to the war and indirectly causing harm?"
Lou Gao nodded. "Yes, to be honest. I don't wish for Spirit Hall to wage war on the empires if it means countless innocent lives lost due to the tools we provide."
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Su Ming responded calmly, "Master Lou Gao, I can assure you that Spirit Hall will not slaughter innocent people. Only those who resist from the two empires will be affected."
He added, "War has always come at a cost, and while Spirit Hall won't initiate conflict with the intent of harming civilians, the truth is that the common people already lead very difficult lives—something you know well."
"Think back, Master Lou Gao. When the Spirit Hall sub-branch oppressed your Blacksmith Association, did the Xingluo Empire come to your aid? Since they didn't, why should you feel obligated to protect them?" Su Ming continued, "After Spirit Hall unifies the continent, there won't be any more wars, and we can shift our focus toward improving the quality of life for everyone."
As Su Ming laid out his vision for a unified, peaceful future, Lou Gao looked at him with a mix of shock and admiration.
Bai He chuckled, "Surprised, Lou Gao? We felt the same way when we first heard Su Ming's plans."
Niu Gao chimed in as well. "Lou Gao, just say yes. Su Ming has been trustworthy so far, and if he fails to uphold his promises, you can leave at any time."
"Anyone favored by the Goddess of Life is bound to have a noble character."
Lou Gao pondered these words and finally, with a sense of resolve, agreed, "Fine, I'll join."
Delighted, Su Ming responded, "Thank you, Master Lou Gao! You'll oversee the Blacksmith Association as part of the Foundry Hall in Spirit Hall and serve as its head."
Lou Gao nodded in agreement. "Good. Let's rest here tonight. I'll instruct my disciples to prepare, and tomorrow, I'll accompany you to Spirit Hall."
With a smile, Su Ming replied, "That would be ideal."
Lou Gao arranged for his disciple, Si Long, to escort Su Ming and the others to their guest rooms. Watching Su Ming's departure, Lou Gao nodded with satisfaction, admiring Su Ming's respectful and unpretentious demeanor.
Later that evening, an auction was held in Gengxin City, and Lou Gao took Su Ming and the others to experience it. Walking through the city, Su Ming noticed numerous stalls selling various minerals and ores.
Lou Gao explained, "These stalls usually offer scrap materials or unknown stones from other regions, sold cheaply. Sometimes, I manage to find valuable materials here."
He chuckled as he recalled, "When Ning Fengzhi visited, his Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda helped identify rare ores. Thanks to his assistance, I quickly gathered the materials needed for the soul tool gun prototype."
While Su Ming admired the ores, he wished he'd brought Ning Rongrong along. With her skill, she could easily identify and collect valuable resources across the city. However, he knew her focus on cultivating her strength was more important, and there would be other opportunities to visit.
That night, Su Ming quietly left his room and entered Xiao Wu's room. Sensing his presence, Xiao Wu leaped toward him.
"Brother…" she whispered, eyes brimming with affection.
Unable to resist any longer, Su Ming held her close and pressed a deep kiss to her lips, carrying her to the bed. Wrapped in soft bedding and bathed in warm light, they surrendered to their feelings, embracing passionately in each other's arms.
They spent the night together, letting their feelings for one another run free.
The next morning, Xiao Wu rubbed her eyes, snuggling close to Su Ming.
"Brother…"
Su Ming gently patted her head, asking softly, "Xiao Wu, you barely slept last night. Would you like to rest a bit more?"
Blushing, Xiao Wu remembered his intensity from the previous night. Flustered, she quickly covered her face. "No, no… Brother, I'm fine! I'm strong, you know! And what if someone finds out?"
She knew if they lingered, Niu Gao and the others might notice, leading to an embarrassing situation. Some things were better left private.
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