Chapter 91: Already a Rank 5 Soul Tool Master?

"Ding! Congratulations, Host, you have obtained the Ice Dragon Martial Soul."

Qian Ran was stunned.

Originally, the ice attribute of the Skydream Iceworm had left him with a secondary martial soul slot for an ice attribute, and now with the dragon lineage, it had evolved into an Ice Dragon Martial Soul.

An Ice Dragon Martial Soul? It didn't sound as impressive as an Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion, though.

"If the Host continues to sign in with dragon-type soul masters or adds them to the harem, the Dragon Martial Soul will receive bloodline evolution rewards," the system prompted.

"Damn! Why not just give me an overpowered beast martial soul from the start? Why go through all this?" Qian Ran muttered, feeling the system was playing with him.

"Wu Feng and Ning Tian aren't main characters in Douluo Dalu II, so the rewards are relatively low," the system explained.

"Alright."

Qian Ran figured the system's rewards were likely based on the character's prominence. Ning Tian and Wu Feng had minor roles in the original story, and their limited appearances meant that even receiving this much was pretty decent.

"So if I manage to win over Wu Feng, could the lineage evolve into something high-level like the Golden Dragon?" Qian Ran asked. He wasn't worried; his Seraphim martial soul had undergone several mutations, turning into an exceptionally powerful soul. If he got the Golden Dragon lineage, he'd finally have a use for his Golden Dragon Spear, which was gathering dust in his storage soul tool.

"Dream on. Add Xian Liner, and you might stand a chance. Wu Feng is too easy to win over, so she won't yield many rewards."

Xian Liner?

Was the system really suggesting he pursue his own dean?

Still, if adding Xian Liner to his harem granted him the Golden Dragon lineage, it would be a big win. And if he somehow brought Gu Yue Na…

Qian Ran swallowed. That would take him straight to the pinnacle, evolving his lineage to Dragon God level.

Qian Ran daydreamed happily, imagining how impressive he'd be if he reached such power. Even Gu Yue Na would look at him differently then.

Then there were soul tools…

He focused, and his mind filled with vast knowledge of soul tools: long-range soul tools, stationary soul tools, melee soul tools, storage soul tools, transport soul tools…

Melee soul tools were like modified swords and daggers, imbued with various attributes like fire, ice, lightning, or defense. Long-range soul tools required more soul power but offered greater attack range, while stationary soul tools needed minimal soul power and had even longer range and higher power. However, the drawback of stationary soul tools was the difficulty in targeting moving objects.

"Not bad."

The theories, schematics, and detailed designs of all these soul tools were imprinted in his mind, covering every category.

Qian Ran felt like he had become a seasoned Rank 6 Soul Tool Master in knowledge alone.

However, theory was one thing; actually creating these soul tools would require hands-on experience.

The next day, Xian Liner took Qian Ran to the soul tool district to study soul tool mechanics.

Qian Ran received a complete set of forging tools: bellows, furnace, hammer, anvil, and more. Under Qian Duoduo's guidance, he began learning the craft.

Originally, Qian Ran thought Qian Duoduo's skill with soul tools would be average, but to his surprise, Qian Duoduo was even more skilled than Fan Yu, reportedly at Rank 8.5 in soul tool mastery. With further training at the Sun and Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, he might even reach Rank 9.

What shocked Qian Duoduo was that Qian Ran flawlessly completed every step in soul tool manufacturing.

In fact, Qian Duoduo occasionally felt Qian Ran was even more precise than he was in certain aspects!

Molding, tempering, polishing…

Initially, Qian Ran was clumsy, but as his powerful mental strength kicked in, he quickly got the hang of it.

One week later, in the primary lab of the Soul Tool Testing Area…

Around a massive metal table stood Qian Duoduo and Xian Liner on either side of Qian Ran, watching him intently. Fan Yu was also present, hands clasped behind his back, but watching with complete focus. His disciple, He Caitou, stood nearby, so nervous he didn't dare make a sound.

The room was silent, with only the sound of nervous breaths.

Qian Ran sat at the metal table, holding a small hexagonal metal block in his left hand, and a slender knife in his right. He was carefully carving the metal.

His movements were swift, yet steady, each stroke of the knife deliberate and confident.

The metal block, a reddish hue, emitted a faint, peculiar aura. Qian Ran's precise cuts gradually revealed intricate patterns on its surface.

He was crafting a short blade, a Rank 5 melee soul tool.

This was a Rank 5 soul tool, and Qian Ran had memorized Qian Duoduo's technique after seeing it once.

Although Qian Ran had knowledge of soul tools up to Rank 6, practical experience required gradual progression. For now, he focused on replicating what he'd seen to get comfortable with the process.

Despite his methodical approach, Qian Ran's exceptional progress had already made his name well-known throughout the testing area.

On his first day, he made a Rank 1 soul tool; on his second, a Rank 2 soul tool; by the third, Rank 3; and by the fifth, Rank 4…

His astonishing speed left the soul tool faculty in awe.

Even Xian Liner was taken aback.

Although she knew a bit about soul tools, she'd initially estimated it would take Qian Ran at least a year to reach Rank 3 proficiency. Yet he achieved it in just three days!

"Done. I suppose I'm a Rank 5 Soul Tool Master now." Finally completing the final touches, Qian Ran set his tools down, smiling. Soul tool crafting was enjoyable, though replicating an existing design was easy for him.

Qian Duoduo, Xian Liner, Fan Yu, and He Caitou stared in shock. "Qian Ran, you actually did it? You managed to create a Rank 5 soul tool?"

He Caitou felt a pang of despair. He had studied under Fan Yu for years, yet hadn't dared dream of making a Rank 5 soul tool. Was the gap between them really that vast? Qian Ran had only been in the lab for a week!

It was unbelievable.

Qian Duoduo picked up Qian Ran's soul tool, channeled soul power into it, and the short blade burst into a radiant red glow, its edge gleaming with a sharp energy.

"Excellent, excellent!" Xian Liner exclaimed. She hugged Qian Ran excitedly, even giving him a kiss on the cheek. She had been initially hesitant about him pursuing soul tools, fearing it would affect his martial training. But now… a prodigy capable of making a Rank 5 soul tool within a week? His talent for soul tools was arguably even greater than his martial skills!

"It's just a replication, though. Creating an original soul tool would still be quite challenging," Qian Ran noted.

"Even so, that's remarkable progress. Once you consolidate the theory, you'll be a qualified Rank 5 Soul Tool Master."

Qian Duoduo and Fan Yu looked at Qian Ran with envy. They had spent six or seven years perfecting their Rank 5 creations.