Chapter 89: Flaming Sun Bow
T/N: Hello Everyone! I'm here to say that for advance chapters, I've decided 5 dollars for 10 advance chapters and 10 for 25 advance chapters, I still don't have a large enough pile built up for this, just announcing this for feedback. Also, just to make it clear, patrons only get advance chapters that everyone will get eventually. And finally, I'd like anyone who does become a patreon to only do so if they have extra cash lying around, I'm translating this only for fun, anyone who does do it should mainly do it to support me not for advance chapters that they'll get soon enough anyways. Thanks!
"By the way, Rongrong, help me gather some Plate Crystal Gold. I need it for something."
Glancing at his spirit-forged Flaming Sun Bow still missing a bowstring on the forge table, Chu Chengzhou turned to Ning Rongrong.
"Plate Crystal Gold? What's that?" Ning Rongrong asked with a bit of suspicion.
"Plate Crystal Gold is a rare metal nurtured by crystals. The raw ore looks like murky crystal, and in its normal state, it's only the size of a grain of rice. Once soul power is infused, it becomes a golden needle as fine as a hair."
As he spoke, Chu Chengzhou pulled out a box from his storage necklace, picked out a piece of Plate Crystal Gold, and showed it to Ning Rongrong.
This box of Plate Crystal Gold had been a lucky find when he and Xiao Wu first arrived in Soto City and stumbled upon a shady shop owned by Flender. It wasn't much in quantity.
Originally, Chu Chengzhou thought that amount was enough—after all, he only planned to use it for forging arrows with exceptional piercing power.
Later, however, he realized this material wasn't limited to hidden weapons or arrowheads.
Plate Crystal Gold was highly elastic. If melted down and spirit-forged into thread, it could be woven into a rope—perfect as a bowstring.
And since the bowstring wouldn't be made from soul beast tendons but spirit-forged Plate Crystal Gold, his bow could then be stored inside his body.
"Pfft—!"
Seeing the fine, three-inch golden needle in Chu Chengzhou's hand, Xiao Wu couldn't help but laugh.
She remembered all too well that someone once got his butt stabbed by one of these things—his miserable scream still echoed in her memory.
"What are you laughing at?" Chu Chengzhou scowled and glared at her.
No doubt that little bunny was remembering his dark past.
Xiao Wu quickly covered her mouth and even made a zipping gesture.
"No problem, Senior Chu, leave the Plate Crystal Gold to me!" Ning Rongrong patted her chest confidently.
It was just a rare type of ore—her family had mines all over the Heaven Dou Empire. Finding some would be easy.
Grrrr~
Suddenly, a strange sound came from Zhu Zhuqing's direction.
Everyone present was a soul master with keen hearing, and they all turned their heads.
Meeting their gazes, Zhu Zhuqing blushed.
"Come on, let's eat!" Chu Chengzhou smiled, put away the spirit-forged Flaming Sun Bow, and waved for the others to follow him to the cafeteria.
After lunch, Xiao Wu couldn't wait to test the defensive power of the Azure Cloud Pattern Armor.
Truth be told, although it was forged by Chu Chengzhou himself, even he wasn't sure how well it would hold up—it needed a proper test against a strong opponent.
After a quick discussion, the four of them sought out Li Yusong.
Technically, the Fire Phoenix summon could've been a test subject too. After all, Little Red was pretty strong—easily among the best of five-ring Soul Kings, and could rival a poorly configured six-ring Soul Emperor.
But the Fire Phoenix was an aerial unit. Chu Chengzhou's bow wasn't complete yet, and Xiao Wu lacked aerial combat capabilities, so using it wouldn't yield meaningful results.
Luckily, the academy had more than just the seven students—it also had five skilled teachers.
Flender and Zhao Wuji were both seven-ring Soul Sages—not ideal for testing, since the Azure Cloud Pattern Armor wasn't true battle armor and couldn't withstand that level.
Shao Xin was a food-type soul master. Xiao Wu didn't even need armor to overpower him.
That left two six-ring Soul Emperors: Li Yusong, an assault-type soul master, and Lu Qibin, a control-type.
Naturally, Li Yusong was the best choice.
His soul ring configuration wasn't impressive—white, yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black—lacking one entire optimal ring compared to peers of the same rank.
Still, as a Soul Emperor, and with a fairly strong Dragon Pattern Staff as his martial spirit, he was no pushover.
If Xiao Wu's Azure Cloud Pattern Armor could withstand his sixth ring soul skill—an entry-level ten-thousand-year assault skill—then anyone below level 60, aside from outliers and cheats, wouldn't be able to break through her defense.
"You four looking for me?" Li Yusong asked curiously as he saw them approach.
"Teacher Li, I'd like your guidance!" Xiao Wu stepped forward and bowed.
"Oh? You little one want to challenge me?" Li Yusong smiled.
"Yup!" Xiao Wu nodded firmly.
"Alright, let's head to the training grounds," he agreed without hesitation.
Having been idle around the academy all day, he welcomed the opportunity to spar with a student.
Shrek Academy - Training Grounds
Xiao Wu and Li Yusong stood twenty meters apart, while Chu Chengzhou and the others watched from the sidelines.
"Please, Teacher Li!" Xiao Wu activated her soul power. Her Soft Bone Rabbit martial spirit possessed her body, and her disguised four rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple—glowed brightly.
A flash of blue-gold light followed, and the Azure Cloud Pattern Armor appeared. Xiao Wu transformed from a pink princess into a blue-gold armored battle goddess.
Li Yusong's eyes widened."Xiao Wu, what is that?"
After rubbing his eyes to confirm it wasn't an illusion, he asked in astonishment.
Sure, some soul masters wore armor—but don't you need time to put it on?
You just flashed and had it on in a blink?! Armor like this exists?
"Armor~" Xiao Wu blinked innocently.
Li Yusong: "..."
That's not what I meant.
"Ahem. Teacher Li, this is a soul tool of the armor variety," she explained.
She didn't say Chu Chengzhou made it—no need to advertise that kind of treasure and bring trouble to him. Claiming it was a soul tool she found by chance was enough.
"A soul tool, huh?" Li Yusong raised an eyebrow but believed her.
After all, what else could have such strange properties besides a soul tool?
"Come!" he said, summoning his Dragon Pattern Staff as his six soul rings—white, yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black—lit up. He slammed the staff into the ground and signaled for her to attack.
With that, Xiao Wu dashed forward.
"Dragon Roar!"
As she closed in, Li Yusong pointed his staff at her, and his first soul ring glowed.
A red light radiated from the staff's dragon pattern, and a wave of sound burst forth.
This first soul skill, Dragon Roar, combined the tiger soul beast's roar with the Dragon Pattern Staff's martial spirit to stun opponents, depending on the difference in spiritual strength.
The sound wave hit Xiao Wu in an instant—but she only paused slightly before brushing it off.
Despite the huge difference in soul power (level 42 vs. level 63), Xiao Wu had diligently trained her spirit and wasn't far behind in spiritual strength.
Besides, that first skill wasn't even a century-old technique—its power was limited.
In a flash, she was in front of him. With her right leg springing up, her toes shot toward his chin.
Li Yusong sidestepped and countered with a heavy strike to her chest using the staff.
He didn't hold back, though he didn't use any soul skills either. He knew her armor would protect her from serious harm.
The staff struck her chest.
CLANG!
The blow echoed with a metallic crash. Xiao Wu staggered back two steps from the impact but remained unharmed—only the shock force was transmitted.
Satisfied, she charged in again.
Despite being outmatched, Xiao Wu's armor absorbed every blow. No real damage was done—only minor displacement.
"Third Soul Skill: Teleport!"
Repelled once more, Xiao Wu activated her third ring. A spatial ripple appeared, and she vanished—reappearing behind Li Yusong.
Placing her hands on the ground, she kicked both feet up, landing them on his shoulders.
Before he could react, a cry rang out behind him: "Waist Bow!"
Suddenly, a huge force yanked his neck, lifting him into the air and slamming him down headfirst.
BOOM!
He just had time to gather soul power before smashing into the ground. The entire training ground shook slightly from the impact.
Xiao Wu had gone easy—she didn't use her full "Eight-Stage Drop" combo, a technique better reserved for enemies, not friends.
Despite looking shaken, the Soul Emperor quickly stood up, rubbing his neck.
"Ahem. Good girl! Didn't think this old man would get caught off guard like that!"
His expression turned serious.
At first, he hadn't taken the fight seriously due to the huge gap in level. But her impressive defense forced him to take it seriously.
"I'll use a soul skill now! I want to see how far this armor can go!" Xiao Wu called out.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Tornado Grind!"
His fourth ring lit up. He threw his Dragon Pattern Staff, which began to spin rapidly, creating a tornado that barreled toward Xiao Wu.
She didn't dodge. Instead, she channeled soul power into her armor, braced her stance, and prepared to tank it head-on.
The Azure Cloud Pattern Armor, made from spirit-forged Blue Womb Copper, had excellent soul power conductivity—infusing it boosted its defensive power significantly.
The whirlwind of the spinning staff struck her like a buzz saw.
CLANGCLANGCLANG—!
Metallic clashes rang out nonstop.
Three seconds later, the staff returned to Li Yusong's hand.
"Girl, what insane defense!" he exclaimed.
Even a thousand-year soul skill from a six-ring Soul Emperor hadn't left a single dent?
Was he just outdated, or was this armor soul tool just that high-grade?
"Hehe~" Xiao Wu chuckled proudly.
"I'll use one last move. If you can withstand this too, I've got nothing left!"
Li Yusong's expression turned grim.
His fourth ring skill wasn't his strongest. The true powerhouse was his sixth ring—a ten-thousand-year spirit skill.
"Bring it on!"
Xiao Wu also grew serious but remained confident in her azure armor. Even if it couldn't fully block the attack, it wouldn't kill her.
Besides, if things really got out of hand, she still had her trump card: Invincible Golden Body, her absolute defense skill.
"Sixth Spirit Skill, Dragon Shadow Break!"
As his sixth spirit ring lit up, Li Yusong's spirit power surged. The dragon-patterned staff in his hand emitted a loud dragon's roar before he hurled it forward with all his strength.
The moment it left his hand, it expanded in size, transforming into a blood-tinged black dragon shadow that shot toward Xiao Wu like a missile.
"Boom—!"
The moment the black dragon shadow struck her, a deafening explosion shook the training field.
The terrifying force sent Xiao Wu flying dozens of meters, slamming her heavily into the ground and raising a massive cloud of dust.
Seeing this, Chu Chengzhou and the other two rushed over.
But before they could get close, Xiao Wu crawled up from the ground, covered in dust.
"Xiao Wu, are you okay?"
Ning Rongrong asked with concern.
"Peh, peh~ I'm fine, just a bit stuffy in the chest."
Spitting out some sand she accidentally swallowed, Xiao Wu waved her hand wearily.
"Not bad. Judging from this, your Azure Cloud-pattern Armor should be able to withstand attacks from most spirit masters under rank 60."
Chu Chengzhou nodded with satisfaction, seeing that the armor only had a slight dent.
Li Yusong was a six-ring Soul Emperor. Though his spirit ring setup was subpar, that sixth ring was still ten-thousand-year grade. This attack surpassed many five-ring Soul Kings' most powerful attacks.
To take it head-on proved just how extraordinary spirit-refined metal was.
Of course, Xiao Wu's success wasn't just due to the armor's defense—her strong physique also played a key role.
If her body were weak, the internal shock from the impact could have seriously injured or even killed her despite the armor.
"That's some incredible armor! Hard to imagine how strong soul masters were in the era when such gear was created."
Seeing that Xiao Wu could take a ten-thousand-year skill and still stand, Li Yusong was amazed.
Apart from common tools like microphones and spirit lamps, nearly all spirit devices—especially storage-type ones—were relics from ancient times.
Naturally, Li Yusong assumed this blue-gold armor was an ancient relic.
"Yeah, I read in an ancient text that some spirit tools could even let ordinary people or low-level soul masters kill a Titled Douluo!"
Chu Chengzhou said solemnly.
"What?! Is that true?"
Li Yusong's eyes widened.
Titled Douluos were peak-level soul masters. There wasn't even one in the entire Balak Kingdom. Could a mere spirit tool allow someone to slay one?
"Uh~ I'm not so sure. Maybe the author was exaggerating?"
Chu Chengzhou scratched his head, playing it off like a joke.
Though in truth, modern fixed-mount spirit cannons could indeed slay Titled Douluos—and even gods, if need be.
**"Forget it, let's not dwell on that. Xiao Wu, your armor really is incredible, but I must warn you: your talent is outstanding, and your future achievements will surely surpass mine. Don't rely on this armor too much."
"There are plenty of spirit masters in the world who can break through its defense."**
Li Yusong said seriously.
"Mm-hmm!"
Xiao Wu nodded quickly.
She already understood this without needing the reminder.
"Alright, the rest of you, get back to what you were doing~"
Waving them off, Li Yusong walked away without looking back.
Everyone has pride. As a six-ring Soul Emperor, he had been unable to overcome a four-ring Soul Ancestor—even if she used a special soul tool, it still bruised his ego.
Better to leave now than to suffer further embarrassment.
In the forge:
The Fire Phoenix Soul Spirit was spewing intense flames, melting a large number of rice-grain-sized golden metal particles in the crucible.
Under the heat, the particles melted into a pool of molten orange-red liquid.
Guided by Chu Chengzhou's soul power, the molten metal was shaped into a nearly two-inch square ingot.
This was all the Hair Gold he'd gotten from Flander—a small amount, but enough for his purposes: to make a bowstring and some arrowheads.
Hair Gold naturally exists in grain form, but that doesn't mean it can't be reshaped. Like all metals, it melts when heated past its melting point and can be reformed once cooled.
After quenching the ingot in water, Chu Chengzhou picked it up.
"Hmm? It's still kind of soft?"
Though it looked like a standard metal ingot, it still felt rubbery, just like the grain form. Intrigued, he set it on the forge table and began refining it with spirit forging.
"Thud, thud, thud—"
Unlike previous heavy bangs, the hammer strikes were dull and slippery, thanks to the soft texture.
Still, you could question Chu Chengzhou's strength, but never his forging skills. Even the famed Haotian Douluo couldn't match his craftsmanship.
Other blacksmiths might struggle to spirit-forge Hair Gold, but not Chu Chengzhou.
Thanks to the small volume, the work was quick. Within half an hour, a dazzling golden flame lit up the forge.
Following the usual routine—cutting his wrist, blood-forging the spirit-refined metal—Chu Chengzhou melted it again and shaped it.
Before long, the refined Hair Gold took the form of a five-foot golden bowstring and over a hundred sharp triangular arrowheads.
Originally, he considered spinning the Hair Gold into strands, but its elasticity made that unnecessary. He simply forged a solid 0.5 cm diameter bowstring.
He took out the pre-made Spirit-Forged Flaming Sun Bow, strung it with the Hair Gold bowstring, and thus, the Shooting Sun Bow was complete!
Holding it in his left hand, he summoned a fiery red soul arrow with his right.
Upon sensing its power, Chu Chengzhou noted that compared to his old bow made of thousand-forged Silver, the arrows formed with this new bow were about 20% stronger.
Flame Iron, a rare metal, naturally enhances fire-attributed soul power—especially after spirit forging.
Of course, this boost only worked for fire-based arrows. Neutral or other-element soul arrows wouldn't benefit.
"Nice!"
Satisfied, Chu Chengzhou dispersed the arrow and turned eagerly to the hundred golden triangular arrowheads.
If he could already threaten four- and five-ring opponents with his soul arrows, then wouldn't these armor-piercing Plate Crystal Gold arrows be enough to one-shot a six-ring Soul Emperor or even a seven-ring Soul Sage?