The Blacksmith's Association.
In the reception room on the top floor.
Lou Gao, regarded as one of the continent's top divine craftsmen, was carefully examining a load-bearing soul tool in his hand. After a considerable amount of time, he put it down with a thoughtful expression.
Opposite him, Wang Zhong sat casually in a chair, waiting patiently.
After calming Ah Die and arranging some matters concerning the remodeling orders for the main hall of the Spirit Hall, Wang Zhong took the time to come here. His purpose was to ask Lou Gao if it was possible to further increase the weight of the load-bearing soul tool he held.
After thinking for a while, Lou Gao shook his head and said, "This is probably not possible."
"You can't do anything about it either!" Wang Zhong frowned, questioning the answer Lou Gao had given.
"Yes."
"The method for crafting soul tools has been lost for many years. Now, for every soul tool on the continent that is damaged, there is one less."
"Most craftsmen and blacksmiths merely repair and make minor modifications based on existing ones."
"The load-bearing soul tool in your hand has already reached the limit of what can be modified. Its weight cannot be increased any further!"
Lou Gao explained, shaking his head and placing the soul tool on the table with a sigh.
"If the soul tool cannot be made heavier, then perhaps Divine Craftsman Lou Gao can manufacture something similar with immense weight?"
Since the soul tool could not be made heavier, Wang Zhong approached it from another direction, hoping to see if Lou Gao had any similar alternatives.
But the result was still the same. Lou Gao pondered for a moment, then shook his head again. "No."
"There are no such metals in nature that are both small and extremely heavy."
"To create an object exceeding normal weight, one must increase its physical size. Such an object would be no different from lifting an enormous rock."
Wang Zhong could only accept this outcome with a sigh. It seemed his weight-bearing training had reached its endpoint.
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior."
"I shall not disturb you further."
Wang Zhong bowed to Lou Gao with a clasped fist, picked up the soul tool from the table, and turned to leave.
He had been too optimistic, assuming that the inability to increase the weight of the load-bearing soul tool was due to the lack of technical skill among the craftsmen in the Spirit Hall. He hadn't expected that even Lou Gao, a divine craftsman, would be helpless in this regard.
After Wang Zhong left, Lou Gao's disciple, Si Long, entered, asking with a worried expression, "Teacher, did someone from the Spirit Hall come to persuade you to join them again?"
"No, Si Long, you are mistaken."
"This new person in charge of the Spirit Hall has no such intentions."
"He came to ask for my help, or rather, to solve problems with soul tools."
Lou Gao stroked his beard and explained to the worried Si Long.
"Moreover, judging by the recent actions of the main hall of the Spirit Hall, do you think they would act as they did before?"
Lou Gao's question, in turn, led Si Long into silence. The actions of the main hall of the Spirit Hall had been very peculiar lately.
No, they had become normal, and in contrast to the past, they were very strange.
They didn't bully men or oppress women, nor did they poison the common people or wreak havoc in towns. They had become like "good babies."
The people who were once abnormal had now become normal. This kind of event would naturally seem strange to anyone.
"Teacher, what do you think those people in the Spirit Hall are thinking? Why has their style of doing things changed so much?" Si Long sighed and asked.
"How would I know what they are thinking?"
"Besides, what does their thinking have to do with us! They can do whatever they want, as long as it doesn't interfere with this old man's research, they can do as they please."
Lou Gao replied indifferently, then waved his hand, "Alright, you rascal, stop worrying so much."
"With this time, you'd be better off improving your forging skills. That's stronger than anything else."
Si Long nodded in agreement, "Yes, Teacher, Si Long understands."
"Teacher, are you still researching that alloy metal that is extremely light, extremely tough, highly defensive, and has excellent ductility?"
"You meddling brat."
Lou Gao lightly smacked Si Long's head and left with his hands behind his back, his brow furrowed.
"What does he want such a heavy load-bearing soul tool for?"
"Training?"
"Impossible, impossible! A terrifying weight of ten thousand jin. Even that old fellow Titan couldn't lift it."
"He's a young man, his physique isn't particularly strong, and he doesn't seem like a strength-type soul master. How could he use it for training?"
"Is there another use for it? But what could it be for?"
"Hiss, my head hurts. Forget it, I won't think about it anymore. He can use it wherever he wants. Anyway, this old man cannot add any more weight to that soul tool!"
Watching his teacher frown and mutter to himself, Si Long was also confused and finally could only shake his head helplessly and leave.
"What's wrong? Why do you look so dejected?"
By the pond in the backyard of the Spirit Hall's main hall, Ah Die held a pastry that Wang Zhong had bought from the street, picked one up with her slender fingers, and put it in her mouth. A look of contentment and joy appeared on her pretty, enchanting face.
After eating two, she noticed that Wang Zhong's expression seemed a little gloomy, so she asked with concern.
Ah Die's caring voice jolted Wang Zhong out of his thoughts. He had been pondering whether there was a good way to achieve the effect of weight-bearing training if the weight could not be increased.
But after much thought, he was at a loss.
Ah Die's words, however, brought another possibility to Wang Zhong's mind.
"Ah Die, are there any exceptionally skilled craftsmen on your Sea God Island? I want to find someone who can find a way to further increase the weight of a ten-thousand-jin load-bearing soul tool."
"Increase the weight of a ten-thousand-jin load-bearing soul tool!"
Ah Die tapped her chin with her slender hand, a thoughtful expression appearing on her face. After thinking for a long time, she finally shook her head.
"No."
"There are no such craftsmen on our Sea God Island either!"
After giving this answer, Ah Die picked up another pastry and put it in her mouth, looking at Wang Zhong with curious eyes and asking indistinctly.
"What do you want such a heavy... soul tool... for?"
"Training!"
As soon as these two words were spoken, Ah Die's eyes widened abruptly, and her chewing mouth stopped. Then, she was seen vigorously patting her chest.
She was choked!
Shaking his head helplessly, Wang Zhong picked up a teapot from a nearby stone table, poured a cup of tea, and handed it to Ah Die, feeding her to drink.
Then, while patting her back, he sighed, "These are all yours, no one will fight you for them. You can eat slower!"
"Cough, cough, cough..."
"Do you think I choked on myself?"
"I was scared to death by your ten-thousand-jin weight-bearing training!"
"How did you do it! That's ten thousand jin!"