Inside the Gengxin City Spirit Hall, a gray-haired man with a hook nose, small eyes, and skin like dried orange peel sat with two scantily clad, shapely beauties in his arms, taking liberties with them.
This was Meyers, the lord of the Gengxin City Spirit Hall.
The two women seemed to have been taken by force. They did not try to please him, only enduring with clenched teeth. The Star Luo Empire didn't care about this city at all; it was entirely the territory of the Spirit Hall and the Blacksmith Association.
And the Spirit Hall's power far exceeded that of the Blacksmith Association. If the women resisted, their families would be doomed.
"Aqi, how many gold soul coins did you make today? Lou Gao's name should bring in a lot," Meyers asked.
"My lord, please forgive me. I promoted well today, but some people disrupted me. Somehow, they destroyed the sword I made, so it was all for nothing," the burly man called Aqi knelt, trembling.
"Useless fool! Who dared block my money?" Meyers's soul rings appeared—two yellow, three purple, and one black. He was a Soul Emperor-level expert.
"My lord, I didn't see who did it directly, but I have my suspicions. Most in my shop today were ordinary civilians, but one group was dressed lavishly and had extraordinary bearing—clearly soul masters. Only they could have disrupted me without me noticing.
"But you know, my lord, I'm just an ordinary person. I wouldn't dare offend soul masters, so I didn't alert them, just hurried back to report. My lord will be pleased to know: among that group, there were two breathtaking beauties, more beautiful than any women I've seen. Only such women are worthy of your status," Aqi flattered.
"Oh, peerless beauties!" Meyers' interest was piqued. "How do they compare to the two in my arms?"
These two were rare beauties, but Aqi shook his head, "No comparison. In both temperament and looks, those two women are ten times superior."
"Really? Good, Aqi, if you're telling the truth, not only will I spare you for today, but when I'm done with these two, you can have them as a reward," Miles said excitedly.
Since becoming the hall lord, he'd abused his power, loving nothing more than money and women. As for strength, being a Soul Emperor was more than enough here. He knew he'd never reach Soul Sage, so he'd given up on cultivation.
"Thank you, my lord!" Aqi said excitedly. "Shall we go capture them now?"
"No rush. Have people watch them so they don't escape. Tomorrow, I'll go meet my beauties. Tonight, let me enjoy my current catch as an appetizer," Miles said pragmatically.
He carried the two innocent girls inside, and soon their cries were heard. Outside, Aqi's heart raced, knowing one of them would be his later.
…
The next morning, Tianlin's group tidied up and headed straight for the Blacksmith Association headquarters.
The headquarters was in the city center—a huge building, at least thirty or forty meters tall, covering a vast area. Its size showed its importance to the city, similar to the Great Spirit Arena of Suoto City. At the top hung a dark iron plaque, with no words, just a raised hammer and chisel.
The building looked rough, with no fancy decorations. There weren't even guards at the door, but people came and went in droves. The three large doors stood open, and the bustling interior could be seen from outside.
Bai Chenxiang introduced information from her intelligence report: "The Blacksmith Association has five floors. The first is the trading area, where blacksmiths sell their best works or metals. There are also metal merchants. The second is the advanced trading area for rare metals. The third is for blacksmith registration and assessment. The fourth is the VIP and auction area for rare items. The fifth is the office area."
The Speed clan was indeed an expert at gathering information, having already learned a lot overnight.
The group didn't linger on the first or second floors, heading straight for the fourth. From here, entry wasn't easy.
Two guards blocked their way. "Sirs and ladies, this is the VIP area. Please show your invitation or VIP pass!"
The guards were impressive; even facing such distinguished guests, they remained calm. Tianlin sensed both were Soul Sages.
This must be the strongest security the association had, as only the rich or noble could enter the fourth floor.
In the original, Tang San entered easily due to Tai Tan. Now Tianlin's group had no guide, but they had other means.
"We're here to see Master Lou Gao. Sorry, we don't have an invitation, but we have other ways to prove our eligibility," Tianlin said. He turned to Dragon Duke, "Senior, please!"
Dragon Duke nodded. He stepped forward and summoned his dragon staff and soul rings.
Two yellow, three purple, four black—nine rings! The guards were stunned.
"You… you're a Titled Douluo!" the guard on the left said respectfully. "Greetings, Your Excellency. I am Si Long, a direct disciple of President Lou Gao. I apologize for not welcoming you earlier. May I ask your title so I can report to my master?"
"My title is Dragon Snake Douluo, though you may know me better as Dragon Duke!" Dragon Duke replied.
"Dragon Duke! The Dragon Snake of the world-renowned Dragon Snake Duo. Congratulations on becoming a Titled Douluo. Please wait a moment; I'll report right away!"
Si Long hurried off.
This world truly respected strength. That was the real reason Tianlin brought a Titled Douluo—not for safety, but for convenience. With one in tow, they'd always be respected and get special treatment.
For example, Si Long returned in less than five minutes, showing how seriously he took it.
"Sir Dragon Snake, my master is in the forging room. Please follow me!"