"The Calamity Poison Body... truly incredible."
Dugu Bo looked at his transformed granddaughter, still muttering to himself, the shock in his heart unable to subside for a long time.
Drinking poison is like drinking water; it can even increase one's cultivation level.
For Dugu, who was born with the 'Azure Scale Serpent Venom'...
This is practically a bug-level ability!
"Alright, you old poisoner, stop spacing out."
Yu Nan's voice interrupted Dugu Bo's reflections:
"Now that Yan Yan has absorbed the soul bone and her physique has been fully awakened, the cultivation here can be temporarily put on hold."
"Next, we should go to the next place."
"Next place?"
Dugu Bo snapped out of his daze and quickly asked:
"Senior, where are we this time?"
"Is there some 100,000-year-old soul bone waiting for us to collect?"
Having tasted the benefits, Dugu Bo now listens to Yu Nan's every word and even wishes Yu Nan would point out a few more "treasure troves".
"Dream on."
Yu Nan said irritably:
"Is a 100,000-year-old soul bone as common as cabbage?"
There aren't that many for you to pick up.
Our destination this time is Gengxin City.
"Gengxin City?"
Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan exchanged a glance, both somewhat puzzled.
"Isn't that place known as the 'Metal Capital'?"
Aside from having a lot of blacksmiths, there doesn't seem to be anything special about it, right?
Dugu Bo frowned.
Previously, Yu Nan had asked Dugu Bo to inquire about Yang Wudi's information regarding Gengxin City.
Dugu Bo, however, did not take it to heart.
He wasn't particularly fond of those blacksmiths.
In Dugu Bo's view, the world of Soul Masters is ultimately about Soul Power, and those iron lumps are at most just auxiliary tools.
"blacksmith?"
Yu Nan chuckled softly:
"Old Poisoner, you underestimate the blacksmith."
Although Yu Nan did not have Tang San's fancy hidden weapon blueprints.
But we know that future wars will not only be wars between Soul Masters, but also wars over equipment and resources.
"Gengxin City possesses the most outstanding blacksmiths and the richest reserves of rare metals on the entire continent."
If we can take control of this city, or at least win it over, it will be equivalent to having a continuous logistical supply base.
"and..."
Yu Nan paused, his tone becoming somewhat somber:
"There's an old fellow there named Lou Gao, who's a master craftsman."
Although he has a bad temper, he has a lot of good stuff in his hands.
If he could be commissioned to craft a few top-tier soul tools or armor specifically for Yan Yan, her combat power would increase even further.
"Conquer Gengxin City?"
Dugu Yan hesitated for a moment:
"Senior, although Gengxin City is remote, it is still within the sphere of influence of the Star Luo Empire."
Moreover, although the Blacksmith Association is loosely organized, Lou Gao is a tough nut to crack, and it is said that he doesn't even give much face to the Spirit Hall.
"It would be difficult for my grandson and I alone to subdue them..."
She is confident, but not blindly so.
She understood the principle that even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake.
"Who said we were going to 'subdue' them?"
Dugu Bo suddenly stroked his beard and smiled, a sly glint in his eyes:
"Yanyan, you are still too young."
Sometimes, to get someone to do something for you, you don't necessarily have to make them your subordinate.
"Oh? Grandpa means..."
"cooperate!
"Form an alliance!"
Dugu Bo said confidently:
"We're not going to ask them to be our dogs, but to invite them to become members of our 'alliance'."
Tell them that everyone in this alliance is equal and that it's a mutually beneficial relationship.
"Think about it, what do those people in the blacksmiths' association lack the most?"
Isn't it just about status and protection?
The Spirit Hall has always suppressed them, treating them as lowly craftsmen.
And we, a titled Douluo and a future super powerhouse, are willing to provide them with absolute military protection in this chaotic world.
And respect their craft, giving them equal status.
"This is a fatal temptation for Lou Gao, who has always wanted to improve the status of blacksmiths!"
"Once we get the building height sorted out, won't the entire Gengxin City be in our hands?"
After listening, Dugu Yan felt there was some truth to it, but still shook her head, not very optimistic:
"Grandpa, that's true, but those blacksmiths are all as stubborn as mules."
Moreover, that building is notoriously eccentric and stubborn.
I don't think a few empty words are enough to sway him.
"Empty talk is not enough."
Yu Nan interjected, his tone tinged with mystery:
"So, we should bring a small gift with us."
"A gift?"
"That's right."
Yu Nan said calmly:
"Old Poisoner, don't you have a lot of rare minerals in your collection?"
And Yan Yan, beneath your Yin-Yang Well of Ice and Fire lies a considerable amount of top-grade metal that has been tempered by extreme cold and heat.
Just dig up a few stones and bring them along; those will be your stepping stones.
"As for whether it will succeed..."
Yu Nan sneered:
"If kind words don't work, then we'll have to resort to force."
Anyway, that guy Lou Gao idolizes the strong the most. As long as we beat him into submission and show him what true power is,
Wouldn't he have to obediently listen to her?
Let's go!
Target: Gengxin City!
"yes!"
...
Several days later.
Within the Star Luo Empire, in the metal capital city of Gengxin.
This is a city full of metallic textures.
The towering city walls were constructed entirely of hard granite, and were even covered with a layer of molten iron, which gleamed coldly in the sunlight.
As soon as I stepped through the city gate, a wave of heat hit me.
It was formed by the heat from the burning furnaces of countless blacksmith shops.
The clanging and banging of blacksmiths echoed throughout the city, like its pulse, strong and powerful.
Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan walked down the wide street without attracting much attention.
After all, there are quite a few Soul Masters coming and going here, and most of them come to buy weapons and equipment.
"Grandpa, shall we go straight to the Blacksmiths' Association headquarters?"
Dugu Yan looked at the dazzling array of blacksmith shops lining both sides of the street and asked.
No rush.
Dugu Bo waved his hand, his gaze sweeping across the crowd before finally settling on a rather luxuriously decorated building not far away:
"Let's go scout ahead first."
That's the main hall of the Spirit Hall in Gengxin City.
"Since we want to win over the blacksmiths' association, we need to help them solve some problems first, and by the way... send a 'pledge of allegiance' to that Lou Gao."
A ruthless glint flashed in Dugu Bo's eyes.
Miles, the person in charge of the Spirit Hall in this city, is a notorious greedy man who has bullied the Blacksmith Association many times.
If I could just kill this guy while I'm at it, I could give his head to Lou Gao as a gift.
Then the alliance is basically halfway done!
"Come on, Yan Yan, Grandpa will take you to kill someone!"
Gengxin City Martial Soul Main Hall.
Two paladin knights in silver armor stood idly at the entrance, their arrogant gazes sweeping over the passersby.
"Stop! What are you doing?"
Seeing two figures, one old and one young, walking straight towards the gate, one of the knights brandished his lance and shouted sharply:
"The Spirit Hall is a sacred ground; unauthorized personnel are not allowed to approach!"
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