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*****
"..."
Upon hearing this, Dai Weisi couldn't help but roll his eyes. Sure, Lou Gao was praising him, but why did it sound so irritating?
Still, he asked, "Master Lou Gao, do you think you're capable of crafting the hand grenade shown on the blueprint?"
"Hmph!"
Lou Gao chuckled proudly. "Your Highness, you're underestimating this old man. That so-called hand grenade—never mind me—even my two apprentices could produce it, provided we have enough black powder."
"That won't be a problem. I'll take care of the black powder," Dai Weisi replied confidently, as he retrieved ten catties of pitch-black powder from his soul guide ring.
He had even mixed a bit of white sugar into the black powder to serve as a combustion booster, increasing its explosive power.
Of course, before adding the sugar, he used a special dye to color it black, making it visually indistinguishable from the rest of the powder.
This was a necessary precaution. In this world, black powder combined with sugar was essentially the equivalent of a nuclear weapon.
It might not be enough to kill a Titled Douluo outright, but with the right dosage, it could definitely take out several Soul Emperors or Soul Saints without issue.
To prevent others from using black powder for malicious purposes, Dai Weisi had no choice but to implement his own "patent protection."
In short, the secret formula—"One saltpeter, two sulfur, three charcoal, add some sugar for the Big Ivan"—had to remain in his hands. If black powder became widespread, he might one day find himself blown up by a stray artillery shell.
Right now, he was just a lowly Soul Ancestor. If he let his guard down, even hidden weapons like the Zhuge Divine Crossbow or Yan Wang Tie could potentially injure him—let alone an explosive cannonball.
At least until he unified the Douluo Continent, Dai Weisi had no intention of passing the black powder formula to anyone else.
Upon seeing the black powder, Lou Gao's eyes lit up. He cupped it carefully in his palms, as if it might melt away at any moment, then looked at Dai Weisi with a broad smile.
"Your Highness, please stay in Gengxin City for a few days. With this much black powder, I'm confident we can produce that 'hand grenade' in no time."
"Haha! In that case, I'll be counting on you, Master Lou Gao." Dai Weisi bowed in thanks, then turned to Li Hu and said, "Uncle Li, let's go. Let's not disturb Master Lou Gao and his apprentices any longer."
"As you command!"
With that, the two of them left the forging room. No sooner had they departed than Lou Gao, Si Long, and Si Yu sprang into action, eagerly firing up the forge.
In this life, a person might not fight for fame, but they should fight for dignity! If they could truly create a weapon capable of killing Soul Saints and Soul Douluos, their names would surely go down in history. Why not give it their all?
…
After leaving the Blacksmith Association, Dai Weisi planned to find an inn to get some proper rest. The journey had been exhausting, especially after being jostled around in a carriage for several days. It was the perfect time to recuperate and solidify his cultivation level.
Just as he was scouting around for a hotel, Li Hu suddenly asked from his side, "Your Highness, were you serious about what you said earlier? Can that gunpowder really injure a Titled Douluo?"
"Hmm… honestly, I'm not entirely sure," Dai Weisi replied, shaking his head. "What I can say is that, with enough black powder, it's theoretically possible to injure a Titled Douluo! At the very least, it should be able to harm those with weapon-type martial souls."
In the anime, Dugu Bo had once used two Soul-destroying Demon Gallbladder bombs to injure Ju Hua Guan, showing that Soul Masters with weapon-type martial souls were only slightly stronger than ordinary humans in terms of physical endurance.
On the other hand, Beast Martial Soul users were different. Dai Weisi's Evil Eyed White Tiger was a Beast Martial Soul, and after the martial soul possessed his body, his strength, speed, and durability had all improved significantly. Tang San's hidden weapons might not even be able to hurt him.
"Your Highness, if Master Lou Gao truly succeeds in crafting the hand grenade, it will be a great achievement for the Star Luo Empire. You will surely become the crown prince!" Li Hu said respectfully.
If Dai Weisi became the crown prince, then as the steward of the crown prince's residence, Li Hu's position would rise considerably as well.
As Li Hu thought about the good future that awaited him, his eyes seemed to shine with hope.
"Hmph, the crown prince title is nothing. It's already within my grasp," Dai Weisi said confidently. "What I truly desire is this world. The world belongs to the emperor, and all the people under the heavens are his subjects. I will lead the Star Luo Empire and unite the world!"
Li Hu was secretly startled upon hearing these words, but he quickly flattered Dai Weisi. "Your Highness truly has the heart of a great ruler. Since you have such ambitions, I will follow you loyally and assist you in achieving your grand goals!"
"Hehe, Uncle Li, I'm glad to hear that. However, your current strength is still too weak. You'll need to train harder. I look forward to the day when you become a Soul Douluo," Dai Weisi replied.
"Yes, Your Highness! I will devote myself to my training and will never disappoint you," Li Hu responded solemnly.
The two of them continued their search for a hotel, and after some time, they finally found one. Dai Weisi checked in and sat cross-legged on the soft bed, beginning his meditation to consolidate his cultivation.
With less than five years left before the Soul Master Tournament, Dai Weisi was confident he could break through level 50 even without the use of any medicinal herbs. If his soul power reached level 50, combined with Zhu Zhuyun, they would be a formidable force, able to face even the Golden Generation of the Spirit Hall, including Hu Liena and her group.
For the next several days, Dai Weisi immersed himself in his training, becoming a true cultivation fanatic. Aside from eating, he spent every moment meditating and cultivating, watching his soul power steadily increase.
Days passed in this fashion, and before he knew it, ten days had gone by.
On this particular day, while Dai Weisi was still meditating, he received a message from Lou Gao asking him to come to the Blacksmith Association immediately.
Excited, Dai Weisi knew that Lou Gao must have successfully crafted the hand grenade. He hurriedly stopped his meditation, called for Li Hu, and rushed to the Blacksmith Association. He was eager to see just how powerful this world's hand grenade could be.
In just over ten minutes, Dai Weisi arrived on the fifth floor of the Blacksmith Association and met Lou Gao.
At that moment, Lou Gao was covered in grime, and his face bore two large dark circles, clearly from days of non-stop work without sleep. Yet, despite the exhaustion, there was no trace of fatigue on his face. Instead, he was practically glowing with excitement. When he saw Dai Weisi, he couldn't contain his joy and began to dance around in glee.
"Hahaha, it's done! It's done!"
"I did it! I did it! Now, let's see who dares to underestimate us blacksmiths! Hahaha!"
Lou Gao was so moved that tears welled up in his eyes, as though he could already see the rise of the blacksmithing profession. After a long while, he calmed down and smiled at Dai Weisi.
"Your Highness, thank you for your guidance. After several days of hard work, I've finally completed the hand grenade. Please take a look!"
With that, Lou Gao proudly presented five hand grenades, neatly arranged in front of Dai Weisi.
(End of Chapter)