Jiang Wuyue was already twenty-eight years old, a full decade older than Gu You—so how could their strengths differ this much?
For soul masters, the years before turning thirty are the prime period for growth. After thirty, as the body stabilizes and the potential for further genetic evolution wanes, cultivation speed drops sharply.
That's why almost all powerful Title Douluo lay their foundations before thirty. The very top-tier powerhouses often reach eight rings before that age, with some even becoming Title Douluo directly.
Jiang Wuyue was confident he could reach Title Douluo status someday, but that would likely be after he turned forty. Meanwhile, with Gu You's terrifying foundation, he might break through to that level before twenty-eight.
What he didn't know was that Gu You's real age was even younger than he imagined…
This guy's future potential was truly beyond his comprehension.
"What happened?" Long Yuxue snapped as she pulled Gu You out of the combat room, her face full of anger.
"Just sparring. Friendly match. Earned some contribution points," Gu You replied casually.
Long Yuxue eyed him suspiciously. "Really?"
"Really." Gu You nodded lightly.
She huffed. "That guy always goes overboard. Don't pay him too much attention. Are you hurt?"
"Nope. I'm perfectly fine." Gu You rotated his shoulders to prove it.
Long Yuxue hadn't seen the battle. "That guy's just brute strength. But so are you. You two are from the same mold. No wonder he values you so much. But remember—you belong to our Special Operations division. Got it?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"I just found you a client, and then Qiyue dragged me away." She gestured. "Come on, let's head to the forging workshop. The client's already there."
"Okay!"
The forging workshop was also located in the living quarters, though it was farther away than the combat room—off in a more isolated area. Due to limited soundproofing, they had to avoid disturbing others.
As they walked, Long Yuxue warned, "I've invested everything I have in you. If the client asks for something you can't do, don't just agree blindly. If you mess it up and damage your reputation, there's no fixing it."
Gu You didn't say much. He knew that reality would prove everything.
When they arrived at the workshop, a woman was already waiting at the door. She looked to be in her thirties, wearing the insignia of a lieutenant colonel. She had a gentle temperament—not particularly stunning, but warm and approachable.
"Sister Luni," Long Yuxue called out affectionately, stepping up and looping her arm around the woman's.
Luni smiled faintly and looked at Gu You. "This is the forger you mentioned?"
Long Yuxue nodded. "Yes, he's new here. Just got commissioned as a lieutenant and is currently undergoing special training with me. He's a solid blacksmith."
Luni's eyes flashed with surprise. A new recruit directly given a lieutenant's rank? She'd never heard of such a thing. Though Gu You looked very young, she didn't question his forging skills and instead greeted him politely. "Then I'll be counting on you."
Gu You quickly saluted and opened the workshop door. "Please, come in, ma'ams."
At the center of the forging room was a massive forging table, with metal racks lining both sides, filled with various rare metals—most of which Long Yuxue had helped procure.
Luni glanced over the metals and smiled. "Your setup is well-stocked. But I'm curious—what's your forging level?"
Gu You smiled modestly. "I can forge according to your specifications. Whatever metal you need, or whatever object you'd like reforged—I should be able to do it."
He didn't state his forging level outright. Saying he was a sixth-rank blacksmith might scare her off or invite disbelief. Better to show results.
"Confident, are we? Well, my request isn't too difficult." As she spoke, a flash of light appeared in her hand, revealing a metallic cylinder.
The metal tube was about a meter long, ten centimeters in diameter—clearly a cannon barrel.
Luni explained, "This rapid-fire barrel has warped from prolonged use. I need it repaired. And if possible, could you add some rare metals to reinforce its durability? I fire frequently, and often for long stretches. A strong barrel is crucial."
Gu You took the barrel and examined it.
From the outside, it seemed mostly intact aside from some slight warping. But looking through the inner bore, it was clear that the inside was pitted and distorted from high-temperature wear. This cannon barrel was basically unusable.
"Ma'am, how many contribution points are you willing to spend on this repair?" Gu You asked while flexing his hands.
Luni blinked, then chuckled. "Isn't pricing your job as the blacksmith?"
Gu You nodded. "Yes, but I have multiple repair options for this cannon barrel, and the cost depends on the route. There are three options, really. First is basic repair—just one hundred contribution points. Second, I reinforce it with suitable rare metals as you asked. But I should warn you, your barrel is made of high-melting-point purple iron, and even that has warped from your firepower. That means even with reinforcements, it might still degrade over time. So, the third option is for me to forge a brand-new barrel from scratch based on this design—something that won't melt or warp even with prolonged use."
Luni grew interested. "And how much would those last two options cost? You can really make one that solves my overheating issue once and for all? That's a tall order. This is a super-powered rapid-fire cannon, you know."
Gu You scratched his head. "I don't know much about heavy weapons, but I'm confident. Option two would be 1,000 contribution points. Option three—at least 5,000."
Luni's eyes widened in shock. A thousand contribution points was already enough for a lot. Five thousand could promote Gu You from second lieutenant to first lieutenant. That was no small number.
"Don't just spout nonsense!" Long Yuxue cut in nervously. She was quite close with Luni, and Luni herself was well-liked in the Legion. Yuxue had specifically invited her to be their first customer because—
(End of Chapter)
---
This Fanfiction Has Been Completed on Patreon, There is 2 Chapters Ahead of Release for Free Memebers on my Patreon.
Support me if you like this Fanfiction.
Patreon,com/Fallen_Archangel_
(Remove comma for dot.)
Leave a 5 star Review and a Power Stone.