To say that Douluo's material science is black technology is no exaggeration at all. The way soul power affects physical matter utterly shattered Cheng Ying's understanding of the world. While this isn't as obvious when it comes to man-made objects only a few top-tier blacksmiths can forge weapons stronger than alloyed steel when applied to soul beasts, it becomes downright ridiculous.
Cheng Ying had once auctioned off some hairs from hundred-thousand-year soul beasts. Each strand was only as thick as a human hair, yet it could easily bear a weight of 4,666 jin—that's 2,333 kilograms!
He couldn't even cut it with ordinary scissors—instead, the scissors ended up nicked. That alone was enough to show just how absurdly tough it was.
After realizing this, Cheng Ying's first thought was the Ice Empress... only to remember that she was hairless. Then he looked at himself—also hairless. In theory, he should've been able to spin silk, but even after reverting to his insect form, he still hadn't mastered that ability...
This discovery gave Cheng Ying a wild but promising idea: to round up every hairy hundred-thousand-year soul beast and shear them. Just keep shaving them as their hair grows back. If he could stockpile the material for a few centuries, he might be able to weave a 36,000-kilometer-long ultra-durable rope.
Then he could launch a geostationary satellite and use this absurdly strong rope to build a space elevator along the equator! Once the cost of reaching orbit dropped, he'd build an interstellar fleet base in the sky above Douluo!
The mere thought of it made him giddy. A space elevator! Not even his previous life had pulled that off it was pure sci-fi-tier black technology. Maybe he would be the one to actually make it happen!
Sadly, it was just a fantasy. Capturing and imprisoning a group of hundred-thousand-year soul beasts for a hundred years? Cheng Ying figured it'd be better to wait until Tang Chen reached Rank 99. Maybe then, with his chaotic hammering technique, he could intimidate the Star Dou Forest into offering up an annual hair tribute...
Honestly, Cheng Ying didn't think his request was unreasonable. Hundred-thousand-year soul beasts don't even get cold—they'd be fine getting shaved!
For now, he set that bunch of architectural lunatics aside and decided to use the time while his house was still wrecked to get Dugu Bo a soul ring. Being stuck at level forty for so long wasn't a good look.
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"Hunt soul beasts? No way!" Dugu Bo took off his goggles and pushed them up onto his forehead. "I just discovered that soul power can act as a catalyst during explosive reactions. If I can finish this experiment, I could drastically boost explosive power."
"That's your seventh excuse. Every time I ask you to get a soul ring, you say you're working on a project. Let me tell you, research is never-ending. At this rate, you're going to be stuck at level forty forever. Don't tell me you're waiting for your master to go catch a soul beast for you?" Cheng Ying rubbed his forehead.
"Tomorrow! I'll definitely finish the experiment tomorrow," Dugu Bo pointed to the table full of explosives.
"Tomorrow and tomorrow again... I know procrastination better than you do. We're going today. Icey, come help me drag Little Bo to the Star Dou Forest. And don't forget to grab Xiao Chen!"
Without giving Dugu Bo a choice, Cheng Ying grabbed him by the scruff and started hauling him out. He was sure Dugu Bo would come up with another experiment tomorrow if given the chance.
"Ah! Finally, I can leave the house!" Ice Empress perked up at Cheng Ying's call. "Come on! Tang Chen, pack up your hammer—we're going to the Star Dou Forest!" Despite living among humans, she was still a soul beast at heart. Being able to return to the forest thrilled her.
"Got it!" Tang Chen put his hammer away and picked up a freshly forged iron rod from his workstation. Once he drilled a hole into it using the hydro-powered drill press, it would become a proper iron pipe.
Forging had become Tang Chen's side profession, and with the chaotic wind hammer technique he'd mastered, his talent was off the charts—many master blacksmiths already admitted he'd surpassed them. The Clear Sky Hammer was the finest forging hammer in the world, bar none.
It worked almost like carburization, embedding soul power into iron through repeated strikes, making the resulting material as tough as those from soul beasts. This kind of iron actually outperformed conventional steel.
The custom handguns Cheng Ying used were all made with parts forged by Tang Chen. Otherwise, the barrels wouldn't have withstood the force of high explosives.
Meanwhile, Ice Empress and Cheng Ying easily hauled the unenthusiastic Dugu Bo out of the manor. A vehicle resembling an SUV was parked at the gate. They tossed Dugu Bo into the back seat and took the driver and passenger seats themselves.
Tang Chen sat beside a visibly unamused Dugu Bo, nudged him, and whispered, "Come on, cheer up. It's just a soul ring. Between you and me—I hit level 43 yesterday! But teacher told me not to mention it."
Dugu Bo's expression changed, and then he sat up straight and said, "Teacher, let's depart immediately!"
Of course, Cheng Ying heard their little exchange. He shot Tang Chen a wink in the rearview mirror nice job. He had to admit, Tang Chen had serious charisma. A few words from him could lift the entire team's spirits.
With top-tier talent, a carefree personality, insanely accurate instincts, and a natural ability to rally his comrades, Tang Chen only lacked a transmigration to be the perfect protagonist.
Cheng Ying floored the gas pedal, and the SUV sped off. What powered the vehicle? In a world where they couldn't even figure out a steam engine, how could they have an internal combustion engine?
To that, Cheng Ying could only chuckle. Internal combustion? How primitive. A real man builds a spring-powered car!
That's right—this ride was purely mechanical. Its power came entirely from wound-up springs, made from hundred-thousand-year soul beast hair and ten-thousand-year soul beast tendons. The gears and chassis frame were made from ten-thousand-year soul beast bones.
Using leverage and water-driven winding, one full charge could cover over 500 kilometers. Though obscenely expensive, its performance rivaled modern cars.
Departing from Heaven Dou City, the group headed south toward the Star Dou Great Forest. Their flashy ride caught everyone's eye. A self-propelled vehicle not pulled by beasts? This was a first for the people of Douluo. The concept wasn't even that complicated—no one had just ever thought of it.
"Speeding at seventy miles, heart free and wild~" Cheng Ying sang off-key as he drove. The car was great, but he'd never figured out how to make a stereo system.
In the back, Dugu Bo and Tang Chen both clutched their ears. We're still just kids, they thought. Only the Ice Empress listened quietly.
After living in the silent snowfields for hundreds of thousands of years, her hearing was incredibly sensitive. Though Cheng Ying was off-key, she could faintly sense the melody behind the noise. She said nothing, only quietly memorized every song he sang...