Welcome, everyone! I appreciate your interest in my translated novels. I hope my translations enable you to fully enjoy these stories.
I want to clarify that I will not be posting this novel on Patreon or asking you to visit there for access to advanced chapters, as many other translators do. However, I am human, and like everyone else, I need motivation to continue my translation work.
What motivates me the most? Financial support. I would appreciate any help you can offer to support my translations. If you can spare some funds, it would go a long way in providing me with a bit of pocket money for my efforts.
Thank you for your support, and I sincerely hope you enjoy my translations! Please note that in my country, PayPal is not supported.
Here are some methods to support me:
PAYEER: P1134728698
Skrill : [email protected]
Webmoney (WMZ Purse): Z820148229030
-----------------------------------------------------
Chapter 16: A Broken Promise
In preparation for making a few soul tools after returning home, Huo Yuhao purchased ten pounds of refined iron from the shop. This time, he didn't bother bargaining. Instead, he asked the store attendant to include an iron-essence carving knife as part of the deal.
Most of the customers here were Soul Engineers, so selling such items wasn't unusual. But when Huo Yuhao glanced at the storage pouch and saw that half of his gold soul coins were gone, he couldn't help sighing inwardly—money truly vanishes faster than soul power.
"See you tomorrow then, Little Yuhao. I'll bring you the information about the rare metals," Tang Ya said, waving goodbye as they parted ways at a crossroads. She had promised to meet him again at the stall the next day, before leaving briskly down the busy street.
Watching her figure fade into the crowd, Huo Yuhao finally turned and headed toward the small flower shop near his home.
Three hours later.
At a wooden table, Huo Yuhao sat bathed in a deep, dark-blue glow. Holding the carving knife in one hand and a thumb-sized gray-black sphere in the other, he meticulously engraved intricate runes upon its surface.
Despite its tiny size, his movements were unwavering. Every stroke of the blade was precise to the point of perfection.
On the table before him lay several oddly shaped metal casings, each covered in fine, interwoven lines—like mysterious, ancient runic inscriptions.
As fine metal dust drifted through the air, the crafting process neared its completion.
"Phew…"
He gently blew away the lingering iron filings and set down the knife. His hands began to move swiftly—picking up each metal piece and assembling them together with practiced ease. He didn't even need to look; every piece fit perfectly, as though guided by instinct.
Soon, a metallic glove forged entirely from refined iron took shape on the table. Despite its solid material, it possessed impressive flexibility, every joint crafted with the precision only someone with extensive experience in humanoid-type soul tools could achieve.
The only limitation lay in the material itself. If he'd had access to special alloys or adaptive metals, the result would've been far more advanced.
In his ideal vision, Huo Yuhao intended to turn the glove into a ring or bracelet—an accessory that, when infused with soul power, could instantly unfold into a full glove, wrapping around the hand seamlessly. That way, it wouldn't even feel like metal.
He took out the White Tiger Dagger and a strip of leather. Wrapping the leather around his hand as insulation, he grabbed the glove and slowly infused soul power into it. A faint web of blue lightning began to pulse from the center of the glove's palm.
When his hand brushed the dagger's blade, that lightning current transferred smoothly onto it. Huo Yuhao swung the dagger lightly, and the crisp crackle of electricity echoed through the room.
"Not bad."
He nodded with satisfaction. The prototype matched his expectations. Once infused with soul power, it generated a lightning-type attribute that could be used for direct attacks or imbue weapons with elemental enhancement.
Of course, the leather insulation was necessary—after all, the glove was entirely made of conductive refined iron.
That flaw could be solved later, once he had access to more advanced materials.
His true goal wasn't merely to create a tool that converted soul power into lightning. He envisioned something greater—a device capable of transforming soul power into any elemental attribute, even amplifying it. If he could truly achieve that, such a soul tool would be worthy of being called a divine artifact.
But for now, it was only a dream.
To amplify the elemental power required a suitable catalyst was required. Back in his previous life, the Extreme Ice God Crystal had provided amplification, though only for the ice attribute—and it suppressed fire instead.
So far, he had yet to find any material capable of harmonizing with all elemental attributes. Even his former teacher, Rong Nianbing—the master of seven divine blades—had wielded artifacts that each resonated with only a single element.
A minute later, the lightning around the dagger slowly faded. Huo Yuhao put both the White Tiger Dagger and the glove away, and as the dark-blue light surrounding him receded, the familiar wave of weakness washed over his body.
"Against a three-ring Soul Elder, its power would still be considerable. It should qualify as a Grade-3 soul tool—and one that can be driven even by a single ring."
He thought back to the auction in his previous life, where a Grade-3 paralyzing soul ray had sold for over a thousand gold soul coins. His creation was no less valuable, even if it was made purely of refined iron. With better materials, its price could skyrocket.
That was the true allure of soul tools—the profit didn't lie in the materials, but in the technique. A well-crafted soul tool could elevate one's strength as much as gaining an entire new spirit ring.
Rubbing his temples, Huo Yuhao stood up and stepped out of the room.
He had converted a small empty space on the first floor into a makeshift workshop earlier that afternoon, and after losing himself in crafting for hours, night had already fallen.
In the living room, Huo Yun'er was tending happily to the potted plants he'd brought home earlier. Hearing his footsteps, she turned with a gentle smile.
"Hungry, aren't you? I'll make dinner."
Huo Yuhao nodded, a faint chuckle rising in his heart. Earlier that day, when he'd carried the flowers home with the shop clerk, his mother had scolded him for wasting money. Yet now, she was lovingly caring for them, even moving two pots to decorate the windowsill of his room.
Besides buying flowers, Huo Yuhao had also purchased several books for her to keep her occupied during the day. While browsing the shelves, he himself had stumbled upon a particularly bizarre title—The Eternal God Reborn: I'm Really Not a Succubus!
Against his better judgment, he flipped it open. It told the tale of a god reborn ten thousand years before his own birth, entangling himself with his former mother-in-law, ancestors, and countless beauties across the continent—eventually ascending to supreme power in the universe.
The story even featured absurd figures like the Pope of the Spirit Hall, the Silver Dragon King, and the Sea Priestess, not to mention the protagonist's enemies' mothers and aunts. The plot twisted and turned endlessly—utterly outrageous.
Huo Yuhao closed the book, frowning deeply. To think someone would write something like this… The author clearly has no shame. The moral decay of the world is truly reaching new heights.
After dinner, Huo Yuhao brewed the medicinal decoction for both himself and his mother, ensuring she finished hers before returning to his room for nightly meditation.
By noon the next day, the aroma of grilled fish once again spread through the street.
A man approached the stall, throat bobbing as he swallowed hard. "Little brother, how much for a grilled fish?"
"I'm afraid today's batch is already sold out," Huo Yuhao replied calmly. "Please come again tomorrow."
The man blinked, confused, then noticed two grilled fish still cooking on the rack. "You still have two right there, don't you?"
Huo Yuhao's voice remained even. "Those are reserved for a friend."
"She hasn't shown up yet. Why not sell them to me? I'll pay double!"
"It's not about money," Huo Yuhao said firmly. "These two can't be sold. You're welcome to come back tomorrow."
The man opened his mouth to argue further, but when he saw the unwavering look in Huo Yuhao's eyes, he could only leave reluctantly.
Once he was gone, Huo Yuhao quietly finished grilling the last two fish, packed them along with the stall's utensils into his storage device, and walked toward the edge of the street market—his expression dark and silent.
(End of Chapter)