NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 112: Soul Storage Crystal
Tie Xufu's eyes gleamed as he held the ingot, now restored to its original silver-gray appearance, seemingly ordinary.
“There's more~”
The faint red soul power appeared once again, controlled precisely by Tie Xufu as he slowly infused it into the ingot bit by bit. As the soul power stimulated the ingot, it began to glow and reveal patterns.
His gaze was intense as he watched the light patterns that appeared and disappeared in just a few seconds. Only after did Tie Xufu continue: “This alloy can conduct soul power with almost no loss!”
“How is this possible—??!!”
Even though Tie Xufu was a master craftsman, in his understanding, only a martial spirit had such properties!
Perhaps some soul-guiding devices excavated from relics could achieve this, but this silver-gray ingot, Tie Xufu could guarantee with his master’s reputation, was forged recently, within the past month!
The scent of the forge still lingered on the metal, untouched by time—!
Facing Tie Xufu’s persistent questioning, Lou Gao wore a proud smile, reached into a brocade box on the metal table, and pulled out a rolled-up parchment.
Seeing this, Tie Xufu carefully cradled the ingot with his right hand and took the parchment with his left.
After just a glance, he shifted his gaze back to Lou Gao, blowing his beard and staring with a look that seemed to say, 'Are you kidding me?' as he asked, “What is this? What kind of nonsense is written here?”
Lou Gao glanced at the spread-out parchment and saw the series of numerical symbols. He slapped his forehead, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Look at me!" he exclaimed.
As he spoke, he withdrew his hand from his forehead and retrieved a book from the storage soul guide at his waist, handing it to Tie Xufu.
Tie Xufu remained unmoved by the offered book. Holding the parchment in his left hand and a metal ingot in his right, he gestured with his chin towards the metal platform.
Receiving the signal, Lou Gao nervously tucked his almost invisible neck and placed the book onto the metal platform.
At that moment, the four large characters on the book's cover caught Tie Xufu's eye.
"A Comprehensive History of the Continent," handwritten edition! Compiled by a certain elder of the Spirit Hall from over a century ago, it's now considered supplementary reading at every academy on Douluo Continent.
"But what does this have to do with anything right now?" Tie Xufu wondered.
Detecting Old Master Jin's increasingly disapproving stare, Lou Gao dared not hesitate and quickly explained, "This was something Senior Brother Ling Yi taught me earlier—"
Lou Gao pointed to the parchment roll in Tie Xufu's hand and continued, "The numerical symbols on there correspond to the pages, paragraphs, and positions in this copy of 'A Comprehensive History of the Continent.'"
He paused, giving the old man time to digest this information, then continued, "Only through this handwritten version of 'A Comprehensive History of the Continent,' transcribed personally by Junior Brother Ling Yi, can we unlock the numerical code on the parchment and understand the message Junior Brother Ling Yi is trying to convey to us."
Hearing this, Tie Xufu's expression was inscrutable. He looked somewhat strangely at the parchment, then at Lou Gao and the handwritten 'A Comprehensive History of the Continent' on the metal platform. He opened his mouth as if to speak but eventually held back.
"..."
After much internal struggle, he finally said to Lou Gao, "I wondered why, when you returned two years ago, you were always carrying and reading a book—was it this one?"
Perhaps due to some unspeakable external factor beyond this world, the people of Douluo Continent haven't experienced much of an 'espionage' baptism. Please forgive them for being awed by such a 'shallow' little trick.
However, in the end, it's just a mere trick akin to a parlor game. This world still operates on a combat power-based worldview. The two didn't dwell on this minor diversion, turning their focus back to the main topic.
Tie Xufu placed the parchment on the metal stand next to the 'A Comprehensive History of the Continent,' somewhat impatiently saying, "Enough with the hemming and hawing. Just tell me, what's inside?"
"Master, Junior Brother Ling Yi sent two gifts this time."
"One is the one in your hand, which Junior Brother named 'Heavy Mystic Steel,' a new alloy he developed."
"The other—" Lou Gao pointed at the transparent crystal in the brocade box, "—is this 'Soul-Storing Crystal.'"
"Soul Storage Crystal?" Tie Xufu followed Lou Gao's gaze to the indicated item. It was an unremarkable white transparent crystal, its clarity far from exceptional, even somewhat lacking. Tie Xufu asked curiously, "Is it a soul device like the Soul Measuring Crystal?"
Tie Xufu's question was understandable. The names of these two items definitely sounded similar.
Lou Gao nodded, then shook his head. Seeing Tie Xufu's expression turn unfriendly again, he quickly explained, "Master, according to Junior Brother Ling Yi, this Soul Storage Crystal was indeed developed based on insights he gained from studying the Soul Measuring Crystal of the Martial Soul Hall."
As he spoke, Lou Gao's face involuntarily showed a complex mixture of admiration and respect. He continued, "The Soul Storage Crystal, as its name suggests, is said to be able to receive soul power. But unlike the Soul Measuring Crystal of the Martial Soul Hall, where the soul power swiftly returns to the soul master, the Soul Storage Crystal can retain the soul power fed into it indefinitely!
"It doesn't return until the soul master decides when and where to retrieve the power back into their body..."
Hearing this, Tie Xufu's expression turned to one of shock. He looked at the plain white transparent crystal in the brocade box, his gaze now holding the same weight as when he looked at the metal bar he still hadn't put down.
If Lou Gao's translation was correct and the young disciple named Ling Yi wasn't exaggerating, then this soul device called the Soul Storage Crystal could very well be a treasure capable of changing the course of a balanced battle!
In some scenarios, it might even allow one to triumph over a stronger opponent or turn defeat into victory!
Imagine, if two soul masters exhausted their soul power in a fierce battle and one of them brought out a Soul Storage Crystal, replenishing their energy with soul power of the same origin—what a scene that would be!
The only question now was how much soul power this Soul Storage Crystal could actually store.
Tie Xufu, worthy of his reputation as a divine craftsman who emerges only once in several decades or even centuries on the Douluo Continent, quickly grasped the essential point regarding the Soul Storage Crystal and promptly asked Lou Gao about it.
Lou Gao chuckled and shrugged nonchalantly, saying, "Junior Brother Ling Yi explained that this 'Soul Storage Crystal' is something he has only recently developed. Currently, it can only store the entire soul power of a tenth-level Soul Warrior. If it exceeds that, the 'Soul Storage Crystal' will shatter—"
"If we switch to a Soul Master of higher soul power quality, it could perhaps store the soul power of a fifth-level soul. A Grand Soul Master would be about a second-level...
As for the Soul Sovereign, Junior Brother Ling Yi noted that the quality of soul power would be too high. The moment it's input, the 'Soul Storage Crystal' would break..."
"Tenth level... Soul Warrior..."
Tie Xufu furrowed his brows deeply, yet soon composed himself, casting a long gaze at the 'Soul Storage Crystal' lying quietly in the brocade box.
Although it could only store a tenth-level Soul Warrior's entire soul power, for more powerful Soul Masters, it's just a minor bonus, or could even be said a needless accessory.
However, if converted to a fifth-level soul power for a one-ring Soul Master, it's roughly enough to unleash a soul skill that has just reached a century grade.
As for the Grand Soul Master...
Tie Xufu spoke again, asking, "What about the manufacturing process and material costs of this 'Soul Storage Crystal'?"
Who says a 'Soul Storage Crystal' can only be used one at a time?
If a Grand Soul Master can only store second-level soul power with one 'Soul Storage Crystal,' then they might as well carry ten or eight 'Soul Storage Crystals.' If it truly allows you to reclaim your soul power to your body anytime and anywhere, then the scene would indeed be a beautiful sight!
“Um—”
Tie Xufu was still deep in thought when he noticed Lou Gao standing before him, looking somewhat awkward. Lou Gao opened his mouth, hesitated, and then finally said in a low voice, “Well... Junior Brother Ling Yi didn't mention this in his letter. He only said that every three months he could provide us with a batch of about a hundred 'Soul Storage Crystals', which we could exchange for soul devices of equivalent value or some rare metal materials...”
(End of Chapter)
