Chapter 294: Forming Alliances, Part 2
For third level gods, wearing their divine armor could enhance their strength to match the power of six word divine armor, with a cap at the peak of the second level. Ye Wen's new divine armor designs started at the second level, offering a 10 level boost. His ultimate aim was to establish a tiered system: first level gods would wear second level armor, second level gods would receive first level armor, and god kings would use either third level or specialized armor, depending on whether realms existed above the god king level.
The Nine Colored Goddess and the God of Food were thrilled with their new suits of first level armor and the accompanying weapons, clearly impressed by Ye Wen's craftsmanship. The Nine Colored Goddess remarked, "I never expected Lord Sea God's skill to be so refined! The Divine Realm has lacked an artisan of your caliber for ages. It wouldn't be wrong to call you the 'God of the Forge'!"
Ye Wen chuckled and replied, "You flatter me, Sister Nine Colored. Now, I hope this armor will be a fair exchange for your god positions?"
The two gods exchanged glances before nodding in agreement. The God of Food replied, "More than fair! Frankly, the value of these divine weapons far exceeds our positions. If we had anything more valuable, we'd be happy to offer it."
Ye Wen couldn't help but admire these two gods. Although eons had passed since they ascended by helping mortals, their warm and gentle spirits remained intact. "I'm glad you're pleased. Let's not mention adding more payment; we're friends, after all. This was a fair trade," he replied with humility.
After some polite conversation, Ye Wen finally received their god positions. Since these positions were meant for his allies, the two gods chose not to remain in the Divine Realm, handing over their duties to Ye Wen entirely.
However, word of Ye Wen's armor crafting skills soon leaked out, drawing considerable interest. Most gods of the Divine Realm were warriors, accustomed to wielding their own weapons. They weren't interested in new weapons, but the many second level gods were keenly interested in first level armor. As their initial god armor capped at the second level, it was only useful up to the peak of the second level, leaving these gods wanting for more power.
Demand surged quickly. These gods craved the strength of a first level god, and Ye Wen's divine armor offered the exact boost they sought. Soon enough, he found himself with a stack of new orders.
Of course, Ye Wen wasn't doing this out of charity. Crafting divine armor required divine energy, so he insisted on being paid in divine positions or divine cores a currency some gods could only dream of having. Ye Wen's workshop soon flourished, with the rare divine cores rolling in.
The significance of divine cores wasn't lost on the gods. Apart from enabling the creation of new gods, these cores could act as emergency reserves of divine energy. Although using a core in such a way would degrade it, it remained a possibility. Now equipped with these divine cores, Ye Wen's wealth soared.
His growing influence and trade deals soon drew the attention of the four god kings, who had largely been indifferent until now.
Even the usually reserved Evil God King, Ji Dong, couldn't resist commenting, "Looks like this newcomer isn't one to settle quietly. He's made quite an impact in just a year."
The God of Destruction, seated calmly on his throne, glanced around the Divine Realm. "No surprise there," he remarked. "Arriving in a place like this with no connections, he had to forge alliances. But he has real talent if he's managing to craft armor that boosts second level gods to first level strength. It's already done much to enhance the strength of our realm."
The God of Life chuckled, "A bit of excitement won't hurt us, I'd say. The realm has been stagnant for so long; no wonder some past god kings were tempted to reincarnate."
The God of Kindness, Flame, nodded, "At least he's obeying the rules. The last God of Shura was a constant annoyance with his underhanded tactics. It would have been nice to strip him of his enforcer role if not for his strength."
Their conversation turned into an open critique of the former Shura God, with each god king airing their grievances. Meanwhile, Ye Wen, engrossed in fulfilling his armor orders, paid little attention to the divine gossip.
Those gods would never know that the divine armor Ye Wen crafted cost him far less in energy and materials than the hefty price of a divine core. Technology, as they say, is the ultimate productivity tool. Years of laziness and wasteful habits left these gods easy pickings for Ye Wen's skills.
As time passed, Ye Wen's power grew alongside his profits. Progression in the Divine Realm was straightforward once one crossed the major hurdles; thus, first and second level gods often reached their peak over time.
Before he knew it, three years had passed, equivalent to a millennium in Douluo. Much had changed. The Douluo Continent had evolved into a modern society, and even its name had shifted to the "Sacred Soul Continent." Only scholars and the strongest warriors remembered the continent's former name.
Ye Wen had preserved the legacy of those he cared about. Those worthy of divine positions had received them; others he'd sealed in time, awaiting his future summons. He had also popularized the concept of the "Douluo Star," ensuring the name "Douluo" wouldn't be entirely forgotten.
With technological advancements, the Sacred Soul Continent now boasted transoceanic capabilities, uniting the entire Douluo Star into one entity.
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