As soon as Gu La's fingers touched the chip, he handed over the reader, and a miniature mecha model appeared on the screen.
This was an eight-meter-tall humanoid mech, entirely silver and blue. Gu La needed to improve the design of its shoulder armor component.
"The chip also contains relevant information about secondary professions. You can take it home to study and try it out later…"
Leng Yaozhu's smile froze on her face as Gu La, following his intuition, skimmed through the foundational knowledge before diving straight into the task.
"What an interesting energy transmission structure."
It looked much cleaner than the structures researched by the Spirit Hall.
A stream of data-like blue light flickered in Gu La's eyes. "However, there's a 0.3-microsecond delay in the soul-guided matrix of the seventh drive shaft. If we switch to a double-helix soul power circuit…"
In truth, for someone like Gu La who could even traverse time and space, these standard-answer secondary professions were trivial. He could skip the thought process entirely and simply review his future achievements.
But cheating wouldn't last forever. Just like soul masters, secondary professions required a solid foundation.
Thus, under the astonished gazes of Leng Yaozhu and Gu Yue, Gu La spent fifteen minutes swiftly perfecting the design of the shoulder armor, even ingeniously improving a section of the energy circuit structure.
Gu La clapped his hands. "Let's run a test, and that'll be it."
Leng Yaozhu's beautiful eyes fixed steadily on Gu La. "No need. Your design is flawless. In fact, it has a retro vibe yet feels harmonious."
"You have remarkable talent in mecha design. It's clear you referenced finished soul-guided devices to complete the mecha design. While your overall consideration is lacking, this is your first attempt—these shortcomings can be gradually addressed later."
"It seems I'll need to rethink how to guide your development. Here's some theoretical knowledge up to level five mecha design. Even if you don't pursue mecha design, it's worth studying."
"Before level five, secondary professions aren't too difficult and can be pursued alongside others. However, once inspiration becomes involved, juggling multiple professions becomes nearly impossible."
Leng Yaozhu provided a detailed explanation of the differences between secondary professions. Afterward, Gu La tried his hand at mecha manufacturing and mecha mechanics.
As expected, under the influence of his Spirit Abyss-level mental strength, Gu La effortlessly passed the level one tests. With his powerful mental scanning ability, ordinary mecha components held no secrets from him.
Psychic gave Gu La the equivalent of numerous auxiliary hands, allowing him to manufacture and repair mechas at incredible speeds—far faster than manual operation.
Leng Yaozhu couldn't help but exclaim, "Indeed, the level one test posed no challenge for you. However, forging is different—it's the most difficult secondary profession. There's only one Divine Craftsman on the entire continent."
"For forging, affinity with metals and natural elements matters more. Come, I'll take you to the Spirit Pagoda's forging room."
Gu La thought inwardly, 'Isn't this convenient? When it comes to metal affinity, I'm the God of the Earth—my affinity with metals isn't lacking. And as the Child of Nature, my elemental affinity is unmatched. Who could surpass me in talent?'
Upon arriving at the forging room, Leng Yaozhu pushed open the heavy metal doors, and a wave of heat accompanied by sparks of molten silver rushed toward them.
On the dark red forging table, an unfinished greatsword floated amidst liquid starlight.
The sword was clearly unsuitable for soul masters, meaning it was intended as a weapon for a mech. The three stood aside waiting as Leng Yaozhu introduced, "This is Saint Craftsman Lou Tai of the Spirit Pagoda, Gu La. How far you can go depends on your own abilities."
Gu La nodded with a faint smile.
After Lou Tai finished forging, Leng Yaozhu led the two forward and said respectfully, "Master Lou Tai, I leave this to you."
This alone highlighted the esteemed status of blacksmiths. As an eighth-ranked blacksmith, even Leng Yaozhu had to show proper respect to Lou Tai.
Saint Craftsman Lou Tai hurriedly waved his hands. "Assisting Lady Phoenix is my honor."
He seemed somewhat nervous but calmed down slightly after glancing at Gu La. "Have you ever studied forging? This is metal I've hammered once. Go ahead and strike it with all your strength a few times."
He stepped aside and casually tossed over a forging hammer.
Gu La gazed at the floating Star Silver embryo on the forging table. His dominion over the earth allowed him to sense raw metals strongly. The forged metal before him carried the intense personal will of the blacksmith—it was no longer just simple metal.
At this moment, Gu La's rarely used third soul skill of Groudon offered him a different perspective.
The earth power soul skill allowed Gu La to create various types of rocks, including some mineral veins. Combined with his dominion over the earth, his perception of metals became exceptionally clear, almost as if he could hear the metal's voice.
Gu La closed his eyes and placed his palm on the glowing-hot anvil.
Lou Tai was about to stop him when he noticed Gu La's hand remained unscathed. A mere thousand-degree heat didn't even qualify to make him feel warm.
The dragon-patterned forging hammer, weighing four hundred kilograms, suddenly emitted a metallic glow. Gu La's eyes snapped open as he gripped the handle and swung the hammer in a smooth arc.
When the first strike landed, the physical impact of over ten tons flattened the Star Silver embryo. Gu La could hear the metal's wailing, as if complaining about his brutality.
Gu La inwardly sighed but still eased his force. Each strike unleashed bursts of blue sparks.
Saint Craftsman Lou Tai's breathing caught in his throat.
The molten metal seemed to dance on the forging table, its silvery brilliance resembling a phoenix spreading its wings, ready to take flight.
Gu La was attempting to forge the metal into shape in one go!
Lou Tai should have scolded him for being reckless, but watching Gu La's fluid hammering movements, he couldn't bring himself to reprimand such a promising forging prodigy.
Moreover, aside from being overly forceful and wasting some effort, Gu La hadn't made any other mistakes so far.
"Hundred Refinement!"
Leng Yaozhu's fingertips dug deeply into her palm. "To achieve Hundred Refinement on his first attempt—and he hasn't even finished yet…"
She suddenly realized that Gu La was even more mysterious than she had imagined. His enigmatic twin martial souls and astonishing talent in secondary professions weren't traits one would expect from a native of a backward continent.
Gu La suddenly furrowed his brow. Without studying the basics, jumping straight into forging was indeed too challenging. Hundred Refinement was already his limit—he owed it to Saint Craftsman Lou Tai's prior treatment of the metal. Otherwise, impure metal wouldn't have withstood his forging.
But this level of achievement wasn't enough to satisfy Gu La.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted two other forging hammers on the table. Using Psychic, he grasped them both. To the shock and confusion of Saint Craftsman Lou Tai, the hammers struck down forcefully without anyone holding them.
Half an hour later, the Star Silver erupted in dazzling brilliance.
Thousand Refinement.
The forging hammer groaned before finally succumbing to Gu La's violent force, its handle snapping apart.
"Sorry, I might have gone a bit overboard."
Gu La scratched his cheek. Toward the end of the forging process, he had become so immersed that he seemed to breathe in sync with the metal, losing himself in the moment.
"No… no fault of yours, child. May I see the metal you forged?"
Lou Tai approached cautiously, his eyes burning with fervor.
Gu La had no objections and stepped aside.
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