"That's right. As things stand, making the battle armor I envisioned is likely impossible…"
Su Wen's figure slowly appeared in the forging room.
He smiled at Elder Du.
"You… you've grown taller, stronger. Did your forging skills decline in your half year at the Sun-Moon Empire?" Elder Du eyed Su Wen, snorted, and patted his shoulder, his eyes flashing with pride.
"Your physique is even stronger than before?!"
"You little monster," he muttered, shaking his head. As long as Su Wen's body kept up, with his comprehension, reaching divine craftsman level wasn't far off.
After a moment's thought, he refocused. "You said battle armor is hopeless? Were you just making empty promises earlier?!"
Seeing Elder Du frown, Xuan Ziwen grew anxious, fearing the master would leave in anger.
"Heh, don't worry, Elder Du. With the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's backing, my contacts in the Extreme North and Evil Forest can get us tons of forging metals. The data Teacher Xuan has points to the forging department's imminent rise. We have the right time, place, and people. I said battle armor can't be made now—but in the future, for thousands of years, it'll be countless people's ultimate goal. We're just filling in the missing pieces…" Su Wen said leisurely.
"Heheh, that's more like it." Elder Du smiled again.
"By the way, about that… sniper. Wait until I reforged it for you—no, I'll upgrade it with heavenly forging. Eighth-level soul tools are nothing. I'll make you a tenth-level one."
"Oh?" Su Wen raised an eyebrow.
Even he was moved.
With his strength skyrocketing, even the recently optimized Frostwind Enchanted Sniper was becoming obsolete. Long-range kills are for taking out enemies from afar and escaping encirclement, but now, killing a Titled Douluo is no big deal. His real targets were top-tier experts like Ye Xishui and Kong Deming.
So, the sniper was becoming useless.
But Elder Du's words tempted him. After all, a ninth-level soul tool plus heavenly forging could rival a tenth-level one. Even Ye Xishui's Death God Tower might not compare.
"What's your condition, Elder Du?" Su Wen asked.
"Heh, we're all in the forging department. You're the vice dean, I'm the dean. What conditions could there be?" Elder Du snorted, feigning anger. "You think too poorly of me!"
"Really?" Su Wen stroked his chin, skeptical.
"But there is one thing. I have some junior brothers and nephews—same lineage as me, but weaker. They're just craftsmen, not true masters. They're scattered across Douluo. I want them to come here as instructors, you see… cough, cough…" Elder Du's face reddened.
"Craftsmen aren't unimportant." Su Wen smiled.
He understood Elder Du's intentions. They'd already divided responsibilities; all personnel and resources were coordinated by Su Wen, who brought most of them in. So, his authority was absolute.
Although the blacksmiths had declined, there were still several major factions. Elder Du's group survived only due to his divine craftsman status, while the Lou and Song families had deep foundations.
Shrek's forging department was a big cake, but it was still finite. Elder Du's group was a thin camel, but still struggled against the others.
"I care more about character. Bring them here when you can. And instead of 'instructor'… call them 'director'." Su Wen raised his hand with a smile.
"Huh?!" Elder Du was speechless.
"That's not proper. Only a couple of them have just become true craftsmen."
"It's fine. The forging department is propped up by your name, not mine…"
…
Su Wen watched Elder Du's departing figure and shook his head. It seemed Elder Du had not yet realized his status as a divine craftsman after years of decline. Once the forging and soul tool departments truly merged, they'd soar to new heights.
By then, the status of a divine craftsman in Shrek would be second only to the Pavilion Master.
"Of course, only with a more loosely bound faction will members feel a sense of belonging to Shrek," Su Wen mused.
If it were the Lou family, with their ten-thousand-year heritage, it'd be hard to form deep bonds with Shrek.
…
Sea God Island.
Shrouded in mist, Su Wen's door was violently kicked open. Before he could react, a fiery figure burst in.
Ma Xiaotao instantly spotted Su Wen meditating on the bed. Ignoring his confusion, she unleashed Phoenix Flames, her eyes blazing as if she'd walked out of hell, heading straight for his bed.
At the same time, her inner court uniform turned to ash under the flames.
"Boom!!!"
"Ssshhh—"
Flames roared, then clashed with an opposing force, creating scalding white mist. The entire golden wood cabin seemed on fire, white fog pouring from the window.
"Hummm…"
The ancient golden wood let out a low moan, but had no choice as its vines wrapped the two in a cocoon.
Ice and fire were natural opposites, but for a couple seeking excitement, it was just a way to reach new heights.
"Half a year! Do you know what I've been through these six months?!"
"Didn't Sister Luochen look after you—"
"I have a dragon pill!" Ma Xiaotao's movements grew wilder, her voice breaking. "She can't suppress my Phoenix Flames!"
"…That's my fault," Su Wen apologized. He'd nearly driven Xiaotao crazy.
"Don't just say it—show me with actions!"
"Alright…"
The cocoon of vines pulsed with the rhythm of their reunion, sealing in the heat and steam as Ma Xiaotao's fiery essence collided with Su Wen's icy calm.
She pinned him beneath her, her naked form radiating waves of phoenix fire that licked at his skin without burning, igniting instead a deeper hunger.
Her hands tore away his robes, exposing his toned body, marked by the scars of battles past, and she claimed him with the ferocity of a dragon in heat.
Straddling him, she guided his rigid length into her molten core, her intimate depths enveloping him in a scorching embrace that made him gasp, the contrast of her flames against his cool soul power sending sparks of ecstasy through them both.
Ma Xiaotao rode him with unbridled intensity, her hips grinding in a primal dance, each thrust drawing out moans that echoed like phoenix cries.
Su Wen's hands roamed her curves, cupping her full breasts and teasing the hardened peaks, while his icy aura tempered her flames, creating bursts of steam that heightened their pleasure.
She leaned down, capturing his lips in a searing kiss, her inner walls clenching around him rhythmically, milking him as waves of bliss built within her.
The dragon pill's energy surged, amplifying her sensations, until she shattered in a climax that flooded them both with liquid fire, her essence mingling with his as he released deep inside her, their soul powers fusing in a harmonious explosion of ice and flame.
…
"Young people sure know how to have fun." Mu En shook his head. "I really am getting old…"
"You're not old at all," Xuan Zi grinned, biting into a chicken leg. "You keep telling me to leave descendants, but as Pavilion Master, shouldn't you set an example? In the Bei Family, only one has the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. There's not a trace of your Light attribute."
"Go!" Mu En raised an eyebrow.
"Now you're poking fun at me."
"I'm just speaking the truth." Xuan Zi grinned, unable to hide his laughter.
He both revered and loved this uncle.
And now, with Mu En overseeing Shrek and Su Wen's meteoric rise, he could finally set down his burdens…
"My heart belongs to only one person," Mu En said calmly.
"But, alas… she's already gone."