It wasn't that there were no Spirit Transmission Pagoda people in the entire Blood God Legion, but rather that there were none among the powerhouses in the Blood God Camp.
This was the result of a balance of power among various factions.
There was no helping it; people from the Spirit Transmission Pagoda made up too large a proportion of the research institute personnel.
Strictly speaking, like the Tang Sect, the Spirit Transmission Pagoda was a research institution. The Pagoda's research directions were comprehensive, while the Tang Sect focused on military ordnance.
In the legion's research institute, a large number of senior researchers were from the Spirit Transmission Pagoda.
Therefore, in the Blood God Camp, the Spirit Transmission Pagoda had at most one position at its peak. More often, their powerhouses weren't stationed here but distributed across the continent, overseeing various Spirit Transmission Pagodas.
After sending Blood Nine away, Su Ming began forging.
"The concept of speed and slowness... Aside from the choice of rare metals, I'll also use River Water for quenching."
Nine-in-one Soul Refinement wasn't difficult; the challenge was controlling the intensity to prevent Heaven Refinement from succeeding.
This differed from past Divine Blacksmiths.
Normally, Divine Blacksmiths found the preceding forging process insufficiently perfect during Heaven Refinement, ultimately having to abandon Heaven Refinement to ensure nine-in-one Soul Refinement.
Su Ming was the opposite.
He rented a forging studio and spent the next few days inside. The clanging sounds from the room hardly ceased.
During this time, to prevent him from being disturbed, Blood Nine specifically helped him process other formalities, and the date of his rank conferment was also postponed.
Thus, three days later.
Su Ming brought a full set of nine-in-one Soul Refined metal required for Three-Word Battle Armor to the Blood God Camp.
"You're finished forging already?"
Blood Nine looked incredulously at the full set of nine-in-one Soul Refined metal Su Ming took out.
This wasn't just Soul Refined metal; it was also resonating with his Battle Armor, as if ready to fuse at any moment.
As long as he fused this set of metal with his existing Three-Word Battle Armor, his armor would directly upgrade successfully.
The five other Blood Gods present in the camp at that moment were also shocked by Su Ming's efficiency, each expressing their desire to upgrade their Battle Armor.
Unfortunately, Su Ming directly refused.
He only needed military merit once; he didn't need to earn it through forging now.
"Also, my rank should now directly reach Lieutenant General. I should be eligible to join the Blood God Camp and have the right to challenge a serving Blood God to officially obtain the Blood God title, correct?"
The Blood Gods were collectively taken aback.
They looked at Su Ming, unsure whether to call him presumptuous.
Among the Blood Gods present, even the weakest, Blood Nine, was a Titled Douluo plus a Three-Word Battle Armor Master—solidly Super Douluo combat strength.
Oh, wait. Blood Nine wasn't the weakest Blood God now. With his upgraded Three-Word Battle Armor set, his strength would see a leap. The weakest became Blood Eight.
Even so, Blood Eight was also Super Douluo combat strength.
Su Ming wasn't even a Spirit Sage, lacking a Martial Soul True Body. How could he possibly defeat a serving Blood God?
Seeing this, Blood Two asked Su Ming seriously, "Challenging a Blood God requires a direct confrontation and defeating them. Are you sure?"
"I have that confidence. Also, Senior Blood Two, the one I want to challenge is you."
Blood Two: ???
What do you mean?
Do you know I want to befriend you and are taking this chance to make me go easy on you during the Blood God duel?
Impossible.
Something like that, Blood Two couldn't do!
"Senior, I do have a little confidence in my own strength," Su Ming said.
Blood Two carefully observed Su Ming's expression, confirmed he wasn't joking, and became even more perplexed.
Could it be that at the Spirit Emperor level, he truly possessed the strength to defeat him?
"Then let's begin."
Blood Two still accepted Su Ming's challenge.
He also wanted to see exactly how strong Su Ming was.
He led Su Ming to a simulation pod.
"This is a device similar to the one used during assessments. Our strength is too great; fighting within the legion would cause too much commotion. How about we do it in the virtual world here?"
"Agreed."
Blood Two and Su Ming entered their respective simulation pods.
Outside, the other four Blood Gods followed.
"Blood Nine, who do you think will win this fight?"
"What's there to say? Definitely Blood Two. Su Ming is young and overconfident."
"Although his performance during the newcomer assessment was exaggerated, and he has Spirit Domain Realm spiritual power, he's still only level 69. Against Blood Two—"
Before their casual chatter could finish, Su Ming and Blood Two's simulation pods opened.
The four Blood Gods were stunned.
They looked up at the screen above and saw everything was already over, only a massive crater remaining.
What happened?
Yeah.
What happened.
That's what Blood Two wanted to know too.
He only remembered respecting Su Ming greatly, going all out, elevating his state to its peak, and unleashing his Three-Word Battle Armor at full power.
However, Su Ming simply manipulated elements, created an Elemental Storm, the storm exploded, and the fight ended.
"Senior, I accept your concession."
Su Ming stepped out of the simulation pod and pulled Blood Two out of the other one.
Blood Two still seemed somewhat dazed.
After a long while, he barely accepted this reality.
Su Ming possessed Limit-level combat strength!
Spirit Domain Realm spiritual power, combined with a Martial Soul rooted in spiritual power.
This was Blood Two's summary of Su Ming's strength.
It was also the most reasonable explanation he could accept for Su Ming having the ability to instantly defeat him.
"From now on, Su Ming is Blood Two."
Blood Two sighed, adjusting his position to Blood Three.
The remaining Blood Gods each shifted down in sequence.
The Blood Gods still watching the spectacle were bewildered.
"Wait, did I just drop a rank for no reason?"
"Wait, Dad, if you lost, does that mean I'm not even Blood Nine anymore?"
Blood Nine was the most confused, as he was directly moved out of the Blood God lineup, returning to the Blood God reserve team.
"Hurry up and fuse your new Battle Armor; you might still reclaim a position."
Su Ming reminded him.
Blood Nine glanced at the former Blood Eight, now Blood Nine.
"Alright."
Due to Su Ming's forging, even Cao Dezhi couldn't suppress his restlessness and went to investigate around the Abyssal entrance.
But only three days later.
He left the Abyss.
The Quasi-Gods of this era were each seeking their own path to breakthrough. Cao Dezhi's path was transforming Spirit Power into Divine Power—the most orthodox breakthrough route. And the Abyss undoubtedly provided him with a research template.
Unfortunately, he hadn't encountered the Flame Emperor, the Sage King of the Abyss's third layer, who possessed Divine Power.
Returning to the legion, Cao Dezhi contacted Blood Two.
"Blood Two, how much longer will Su Ming's forging take?"
"Blood One, Su Ming is already finished forging. Also, Blood One, don't call me Blood Two anymore."
The words from the former Blood Two left Cao Dezhi bewildered.
What do you mean?
"Blood Two is now someone else." The former Blood Two's voice held a trace of bitterness. "Su Ming forged a full set of nine-in-one Soul Refined metal in just three days, a perfect match for Little Nine."
"What does that have to do with you not being Blood Two?"
"Because Su Ming joined the Blood God Camp. He directly issued a challenge. I was instantly defeated by him."
Cao Dezhi's heart jolted.
I'm here, I'm here!
***
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(End of Chapter)