Wang Chen came to Jing Hongchen to borrow materials to craft a level 9 soul guidance device alchemy furnace. For a top-tier pill like the Qiankun Good Fortune Pill, the energy it contained was simply too terrifying.
An ordinary alchemy furnace simply couldn't withstand it. Thus, a level 9 soul guidance device alchemy furnace was indispensable.
As for why he didn't gather the materials himself… that would waste too much time. The core materials needed to forge a level 9 soul guidance device were all top-grade rare metals.
Top-grade rare metals generally only appeared at high-level auctions and were always priceless, with no supply. Searching for them would take a massive amount of time.
So, to save trouble, Wang Chen came straight to Jing Hongchen. Mingde Hall was the Sun Moon Empire's top soul guidance device research institution, second only to the Imperial Worship Hall led by Elder Kong.
It housed a large number of researchers, each with their own large and small projects that consumed vast quantities of rare metals every day.
Though Mingde Hall's stock of top-grade rare metals was limited, fulfilling Wang Chen's needs was child's play.
After all, Wang Chen was only forging one level 9 soul guidance device alchemy furnace; it wouldn't require much top-grade rare metal.
Top-grade rare metals were mainly used to inscribe the core arrays, and the core arrays themselves weren't large, so they didn't need much rare metal.
Soon, under Jing Hongchen's guidance, Wang Chen arrived at Mingde Hall's core materials vault. This place stored all kinds of rare metals needed for crafting high-level soul guidance devices and research.
Jing Hongchen looked at Wang Chen, coughed twice, and couldn't help but remind him, "Kid, don't take too much. Though I'm the Hall Master of Mingde Hall and have great authority,
Mingde Hall isn't run by me alone."
Wang Chen naturally understood what Jing Hongchen meant. Mingde Hall had more than one level 9 soul mentor. If he took too many top-grade rare metals, the other level 9 soul mentors would inevitably be dissatisfied when they found none left for their use.
At that point, they might run to the emperor to tattle, accusing Jing Hongchen of lining his own pockets, which would be bad.
After all, the emperor had appointed Jing Hongchen to oversee research and manage Mingde Hall, not to abuse power for personal gain.
Wang Chen smiled and said, "Don't worry, most of the materials for the level 9 soul guidance device I'm forging, I already have. I'm only missing a small portion; it won't put you in a difficult position."
Jing Hongchen replied, "That's not a big deal. As long as you don't take more than five portions of top-grade rare metals, it won't be a problem.
Any more than that and the shortfall would be too obvious; even if I reported it as a loss, it'd be hard to justify. As for ordinary auxiliary materials, take as many as you like."
Wang Chen inwardly thought as he looked at Jing Hongchen, "This old guy has surely pocketed plenty as Mingde Hall's Hall Master over the years; no wonder he's so rich. He has more level 9 soul guidance devices on him than other level 9 soul mentors."
Wang Chen looked at the dazzling array of various rare metals. He carefully selected two types of top-grade rare metals capable of withstanding high temperatures and with excellent soul power conductivity.
He also took a few tough and durable auxiliary materials. Combined with the considerable stock of rare metals he already had, it was enough to craft a high-quality alchemy furnace capable of refining the Qiankun Good Fortune Pill.
Seeing that Wang Chen wasn't taking much, Jing Hongchen smiled on his old face and said, "Wang Chen, Meng'er has been muttering about you these days, sighing all day, not thinking about tea or food. Tomorrow I'll have Meng'er take a day off from the academy.
Come to the Hongchen family and talk with Meng'er properly. Otherwise, Meng'er will get lovesickness at such a young age."
Wang Chen nodded, then said seriously, "Alright, but is one day's leave too short? Anyway, the courses at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Mentor Academy are all so simple; attending or not makes no difference.
Just let me tutor Meng'er from now on. In cultivation and soul guidance devices, I'm far stronger than the teachers at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Mentor Academy."
Jing Hongchen: (〝▼皿▼) You brat, pushing your luck. If Meng'er cultivates with you, will she be able to focus on cultivation? Don't let it end with me holding a great-grandson.
Jing Hongchen blew his beard and glared, "Stinky kid, take your things and get out, don't anger this old man!!!"
Wang Chen smiled and said, "Leaving now, leaving now. Tomorrow I'll go to the Hongchen family."
Then Wang Chen put the rare metals into his storage soul guidance device, chatted with Jing Hongchen for a bit longer, and then left Mingde Hall silently without anyone noticing.
After leaving Mingde Hall, Wang Chen headed toward the Wang family. After returning to Mingdu, Wang Chen hadn't gone back to the Wang family yet; instead, he came to Mingde Hall to gather the materials for the level 9 soul guidance device alchemy furnace.
Now that everything was settled, Wang Chen could finally relax and go home.
Thinking of the Wang family, images of Xu Tianzhen, Ye Gugui, and Ju Zi appeared in Wang Chen's mind, and a smile hooked the corners of his mouth.
This trip had not been short, nearly half a month. Xu Tianzhen, Ye Gugui, and Ju Zi were probably starving, their stomachs growling.
When he left Mingdu, Wang Chen had departed quietly without announcing it, to avoid the Holy Spirit Cult finding out.
But the women who shared his bed day and night, skin to skin, naturally couldn't be kept in the dark. So Wang Chen told Xu Tianzhen, Ye Gugui, and Ju Zi.
He had something to handle and would be back in about a week. Originally, a week was enough, but he got entangled with people from Shrek Academy.
First Yan Shaozhe and Xuan Zi, then Mu En, the Sea God Island High Priest… and finally he ran into Long Xiaoyao and Ye Xishui.
Several great battles left Wang Chen physically and mentally exhausted, his body suffering multiple severe injuries. If not for his vigorous life force, Wang Chen would probably have perished long ago.
Of course, the battles weren't without benefits. Wang Chen had absorbed quite a bit more of the Golden Vitality of Living Beings, pushing his injury recovery speed to a new peak.
The injuries from fighting Long Xiaoyao and Ye Xishui in the morning were almost healed by the afternoon. This injury recovery speed was terrifying.
Long Xiaoyao, who was injured similarly to Wang Chen, had only just stabilized his wounds under the treatment of healing soul masters; full recovery was still far off.
......
At the center of the Wang family estate, Wang Chen's home.
Xu Tianzhen lay on the bed, her delicate and cute face buried in a soft pillow, her fair little feet swaying restlessly. She held a book in her hands, reading with utmost fascination.
On the book's cover were the words "Married First, Love Later ******" — from the title alone, it was clear it was either a romance novel or erotica. Definitely not a proper book.
As Xu Tianzhen lay on the bed, she sometimes giggled, sometimes had a dazed look in her eyes, and sometimes angrily shouted, "Damn little third, seducing the male lead, die for this princess!!!"
Just as Xu Tianzhen was happily reading, Wang Chen's figure silently appeared behind her.
Seeing Xu Tianzhen engrossed in reading on the bed, Wang Chen didn't disturb her; instead, he grew curious about what the book contained.
Wang Chen read along for a while, his brows raising. The content was explosively bold, the scale jaw-dropping. All sorts of positions, and props…
At this moment, Xu Tianzhen's breathing quickened due to an exciting plot. So she held the book with one hand while the other slowly moved downward.
Just as Xu Tianzhen was about to reward herself, a familiar voice sounded in her ear.
"To have Her Highness the Princess use her hand is truly a sin. Today, let me help Her Highness fill the emptiness."
Xu Tianzhen turned her head and saw that Wang Chen had returned. Startled, she jumped, then frantically used Sun True Fire to burn the book in her hand to ashes.
Wang Chen couldn't help but laugh at Xu Tianzhen's panicked appearance. He reached out and rubbed her head, "Your Highness, why burn it? I'm not forbidding you from reading. It'd be better if we read together and learn the techniques in the book."
Xu Tianzhen's little face flushed red. Like a bristling kitten, she jumped up, "You… you came in without a sound! And this princess wasn't reading anything, hmph!"
Wang Chen pulled her into his arms, his chin resting perfectly on her soft hair, "Half a month apart, did you miss me?"
Xu Tianzhen struggled in his embrace but couldn't break free. She simply buried her face in his chest and mumbled, "You still know to come back! Gone for so many days without telling me exactly what you were doing, hmph!"
Wang Chen lowered his head, inhaling the faint gardenia scent in her hair, his voice turning gentle, "There was a little accident that took extra time. Come, see the gift I brought you."
Saying that, he took out an exquisite small jade bottle from his storage ring.
"Hmph, don't think a gift can…" Xu Tianzhen's words stopped halfway as her eyes suddenly widened.
Wang Chen opened the jade bottle, and a red gel-like substance emitted a dense ultimate fire attribute energy, making Xu Tianzhen's Sun martial soul feel infinite longing.
She wished she could immediately swallow the contents of the jade bottle in one gulp.
The substance in the jade bottle was none other than the Blazing Glue produced by the Fierce Apricot Spar from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Wang Chen naturally used the bulk of the Blazing Glue for pill refining, but he had cut off a small portion, put it in the small jade bottle, and gave it to Xu Tianzhen to help her martial soul evolve to ultimate fire.
Xu Tianzhen's Sun martial soul was a top-tier fire attribute martial soul, not far from ultimate fire. As long as she consumed the Blazing Glue, her martial soul quality would surely advance further, becoming an ultimate martial soul master.
Xu Tianzhen looked fervently at the jade bottle in Wang Chen's hand and exclaimed, "What is this? Heavens, how can there be such a high-quality fire attribute heavenly treasure in the world?"
Wang Chen smiled, pinched Xu Tianzhen's delicate and cute face, and said, "Still hmph-ing?"
Xu Tianzhen giggled, "No more hmph, no more hmph."
Wang Chen shook the small jade bottle and said, "Want it?"
Xu Tianzhen nodded like a chick pecking rice, "Husband, dear, I want it, want it, want it. Give it to me, I love you the most."
The corners of Wang Chen's mouth hooked into a wicked smile, "Want it? Depends on your performance."
With that, Wang Chen put the small jade bottle back into his storage soul guidance device, then lay on the bed, gesturing for Xu Tianzhen to perform well.
Xu Tianzhen glared at Wang Chen coyly, "Bad guy, even daring to bully a princess."
With that, Xu Tianzhen turned her back to Wang Chen, sat on his lower abdomen with a plop, and her jade hands nimbly undid Wang Chen's belt…
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