"No wonder, after wandering Mingdu for several days, apart from picking up some scattered precious rare metals, I couldn't get a large batch of rare metals."
In the days leading up to the competition, Su Yu was strolling around Mingdu. Despite the high heat in Mingdu, he didn't manage to acquire a large amount of rare metals, only some scattered high-level rare metals.
He has some memory of the original novel, but that doesn't mean he knows every detail.
For example, this Soul Guide Tournament. He only knew such a thing existed, but what it's specifically for and the impact it has on various industries, Su Yu truly didn't know clearly.
And naturally, he didn't know that the tournament itself was for rare metals.
These more specific pieces of information were still seen by Su Yu from Mingde Hall's investigation.
"The reward for this tournament is a Ninth-level Soul-guiding Device, and there's only one item. So should we participate together, or each on our own?" Su Yu said.
Huo Yuhao pondered for a moment and said, "Brother Yu, let's each choose a side to compete."
"That's fine; during the finals, I can also see your Soul Guiding Device strength."
Su Yu nodded, appreciating Huo Yuhao's suggestion.
For the three major arenas, Huo Yuhao chose the Ordinary Alliance, and Su Yu chose Aodou Commerce Association.
"Brother Yu, why didn't you choose Xishui Alliance?"
Of the three major black markets, Xishui Alliance is the largest.
The three major powers are Xishui Alliance, Ordinary Alliance, and Aodou Commerce Association.
Among them, the name of the Ordinary Alliance is the most mundane, and its business is the most vulgar, controlling the entire Mingdu's prostitution industry. Aodou Commerce Association, on the other hand, controls organizations like assassin guilds, thief guilds, and some dark forces, specializing in various illicit activities for a living.
Although the Ordinary Alliance and Aodou Commerce Association are among the three major black markets with Xishui Alliance, there is a noticeable power gap, with both forming an alliance to counter Xishui Alliance.
Because Xishui Alliance operates a higher-end business, in addition to trafficking human beings, its main focus is on controlling the trade of pharmaceuticals and firearms.
The very business they operate clearly shows the background of the three major forces.
The people behind Xishui Alliance are absolutely top-notch in terms of power.
Their own power is also the most immense.
Huo Yuhao thought Su Yu would choose to compete at the Xishui Alliance's arena.
After all, Su Yu's strength is greater than his, and he consciously chose the weaker Ordinary Alliance, only to find out Su Yu didn't choose Xishui Alliance, but rather opted for Aodou Commerce Association.
"Haha, I have my reasons for choosing this, you'll find out by then." Su Yu didn't explain too clearly.
The three major black markets, in the end, aren't very official; they're all dark industries.
Xishui Alliance has the background of Evil Soul Masters, while the remaining two black markets aren't clean either. Taking advantage of the competition period to clean up the two black markets is considered paving the way for the future.
As for Xishui Alliance, Su Yu will definitely take action after the tournament finals.
It's just that, none of the three major black markets will escape.
Su Yu will also inform Mirror Hongchen and Kong Deming afterward, and with the support of the two, Su Yu need only worry about dealing with the three black markets.
Moreover, Su Yu's own strength is enough to handle all these.
It's just that he doesn't like the underhanded machinations and doesn't want to waste energy dealing with aftermath, so he wants Mirror Hongchen and Kong Deming to handle it.
If the two are also deeply resentful of these roots, and go along with Su Yu's actions to eradicate them, Su Yu will have no objections.
Reform, isn't a prelude very normal?
...
On the other side, the Shrek group also appeared here.
"Caitou, with your level, passing the earlier rounds of elimination would be effortless, and you even have the chance to enter the semifinals, which is the final at the subdivisional arena. This is already enough for us to perform some maneuvers." Qian Duoduo arrived on-site, further understood the rules here, and advised He Caitou, who came along, "Also, Tang Town, I know this exceeds your mission scope, but I'll still request you to team up with Caitou this time."
The competition can be completed as a team.
One truly responsible for making Soul-guiding Devices, the other providing support, maximizing the Soul Guide's potential.
The Haotian Sect remains hidden from the world, but their Martial Soul and inherited Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique, as well as their craftsmanship, haven't been lost.
Even top geniuses still master their family's old craft.
In the era of Soul-guiding Devices, Haotian Sect isn't keen on Soul-guiding Devices, but they are exploring in this aspect.
Wang Dong's strange illness couldn't be blamed on Haotian Sect, hence it's called a strange illness.
Haotian Sect is such a good blacksmithing profession, even if it doesn't benefit becoming a Soul Guide, but the metals they forge greatly enhance the success rate of making Soul-guiding Devices.
If they couldn't grasp this, their title as the number one sect in the world would have been abandoned long ago.
On the other hand, a sect needs a source of funds even if hidden, just as Profound Nether Sect still needs to maintain a certain trade of Profound Water Pills, to keep the sect running. And Haotian Sect's business is evidently their blacksmithing prowess.
With Tang Town helping He Caitou in the preliminary metal forging and shaping, Caitou can achieve the best possible results.
"Don't worry; this Soul Guide Tournament, I'm personally very interested in the rare metals being rewarded."
"Thank you," said Qian Duoduo.
Since Tang Town had no objections, Qian Duoduo took Tang Town and He Caitou to the Xishui Alliance arena.
...
Su Yu and Huo Yuhao boast high Soul Guide proficiency, with Mingde Hall's certification badge. Although it's meaningless, they didn't bother updating their badges, but both carry the Seventh-level Soul Guide badge.
The staff promptly arranged corresponding matches for the two.
The competition provided enough rare metals to complete production, a kind of hidden benefit.
Of course, this wasn't stated outright. If you offend the organizers, naturally not all demands can be met.
But Su Yu and Huo Yuhao haven't caused any trouble, and have made clear their Mingde Hall-certified Soul Guide identity, earning extraordinary treatment.
"It's just the first round, making a Fourth-level Soul-guiding Device is enough, but I didn't expect they'd equip us with some Soul-Forging Silver."
This Soul-Forging Silver could serve as the main material for crafting a Level 6 Soul-guiding Device, and even be used to make a Seventh-level Soul-guiding Device without problem.
Since they prepared Soul-Forging Silver, Su Yu naturally won't let it go unused.
He picked the most precious rare metals and placed them on the production table for smelting and forging.
The power of the three major black markets is indeed formidable; this production table, while unable to match the configuration of the production room of Mingde Hall's elite researchers, is already the standard for personal production rooms at the Royal Soul Guide Academy.
...
On the other side, He Caitou and Tang Town were still marveling at Mingdu's advancements in Soul-guiding Device production.
He Caitou, having experienced turmoil at the age of six, only scratched the surface of Sun and Moon Empire's Soul-guiding Devices, after over a decade of study at Shrek, his cognitive level is confined by Shrek.
He expressed astonishment at the capabilities of the Soul-guiding Device production table.
This single production table, is something Shrek Academy may not be able to replicate even at great cost.
...
"This piece of Soul-Forging Silver can't be wasted either; producing a Fourth-level Soul-guiding Device shouldn't be too ordinary."
Su Yu thought for a moment, and came up with a plan.
Simultaneously, he had already completed the basic smelting of the Soul-Forging Silver.
With a swipe on his brow, a fully jade-green transparent short knife appeared in his hand, the Blade of Living Beings.
His hands steadily rested on the metal sphere forged with Soul-Forging Silver.
On the other side, Huo Yuhao's right hand was covered with ice crystals, gradually forming a sharp small blade.
Ice Crystal Blade.
This was a skill Huo Yuhao learned from Xiaobai the Ice Bear King after acquiring Xiaobai's Soul Spirit.
The Ice Bear King's ability used to enhance its bear claws' cutting power, is quite reasonable.
Although it's not as great as the Dark Gold Horror Claw Bear, it's still enough to easily cut through rare metals.
Of course, this is not one of the Soul Skills Xiaobai bestowed to Huo Yuhao; it's learned postfactum by Huo Yuhao.
Simultaneously, it's a knife uniquely crafted by Huo Yuhao based on his teacher Mirror Hongchen's Ultimate Skill.
As a Soul Guide, how can one not have a knife that matches oneself?
Xuan Ziweng's Martial Soul could be an Engraving Knife, and Huo Yuhao naturally wasn't limited by an actual entity engraving knife.
With the ability of Ultimate Ice and Xiaobai's experience, he gathers an Ice Blade with strong cutting power, and while shaping the Ice Blade, integrates numerous Core Arrays into it, along with runes and other enhancements, making this Ice Crystal Blade not inferior to any Ranking Carving Knife.