T/N: Hello everyone! So a reader asked me about making a patreon for advance chapters and I'm not quite sure about how to price the chapters. I've looked at other translators patreons and the average seems to 10ish dollars for around 60 chapters. However on average the chapter word count seems to about 800-1000 which is about a third of the word count on these chapters which are on average around 3000 words. So I am thinking 10$ for 20 or 25 chapters. I just want to hear peoples opinion on it. Please give feedback if the price is too much. Thanks!
One of the True Spirit Banner Martial Soul's traits: Soul power can freely convert into summoning attributes.
The third summoning spirit, the Fire Phoenix, is fire-attributed. Although Chu Chengzhou hadn't yet mastered Phoenix Fire, he could convert his neutral soul power into fire attribute.
With his mastery of control techniques, Chu Chengzhou manipulated his soul power like an extension of his will. Heating metal? That's basic stuff—no big deal.
However, the rare metal Deep Silver had an extremely high melting point. After heating it to a dark red state, Chu Chengzhou's fire-attribute soul power alone was no longer sufficient to raise the temperature further.
Still, though the heat didn't reach the ideal level, it was close enough. With his Grandmaster-level skills, he could make up for the lack of heat with technique.
After thinking it over, Chu Chengzhou also heated his left-hand Deep Silver hammer to the same dark red state.
Force always acts in pairs. Using a Deep Silver hammer to forge Thousand-Refined Deep Silver—if the forger is skilled enough—the hammer itself can be refined toward the Spirit-Refined level.
But if the hammer isn't pre-heated, the entire forging process would be too slow. The highly skilled Chu Grandmaster intended to speed things up.
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"
Soon, the forging chamber echoed with rhythmic, thunderous impacts.
Where other people's blacksmithing sounds like ding-ding-ding, Chu Chengzhou's hammering is all BOOM-BOOM-BOOM.
Raw strength creates miracles—smash hard and it'll work!
And thanks to his control techniques, Chu Chengzhou applied the majority of each strike's power precisely where it was needed. Without that control, his regular iron forge wouldn't survive his brute force.
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"
The roaring sounds continued nonstop.
As time passed, the Thousand-Refined Deep Silver bow frame and the hammer on the forge were gradually hammered into a lump of dark red Deep Silver ingot—visibly shrinking.
There were two reasons for the shrinkage:
1. The repeated forging was transforming it from Thousand-Refined to Spirit-Refined Deep Silver, increasing its density and thereby reducing its volume.
2. With each strike, Chu's right-hand hammer absorbed a small amount of Deep Silver.
Time passed—over half an hour in a flash.
Now, only a final portion of Deep Silver remained on the forge.
BOOM—
Another mighty strike landed. A dazzling six-foot silver flame suddenly burst skyward, flooding the forging room with silvery light.
Hundred-Refinements for Purity, Thousand-Refinements for Essence, Spirit-Refinement for Creation—Spirit-Refined Deep Silver: Achieved!
At that moment, Chu Chengzhou clearly felt that the hammer in his hand was like a living thing.
Of course, while "Spirit-Refinement for Creation" sounded mystical, Spirit-Refined metals were still far from actual life.
After all, in the Douluo World, everyone knows the power scale. Spirit-refinement only grants a hint of life—no one, not even future god-tier blacksmiths, could make metal truly alive.
After a long while, the silver flames faded. Chu examined the hammer now etched with cloud-like patterns, nodding in satisfaction.
At this moment, Ning Rongrong excitedly summoned her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul.
As expected, once summoned, the pagoda burst with dazzling nine-colored brilliance.
A treasure—an utterly peerless treasure!
Ning Rongrong could sense it clearly: according to her martial soul's treasure-sensing ability, the Spirit-Refined Deep Silver hammer in Chu's hand surpassed even ten-thousand-year soul bones in grade. It triggered the most intense reaction she'd ever experienced.
She stared at it, eyes burning with desire.
Perhaps only a hundred-thousand-year soul bone could evoke such a reaction from her martial soul?
Of course, this didn't mean the Spirit-Refined metal was equal in value to a 100,000-year soul bone. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda judged an item's worth not solely by human soul master standards, but also by rarity.
For example, a grain-sized piece of Deep Silver is still classified as a treasure—just a small one.
A mountain of regular iron might be more expensive in gold soul coins, but in terms of treasure-sense, the iron is worthless bulk.
Back in the Star Dou Great Forest, the unique Thousand-Refined Deep Silver was already highly rated. Now that it was Spirit-Refined, the rating rose even higher.
Just as Ning Rongrong moved closer to inspect the hammer, Chu Chengzhou sprang into action again.
He summoned his True Spirit Banner Martial Soul, and his third soul ring lit up. With a surge of soul power, a scaled-down Fire Phoenix—about six feet long—manifested.
Chu retrieved a super heat-resistant shallow crucible and placed the hammer inside.
"Xiao Hong, burn it—melt it down," he instructed the Fire Phoenix spirit.
The original hammer was crude—just hammer-shaped. During the previous refining process, it had fused into one piece for convenience, but now Chu had to split it into twin hammers again.
He also needed to beautify them. A crude hammer like before? That just wouldn't suit a Grandmaster like Chu.
"Screech~!"
The Fire Phoenix let out a cry, and a stream of intense Phoenix Fire spewed into the crucible.
Deep Silver had very high heat resistance, and Spirit-Refined metal was even more resilient. But the Phoenix Fire far exceeded normal flames in temperature.
Half a minute later, the Spirit-Refined hammer, now glowing orange-red, began melting into a pool of molten Deep Silver.
Waving his hand, Chu signaled Xiao Hong to stop. Soul power glowed around his hands as he moved them close—not touching, just near.
He released more soul power. Under its pull, the molten metal split in two and began forming into twin hammer shapes.
Modern forging uses machines for shaping molten metal. Chu had none of that—not even an automated furnace—so he relied on high-level soul power manipulation to mold the liquid metal.
Fortunately, even after melting, Spirit-Refined metal retains its qualities upon cooling—it doesn't "downgrade."
This method, though demanding on the user, was far more efficient than conventional tools.
Eventually, the hammer-shaped metal began cooling into a dark red solid.
Satisfied, Chu released his soul power and used tongs to dunk the glowing hammers into a water-filled iron bucket.
Sssss— Steam erupted violently.
Blacksmithing isn't complete without a final quenching—it's tradition!
The quenching hardens the metal. Presumably, Spirit-Refined metal follows the same rule.
But more importantly—it's all about style. And now, Chu was ready to forge Spirit-Refined armor and a greatbow.
Half an hour later, Chu delivered another final hammer strike, igniting another burst of flame in the forging chamber.
This time, instead of silver, the flame was blue.
"Xiao Wu, quick—give blood!"
Seeing the nearly half-foot-square piece of Blue-Nurture Copper emit Spirit-Refinement light, Chu shouted to Xiao Wu.
That chunk was just enough to craft a suit of armor for her.
And Blue-Nurture Copper wasn't particularly dense—just over 100 pounds for that size. It would offer strong defense without overly burdening the physically fit Xiao Wu.
"Mm!"
Blood-sacrifice ritual—Chu had briefed them in advance. Xiao Wu nodded, drew a prepared knife, and cut her arm.
With soul power coursing, crimson blood sprayed onto the blue flame, sizzling and smoking as it contacted the still-hot Spirit-Refined metal.
When the smoke and flames dissipated, Xiao Wu felt a blood connection to the metal—like it was part of her.
"Brother, why does this Blue-Nurture Copper feel alive?"
Curious, Xiao Wu asked Chu.
"Alive?!"
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing gasped.
It's just metal—how could it be alive?
"It's just a bit of life essence—don't overthink it," Chu waved dismissively. "Spirit-Refined metals are extraordinary. Think of it as a kind of martial soul—one that can't attach soul rings or level up."
An hour later, Chu forged another Spirit-Refined Blue-Nurture Copper and a Spirit-Refined Flame-Iron block.
He was crafting armor for himself and Xiao Wu—both needed separate blood-sacrifice rituals.
His physical strength was even greater than Xiao Wu's, despite her higher level. So his armor block weighed almost 200 pounds—double hers.
With all Spirit-Refined materials ready, all that remained was final shaping.
"It's getting late. Let's eat first—then finish afterward."
Seeing the high sun, Chu turned to the group.
"Eat now?! Brother, just finish first!"
Xiao Wu protested immediately. After two hours of watching, they were so close!
"Yeah, yeah! What eating? We can wait—just finish the masterpiece already!" Ning Rongrong chimed in.
Zhu Zhuqing didn't speak—but nodded in agreement.
"Tch~ fine!"
Clicking his tongue, Chu summoned the Fire Phoenix again.
Phoenix Fire burned fiercely. The blood-bound Blue-Nurture Copper quickly melted into hot copper liquid.
Armor was far more complex than a hammer, but that wasn't a problem for Grandmaster Chu.
Using Xiao Wu's measured dimensions, the copper slowly shaped under Chu's soul power into a glowing orange-red suit of armor.
Soon, a suit of armor and a bow joined the forge.
Once cooled, their fiery color faded, revealing two gorgeous blue-gold suits of armor and a 4.5-foot-long flame-etched red bow.
Notably, Chu had engraved a bunny emblem on Xiao Wu's chestplate.
"Brother, what should I name my armor?"
Stroking the seemingly blood-bound armor, Xiao Wu looked to Chu.
"Up to you. Name doesn't matter—you could even call it Bunny Armor."
Chu shrugged.
Xiao Wu: "…"
"Since you love bunnies, how about Blue Bunny Armor?" Ning Rongrong laughed.
"So lame! Come up with something better!"
Xiao Wu snapped.
The four studied the Spirit-Refined armor, but no one could come up with a good name.
In the end, Chu's suggestion—Azure Cloud-Patterned Armor—was reluctantly accepted.
Xiao Wu flashed her soul power. The armor disappeared into her body.
In the next second, blue light flared—her pink princess dress and knee-high socks vanished, replaced by a gorgeous blue-gold suit of armor.
"Whoa—instant equip?!"
Seeing her transformed, Ning Rongrong gasped.
"How is it?" Xiao Wu spun and struck a pose.
"Cool!" Ning Rongrong gave a thumbs-up.
"Xiao Wu, how's the defense?" Zhu Zhuqing asked, more practical.
"I dunno~ Brother, how strong is my Azure Cloud-Patterned Armor?"
She turned to Chu.
"Below Rank 60, few can break through it, I think. But it's untested.
Also, this armor is made of Spirit-Refined Blue-Nurture Copper. Defense is its main feature, but not the only one—it also amplifies your soul power."
If he were simply pursuing defensive power, he wouldn't have chosen Blue-Nurture Copper to forge his Spirit-Forged armor—he would've gone for the lighter and sturdier Cloud-Titanium.
This rare metal, Cloud-Titanium, has a density significantly lower than that of ordinary iron, yet in terms of durability, it ranks among the top-tier rare metals. With the same hundred-pound weight, the defensive capability is several times greater than that of Blue-Nurture Copper.
What Chu Chengzhou valued about Blue-Nurture Copper was its soul power amplification effect.
Putting on another set of armor, he activated his soul power at his fingertips and clearly felt that, under the enhancement of the Azure Cloud-Pattern Heavy Armor, his soul power was amplified by nearly 50%.
A 50% amplification might seem like a lot, but compared to the Spirit-Forged Battle Armor of future generations, it still fell far short.
In the future, someone with a Spirit-Forged two-word Battle Armor at the six-ring Soul Emperor level could rival an eight-ring Soul Douluo—a leap across two entire tiers of strength.
It goes to show: once a Spirit Guidance Array is engraved into the metal, the effects far exceed what the material alone can provide.
Of course, there was another benefit to the Azure Cloud-Pattern Armor—but Chu Chengzhou didn't mention it.
He clearly remembered that in the original story, Xiao Wu's combat style involved close-quarters fighting. She often used her long legs wrapped in white stockings to hook her opponent's neck and perform her signature "Eight-Stage Drop."
Chu Chengzhou naturally didn't like this kind of fighting style.
But now, with the Azure Cloud-Pattern Armor covering the entire body except the head, the situation was very different.
"Soul power amplification? Feels like... around 40%, maybe?"Activating her soul power and focusing intently, Xiao Wu said uncertainly.
"Forty percent amplification?"Immediately, Ning Rongrong's eyes widened in shock.
That kind of soul power boost was on par with what a three-ringed Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda Soul Master could provide!
And if nothing unexpected happened, this armor's soul power amplification effect should stack with her own attribute-boosting soul skills.
If you added the assistance of a Soul Sage from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan on top of this armor, wouldn't Xiao Wu's soul power be boosted by 120%, reaching a whopping 220% of her original level?
Or if the 80% boost from the Seven Treasures skills was also amplified by 40%, wouldn't it reach a total of 252%?
With that thought, Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up as she looked at Chu Chengzhou.
If Grandpa Sword and Grandpa Bone had this kind of powerful armor, wouldn't they be able to defeat opponents far stronger than themselves?
Chu Chengzhou wasn't surprised by the different amplification ratios.
Energy must be conserved, and the Azure Cloud-Pattern Armor was just an object. He was a three-ring Soul Elder, while Xiao Wu was a four-ring Soul Ancestor. The amplification effect naturally varied.
It might also have something to do with the amount of armor used in each set.
And when it comes to metal armor, the strength of its defense is directly tied to how much material is used. Thicker armor means better protection.
If it's thin as cicada wings, it might not tear at a poke, but it wouldn't offer much protection either.
"Uh... Rongrong, why are you looking at me like that?"
Suddenly, Chu Chengzhou noticed Ning Rongrong's intense gaze.
Ning Rongrong said nothing, just stared at him with burning eyes.
Was she trying to ask him for a Spirit-Forged armor set?
That wouldn't do. This lady has her pride. She couldn't ask outright. If she did, this scumbag Chu would definitely take the opportunity to get even bolder. She might lose her third kiss after the first and second at this rate!
Still, not asking directly didn't mean she couldn't express her interest.
She'd already made it this obvious—Chu scumbag, can't you tell? Say it already!
"You want one?"Chu Chengzhou stroked his chin and smiled.
He had taken this little witch's first kiss and she hadn't even seemed that mad, so clearly his progress in "conquering" her wasn't bad.
Give it a few more years, when she turned sixteen or seventeen and he went all the way—becoming the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan's son-in-law would be practically guaranteed.
At this point, he already saw Ning Rongrong as halfway "his." Giving her Spirit-Forged armor was no big deal.
The only one lagging in progress was the big kitty—still stuck at "friendship" level. He'd need to work harder to upgrade that friendship to love.
"Mhm!"Ning Rongrong nodded excitedly.
"How about you, Zhuzhu?"Chu Chengzhou turned to look at Zhu Zhuqing.
"That might not be appropriate~"
Though she was tempted—after all, Spirit-Forged armor had crazy good defense and could be stored within the body for quick deployment—she hadn't earned it. Chu Chengzhou wasn't her boyfriend, so Zhu Zhuqing felt awkward accepting such a gift.
"It's fine, it won't take much effort. Rongrong, go grab a hundred pounds of Cloud-Titanium from the Seven Treasures Chamber of Commerce."
Waving his hand, Chu Chengzhou gave the order to Ning Rongrong.
Blue-Nurture Copper's unique trait was soul power amplification, which was decent for soul masters of any type.
But the problem was, armor made from Spirit-Forged Blue-Nurture Copper wasn't light. Even after trimming it down, it would still weigh over fifty pounds.
Sure, Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing could carry that weight—but carrying it and sustaining it in a fight were two different things.
Armor that's too heavy would seriously affect their agility, so Chu Chengzhou decided not to use Blue-Nurture Copper again and would instead forge the armor with the lightweight, durable Cloud-Titanium.
In fact, he figured the total for both armor sets wouldn't even hit a hundred pounds—twenty or thirty pounds per set would be just right.
Well, maybe a little more for the big kitty. After all, she was taller than Ning Rongrong, had a bigger chest, and a larger surface area—so naturally, more material was needed.
"A hundred pounds? Wouldn't that be too little?"
Ning Rongrong blinked. Judging by the scumbag's tone, he planned to make one set for her and one for her bestie Zhu Zhuqing. Even not counting impurities in the raw metal, splitting it evenly left just fifty pounds per set.
That was half the weight of Xiao Wu's Azure Cloud-Pattern Armor!
"Cloud-Titanium is really light. And do you really think you can carry anything heavier than that?"
Chu Chengzhou rolled his eyes.
Instantly, Ning Rongrong's face froze.
Right... with her petite build right now, even thirty pounds might make her whine.