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However, even after undergoing Thousand refinement and spirit infusion, the metal still failed to meet Ye Wen's requirements for three-character Battle Armor.
They had to pursue an even deeper level of soul refinement.
The beginning of any endeavor is difficult. Now that they had found the right path, all they needed to do was proceed step by step through continuous exploration. Neither of them felt particularly disheartened.
Still, the life-forged metal could strengthen the previously insufficient durability of two-character Battle Armor, completing it fully.
At this point, Ye Wen didn't lack funds at all. He spared no expense in research funding.
The two began crafting furiously. After six months of relentless effort, they finally unraveled the secrets of soul-forged metal and successfully created the first-ever three-character Battle Armor on the Douluo Continent: Chi Hong Feng (Crimson Red Wind).
During this process, Ye Wen hadn't been stingy with Lou Gao. Not only did he enhance Lou Gao's innate talent with the essence of immortal herbs, but he also arranged the best cultivation spots for him.
By now, Lou Gao had reached the 70th level as a Soul Sage. After hunting soul rings for him, Ye Wen gifted this highly commemorative set of three-character Battle Armor to Lou Gao.
Though the Crimson Storm series was designed by Ye Wen as a versatile type of Battle Armor—easy to produce, universally applicable, attribute-neutral, and purely focused on enhancing a soul master's overall abilities—it sacrificed specialized boosts. With minor adjustments, it could be used by any soul master.
Yet, even so, when Lou Gao donned the three-character Battle Armor, his strength was comparable to that of a Title Douluo.
However, Ye Wen and Lou Gao discovered a flaw in this three-character Battle Armor: it lacked flight capability. After all, Title Douluos could already fly.
Considering that engraving flight-attribute soul skills onto the soul-guiding circuits of Chi Hong Feng might affect its overall efficiency, the two upgraded it to version 2.0, adding a pair of wings that could be freely stored in a spatial storage device.
When Lou Gao donned the upgraded armor, he was moved to tears. Never had he imagined that someone with such mediocre talent as himself could one day possess strength rivaling a Title Douluo.
From that point on, Lou Gao became even more passionate about further research. His loyalty to Ye Wen solidified—not just because he had been initially captivated by the allure of Battle Armor, but because of Ye Wen's generosity and guidance.
Meanwhile, the fervor surrounding Tian Xing Academy's championship victory had yet to subside.
This achievement drew the attention of many factions across the continent to Ye Wen's teaching methods for his direct disciples. After all, having two Soul Emperors under the age of 20 was terrifying enough, let alone the fact that these two were capable of threatening even Soul Sages.
There was a bug in the original story: Qin Ming from Shrek Academy had become a Soul Emperor shortly after turning 30, making him the second-fastest person in the Douluo Continent to achieve this milestone.
This setting was later thoroughly debunked.
The depths of the Blue Silver Forest were off-limits to ordinary members of Tian Xing Academy unless they received special rewards. However, the continent was never short of scheming individuals.
Over the past year, numerous people had attempted to sneak into this forbidden zone.
But with Ah Yin present, trying to infiltrate was akin to running naked under a surveillance camera.
The strongest intruder had been a Soul Douluo, but they were swiftly dealt with by Huo Rui and Huo Quan's combined self-created soul skills.
The only lesson humanity ever seems to learn from history is that it doesn't learn from history. Knowing full well that this was the territory of a 98th-level Title Douluo, they still dared to trespass, driven by blind optimism. Such misplaced confidence often led to their demise.
After that particular Soul Douluo incident, Tian Xing Academy truly enjoyed peace.
However, another issue arose during this time.
Huo Quan, the champion, had brought widespread recognition to the potential of body-type martial souls. People realized just how powerful using the human body as a martial soul could be.
A group of soul masters with body-type martial souls seemed to have found their guiding light in life. Over the past year, they had flocked to Tian Xing Academy, hoping to join.
Unfortunately, Tian Xing Academy was an educational institution, and most of these applicants were over the age limit. However, their innate soul power upon awakening their body-type martial souls was not weak; most possessed at least the cultivation of a Soul Elder rank.
Ye Wen didn't turn them away immediately. Instead, he decided to keep them hanging for a while.
After all, things gained too easily were rarely cherished.
Moreover, for his future plans, this group of soul masters with decent combat potential couldn't simply be dismissed.
"Master, are you really going to do this?" Huo Rui asked somewhat uneasily.
Ye Wen calmly took a sip of tea and replied, "You and your brother are both 20 years old now. You've reached the stage where you can stand on your own. I have nothing more to teach you two. What you need to do now is continue refining yourselves and strive to reach the threshold of becoming a Title Douluo.
And this task suits only the two of you. Little Rui, don't try to decline."
"Yeah, Sister," Huo Quan chimed in with a hint of complaint. "It's just founding a sect and letting you be the sect leader. Why are you being so stubborn about it?"
Indeed, Ye Wen intended for them to establish the Body Sect.
Huo Rui would serve as the sect leader, while Huo Quan would act as the deputy sect leader.
This sect would focus solely on cultivation and completing specific tasks, without the freedom of joining or leaving like in an academy.
However, Ye Wen wasn't unreasonable. Most of the sect's missions involved guarding the Tian Xing Medical Clinic and various enterprises under Tian Xing Academy. It could aptly be called the Body Security Sect.
As a neutral sect dedicated to protecting its own assets, it wouldn't attract hostility from other major powers.
Huo Rui accepted her fate. She never imagined that someone as obsessed with cultivation as herself would one day become the leader of a sect and manage affairs.
But upon reflection, she realized that after spending over a decade by her master's side, it was time to repay his kindness.
"Let this Body Sect become a sharp sword in the hands of Tian Xing Academy. Those who dare to oppose us will be punished, no matter how far they run."
Huo Rui's eyes radiated determination and a hint of killing intent. Having endured hardships since childhood, she would never allow anyone to harm what she cherished.
The establishment of the Body Sect proceeded smoothly. After all, there was no such thing as a Sect Management Bureau in this era.
Though vast, the Douluo Continent had pitifully few body-type soul masters. Huo Rui tallied the numbers and found only 112 individuals.
However, body-type soul masters inherently possessed higher innate soul power than ordinary soul masters. The weakest among them were at least Soul Honored rank, making them suitable for representing the sect's prestige.
As for the secret techniques of secondary awakenings for body-type martial souls, Huo Rui and the others kept them undisclosed. Newcomers' intentions were unpredictable, and such core secrets of the sect couldn't be handed out lightly.
Unbeknownst to them, Tian Xing Academy had grown into a colossal force on the Douluo Continent.
Even without considering Ye Wen's hidden Battle Armor technology, the academy's teachers and the Body Sect's guards alone made Tian Xing Academy a match for the lesser of the top three sects.
With everything in the academy settled, Ye Wen turned his gaze toward the distant sea.
"It's time. I hope Poseidon knows better than to refuse my offer."
{T/N: Fun fact: The original Sea God's name is actually Bo Saidong, which is the Chinese phonetic pronounciation of Poseidon. So technically his name actually IS Poseidon, not just his position}
Everything was proceeding according to plan.
Ye Wen and Bi Hai set off for the Sea God Island.
Due to the presence of guides, Ye Wen chose not to pass through the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's domain.
Though he wasn't afraid of a fight, avoiding unnecessary trouble was always preferable.
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