Chapter 509 Holding Two Positions.
"So you're in cahoots?"
Lou Gao crossed his arms, his scrutinizing gaze sweeping back and forth between Xuan Mo and Tang San's groups.
"You could say that."
Tang San shrugged, then pointed at Xuan Mo. "If you want to know about soul tools, you can ask now."
"Oh?"
Lou Gao's eyes lit up at first, then he glanced suspiciously at Tang San, his gaze sweeping over Xuan Mo's hands before shaking his head in disappointment. He then resumed his angry rebuke of Tang San.
"You little brat, you think you can fool me?!" Lou Gao said, extending his own hand and pointing at Xuan Mo's. "I can tell at a glance that this kid is definitely not a blacksmith, nor some so-called soul tool maker! What skilled craftsman's hands aren't covered in calluses?! Look at this kid, apart from his rough hands, he doesn't look like a blacksmith at all!"
"Is that so?" Oscar, standing nearby, suddenly interjected with a slight smile. "Then why can't Old Mo have some special soul skill like Xiao San? Look, Xiao San's hands don't have calluses either!"
"That's rare. Besides… hmph!"
Lou Gao picked up the Zhuge Crossbow on the workbench. "This kid has shown off his hidden weapon skills. What about you?"
Seeing Lou Gao's gaze, Xuan Mo readily agreed. He waved his hand and said directly, "Senior Lou Gao is indeed right. As you said, I am indeed not a soul tool manufacturer."
Before Lou Gao could say anything, his next sentence stunned Lou Gao.
"However, I can basically make decisions regarding our academy's matters concerning soul tools."
"What did you say, brat?!"
Lou Gao's eyes widened at first, then his expression changed instantly, staring at Xuan Mo as if trying to discern truth from falsehood.
He continued, "If you're willing to let me know how to make a soul tool, I'll reward you handsomely."
"Reward…hahaha!"
"What are you laughing at?!" Lou Gao narrowed his eyes, bewildered by Xuan Mo's sudden burst of laughter.
"Master Craftsman Lou Gao." Xuan Mo's expression immediately turned serious as he countered, "If it were you, would you reveal this long-lost soul tool technology to others? And once this soul tool technology is revealed, it will usher in a new era."
At this point, Xuan Mo glanced at Lou Gao.
"Master Craftsman Lou Gao, as a master craftsman, surely you can think of these things? Do you think your promises are comparable to a technology that could usher in a new era and lead for tens of thousands of years?"
Lou Gao was suddenly shaken, and after a moment of contemplation, he slowly said, "Boy, judging from the soul tools you've put out, you simply can't do this. Moreover, the compensation I offer will far exceed your imagination."
Then, his expression turned ferocious. "And believe it or not, with just one word from me, I can make sure you get nothing in Gengxin City. No one will dare to sell you anything."
Hearing Lou Gao's words, Xuan Mo smiled slightly. "Coercion and bribery? Heh, too bad, it won't work on us at all."
Thinking of this, Xuan Mo shook his finger at Lou Gao. "No, no, no. I think Senior Lou Gao, you've misunderstood something." Saying this, Xuan Mo immediately reached out, and his storage soul tool flashed, revealing the somewhat murky, palm-sized piece of gold on the table.
The moment they saw the large, shimmering gold on the sheet metal, all the blacksmiths present, including Xiao Wu who wasn't a blacksmith, simultaneously contracted their pupils.
"Golden sheet metal!"
The next second, everyone exclaimed almost in unison.
They exchanged glances, their eyes filled with astonishment. Lou Gao couldn't help but exclaim, "How did you manage to buy something like this?! Where did you buy it?!"
"Hahaha!" Xuan Mo and Ning Rongrong laughed heartily at each other.
Ning Rongrong chimed in, covering her mouth and chuckling, "This plate is crystal clear and golden. I only paid one gold soul coin, and the street vendor looked at us like we were idiots for ages."
"One gold soul coin?" Si Long exclaimed in surprise, a wry smile on his face, before he couldn't help but say, "How come I've never encountered such a good thing? I'll offer a thousand gold soul coins, will you sell it to me?"
"Bang!"
Before he could finish speaking, Si Long's head was smacked hard by Lou Gao, whose face was gloomy. "You brat, your teacher hasn't even spoken yet! You're not going to go first!"
"Okay, okay, teacher, you go first."
Si Long covered his head, while Xuan Mo and Tang San, seeing Lou Gao's constantly changing expression, knew that he was just saving face.
So Xuanmo changed the subject from the topic of the golden plate crystal to the earlier discussion of soul tools, saying, "Now Senior Lou Gao understands what we mean, right?"
Tang San added appropriately, "And we all believe that Senior definitely has the ability. But that's not enough to threaten us. It's not only Gengxin City that sells rare metals."
Seeing Lou Gao's constantly changing expression, Tang San and Xuanmo pressed the final straw. That meant combining hidden weapons with soul tools, simultaneously ushering in a new era.
At this moment, Lou Gao instantly broke down.
"Fine, fine, then this old man will join you."
Everyone was overjoyed upon hearing this.
Of course, except for Si Long, who was already terrified. He was already dumbfounded. "Teacher, no way! If you leave, the president of the Blacksmith Association..."
"I almost forgot."
Lou Gao slapped his forehead and said without hesitation, "From now on, you are the president of the Blacksmith Association."
"Ah!?"
Before Si Long could finish his shock, Lou Gao had already turned his gaze to Tang San and Xuan Mo. "Also, from what you two are saying, it seems that you two are not from the same faction. In that case, whose sect should I join?"
"Of course, join Third Brother's Tang Sect!"
Xiao Wu shouted without hesitation. But Oscar obviously had some objections. "No, join Shrek Academy. Your Tang Sect already has Senior Titan, the master craftsman."
But Xiao Wu ignored Titan's black lines and directly mocked him to his face, "Hmph! That old gorilla Titan only knows how to forge iron!"
"Xiao Wu, you..."
"Alright (stop)!"
Looking at the two who were still unwilling to give in, Xuan Mo and Tang San both felt a headache coming on.
Finally, with Lou Gao's consent, Tang San and Xuan Mo jointly decided that Lou Gao, the Divine Craftsman, would join the Tang Sect, but would be nominally affiliated with Shrek Academy for research and teaching.
(End of Chapter)