Douluo: Ant Power Breaks the Sky

Chapter 17 Soto City

Time flies, and four years have passed in a flash.

South of the Tiandou Empire, Barak Kingdom, Soto City.

It was just past noon, the sun was blazing, and three young people walked in from the west gate of Soto City. They all looked to be in their teens, and they didn't carry any luggage, two men and one woman.

These three people are naturally Shi Yi, Tang San and Xiao Wu.

Shi Yi at this time was already fourteen years old, tall, dressed in white tights, with a belt inlaid with jade around his waist. The black shorts made him look unruly and free and easy. His fair and delicate face made people feel good about him, and the smile at the corner of his mouth made him look even more approachable.

During the eight years in Notting, thanks to Yu Xiaogang, Shi Yi can be said to have lived a very good life. He has basically read all the books in Yu Xiaogang's room. During the day, he worked with Tang San, continued to study the materials in depth, and kept trying to carve the core magic circle. At night, he was immersed in cultivation. He had almost no free time. The daily work in the blacksmith shop made Shi Yi's body very strong.

After Shi Yi successfully made the soul guide, Tang San asked to learn how to make it. Shi Yi did not refuse and basically told Tang San the principles and logic of the soul guide. However, just as Shi Yi had said to Yu Xiaogang, Tang San did not have much creativity.

The manufacture of soul guides is not like practicing a martial art where you only need to follow a diagram, but you have to design it yourself. What’s important is that different soul guides have different understandings of the core formation.

This led to Tang San learning how to make soul guides. The core formation could only depict what Shi Yi had designed. The materials and structures basically came from the Tang Sect's hidden weapons. The complex mechanical expansion structure of the Tang Sect's hidden weapons required the depiction of an extremely complex core formation. Simply copying and pasting it obviously would not bring out the power that a soul guide should have, and asking Tang San to design a core formation exclusively for the hidden weapon was obviously something he could not do.

Not to mention Tang San, even Shi Yi at this stage cannot do it. Even if it is ten thousand years later, Huo Yuhao has to go through a lot of study and complete and systematic learning of the knowledge of soul guides before he can combine the power of Tang Sect's hidden weapons with soul guides.

Human energy is limited, and Tang San also realized that he was not suitable for soul guide manufacturing because what he learned was too diverse, and soul guides were just a nascent discipline that required a lot of time to study.

Tang San had no choice but to give up the design and manufacture of soul guides and concentrate on practicing what he was good at.

Shi Yi also obtained a lot of hidden weapon drawings during his interactions with Tang San, but Tang San did not teach Shi Yi any of the Tang Sect's unique skills. Shi Yi also understood what Tang San was thinking. He just hoped that Shi Yi could design a stronger soul guide based on the hidden weapons, and he only needed to copy the core magic circle designed by Shi Yi.

Shi Yi would naturally not let Tang San take advantage of him. It was unlikely that he would work for Tang San for free. He always believed in giving a favor in return. Compared with these shooting soul guides, Shi Yi was more inclined to the design and research of melee soul guides and trigger-type defensive soul guides, because he knew very well that his primary goal now was to protect himself.

In terms of being a human being, Tang San still has a gap compared to Yu Xiaogang.

Yu Xiaogang didn't say much about this. He also understood what the two disciples were planning. Shi Yi needed those magical self-created soul skills, and Tang San needed Shi Yi to upgrade the hidden weapons into soul guides.

Yu Xiaogang is not a fool. Coming from Blue Lightning, he certainly understands the principle of resource exchange. Even though they are brothers, Yu Xiaogang understands that Shi Yi will not work for Tang San for free. However, it is obvious that Tang San is not willing to use his magical self-created soul skills.

This made Yu Xiaogang very confused. He didn't understand why Tang San was unwilling to take it out. Obviously, the potential of the soul guide was much greater than those self-created soul skills.

Shi Yi himself was very clear about the reason. If he wanted to practice Tang Sect's unique skills, he had to take out the Xuan Tian Gong. Tang San would not allow an outsider to obtain the Xuan Tian Gong. Shi Yi naturally would not force something that even the Shrek Seven Devils in the original novel could not obtain.

Hand techniques, body movements, eye skills, these things, in Shi Yi's mind, are just the results obtained through the continuous training of the body, and Shi Yi also has the means to obtain these results, and even create something more suitable for himself.

Xiao Wu raised her hand and gently wiped the sweat on her forehead, complaining: "Finally we've arrived at this Suoto City. I really don't know what the master is thinking. There are obviously several intermediate spirit master academies that have expressed their willingness to recruit us unconditionally, but he insisted on letting you take the exam for that lousy academy here that doesn't even have a level division."

Tang San glanced at Shi Yi and gently tugged at Xiao Wu's sleeve, signaling her to stop talking.

Shi Yi said with a smile: "Little Junior Brother, it's okay. The reason why the teacher asked you to come here is because the dean of this academy is a Soul Saint, and this Soul Saint has a close relationship with the teacher."

Tang San showed a look of surprise, while Xiao Wu's expression subconsciously tensed.

Tang San naturally understood what a Soul Sage meant. The Holy Soul Village where he was born was named after a Soul Sage who came out of it.

"Brother, do you know the situation of this academy?" Tang San asked softly.

Shi Yi nodded and smiled, "Of course, but you will understand these things when you arrive at the academy. See you in the academy. I won't disturb you and your love sister."

During the past few days, Shi Yi had been fed a lot of dog food by the two of them while traveling, so naturally he didn't want to stay with them anymore.

After saying that, Shi Yi's figure disappeared in front of the two of them. The moment Shi Yi disappeared, Xiao Wu's voice reached Shi Yi's ears.

"Shi Yi! I'm going to tear your mouth apart!"

Tang San also hurriedly pulled Xiao Wu back to stop her from chasing after Shi Yi.

Soto City is much larger than Noting City, and naturally much more lively. Patrolling soldiers can be seen everywhere on the streets, and there is a bustling flow of people.

Shi Yi first found a nice-looking restaurant to order something, and then started looking for a place to stay. It didn't take long before Shi Yi found a very unique hotel.

The hotel is three stories high. Although it doesn't look too big, the exterior decoration is completely rose red. The architectural style of the entire hotel is like a huge rose, which can easily make people look at it. Bright feeling.

Shi Yi looked at the hotel and shook his head with a smile. Having seen too many tall buildings, Shi Yi did not think this hotel was romantic, but rather extremely exaggerated.

Afterwards, Shi Yi booked a room in an ordinary hotel that looked relatively normal, and continued to wander around Soto City.

After asking around in the city, Shi Yi found Flanders' shop in Soto City.

The door of the shop was open and it looked a little dark inside. When Shi Yi walked in, he felt many fluctuations of soul power of different attributes.

"It seems that there are still good things in Flanders' store." Shi Yi said secretly in his heart.

Soul guides all carry soul power fluctuations, and Shi Yi came here to learn and improve his skills in making soul guides.

There was only one person in the shop, and there was no counter. There were some items hanging on three walls. They all looked very old and not valuable at all, but they emitted different soul power fluctuations.

Flanders was sitting on a wooden recliner, his eyes closed as the chair swayed.

He looked to be about fifty years old. Although he was not young, he was very strong. The sturdy-looking recliner swayed and made a rattling sound under his weight.

Flanders has a very distinctive face, with a slightly protruding chin, wide cheekbones, a flat face, and a slightly hooked nose. If one must describe it in one way, then one can only say that his face is a bit like a shoe sole. Although his eyes are closed, he looks a bit cunning.

Wearing a pair of black-framed crystal glasses on his face, the frame is a rigid square shape, which gives it a weird feeling no matter how you look at it.

"Hello, can I take these items down and take a closer look?" Shi Yi said to Flanders. Flanders, who was sitting on the recliner, opened his eyes and saw the conspicuous belt on Shi Yi's white clothes. "Hey, where did you get this belt?"

Shi Yi smiled and said, "My teacher gave it to me."

Flanders' face darkened when he heard this, "It was you who asked Xiaogang to take away a lot of precious materials from me."

Shi Yi pretended to be confused and asked, "What materials? Do you know the teacher?"

Looking at Shi Yi's appearance, Flanders showed a suspicious look on his face and thought to himself: "Didn't Xiaogang tell this kid where the materials came from?"

Flanders didn't think much about it. He waved his hand casually at Shi Yi and said, "You can watch it if you want, but don't inject soul power into it. Many soul guides are very old and easy to explode. If they are damaged, you will have to pay the original price."

After that, Flanders continued to sleep on his recliner.

Looking at the outrageous numbers marked on the wall, Shi Yi was speechless. Without thinking much, Shi Yi took out his small notebook and glasses from the soul guide, then took down a soul guide from the wall and began to observe it.

"Sure enough, the core magic array has varying degrees of damage. If we inject soul power into it, it will of course explode." Shi Yi said secretly in his heart.

Shi Yi observed and drew the structures of various soul guides in his little notebook, noting the various materials he could recognize, and drew the corresponding core magic arrays.

Flanders suddenly opened his eyes when Shi Yi was unaware, and watched Shi Yi concentrating on recording various soul guides. At this moment, he seemed to see Yu Xiaogang of the past.

"He is worthy of being his disciple." Flanders secretly sighed in his heart.

At this moment, a voice broke the silence in the shop, "Senior Brother?"

Hearing the familiar voice, Shi Yi slowly came back to his senses and smiled at Tang San: "Xiao San."

Looking at the record book and the soul guide in Shi Yi's hand, Tang San also understood what Shi Yi was here for, and smiled and said: "Senior Brother really can't rest for a moment."

When Flanders heard Shi Yi's words, a gleam flashed in his eyes and his sharp gaze fell on Tang San.

"Is this the little apprentice Xiaogang mentioned?" Flanders thought secretly in his heart.

"Shi Yi! I'm going to tear your mouth apart!" Xiao Wu shouted at Shi Yi and was about to attack.

Flanders frowned slightly, sat on the recliner, and said calmly: "Compensate for the broken things according to the price."

Xiao Wu subconsciously looked at the price marked on the wall and couldn't help muttering, "How many carrots can I buy with so many zeros?"

Tang San also hurriedly pulled Xiao Wu. Flanders gave him a very special feeling. If Dai Mubai in the hotel just now gave him the feeling of being sharp, then this seemingly ordinary middle-aged man was unfathomable.

Shi Yi didn't care, smiled slightly and continued doing his own thing.

Seeing Shi Yi's nonchalant look, Flanders's evaluation of Shi Yi instantly rose a little.

Seeing this, Tang San bowed slightly to Flender and said, "I'm sorry, senior."

After saying that, he quickly pulled Xiao Wu away.

Flanders looked at the backs of the two people leaving, then looked at Shi Yi who was immersed in recording, and couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth slightly.

"It looks like Shrek is going to become interesting."

As time went by, Shi Yi recorded one soul guide after another. There were actually dozens of soul guides of different types in Flanders' small shop. These might be the result of Flanders' experiences over the years.

After looking at the large items hanging on the wall, Shi Yi set his eyes on the small items casually placed on the ground. Seeing the crystal hanging not far away, Shi Yi was slightly startled.

"I was so excited to see the soul guide and was so absorbed in studying it that I forgot about this. Isn't hair crystal, a soft metal that can be deformed at will, perfect for making defensive soul guides?" Shi Yi thought to himself.

Shi Yi asked Flanders, "How much is this crystal?"

"Finally you've finished watching it. This thing is for you. I'm going to close the shop." Flanders slowly stood up and said.

Shi Yi was slightly startled and looked outside the door. It was already sunset.

Shi Yi also bowed slightly to Flanders and said, "I'm sorry to have wasted your time. I won't be polite then."

Flanders' eyes suddenly became sharp, and he said with a dark face: "You kid, you really know who I am!"

Shi Yi thought to himself that something was wrong, but he smiled and said, "You must be joking. This is the first time we meet. Thank you for your help."

Flanders looked at Shi Yi suspiciously and said, "You really don't know who I am?"

"Shop owner." Shi Yi pretended to be confused.

"Okay, get out of here." Flanders said unhappily.

"Thank you for the crystal." Shi Yi smiled and bowed slightly to Flanders again.

Shi Yi still has a very good feeling towards Flanders. Not every Soul Sage can lower himself to play with a great Soul Master, not to mention the soul fusion technique. This also proves from the side that Yu Xiaogang is a good person. You can tell whether a person is good or not by looking at his friends.

As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. Just look at Yu Xiaogang and Flanders, and then look at Tang San and the Shrek Seven Devils, and you will know what kind of person Tang San is.

After saying that, Shi Yi slowly left Flanders' shop.

……

(End of this chapter)