Douluo Continent: A Thousand Miles of Cultivation

"Oh, Sister Hongchen."

Looking at the familiar young man, Huan Hongchen rolled her eyes, and the extremely handsome helmet began to move with a clattering sound, finally revealing the woman's long, silvery-white hair.

The only somewhat comical thing was that Huan Hongchen, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, straightened her long hair and, probably thinking herself very beautiful, walked towards Qian Shui with a radiant gaze.

Qian Shui: 'Doesn't she know that hair stands on end in space because there's no gravity?'

"The ground-based telescope detected strange energy fluctuations in the sky. I thought it was some kind of sky spirit beast, but it turned out to be you." After many years, Huan Hongchen hadn't changed much.

Aside from darker dark circles, her artistic level has improved.

His hand continued forming a spell, but Qian Shui was still somewhat surprised. He had been deliberately hiding his true feelings. "Your soul tools can already do this much?"

"You're the one who told me the principle: the transmission of invisible light results in visual distortion in this area."

"Uh..." Qian Shui, using thermal imaging, knew that with his Divine Eye activated, he could indeed see the distortion of light caused by the array patterns, in addition to the ordinary energy glow. "Forget it, I wanted to learn how to be cautious, but it seems I'm not going to be cautious..."

Seeing that Qian Shui had stopped moving, Huan Hongchen asked in confusion, "What are you doing?"

"Setting up a formation? Forget it, if I tell you, you'll be working day and night again..." Qian Shui waved his hand.

The theoretical knowledge he shared with Huan Hongchen alone would be enough to keep her in the laboratory for the rest of her life.

"So, are you coming back to Heaven Dou City with me?"

Speaking of this, Huan Hongchen got angry. "I don't have time. You've all run away. I have to go help Jiaojiao organize her troops."

Embarrassed and at a loss, Qian Shui asked, "Should I leave?"

"Let's go?" Since we've already seen each other, it's a good thing. Huan Hongchen won't let Qian Shui off easily. "Let's have a fight first!"

As she spoke, Huan Hongchen, with her captivating smile, closed her helmet again.

Combat experiments are prone to causing injuries, and Qian Shui is the perfect target for this. Huan Hongchen immediately took out a very thick object from his spatial soul tool.

"Six-barreled? You actually made this thing?!" Qian Shui was stunned again. That's a Gatling gun!

Then, Huan Hongchen, speaking with a Douluo accent and in the Chinese that Qian Shui had taught her, laughed wildly and said, "My lord! Times have changed!"

Shocked, Qian Shui removed the energy barrier. "Tch!"

"Huh?" Huan Hongchen, who wanted to activate it, found that there was no way to do so.

"There's no air in outer space, so what are you going to fight with?" Qian Shui remarked, "This is the crushing power of knowledge!"

However, the two still ended up fighting. Qian Shui really wanted to experience what it felt like to be bombarded by a Gatling gun.

"Third Soul Skill, Ice Refraction!" High in the sky, Huan Hongchen, clad in silver-white armor, moved freely in the mirror-like ice disc she released, using light and shadow to change her position at will.

Although it wasn't as instantaneous as teleportation, it was extremely fast. Carrying her eight spirit rings, she continuously leaped and bombarded the bullets, with excellent results.

From Qian Shui's perspective, the former Serpent Spear Douluo was definitely beaten badly, and even Sword Douluo Chen Xin would have suffered a setback.

More importantly, Huan Hongchen's bullets were all coated with the deadly poison from her martial soul, the Zhu Qing Ice Toad. Not only were they highly potent, but even a minor graze from being hit by them was fatal.

However, after being passively attacked for a while, Qian Shui changed his tactics once he understood the situation. He wanted to try his moves too, so he used the "First Soul Skill of the Million-Year Deep Sea Demon Whale King's Torso Bone: Demon Whale's Wrath!"

A beam of purple energy, several meters long, shot out from in front of Qian Shui, instantly clearing away Huan Hongchen's ice refraction, and hurtling towards the depths of the universe after grazing her head.

Still shaken, Huan Hongchen's voice trembled, "You're going to kill me!"

"Uh..." Qian Shui was just testing the waters. He had used it before, but he really didn't know how powerful it was.

"Your combat ability is too weak. You don't practice regularly, do you?" Qian Shui tried to change the subject.

Judging from the various connections in the illusory world, it is quite loose, which is why Qian Shui also asked this question.

"When do I have time to fight? Don't you need me to help with the establishment of your industrial system?" Huan Hongchen rolled her eyes and was naturally annoyed.

She didn't dwell on whether Qian Shui was going to kill her or not, since if things got serious, she would be instantly killed by Qian Shui.

Qian Shui, who was itching to do it, didn't want to dwell on the matter. What if he was arrested and used for research? Should he do it or not? So he asked, "Are we still going to fight?"

Huan Hongchen, however, wore a pitiful expression, pleading for comfort, "I won't fight anymore, I'm scared!"

"how old are you?"

Despite her good looks and figure, Huan Hongchen is actually more than twenty years older than Qian Shui.

According to the timeline of Douluo Continent, Qian Shui was already thirty years old that year, and Huan Hongchen was already fifty.

But is it appropriate to ask a woman's age?

"Tch! I really don't know how you managed to get a wife!" Huan Hongchen retorted stubbornly. "We girls are forever eighteen!"

The straight man replied directly, "Yes, yes, yes! I'm leaving now, my son is waiting for me to come home for dinner."

Huan Hongchen grabbed Qian Shui's arm, "No! Boss, do you remember what you promised me back then?"

Qian Shui's heart skipped a beat. She really couldn't remember promising Huan Hongchen anything. "What?"

Qian Shui was terrified by Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu. If Huan Hongchen were to do something to him, he might not be able to handle it.

After all, a younger sister who knows nothing but is experienced in seducing a man whose wife is not around is challenging his weakness!

"Boss, you promised back then that if I went back to Douluo Continent with you, you would provide me with lifelong soul rings and soul bones, and even guide my cultivation! Have you forgotten?"

"Oh! I thought it was something else..." Qian Shui's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down. Then, she patted her chest loudly, as if to say, "Tell me! What kind do you want? I'll get it for you!"

Seeing that Qian Shui had agreed, Huan Hongchen, his face flushed, rubbed his hands, which were covered in metal gloves, together, making a ripping sound. "I'm only level 86, I don't need a soul ring yet, but I have something else to trouble you with!"

Huan Hongchen, who used honorifics, was filled with a fawning expression. After all, one can't hit a smiling face, and she always had to flatter Qian Shui to achieve her goal.

"Go ahead and say it! Your boss is still quite relaxed right now!" Qian Shui said, putting his hands behind his back and looking like a wise man.

"Isn't your martial soul the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda? I've heard that this martial soul has the ability to appraise treasures."

“Yes.” Although she had never used this ability, Qian Shui still knew about it and affirmed it.

Having received confirmation, Huan Hongchen added, "Rongrong, aren't you back in Tiandou City? Sect Leader Ning and the others are also busy with their own affairs. Isn't it just a coincidence that you ran into them?"

"You want me to appraise your treasures?" The question was so direct, Qian Shui naturally understood. "Sure, no problem!"

Driven by an insatiable curiosity to pick up and examine anything he came across, Qian Shui also wanted to test his appraisal skills, which he had never used before.

"Perfect! Now we're sure to dominate the battlefield!" Huan Hongchen was extremely excited upon receiving the reply.

As the big boss, Qian Shui, who had been flattered, was completely unaware that something was wrong until he stood in Gengxin City, speechless as he looked at Huan Hongchen, who was taking a deep breath.

"Ah! This metallic scent! It's so captivating!"

Chapter 324 Once you cross-dress, you'll do it countless times.

Gengxin City is located within the former Star Luo Empire. Normally, even if a Soul Master travels at full speed from Heaven Dou City, it would take them nearly a month to reach Gengxin City.

In Qian Shui's memory, Gengxin City was one of the main cities of the former Xingluo Empire, but it was by no means a famous city. The city itself was only in the middle to lower ranks within the main city territory.

The only memory left for him was of this metal city, which appeared in the original story, and the other thing was that the front line was not far away.

As for why Huan Hongchen came here, you'll find out when you get to Qianshui. Soul Masters simply can't refuse a place like this.

Although forging and soul masters are not closely related in this era, Qian Shui tried combining object manipulation and forging and somehow managed to connect them.

It was during that time that Qian Shui learned what Huan Hongchen was really like: a tech geek who was also incredibly extravagant with money.

Looking at Huan Hongchen, who was taking deep breaths and had a look of pure joy on his face, Qian Shui said disdainfully, "Tell me, how much did you spend on gambling on stones?"

"Nonsense! Tens of thousands of beggars?" Huan Hongchen's eyes widened, and his pale purple pupils suddenly bulged out from his excited but sleepy eyes.

If it weren't for those heavy dark circles under her eyes, she would really give off the impression of a haughty and sophisticated older sister.

"You're something else! I'll have Rongrong check your accounts when we get back, and then we'll see what you have to say!" Qian Shui threatened, glancing sideways. He didn't believe it was only a few hundred thousand.

He's a high-ranking official of the country, after all. Even the God of Wealth can't stand this kind of behavior and spending of money like this.

Upon hearing about the audit, Huan Hongchen immediately changed to a pleading expression, grabbing Qian Shui's arm, "No!"

Pushing aside the illusion of worldly affairs, Qian Shui speechlessly retorted, "How much did you actually spend?! Looking at you like this, investigating you would be less satisfying than just giving you a quick death..."

"Haha..." Huan Hongchen laughed awkwardly.

Qian Shui then realized that she had come to settle accounts with him!

So he guessed a bit higher, "Tell me the truth, is it ten times?"

She is still laughing.

"A hundred times?!" Qian Shui gasped.

Scratching his nose, Huan Hongchen didn't dare look at Qian Shui, "Almost...almost...just a little bit..."

"Illusory World! You call this a little bit?!"

Qian Shui's scalp tingled, and he yelled at her, but then he thought again and realized something was wrong. He then asked incredulously, "You don't mean 'a little bit' is actually over a hundred million, do you?!"

Having been yelled at, Huan Hongchen shrank back, his hands hanging limply, and nodded resignedly.

"You think you're so great! You know how to spend money! Do you know what Xiaoxue will do if she finds out?"

To put it simply, it was Huan Hongchen's affair; it was a major case of embezzlement of public funds.

To put it simply, Qian Shui found a woman outside and squandered the family's money! Even keeping ten mistresses wouldn't cost that much, right?

"You're not trying to commit suicide, you're trying to kill me!"

Huan Hongchen quickly began to soothe Qian Shui, "Don't say that. Casting a net can still yield good results. I got my armor right here!"

After looking Huan Hongchen up and down again, Qian Shui seemed to be seeing her in a new light. "So this whole thing cost you hundreds of millions?!"

"Alright, alright! Boss, I know I was wrong, but isn't my strength improvement the same as yours?" With that, Huan Hongchen pushed Qian Shui toward the interior of Gengxin City.

There's no way around it; the money's already spent and can't be recovered. Chopping up Huan Hongchen would be a complete loss, so let's just consider it an investment in industrialization.

As she walked and observed the city, which exuded the feeling of industrial wasteland, Qian Shui also extended her senses.

Gambling on stones is child's play for Qian Shui; he can get a general idea with just a mental scan.

But Huan Hongchen found it strange; how could she spend so much money? "Is your spiritual power cultivation not high enough?"

Having passed through the Sun and Moon Continent, Qian Shui had a general idea of ​​what was going on. Soul Masters were generally like this, focusing too much on Soul Tools and neglecting their own cultivation.

Huan Hongchen and her apprentice Ji Jiaojiao are both like this. They both seem to have good talent, but without their soul tools, their strength becomes particularly weak.

Qian Shui even doubted whether Huan Hongchen, who was also an eighth-ring cultivator, could defeat Ning Rongrong without using a soul tool.

Someone could completely disorient Huan Hongchen with just one move of the Eight Gates Transfer; the only thing that was somewhat useful was the poison from his martial soul.