Lou Gao's thick eyebrows shot upward, and his molten-gold eyes instantly filled with astonishment.
Setting down his wine cup, he leaned forward slightly, his voice full of confusion.
"What are you up to, brat? How strong are you now? With that big fool Tyranitar fighting alongside you, from what you've told us, even an ordinary Soul Douluo might not be able to defeat you! Isn't the entire Gengxin City enough for you to show your abilities? Why would you still go out to gain experience?"
Silong, Sidi, Sikai, and Siyu all wore equally surprised expressions. Silong asked in puzzlement,
"Junior Brother, the Association is developing perfectly right now, and our relationships with every major power are in a delicate state of balance. If you leave."
Though he did not finish his sentence, the concern in his voice was unmistakable.
However, Sidi's eyes flickered as he looked at Lin Xia's calm expression, then at Zhu Zhuqing, who sat beside him as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Thinking back to what Siyu had just said, a realization suddenly struck him.
"Oh! I get it!"
He turned toward Sikai and Siyu.
"Senior Brother, Little Sister, think about it. Has Junior Brother had a single real break all these years?"
Sikai was stunned for a moment before understanding dawned on him. A warm smile spread across his honest face.
"That's right! Junior Brother wants to take Miss Zhuqing out to travel, relax, and clear his mind?"
Siyu's eyes immediately lit up as he clapped happily.
"That's wonderful! That's exactly what you should do! Staring at blueprints and metal all day long would make anyone rusty! Xia Xia, Zhuqing, it's about time you went out and enjoyed yourselves! The Star Luo Empire, the Heaven Dou Empire, all those famous scenic spots, delicious food and fine wi... uh..."
When he reached the word "wine," he instinctively glanced guiltily toward the corner, where Tyranitar was sleeping soundly. He immediately corrected herself.
"Beautiful scenery! Right, right! Go enjoy the scenery!"
His hasty correction drew laughter from everyone.
Watching his disciples chat back and forth, especially seeing the absolute certainty on Sidi, Sikai, and Siyu's faces that their junior brother was simply going on vacation, Lou Gao finally pieced everything together as well.
So that was it!
This brat wasn't going out for any so-called training at all.
After carrying the burden of the city on his shoulders for so many years, now that his teacher had finally returned to take over, he could at last set down that weight for a while, take the woman he loved with him, enjoy some time alone, and experience the carefree life of an ordinary young couple.
A sense of understanding, along with the satisfaction of an elder, instantly washed away Lou Gao's earlier surprise.
He suddenly slapped the table and burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha! Good! Very good! Xia Xia, you've finally come to your senses!"
His molten-gold eyes were filled with understanding and wholehearted support.
"A real man should roam the world! Young people ought to get out there, travel, and broaden their horizons! Staying cooped up in this giant lump of steel all day long, what kind of life is that? The world outside is enormous! While you're still young, go explore it! Go see everything it has to offer!"
With a grand wave of his hand, he declared boldly,
"Go without a single worry! Your teacher is back! As long as I'm here, the Blacksmith Association's reputation won't fall! Silong and the others aren't freeloaders either! Just take Zhuqing with you, have fun, enjoy yourselves, and make up for all the carefree years you've sacrificed!"
His tone was teasing, but the support and approval in his eyes were completely sincere.
"Stay out as long as you like! There's no need to rush back!"
Lin Xia looked at Lou Gao's expression that clearly said, I understand exactly what you mean, then at the warm smiles on his senior brothers' faces that practically said, Go enjoy your romantic trip without worrying about us.
For a moment, he could only smile wryly.
He did indeed need to leave, but his primary objective was far from simply sightseeing.
The Immortal Herbs, his long-term plans, and Tang San, those thoughts continued to circulate through his mind.
However, his teacher's and senior brothers' well-intentioned misunderstanding happened to provide the perfect cover for his journey, sparing him the trouble of explaining everything.
A trace of warmth filled his heart. He had no intention of dispelling the misunderstanding. Instead, he followed Lou Gao's line of thought and replied with gratitude and an easy smile.
"Thank you, Teacher. Thank you, Senior Brothers, for understanding. With Teacher and all of you overseeing the Blacksmith Association, I have absolutely nothing to worry about."
His tone then grew more serious.
"During this time, I'll have to trouble Teacher and all of my senior brothers with the Association's affairs and the day-to-day operations of Gengxin City. Zhuqing and I will remain in regular contact with the Association. If..."
Linxia's gaze swept across everyone before lingering on Lou Gao. His voice became more emphatic.
"...anything urgent happens, or if there's an important matter that requires me personally, you can contact me at any time through the Soul Tool Telephone!"
After he finished speaking, Silong, Sidi, Sikai, and Siyu all nodded naturally. It was obvious that they were already very familiar with the "Soul Tool Telephone."
"Understood, Junior Brother," Silong replied.
"Don't worry. We'll keep a close eye on everything here at the Association," Sidi added.
"If anything happens, we'll notify you immediately," Sikai promised.
"Xia, Zhuqing, just have fun out there!" Siyu said with a cheerful grin.
However, there was one person who did not nod.
It was Lou Gao.
The hearty smile that had just been encouraging his disciple to "go enjoy himself" suddenly froze on his face. His molten-gold eyes widened like bronze bells, filled with utter bewilderment and confusion.
His thick reddish-gold brows knitted tightly together as his mouth hung slightly open, as though he had just heard an incomprehensible incantation.
"'Soul Tool Telephone?'"
Lou Gao repeated the unfamiliar term, his voice cracking with disbelief and the unmistakable feeling that life no longer made sense.
"What in the world is that?!"
He shot to his feet. His imposing figure cast a massive shadow beneath the lights as his blazing eyes swept over the calm expressions of Silong and the others before locking firmly onto Linxia. His tone became hurried and chaotic, carrying the panic of a man who had once again been left behind by the times.
"I've only just figured out Soul Tool lamps, Soul Tool cars, and those Soul Tool puppets running all over the streets and now you're telling me there's something called a 'Soul Tool Telephone'?! Telephone? What kind of thing is that? What does it even look like? Can you eat it, or is it something you use? Or is it another brand-new Soul Tool?"
"How does it contact you? Do you just yell Soul Power into it? Can it hear you from hundreds of thousands of li away? Don't tell me five years of secluded cultivation made you stupid! Or are you messing with me again?!"
Lou Gao fired off one question after another. Combined with the utterly exasperated expression of someone who had just thought he'd finally caught up with the times, only to fall into yet another pit, the warm farewell atmosphere in the living room instantly gave way to a scene that was impossible not to laugh at.
"Pfft!"
Siyu was the first to lose control, covering his mouth as he burst into laughter.
Sidi and Sikai struggled to suppress their own laughter, their shoulders trembling.
Even the usually composed Silong couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth upward.
A faint smile also flashed across Zhu Zhuqing's normally cool and composed face.
Looking at his teacher's expression, as though he had just seen something utterly unbelievable, Lin xia felt both helpless and amused.
He should have expected this.
For a teacher who had spent five years in secluded cultivation and had only just begun recovering from the overwhelming shock of Gengxin City's futuristic transformation and the Blacksmith Association's revolutionary headquarters, a world-changing invention like the Soul Tool Telephone was undoubtedly yet another earth-shattering revelation.
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