Douluo: Trinity, I run through the timeline.

Chapter 42 I Understand (Please Read On!!!)
Arm the soul with external objects, and then allow the soul to undergo an evolution that cannot occur through the normal soul beast path!
"Is it really possible?"

Zhu Jiuyang took a deep breath, also feeling a bit skeptical about the idea.

"Teacher, when you resolutely chose the blacksmithing profession, wasn't it because you believed that metal could undergo a qualitative change through repeated hammering and forging?" Su Ming asked.

Zhu Jiuyang fell silent.

indeed.

Ordinary iron can be transformed into divine iron.

This was the idea of ​​that young master craftsman more than a decade ago, which shocked the blacksmiths' association when it was first proposed.

The high-ranking blacksmiths within the association all share similar beliefs.

In the past, Zhu Jiuyang also thought that the transformation of ordinary iron into divine iron was a pipe dream. Only special metals that were originally divine iron could be imbued with spirituality by blacksmiths.

But now, he doesn't think it's impossible.

Su Ming's spirit forging system, created using his soul, directly solved the material problem. Metals capable of being forged with spiritual energy were no longer limited to a few exceptionally rare divine irons, but rather to most high-grade metals—what Su Ming defined as rare metals.

Are rare metals rare? Yes, they are rare, but not in the exaggerated sense that there are only a few pieces across the entire continent. On the contrary, they exist in clearly defined categories and can be mined in large quantities. The so-called rarity refers to their unique characteristics, which can be awakened through the process of refining and imbuing them with unique properties.

Previously, with limited materials, the "Thousand Refinements with Spirit" technique was the limit. But now that the material problem has been solved, is the "Thousand Refinements with Spirit" technique truly the limit?
Zhu Jiuyang took a deep breath, and the image of the thousand-refined metal forged by Su Ming flashed through his mind, its tender spirituality seemingly leaping right before his eyes.

He had his answer—a thousand refinements was definitely not the limit!

"I understand."

Zhu Jiuyang understood, and Xiao Jin shouted with a hint of doubt.

"Roar."

He was asking Su Ming what other soul skills he could bestow upon him.

“Basic soul skills are best, such as soul skills that control the metal element. If you can materialize this soul skill and give it to me, then this soul skill will be the most important soul skill for me,” Su Ming said.

"Roar!" (This is a talent, something I can't give you!)

"Then develop your talent. Once you've successfully developed it, the ability you control will also be considered a soul skill."

"Roar"

Xiao Jin felt the pressure.

“Strictly speaking, my first soul skill also mutated because of you, and now it’s Dark Gold Power. You can start with my first soul skill and see if you can also give my first soul ring to you. With this experience, you will be able to give me my third soul ring more freely,” Su Ming said.

"Roar." (Soul Master, you're making things difficult for me.)
"Go for it, Xiao Jin! I've prepared all three spirit ring slots for you, don't let me down." Su Ming patted Xiao Jin on the shoulder.

At this moment, Xiao Jin felt as if he were carrying a huge mountain on his shoulders, an immense weight.

He nodded solemnly.

"Roar!" (I tried my best!)

"Don't worry, I'll help you too."

After making arrangements for Xiao Jin and giving him a pep talk, Su Ming sent him back to his spiritual sea to begin his cultivation.

For at least the next six months, Xiao Jin would cultivate 24/7.

Are soul beasts slow to cultivate?
Sleeping all day and relying on one's past achievements will naturally lead to slow progress. How could someone as hardworking as Xiao Jin not make progress?

Moreover, Su Ming knew that the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear had an advancement path, and that its Behemoth bloodline could be tapped in the future. The Behemoth race originally fed on dragons, and the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was a soul beast born from the perfect combination of Behemoth bloodline and the ultimate metal attribute. The Dark Gold Terrorclaw is even more extraordinary, a perfect combination of strength and metal attribute. It is this innate ability of the Dark Gold Terrorclaw that makes the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear no less powerful than a pure-blooded Behemoth. However, tapping into the Behemoth bloodline would definitely be an enhancement for the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, allowing it to continue evolving.

The most important talent of the Behemoth race is devouring. This is also the aspect that Su Ming plans to focus on improving in Xiao Jin. In the future, he will try to forge a thousand-forged work with similar characteristics to add to Xiao Jin's soul armor and stimulate his Behemoth bloodline.

"Teacher, you should also work hard."

Su Ming looked at Zhu Jiuyang, who was still deep in thought, and said in an encouraging tone.

Zhu Jiuyang sensed something was wrong.

However, he couldn't immediately pinpoint what was wrong.

“Teacher, a blacksmith is still a blacksmith, but a soul can free us from the title of blacksmith. We are forge masters.” Su Ming said earnestly, “I am under a lot of pressure right now and I need your help, teacher.”

Zhu Jiuyang also felt the pressure.

"I will find the soul as soon as possible."

After encouraging each other, we must work even harder.

Su Ming returned directly to Gengxin City and went into seclusion to cultivate diligently. At the same time, he focused on forging every day, gambling on the devouring type of characteristics. He also began to stop focusing on metals like sunken silver and, based on some knowledge from later generations, selected rare metals that were most likely to have devouring type characteristics, and kept trying.

Zhu Jiuyang personally ventured into all the major soul beast habitats, except for the Star Dou Great Forest, frantically searching for suitable soul spirits.

Under Su Ming's constant pressure and encouragement, Xiao Jin first tried to master the power of dark gold, then cooperated with Su Ming in continuous forging, and tried to explore his own devouring ability. Every time he absorbed the spirituality of metal, he would simulate the devouring scenario.

Four months have passed in the blink of an eye.

Xiaoming Forging Shop.

Ning Yuan stepped into the forging shop with his left foot and then heard the boy's sigh inside.

"He's ten years old and still hasn't become a Soul Master."

Ning Yuan's lips twitched slightly.

this.
"It's Uncle Ning, placing another order?"

Su Ming stretched and walked towards the door to greet today's distinguished guest.

When Xiaoming Blacksmith Shop first opened, Ning Yuan was his first and largest customer. He continues to place large orders with him to this day, and it can be said that 98% of his forging income comes from Ning Yuan.

“Hehe, although I come from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, I don’t have that many forging orders. Our sect has its own blacksmiths.” Ning Yuan said speechlessly, “If it weren’t for the fact that the quality of your finished products is really good, even if I were the steward in charge of the sect’s procurement, I would have no reason to keep placing orders with you.”

"If you don't have any orders, then what are you doing here?" Su Ming asked in surprise.

“Add more money,” Ning Yuan said. “The ten sets of armor you recently crafted are all top-quality. The sect leader specifically instructed me to make up the difference for you.”

"Uncle, please come inside."

Su Ming brought Ning Yuan a stool.

Ning Yuan waved his hand and said, "I won't stay long."

As he spoke, he took out a gold card and handed it to Su Ming.

"This gold card contains one million gold soul coins."

"Seize the young master?"

"One million gold soul coins. The sect leader said that the metal used to forge those ten sets of armor is very special. Soul masters can integrate their soul power into it very smoothly and even enhance themselves at will. He is temporarily calculating the price at 100,000 gold soul coins per set. This one million is your reward. You don't need to return the few thousand gold soul coins you had before."

　It seems a bit too drawn out; we haven't even gotten to the main storyline yet. There are just too many developmental milestones before age twelve. I'll try to get to the main storyline tomorrow and start connecting with the original characters.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)