Douluo: AFK to Become a God

"One hundred gold soul coins per pound?"

Chu Chengzhou raised an eyebrow.

Both rare metals, the "Iron Essence" known as Xuan Tie, cost only ten gold soul coins per pound, but the price of Sunken Silver is ten times that of Xuan Tie.

Moreover, Sunken Silver has a very high density, several times that of gold and around ten times that of regular iron. A pound of ordinary iron material is roughly the size of a 4cm cubic block, but if it were sunken silver... well, it would be about the size of a small finger.

"Give me 800 pounds! Also, get me a few beast tendons from ten-thousand-year soul beasts, over one and a half meters long."

After calculating in his mind, Chu Chengzhou planned to buy 800 pounds of sunken silver ingots.

With an impurity rate of 10%, after refining, the 800 pounds of sunken silver would result in 720 pounds of pure metal.

Six hundred pounds would be used to forge two sunken silver hammers, each weighing 300 pounds, perfect for his "Great Force, Miraculous Impact" forging technique. The remaining material would be used to craft a sunken silver bow.

Sunken silver costs 100 gold soul coins per pound, so 800 pounds would cost 80,000 gold soul coins.

That's the living expenses for 80 average families for several months, yet it could only buy enough material to forge one bow and two hammers—this shows just how expensive sunken silver is.

Of course, Chu Chengzhou also knew that sunken silver was actually quite cheap in this era.

In the later era when soul-guided technology flourished, the price of rare metals like sunken silver would undoubtedly be much higher.

As for the ten-thousand-year soul beast tendons, they would be used to make the bowstring for the sunken silver bow. These tendons are not only durable but also highly elastic and fairly easy to obtain, especially since Soto City is not too far from the Star Dou Forest, where many valuable soul beast materials can be found.

...

After leaving the Seven Treasure Chamber of Commerce, Chu Chengzhou visited the largest blacksmith shop in the city and a well-known construction business.

Two hours later, he returned to Shrek Academy with several craftsmen.

"How long will it take to complete the house according to the plans I selected?"

After surveying the site with the craftsmen, Chu Chengzhou asked.

"Master Chu, building a wooden house is not difficult. With the two-story wooden structure you requested, it should be completed in about a month, including the decoration," said the lead middle-aged craftsman.

"Alright, starting tomorrow, I'll set a 30-day deadline. For every day you finish early, I'll add ten gold soul coins to the contract price."

After thinking for a moment, Chu Chengzhou added a sweetener, along with a warning.

"Master Chu, don't worry! Our Integrity Construction Business is the most reputable in Soto City, and we never cut corners!" the middle-aged craftsman said with a smile, immediately assuring him.

With the house construction in good hands, Chu Chengzhou didn't need to worry. He had already paid the deposit, and if the work wasn't up to standard, he wouldn't pay the final balance. He was confident that the Integrity Construction Business wouldn't dare to deceive a soul master like him.

Afterward, Chu Chengzhou set up a simple rain shelter near the dormitory and took out some large items from his storage necklace.

When he visited the blacksmith shop earlier, he had bought a set of second-hand small forging tools. Now that the sunken silver had arrived, it was time to forge his new hammers and strong bow.

However, forging two hammers and a bow wasn't a simple task.

It wasn't that his craftsmanship was lacking, but rather the forging equipment was too primitive, or rather, lacked technological advancement.

The biggest issue was how to quickly heat the sunken silver, which has an extremely high melting point, to the appropriate temperature for forging.

Suddenly, Chu Chengzhou thought of something important.

Ma Hongjun was a fire attribute soul master, and his Phoenix Fire... no, the Phoenix Flame might be hot enough?

...

"Fatty, I need your help!" Chu Chengzhou said with a smile.

"...What is it, Boss Chu? If I can help, I'll definitely do it!" Ma Hongjun, somewhat reluctant, responded with a nervous gulp. He immediately patted his chest to assure Chu Chengzhou.

Ma Hongjun didn't know what Chu Chengzhou wanted him for, but he guessed it probably wasn't anything good. He was very unwilling.

However, when he thought of Chu Chengzhou's fists and the still-present swelling on his face, he had no choice but to comply. After all, what if Chu Chengzhou was looking for trouble?

"Good! Don't worry, Fatty. I'm a very friendly person and won't bully my classmates," Chu Chengzhou said, patting Ma Hongjun on the shoulder to comfort him.

Ma Hongjun didn't believe a word of it. "Not bullying" meant "bullying" in Chu Chengzhou's language, right?

Soon, they arrived at the blacksmith shelter.

"Boss Chu, you're going to forge iron?" Ma Hongjun asked, looking at the small forge and the fire stove with a puzzled expression.

There are three great hardships in life: rowing a boat, forging iron, and grinding tofu. Why would a soul master like Chu Chengzhou want to become a blacksmith?

"That's right. Maybe you didn't know, but I'm actually the best blacksmith in the world!" Chu Chengzhou puffed out his chest with pride.

Ma Hongjun rolled his eyes. The best blacksmith? Self-proclaimed? And what use is that? Wasn't it just smelly iron forging?

Suddenly, Ma Hongjun froze. Since Chu Chengzhou wanted to forge iron, why did he call him over? He didn't know how to swing a hammer. Could it be that...?

"Looks like you guessed it? Good eye! Fatty, help me stoke the fire!" Chu Chengzhou took out eight 100-pound sunken silver ingots from his storage necklace and placed them into the furnace, pointing at them.

Ma Hongjun's face immediately turned awkward. He, a soul master, was being asked to do the job of stoking the fire?

Well, since it was Chu Chengzhou's request, and the ingots would melt easily enough, he agreed.

"Phoenix, manifest! First soul skill, Phoenix Fire Line!"

With a shout, Ma Hongjun activated his Phoenix Fire, and his first soul ring shone brightly. A fiery line shot out of his mouth and into the furnace.

A few seconds later, the Phoenix Fire Line dissipated. Chu Chengzhou leaned over to look into the furnace. The sunken silver ingots, which were glowing faintly with a silver hue, had turned slightly red, but they were far from reaching the temperature required for forging.

"Fatty, your fire isn't hot enough. Step it up! You need to at least get them red-hot!" Chu Chengzhou frowned and said.

It seemed that while Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Fire was strong, his stamina was lacking!