Chapter 4 Jiang Nannan's Thoughts.
Deng Mu recalled what was needed to make gunpowder: sulfur, saltpeter, charcoal, and sugar.
These weren't difficult to obtain; aside from the price of sugar, the other ingredients weren't very expensive.
The only thing he wasn't sure about was the exact proportions; he'd have to experiment to find the right balance.
He had some money on him, given to him by Jiang Nannan.
"Sister, I'm going out for a bit and will be back soon."
"Okay, come back soon."
Jiang Nannan, who was reading a book, nodded in understanding.
The book Jiang Nannan was reading was called Journey to the West, written by Deng Mu out of boredom, which Jiang Nannan had picked up to read.
Originally, he planned to sell it, but Deng Mu thought they couldn't hold onto the money, so he told Jiang Nannan to keep it to herself and not sell it, otherwise, things would get really bad.
Deng Mu had observed many industries and found that there were many opportunities to make money, but he would have to wait until he grew up to pursue them.
His mother, Yan Yuhua, was an ordinary person, while his older sister, Jiang Nannan, was just a little girl. Although she had already become a Soul Master, it was impossible for her to deal with those hidden enemies.
Once outside, Deng Mu purchased what he needed and went to the secret base outside the city to make gunpowder.
"Phew, my luck wasn't bad," Deng Mu said, wiping the sweat from his brow after a long while, looking at the gunpowder he had created.
While making the gunpowder, he was genuinely worried it would suddenly explode. Although he wasn't worried about dying, the possibility of his clothes being destroyed was a concern.
Also, he was short of money; if the materials were wasted, he would have to fight a thousand-year-old soul beast one-on-one.
He poured the gunpowder into a pipe, and the job was done.
After placing the bomb in the box and hiding it in a tree hollow, Deng Mu left the secret base satisfied.
He planned to head to the nearby Soul Hunting Forest the next morning after breakfast to hunt a thousand-year-old soul beast.
Fortunately, the Soul Hunting Forest wasn't far; it would only take him a few hours to reach it.
Back home, Deng Mu saw Jiang Nannan cleaning the house while his mother cooked in the kitchen.
"Little brother, come help!"
"Coming, coming!"
Jiang Nannan urged Deng Mu to help.
Hearing this, Deng Mu quickly came over to help.
Half an hour later, Deng Mu and Jiang Nannan had finished cleaning the house.
Jiang Nannan sat in a chair and looked at Deng Mu, saying, "Little brother, have you decided which soul beast you'll get your first soul ring from?"
She planned to ask their teacher for help in obtaining her brother's first soul ring.
Once her brother had his first soul ring, they wouldn't need to trouble others to hunt soul beasts anymore; they could hunt soul beasts together.
Once they reach level 20, the siblings can team up to hunt spirit beasts.
Hunting alone, while somewhat dangerous, is manageable against weaker hundred-year-old spirit beasts. With a particularly powerful spirit, even strong hundred-year-old spirit beasts are a breeze.
After obtaining her second spirit soul, she'll help her brother acquire his second spirit ring once he reaches level 20.
With their talents, joining Shrek Academy shouldn't be difficult. After graduating, she'll marry her brother and then provide a better life for their mother.
Thinking about winning over her younger brother in the future, Jiang Nannan felt a surge of joy.
Her brother could only be hers; no other bad woman could touch him.
She knew, of course, that her brother wasn't her biological brother, and she planned to wait until he grew up before considering a relationship with him.
Deng Mu pretended to think for a moment before answering Jiang Nannan's question: "I plan to choose a powerful spirit beast and take the support route."
Jiang Nannan was puzzled: "Brother, why don't you choose the same route as the legendary Tang San?"
Most people on Douluo Continent knew about Tang San's spirit skills and considered them the best combination.
Clearly, there was the best choice, yet her brother chose a route that no Blue Silver Grass spirit master had ever chosen.
Deng Mu thought for a moment and explained: "Because I discovered that my Blue Silver Grass is different from the Blue Silver Grass described in the books; it seems to be more than ordinary Blue Silver Grass, so I chose the support route."
Upon learning that her brother's spirit was mutated, Jiang Nannan nodded in understanding.
That made sense; her brother taking the support route seemed fine. She just wasn't sure if a mutated Blue Silver Grass was powerful or useless for the support route.
Jiang Nannan patted Deng Mu's head and said, "Then in a few days, I'll go find our teacher, and he'll help you hunt for your first spirit ring."
Deng Mu nodded, "Okay, then I'll trouble you, sister."
He thought to himself that he needed to get up early tomorrow morning, have breakfast, and then go to the Soul Hunting Forest to obtain his first spirit ring. The Soul Hunting Forest at this time was somewhat different from the one in Dou Yi.
In Dou Yi, the Soul Hunting Forest was controlled by the state, and permission was required to enter and hunt. However, in Dou Er, most of the Soul Hunting Forest was unregulated, and people could enter and leave as they pleased.
"What are you two talking about, so happily?"
Just then, Yan Yuhua came over with a plate of fragrant pork ribs, smiling as she asked Jiang Nannan and Deng Mu.
Seeing her mother come out of the kitchen, Jiang Nannan quickly got off the chair, took the pork ribs from her mother, and placed them on the table.
Deng Mu looked at Yan Yuhua, scratched his head, and said, "Mom, I'll talk to my sister about the spirit rings again."
Hearing about spirit rings, Yan Yuhua sighed. The family didn't have much money and couldn't afford to hire someone to hunt for them. Hiring someone to hunt spirit beasts cost at least dozens of gold spirit coins.
Dozens of gold spirit coins would only get you a random beast; if you were lucky, it would be a hundred-year-old one, if you were unlucky, it would be a ten-year-old one.
If you wanted to specify a particular type of spirit beast, you'd need even more money to hunt that specific beast.
Jiang Nannan came to Yan Yuhua's side and said, "Mom, don't worry, I'll go to the teacher in a while and ask him for help."
Yan Yuhua sighed and said, "Nannan, when you go, buy some gifts to give to the teacher."
They already owed the teacher a favor, and now they were asking for help, so they could only give gifts. They could repay the favor later.
But for now, this was the only way; they were poor, and only with money could they make their own choices.
Jiang Nannan nodded at Yan Yuhua's words, "Yes, of course I know."
As for what to buy, she already had a plan in mind.
Deng Mu then went to the kitchen and brought all the dishes Yan Yuhua had prepared to the table.
"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Let's celebrate Xiao Mu awakening his innate full soul power."
(End of Chapter)