Chapter 0-25

Chapter 0.

A man in a dark robe stood in a deep lush forest under a canopy of trees. This was the Star Dou Forest of the Douluo continent. He stood at the shore of the Lake of Life, located in the core area of the forest. The lake of life was crystal clear, but the water line was far below the shore. It looked like it would dry up at any moment. Its surface rippled as the man said to himself, with a gloomy expression, that the water was lessening. He wondered whether the lake could feel that the end of days was approaching.

His appearance was that of a handsome middle-aged man with strands of golden hair on his face. A woman in a jade-colored gown approached him and, with a respectful tone, addressed the man as Beast God. When he heard this, the Beast God's body trembled; he clenched his teeth in agony as he replied, Beast God? Everyone gathered before him was all that was left of the spirit beasts.

His voice rose as he asked how he could be anyone's god. As he said that, his aura exploded, unleashing three red spirit rings. The force from his powerful aura shook the surroundings. Everyone gathered remained silent, even the woman, who stood behind the Beast God. She then said that it had been ten thousand years since a human named Huo Yu Hao established the Soul Pagoda, but as for the spirit beasts, they were already nearing extinction.

With golden light blazing in his eyes, the Beast God bitterly said that humanity had already grown too powerful for the spirit beasts and that the Star Dou Forest was the only haven left for their kind. If the current state of things continued, the spirit beasts would only be able to walk the path of extinction. The woman agreed silently.

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble, and bubbles rose from the lake. The tremors became more intense as the woman in the jade robe loudly asked what was happening and if the humans had started their attack. The rest of the spirit beasts gathered around the lake became anxious. A man named Xiong Jun shouted that they should fight to the death and suddenly transformed into a giant bear.

The Beast God sensed a familiar aura and called Xiong Jun to calm down because the humans were not attacking. Finished, finished, finally finished! A loud voice was heard as the giant silver claw and a pair of draconic wings broke through the ground. The area was also filled with bright silver light, and an oppressive power was felt by all beasts and made them kneel with reverence. The Beast God also knelt respectfully, greeting the silver dragon.

The silver dragon roared and said that because he had awakened, the day of destruction had come for the despicable humans trying to exterminate them. The Beast God reported that the humans had become too strong and even he was no match for the humans' spirit mechs. He said that the science and technology of humans managed to suppress all the spirit beasts.

The silver dragon replied that they first had to understand humans in order to destroy them. He then commanded all the spirit beasts to follow him and said that because their world was about to be destroyed, they would conquer the world of humans. The silver dragon spoke those words as he turned to exit the forest. With each step, his size shrunk until he took a human form.

Chapter 1.

Everyone living in the Douluo Continent possessed something called a spirit essence. Spirit essences were a part of the body and took the form of either animals, plants, or even tools. If someone's spirit essence were a hoe, their farming abilities would exceed those of others. If one's spirit essence were an animal, then one might possess some of the abilities of that animal. Due to this, spirit essence became the most crucial factor in everyone's life.

However, there was something else that was more important. Possession of spirit power. This type of energy could nourish and upgrade the spirit essence. Everyone had spirit essence, but only one in a thousand possessed spirit power. Having spirit power was equal to becoming strong. A spirit essence that possessed spirit power could be cultivated and upgraded.

In the 100,000-year history of the Douluo Continent, the most respected profession was that of a Spirit-master. Because of this, everyone wished for their children to awaken their spirit essence at the age of six in hopes that they would manifest spirit power. If a child possessed spirit power, their family's lives were transformed, and they would benefit from it.

Glory Bound City was a small town on the border between the ocean and the eastern coast of the Sun-Moon Federation. The day was hectic because it was the annual Awakening Day. The street in front of the Red Mountain Academy was crowded up to the eastern city walls because everyone and their children were there for the Awakening Ceremony.

A young boy with black hair and beautiful eyes arrived with his middle-aged dad. He was excited about the awakening ceremony and asked what spirit essence his dad thought he would awaken and if he would have any spirit power. The boy's name was Tang Wu Lin. His dad, Tang Zi Ran, replied that it all depended on luck. He promised that he would always love his son regardless of the outcome.

Tang Wu Lin's name was called a while later, and his face filled with excitement. He was dazzled when he entered the Awakening Chamber at Red Mountain Academy. The building had seven floors, and he had been brought into the third. He gazed at the strange decorative engravings on the floor, the wall, and the roof. They gave a bizarre feeling that made him restless.

A spirit master was waiting for Tang Wu Lin on the third floor. He seemed whimsical as he asked Tang Wu Lin to relax and stand in the middle of a circle. He suddenly noticed Tang Wu Lin's beautiful eyes and drew close to admire them. He then remarked on how perfect it would be if Tang Wu Lin's spirit essence were related to the eyes. He asked if Tang Wu Lin had heard of spirit eyes, which was the spirit essence of the first master of the Spirit Pagoda.

He asked Tang Wu Lin to concentrate and be quiet because they were about to begin. He released his energy, and the circle beneath Tang Wu Lin shone brightly as the light in the room gathered at his feet. The power felt warm as it entered his body, giving him the feeling of being electrocuted. Seeing Tang Wu Lin in pain, the spirit master wondered why such a reaction occurred. He thought Tang Wu Lin's reaction to the awakening process was exaggerated, even for people with weak bodies.

He saw a golden mark appearing on Tang Wu Lin's forehead. From it, a pattern spread throughout his body. Tang Wu Lin's palm emitted a pale blue light, and light blue grass appeared. Finally, his spirit essence was revealed. The spirit master was disappointed to see that it was blue-silver grass. A spirit essence that he considered to be trash. He quickly recovered and congratulated Tang Wu Lin for possessing a spirit power of rank 3. He said that although his spirit essence wasn't strong, Tang Wu Lin was still one in a thousand and could strengthen his spirit essence if he cultivated it.

Tang Wu Lin was sad. He knew that blue-silver grass was a trash spirit essence and, more so, the worst trash. The spirit master encouraged him by saying that the founding ancestor of the Tang Sect, the legendary Tang San, had a blue-silver grass spirit essence, climbed to the top with it, and defeated the most powerful enemies 20,000 years ago.

Tang Wu Lin remembered that the legend of the founder of the Tang Sect was well known, so he remarked that the spirit essence of the Tang Sect's founding ancestor was the Blue Silver Emperor. The spirit master was embarrassed to see that the little guy was not easily tricked. He admitted that the Blue Silver Emperor evolved from blue-silver grass and that if Tang Wu Lin wished to become a famous spirit master, he had to do his best.

Chapter 2.

Tang Wu Lin thanked the spirit master and left the Awakening Chamber. His body felt like it had been torn apart. He was disappointed with his blue-silver grass but clenched his fist with determination. No matter what, he would not give up until he became the most renowned spirit master in the Douluo continent.

His dad was waiting for him outside and encouraged him, saying that Tang Wu Lin had done his best and that he had blue-silver grass and spirit power, making him even more unique.

The father and son went back home. Tang Wu Lin skipped the meal and went to bed, still depressed about his martial spirit. His mother, Lang Yue, suggested that they give their son some space to calm down, while his dad sighed and said that it would not be easy for Tang Wu Lin to become a spirit master with his blue silver grass and spirit power of rank 3. He could only imagine the pressure their son was going through.

Tang Wu Lin was born into a family of commoners. His mother was a housewife, and his father was a repairman specializing in soul machines, with an income just enough for his small family. Tang Wu Lin had a good relationship with his parents, who often doted on him. Of course, they didn't know that the reason Tang Wu Lin did not eat wasn't just because of disappointment. He was tired and was still in pain from the awakening ceremony.

He fell fast asleep. In the middle of the night, he tossed and turned on the bed, and his skin flushed pink as his body temperature increased astonishingly. His blood pressure rose to three times that of an average person. The golden patterns on his body reappeared and extended from his head to his toes. They circulated thrice and disappeared.

His body emitted a strange faint sound before everything returned to normal. In his dream, Tang Wu Lin stood in a field of blue-silver grass. A colossal object suddenly fell from the sky, and its golden mouth swallowed him. He woke up covered in sweat and realized it was just a dream.

He went for dinner, and his dad noticed that he ate four times his usual amount and was worried that Tang Wu Lin could be stress-eating. Tang Zi Ran said he understood his son's pressure and said he did not have to become a spirit master or attend spirit-master classes. Tang Wu Lin showed his resolve by saying that he knew how ordinary his spirit power was and that there would be many challenges, but that would not be enough to stop him. He would become a spirit master, earn money, and buy good food for his parents. His parents shed tears of joy at their son's thoughtfulness.

On the long-awaited day of enrollment, Tang Wu Lin formally joined the Red Mountain Academy's Spirit-master Class alongside other 6-year-olds to begin their education that would continue for nine years. His dad was too emotional and tried to comfort him one last time. With eyes filled with confidence, Tang Wu Lin told his dad that he would be fine and that there was no need to be worried.

At the entrance of the spirit-master class, the academy's teachers waited to receive them. The spirit-master class students were treated vastly different from those in the regular classes. They learned the everyday class culture and education and were guided in utilizing their spirit power by professional teachers. They eventually became respectable spirit masters. When that happened, they would enter a secondary institution in the future.

His class had fifteen students, a considerable number for Glory Bound City. They would be his classmates and companions in the new life that had begun. A small freckled boy named Wan Yunchao asked what Tang Wu Lin's spirit essence was. Seizing the opportunity, Tang Wu Lin proudly displayed his blue-silver grass, like the Tang Sect's founding ancestor. The small boy laughed and said the blue-silver grass was a trash spirit essence.

Tang Wu Lin could not accept the mockery and asked whether Wan Yunchao's spirit essence was any better. Wan Yunchao revealed that his spirit essence was a knife. He claimed that if he cultivated to the rank of Title Dou Luo, he would be known as the Knife God Dou Luo. The boy then began a crazy rant about how he would chop up Tang Wu Lin like vegetables. As classes started, Tang Wu Lin reflected on the weakness of blue-silver grass and how arduous the journey ahead would be, but as he said, he would not let any of that stop him.

A pretty lady greeted everyone and introduced herself. Her name was Lin Ximeng. She was the new homeroom teacher and would be in charge of the class until graduation. She asked the class to take turns introducing themselves, including their names, spirit essences, and spirit power. It was soon Tang Wu Lin's turn. The other kids could not contain their laughter after his introduction. They laughed at his weak spirit essence and low spirit power. He was embarrassed but remembered that he would not give up.

Once the laughter ended, Lin Ximeng started the lesson and introduced the different classifications of spirit essence and said she would guide the class on how to train and increase their spirit power.

Spirit essences were classified into two types; tool types and beast types. The spirit essences that manifested on the body were beast spirits, and those that manifested separately from the body were tool spirits. By cultivating spirit power, the spirit essence could be upgraded. After the spirit power reached rank 10, then one would be able to become a spirit master.

Spirit masters could similarly be classified into two; battle spirit masters and utility spirit masters. Those that used combat to train their spirit powers were called Combat Masters, and those that used spirit weapons were called weapon masters.

Listening to Lin Ximeng's explanation about spirit power and spirit masters, Tang Wu Lin's resentment slowly disappeared. All the knowledge was like a magnificent new world opening its doors to him. He had unconsciously stretched his hand, and his teacher teased him about wanting to give her a high-five.

Chapter 3.

Tang Wu Lin was born in a peaceful house. He had loving parents who doted on him in every possible way. His parents would neither scold nor hit him even when he made a mistake. But would instead guide him patiently. His first day of school was highly depressing because of his tender upbringing.

Tang Wu Lin had never experienced the feeling he got when his classmates mocked and laughed at him. His classmates called him 'Little Grass Classmate' to ridicule him. Even his teacher barely paid attention to him when she guided the other students. His dad once told him that success was 99% hard work and 1% talent. Since his spirit essence wasn't strong, he had to work harder than anyone else.

In the evening, Tang Wu Lin walked home slowly, and his stomach rumbled with hunger. Lunch at the Red Mountain Academy was free, and he ate a lot too. But he was still hungry. His classmates gave him an annoying nickname. They called him 'grassy rice bucket' because of his great appetite. He walked home and thought about the tasty meals that his mom had made.

Along the way, he saw a little girl at the side of the road. He had never seen her around and wondered whether she was a beggar. She had silver hair and bright, beautiful purple eyes. Tang Wu Lin was mesmerized by her beautiful eyes. A group of delinquents approached her. They asked her about her parents, where she was from, and whether she was hungry.

The little girl was scared, and Tang Wu Lin noticed. One of the delinquents picked up the little girl, and she screamed for help. Tang Wu Lin quickly jumped to the rescue and demanded the girl's release. One delinquent kicked him in the back, but he was brave and stood in their way. The delinquents grew tired of his persistence and threatened him with a knife. But he stood his ground and said he was a spirit master and was unafraid of them.

One of the delinquents realized that if Tang Wu Lin was a Spirit master, he was in the Spirit Pagoda's records. If anything happened to him, the federal government would investigate the matter, and they would be in trouble. The delinquents walked away and cursed their terrible luck. When they were out of sight, Tang Wu Lin comforted the little girl and promised to protect her.

He asked her if she knew where her parents were. But she shook her head, indicating that she didn't know. He then asked for her name. And she took a moment and said that her name was Na'er. Tang Wu Lin thought that because of the girl's lovely appearance and sweet voice, she was probably not from the mainland.

Suddenly, both of their tummies made rumbling sounds. Tang Wu Lin asked her if she was also famished. She was silently embarrassed. Then he suggested she come to his place for dinner because his mom made great food. He took her hand and led her away. When they got home, Tang Wu Lin told his mom about the incident with the little girl and the gang of delinquents. He then asked her to make something nice for them to eat. Lang Yue Saw this as an opportunity to show off her exceptional skills as a chef.

Lang Yue insisted that they first had to clean up before they had anything to eat. In the bath, Tang Wu Lin asked his mom why Na'er seemed different from him. Lang Yue explained that it was because Na'er was a girl and he was a boy. His mom initially thought it was okay for them to shower together because they were both 6-year-old kids. Still, after noticing Na'er's shyness, she decided they would bathe separately in the future.

At dinner, Na'er tried the food and thoroughly enjoyed it. Tang Wu Lin soon joined in. Tang Zi Ran came home later that evening and found that the kids were stuffing their faces as his wife made even more food. He, too, joined in, and that night's dinner became the most thrilling they had ever had at the house. Everyone ate until they passed out, unable to have any more.

Chapter 4.

Tang Wu Lin watched his mom leave for the administrative government office with Na'er to learn more about her parents. He watched Na'er reluctantly as she left.

He returned to his room and thought about what he had been taught in class that day. He learned about meditation and decided to try it. Tang Wu Lin achieved the first step of meditation, which was tranquility. Afterward, he felt his blue-silver grass spirit essence and spirit power. With his mind, he forced the two to maintain the connection as he continued to meditate and entered the blue-silver grass world.

He could sense some of the world's Blue Silver grass. Although the spirit beasts were almost on the verge of extinction, the blue-silver grass still covered the earth. It was tenacious and was the most abundant plant on the continent. Tang Wu Lin was faintly aware of tiny existences in the air, which his body absorbed and merged with his spirit power. The fusion gradually increased his spirit power.

After some time, he woke up from meditation, and his body felt calm and relaxed. He felt like his body had been wrapped in countless blades of blue-silver grass. Tang Wu Lin was startled when he opened his eyes and found his dad beside him. He went on to tell his dad about his experience trying out meditation for the first time. Tang Zi Ran was proud of his son's comprehension speed.

He commended Tang Wu Lin's bravery when he defended Na'er from the delinquents. He then told his son to ask for help next time. And to be brave, one did not have to be reckless. Tang Wu Lin was teased for bringing a girl home at a young age. He asked about Na'er, and his dad explained that her parents could not be found despite going to the administrative office to investigate.

Tang Wu Lin asked his dad to let Na'er stay at their house. He said that he would take care of her. He went to the living room and found her seated, looking docile. He was happy to see her and asked whether she would stay at his house. He said that he always wanted to have a little sister.

When his mom told him that Na'er would be going to the orphanage, Tang Wu Lin said that he wanted her to stay even if it meant that he would have to eat less. Lang Yue told her son that he could not force Na'er to stay with them but had to ask her instead. He did just that, and after some persuasion, she agreed to stay. The reality was different, as the kids could not control their hunger. They had three days' worth of food in one meal. The two big eaters scared the parents with their bottomless stomachs.

The house only had two rooms, so they had to share. Na'er went straight to bed. Tang Wu Lin enjoyed the feeling of meditation. It made his body feel refreshed and light, and he couldn't wait to experience it again.

When he was about to begin, his dad asked to speak with him first. Tang Zi Ran admired his son's determination to become a spirit master. But he warned of the hardships. He talked about how spirit masters, in the past, killed spirit beasts to obtain spirit rings. But now, the spirit beasts were all but extinct.

After ten thousand years of research, spirit souls were discovered more superior to spirit rings. High-level spirit souls could grow and could be artificially manufactured. Different ranks of spirit souls could give a spirit master one or more spirit rings. Commoners like Tang Wu Lin's family could only buy spirit souls from the spirit pagoda, but they were expensive.

Tang Zi Ran could only provide for his family, but with the addition of Na'er into the family and how much the kids ate, his meager salary was not enough. Tang Wu Lin was surprised because he did not think this was a problem. He then asked his dad what they should do. Tang Zi Ran reminded him of Uncle Mang Tian, a renowned blacksmith.

He had asked Uncle Mang Tian to take in Tang Wu Lin as an apprentice every day for two hours for three months. Tang Wu Lin would afterwards have the skill to earn some money. Tang Wu Lin immediately accepted to become an apprentice blacksmith and said he had always wanted to work hard for the family.

Tang Zi Ran left his son's room and found his wife waiting for him in the living room. She said their son was still very young and asked why he had to be given such a huge burden. Tang Zi Ran replied that becoming a spirit master was difficult because their son only had the Blue Silver Grass, and forging was a valuable craft to build his son's character. If he could not become a spirit master, he had a fallback plan.

The following day, Tang Wu Lin met his mom after school. She hugged him, making him feel embarrassed in front of his classmates. She had come to take him to meet Uncle Mang Tian. Glory bound city was small, so it took them 20 minutes to walk there. They stood outside a door with a sign, and Lang Yue called out to Uncle Mang Tian, who responded and walked toward the door.

He was a tall, middle-aged man with an intimidating aura and a haughty look in his eyes. His deep voice made Tang Wu Lin nervous. He asked Lang Yue to return after two hours. He then looked at Tang Wu Lin and asked him to enter the shop.

Chapter 5.

Tang Wu Lin followed the man into the workshop. Uncle Mang Tian quickly gave him the basic rules of the workshop. He then asked Tang Wu Lin if he knew anything about forging. Just as he expected, the boy was clueless. He told Tang Wu Lin he wanted to avoid taking him as an apprentice. But since Tang Zi Ran insisted upon it, he decided to try it. However, if Tang Wu Lin failed, he had to leave immediately. He gave Tang Wu Lin the task of hitting a metal plate 500 times on both the left and right sides.

A machine would count the strikes only when the right amount of strength was used. Uncle Mang Tian added that if the boy failed the task, he would not need to return the following day. Tang Wu Lin asked if he should switch between his left and right hands, but his uncle ignored him and walked away.

He decided not to worry and got started. Once the machine counted his first strike, he tried it with his left hand, and the count went up again. He completed the task and went to report. He decided to get his uncle's attention, but the man was occupied. He finally gave up and decided to tap his uncle's shoulder.

Uncle Mang Tian was startled and fell off his chair. He was angry at the boy for tapping him suddenly and asked why he wasn't called instead. Tang Wu Lin awkwardly explained his futile efforts to call his uncle. Mang Tian regained his composure and asked the boy whether he had given up because it had only been half an hour since he received the task.

They walked back to the machine, and Mang Tian was shocked when he saw that the monitor indicated 1000 strikes. Each of the hammers that Tang Wu Lin used weighed 5 kilograms. According to Mang Tian's calculations, even a full-grown man would find it challenging to complete the task. His initial plan had been to use the task as an excuse to send Tang Wu Lin away. He did not expect the boy to complete 1000 strikes.

Mang Tian was still in disbelief and asked Tang Wu Lin to demonstrate his strikes. He was impressed by Tang Wu Lin's fluid strikes that did not use any skills. He noticed that Tang Wu Lin showed great perseverance and determination for his age. As he was deep in thought, he saw one more thing: Tang Wu Lin's strikes were getting faster and more powerful. The boy was a true prodigy.

Lang Yue came back for her son after two hours. Mang Tian said that he had accepted Tang Wu Lin as his apprentice. He asked her to bring him to the workshop every day at the same time. He also gave her a medical cream for Tang Wu Lin's swollen hands.

When they returned home, Tang Wu Lin cheerfully told Na'er that he had passed the forging test and could start learning. He asked her if she could remember her home. But she still had no memory. He comforted her and promised to work hard to become a powerful spirit master and protect her. She smiled for the first time. Because of his injured hands, Tang Wu Lin could not even eat alone. So Na'er offered to feed him. Their parents walked in on them and felt awkward.

Chapter 6.

Tang Wu Lin's parents argued about his apprenticeship in a different room. Lang Yue did not want her son to go back to the workshop. However, Tang Zi Ran convinced her that since their son had received the acknowledgment of Uncle Mang Tian, a master blacksmith, he was unusually gifted.

Later that evening, Tang Wu Lin revealed his spirit essence to Na'er. She asked him if she would also possess a spirit essence in the future. And he replied that everyone had spirit essence and that she would learn about her spirit essence at the awakening ceremony when she was six. When he finished speaking, he fell fast asleep.

Tang Zi Ran wanted to treat his son's bruised hands with the medicine that Uncle Mang Tian had given. He inspected his son's hands and was surprised to find nothing unusual. Lang Yue said that their son's hands had been severely injured. He thought that she was exaggerating. He did not notice the golden light slowly fading from his son's forehead.

At breakfast, Lang Yue asked about the condition of her son's hands. Tang Wu Lin replied that not only had his hands recovered, but he also felt they had grown stronger. Tang Zi Ran wondered if that was an ability of the blue-silver Grass.

Tang Wu Lin said goodbye to his mom and Na'er and left for school with his dad. He was excited because they would be learning about spirit essences that day.

Chapter 7.

Three years had passed, and Red Mountain Academy's novice spirit master class was about to graduate. Wan Yunchao, the self-proclaimed future knife God Dou Luo, asked Tang Wu Lin whether he had received the news that their classmate, Zhao Shaolong, had broken through to rank 10 spirit power.

Tang Wu Lin was at rank 9, and his class already had six students at rank 10. Wan Yunchao was one of the six that had cultivated to rank 10. If the students did not reach rank 10 before graduation, they were sent home without receiving any recommendation letters from the academy. Recommendation letters were proof of one's talent, and if one reached rank 10 after graduation, many more tests were required for admission to the intermediate academy.

Tang Wu Lin was already at the peak of rank 9. His homeroom teacher Lin Ximeng was surprised by his progress despite having blue-silver grass as his spirit essence. He could not be compared with other geniuses, but he was already a miracle-like existence. Lin Ximeng discovered that Tang Wu Lin was talented at meditating, so he progressed quickly.

Na'er did not change much in the three years, but unexpectedly, her spirit essence had not yet awakened. Her condition was rare in the entire continent. Thus, she could only go to a regular school. Tang Wu Lin would wait for her every day at the gates of her school. Her beauty made her female classmates jealous and also intrigued her male classmates.

Tang Wu Lin got into many fights to protect her from bullies. He beat them up, but because he was in the Spirit Master Class, he did not receive much punishment. He instead became famous, and nobody at Red Mountain Academy dared to bully Na'er anymore. Afterward, he went to Mang Tian's workshop, where he worked hard, earned money to buy her food, and saved the rest to buy his first spirit soul.

Tang Wu Lin eventually relieved his family's financial burden with his own hands. That day at the workshop, he caught up with Brother Long, who was Mang Tian's only other apprentice. The three of them ran the blacksmith workshop, which received many orders. The apprentices took the easy orders, but the master handled the complicated ones.

Tang Wu Lin kept his forge clean and organized. He practiced hammering for three months in the early days and mastered the basics. As he grew stronger and more skillful, he began using heavier hammers and worked on simple smelting tasks. After a year, he forged simple components and progressed to more complicated parts.

Mang Tian was stricter on Tang Wu Lin. However, he took good care of the boy because of his personality. In his three years as an apprentice at the workshop, he never complained, no matter how difficult the work became. That was what Mang Tian appreciated most about Tang Wu Lin. The boy was tenacious. Tang Wu Lin had mastered the hundred-refinements technique and needed to master the thousand-refinements technique. For this, he needed to remain tenacious.

In forging, the more metal was refined, the less impure it became. Of course, the metal first needed to be good enough. Tang Wu Lin was already proficient with the metals that needed a hundred refinements. He had received a unique pair of thousand-refined Tungsten hammers from his master that first year. Each of the hammers weighed 80 pounds.

Ordinary people would find it difficult to lift a single hammer, but the boy could swing each of them with little effort. He did not realize just how talented he was. On the day his master gave him the hammers, he was recognized as an official blacksmith. After three years of hardship, his emotions and personality were more mature than others of the same age. He began to like his work. Swinging the hammer every day felt refreshing.

While forging, he sometimes entered a unique state that allowed him to feel the resonance between the metal, the hammer, and himself. Each time he entered this state, the components he forged were excellent. Even his pessimistic master praised him. Tang Wu Lin was excited to return home after the day's work. His master quietly admitted to himself that the boy's talent surpassed his own.

Chapter 8.

Back home, Tang Wu Lin celebrated with his hands in the air because he had saved up to 30,000 Union coins. The money was finally enough to buy a spirit soul. Even his dad was surprised at how much money the 9-year-old had raised. Later, Tang Wu Lin said he was tired and wanted to sleep. His dad said he could no longer share a room with Na'er once he was 10 years old because things would become complicated.

As Na'er slept, several multi-colored light spots intertwined and converged on her body. The lights entered her forehead, and her body glowed. She seemed to grow taller, even though she had not changed much in the last three years.

Tang Wu Lin was outside meditating as he sat on a patch of blue-silver grass. Countless blue light orbs gathered from everywhere and steadily entered his body, nurturing every cell. He felt like he had entered a blue sea, with numerous faint voices around him calling his name. The air was filled with a scent of blue-silver grass, and in his perspective, everything appeared to have a strange blue hue.

He suddenly realized that he had finally broken through to rank 10. He excitedly told his mom about it when she looked for him that evening. He returned to the house and informed his dad about the recent breakthrough. He was in high spirits because things had started to go well for him.

He had finally saved up enough money to buy his first spirit soul and broke through to rank 10, which was the minimum requirement to become a spirit master and fuse with a spirit soul. Na'er was expressionless as she sat near him. He asked her if there was a problem. But she replied she was fine and asked him to take her to the beach.

At the beach, Tang Wu Lin said that the place had once been beautiful and that there was a legend that nature punished humans because they hunted many ocean spirit beasts long ago. Na'er remained silent as they walked, holding hands. When he asked why she was quiet, she separated from him and, with teary eyes, asked if he would miss her if she left one day.

Chapter 9.

He was surprised by the question and asked whether she was leaving. She said that she was only talking about a hypothetical scenario. He replied that he would miss her because she was his only sister. He spoke about the plans he had made for the time he would enter the intermediate academy and wanted to bring her to the same city he would be moving to. He promised to always be by her side, no matter what.

Back home, Tang Wu Lin was nervous about the spirit soul he was about to buy. He asked his dad whether he thought he could fuse with it. His dad teased him for being too nervous because he only had five bowls of noodles.

Tang Zi Ran said that it did not matter what kind of spirit soul his son got because he was different from ordinary people. He had become a Spirit Master, which meant their family life would improve. Tang Wu Lin was nervous as he left with his dad the following day to buy his first spirit soul. Na'er watched him go with a look of longing.

The spirit pagoda had a broad reach. Not only had it spread throughout the continent, but it was also present in the Douluo continent and two others several millennia ago. It had a 10,000-year history. Because of its importance to spirit Masters and its revolutionary research into artificial spirit souls, its status rose drastically to its current state. Throughout the three continents, the Spirit Pagoda had the most significant power.

Glory Bound City also had a branch of the Spirit Pagoda. It was three stories tall. For Tang Wu Lin, it was the promised land of his dreams. When they entered the building, Tang Wu Lin found the same whimsical spirit master from his awakening ceremony. The spirit master assured him that he would get him a good spirit soul so the boy would not think of him as a source of bad luck.

He explained to Tang Wu Lin and his dad that they had three options to obtain a spirit soul. There were 73 of the ten-year, white spirit souls, which cost 70,000, and 11 of the hundred-year, yellow spirit souls, which cost one million coins each. The last option was a random draw with a chance to get a ten or a hundred-year spirit soul, costing 30,000 Union coins. The latter option was by far the most affordable to Tang Wu Lin.

The spirit master warned him, however, that there was a chance to draw a dysfunctional spirit soul or one unsuitable. Tang Zi Ran suggested to his son that they should return once they had saved up more money. Tang Wu Lin said it was unnecessary and would go with the random draw. He did not want to stress his parents, and because his spirit essence was just blue-silver grass, he hoped that heaven would bless him with a decent spirit soul.

The spirit master felt that Tang Wu Lin was more thoughtful and capable than his son. He decided to help the boy by giving him a free mental power test. He told Tang Wu Lin that because it was his first time choosing a spirit soul, he would formally become a spirit master once he fused with it. The spirit pagoda would record his mental power, the rank of his spirit power, and the spirit soul he had.

He said the stronger the spirit soul, the more mental power was required to communicate with it. Tang Wu Lin was given a device to wear on his head and was asked to relax as his mental power test began. The spirit master pressed a button and watched as the numbers on the monitor changed rapidly.

Chapter 10.

The spirit master was astonished by Tang Wu Lin's score of 38. He said that, out of all the people he had tested in the previous years, Tang Wu Lin had the most potent mental power. The spirit master promised to prepare the test report for Tang Wu Lin because he was going to the intermediate academy in the future. Tang Wu Lin was confused by his score, so the spirit master explained the different ranks of mental power.

At the Spirit Genesis stage, rank 30 and below was the beginning level. Rank 30 to 60 was the intermediate level, rank 60 to 90 was the high level, and 90 to 100 was the peak level. The spirit master said that although he was a rank 28 Spirit Grandmaster, his mental power was only 87.

Tang Wu Lin was impressive because his mental power had already reached the intermediate level of Spirit Genesis. At that level, he could perfectly fuse with a hundred-year spirit soul. However, whether he could get one depended on luck. In class, he learned that a strong spirit soul could increase a spirit master's rank after fusion. And if the spirit soul were too weak, its ability would also be weak.

It was finally time for the random draw. Tang Wu Lin stood before an old machine with many glowing spheres containing spirit souls. The spirit master asked him to press the red button once he was ready. Tang Wu Lin's ever-steady hands of a blacksmith shook with anxiety. He pushed the button, and the machine started circulating the spheres. His heart raced. He knew that once the machine stopped, his fate as a spirit master would be sealed.

The circulation finally stopped, and the sphere containing Tang Wu Lin's spirit soul rolled out. The spirit master handed him a device and instructed him to press a button to shine a light on the sphere and release his spirit soul. When Tang Wu Lin did so, the sphere turned transparent, and he could vaguely see its contents.

The sphere emitted a white glow that indicated the spirit soul within was the ten-year type. Tang Zi Ran was disappointed with the outcome. He felt that the heavens did not care about his son. Tang Wu Lin stared at the sphere as it opened to reveal a small grass snake. His dad found the situation to be outrageous. Everyone knew the common grass snake. It was small, harmless, and indeed the weakest of its species. Tang Zi Ran's rant frightened the little grass snake, which quickly hid its head.

The spirit master gravely informed Tang Wu Lin that his spirit soul belonged to the dysfunctional type mentioned earlier. Tang Wu Lin's mind went blank then, and he did not know how he returned home. The parting words of the spirit master were that because the spirit soul had been activated, it needed to be fused within the next 24 hours. Otherwise, it would die. He said whether Tang Wu Lin fused with it depended on his decision, but abandoning the spirit soul was still acceptable.

The dinner table was quiet that evening, and Tang Zi Ran tried to encourage his son by offering to buy a suitable spirit soul. With a downcast expression, Tang Wu Lin replied that it was unnecessary. He went to his room, sat on the bed, and hung his head low.

When he awakened his spirit essence and discovered that it was blue-silver grass, he did not cry because he had spirit power, and as long as he had it, there was still a chance. When his dad said there wasn't enough money to buy a spirit soul, he did not cry; instead, he worked hard for the money. He still did not cry when his classmates played outside, and he spent his days hauling large hunks of metal in Mang Tian's workshop as his arms hurt. He faced all his challenges with a smile. But at that moment, he couldn't do it anymore.

Although he wanted to hold them back, his tears poured out, and they drenched the little grass snake. He almost broke down completely when Na'er appeared close to him and held him in her arms to comfort him.

Chapter 11.

He later calmed down and asked Na'er to leave the room because he wanted to fuse with his new spirit soul. He did it because he did not want to burden his parents. Na'er was relieved to see Tang Wu Lin smiling again as she left the room.

Tang Wu Lin opened his heart to the little snake and accepted it. He felt the snake's anxiety seeping into his mind. It was the kind of anxiety that contained traces of dependence. The spirit fusion had officially begun. The stronger the spirit soul, the more intelligent it was.

Some were even able to communicate with their masters. But in Tang Wu Lin's case, those were just legends. The mental power of the little snake was too weak, so it did not show any sign of resistance. Although his blue-silver grass was a trash spirit essence, Tang Wu Lin's mental power greatly affected the fusion process.

He was surprised to find that the fusion was already complete. He felt like his spirit power had increased. Suddenly, he was overwhelmed by the aura surging from his body. His body became hot as if it was about to explode. Golden marks appeared once more on his body, and at the same time, thin golden lines also appeared on the surface of his blue-silver grass and the body of the little snake.

The Golden lines intertwined and embedded themselves in the Blue Silver Grass like a skeleton, making it resilient. The scales of the little snake also emitted light. All the golden lines gathered towards a scale on its forehead. With this transformation, Tang Wu Lin's mental power increased rapidly, and his spirit power instantly increased by one rank.

Tang Zi Ran returned home and found Na'er standing in the doorway to Tang Wu Lin's room. She asked him not to interrupt the spirit fusion. However, because it had been almost 8 hours since Tang Wu Lin began his spirit fusion, his dad decided to check on him to see if he was all right. He found that Tang Wu Lin had lost consciousness on the floor after the fusion.

Once Tang Wu Lin regained consciousness, he told his dad that the little snake suited him well. And his dad had no reason to worry. His dad said it was a reason to celebrate with a party, as his mom asked him how it felt to become a spirit master. Suddenly, Uncle Mang Tian appeared out of nowhere, scaring everyone. After apologizing for the intrusion, he asked Tang Wu Lin to show his spirit skill.

He repeatedly asked until everyone gathered and eagerly waited to see Tang Wu Lin's spirit skill. His dad even brought popcorn. Tang Wu Lin agreed and closed his eyes to concentrate. He opened them, and a light flashed in his eyes as he released his spirit essence. The majestic aura spread, filling the entire room with blue-silver grass. The scent was very pleasant. Although he only had a 10-year spirit ring, its flickering white light caused Tang Wu Lin to have an enchanting appearance.

His charisma was that of a spirit master. Even with a single spirit ring, spirit masters were more exceptional than ordinary people. Tang Wu Lin's parents were giddy about how cool their son was.

Chapter 12.

Mang Tian thought that the vines of the Blue Silver Grass were weak until he pulled on one and was shocked by its toughness. He complimented Tang Wu Lin's spirit essence and said it was extraordinary. He said that it looked fragile but was unexpectedly strong. Tang Zi Ran and Lang Yue tested it and found that Mang Tian's words were valid. The blue-silver grass was too tough for them to break.

Mang Tian got serious and took off his shirt, embarrassing Lang Yue. He grabbed the vine of blue silver grass as he said that the strength of blacksmiths was different from that of ordinary people. However, the result was unchanged. He still could not break the vine with brute force. He decided to use his true strength.

According to spirit master rankings, 0 to 10 were Spirit Scholars, ranks 11 to 20 were Spirit Masters, and after every ten ranks, they gained new titles. They were Spirit Grandmaster, Spirit Elder, Spirit Ancestor, Spirit King, Spirit Emperor, Spirit Sage, Spirit Douluo, and the peak with nine spirit rings was Title Douluo. Mang Tian was a spirit ancestor with 4 spirit rings: one white ten-year ring, two yellow hundred-year rings, and one purple thousand-year spirit ring.

His first spirit soul was a ten-year white rabbit, his second and third were yellow hundred-year hammers, and the last was a little brown thousand-year bear. His spirit power surprised everyone. He grabbed the vine and tried to break it again but found it challenging. He then noticed that there were golden lines inside the vine. At the same time, Tang Wu Lin felt dizzy, and his spirit power decreased. This revelation shocked his uncle, who told everyone that the blue-silver grass spirit essence had mutated. The news surprised Tang Zi Ran.

Tang Wu Lin wondered what it meant for spirit essence to mutate. His uncle explained that spirit essence could mutate under exceptional circumstances, such as fusion with extremely suitable or unsuitable spirit souls or spirit rings or receiving stimulation from something else. There were excellent and harmful mutations. There was a possibility of a strong spirit essence becoming weak and a weak spirit essence becoming strong.

Mang Tian explained that he had a friend with blue-silver grass and had fused with a snake spirit soul. His friend's blue-silver grass mutated into thick vines but remained fragile. Tang Wu Lin's mutation was different because even after his uncle used the strength of his first spirit ability, he still could not tear the vines. He said that as long as Tang Wu Lin still had enough spirit power, he could not tear apart the blue-silver grass's vines.

Tang Wu Lin's spirit essence had undergone an excellent mutation. However, he was cautioned that an opponent could take advantage of his weakness in combat and deplete Tang Wu Lin's spirit power. He recommended Tang Wu Lin use his blue silver grass as a whip. Before leaving, Uncle Mang Tian encouraged him that he could work hard as a blacksmith and earn enough money to buy whatever spirit soul he needed.

Later that night, Tang Wu Lin sat with Na'er and admired his little grass snake. It had a golden scale on its forehead. Tang Wu Lin named his new partner, Jinguang, which meant gold light. Na'er remained silent with a sad expression.

Chapter 13.

Tang Wu Lin discovered that the effect of meditating in a place filled with blue silver grass was far more significant than meditating at home. He was uncertain whether it was because of his spirit power or spirit essence mutation, but his spirit power increased significantly when he meditated.

His mom found him meditating outside and told him that Na'er had left. His mom then showed him the letter that was left behind. In it, she thanked Tang Wu Lin for caring for her and said she had to return home since she had regained her memory.

Tang Wu Lin's mind went blank after he read the letter. His emotions became chaotic, and he was left speechless. He tried looking for her, calling her name as he ran through the streets, but he could not find her.

In the distance, she remembered his smiling face. He had always been there when people bullied her. No matter how strong they were, he persevered. She reminisced about their time together as two figures took her away. Na'er also left behind a small silver necklace, but to Tang Wu Lin, the gem's value was incomparable to his sister. That night, he did not sleep. He had also skipped a day of work at the blacksmith workshop.

Tang Wu Lin received a recommendation letter from his homeroom teacher; with it, he could apply for the intermediate academy. Anyone who could become a spirit master while still in the novice Academy was guaranteed entry into the intermediate academy for further studies.

They only needed one spirit ring to do so. The letter also meant that his time at the Red Mountain Academy had ended. He remembered Na'er's question that day on the beach and felt like he had lost the whole world.

Chapter 14.

Tang Wu Lin was late arriving at the workshop. It rained heavily outside, and his master worried about him because he had been distracted lately from his work. Mang Tian wondered whether he had been too strict on the boy.

Tang Wu Lin arrived and apologized for his tardiness. He explained to his master that it was because he had things to take care of at his school. Mang Tian warned him that he would become the new janitor for the workshop the next time he was late. In reality, he knew about the graduation.

Tang Wu Lin explained that he would no longer be able to learn under Mang Tian because he would be going to East Sea City to attend the intermediate academy. Mang Tian promised to assign him to one of his blacksmith workshops at East Sea City. Tang Wu Lin was happy because he would remain his master's apprentice. He was encouraged and promised to work hard.

Mang Tian reminded him that he still had to get through the test of the thousand-refinements technique. Tang Wu Lin was excited that he would finally learn the method. They started with a strength test for Tang Wu Lin. The strike strength of his left hand was 483 pounds. Mang Tian was speechless. He wondered how the boy's strength had improved so much.

He asked Tang Wu Lin to concentrate and repeat the strike. The boy did as he was told. He raised the hammer and brought it down as a golden light flashed in his eye. The heavy strike created a thunderous sound, which scattered Mang Tian's senses. He felt this strength was enough to shake heaven and earth. This time, the strike strength was 543 pounds. Mang Tian's mind was blown away.

He regained his composure and agreed to teach the thousand-refinements technique. Tang Wu Lin asked if there were any special tricks, but his master said he only needed to use his heart.

Chapter 15.

Heavy Silver was a rare metal formed thousands of meters below the sea. It was hard but became flexible and extremely high temperatures. It was also a good conductor of spirit power. High-quality Heavy Silver could increase the effectiveness of spirit power by 5 to 10%. It wasn't easy to work with because of its high density and weight.

Tang Wu Lin began working on the chunk of Heavy Silver as his master watched him. He was focused and found his rhythm quickly. Mang Tian was focused entirely on the metal and did not notice the golden ray of light in Tang Wu Lin's eyes, whose swing had the silhouette of a golden dragon in its wake.

The thousand-refined Tungsten hammer in his hand had already become a part of him. Tang Zi Ran walked into the workshop to look for his son because it had gotten late. He found his son working on the chunk of Heavy Silver as Mang Tian experienced pure bliss from the boy's forging. Tang Zi Ran asked for an explanation of what was going on.

The light from the forge filled the entire room. Tang Wu Lin was soaked in sweat because he had been working for a long time. The Heavy Silver had become more concentrated, and its volume had slowly decreased by 15%. Tang Zi Ran had an indescribable feeling in his heart as he watched his son hard at work.

Tang Wu Lin already possessed the aura of a great blacksmith. He struggled as he continued to work on the metal but persevered because his efforts would have gone to waste if he had stopped at that moment. With one final strike, he completed the task. In his father's eyes, he was no longer the child that followed him around.

Mang Tian saw that the forging was over. He rushed forward, held Tang Wu Lin's hand, and slashed his wrist. The blood was then spilled onto the thousand-refined Heavy Silver, which emitted a bright light. Tang Wu Lin lost consciousness as the metal cooled down with newly engraved patterns on its surface. His master called him a prodigy and said he would cause an uproar in the blacksmith world. Tang Zi Ran carried his son back home, wishing he could only raise him normally until he was grown up.

Chapter 16.

Na'er called Tang Wu Lin to hurry up for breakfast. He woke up yelling for her to wait for him but soon realized it was only a dream. At dinner, he returned to his old way of stuffing his face. He then asked his dad what his master had said the previous day. His parents were overjoyed that he was back to his old self. His dad told him about what his master had said and that they needed to go back to the workshop that same day.

When they arrived, they found that Mang Tian had just returned from his bath. Tang Wu Lin was thrilled to see the chunk of thousand-refined Heavy Silver he had worked on earlier. He felt like he was one with it as if he could almost communicate with it. His master explained that the hundred-refinement technique purified and enhanced the metal's quality. However, the thousand-refinement technique created a spirit and gave life to the metal.

He further explained that blood sacrifice linked the blood vessels to the thousand-refined metal. There was a rule in the blacksmithing world that blood-sacrificed metals belonged to the blacksmith who forged it or the blood's owner. That meant that the Heavy Silver now belonged to Tang Wu Lin and could only be used by him. He was stunned that his master had given him something so valuable. Mang Tian asked him to forge the Heavy Silver into two hammers. It was already late, so Tang Wu Lin was asked to return the following day.

Three days later, the thousand-refined Heavy Silver hammers were finally completed. Mang Tian was eager to see the special effect of the thousand-refined hammers, so he asked Tang Wu Lin to test them. Tang Wu Lin held his hammer and gave the metal a light tap. Three sounds were heard instead of one. Mang Tian was surprised. Tang Wu Lin had a dumb expression.

His master asked him to try a heavy strike. The result was the same. Three resounding bangs were heard instead of one. Mang Tian was dumbfounded. He had just witnessed the peak special effect for thousand-refined hammers. Not even he had ever produced such a special effect. He felt that the little brat was a monster.

Tang Wu Lin asked what the three sounds meant, and Mang Tian replied that it was the stacked hammers effect. He explained that blacksmiths used blood sacrifice for their first thousand-refined tools because it had an excellent special effect. The blood sacrifice connected the metal with one's blood vessels, pushing the awakened special effect to its limit. Almost all blacksmiths had their first thousand-refined work become a pair of forging hammers they would use throughout their lives.

Mang Tian warned that Tang Wu Lin must never reveal his treasure because he had refined the highest-grade special effect for his hammers. Mang Tian also gave him a pair of metal hoops containing one-eighth of a cubic meter of space, enough for the hammers. They were storage spirit tools that Mang Tian had forged with Heavy Silver. They had no spirit power batteries; therefore, they could only be used by spirit masters.

He tried to reject them because he had already accepted the heavy silver. However, his master insisted he takes them instead of carrying the hammers on the streets. He also asked Tang Wu Lin to visit one last time before departing for East Sea City.

Chapter 17.

East Sea City was the second largest city on the shore of the Sun-Moon Federation's East Sea. It was an essential transport and resource hub. The city's buildings had a simple and unsophisticated style. The Sun-Moon Federation paid particular attention to the several thousand-year-old buildings and made them historical landmarks of the city.

As soon as the trains stopped, the station momentarily became hectic, with people squeezing their way to the exit. Tang Wu Lin tightened the straps on his bag and followed the stream of people out of the station. He had never been to a large city before and was very tense. He couldn't help but look around curiously at his surroundings. He was just a 9-year-old boy, alone in a big city.

He followed the crowd when it suddenly split into two, bringing a luxurious car into view. A man in a black suit stood beside the car. He looked in Tang Wu Lin's direction and respectfully called out to his young master. Tang Wu Lin was shoved aside by the man in the black suit as a young man stepped out from behind him. The young man had short brown hair, stylish clothes, and deep green eyes. He was ushered into the luxurious car by the man in the black suit who called Tang Wu Lin a bumpkin and told him to watch where he was going. In his heart, Tang Wu Lin thought that the young man was arrogant and that people in the city were impolite.

He remembered his mom's note and decided to open it. His mom had written the words, don't talk to strangers. He read the message just as a strange middle-aged man approached him. He quickly got away from the stranger. After searching, Tang Wu Lin found a sign that read East Sea Academy. He saw a table below the sign, with a few people seated behind it, and approached it.

A girl seated at the table introduced herself as Liu Yuxin. She asked him whether he was there to register, to which he affirmed. She then invited him to fill in a registration form with his details. She was surprised that Tang Wu Lin was nine years old and had blue silver grass at his spirit essence. He thought that Liu Yuxin would make fun of him, but she was impressed that he had reached rank 11 with his blue-silver grass.

Tang Wu Lin was curious and asked her if she knew any other people with the same spirit essence as himself. She said that many spirit masters had it and that he would soon discover that spirit essence wasn't that important because his spirit power and talent with the mechs mattered.

Afterward, he was ushered into a bus to attend the academy. Liu Yuxin spent the trip lecturing him about many things. She reminded him there would be an entrance exam after he was assigned to his class. She also wished him good luck. Her enthusiasm made a significant impression on Tang Wu Lin.

He arrived at the academy and went to his assigned dorm room. The room already had two occupants. One was taller than Tang Wu Lin, with short hair and a thick build. The other was thinner in comparison and wore glasses. Tang Wu Lin walked in and introduced himself. The frail-looking student introduced himself as Yun Xiao.

It was the larger student's turn to introduce himself, but instead, he ordered Tang Wu Lin to clean the dorm room. Tang Wu Lin agreed because he didn't know the situation. The bully's name was Zhao Changxi. Yun Xiao asked him why he was bullying the new kid. He replied that he had to show that he was the boss. He then started to empty Tang Wu Lin's bag. The contents of the bag were scattered on the floor. Among them was a white blanket with a purple flower embroidered on it. Na'er Made it for him.

Tang Wu Lin's eyes flashed with anger. He stared coldly at the bully and told him to pick up the scattered belongings. Zhao Changxi got closer and tried to intimidate him, saying that he was the boss of the dorm room and threatened to make Tang Wu Lin clean every day.

Tang Wu Lin was enraged. He clenched his fist and threw a powerful punch that sent the bully flying out of the window. Yun Xiao was scared by Tang Wu Lin's display of raw strength without utilizing spirit power. He wondered about Tang Wu Lin's origin.

A moment later, someone's foot appeared through the doorway and stepped on the white blanket. The foot's owner had a spiteful expression as he said that the room looked crude with its broken window and referred to the white blanket as a filthy rag. Tang Wu Lin recognized him as the arrogant young master he had met earlier in the city.

Chapter 18.

Zhao Changxi's spirit essence was a Titan Ape, so his bones were naturally stronger than his peers. By the time he was nine years old, he was already heavier than an ordinary adult. However, Tang Wu Lin defeated him with one punch without using his spirit essence. Yun Xiao hid in a corner, scared senseless. He pitied the new guy who had also trashed Tang Wu Lin's embroidered blanket.

Tang Wu Lin threw another punch as he angrily yelled at the young master to remove his foot from the blanket. The outcome was different from before. The young master evaded Tang Wu Lin's punch and tripped him. The world spun around for Tang Wu Lin as he flew through the doorway with momentum.

The young master was proud of himself when Tang Wu Lin charged at him again, seemingly unharmed. Time and again, Tang Wu Lin's punches were evaded. He was even kicked and sent crashing into the top bunk bed, which shattered instantly. He asked Tang Wu Lin if he had had enough as he accidentally stepped on the blanket again.

Tang Wu Lin could not contain himself and released his spirit essence in anger. He used it to hold the young master in place as he charged with another punch. The young master was surprised when he realized that the blue-silver grass was too strong for him to break. He yelled for Tang Wu Lin to stop, but the explosive punch sent him flying through the door unconscious. Tang Wu Lin picked up his blanket and brushed off the dust.

The four boys were summoned to the director's office later. His name was Long Hengxu. He reprimanded them for fighting on the first day of school. He started with Zhao Changxi, whose spirit essence qualified him to be placed in class 3 despite his low spirit power. But because of his bad behavior, Director Long placed him in class 5. Next was Yun Xiao, who was also placed in class five despite never having fought. He was punished for not stopping the fights. The arrogant young master was also placed in class 5 for starting a fight.

It was finally Tang Wu Lin's turn to be punished. Director Long commended him for his bravery and said that a man needed to be able to fight. Considering that he had been provoked first, Tang Wu Lin would be let off the hook but was also placed in class 5 because of his inferior spirit essence. The director informed the boys that they would be charged for the damages they caused.

Back in the dorm room, the arrogant young master was not satisfied with the outcome of the fight with Tang Wu Lin and challenged him to another. The young master's name was Xie Xie. Tang Wu Lin reminded him that they still had to pay for the damages, and their families would be troubled. The young master said he did not care but could pay for everything if Tang Wu Lin agreed to fight him again. They decided to fight the following day at the sports field.

Chapter 19.

Mang Tian had given Tang Wu Lin the address to his workshop in East Sea City. The workshop was empty. Therefore, Tang Wu Lin could use it freely. He needed a job and had to register with a blacksmith association. As long as he passed the exam, he could join the association. When he arrived, he was greeted by a pretty receptionist who teased him until he said he was there to take the exam and had to see Master Cen Yue.

She was surprised that he was looking for the Grand Master. He showed his recommendation letter from Mang Tian as proof. He followed her to the elevator heading for Master Cen Yue's office. She escorted him into the office before leaving. Tang Wu Ling was surprised by the difference between his master and the man before him. Cen Yue seemed more friendly and easier to talk to. He was Mang Tian's old friend. Unlike the latter, the man teased him by asking if he was his friend's disciple and said he looked like a girl.

Once Master Cen Yue was done messing around, he took Tang Wu Lin to register. He looked at the boy's registration form and noticed that he was only nine years old and had come to take the blacksmith evaluation exam. Tang Wu Lin was among the youngest candidates ever examined by the association. Cen Yue was curious about the kind of apprentice his old friend had found.

In the examination room, Tang Wu Lin was required to select a metal for refining. He would be graded according to the metal ore chosen and its degree of purity. He would be promoted to a rank 1 blacksmith if he scored more than 60 points. He decided on the heavy silver ore. Cen Yue was impressed that the boy had chosen to refine the most challenging one. He was indeed Mang Tian's successor.

Chapter 20.

Mang Tian had given Tang Wu Lin the pair of thousand-refined tungsten hammers. He used them for the exam. As soon as he began, Master Cen Yue Was impressed with his strength and technique. Loud clanging sounds could be heard in the halls outside the exam room. Some staff believed that Cen Yue was giving the boy a demonstration.

The president of the blacksmith association Mu Chen arrived with his daughter, Mu Xi. She had come to take the rank 2 blacksmith exam. Mu Chen, the overprotective father, asked that his daughter be given only female examiners. His doting annoyed her often, so she asked to be given an exam room with handsome examiners. Her dad protested, but she threatened not to speak to him for a week if he continued to annoy her.

He watched his daughter leave for her exam when he was distracted by the rhythmic forging sound from Tang Wu Lin's exam room. He thought that it was someone taking the rank 4 blacksmith exam. He asked who was taking the exam and was shocked to learn that it was a 9-year-old boy. He was eager to see the boy as he recalled that he was around the same age when he took his first blacksmith exam.

He was about to enter Tang Wu Lin's exam room but decided against it because he had created a rule in their association that refinement could not be interrupted. Instead, he decided to watch his daughter's exam.

Tang Wu Lin completed the refinement successfully, using the hundred-refinements technique to increase the purity of the heavy silver. Cen Yue Was impressed by the high level of refinement that Tang Wu Lin achieved in just a short period. He thought the boy was comparable to the president when he was that age.

The second stage of the exam was the forging test. Tang Wu Lin was required to make a small or medium-sized part. Therefore, he quickly used the ore he had just refined. He poured all his experience and knowledge into creating the piece. He completed his exam and was asked to return after a few days to receive his official blacksmith association ranking.

Chapter 21.

The opening ceremony was held at East Sea Academy's sports grounds. The event was held once a year, and students from the intermediate and advanced academies attended. After the ceremony, new students were placed into their classes.

As expected, Tang Wu Lin and his roommates were put in Class 5 of year one. It was the smallest class having only 20 students. All the students of Class 5 had gathered, heads hanging low. It was a pathetic sight, even for Tang Wu Lin. A man with stylish clothes and long blue hair appeared before them. He had a cold, powerful aura.

He welcomed them into their new classroom and declared that although they were the worst among their peers, he would turn them all into the best. His name was Wu Chang Kong. He then asked his new students to take turns introducing themselves, stating their names, their spirit essence, their spirit power rank, and the kind of spirit master that they wanted to become.

It was Tang Wu Lin's turn to introduce himself, and as expected, his classmates laughed at his spirit essence. Wu Chang Kong immediately silenced the class and said there was no trash spirit essence, only trash people. He said they had to consider their individual qualities before calling others trash.

It was Xie Xie's turn to introduce himself. His spirit essence was the light dragon dagger, rank 10 spirit power, and an agile attack-type battle spirit master. His classmates were impressed, and some called him a genius. Wu Chang Kong dismissed the class and asked them to prepare for his different teaching style. He said if they were scared of hard work, fatigue, or pain, they should change schools or think of a way to change classes. Xie Xie called Tang Wu Lin and reminded him of their promise to have a duel.

As they left the classroom, they ran into Liu Yuxin. She was the senior student that helped Tang Wu Lin register. Wu Chang Kong had a nickname among the students. They called him the cold god. Liu Yuxin, being one of his many adoring fangirls, asked Tang Wu Lin to take secret photos of him. She explained that Wu Chang Kong was the school's most powerful teacher. Not only was he handsome, but he was also very knowledgeable and a good teacher. He was a powerful spirit emperor with six spirit rings.

The boys arrived at a clearing on the school grounds to have their duel. Each released their spirit essence. Tang Wu Lin noticed his opponent had a yellow, hundred-year spirit ring. His opponent had superior speed; therefore, Tang Wu Lin planned to tie him up with his blue-silver grass. He could not see his opponent's spirit skills the last time they fought, so he held back.

Xie Xie had an overconfident expression before speed-blitzing Tang Wu Lin. He held the light dragon dagger to his throat and coldly said that if it had been a real battle, he would have already taken Tang Wu Lin's head. He quickly slashed Tang Wu Lin's legs and disabled them.

Because of the ruthless attack, Tang Wu Lin's face grew dark, and a powerful golden aura erupted from his body. His expression turned fierce as his eyes radiated golden light.

Chapter 22.

The tyrannical aura scared Xie Xie. He thought his eyes deceived him. The sight in front of him had to have been an illusion. Tang Wu Lin suddenly closed the distance and launched Xie Xie with a punch. He then lost consciousness immediately. Xie Xie opened his eyes with a swollen face and found himself back in the dorm room. He learned from Yun Xiao that Tang Wu Lin brought him back after their duel.

After dinner, Tang Wu Lin returned to the dorm room and found Yun Xiao alone. Yun Xiao asked how he beat up Xie Xie despite having lower spirit power in their duel. Tang Wu Lin didn't know. He could remember his body erupted with overwhelming power. He wondered whether it happened because he was injured. He thought that perhaps it had only been a dream.

Wu Chang Kong informed Class 5 they had a dueling practice lesson that day. The first match was Tang Wu Lin vs. the reformed bully, Zhao Changxi. The latter was excited to take revenge for his previous loss. This time he would at least release his spirit essence. Xie Xie was on the sidelines, keen to see the secret behind Tang Wu Lin's incredible power. Zhao Changxi was once again sent flying at the start of the match. Tang Wu Lin and Xie Xie won all their matches until only they were left.

Chapter 23.

It was the semifinals—Xie Xie vs. the cold god. Wu Chang Kong took off his belt, making the girls excited. Xie Xie realized that his teacher intended to use the belt as a sword. The belt had been injected with spirit power, turning it into a frightening weapon.

The cold god signaled that the match had begun. Xie Xie was calm and used his speed to attempt a surprise attack. He left speed mirages as he rushed toward his opponent. He planned to use his speed to find a chance to attack. When he thought he had found one, the cold god countered him with a downward slash of his belt-sword. Xie Xie was frozen as the belt rested loosely on his head.

He was amazed by his teacher's speed and strength. Wu Chang Kong had only used a small amount of spirit power, but it was enough to overwhelm Xie Xie. Meanwhile, Tang Wu Lin succeeded in taking the photos Liu Yuxin had requested.

In the final round, Xie Xie faced Tang Wu Lin. They released their spirit essence. While Xie Xie had his light dragon dagger, Tang Wu Lin was armed with his pair of thousand-refined heavy silver hammers. Xie Xie was surprised by the hammers and thought his opponent would be slower. He planned to use his speed as before and aimed for his opponent's back.

Tang Wu Lin's eyes were shut as he concentrated on sensing the incoming attack. When his opponent drew closer, he turned to face him and swung. Xie Xie dodged; however, the sheer force of the attack left him both scared and amazed. He felt he would have become a meat pancake a moment earlier. The hammer strike surprised everyone, including the cold god.

Tang Wu Lin kept his eyes shut and swung accurately yet again. Xie Xie was forced to dodge once more as the hammer narrowly missed him. He jumped back in panic, wondering how Tang Wu Lin kept up with his speed. Tang Wu Lin wasn't as fast as Xie Xie. However, because he was good at forging, he imagined his opponent as a metal that needed refining, allowing him to feel Xie Xie's "properties" and capture his movements. The explanation infuriated Xie Xie because he had been treated like an object. Once more, Tang Wu Lin was speed-blitzed and had his back slashed. Xie Xie was disappointed that the golden light from their previous duel did not appear.

Wu Chang Kong stopped the fight and declared Xie Xie, the winner. He addressed the class and said they ought to understand that a strong physique was the foundation of many things, and they couldn't rely on spirit power alone. He pointed out that Tang Wu Lin, whose spirit essence was blue-silver grass, had performed well in his duels and reached the final round.

The battles made the cold god conclude that the entire class was trash, including the two finalists he referred to as generals picked from dwarves. He dismissed the class before announcing they would begin physical training the following day. He then asked to speak with Tang Wu Lin and Xie Xie in his office.

Chapter 24.

At the office, Wu Chang Kong asked whether Tang Wu Lin's blue-silver grass had mutated and whether the toughness was maintained by spirit power. Tang Wu Lin replied affirmatively to both questions. The cold god also asked about the pair of hammers, to which Tang Wu Lin explained that he had been learning to become a blacksmith as a backup career. Xie Xie thought he would be praised but was asked why he kept his twin spirit essence a secret. Despite his enhanced spirit power, he had difficulty fighting Tang Wu Lin.

Wu Chang Kong finally brought up the main topic, the class promotion contest, where lower-ranked classes could challenge higher ones and swap rankings if they won. Class 5 ranked lowest among the first-year classes and could continuously challenge the others. The cold god wanted the two boys to represent class 5 and fight their way to the top after receiving his training.

Tang Wu Lin visited the blacksmith association after the day's classes. He would finally receive his rank 2 blacksmith medal and start working. He arrived and was ushered into a room where the association president awaited him. He nervously greeted the president as he respectfully lowered his head. Master Cen Yue encouraged him to receive the medal. President Mu Chen proudly announced that Tang Wu Lin had broken the association's youngest second-rank blacksmith record. He pinned the medal to Tang Wu Lin's uniform and encouraged him to work hard.

Mu Xi, the president's daughter, was the only unhappy person in that room. Her record had just been broken. Her father quickly cut her off when she tried to challenge Tang Wu Lin. President Mu Chen did it to protect his daughter from the humiliation of losing.

Master Cen Yue led Tang Wu Lin to the second floor, where he could receive rank 2 blacksmithing tasks. He explained that blacksmiths could freely accept tasks, but only within their rank. He then gave Tang Wu Lin a spirit communication device with his contact information already added. Tang Wu Lin returned to the dorm room and meditated.

The following day, he was stopped by a gang of senior students on his way to breakfast. Behind them was Mu Xi, who came to challenge him to a forging contest.

Chapter 25.

One of the senior students attempted to bully him but was sent flying with a single punch. Mu Xi suddenly attacked with a kick to Tang Wu Lin's chest. He felt as if his chest was on fire. She had used her spirit essence in that last attack. She demanded that he compete with her at blacksmithing if he wanted to continue studying at the academy.

Tang Wu Lin had managed to bind the senior students with blue-silver grass. However, they had begun breaking their restraints, causing his spirit power to deplete rapidly. Suddenly, Xie Xie appeared behind Mu Xi, threatened her with his dagger, and asked her to leave. She instead provoked him by asking what he would do if she refused. Xie Xie released a powerful killing intent in response to her calling his bluff.

Director Long interrupted the fight and summoned all the students to his office. Mu Xi tried to explain her innocence, but Xie Xie called her out for having ulterior motives. Director Long finally asked for Tang Wu Lin's explanation. Tang Wu Lin explained that the older students bullied him, and he retaliated. Director Long had taken the side of the senior students.

Fortunately, Wu Chang Kong appeared in the director's office to defend his students. He threatened to beat up their teacher, Director Long if they continued to bully his students. He then left the office with Tang Wu Lin and Xie Xie in tow. They thanked him for helping them. Tang Wu Lin also thanked Xie Xie for coming to his aid when he was cornered. He said that they could be counted as true friends from then on.

The lesson that day was physique training. All class 5 students had to run ten laps around the sports field. If they complained, they would be forced to run in heavy armor. During the fifth lap, Xie Xie, who wore heavy armor, could no longer catch up with those ahead. He was an attack-type spirit master who relied on explosive strength but had low stamina. He was about to collapse from fatigue when Tang Wu Lin caught and supported him to continue running.

A beautiful girl appeared before Wu Chang Kong. Her name was Gu Yue. She was meant to enroll at the intermediate academy but had missed the application period. The cold god said that he was not in charge of recruitment. However, he set the condition that she could enroll if she could beat Xie Xie in a duel. Xie Xie was asked to stop running and prepare to fight Gu Yue.

When the two combatants were ready, their duel began. Xie Xie was the first to launch a quick attack. Gu Yue was surprised by his speed but created a tornado barrier to push him back. Xie Xie thought that Gu Yue had a wind-type spirit essence and was easy to deal with. Gu Yue attacked him with ice blades, catching him completely off-guard.

After distancing himself from Gu Yue, he wondered who she was because she seemed to have a twin spirit essence. Gu Yue followed up with a fireball. It made a small explosion on the ground after Xie Xie dodged. Even the cold god was surprised by her ability to wield multiple elements. On the other hand, Gu Yue was frustrated that her attack had missed its mark.