Chapter 6: Departure

With a thought, the AFK panel appeared, and at Hu Jiu's command, the third Idle slot was instantly filled, officially starting the Idling for the Disorder Splitting Winds hammer technique.

Within just a few seconds, Hu Jiu's mind began to gain experience points for the Disorder Splitting Winds hammer technique.

Although he had successfully activated the Idle, he didn't give up on the opportunity for formal instruction from Tang San.

He had already experimented with this while Idling for the Soul Power Meditation Method and the Five Senses Enhancement Technique. If he continued to study in-depth while the skills are Idle, he could actually gain improvements simultaneously.

This way, his personal learning combined with the experience gained from Idling resulted in a doubled rate of progress.

Two days later.

In the blacksmith shop, Hu Jiu held a small iron hammer in his hand, his body coiled with strength like a bent bow.

Bang! Bang! Bang...

He swung the small hammer with incredible speed, completing nine strikes in just two seconds.

In a short span of two days, through Tang San's guidance and the upgrade from the AFK panel, he had already mastered the basics of the Disorder Splitting Winds hammer technique. Being able to continuously charge for nine strikes was a sign that he had officially learned the Disorder Splitting Winds hammer technique.

At this moment, Tang San was only one step ahead, having reached the level of charging for eighteen strikes.

"Xiao Jiu, it seems you've already learned this hammering method of using leverage. You're truly a genius! When I was learning it, I didn't grasp it as quickly as you did!" Tang San praised with a smile.

He knew his own talent; if it weren't for his training in the Mysterious Heaven Skill, he wouldn't have progressed so quickly. In his heart, Hu Jiu was the real genius, having learned faster than him despite starting from scratch.

Unfortunately, Hu Jiu had no idea what he was thinking. If he had known, he would have surely told him: "You don't understand a life with hacks!"

"Haha, it's not that fast! After all, I've been watching your hammering movements for so long, so of course I'd learn a bit quicker," Hu Jiu said, pretending to be modest, even though he was secretly quite proud of himself. He acted as if two days were a long time to enter this realm.

Hu Jiu's words raised an eyebrow from Tang Hao, who silently took a sip of his drink, perhaps starting to appreciate Hu Jiu's audacity.

In the following time, Hu Jiu didn't leave. He continued to play his part completely. Although he had already learned the Disorder Splitting Winds hammer technique and achieved his goal in coming to Tang Hao, he still acted like an apprentice, occasionally helping Tang San and pulling the bellows.

Tang San treated him well too, often taking the initiative to switch roles and let Hu Jiu take turns with the hammering.

To this end, Tang San even found a piece of ordinary iron for him, allowing him to train just like himself.

As a result, Hu Jiu's Disorder Splitting Winds hammer technique, due to frequent practice, surprisingly surpassed the levels of the Soul Power Meditation Method and Five Senses Enhancement Technique, which he had initially leveled up through Idling.

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed. Hu Jiu's Soul Power Meditation Method rose to level three, which was at least a twenty percent increase compared to normal training.

The Five Senses Enhancement Technique also reached level three, greatly enhancing his vision, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. Objects several dozen meters away appeared as clear as if they were right in front of him, and his hearing extended even farther. Especially at night, he could accurately determine the positions of animals and insects based on their sounds. His sense of touch became even more remarkable.

His taste and smell also underwent changes. In short, his five senses had begun to evolve toward an unhuman level.

His Soul Power level also saw significant changes; he estimated that he was now around level five, close to level six. With two months left before going to Nuoding City for school, his ideal level before starting should be around eight to nine.

This meant that not long after the school year began, he could start preparing for his first Spirit Ring.

However, how to arrange for the first Spirit Ring still needed careful consideration.

As for the Disorder Splitting Winds hammer technique, he had improved it to level four and could now continuously swing the hammer sixty-four times, greatly enhancing the exercise effect on his body.

Every day, he felt his strength growing stronger. In terms of mastery of the Disorder Splitting Winds technique, even Tang San couldn't compare to him. At this moment, Tang San could only just manage to swing thirty-six times in succession.

However, Tang San was indeed an exceptional talent; with the Mysterious Heaven Technique and Mysterious Jade Hand, his strength was something Hu Jiu could not match.

While he used Tang Hao's big hammer for blacksmithing, Hu Jiu was only using a small secondary hammer that Tang Hao had left idle for a long time, which was just slightly larger than a regular claw hammer.

During their casual chats, Hu Jiu learned that Tang San truly wanted to attend Nuoding Primary Spirit Master Academy, and it seemed that Tang San going to the academy had already become a certainty.

Hu Jiu felt a bit worried, wondering if Old Jack would crack under pressure and give the village's only working student slot to Tang San.

It wasn't that Hu Jiu was reluctant to give up his chance to study; it was that he couldn't bear to let Xiao Wu out of his reach!

However, it wasn't time yet, and he didn't know how things would unfold.

Time flew by, and before he knew it, two months had passed.

Early one morning, Old Jack arrived at Hu Jiu's house to take him to Nuoding City's Primary Spirit Master Academy.

After all, being a grandchild, the working student slot remained intact and ultimately became Hu Jiu's possession.

Although Hu Jiu felt a bit guilty towards Tang San, he had to endure it for Xiao Wu's sake.

At home, Hu Jiu had already gotten up early. He had packed a big bag with bedding and clothes and held a small hammer in his hand, which he had taken from Tang Hao's house, claiming it as a self-defense weapon.

So, with a backpack larger than his own body on his back and a small hammer in hand, that was all he had.

After a reluctant farewell to his parents, Hu Jiu followed Old Jack as they headed towards Nuoding City.

"Hey, Grandpa, isn't this the road to Xiao San's house? What's going on?" Just when he was happily imagining the scene of meeting Xiao Wu, Hu Jiu suddenly felt something was off.

"Ha ha, I forgot to tell you, Xiao San will also be going to Primary Spirit Master Academy with you. That way, you'll have a companion. You two should support each other!" Old Jack said kindly.

"Ah, Xiao San is going to school too? Didn't they say there was only one working student spot?" Hu Jiu suddenly felt a wave of panic. His Xiao Wu wouldn't just disappear like this, would she?

"Actually, I was surprised too. That drunkard Tang Hao finally did something good this time. I didn't expect he actually had enough old savings to cover the tuition fees," Old Jack explained with a smile.

Paying for himself is great; he won't have to stay in the working student dorm. As long as he doesn't take his Xiao Wu, they can still be good friends.