The light was so brilliant that it mesmerized all of them, including Zang Xin. In that split second, no one noticed that his pupils were not round like an ordinary human's but vertical slits burning a dazzling gold.
With a flash, his eyes returned to normal. Tang Wulin felt his bones and limbs relax and he now had an undying strength.
Although he had only broken the ninth seal, he felt like his strength had multiplied many times. It felt amazing.
"Come and eat if you've awakened," Zhen Hua said with a smile.
Tang Wulin hastily stood up and spoke a little bashfully, "My apologies uncle-master, teacher, seniors. I didn't know that…"
Zang Xin waved his hand. "It's alright. This is your chance. Come and eat, but don't drink any more dragon blood wine."
Smiling awkwardly, Tang Wulin pulled up a chair and joined the meal.
The crowd had been watching him so closely that they had hardly touched their plates. With their cultivation bases, they no longer required food for sustenance anyway. This was not the case for Tang Wulin. His hunger had not diminished despite how much his cultivation base had elevated. He feasted ravenously and felt his body become even more at ease. After all, the dishes that had been served were made using the finest ingredients!
The rest of the group bid their farewells after the meal. Only Zhen Hua and Mu Ye were left.
Zhen Hua spoke to Mu Ye, "Get in line! My nephew-disciple is here for me."
Mu Ye snorted. "You're the one providing food and accommodation, so there's no rush." He patted Tang Wulin's shoulder and walked away, leaving Tang Wulin and Zhen Hua behind.
Zhen Hua sighed softly. "Wulin, do you know that breaking through today in front of so many people... it's a double-edged sword!"
Tang Wulin's chest tightened. "Uncle-master, what do you mean?"
Zhen Hua spoke, "Mu Ye, Senior Zang Xin and I are fine because you're one of us in a sense. We're proud that you're gifted with extraordinary talents. However, those people from the Battle Soul Hall and the Spirit Pagoda, albeit our allies, are competitors in some sense too. Of course, I'm only a blacksmith, so it's fine with me, but it's different for the Tang Sect, Shrek Academy and even the Body Sect. I'm afraid that though the Battle Soul Hall's intention for you to join them earnestly is quite clear, the Tang Sect may not be willing to let you go. This involves a conflict between powers at the highest level."
"Of course, you've revealed your potential before this group of people today so this will only cause the Tang Sect to value your presence even more, while the Battle Soul Hall and the Spirit Pagoda's higher-ups will pay more attention to you. It's up to your development in the future. However, you must remember this: no matter how you choose or what happens in the future, most crucially, you must be strong enough. Depending on other's strength and acting accordingly to the situation may be important, but they're never as vital as becoming powerful yourself. It's only when you're so equipped, that you'll be able to stand your ground."
"Yes." Tang Wulin truly felt inspired. He was aware of this since he was young. Father once told him that the only person he could fully trust and depend on for eternity in this world would be himself.
Zhen Hua smiled. "However, there's no need to be too worried because you're still young, after all. Potential is one thing, but it's another thing if you're capable of transforming potential into power. Moreover, you still have Shrek Academy behind you and you're a blacksmith. If you're capable of achieving the status of Saint Craftsman soon, then you'll definitely be a rare resource for anyone. The higher your achievement in forging, the better you'll able to conceal your other abilities, so you can protect yourself. Hence, stay here for this period of time. I heard from your teacher that you're already halfway to Saint Craftsman now, so I won't release you before you reach such a rank this time."
Tang Wulin could not help smiling upon seeing his uncle-master's craftiness which he did not even attempt to hide. Uncle-master wished for him to reach a higher level in forging anyhow. After all, what more could be more important than forging in a Saint Craftsman's eyes? On the other hand, it was genuinely important for Tang Wulin himself to be able to have a breakthrough in his forging skills.
Surprisingly, Zhen Hua did not guide him on how to perform soul forging, but he perfected Tang Wulin's skill in every detail of forging like extracting silk from a cocoon. Even though Tang Wulin was already doing very well, Zhen Hua would always find some flaws in his forging process. Then, he would instruct Tang Wulin to perform fuse forging on all sorts of metals so that he could sense the minute changes in the metals' properties.
Tang Wulin's spiritual cultivation base had already entered Spirit Abyss. His soul power and bloodline power had increased steadily after this breakthrough, so his soul power cultivation base managed to reach rank-54 due to his bloodline energy stripping. His bloodline power increased exponentially as well, till he could not only elevate his forging abilities but also gradually control his newfound strength.
Gradually, he immersed himself in the world of forging wholeheartedly and forgot about the time in the outside world. He was invested in it in both body and soul.
"Have you achieved a breakthrough?" Mu Ye inquired closely.
"Yes!"
"Have you truly achieved a breakthrough?" Mu Ye said once again.
Tang Wulin looked at his teacher with a speechless expression. "Teacher, you've already asked this question over twenty times! It's true. You can ask uncle-master if you don't believe me."
The corners of Mu Ye's lips twitched once. "There's no need for that. I believe you, but it's rather difficult for me to accept a Saint Craftsman of just over twenty years old!"
Tang Wulin's lips curved into a beautiful arc. "Yet it is the truth."
How could his heart not be overjoyed? Yes, he had finally achieved a breakthrough the previous night.
In reality, it had already been over four years since he became a rank-6 blacksmith. The speed of his breakthrough this time was not as fast as it had been previously.
However, making one giant leap had always been exceedingly difficult in the world blacksmiths.
From thousand refinement to spirit forging, spirit forging to soul forging, every step was akin to crossing a moat. Every step taken to cross a boundary had an entirely new field of influence in the forging world and even the whole continent.
The treatment given to a Saint Craftsman and Master Craftsman was a hundred times better. The price difference between soul forged and spirit forged metal was like that as well!
Spirit forging gave life to the metal, so that metal after spirit forging was akin to a plant. On the other hand, soul forging gave intelligence to metal. Even though it was only the most elementary intelligence, the metal would be able to learn to think. These two forging methods were extremely different.
Hence, Mu Ye could not stop asking for confirmation when he found out that Tang Wulin had finally completed the breakthrough the day before and finished his first piece of soul forged metal at last.
On the other hand, Zhen Hua had not appeared at all that day, but Mu Ye could imagine how excited Zhen Hua would be when he found out.
Mu Ye exhaled as he spoke, "Boy, you truly are…"
Tang Wulin blinked his eyes. "Teacher, I thought that you're going to teach me a Body Sect Technique, right? When are we going to start?
Mu Ye suddenly smiled. "Aren't you proud that you've become a Saint Craftsman? Hmm, I'll give you a taste for showing off in front of me soon."
Tang Wulin shuddered when he immediately recalled how he was almost tortured to death on the ship. However, he calmed down very soon because he had undergone Demon Island's military training! What could be more painful than being tormented by those seven old demons?
The Old Demons were not only tormenting their bodies, but they had taken an even heavier toll on their souls. That part was more terrifying than anything else.
"Your body's condition is different from the martial souls our Body Sect cultivated in the past. Relatively speaking, I'm willing to categorize your martial soul as a bloodline. Body Sect doesn't have any technique to cultivate bloodline. Thus, I'm going to teach you how to control your body. If you have a body brimming with an uncontrollable strength, it's impossible to truly grab hold of the profound mystery of strength no matter how strong you are. Your body's energy is precisely like that. There are countless mysteries to the human body, such as how to trigger it, how to control it, how to channel the power of a few times more than your body's energy. I'm going to teach you these."
"Thank you, teacher. So when do we begin?"
"Now!"
Tang Wulin stayed in Heaven Dou City for a full month before he finally returned.
Thanks to the Tang Sect Combat Vehicle, he had no need to commute by soul train. It would not be right for him to cause more train wrecks!
By the time he drove back to Shrek City, he was already five days too late for the date he had set to meet up with his companions. However, Shrek Academy did not ask too much from its inner court disciples but instead gave them space to explore themselves. It was just the same for the current generation of the Shrek Seven Monsters.
The light was so brilliant that it mesmerized all of them, including Zang Xin. In that split second, no one noticed that his pupils were not round like an ordinary human's but vertical slits burning a dazzling gold.
With a flash, his eyes returned to normal. Tang Wulin felt his bones and limbs relax and he now had an undying strength.
Although he had only broken the ninth seal, he felt like his strength had multiplied many times. It felt amazing.
"Come and eat if you've awakened," Zhen Hua said with a smile.
Tang Wulin hastily stood up and spoke a little bashfully, "My apologies uncle-master, teacher, seniors. I didn't know that…"
Zang Xin waved his hand. "It's alright. This is your chance. Come and eat, but don't drink any more dragon blood wine."
Smiling awkwardly, Tang Wulin pulled up a chair and joined the meal.
The crowd had been watching him so closely that they had hardly touched their plates. With their cultivation bases, they no longer required food for sustenance anyway. This was not the case for Tang Wulin. His hunger had not diminished despite how much his cultivation base had elevated. He feasted ravenously and felt his body become even more at ease. After all, the dishes that had been served were made using the finest ingredients!
The rest of the group bid their farewells after the meal. Only Zhen Hua and Mu Ye were left.
Zhen Hua spoke to Mu Ye, "Get in line! My nephew-disciple is here for me."
Mu Ye snorted. "You're the one providing food and accommodation, so there's no rush." He patted Tang Wulin's shoulder and walked away, leaving Tang Wulin and Zhen Hua behind.
Zhen Hua sighed softly. "Wulin, do you know that breaking through today in front of so many people... it's a double-edged sword!"
Tang Wulin's chest tightened. "Uncle-master, what do you mean?"
Zhen Hua spoke, "Mu Ye, Senior Zang Xin and I are fine because you're one of us in a sense. We're proud that you're gifted with extraordinary talents. However, those people from the Battle Soul Hall and the Spirit Pagoda, albeit our allies, are competitors in some sense too. Of course, I'm only a blacksmith, so it's fine with me, but it's different for the Tang Sect, Shrek Academy and even the Body Sect. I'm afraid that though the Battle Soul Hall's intention for you to join them earnestly is quite clear, the Tang Sect may not be willing to let you go. This involves a conflict between powers at the highest level."
"Of course, you've revealed your potential before this group of people today so this will only cause the Tang Sect to value your presence even more, while the Battle Soul Hall and the Spirit Pagoda's higher-ups will pay more attention to you. It's up to your development in the future. However, you must remember this: no matter how you choose or what happens in the future, most crucially, you must be strong enough. Depending on other's strength and acting accordingly to the situation may be important, but they're never as vital as becoming powerful yourself. It's only when you're so equipped, that you'll be able to stand your ground."
"Yes." Tang Wulin truly felt inspired. He was aware of this since he was young. Father once told him that the only person he could fully trust and depend on for eternity in this world would be himself.
Zhen Hua smiled. "However, there's no need to be too worried because you're still young, after all. Potential is one thing, but it's another thing if you're capable of transforming potential into power. Moreover, you still have Shrek Academy behind you and you're a blacksmith. If you're capable of achieving the status of Saint Craftsman soon, then you'll definitely be a rare resource for anyone. The higher your achievement in forging, the better you'll able to conceal your other abilities, so you can protect yourself. Hence, stay here for this period of time. I heard from your teacher that you're already halfway to Saint Craftsman now, so I won't release you before you reach such a rank this time."
Tang Wulin could not help smiling upon seeing his uncle-master's craftiness which he did not even attempt to hide. Uncle-master wished for him to reach a higher level in forging anyhow. After all, what more could be more important than forging in a Saint Craftsman's eyes? On the other hand, it was genuinely important for Tang Wulin himself to be able to have a breakthrough in his forging skills.
Surprisingly, Zhen Hua did not guide him on how to perform soul forging, but he perfected Tang Wulin's skill in every detail of forging like extracting silk from a cocoon. Even though Tang Wulin was already doing very well, Zhen Hua would always find some flaws in his forging process. Then, he would instruct Tang Wulin to perform fuse forging on all sorts of metals so that he could sense the minute changes in the metals' properties.
Tang Wulin's spiritual cultivation base had already entered Spirit Abyss. His soul power and bloodline power had increased steadily after this breakthrough, so his soul power cultivation base managed to reach rank-54 due to his bloodline energy stripping. His bloodline power increased exponentially as well, till he could not only elevate his forging abilities but also gradually control his newfound strength.
Gradually, he immersed himself in the world of forging wholeheartedly and forgot about the time in the outside world. He was invested in it in both body and soul.
"Have you achieved a breakthrough?" Mu Ye inquired closely.
"Yes!"
"Have you truly achieved a breakthrough?" Mu Ye said once again.
Tang Wulin looked at his teacher with a speechless expression. "Teacher, you've already asked this question over twenty times! It's true. You can ask uncle-master if you don't believe me."
The corners of Mu Ye's lips twitched once. "There's no need for that. I believe you, but it's rather difficult for me to accept a Saint Craftsman of just over twenty years old!"
Tang Wulin's lips curved into a beautiful arc. "Yet it is the truth."
How could his heart not be overjoyed? Yes, he had finally achieved a breakthrough the previous night.
In reality, it had already been over four years since he became a rank-6 blacksmith. The speed of his breakthrough this time was not as fast as it had been previously.
However, making one giant leap had always been exceedingly difficult in the world blacksmiths.
From thousand refinement to spirit forging, spirit forging to soul forging, every step was akin to crossing a moat. Every step taken to cross a boundary had an entirely new field of influence in the forging world and even the whole continent.
The treatment given to a Saint Craftsman and Master Craftsman was a hundred times better. The price difference between soul forged and spirit forged metal was like that as well!
Spirit forging gave life to the metal, so that metal after spirit forging was akin to a plant. On the other hand, soul forging gave intelligence to metal. Even though it was only the most elementary intelligence, the metal would be able to learn to think. These two forging methods were extremely different.
Hence, Mu Ye could not stop asking for confirmation when he found out that Tang Wulin had finally completed the breakthrough the day before and finished his first piece of soul forged metal at last.
On the other hand, Zhen Hua had not appeared at all that day, but Mu Ye could imagine how excited Zhen Hua would be when he found out.
Mu Ye exhaled as he spoke, "Boy, you truly are…"
Tang Wulin blinked his eyes. "Teacher, I thought that you're going to teach me a Body Sect Technique, right? When are we going to start?
Mu Ye suddenly smiled. "Aren't you proud that you've become a Saint Craftsman? Hmm, I'll give you a taste for showing off in front of me soon."
Tang Wulin shuddered when he immediately recalled how he was almost tortured to death on the ship. However, he calmed down very soon because he had undergone Demon Island's military training! What could be more painful than being tormented by those seven old demons?
The Old Demons were not only tormenting their bodies, but they had taken an even heavier toll on their souls. That part was more terrifying than anything else.
"Your body's condition is different from the martial souls our Body Sect cultivated in the past. Relatively speaking, I'm willing to categorize your martial soul as a bloodline. Body Sect doesn't have any technique to cultivate bloodline. Thus, I'm going to teach you how to control your body. If you have a body brimming with an uncontrollable strength, it's impossible to truly grab hold of the profound mystery of strength no matter how strong you are. Your body's energy is precisely like that. There are countless mysteries to the human body, such as how to trigger it, how to control it, how to channel the power of a few times more than your body's energy. I'm going to teach you these."
"Thank you, teacher. So when do we begin?"
"Now!"
Tang Wulin stayed in Heaven Dou City for a full month before he finally returned.
Thanks to the Tang Sect Combat Vehicle, he had no need to commute by soul train. It would not be right for him to cause more train wrecks!
By the time he drove back to Shrek City, he was already five days too late for the date he had set to meet up with his companions. However, Shrek Academy did not ask too much from its inner court disciples but instead gave them space to explore themselves. It was just the same for the current generation of the Shrek Seven Monsters.
