Try and Die

"Prepare to die, brat! I'm a noble Soul Master!"

Yellow-Haired sneered, his face full of arrogance.

Ever since getting beaten up last time, he had spent the past six months reflecting on his mistakes and training hard. Unexpectedly, disaster had turned into a blessing, and he had broken through to level ten in one go.

Thanks to that, Yellow-Haired had taken over two more blocks recently and lived quite comfortably.

But the lesson from half a year ago had been far too painful, severely damaging his image in the eyes of his underlings.

He had wanted revenge every moment of every day. A boss could not lose; if he failed to reclaim his dignity, his crew would be hard to manage in the future.

Fortunately, he had finally found an opportunity to corner this little girl in this deserted alley.

"Idiot!"

Watching Yellow-Haired charge straight at him, Lin Xuan let out a contemptuous laugh.

With a wave of his hand, two Azure Leaf Grasses burst from the ground and tightly bound Yellow-Haired's rapidly moving legs.

"Snap!"

Yellow-Haired's charge was too fierce. The Azure Leaf Grasses snapped almost instantly, but Lin Xuan had already achieved his goal.

After being obstructed, Yellow-Haired's fierce steps came to a halt, but his body was still rushing forward. Losing his balance, he was sent flying face-first.

"Get back!"

Lin Xuan leaped up from where he stood and landed a spinning kick on Yellow-Haired's face, kicking him back.

Lin Xuan had not been idle these past six months. His Basic Sword Technique had already reached the eighth level, and his day-after-day training had significantly improved his physical fitness as well.

In terms of Basic Sword Technique, calling him a Master would not have been an exaggeration. He could even vaguely sense a higher realm beyond it.

"Bang! Bang, bang!"

Yellow-Haired rolled across the ground several times before finally crashing into a utility pole and coming to a stop.

"Pah! Brat, you're dead."

Yellow-Haired climbed to his feet and spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm. When he looked at Lin Xuan, his eyes were filled with venom.

"Na'er, hold on tight!"

Lin Xuan said to Na'er in his arms.

"Mm-hmm!"

Na'er obediently nodded and wrapped her arms tightly around Lin Xuan's neck.

Lin Yi supported Na'er with one hand and extended the other. At the same time, a white Soul Ring rose behind him.

"What?! How can you be a Soul Master?!"

Yellow-Haired said unwillingly. He had trained bitterly for over a decade, so why had this little brat reached that level so easily?

"Get him! All of you, get him! We have numbers, don't be afraid! Kill him together!"

Yellow-Haired shouted, and the surrounding thugs rushed forward as one.

"You're courting death!"

A trace of ruthlessness flashed through Lin Xuan's eyes. He clenched his hand, and countless Azure Leaf Sword Grasses instantly spread out from every direction in the alley. Like spider silk, they formed an inescapable net that enveloped the group.

By the time Lin Xuan lowered his hand, the alley was already covered in Azure Leaf Sword Grass.

They carpeted the ground and filled the air, dense as though they had been transported into a primeval forest. The thick blades of grass even blocked out the sunlight.

The thugs were suspended by the Azure Leaf Sword Grass a meter away from Lin Xuan, unable to move. Their joints had been pierced through by sharp blades of grass, and drops of blood ran down the leaves and dripped onto the ground.

"Hmph!"

Lin Xuan snorted and withdrew the Azure Leaf Sword Grass. The men collapsed limply onto the ground.

Yellow-Haired, who stood behind them, had escaped disaster, but he had witnessed their miserable state. He was now so terrified that he had collapsed to the ground, his crotch soaked through as he muttered incoherently.

Lin Xuan waved his hand again, and several Azure Leaf Sword Grasses shot out, pinning the delirious Yellow-Haired to the wall.

Then Lin Xuan stabbed each of them several more times. Only after confirming that they were all dead did he leave with Na'er in his arms.

It was Lin Xuan's first time killing someone, yet his heart remained utterly calm. Whether that was his nature, or because he had fully integrated into this world where human lives were as worthless as grass, he did not know.

"Big Brother, are you okay? Your face looks a little pale."

After returning to the bustling street, Na'er finally lifted her head. Touching Lin Xuan's slightly pale face, she asked worriedly.

"I'm fine. I just overused my Spiritual Power a little."

Lin Xuan shook his head.

Controlling so much Azure Leaf Sword Grass at once within such a short time was difficult even with his high-level Spirit Origin Realm Spiritual Power, and more than half of his Soul Power had been consumed as well.

"Was that your soul skill just now, Big Brother? It was amazing!"

Na'er looked at Lin Xuan with worship in her eyes, which sparkled brightly.

The sight of Lin Xuan casually defeating his enemies without so much as brushing against a single leaf was firmly etched into her mind. He had looked unbelievably cool!

"Yeah! No one will be able to hurt Na'er again."

Lin Xuan pinched Na'er's little nose, but his expression immediately turned serious.

"But before that, Na'er, can you explain how you ended up here?"

"Hehe! Well... Brother, Na'er knows she was wrong. Will you forgive Na'er?"

Na'er blinked her big eyes and put on a pitiful expression, as though she would burst into tearful sobs the next second.

"You really are something! Always acting shamelessly. Don't do it again!"

Lin Xuan helplessly reached out and tugged at Na'er's chubby cheeks, but in the end, he could not bring himself to scold her.

"Brother is the best!"

Na'er excitedly leaned in and gave Lin Xuan a loud kiss on the cheek.

"Ugh! It's all saliva."

Lin Xuan said disdainfully.

"No, it isn't! Na'er's saliva smells nice."

Na'er pouted, her little pink fists thumping Lin Xuan's chest in embarrassment and annoyance.

"Let's go home first! It's time for lunch."

Lin Xuan looked at the sky. It was already nearly noon.

"No! I haven't gone to Uncle Mang's place today yet."

Na'er jumped down from Lin Xuan's arms, grabbed him, and headed in the other direction.

Nothing was more important than scavenging. Brother had said that people could not forget where they came from.

Mang Tian's Forging Room.

Bang! Bang, bang!

Tang Wulin swung the metal hammer in his hand. Under his continuous strikes, wisps of black impurities fell from the pitch-black metal onto the area around the Forging Table.

"Huff!"

As the final hammer fell, Tang Wulin let out a long breath and wiped away the sweat constantly rolling down his forehead.

Though the metal on the table had shrunk by a small circle, its overall color had become uniform.

"Although there are still some flaws, it still counts as completing a Hundred Refinements."

"Not bad!"

Mang Tian kept his expression calm as he looked at Tang Wulin, but inwardly, he was overjoyed.

In just half a year, Tang Wulin had completed Hundred Refinements. That meant he had truly stepped through the gates of blacksmithing.

"You flatter me, Teacher! I only barely succeeded this time. I can't guarantee I'll manage it again next time."

Tang Wulin waved his hand. There had indeed been an element of luck this time. Of course, the main issue was that his Soul Power was too low; relying entirely on physical strength meant his forging power was insufficient.

"Wulin, don't be so modest. Back when I studied under my master, it took me three years just to get started."

"You should learn a little from that brat Lin Xuan sometimes. He can make even the tallest tales sound believable."

Brother Long smiled and patted Tang Wulin on the shoulder. This junior brother of his was good in every way, except that he lacked confidence.

"Hey! Brother Long, I'm right here."

Lin Xuan, who was squatting nearby and eating, raised his head and shot Brother Long an annoyed look.

"What do you mean, tall tales? When have I ever failed to do something I said I'd do? I'm the most down-to-earth person there is."

"Exactly! Brother is the best."

Na'er chimed in from the side.

The two siblings had arrived at Mang Tian's place just in time to run into them having lunch, so they naturally mooched a meal as well.

"Heh—wait, you really do seem to be like that."

Brother Long had wanted to retort, but after thinking it over carefully, Lin Xuan really had been remarkably reliable ever since he was little.

Mang Tian glanced at Lin Xuan, and his expression shifted.

He had watched Lin Xuan grow up. Back when he was still a little runt, he would sneak over to collect Mang Tian's forging scraps and sell them.

Mang Tian had seen the boy's character for himself. Though he could be a little sly at times, he had a good nature and learned everything quickly.

"Kid Lin, do you want to try learning blacksmithing too?"

Mang Tian spoke.

Tang Wulin's appearance had let him experience the joy of taking on a disciple. As a Sixth-Grade Blacksmith, he had already reached the limit of what he could achieve in this lifetime. Taking on disciples was also a way of fulfilling one of his wishes.

"Learning blacksmithing?"

Lin Xuan blinked and fell into thought.

That actually seemed pretty good!

In this era where Soul Tool Technology was so advanced, learning a second profession was still quite necessary. It was also an important source of income.

So, a moment later.

After carefully listening to Mang Tian's instructions and precautions, Lin Xuan confidently picked up the small iron hammer and struck down.

Half an hour later.

"Clang!"

The forging hammer fell weakly. Lin Xuan lay sprawled on the ground, exhausted as a dog and gasping for breath.

"Big brother is so dumb. All you know is how to show off!"

Na'er crouched beside him, teasing the tip of Lin Xuan's nose with the ends of her hair as she spoke with smug delight.

Lin Xuan rolled his eyes. That wasn't what you were saying just now, brat. But he was too tired to speak.

Sure enough, not everyone was born with divine strength like Tang Wulin. His little body was still far too frail.

"Kid Lin, if you really want to learn Forging, you'll need to train your body properly."

Mang Tian sighed inwardly.

He had somewhat expected this result. After all, how could he possibly run into two forging prodigies like Tang Wulin in a row?

It was not just a matter of stamina. Lin Xuan had only performed slightly better than an ordinary person this time, nowhere near the level of a forging genius, let alone someone with the potential of a Divine Craftsman like Tang Wulin.

"Hehe! Lin Xuan, weren't you the one bragging?"

Brother Long chuckled. Someone had been talking big just now. Anyone who did not know better would have thought the God of Forging had descended and reincarnated.

"Uh... am I the only one who thinks Brother Xuan did pretty well?"

Tang Wulin said timidly from the side.

Although the metal block on the anvil was crooked and misshapen, far from reaching the threshold of Hundred Refinements, some impurities had indeed been removed.

And Brother Xuan was already a Soul Master.

A strange glint flashed through Tang Wulin's eyes. The Soul Ring Lin Xuan had inadvertently revealed while forging had shocked him. Tang Wulin himself was only level four right now.

But Brother Xuan was not good at everything, either.

Tang Wulin glanced at Lin Xuan, who was collapsed on the ground, and felt a little happier. At least when it came to Forging, he was still better than Brother Xuan.

Hmph! How vulgar!

Lin Xuan felt no ripples in his heart at their teasing.

Forging: Beginner (1/100)

He looked at the extra line on the System Panel and almost wanted to laugh.

Ignorant people, accept the baptism of a transmigrator!

Still, physical training really needed to be put on the agenda. But what should he choose? Was he supposed to grind the Third Set of Radio Calisthenics directly?

Lying on the ground, Lin Xuan's thoughts drifted far away.

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(Today's updates are complete. Please line up and collect your brains according to your number.)