Tang Wulin and His Past Self

In Ya Li's words, the only difference between the two kids was that Tang Wulin needed to constantly obtain nutrition through food, while Yun Mu could obtain it directly from the outside world. In the end, this resulted in their appetites being worlds apart.

Yun Mu had also become the focus of everyone's attention. His record of fighting a six-ringed Soul Emperor with only three rings left many people astonished.

And then there was the Title Douluo who had stepped forward to support him in the end, making everyone even more curious about his identity.

Quite a few girls even handed him love letters on the road. Unfortunately, in Yun Mu's eyes, those things were no different from waste paper. He had no spare time to open those love letters one by one.

Or rather, over all these years, aside from the goddess of his youth, Gu Yuena—who had once been Na'er—was the only one who had drawn even a portion of his attention.

And the feelings between them had accumulated gradually through everyday life. His response to Gu Yue now was, for the most part, because of Na'er.

As for any other admirers, to him, they were nothing more than obstacles that slowed his cultivation.

Besides, most couples from their student days never made it to the end. Wasting precious years of cultivation on romance was simply foolish.

Yun Mu and the others arrived at the cafeteria.

At that moment, Xie Xie was boasting. He said arrogantly, "Isn't it just Class One? I alone can take care of them."

A mocking voice suddenly came from behind them. "Aren't you afraid the wind will be too strong and make you bite your tongue? Three little trash fish from Class Five, and you're already acting so arrogant."

Clearly, they had excluded Yun Mu from those three trash fish. But it seemed they were quite arrogant themselves and had not bothered to investigate.

Tang Wulin was a two-ringed soul master, after all. His rank was on par with theirs, perhaps even higher.

"Who are you calling little trash fish?" Yun Mu said coldly. There had been a smile in his eyes moments ago, but now only icy chill remained.

But when they turned around, they understood why those people had dared to provoke them while Yun Mu was present.

A group of upperclassmen had been following them.

However, when Yun Mu looked at them seriously, they instantly lowered their heads, seemingly afraid that Yun Mu would remember their faces.

Only Wei Xiaofeng from Class One looked at them arrogantly, with even a trace of disdain in his eyes. "What's wrong with calling the people beside you that?"

Yun Mu suddenly smiled, his smile somewhat eerie. "Don't worry. I won't make a move tomorrow. I'll show you how these trash fish you look down on will defeat every last one of you."

"Xie Xie, let's eat first. There's no need to bother with this bunch of idiots." Yun Mu said casually, hooking one arm around Tang Wulin and the other around Xie Xie.

As for Gu Yue, she cast Wei Xiaofeng a cold glance from behind them, a faint trace of killing intent in her eyes.

Although Yun Mu did not see it, he sensed that killing intent. Even when reading the original novel, he had harbored his suspicions.

Why had Wei Xiaofeng and the others, who had been so talented from childhood, never appeared again afterward? There was a strong chance that Di Tian and the others had dealt with them.

After all, Wei Xiaofeng's Martial Soul was a snake. To Di Tian, he would be all too easy to handle.

Some things did not need Gu Yue to say anything. Those below her would still take care of them.

After the four of them finished eating at the cafeteria, Tang Wulin went to the forging room to forge, while Xie Xie went to gather information on Class One.

As for Yun Mu and Gu Yue, they each returned to their own dormitory to cultivate.

Tang Wulin's purpose in going to the Blacksmith Association this time was to raise his blacksmith rank.

Although Tang Wulin was not in urgent need of money now, seeing his brother chatting and laughing with the people from those auction houses today had stirred something within him.

He wanted to close the distance between himself and his brother. Otherwise, if he fell too far behind, he would have no way to help him.

At around eleven o'clock, Tang Wulin returned to the bottom of the dormitory building.

He found Gu Yue and Xie Xie waiting for him with rather grave expressions.

"What happened? Where's my brother?" Tang Wulin asked in confusion.

"This doesn't have much to do with your brother, and he's cultivating. Don't disturb him," Xie Xie said.

"This time, Class One's opponents are three two-ringed soul masters and one one-ringed soul master," Xie Xie said.

"Three two-ringed soul masters? How can there be so many?" Tang Wulin asked, puzzled.

"On our side, you're the only two-ringed one. Gu Yue and I are pretty capable, but there's a qualitative difference between one ring and two. If Brother Mu made a move, then victory would naturally be effortless," Xie Xie said.

"Brother Mu definitely won't make a move unless we're threatened or about to lose the match," Tang Wulin said.

"Also, it's for their class. Or perhaps it's for Yun Mu. The academy rules state that Promotion Tournaments must be held within the same grade, and challenging across grades is not allowed," Gu Yue said.

"Tang Wulin, come with me." Yun Mu suddenly appeared behind the three of them.

"Brother, you called for me?" Tang Wulin asked.

"Yes. Come with me." Yun Mu called Wu Changkong to request leave, then took Tang Wulin to his residence outside the academy.

This residence had been provided to him by the Blacksmith Association. Or rather, it was a form of subsidy for gifted blacksmiths, which was why it was so close to Eastsea Academy.

Yun Mu prepared a bathtub filled with water.

"Get in."

Tang Wulin followed Yun Mu's instructions and entered the prepared bathtub.

Yun Mu took out two boxes. One emitted a cold aura, while the other radiated blazing heat.

There were also two bottles of something murky that resembled blood.

Yun Mu muttered to himself, "These should be the right things."

Then, without any hesitation, he handed them to Tang Wulin and told him to consume them.

Tang Wulin first looked at Yun Mu in disbelief, but in the end, he chose to trust him.

The moment he consumed those things, he suddenly felt his entire body grow scorching hot. It seemed as though something deep within his soul had cracked open.

A blazing warm current washed through his body. Yun Mu slowly released his Martial Soul, drawing upon his life force and continuously infusing it into the water.

He did not know what exactly he should do, but he hoped Tang Wulin would remain the Tang Wulin he remembered.

If Gu Yuena was the goddess of his childhood, then Tang Wulin had been the pillar that kept him going back then.

When he had been very young, probably in elementary school, the first novel he had read was Legend of the Dragon King, borrowed from his deskmate.

At the same time, that novel had given him a goal to keep going. Back then, he had always thought, Tang Wulin could keep living on. Why couldn't I?

At the very least, he had been luckier than Tang Wulin in that his parents had left him a considerable inheritance.

It could be said that during that somewhat despairing period of his life, the monthly mid-month release of Legend of the Dragon King was his reason to keep living.

That was why, even though he later came to hate Tang San immensely, he still did not hate Tang Wulin.