Record Breaker, Off to the Forging Master Association

Xie Xie gritted his teeth. "I'll pay!"

"Good!"

Tang Wuyang answered immediately, as if afraid he might change his mind. "When are we fighting?"

After all, that was thirty-four thousand Federation Coins!

Saving over thirty thousand Federation Coins with just one fight—even if he got beaten up, Tang Wuyang would not mind.

Xie Xie looked at his eager expression and felt a wave of irritation. "Tomorrow."

With that, he turned and walked out.

With his face swollen like that, he needed treatment first. Otherwise, what would he look like? Before leaving, he somehow produced a towel and wrapped it around his face.

Watching his departing back, the two brothers silently thought the same thing: City people really had money.

Just then, a series of knocks came from the door.

Tang Wulin opened it and saw Yun Xiao standing outside. Her right index finger lightly scratched her cheek as she said, "It's time for lunch. My roommates haven't arrived yet, so I wanted to ask whether you'd like to go together."

Tang Wulin turned back toward the room. Tang Wuyang had long since become hungry and quickly nodded in agreement.

Having received their answer, Tang Wulin replied readily, "Sure!"

Zhou Changxi also jumped down from the top bunk. The unwillingness and anger on his face had already faded, and his hostility toward Tang Wulin and Tang Wuyang had clearly diminished.

The reason was simple: it was also because of those thirty-four thousand Federation Coins.

They were not the only ones who were not wealthy. Zhou Changxi's family circumstances were also ordinary, and he had been shocked upon hearing that enormous compensation amount.

In truth, he could be considered the real instigator of the matter, yet Tang Wulin and Tang Wuyang had not asked him to share the compensation.

That alone improved his impression of the two brothers considerably.

Yun Xiao walked in front, leading the three of them. Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin walked side by side in the middle, while Zhou Changxi lagged one step behind at the rear.

The Intermediate Department canteen was in a small building beside the main Teaching Building.

The small building had three floors and provided meals for the Intermediate Department's six grades. First Grade and Second Grade students ate together on the first floor.

There were only tables in the canteen, with no accompanying chairs.

That was Eastsea Academy's rule. Students had to eat standing up to increase their sense of urgency.

There were three serving windows in the canteen, marked Meal A, B Meal, and C Meal.

From Yun Xiao's explanation, Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin learned that C Meal was entirely free, B Meal required partial payment, and Meal A had to be paid for in full.

Of course, higher prices had their reasons. Meal A used the best ingredients among the three meals, while the completely free C Meal consisted only of ordinary food.

The sign beneath C Meal read "steamed buns," clearly indicating that this was the day's C Meal menu.

Zhou Changxi glanced at Tang Wuyang. "Tang Wuyang, the academy doesn't allow fighting. How about we compete and see who can eat more steamed buns? Do you dare?"

Tang Wuyang glanced at him, ignored him, and headed straight for the C Meal window.

Zhou Changxi said, "Hey, I'm talking to you!"

Tang Wulin, following behind Tang Wuyang, turned and looked at Zhou Changxi. "What's there to compete about when eating?"

Zhou Changxi continued, "Tang Wulin, you can join too. Whoever loses goes back and cleans the whole dormitory. How about it?"

"Of course, if I lose, not only will I clean the dormitory, I'll also wash all the dirty clothes of you two brothers. How's that?"

Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin exchanged a glance. Then Tang Wuyang gave a "Heh" laugh and said, "Sure. I'm pretty hungry anyway."

While eating, Tang Wuyang made a pleasant discovery: Eating while standing seemed to let him eat even more than eating while sitting.

By then, several rings of people had already gathered around Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin.

"These two look so skinny. How can they eat so much? They're about to break the record."

"I remember the steamed bun record in our academy's Intermediate Department is forty-three. How many have these two eaten?"

"The one with completely black hair has eaten forty-five. The one beside him with golden tips has already eaten fifty-five."

"So impressive! They've already broken the record!"

"Yeah, and look at them. They don't seem stuffed at all. The academy's steamed buns have never changed in size. They're palm-sized!"

Zhou Changxi had long since been dumbfounded. He had always thought he could eat a lot, but after swallowing twenty steamed buns, he was already unbearably full.

They were pure meat filling, after all.

And Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin were not only eating steamed buns. They were also drinking the free Vegetable Soup.

After eating several steamed buns, they would take a big gulp of soup. Judging by their expressions, they were clearly enjoying it immensely.

"Please make way." After eating his fiftieth steamed bun, Tang Wuyang once again headed toward the C Meal window.

While Tang Wuyang was getting food, Tang Wulin had already finished all fifty steamed buns before him, along with three large bowls of Vegetable Soup.

But unlike Tang Wuyang, after he Finished Eating, he Sighed and rubbed his stomach, clearly satisfied.

Yun Xiao patted Zhou Changxi on the shoulder. "Let's go. Looks like you're definitely cleaning the dormitory."

"I finally know why Tang Wuyang is stronger than you. This is called conservation of energy. The more you eat, the stronger you become!"

Zhou Changxi looked dejected. Then he saw Tang Wuyang carrying over another plate of twenty steamed buns.

Back home, the meal problems of Tang Ziran and his husband and wife had always been their greatest headache.

Tang Wulin's appetite was already huge, and then there was the even more terrifying Tang Wuyang.

When Na'er was still around, Tang Wuyang would sometimes even compete with her over who could eat more.

With a long sigh, Zhou Changxi walked over to Tang Wuyang, who was still eating heartily. "I never believed anyone could eat an entire cow, but after seeing the appetite of you two brothers today, I believe it."

"A bet is a bet. I'll go back and clean the dormitory first. You keep eating."

As Zhou Changxi turned to leave, Tang Wulin, who had rested enough, Stood Up again and headed toward the C Meal window.

The surrounding students all thought he would keep eating like Tang Wuyang, but he merely placed the steamed buns he brought back in front of Tang Wuyang. He showed no intention whatsoever of continuing to eat himself.

With Tang Wulin helping him get food, Tang Wuyang's speed at devouring steamed buns increased noticeably.

In the end, the Intermediate Department canteen's steamed bun record was set at one hundred, along with an additional seven large bowls of Vegetable Soup.

When Tang Wuyang followed Tang Wulin out of the canteen with a satisfied expression, a group of students with dropped jaws stood behind them.

When the two brothers returned to the dormitory, Zhou Changxi was cleaning.

Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin had not truly intended to make Zhou Changxi wash their clothes, so they each washed their own dirty laundry.

Yun Xiao from the dormitory next door had returned alone. Bored, he came over to visit.

With Yun Xiao, who was rather talkative, there, the atmosphere in the dormitory immediately became much more harmonious.

Just as the relationship among the four improved, Xie Xie returned with a towel wrapped around his face.

The swelling on his face had clearly gone down considerably, but his expression remained unpleasant.

"Here!"

Without another word, Xie Xie tossed a paper packet directly to Tang Wuyang.

Tang Wulin also leaned over and opened it. Inside was a stack of Federation Coins.

Looking at that thick stack of money, Tang Wuyang could not help but feel dazed.

Back then, he and his Older brother had spent a full three years in Aolai City to save thirty thousand Federation Coins each.

But to these wealthy people, it was merely something done on a whim.

"School starts tomorrow. After classes end tomorrow afternoon, come with me." Xie Xie looked at Tang Wuyang and said coldly.

"Fine!" Tang Wuyang agreed without hesitation.

Yun Xiao tried to dissuade him. "Xie Xie, forget it. We still have to live together in the same dormitory for six years."

Xie Xie glared at him coldly. "This is a matter for our dormitory. It has nothing to do with you."

With that, he ignored Yun Xiao and the other three's reactions, lying directly on his lower bunk.

Seeing this, Yun Xiao did not continue trying to be friendly with someone who did not appreciate it.

After finishing the laundry, Tang Wulin said to Yun Xiao, "Wuyang and I want to go out this afternoon. Is that alright?"

Yun Xiao said, "School hasn't officially started today, so of course you can. But make sure you're back before lights-out, or you'll be disciplined."

At the word "disciplined," Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin's hearts tightened at the same time.

They were not afraid of discipline itself, but if they were fined again, it would truly be the death of them!

After tidying up their belongings, Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin headed straight out.

Following Mang Tian's instructions, they had to visit a place first after arriving here.

This place was called the Forging Master Association.

Mang Tian had also left the brothers an address: his workshop in Eastsea City.

Although the workshop did not have much inside, it had vacant Forging Rooms that they could use.

Mang Tian had told them that they needed to register with the Forging Master Association first. Then they could take on some work there.

This was both work and the cultivation task Mang Tian had arranged for them.

Every month, Mang Tian would come to Eastsea City to check their progress and teach them new Forging knowledge according to their actual circumstances.

After the two had resigned themselves to fusing with their respective Soul Spirits, Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin began taking Forging much more seriously than before. Especially after they completed Thousand Forging, both realized that Forging might become a profession that would accompany them for life.

Therefore, both of them became even more devoted to learning Forging.

Besides, learning Forging could Earn Money too. It was killing two birds with one stone!

The reason Tang Wulin had not directly asked Yun Xiao where the Forging Master Association was while in the dormitory was that they did not yet want these newly acquainted classmates to know that they were Forging Masters.

After first paying their fine at the Teaching Affairs Office, the brothers finally left the academy together.

The unfamiliarity of Eastsea City once again made Tang Wulin feel slightly oppressed, but as he looked at Tang Wuyang walking half a step ahead of him, he comforted himself. At least he was not alone. Wuyang was with him.

Although neither knew where the Forging Master Association was, they had mouths and could ask for directions.

After asking several times, the brothers finally learned the Forging Master Association's approximate location.

Eastsea City was enormous, far larger than Aolai City by who knew how much. To save money, the two walked all the way toward the Forging Master Association.

Fortunately, the Forging Master Association was not too far from Eastsea Academy. Having eaten their fill at noon, they reached their destination after walking for over half an hour.

The Forging Master Association was easy to recognize. It was a gray building about thirty stories tall, with an enormous hammer emblem on it. With that symbol, it did not even need a signboard.

After entering through the glass doors on the first floor, they saw a ten-meter-tall glass wall directly ahead. On it was a relief carving of a golden Giant Hammer at least eight meters high.

Although the Forging Master Association was not as wealthy as the Mecha Manufacturing Association, it was also an indispensable presence.

Top-tier Forging Masters held extremely high social status, not even inferior to those Mecha Manufacturing masters.

Manufacturing top-tier Mechas also required top-tier materials, and top-tier materials needed to be processed by top-tier Forging Masters.

The first-floor lobby was very spacious. At the front desk were only two Young Girls dressed in gray professional attire.

"Are you two Little brothers looking for someone?" Seeing Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin approach, a sweet-looking Young Girl Stood Up and greeted them proactively.

Tang Wulin said politely but somewhat shyly, "W-We're here for a Forging Master rank assessment."

"Puchi!" The other, curvier Young Girl laughed. "Look, his face is red. You two Little brothers are really handsome."

The sweet-looking Young Girl reproached her, "Yuan Yuan, stop teasing them. Little brothers, you want to assess your Forging Master ranks?"

Seeing his Older brother's bashful appearance, Tang Wuyang spoke up. "Yes."

The sweet-looking Young Girl continued, "Then where are your parents? Or do you have a Teacher accompanying you?"

Tang Wuyang shook his head. "Teacher told us to come by ourselves and find a master named Cen Yue."

Upon hearing Cen Yue's name, both Young Girls froze. The sweet-looking Young Girl hurriedly said, "Then please wait a moment. I'll ask whether Master Cen Yue is free right now. Have you two contacted Master Cen through Soul Guidance Communication?"

Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin shook their heads at the same time. How could they have any Soul Guidance Communication devices?

Soul Guidance Communication was convenient, but both the communication fees and equipment costs were especially expensive. Even at home, they only had a single fixed Soul Guidance Communicator.

The two had originally planned to find a coin-operated Soul Guidance Communicator after finishing their Forging business and call Dad and Mom to let them know they were safe.

"Master Cen, two children are looking for you. Um~ yes, one has completely black hair, while the other has some gold at the ends of his hair." The sweet-looking Young Girl dialed the number and spoke.

After ending the call, the sweet-looking Young Girl said to the brothers, "Little brothers, Master Cen happens to be free. Come with me."

As she spoke, she led Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin toward one side of the lobby.

The curvy Young Girl, Yuan Yuan, watched their backs, stuck out her tongue, and muttered to herself, "Who would've thought? These two Little Fellows actually know Master Cen."

When the Metal Door of the Soul Guidance Elevator opened before them, both brothers were startled. This was their first time seeing something like it.

"Come on, get in." The sweet-looking Young Girl did not laugh at them, merely smiling gently.

Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin obediently walked over to her.

The sweet-looking Young Girl said, "My name is Yun Xiaoling. Master Cen's office is on the fifteenth floor. I'll take you to see him first, and then he'll bring you for your Forging Master rank Test."

"Thank you, Sister." Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin said in unison, very politely.

Yun Xiaoling looked them over. Although the two children were dressed very plainly, they were both quite handsome.

Though their appearances were similar, the child with completely black hair had noticeably gentler features than the one with slight gold at the tips of his hair.

Though both were simple and unpretentious, they were very polite and easily inspired goodwill.

"Ding!" The Elevator stopped on the fifteenth floor, and the doors opened.

The walls were silver-white metal, while the ceiling and floor were white. Clean and tidy—this was Tang Wuyang's first impression of the place.

Outside the Elevator was a corridor, with Room Doors lining Both sides.

Yun Xiaoling led them down one side and stopped before a door bearing Cen Yue's nameplate, then pressed the button beside it.

"Master Cen, I'm Yun Xiaoling. I've brought those two children to you."

"Um~." A deep voice sounded, and then the door opened.