Tianhai Alliance Competition, Na'er: Zhao Xuanzhen is truly

Chapter 35: Tianhai Alliance Competition, Na'er: Now That's What I Call Bold (4K)

The sharp aura of the Red-grade Mecha tore through dark clouds and torrential rain, flying straight toward Heaven Dou City.

On his way to Eastsea City, Zhao Xuanzhen had ridden Leng Yaozhu's Fire Phoenix. Now, riding Muye's Red-grade Mecha, he had a direct comparison between the two machines. Evaluating from speed, stability, comfort, and other angles, the Red-grade Mecha crushed the Black-grade Mecha in every aspect.

"Even just as a means of transport, Red-grade is superior," Zhao Xuanzhen remarked.

Hearing this, Muye smacked his lips and said, "Using a Red-grade Mecha as a mere transport—there aren't many soul masters on the entire Douluo Continent bold enough to be so extravagant. And a Red-grade Mecha has endless wonders, nearly omnipotent. Using it only for transport is a sheer waste of heavenly gifts. This Sect Master will now open your eyes.

Xiao Hong, transform!"

"At your command, boss."

A gentle female voice came from within the Red-grade Mecha, accompanied by a metallic clang. The humanoid mecha shifted into the shape of an aircraft, its wing edges like blades, a dark-gold gleam exuding an air of danger.

Immediately after, the Red-grade Mecha vanished from sight, reappearing a thousand meters away in an instant.

"Solidified instantaneous transfer of life functions—within a thousand-meter range, free space jumps are possible," Muye said smugly.

"Among the countless martial souls on the continent, the original martial soul is the most compatible with mechas. When a mecha breaks through to Red-grade, it can fuse with one's own soul spirit. Xiao Hong has merged with one of my soul spirits, like my own avatar."

When speaking of mechas, Muye's eyes burned with fervor, and he had an endless stream of topics. So deeply immersed was he in exploring the world of mechas that he had even given up the chance to break through to Level 95 Super Douluo—proof of this Ben Ti Sect Master's obsession.

Muye rattled on, "Although a Red-grade Mecha isn't as powerful as a Four-Word Battle Armor, its functions are more comprehensive. I strongly suggest you build a Red-grade Mecha that matches your martial soul's abilities—it will surely give you a huge surprise."

"If I have free time in the future, I'll give it a try."

Zhao Xuanzhen nodded lightly. His three secondary professions were all at the fourth level, giving him a basic understanding of mecha and battle armor knowledge. Compared to the complex and cumbersome battle armor, mechas were much simpler. He could consider building a Red-grade Mecha.

Heaven Dou City, Forging Association, main entrance.

A silver-haired girl held up a Soul Guide Shield. Rainwater struck the shield, winding down like ink trails, making her skin appear crystalline white. Her silver-white beautiful eyes gazed at the sky with eager anticipation.

Thunder roared in the distance. A red mecha tore through the air. The cockpit door opened, and a tall figure split the rain curtain as he descended from the sky. His eyes shone with startling brightness, as if they had crushed the lightning from the storm into the depths of his pupils.

"Over here—"

Na'er waved her small hand, her figure graceful, her silver long hair dancing in the night wind.

Zhao Xuanzhen landed steadily in front of Na'er and said with a smile, "The weather's terrible. Why didn't you wait inside?"

"I'm too impatient!"

Na'er beamed and hopped forward two steps, unable to contain herself. "Did you awaken?!"

"Mm. Golden-grade."

"I knew you could do it!"

Na'er cheered. Forty-nine days was the limit for a second awakening, and she had been terrified that Zhao Xuanzhen would fail. She couldn't eat her fill or sleep well all day. After pacing back and forth for ages, she decided to wait outside to get the news firsthand.

Seeing the girl whose excitement far surpassed his own, Zhao Xuanzhen's lips curled into a faint smile. The feeling of being constantly on someone's mind was truly heartwarming. Na'er was like a little sun; with her by his side, his life shone brilliantly.

After the joy subsided, Na'er suddenly remembered something and asked with a worried expression, "They say the higher the level of a second awakening of an original martial soul, the greater the backlash. Some Golden-grade ones even consume life force. What about you?"

"As for me..." Zhao Xuanzhen paused for two and a half seconds. "The Golden Awakening showed no signs of life force damage. It's a pure burst-type soul skill—temporary triple boost to all attributes. The price is that after the second awakening ends, my true self enters a brief dormant period. I can re-awaken after a day."

There were countless secret techniques that left aftereffects, but the True Self Second Awakening was simple, brutal, and came at a very low cost. Among the Golden-grade original martial souls recorded by the Ben Ti Sect, it was unique.

"Then it's fine, as long as it doesn't shorten your life! Come on, let's eat!"

Na'er finally relaxed and eagerly pulled Zhao Xuanzhen toward the Small Kitchen.

"Wait."

Zhao Xuanzhen stopped Na'er. Na'er blinked her big eyes, confused. "What?"

"Your hair is messy."

Leaning forward slightly, Zhao Xuanzhen reached for the stray silver strands by Na'er's ear, brushing them from her jawline to behind her ear.

Tucking hair behind someone's ear was a severely underestimated intimate gesture. Her pupils reflected his gentle eyebrows and eyes, and Na'er unconsciously held her breath. When Zhao Xuanzhen's pinky inadvertently brushed against her delicate earlobe, the girl's thick eyelashes fluttered, and a jolt like an electric shock ran through her body.

"My heart's beating so fast..."

Na'er heard the thumping of her own heart in her chest and began to seriously analyze the cause. Then a yellow light bulb lit up above her head, and realization dawned:

"It's all that idiot Zhao Xuanzhen's fault!

Because she was worried about his second awakening, King Na'er couldn't eat lunch, leading to a lack of nutrition and an irregular heartbeat!

Case closed—she had to eat more tonight!"

With that thought, Na'er's expression turned serious. She steeled herself for a big meal to replenish her energy and let Zhao Xuanzhen continue tidying her smooth silver long hair.

The three of them arrived at the Small Kitchen together. Godly Craftsman Zhen Hua and Jiu Tian had just finished a day of forging lessons and were waiting for Chef Muye to start cooking.

Muye's cooking efficiency needed no elaboration. One delicacy after another was brought to the table—eight dishes and one soup, all made from rare heavenly treasures. The taste was excellent, the energy rich, and everyone ate until their blood surged and their bodies broke into a sweat.

Godly Craftsman Zhen Hua put down his bowl and chopsticks and said, "In ten days, the Tianhai Alliance Competition begins. I'll take Jiu Tian to participate in the forging contest and also catch up with some old friends."

"Tianhai Alliance... I remember you used to avoid that place as much as possible. What changed?" Muye said with amusement.

Zhen Hua shot Muye an annoyed glare. The two had been friends for decades—didn't Muye know why he avoided the Tianhai Alliance!?

Back then, Zhen Hua, Mu Chen, and Yuan Bao'er were fellow disciples under the same master—a classic two-men-one-woman scenario.

In the end, Zhen Hua's confession failed, and he chose to go into seclusion to break through to Divine Craftsman. Mu Chen and Yuan Bao'er lived happily together, giving birth to the fruit of their love, Mu Xi.

Zhen Hua still harbored thoughts of his junior sister Yuan Bao'er in his heart. As a Divine Craftsman, he never married, so in recent years he rarely set foot in the cities under the Tianhai Alliance to avoid misunderstandings. But this time, his mindset was completely different.

The older generation's story was drawing to a close, and the younger generation's tale was about to unfold. Feelings between senior and junior brothers aside, Zhen Hua deeply hoped his beloved disciple would outshine Mu Chen's.

Jiu Tian was steady, cold, stubborn, like a piece of human-shaped metal. After fifty days of forging training, he broke through to Fourth-Rank Forging Master at the age of ten—truly a natural seedling for a Divine Craftsman. Zhen Hua felt the pride of a man who had a son late in life.

Experiencing grand occasions was a good thing, tempering Jiu Tian's will and character while gradually building his reputation.

The backlash of forging Heavenly Forging Metal on a forger was terrifyingly severe. Zhen Hua could hold on for at most another twenty years. He placed great hopes on Jiu Tian, wishing only to train him into the next Divine Craftsman and inherit the position of Forging Association President.

Participating in the Tianhai Alliance Competition was a signal, telling all forgers on the Douluo Continent that Zhen Hua had a successor.

Of course, Jiu Tian was not flawless. Zhen Hua privately investigated Jiu Tian's past, but found nothing—no knowledge of his parents or family.

Logic had two sides. Finding nothing actually proved Jiu Tian's background was clean. If he were truly a spy sent by an enemy force, he would likely have prepared a fake identity in advance.

Zhen Hua firmly believed a Divine Craftsman's judgment would not be wrong. Jiu Tian had extraordinary talent, outstanding character, and a righteous aura—clearly a good kid!

Besides, Zhen Hua didn't believe any force would dare send a ten-year-old boy with the potential of a Divine Craftsman as a spy. After all, Jiu Tian was so young; his worldview could easily be swayed, and he might end up recognizing the Forging Association and backstabbing his original master.

Looking at the silent, cold Jiu Tian beside him, Zhen Hua couldn't help but laugh. "Junior Brother, let our disciples have a fair fight..."

Ten days later, Tianhai City.

Tianhai City was the foremost city on the East Coast, bordering the sea. It housed the largest port on the Douluo Continent. One of the Sun Moon Federation's Eight Great Legions was stationed outside Tianhai City, with steel-beast-like warships anchored in the ocean.

Due to its relatively short development time, Tianhai City lacked deep foundations. Only its economy ranked among the Federation's upper tier. In terms of Soul Masters, sects, academies, and the like, it couldn't compare to ancient cities like Shrek City, Mingdu, or Heaven Dou City.

The Tianhai Alliance Competition was a measure devised by Tianhai City's high-level officials. They offered heavy rewards to winners, encouraging young Soul Masters from East Coast cities to participate and attracting mainland Soul Masters to join the Tianhai Alliance.

This method proved effective. The number of Soul Masters in the Tianhai Alliance increased significantly, and their overall strength rose rapidly. Even Shrek Academy cast a trace of attention, rewarding winning academies with more slots to apply for Shrek.

As the competition day drew near, Tianhai City grew increasingly bustling. Tourists flocked to watch the matches, and the entire city was lively and noisy, especially around places with good food and wine.

Zhao Xuanzhen and Na'er admired the local customs of Tianhai City. Na'er held Zhao Xuanzhen's arm, sunlight falling on her beautiful face, her skin crystal clear.

Zhen Hua personally accompanied his disciple to the Forging Master competition. The Tianhai Alliance was flattered by the news and sent a luxurious team to welcome the Divine Craftsman and his disciple.

Muye, Zhen Hua's close friend and bodyguard, naturally followed along. He brought Zhao Xuanzhen to continue answering questions and solving doubts about the Ben Ti Sect's secret arts. Na'er didn't want to return to the Spirit Transmission Tower alone, so the five of them came to Tianhai City together.

On the surface, everything was harmonious, and no one was hurt. But in reality, at the Spirit Transmission Tower Headquarters, the empty-nest teacher already had red-rimmed eyes.

Every day, she counted down the days on her fingers, finally nearing the two-month deadline. Then Zhao Xuanzhen sent her a message, and Leng Yaozhu had to continue being an empty-nester.

Zhen Hua had dinner with his old forging friends, introducing his personal disciple Jiu Tian to them. Ben Ti Sect Master Muye guarded them closely. Zhao Xuanzhen and Na'er got some peace and quiet. Na'er used her old tricks to pry a hidden gem of a restaurant from a Tianhai local, while Red-grade Mecha Xiao Hong watched over them in secret.

"Boss, bring ten Tianhai King Crabs, a hundred Rose Red Shrimp, and a hundred Purple Crystal Sea Urchins!"

Na'er called out the menu the second she walked in.

The boss was startled. He initially thought it was a family gathering, but seeing only a pair of teenagers, he hesitated. "Isn't that too much? Are you two expecting others?"

Na'er said nonchalantly, "Not enough. Add one Salt-Baked Bluefin Tuna, over two hundred jin, plus twenty servings of Tuna Sashimi, and a hundred special Crab Burgers!"

The boss was dumbfounded, staring at Na'er as if she were a glutton. Zhao Xuanzhen smiled helplessly and handed over a Black Card to pay.

Taking the Black Card solemnly, the boss understood this was going to be an epic battle. He loudly ordered the kitchen to get to work, determined to satisfy the two little ancestors!

Coral-colored food carts surrounded the two of them. The King Crabs steamed with white vapor, their shells glowing with a sunset-molten orange. The crab legs revealed tempting snow-white meat, and the shelled crab meat was piled into snowy towers.

The whole tuna lay on crushed ice, its silver-gray skin shimmering. A waiter's gloved fingers traced the fish's belly, and with a flash of the knife, slices of sashimi were carved out, the frost patterns between the muscle fibers breathtakingly beautiful.

The deep-sea's unique, crisp sweetness filled the air. Na'er's mouth was watering uncontrollably when, at that moment, a familiar, clear voice rang out.

"Perfect timing."

Four figures walked in—Gu Yue, Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, and Xu Xiaoyan. The East Sea F4 had all arrived.

Na'er's pupils shook, and then she glared at Zhao Xuanzhen with resentment. I smell betrayal!

Gu Yue calmly pulled out the seat on Zhao Xuanzhen's other side, completely ignoring Na'er. Remember, this was the Legend of the Dragon King Era. She had returned to Eastsea Academy, but she never stopped using the Soul Guide Communicator to chat long-distance with Zhao Xuanzhen.

A few days ago, learning that Zhao Xuanzhen was in Tianhai City, Gu Yue was ready to join at any time. After asking which restaurant he was at, she transformed into a wind-like woman and rushed over.

"Why didn't that Bone Dragon Soul Master and Dark Phantom Eagle Soul Master come?"

Zhao Xuanzhen spoke first.

"They dropped out," Gu Yue said.

Tang Wulin beside her had a self-blaming expression. In another timeline, absorbing even one layer of the Golden Dragon King's seal would affect Wang Jinxi and Zhang Yangzi's Martial Soul Fusion Skill, let alone now that he had absorbed the equivalent of five layers. The two classmates dropping out because of him—Tang Wulin had always felt guilty.

They were all the same age, so they easily got along. After introducing themselves, the restaurant fell into a rhythm of eating.

An hour passed. Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan had eaten until their bellies were round, leaning back in their chairs, breathing hard.

Gu Yue put down her chopsticks. Zhao Xuanzhen gradually slowed down. Tang Wulin, as usual, was a bottomless pit, devouring nonstop. What shocked Xie and Xu the most was that Na'er's eating speed hadn't slowed down at all. The pile of seafood shells beside her was no shorter than Tang Wulin's!

Na'er and Tang Wulin noticed each other, their expressions shifting slightly. They were both GOATs in the world of appetite, meeting their match, and instantly a competitive spirit arose!

Crack—

The shrimp shell split open with a sound. Gu Yue peeled the shrimp with downcast eyes, her demeanor gentle and virtuous. The shrimp meat left the shell, trailing sticky amber threads, hanging by Zhao Xuanzhen's bowl like crescent moons.

"Not you again, getting competitive..."

Na'er's face was full of grief and indignation. She had slacked off this past month—she shouldn't have forgotten the threat of Gu Yue, the great demon king!

From across the table came the continuous crunching, crunching sound of chewing. At this moment, Na'er no longer had any desire to compete for the title of big eater. She said irritably:

"Tang Wulin, have some manners!"

Tang Wulin was taken aback. He pointed at Zhao Xuanzhen, who had rolled up his sleeves and strung shrimp into a skewer, and questioned: "Then what about him?"

Zhao Xuanzhen innocently bit down on a shrimp that Gu Yue had peeled for him. Na'er lifted her delicate chin slightly and said crisply:

"Zhao Xuanzhen's way is called bold and unrestrained!"