Godly Craftsman Competition

Chapter 40: The Godly Craftsman Competition Has Always Been Thus, Shrek in Disintegration, Gu Yue's Hesitation (4K)

Three days later, the Tianhai Alliance Competition, Forging Finals.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

Jiu Tian gripped the Dry Gold Hammer and struck the rare metal Yan Gold, the twin hammers crossing and flipping in flight, the hammer heads tracing crescent-moon arcs, landing like thunderbolts splitting the air.

The surface of the Yan Gold churned like molten lava beneath the deep sea, light flowing in Jiu Tian's iron-gray pupils as he pierced through every minute change in texture.

His muscular arms bulged with veins, hammer shadows layering upon each other without a hint of disorder, pouring down in an airtight cascade!

On the other side, Tang Wulin clenched the Thousand Refined Silver Hammer, his strikes synchronized with his breathing, trailing afterimages as heavy pounding sounds rang out continuously. As the forging deepened, the silver gradually brightened, revealing dazzling cloud patterns.

Both were lost in their own world, maintaining a high-frequency forging rhythm. Centered around their forging tables, invisible ripples spread outward in rings. Many forgers smiled bitterly, stopped their hammering, and chose to abandon the competition.

The Forging Competition was divided into three rounds. In the first two preliminary rounds, Jiu Tian and Tang Wulin had displayed forging skills far surpassing others. In the finals, they went all out, fully unleashing their forging talent.

Each forger had their own forging rhythm; once that rhythm was disrupted, the success rate dropped significantly. Those forgers, their rhythm thrown into chaos and unable to produce qualified work, simply withdrew from the competition, leaving the stage to the two geniuses.

"President, Saint Craftsman Mu, in the end, it's your two esteemed disciples contending for supremacy," a Sixth-Rank Forging Master remarked from the main platform with emotion.

Zhen Hua and Mu Chen exchanged a glance, seeing the eager competitive spirit in each other's eyes.

The senior and junior brothers were as close as flesh and blood, each reaping their own rewards in life. Zhen Hua broke through to Heavenly Forging, becoming a Godly Craftsman revered by millions. Mu Chen married the woman he loved, giving birth to their beloved daughter Mu Xi, a life of fulfillment.

The story of the previous generation was largely settled, and their emotional investment extended to the younger generation. Both forging big shots were extremely satisfied with their personal disciples, encouraging them to spar and compete!

"Boom!"

Jiu Tian let out a fierce shout, the Dry Gold Hammer plunging like a golden dragon probing an abyss, precisely striking the center of the Yan Gold. Crimson sparks burst wildly, and in that instant, the forging table shook, metal buzzed, as if dozens of heavy hammers were striking simultaneously!

The hammer force penetrated the metal, and a red-gold radiance rose up, revealing magnificent and intricate patterns that crawled across the metal's surface like blood vessels and meridians, ultimately converging into exquisite gilded secret patterns.

Spiritual light radiated outward—Thousand Refinements First Grade!

"Kong!"

Another burst of spiritual light flared. Tang Wulin completed his forging right behind, the Thousand Refinements First Grade Silver emitting a blue halo, its patterns uniform and covering every corner.

"Come, take a look at the two children's works and decide who is the champion of this competition," Zhen Hua said with a smile. "To avoid bias, Junior Brother Mu Chen and I will withhold our opinions."

Thousand Refinements First Grade Yan Gold, Thousand Refinements First Grade Silver. The referees presented the two steaming forged metals for the forgers on the main platform to judge.

"Ten years old and already Thousand Refinements First Grade... they're solid Fourth-Rank Forging Masters..." an old forging master with graying hair couldn't help nodding in praise.

"Forging geniuses unseen in a thousand years, and two appear at once..."

"The metal patterns are so exquisite and complete; if it were me, I doubt I could have done better."

The exclamations of his colleagues kept reaching his ears. Zhen Hua and Mu Chen's upturned lips were harder to suppress than an AK. The metal was the disciple's work, and the disciple was the teacher's work; praising the disciple was like praising the teacher, and it made them even happier.

After some deliberation among the judges, the oldest master gave the result: "President, Saint Craftsman Mu, after comprehensive discussion, we have reached a conclusion.

Although both metals are Thousand Refinements First Grade, the forging difficulty of Yan Gold is higher than that of Silver, and the metal's surface already shows a life-like resonance similar to Spiritual Forging.

We unanimously believe that Jiu Tian has won and should be awarded the championship of this Tianhai Alliance Competition, Forging Competition."

"Jiu Tian is still young; he needs more training!"

Zhen Hua couldn't help laughing. Mu Chen also smiled, having no dissatisfaction with the competition's outcome.

As top-tier forgers, the moment the two Thousand Refinements First Grade metals were successfully forged, both big shots had already discerned the difference; victory and defeat were clear in their minds.

Godly Craftsman Zhen Hua personally announced the competition champion. Jiu Tian let out a slight breath of turbid air. This wasn't aimed solely at Tang Wulin; to ascend to the Godly Craftsman position, he would go all out to crush every competitor!

The Eight Deceitful Gods were symbols of rules. Jiu Tian, embodying the Dry Gold Image, sensed that the Godly Craftsman's Heaven and Earth Law was unique, subtly maintaining a balance. In other words, the Douluo Continent did not allow multiple Godly Craftsmen to be born in the same era.

For example, if Zhen Hua's difficulty in becoming a Godly Craftsman was one, then the second forger of this era would have their difficulty skyrocket to ten, the third to a hundred... and so on, with the difficulty coefficient possibly even higher!

Keeping things simple, Jiu Tian naturally wouldn't make concessions. His goal was to become a Godly Craftsman as quickly as possible. With cultivation levels roughly equal, defeating a competitor head-on was the way to gradually gain the recognition of the Heaven and Earth Law!

The Godly Craftsman Competition has always been thus!

Tianhai Hotel, Sixty-Sixth Floor.

The Shrek Team sat lifelessly on the sofas, newspapers scattered messily across the floor, their deliberately bold headlines a glaring, bloody red.

Myth Shattered, Shrek's Defeat!

The Great Sun Sets, the Era of Stars Begins!

One Who Dares Not Stir Trouble Is a Mediocrity; One Who Stirs Trouble but Cannot Bear It Is a Fool!

Shock, the Continent's First Academy Actually...

The once high-spirited and arrogant Shrek Team now had faces ashen as death.

In the eyes of the world, the Continent's First Academy had lost to the unknown Eastsea Academy, and the average age of Eastsea Academy's seven members was three years younger, their soul power also far inferior...

The Tianhai Alliance Competition was the grandest event of the Tianhai Alliance, with dozens of cities like Tianhai City and Eastsea City broadcasting the matches on television. Shrek Academy's exhibition match was a gimmick to attract countless viewers to watch the competition, and they all witnessed Shrek's utter defeat.

Those reporters were like sharks smelling enticing blood, scrambling to write their news. Some even reconstructed the cause of the conflict through the Tianhai Stadium's surveillance footage.

Yu Yuanheng's arrogance became the target of public criticism. The best report came from the Sun Moon Evening News reporter, who placed Yu Yuanheng's initial lofty demeanor and his miserable state after fainting on the front page.

That stark, profound contrast—Yu Yuanheng took just one look before fainting again from rage.

Shrek Academy suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Eastsea Academy. The leading teacher, Shen Yi, had no choice but to urgently report the situation. Shrek's reply was a cold four-word response: hold position and await orders.

Shrek, undefeated for twenty thousand years, had come crashing down. The incident spread like wildfire, shaking the entire Douluo Continent. Rumors ran rampant in an instant, and with the Sun Moon Federation's official forces fanning the flames behind the scenes, the situation seemed to spiral further out of control.

"Brother Yuanheng... were we wrong..."

Ning Xian's pretty face was etched with exhaustion. Three days of terror had robbed her of sleep and appetite. The Soul Net was flooded with unbearable rumors, and she was beginning to regret everything.

"Who said that... I'm not wrong... I'm not wrong..."

Yu Yuanheng's eyes were bloodshot, crimson veins spreading like a dense spiderweb. He was badly injured, his entire body wrapped in bandages. Shaking his head left and right, he muttered deliriously:

"I fought with everything I had to defend the Academy's honor, to protect the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's reputation... I'm not wrong... I should be a hero...

Heroes never lose... That fight was wrong, something was definitely wrong!

They cheated, they cheated!"

Yu Yuanheng howled like a madman, his shrill voice echoing through the room, lingering long after.

Ye Xinglan lifted her pale, bloodless face. Today, she wasn't wearing Shrek's green uniform but a goose-yellow dress. White gauze wrapped her arms, calves, and knees. Hearing Yu Yuanheng's hysterical accusations, she frowned and said:

"Why slander Eastsea Academy without cause?

We were outmatched. We just have to wait for the Academy's punishment. No matter how harsh, we bear the consequences of our defeat ourselves."

"Ye... Xing... Lan!"

Yu Yuanheng slowly turned his head, spitting out her name word by word, his eyes blazing with murderous intent: "You still dare to open your mouth? This is all because of you!

If it weren't for you, how could Shrek have provoked those monsters? Now look—Shrek has lost, and the entire Douluo Continent is drowning me in insults and humiliation!

Do you have any idea... what I'm going to lose!"

Yu Yuanheng's emotions were on the verge of collapse. His performance at the Opening Ceremony had enraged the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. The position of clan leader was no longer within easy reach!

"Ye Xinglan, you've ruined my reputation, destroyed my future... If I get expelled from Shrek Academy on top of this, I swear you'll wish you were dead for the rest of your life!"

"Yu Yuanheng, try it if you dare!"

The two were instantly at each other's throats. Yu Yuanheng burned with fury, treating Ye Xinglan as a mortal enemy.

Ye Xinglan's expression was cold, but a flicker of disappointment passed through her Azure Pupils. Yu Yuanheng was one of the most talented geniuses in Shrek's outer court. She had regarded him as a target to catch up to—only to see his true colors laid bare by a single defeat.

"Sister Xinglan, Brother Yuanheng, please calm down. Have some baozi."

Xu Lizhi condensed a restorative Big Meat Bun and carefully offered it to the two locked in confrontation.

"Get lost!"

Yu Yuanheng glared at Xu Lizhi with a twisted face. The Little Fatty was also a source of the conflict. Ning Xian, Chu Yan, Yao Yue, and Chen Feng chose to stand by Yu Yuanheng's side. The Shrek Team had split into two factions on the spot.

"What do you think you're doing? Sit down, all of you!"

Shen Yi pushed open the door, her face full of irritation as she barked at both sides. Only then did the seven of them reluctantly return to their seats.

Letting out a deep sigh, Shen Yi began: "Originally, this defeat was just a small matter. The Poseidon Pavilion didn't take it too seriously. After all, Shrek Academy's foundation isn't something that can be shaken by one Exhibition Match or a few kids under fifteen. It would have blown over in time.

But..."

She paused, her tone shifting: "People with ulterior motives have used Shrek's first-ever loss as a pretext to spread baseless, outrageous rumors.

For example, that Shrek ruthlessly exploits its students, that only inner court disciples matter to the Academy, that Shrek's undefeated record was all built on cheating...

The sources of these rumors are numerous. The Academy has confirmed that most originate from Mingdu, led by the Sun Moon Royal Academy.

The Sun Moon Royal Soul Tool Master Academy and other factions have finally let their long-suppressed grievances explode, seizing the chance to slander and smear Shrek Academy. What surprised the Academy, though, is that the Spirit Pagoda—usually our equal—hasn't participated..."

Shrek had celebrated far too early. Qiangu Dongfeng believed that as long as experts like the Heaven-Shaking Douluo, Light and Dark Douluo, and Holy Spirit Douluo were still around, a few rumors were just child's play. Once the Shrek-aligned Title Douluo fell to his schemes, that would be the real Good Opportunity to crush Shrek Academy completely.

"This isn't just about your defeat anymore. It's about how to quickly restore the Academy's reputation. The Poseidon Pavilion is in an emergency meeting right now."

After speaking, Shen Yi's gaze fell on Yu Yuanheng and Ye Xinglan. Her voice was heavy: "Because you've left the Academy with neither moral high ground nor strength to fight back, the Poseidon Pavilion is... extremely disappointed.

If this isn't resolved properly, the Academy may have no choice but to expel you."

Yu Yuanheng's eyes twitched. He fell straight off the sofa, and Ning Xian and the others scrambled to help him up. Ye Xinglan's delicate frame trembled. Her beautiful eyes, cast downward, seemed to glisten with tears as she stumbled back to her room in a daze.

Late at night.

Ye Xinglan tossed and turned. Intense anxiety and guilt made it impossible for her to enter meditation, let alone sleep like an ordinary person.

Losing to Na'er, Shrek being humiliated, facing expulsion from the Academy... These past few days felt like countless swords piercing her heart, the pain so sharp she could barely breathe. She murmured to herself:

"The conflict started with me. I have a responsibility to help get through this, even if it costs me everything..."

With that thought, she got out of bed, stepped lightly, and pushed open the door.

Tianhai Hotel, eighty-eighth floor.

The Forging Association had arranged the most luxurious accommodations for Godly Craftsman Zhen Hua and his party. Zhao Xuanzhen and Na'er had splurged, staying in a massive suite on the eighty-eighth floor, decorated with exquisite opulence and fully equipped with every Facility.

Upon hearing the news, Gu Yue quickly moved out of the Eastsea Academy hotel room and came to stay with the two of them, claiming it was all in the spirit of the Spirit Pagoda family.

"Xuanzhen, Na'er, I've completed my withdrawal procedures from Eastsea Academy. I need to go into urgent seclusion at home."

At these words, Zhao Xuanzhen, who had been studying the Secrets of Ben Ti, and Na'er, who was snacking, both froze. The former was puzzled, while the latter was overjoyed. Na'er flashed over to Gu Yue, grabbed her hand, and shook it a few times:

"Promise me you'll be in seclusion for a hundred or eighty years, okay?"

Gu Yue sneered. The abacus beads were clattering right in her face!

"Why the sudden seclusion? How long will it take?" Zhao Xuanzhen asked seriously.

"That day, after I used Joint Effort with Na'er to charge the Darkgold Fearclaw, my body felt strange. I need to go into seclusion to stabilize. At least a year, at most three. I have a feeling that after I break through, I'll undergo some kind of transformation."

Normally, Gu Yue and Na'er were secretly at odds with each other. But that first time they worked together—that feeling of controlling all things, that supreme power... As the main half of the Silver Dragon King's body, Gu Yue was all too familiar with it.

When their minds were aligned and their goal was the same, Na'er's aura seemed to help her recover the power of the Silver Dragon King.

After bidding farewell to Zhao Xuanzhen and Na'er, Gu Yue left the Tianhai Hotel. A mature, seductive woman with purple hair had been waiting downstairs for some time.

Gu Yue looked back at the bustling high-rise, hesitation flickering in her eyes. Her voice was barely audible: "Could it be... that I don't have to devour her?

No. I am the Silver Dragon King. My resolve will not waver...

You two... will be mine sooner or later."