Hammering Li Yusong

"What? You want to go to Shrek Academy?"

"No, no. Shrek Academy claims it only accepts monsters, but it's really just after registration fees. If it weren't for the few high-level Soul Masters there, people would have stormed the place long ago!" Tie Xin immediately shook his head upon hearing that Tie Xiong wanted to attend Shrek Academy.

Seeing Tie Xiong's serious expression and realizing he was not joking, Tie Xin gradually became serious as well.

Tie Xiong waited for his father to calm down.

Then he said, "Father, I've already thought this through. With my talent, if I attend a regular elementary Soul Master Academy and then an intermediate Soul Master Academy, I'll reach Soul Ancestor at most before hitting my limit!"

"Although Shrek Academy has collected plenty of registration fees, it truly does have high-level Soul Masters. Studying there will at least give me a sliver of hope of breaking through to Soul King!"

Tie Xiong presented the reason he had prepared long ago.

Looking into Tie Xiong's determined eyes, Tie Xin felt a pang of heartache.

He knew how hard his son had worked over the years.

But just as he had thought when his son's martial soul awakened, Level Five Innate Soul Power had its limits.

His son wanted to seek guidance from high-level Soul Masters and gamble on a future.

Seeing that his father remained silent for a long time, Tie Xiong smiled. "Father, I've trained the Tie Family Hammer Technique so well. No matter what, I have to surpass our ancestor's Soul Emperor realm. Then you'll be able to walk through Suotuo City with the wind at your back!"

Tie Xin smiled helplessly. His younger son had possessed talent and ideas since childhood, so he would let him carve out his own path!

"You'd better think this through. Even if you go there, they might not accept you!"

Tie Xiong grinned. "Heh, Father, you have to believe your son is a monster!"

Now that father and son had made their decision, they did not hesitate any longer.

Tie Xin took the money and led Tie Xiong out of the city.

To be honest, Shrek Academy did have a certain reputation in Suotuo City.

Of course, it was all a bad reputation.

But people had heard that Shrek Academy graduates became imperial viscounts, that one of its former students had become an elder of Spirit Hall, and that the academy's dean, vice dean, and teachers included Soul Saints and Soul Emperors.

Therefore, no one dared cause trouble for it.

Tie Xin did not know whether his son's trip would bring fortune or misfortune.

If Tie Xiong knew what his father was thinking, he would definitely tell him that Flender had been boasting.

An elder of Spirit Hall had to be at least a Title Douluo. How could one possibly have come from Shrek Academy?

The two left through the southern gate and headed toward the village where Shrek Academy was located.

The village housing Shrek Academy was not far from Suotuo City.

Before long, they arrived at a village surrounded by wooden fences.

Quite a few people had gathered at the village entrance, presumably all here to register.

Although Shrek Academy's reputation was mediocre, it did have high-level Soul Masters.

Many parents had come to try their luck.

The person responsible for recruiting students was an old man in his fifties. He looked lazy and wore plain clothes.

"The registration fee is ten Gold Soul Coins. Anyone registering, put the money in the box!" The old man pointed to a box beside him.

This should be Li Yusong. His martial soul was the Dragon Pattern Staff. When Tang San joined the academy six years later, he was a Level Sixty-Three Power-Attack Type Battle Soul Emperor. Right now, he should be a Soul King.

While some parents were still hesitating and their children resisted, unwilling to register at such a rundown academy,

Tie Xin walked straight up and placed ten Gold Soul Coins inside.

"Oh? You're too young. Did your martial soul just awaken?" Li Yusong asked as he looked at Tie Xiong.

Tie Xiong stretched out his right hand, and the Heaven Breaking Hammer appeared in his palm.

"Teacher, my Heaven Breaking Hammer martial soul awakened yesterday. I have Level Five Innate Soul Power!" Tie Xiong said calmly.

Li Yusong had stared closely when Tie Xiong's hammer martial soul first appeared, but after a careful look, he saw that it was completely different from the Clear Sky Hammer of the Clear Sky Sect.

He immediately lost interest. "Since you're registering at Shrek Academy, you should know the rules. Level Five Innate Soul Power doesn't qualify as monstrous!"

Tie Xiong was not angry. He said with a grin, "Teacher, I've trained with the hammer since I was one year old. I can now stack the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer up to fourteen strikes. My mental strength and body have both been tempered far beyond those of my peers. I'm confident I can absorb my first soul ring beyond the maximum age limit. Does that count as being a monster?"

Tie Xin and Li Yusong were both stunned.

Tie Xin had never considered the matter of soul ring age limits.

Li Yusong, on the other hand, rapidly considered it. Ever since the concept of soul ring age limits had emerged, almost no one had been able to surpass them.

What made this child so confident?

"Besides, Teacher, if under the academy's guidance I successfully absorb a soul ring beyond its age limit, what an incredible achievement that would be! Shrek Academy's name would become famous across the continent!"

"Even if I fail, look! This is my father, the owner of Suotuo City's largest Blacksmith Shop. You can still collect some tuition fees! Whenever you need sponsorship, our family certainly won't be stingy!" Tie Xiong's seductive words rang in Li Yusong's ears.

Li Yusong looked at the child in surprise.

This brat is trying to tempt me. I'm not the dean, so obsessed with money that he treats it like his life.

He was extremely sly, not at all like a six-year-old child.

What if he actually succeeded? The words "famous across the continent" swirled through Li Yusong's mind.

He had developed an interest in Tie Xiong.

"Come, attack me with your hammer martial soul!" Li Yusong decided to first see whether what he said was true.

A powerful aura erupted from Li Yusong. A Dragon Pattern Long Staff appeared in his right hand, and five soul rings rose from beneath his feet—white, yellow, yellow, purple, purple. Though it was not the optimal soul ring configuration, five soul rings represented a Soul King.

Everyone present was already stunned.

Without any visible movement from Li Yusong, the Dragon Pattern Staff extended to over a hundred centimeters and began spinning beside him.

As Soul Power circulated, black and golden Soul Power formed a protective barrier around Li Yusong.

Tie Xiong and Tie Xin were both intimidated by Li Yusong's formidable aura and retreated several steps.

"A Soul King?!" Tie Xin shouted in shock.

He could not believe that a teacher responsible for recruiting students was actually a Soul King.

Now, he was instead worried about whether his son could get accepted.

This was Tie Xiong's first time seeing a real Soul King. It was truly dazzling, enough to make anyone envious.

Tie Xiong knew very well that even if he attacked with all his strength, he would not be able to harm Li Yusong in the slightest.

Then he would hammer away without restraint. This was his first time hammering a person; before this, he had only hammered forging tables.

Excitement appeared on Tie Xiong's face. He bent down and rolled up his trouser legs.

Under Li Yusong's surprised gaze, he removed his leg weights.

After moving around twice, Tie Xiong solemnly stepped forward. His calves exerted force, and strength gradually gathered from below into his right arm.

Since there was some distance between them, Tie Xiong took a two- or three-meter run-up before smashing his hammer at Li Yusong.

Li Yusong did not move in the slightest. Only a clang of metal striking metal rang out.

The Heaven Breaking Hammer rapidly rebounded.

The barrier formed from Soul Power was even sturdier than metal.

Tie Xiong skillfully spun around once and struck again.

He felt incredible. This was the best state he had ever been in.

Strike after strike immersed him in the rhythm. With such a living target to build up strength against while practicing his hammer technique, Tie Xiong was exhilarated.

Tie Xiong was not content with hammering only Li Yusong's front. He circled around Li Yusong and struck several more times.

Clang!

Tie Xiong unleashed a fifteenth strike, one more than yesterday. The hammer flew high into the air, leaving his control.

But this was a hammer martial soul. After landing, Tie Xiong gathered his mental strength and recalled it.

"Nearly seven hundred jin of force!" Li Yusong had already begun to believe Tie Xiong when he removed the leg weights.

Now, his expression had turned solemn.

The fifteenth hammer strike had contained nearly seven hundred jin of force. It was truly unbelievable that a Level Five Soul Warrior could produce such power.