Learning Forging

Xiao Xiao's trial was completely different from Tang Ya's.

Ji Dong was much stricter than Lie Yan. For now, all he had given Tang Ya was merely a preliminary trial, guiding her to find a way to evolve her Martial Soul toward an affinity with light. She had not even truly crossed the threshold of a God Trial.

The enormous white figure slowly raised a hand. A pillar of white light descended from the heavens, enveloping Xiao Xiao's consciousness.

A flood of information instantly poured into her mind.

[Eight Trials of Goodness, First Trial: Heart of Protection. As a member of a team in the Soul Fighting Tournament for Advanced Soul Master Academies across the continent, protect your companions and claim the ultimate championship.]

The sacred light gradually faded, and Lie Yan's figure began to grow indistinct.

Before she left, she gave Xiao Xiao one final reminder:

"You must not reveal anything about the trial. Remember, keep it secret from everyone."

"Yes! I'll keep it secret!"

Xiao Xiao replied respectfully.

As soon as she finished speaking, the thousand-meter-tall divine figure vanished completely. The endless white light in her Sea of Consciousness receded like the tide, and everything returned to its usual calm, as though all that had happened were nothing but a dream.

The next morning, warm sunlight streamed through the windows into the rest area where the Shrek Team was staying, driving away the early morning chill.

After a night of meditative recovery, everyone looked refreshed and full of energy.

Xiao Xiao most of all. Though she had buried last night's incredible encounter deep in her heart, the confidence and resolve radiating from within her seemed to have changed her in a way her companions could sense.

Teacher Wang Yan stood before them with a stack of documents in his hands and a solemn expression. He carefully explained the three complicated formats used in this tournament's round-robin stage.

"...The first is a seven-on-seven team battle, decided in a single match."

"...The second is a one-on-one elimination tournament. The first team to win four matches takes the victory."

"...The third is a two-two-three format, with the winner decided over three rounds."

After the explanation, the team stayed in the rest area to get ready and await the results.

Most of them seized the time to meditate with their eyes closed or quietly discuss tactics with their teammates.

Xiao Xiao, however, was somewhat distracted.

She sat quietly in her seat, resting her chin in her hands. She seemed to be staring into space, but her thoughts had already drifted far away.

The divine miracle in her Sea of Consciousness last night had completely overturned everything she thought she knew. The God Trial bestowed by the God of Goodness had opened an incredible door to her future.

Along with her excitement and exhilaration, she found herself recalling the scene from not long ago, when Ji Jing had killed the Death God Messenger.

The power that had erupted from the class monitor...

It had been a pure, dazzling white light...

Beneath that radiance, Evil had melted away like snow, and all filth had been cleansed.

That feeling had been sacred, awe-inspiring.

Why...

Xiao Xiao's brows furrowed slightly.

For some reason, whenever she thought about the origins of those two powers, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

"Why does the class monitor's power feel so similar to the power of the God of Goodness?"

Xiao Xiao murmured to herself.

But the God of Goodness had just told her to keep everything absolutely secret. Naturally, she didn't dare ask anyone about it, much less ask Ji Jing himself.

She could only keep this enormous secret—and the questions it raised—quietly to herself and turn them over in her mind again and again.

She had a vague sense that her class monitor was hiding a secret connected to the gods, too.

Just as Xiao Xiao's mind filled with doubts, Teacher Wang Yan hurried back.

He looked at everyone and said:

"The captains of both teams need to go up onstage and draw the format for this match together."

Everyone's eyes immediately turned to their captain, Ji Jing.

Ji Jing looked at Ma Xiaotao beside him and said:

"Ma Xiaotao, you go."

At that, Ma Xiaotao stood up without hesitation, a confident smile tugging at her lips.

"No problem. Leave it to me!"

A short while later, Ma Xiaotao returned with the final result.

"Our opponents are Yunluo Advanced Soul Master Academy."

She announced the first piece of information succinctly, then waved the slip in her hand.

"The format is a one-on-one elimination tournament."

The result drew different reactions from everyone.

Xu Sanshi's eyes lit up at once. This format was a perfect stage for a Soul Master like him, with his exceptional defensive ability and infuriating Soul Skills.

And events unfolded just as he expected.

Xu Sanshi was the first to take the field.

With his nearly unstoppable Mysterious Underworld Displacement and impregnable defenses, he shone on the arena.

Whether his opponents specialized in Power Attack, Agility Attack, or Control, none could break through his tortoise-shell defense. Instead, they were repeatedly thrown off balance by Mysterious Underworld Displacement, and he seized the openings to defeat them one by one.

In the end, under the audience's stunned gaze, Xu Sanshi single-handedly defeated four members of Yunluo Academy in a stunning one-against-four sweep, securing Shrek Academy's victory in the first match of the round-robin stage.

After this match, Shrek Academy's formidable strength once again struck fear into all their opponents.

The utterly unchallenging match left Ji Jing feeling bored.

Rather than waste time in the arena, he would be better off using every spare moment to improve himself.

So he handed all command and opportunities to compete over to his teammates, while choosing to remain in his hotel room and enter Deep Meditation.

As Ji Jing's consciousness sank fully into his vast, boundless Sea of Consciousness, a familiar figure was already waiting there.

The figure wore a blue robe and had handsome features. It was a wisp of divine consciousness left behind by Sea God Tang San.

"You're here."

Tang San's divine consciousness smiled as he spoke.

"The matches outside no longer have much value for you. It's time to begin learning."

Ji Jing went through the motions and bowed respectfully.

"Please teach me, Third Uncle."

Tang San nodded, his expression turning serious.

"You already possess Ultimate Fire, and your control over flames far surpasses that of ordinary people. This gives you an unparalleled advantage in becoming a top-tier divine blacksmith. Today, I'll teach you the art of Forging."

He raised a hand, and a piece of raw iron and a pair of forging hammers materialized from thin air within the Sea of Consciousness.

"The path of Forging is vast and profound. Its levels, from the most basic to the most advanced, are Hundred Refinement, Thousand Refinement, Spirit Forging, Soul Forging, and Heaven Forging. There is also Fusion Forging, used specifically to forge alloys."

Tang San's voice echoed through Ji Jing's Sea of Consciousness, gently guiding him.

"Hundred Refinement is the very foundation. It purifies metal and removes impurities."

"Thousand Refinement builds on Hundred Refinement, greatly increasing the metal's density and energy conductivity. If you can complete Thousand Refinement on different metals and then use Fusion Forging, you can forge alloys that don't exist in nature. This is the threshold to becoming a master forger."

"Spirit Forging is the mark of a master. After Thousand Refinement, a forger must infuse the metal with their spiritual power and even their soul's perception, resonating with its life force until it truly comes alive and gains a spirit."

"Beyond that lies Soul Forging. At this stage, the metal truly gains a soul."

Tang San's gaze grew distant and profound.

"As for the highest realm, Heaven Forging, you must draw on the power of the laws of heaven and earth to temper the metal, turning it into the embryo of a divine weapon."

He handed Ji Jing the illusory forging hammer.

"Theory is only talk on paper. Now, right here in your Sea of Consciousness, use your divine consciousness as the hammer and your spiritual power as the fire. Begin with the most basic Hundred Refinement."

"Once you've learned the theory, you can try Forging with your own hands."

"Good!"

Ji Jing took the forging hammer, formed from divine consciousness, and his eyes blazed with fervor.