Learning Forging

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

Ji Dong was far stricter than Lie Yan; what he had given Tang Ya was merely a guiding trial to find a way to evolve her martial soul toward the light attribute, not even truly crossing the threshold of a divine trial.

The massive white silhouette slowly raised a hand, and a pillar of white light descended from the heavens, enveloping Xiao Xiao's consciousness.

A series of messages flooded her mind instantly.

Eight Trials of Goodness, First Trial: Heart of Protection. As a member of the team in the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, protect your companions and achieve the final championship.

The sacred radiance gradually faded, and Lie Yan's figure began to turn illusory.

Before departing, she gave one final instruction:

"The matter of this trial must not be leaked. Remember, keep it a secret from everyone."

"Yes! I will definitely keep it secret!"

Xiao Xiao replied respectfully.

As the words fell, the thousand-meter-tall divine figure vanished completely, and the endless white light within her sea of consciousness receded like a tide, everything returning to its usual calm as if what had just occurred were merely a dream.

The next morning, warm sunlight spilled through the windows into the lounge area where the Shrek team was staying, dispelling the morning chill.

After a night of meditation and recovery, everyone was in high spirits and full of energy.

Xiao Xiao in particular, though she buried the encounter from last night deep in her heart, radiated a confidence and determination from within that made her familiar companions sense a subtle change.

Teacher Wang Yan stood before the group with a stack of documents, his expression serious as he explained the three complex formats for the round-robin stage of this tournament in detail.

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

"...The second is a one-on-one individual elimination match, where the first to win four rounds wins."

"...The third is the two-two-three format, best of three."

After the explanation, the team members remained in the lounge to adjust their states and await the results.

Most of the members were seizing the time to meditate with their eyes closed or discussing tactics in low voices with their companions.

However, Xiao Xiao was somewhat distracted.

She sat quietly in her seat, chin resting in her hands, appearing to be daydreaming while her thoughts had already drifted far away.

The miracle in her sea of consciousness last night had completely overturned her perception, and the divine trial bestowed by the God of Goodness had opened an incredible door to her future.

Amidst the excitement and thrill, she couldn't help but recall the scene not long ago where Ji Jing killed the Death God Messenger.

The power that erupted from the class monitor at that time...

It was a white light of ultimate purity...

Under that light, evil seemed to melt away like ice and snow, and filth was thoroughly cleansed.

That feeling was sacred, awe-inspiring.

Why...

Xiao Xiao's brows furrowed slightly.

For some reason, when she recalled the origins of these two powers, she always felt a strange sense of familiarity.

The class monitor's power, and the power of the God of Goodness... why do they give me such a similar feeling?

Xiao Xiao muttered to herself in her heart.

But since the God of Goodness had just instructed her to keep it absolutely secret, she naturally dared not ask anyone, let alone ask Ji Jing himself.

This massive secret and the doubts it generated could only be hidden silently in her heart, to be pondered over and over again.

She vaguely felt that her class monitor seemed to be hiding secrets related to the gods as well.

Just as clouds of doubt gathered in Xiao Xiao's heart, Teacher Wang Yan hurried back.

He looked at the group and said:

"The captains of both opposing teams must go on stage personally to draw the match format for this round."

Everyone's gaze fell squarely on the captain, Ji Jing.

Ji Jing looked at Ma Xiaotao beside him and said:

"Ma Xiaotao, you go."

Upon hearing this, Ma Xiaotao stood up without hesitation, a confident smile curling at the corners of her lips:

"No problem, watch me!"

A moment later, Ma Xiaotao returned with the final result.

"The opponent is Yunluo Advanced Soul Master Academy."

She announced the first piece of information concisely, then shook the draw slip in her hand.

"The match format is one-on-one individual elimination."

Hearing this result, everyone's expressions varied.

Xu Sanshi's eyes lit up instantly; for a Soul Master like him, possessing peerless defensive capabilities and nauseating soul skills, this tournament format was nothing short of a perfect stage for his performance.

The facts proved him right.

The first to take the stage was none other than Xu Sanshi.

Relying on his nearly unsolvable Mysterious Underworld Displacement and his impenetrable defense, Xu Sanshi shone brilliantly upon the arena.

Regardless of whether his opponents were Power Attack, Agility Attack, or Control types, none could break through his turtle-shell-like defense. Instead, they were repeatedly disrupted by Mysterious Underworld Displacement until he seized the opportunity to defeat them one by one.

In the end, under the stunned gaze of the audience, Xu Sanshi defeated four members of Yunluo Academy single-handedly, staging a spectacular "one-man sweep" that directly secured the victory for Shrek Academy in the first round of the round-robin tournament.

After this match, the formidable strength of Shrek Academy once again intimidated all their opponents.

Such unchallenging matches left Ji Jing feeling bored.

Rather than wasting time on the arena, he preferred to seize every minute and second to improve himself.

Thus, he handed over command and participation opportunities entirely to his companions, choosing instead to remain in his hotel room for deep meditation.

As Ji Jing's consciousness sank completely into his vast and boundless sea of spirit, a familiar figure was already waiting there.

That figure wore blue robes and possessed a handsome face; it was a wisp of divine consciousness left behind by the Sea God, Tang San.

"You have come."

Tang San's divine consciousness spoke with a smile, "The matches outside truly hold little value for you anymore. It is time to begin your training."

Ji Jing went through the motions, bowing respectfully:

"Please, Uncle San, enlighten me."

Tang San nodded, his expression turning serious:

"You already possess the Ultimate Fire, and your control over flames far exceeds that of ordinary people; this is the most unique advantage for becoming a top-tier Divine Craftsman. Today, I shall teach you the art of forging."

He raised his hand, and a piece of pig iron and a pair of forging hammers materialized out of thin air within the sea of spirit.

"The path of forging is profound and vast. Its levels, from shallow to deep, are divided into five major tiers: Hundred Refinement, Thousand Refinement, Spirit Refinement, Soul Refinement, and Heaven Refinement. Additionally, there is Fusion Refinement, specifically used for forging alloys."

Tang San's voice carried a guiding tone, echoing within Ji Jing's sea of spirit.

"Hundred Refinement is the foundation of foundations: purifying metal and removing impurities."

"Thousand Refinement builds upon Hundred Refinement, significantly increasing the metal's density and energy conductivity. If one can complete Thousand Refinement with different metals and then utilize Fusion Refinement, one can create alloys that do not exist in the natural world. This is the threshold for becoming a Master Forger."

"Spirit Refinement is the hallmark of a Grandmaster. After Thousand Refinement, the forger must integrate their own spiritual power and even soul perception into the metal, resonating with its life force to make it truly come alive and possess spirituality."

"Further up is Soul Refinement. At this stage, the metal truly possesses a soul."

Tang San's gaze became distant and profound.

"As for the highest level, Heaven Refinement, one must invoke the power of the laws of heaven and earth to baptize the metal, transforming it into the embryo of a divine artifact."

He handed the illusory forging hammer to Ji Jing:

"Theory is ultimately just talk on paper. Now, right here in your sea of spirit, use your divine consciousness as the hammer and your spiritual power as the fire. Start with the most basic Hundred Refinement."

"Once you have mastered the theory, you can go and attempt to forge with your own hands."

"Understood!"

Ji Jing took the forging hammer condensed from divine consciousness, a fiery light igniting in his eyes.