"Shock and sharpness? And...?"
Feeling the metal in his hand, Fang Le couldn't help murmuring aloud.
"What? Xiao Le, did you notice anything else? Quick! Tell your uncle! Is there something special about this metal?"
The two of them were standing close, so Shi You naturally heard Fang Le's murmur.
He had thought that being able to fuse with the human body was already the biggest surprise.
He hadn't expected it to have other special properties, too.
This made Shi You even more excited.
He leaned his big face close to Fang Le and asked.
"Shock and sharpness. Hmm... how should I put it?
"First, shock. If it's forged into a weapon, it'll deal a second blow when it hits someone, knocking them farther away. It can also damage an enemy's internal organs.
"Sharpness is even simpler. It increases attack power. Even if you turn this stuff into a ball, it can still cut.
"Hmm... that's about it."
After pondering for a moment, Fang Le seemed to have a flash of insight and explained it to Shi You.
But there were still some properties of the metal he was keeping hidden. After all, if the rest got out, it'd be hard to avoid being branded an Evil Soul Master.
"This! This is absolutely amazing!!! The best ever!!"
Shi You cried out, but before he could throw a feast to celebrate, overwhelming exhaustion caught up with him. The moment he sat down on a stool, he fell into a deep sleep.
After all, this past stretch of time had truly worn him out.
He'd spent 49 days almost without sleep. If sheer willpower hadn't carried him through, Fang Le suspected he might have transmigrated to another world himself.
"Whew! I need to rest, too!"
Fang Le did as well. If not for the special nature of his First Martial Soul, the amount of blood he'd lost lately would've been enough to send him across worlds two or three more times.
Still, there was something worth celebrating: he'd broken through without killing any creatures to gain experience.
He'd only gone from level five to level six, but for someone with an Innate Soul Power of half a level, that was still pretty good.
Another day passed. With the raw materials prepared, the forging process went much more smoothly.
In less than half a day, the divine weapon was complete!
"A sword of shock and sharpness... I'll call it Twin Star!"
Fang Le gazed at the broad blade in his hand, thrilled as he named it.
The blade was two palms wide and three feet long. The guard wasn't ornate; only two characters had been simply engraved on it:
"Shi" and "Fang."
They represented its smith and its owner.
Regularly arranged star-shaped patterns rippled across the blade, proclaiming its status as a divine weapon.
"Good name! Kid, Twin Star is yours now. I look forward to the day you lead it to fame throughout the world.
"The armor and bow you wanted are in the box outside! Go on! Don't die. I'll be waiting for the day you make a name for yourself."
The friendship between men was simple. Their parting was just as quiet.
Shi You urged him on as he hammered at the forge; Fang Le set off with sword in hand.
"Uncle! You'd better show off that skill less often. Take on a few more apprentices and let word spread before you reveal it bit by bit.
"And there are realms beyond Spirit Forging! There's also... never mind. I'm off.
"Take care of yourself. I'll come by to visit again someday!"
The boy had only just come of age, and his defining color was passion.
Even fate was moved by him. It brought him the best people and gave him the finest weapon.
In a world that lay at the boundary between reality and spirit, immortal energy filled the air.
A blue-gold divine robe and seven rings of divine light behind his head marked the wearer's godly power.
Sea God Tang San was a god who had ascended from the Douluo Continent ten thousand years ago.
He was usually gentle and kind to the other gods. He was also two gods in one: a First-Level God and a God King, both immensely powerful. In the Divine Realm, he was renowned for his benevolence.
"What's going on? Why can't I observe the Douluo Continent anymore? How am I supposed to lead it toward a better future?"
Tang San stared at the Divine Realm Hub before him, which was nothing but a vast expanse of white-and-gray pixelated static. The veins on his hand bulged as he slammed his fist down.
His face flushed red, and he panted like an ox.
"Third Brother, has something happened to the Douluo Continent?"
As Tang San seethed, a pair of soft, pale arms gently slipped around his.
Xiao Wu had once been a hundred-thousand-year-old Soft Bone Rabbit. Now she was Sea God Tang San's beloved and the scabbard of the Asura Sword.
The passing years had made her more captivating. She had the warm, graceful aura of a married woman, the lively charm of a girl, and a breathtakingly beautiful face.
She was like a sumptuous feast of the finest flavors, impossible to resist.
"Mm! Something's gone wrong. Xiao Qi just descended to the mortal realm, and suddenly I can't observe what's happening on the Douluo Continent. I'm worried about her..."
Tang San was a consummate actor when it came to maintaining his public image.
Now he looked every bit the worried father, fretting over his daughter's safety.
Anyone looking at him would never think he was a hypocritical, despicable fraud.
Oscar owed him a little golden statue.
"Don't worry. With Sister Life's protection, nothing will happen to Xiao Qi.
"And didn't Da Ming and Er Ming descend with her? With their strength, they'll be fine in the mortal realm."
"Mm..."
Tang San fell silent. He only hoped no one would be foolish enough to court death and ruin his ten-thousand-year plan.
Otherwise, they'd pay dearly for it.
And Destruction, too! Hmph! One day, he'd kick that old, self-important fool out of the Divine Realm.
There could only be one voice in the Divine Realm—and it would be the voice of Sea God Tang San.
"Old Green, hold on! I'll shoot it one more time, then I'll finish it off!"
In a dense forest, a giant serpent lunged to bite the green behemoth that had trespassed in its territory.
It looked ready to swallow the intruder whole.
Across from it, the hulking beast stood over three meters tall. It roared, raised both arms, and brought them crashing down on the serpent.
Nearby, a black-haired boy was covered in mud and grime.
But even so, nothing could dim the brightness in his eyes.
He nocked an arrow and drew his bow, then fired wildly at the serpent.
Five arrows flew in a row, their heads slicing through the wind.
The pose was cool, but the result was a disaster.
Of the five arrows, one barely stuck in the serpent's tail. Every other shot missed.
"Damn it! Can't you stay still and let me get one shot in? Not a single hit? How is that even possible?"
Fang Le had been confident; now he was furious.
He pointed at the serpent ahead and cursed, then tossed his longbow to the ground.
"Forget it! I'm finishing you off now!"
Perhaps his frustration had pushed him over the edge. Fang Le's Minecraft Domain suddenly spread, and the serpent froze for an instant, its strength diminished by nearly a tenth.
It had been evenly matched against the Warden, but now it was completely on the back foot.
Fang Le was gripping two long swords and charging at the serpent.
"Old Green, let it go. Hold the line—I'll take it on!"
A master's orders were absolute.
Ignoring the serpent's attacks, the Warden flung it away, then retreated to a safe distance and held the line for Fang Le.
"Kill!"
The long sword slashed into the serpent. It didn't look particularly sharp, but the serpent's thick scales couldn't stop it at all; deep wounds opened across its body.
At the same time, a strange energy erupted, and the serpent was sent hurtling away with a fierce impact.
But before it could fly far, the Warden, waiting nearby to hold the line, knocked it back.
And so it went, like a game of volleyball: a punch from one side, a sword strike from the other.
The serpent shut its eyes in misery. A bright purple spirit ring slowly emerged from its fallen body.
At the same time, little green spheres invisible to ordinary people bounced out of its remains and surged toward Fang Le.
"Ding!"
"Level 10!"
Before you continue