After Tang Wulin became Mu Chen's apprentice, Mu Chen took him to the Blacksmith Association and personally tested him for the rank of Level Three Blacksmith.
Back in Aolai City, Tang Wulin had only managed to complete a Thousand Refinement by the skin of his teeth. Though he hadn't attempted another since, he had grown more proficient at forging during that time.
Of course, the main reason was that he had absorbed the first layer of the Golden Dragon King's seal. His strength and stamina had both improved considerably.
Tang Wulin had lived up to Mu Chen and Mang Tian's trust, completing a Thousand Refinement without a hitch. Mu Chen personally pinned a Level Three Blacksmith badge on him.
"Starting today, you're the youngest Level Three Blacksmith on the entire continent!" Mu Chen said with a smile, presenting Tang Wulin with the honor he had earned.
"Thank you, Teacher!" Tang Wulin bowed slightly, then said, "I'll head back to the academy now. Tomorrow's the Class Promotion Tournament against Class One."
Mu Chen nodded and watched Tang Wulin leave.
"I'm sure this child will shock the entire Douluo Continent one day!" Mu Chen said, standing at the entrance to the Blacksmith Association.
"Indeed!" Mang Tian sighed. "Who could've imagined that a child who once only wanted to earn money to fill his stomach would go on to break one forging record after another across the entire Douluo Continent?"
After leaving the Blacksmith Association, Tang Wulin didn't head straight back to the academy. Instead, he went to East Sea Park in Eastsea City.
East Sea Park was lush with greenery, and Tang Wulin loved the natural atmosphere.
Tang Wulin leaned against the railing beside a lake and watched its waters shimmer in the moonlight.
At that moment, a figure appeared beside him.
"Yao Lao."
Tang Wulin greeted him.
"Wulin, your parents love you very much." Yao Lao rested one hand on the railing and gazed up at the night sky, which was still somewhat unfamiliar to him.
"I know. I love my parents very much too. I'll grow stronger, then bring them home." A faint smile touched Tang Wulin's lips, and the grief of his parents' departure slowly sank away.
Yao Lao smiled warmly and took out a scroll, placing it in front of Tang Wulin.
"This is Eight-Level Collapse, an extremely domineering, strength-based Dou Technique. I've made a few minor adjustments, so it should suit you."
"Can I use the Dou Techniques from your world too?" Tang Wulin asked.
"There's a saying: 'All methods spring from the same source.' It means that all power comes from the same place. I believe that place is the self. Dou Techniques are activated with Dou Qi, but what if you replace Dou Qi with Soul Power? That's the direction I took when modifying it. You can give it a try." Yao Lao spoke calmly.
Tang Wulin looked at the scroll before him but didn't reach for it right away. Instead, he asked, "Yao Lao, why are you so good to me?"
Yao Lao lowered his head slightly and thought for a while.
"If I had to explain why, I could give you plenty of reasons. For example, you sustained me with your life force for three years, allowing my remnant soul to take shape. And you said you'd help restore my body. Since you've helped me, of course I should help you in return. Besides, I really like your personality."
"What about you, Wulin? Why do you help me?"
"The truth is, I'd probably help most people in need if they appeared before me, just like I saved Na'er back then. I don't know why, or whether it's right. My father once told me not to help everyone I see. He said, 'A gentleman knows when not to save, while a sage never hesitates to do what is right.' I'm no sage, and I don't know what makes someone a gentleman, but I just like helping people." Tang Wulin answered without hesitation.
"Kindness!"
"What?" Tang Wulin hadn't quite heard Yao Lao.
Yao Lao looked at Tang Wulin and said seriously, "Kindness. That quality is called kindness."
"What is kindness?"
"The kindhearted carry compassion in their hearts and help others, yet remain discerning rather than foolish," Yao Lao replied.
Tang Wulin shook his head awkwardly. "Yao Lao, I don't understand."
Yao Lao smiled gently. "It means that kindhearted people help others out of compassion, but they should also judge carefully whether they ought to help. So you need to think seriously about what your father said: to save, or not to save?"
Tang Wulin shook his head. "I don't know. I might never figure it out."
"The power of the Golden Dragon King inside you is violent, calamitous, and wrathful. Yet you can face all living beings with a kind and tranquil heart. Isn't that a form of mastery? Your heart has overcome the Golden Dragon King's nature. That means you can use its power, but it can't influence you. So you must hold on to that heart in the future. If it changes, the Golden Dragon King's nature could easily affect you."
"Yao Lao, I understand."
"Since you understand, don't dwell on it. Give this Dou Technique a try! You're fighting first-years tomorrow, aren't you? Having another trump card might help you win." Yao Lao placed the Eight Extremities Collapse scroll directly in Tang Wulin's hands.
"Okay!"
Tang Wulin unfurled the scroll in his hands. A vast amount of information immediately flooded his mind, and in the blink of an eye, the Dou Technique had been etched into his memory.
"Try it by the lake!"
"Okay!"
Tang Wulin climbed over the railing and went straight to the lakeside. Fortunately, no one was around.
Standing by the lake, Tang Wulin gently closed his eyes and lowered his stance. He drew upon all his Soul Power, then gathered it into his right fist, keeping it contained within as he aimed at the water.
He threw a punch. Ripples spread across the lake, but the surface fell still again the very next instant.
Tang Wulin slowly opened his eyes. He wasn't disappointed by what he saw, because he knew the true terrifying power of Eight Extremities Collapse hadn't yet erupted.
Sure enough, once Tang Wulin had opened his eyes fully, a sound seemed to ring out from the depths of the lake.
The next moment, starting from the spot where Tang Wulin had struck, eight explosions rang out in succession, stretching all the way to the center of the lakeshore. The blasts sent water several meters into the air.
The eight explosions corresponded to Eight Extremities Collapse's eight surges of hidden force. This force almost completely ignored surface defenses and struck straight at its intended target's interior, leaving no way to guard against it.
"What a terrifying ability! Yao Lao, are the Dou Techniques from your world all this terrifying?" Tang Wulin asked, watching the commotion he had caused.
Yao Lao shook his head. "Not all of them. But I think this Dou Technique suits you extremely well. If you combine it with your Golden Dragon Claw, I expect its power to increase dramatically, and each surge of hidden force will also carry the Golden Dragon Claw's pulverizing property. That would be the complete form of this Dou Technique in your hands."
At Yao Lao's words, Tang Wulin immediately imagined using his Golden Dragon Claw together with Eight Extremities Collapse. He could sum it up in one word: terrifying!
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