The next morning, sunlight spilled across the room.
The sky above Shrek City was crystal clear, not a cloud in sight. Dawn spread gently across the city, gilding it in a faint golden glow.
The outlines of distant buildings gradually came into focus in the light, as if slowly waking from a long night.
Fang Lin opened his eyes and stretched, his joints giving off faint little pops.
"Ah, I haven't slept this well in ages."
He murmured softly, his voice tinged with lazy contentment.
The fatigue of the previous night had been completely washed away by sleep, replaced by a rare sense of ease and alertness.
But he barely had time to enjoy the feeling.
A burst of urgent beeping suddenly rang out, breaking the quiet of the room.
Fang Lin picked up the Soul Guidance Communicator and pressed the answer button.
"Hey, punk. You awake?"
Han Tianyi's voice came through the receiver, tinged with teasing amusement. He sounded to be in a good mood.
"Just woke up."
Fang Lin replied, his voice still a little hoarse from sleep.
He cleared his throat without thinking and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Come to my office."
Han Tianyi spoke briskly, offering no explanation. It seemed he had already made his plans.
"Sure, teacher."
Fang Lin answered, and the Soul Guidance Communicator immediately disconnected.
He slipped the communicator into his storage ring, swung his legs out of bed, and got up. After a quick wash and tidy-up, he opened the door and left his room.
By the time he reached the main living room, morning light was pouring in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, brightening the entire space.
The warm light fell across the polished floor and reflected in a soft glow. The air was filled with a peaceful, leisurely calm.
Fang Lin headed to the private elevator nearby and pressed the button. The doors slid open silently.
He stepped inside, pressed the button for the eighty-first floor, and the elevator began its smooth ascent.
"Ding!"
A crisp chime rang out. The elevator had reached the eighty-first floor.
The doors slid open, revealing the familiar corridor, softly lit, its floor gleaming like a mirror.
Fang Lin stepped out and headed for Han Tianyi's office.
He wondered why his teacher had called him over so early.
When he reached the office door, Fang Lin raised a hand and knocked lightly.
"Come in."
Han Tianyi's voice came from inside, warm and steady.
Fang Lin pushed open the door and entered.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, making the whole office bright and warm.
Han Tianyi sat behind his desk, holding a cup of hot tea.
Wisps of steam drifted in front of him. The faint fragrance of tea filled the air, soothing and elusive.
"Teacher, you wanted to see me?" Fang Lin asked.
He made himself right at home, plopping down on the sofa nearby and sinking into its soft cushions, his posture relaxed and natural.
"Mm."
Han Tianyi nodded, took an unhurried sip of tea, and set down the cup.
He looked calmly at Fang Lin and began, "Lin, have you thought about your second profession?"
"Second profession?"
Fang Lin was slightly taken aback.
"That's right."
Han Tianyi's tone was serious and steady. "It's related to your future as a Battle Armor Master."
"Second profession..."
Fang Lin fell into thought.
His brows drew together slightly, and his fingers unconsciously tapped the armrest twice, making a crisp, rhythmic sound.
Battle Armor!
The greatest creation of Soul Guidance Technology in the Dou San Era.
"Let me explain."
Han Tianyi spoke evenly. "There are four main second professions."
"Blacksmiths forge metal, mecha designers draw up blueprints, Mecha Manufacturers build the finished product, and mecha repairers maintain and upgrade it."
He paused. "But ten thousand years ago, they all went by one name: Soul Engineers."
"Teacher, do you mean those four professions are just the four specialized branches of Soul Engineers?" Fang Lin asked.
"Exactly."
Han Tianyi nodded. "The requirements for Soul Engineers are too high."
"One person has to master every stage, so the professions eventually split apart. Each person could focus on a specialty, which was much more practical."
"But..."
He changed tack, his tone turning cautionary as his gaze grew stern. "At your current stage, forget about becoming a Soul Engineer. You can't bite off more than you can chew."
"Pick one to focus on first. You can think about the rest later."
Fang Lin nodded thoughtfully.
He understood what Han Tianyi meant. Take too big a step and you'd stumble.
Seeing that Fang Lin had taken his advice to heart, Han Tianyi continued, "Each of the four professions has its own particular demands."
"Blacksmiths rely on talent, designers on accumulated knowledge, manufacturers on craftsmanship, and repairers on experience."
Then he asked, "Lin, have you got any ideas yourself?"
"Teacher, I'll choose blacksmithing," Fang Lin replied.
Truthfully, he had originally leaned toward becoming a Soul Engineer. After all, the more comprehensively he mastered a field, the higher his future ceiling would be.
But his teacher was right. You couldn't swallow a whole pig in one bite. There was no harm in leaving Soul Engineering for later.
Of the four professions, blacksmithing was undoubtedly the most rewarding, at least in Fang Lin's eyes.
Fang Lin had not only the Golden Dragon King Martial Soul but also control over the metal element, one of the elements he commanded—in other words, Power of Metal Spirit.
He could use Power of Metal Spirit to draw impurities out of metal, skipping a great many tedious purification steps and making forging a breeze.
As for the most essential part of forging—imbuing metal with a soul—
Fang Lin had Power of Metal Spirit in his left hand and Wood Spirit Power in his right. He didn't even need to do anything. The numbers and mechanics settled everything.
"Good."
Han Tianyi nodded at his choice.
The corners of his mouth lifted into a smile, as if he had expected it.
Fang Lin's choice came as no surprise.
After all, the kid had the Golden Dragon Martial Soul, the progenitor of strength, along with mastery over nine elements.
Across the entire Douluo Continent, there wasn't a second prodigy this outrageously gifted.
Other than blacksmithing, the only profession that might suit him was mecha design.
"All right, go get some rest," Han Tianyi said casually. "In a few days, you'll be heading to the Spirit Ascension Platform for training.
"Make sure you get yourself into good shape over the next few days. Once you're inside the Spirit Ascension Platform, your days won't be nearly this comfortable.
"As for your blacksmithing teacher, I'll arrange that too. He's the real deal, so don't embarrass me."
"Understood, teacher."
Fang Lin answered solemnly.
"Here. Take this and study it yourself. If there's anything you don't understand, come ask me." As Han Tianyi spoke, he took out a small booklet and tossed it over.
Fang Lin caught the booklet and opened it. There wasn't a single word inside.
The paper was fine and smooth, warm to the touch, yet completely blank—so clean it seemed uncanny.
"Teacher, what is this? A Wordless Heavenly Book?"
Fang Lin looked up, puzzled.
"Idiot."
Han Tianyi shot him a disdainful glance. "Who told you to read it with your eyes? You have to read it with your spiritual power."
"Use your spiritual power to decipher it, and the words will naturally appear."
"Oh! I see."
Fang Lin nodded in sudden realization.
He put the booklet into his storage ring, feeling even more curious and eager about this "Wordless Heavenly Book."
"All right, you can go."
Han Tianyi waved a hand. As soon as the words left his mouth, a surge of spiritual power rose up and carried Fang Lin steadily out of the room.
Then the office door closed softly, leaving behind only the fragrance of tea.