Xue Wu

He remembered the matter of his son going to the Far North. Back then, he had been firmly against it.

What father could rest easy knowing his eleven-year-old child was heading alone into that godforsaken frozen wilderness to hunt a Soul Ring?

But his son kept insisting and persuading him, and in the end, he relented.

His son had spent three days on the ice plains. When he returned, he had not only brought back his third Soul Ring, but also carried a sack full of miscellaneous ores.

"Then that... whatever Soul Tool you said you wanted to make, is it finished?"

"Not yet. The carving knife is only a tool. Making an actual Soul Tool takes time."

"Besides, I still need to make a set of Battle Armor afterward."

"Battle Armor? What kind of strange thing is that?"

Wu Changkong fell silent for a moment.

The concept of Battle Armor would not be invented until twenty thousand years later. In this era, it was still completely nonexistent.

If he wanted to explain it clearly, he would probably have to start with the history of Soul Tool development. His father would likely fall asleep halfway through.

"It's another kind of equipment, similar to armor, but far more powerful. You'll understand later."

Father Wu wanted to ask more, but in the end, he merely waved his hand and decided not to press further.

"Fine. I don't understand your strange inventions, and I won't ask about them anymore. But you're not allowed to forge today."

"You've been clanging away from morning to night for two days. Look at those hands of yours—the calluses have worn open."

"You're reporting to Skywater Academy tomorrow. Do you want to meet your new classmates with bloody hands?"

Wu Changkong lowered his head and looked at his palms.

There were indeed abrasions on them, and even a thick layer of calluses.

But he did not feel any pain. Compared to the life-and-death battles he had experienced in his previous life, injuries of this degree were not even worth calling a scratch.

"Alright. I'll go take a shower first."

Afterward, Wu Changkong took a quick bath, washing away two days' worth of sweat and iron filings.

After changing into a clean set of coarse clothes, he sat in the main hall and had dinner with his father.

Once he had eaten and drunk his fill, he returned to his room and closed the door.

Wu Changkong walked to the window, braced both hands against the sill, and looked up at the bright moon in the night sky.

Tonight's moon was perfectly round, hanging in the direction of Skywater City, its pale radiance stretching for miles.

His gaze rested on the moon, but his thoughts drifted somewhere much farther away.

At this point in time, it had been roughly two years since Tang San was born.

If Douluo history had not gone wrong, Tang San still had a long road ahead before becoming a god.

If... if he could become a god in this life, would everything become different?

He had not had that chance in his previous life, but he did in this one.

He had the memories of his past life, the Tang Sect's ultimate arts, the Skyfrost Sword, and most importantly—time.

"Time to cultivate."

Wu Changkong turned and walked to the bed, took off his shoes, and sat down cross-legged.

He closed his eyes, let his hands rest naturally on his knees with his palms facing upward, and began circulating the Mysterious Heaven Skill.

Early the next morning, before dawn had broken.

The distant mountains lay dark as ink, nearby trees shrouded in mist, and a few rooster crows drifted from deep within the town.

Wu Changkong sat cross-legged atop the roof of the Wu Family courtyard, facing east.

The instant the first ray of sunlight pierced the horizon, Wu Changkong opened his eyes.

His pupils had turned purple.

Purple Demon Eyes, one of the Tang Sect's most profound eye techniques, used the violet qi at sunrise to cleanse the eyes and temper the spirit.

At a high level, it could perceive the tiniest details, see through illusions, and even wound others invisibly with one's gaze.

The requirements for cultivating this eye technique were extremely harsh.

Only during the time it took for an incense stick to burn around sunrise was the violet qi between heaven and earth at its purest, and it vanished in an instant.

Too early, and the violet qi had not yet formed. Too late, and sunlight would scatter it.

Even if ordinary people knew the method, they might not encounter more than a few suitable mornings in an entire year.

Cloudy days would not do. Rainy days would not do. Neither would mornings with overly heavy fog.

But the habit Wu Changkong had inherited from his previous life meant that he persisted through wind and rain. As long as there was even a trace of violet qi, he could capture it.

The moment the first ray of sunlight fully leaped over the horizon and the violet qi dissipated amid the boundless golden light, the purple in Wu Changkong's eyes slowly faded.

"Although I've reached the Micro Realm, breaking through to the Mustard Seed Realm is still too difficult."

Purple Demon Eyes had four major realms: Broad Vision Realm, Micro Realm, Mustard Seed Realm, and Vastness Realm.

The Micro Realm already allowed one to see through ordinary disguises and illusions, observe the flow of an opponent's Soul Power, and identify flaws in their moves.

But the Mustard Seed Realm was the true dividing line. As the saying went, "contain Mount Sumeru within a mustard seed." Once one entered the Mustard Seed Realm, the eye technique was no longer simply about seeing. Through one's gaze, it could interfere with reality and affect the operation of things on a microscopic level.

He had reached that realm in his previous life, but after cultivating anew in this life, he had been stuck at the bottleneck of the Micro Realm for nearly half a year.

"Changkong! Get up and eat! It's time to go to the academy!"

Father Wu's voice came from the courtyard, interrupting Wu Changkong's thoughts.

"Alright."

Supporting himself on the roof tiles with one hand, he lightly flipped down from the roof.

Breakfast consisted of steaming multigrain porridge, white flour buns, a small dish of homemade pickled vegetables, and eggs.

After Wu Changkong quietly finished eating, Father Wu packed the eggs for him.

"Go on. Study hard at the academy. If you find a girl you like, it's fine to bring her home."

"Okay."

By the time he arrived at Skywater Academy, quite a few new students were already waiting in the plaza. They stood in small groups, chattering away.

The moment Wu Changkong crossed the academy gates, a figure stepped in front of him and blocked his path.

It was a tall girl wearing a fitted white short dress.

Her features were striking and bold, with thick brows sweeping toward her temples, slightly upturned eyes, and a half-smile on her lips.

"You're the one who defeated Yu Tianxin... what was your name again... Wu Changkong?"

Wu Changkong paused, swept his gaze over her face, and nodded faintly. "Mm. Do you need something?"

"My name is Xue Wu. I watched your spar with Yu Tianxin that day."

"Your sword was impressive. How about it? Fight me?"

"Not interested."

"Not interested?" Xue Wu raised one eyebrow and stepped half a pace closer. "Not interested in fighting, or not interested in big sister here?"

"Neither."

Xue Wu found his icy demeanor even more amusing.

"That's fine. You'll get interested once we start fighting."

Just as her words fell, a soft cough sounded from behind them.

Shui Bing'er stood several steps away, holding Shui Yue'er's hand with her left hand.

"And this is?" Shui Bing'er's gaze swept past Xue Wu before settling on Wu Changkong.

For some reason, Wu Changkong felt an indescribable pressure and explained, "She said her name is Xue Wu. She wanted to spar with me, and I refused."

At that moment, Shui Yue'er covered her mouth and laughed. "Wu Changkong, why are you explaining yourself to my sister? Are you two more than just ordinary friends?"