Nightmare

Eastsea City, Rain Spirit Grilled Fish Shop, early morning.

The charcoal fire had yet to fully catch, and the shop still retained the quiet air left behind after closing the previous day. Huo Yuhao was wiping down the counter when his soul communicator rang. He glanced at the number, and a flash of understanding passed through his ice-blue eyes. After answering, he immediately heard Tang Ziran's slightly nervous yet expectant voice.

"Mr. Huo, good morning. Sorry to disturb you. It's like this—Wulin... he reached Level Ten yesterday. We want to take him to the Spirit Pagoda branch in Eastsea City to have a look. I was wondering whether it would be convenient for you..."

"Oh? Level Ten already?" Genuine delight immediately entered Huo Yuhao's voice, the satisfaction of seeing a seed finally break through the soil. "Hahaha, that's wonderful news! No problem, come on over. Contact me when you arrive in Eastsea City, and I'll take you somewhere familiar. Hmm... see you tomorrow." He swiftly settled on a time, exchanged a few more pleasantries, then hung up.

"Boss Huo, you're this happy? That's rare." A cool voice came from the corner. Wu Changkong had somehow already taken his usual seat. As always, a glass of water stood before him as he waited for his special charcoal-grilled fish with extra lemongrass. He still wore simple black clothes, his back straight as a spear, though his features seemed more composed than they had been three years ago.

As Huo Yuhao turned and skillfully began preparing the freshly delivered sea fish, he smiled. "Yes. I went to Aolai City a few years ago and met an interesting, sensible little fellow named Tang Wulin. I just got a call—he's reached Level Ten and is coming to Eastsea City to purchase a Soul Spirit. If I've counted right, he's just the age to enter an intermediate academy this year. Teacher Wu, perhaps when fate arrives, he might even end up in your class this year."

Wu Changkong lifted his glass and took a sip, his expression unchanged. "If you're making a point of mentioning him and care about him this much, then he must indeed be rather special. I'll look forward to seeing him." He did not ask further, merely turning his gaze toward the gradually awakening street outside.

At that moment, the curtain to the kitchen was lifted, and Demon Spirit poked her head out. She had already changed into her server uniform, her long hair tied up neatly, making her look clean and capable. She had clearly overheard the conversation, and her amber eyes sparkled. "Brother Yuhao, is that blue-haired little boy from Aolai City—the one who can eat so much—coming?"

"Yes, little Wulin." Huo Yuhao placed the skewered fish over the charcoal fire, and its fragrance began to drift through the air. "He's coming to buy a Soul Spirit. We need to look after him."

"Wonderful!" Demon Spirit clapped happily. "What about his silver-haired little sister, Na'er? Is she coming too?" She cared deeply about the people close to her master.

"She should be." Huo Yuhao nodded, then instructed her, "Xiaoling, tidy up that vacant guest room upstairs over the next couple of days. Replace all the bedding with new sets. Their whole family is coming, so they need somewhere to stay. It'll be convenient for them to stay here."

"Understood! Leave it to me!" Demon Spirit nodded vigorously and immediately began mentally listing everything she needed to prepare, her face brimming with the joy of being busy. To her, anyone Huo Yuhao cared about was a guest she needed to treat wholeheartedly.

Aolai City, Red Mountain Academy.

News always traveled fast. During break, the chubby Wan Yunchao wiggled his round body through the crowd with great difficulty and reached Tang Wulin's desk. His face held both envy and joy for his friend. "Nice one, Wulin! That was fast! You're actually the first one in our class to reach Level Ten! You've totally left Little Liu and his bunch behind!" Little Liu had previously possessed the highest Soul Power Level in the class, and he was also one of Wan Yunchao's secret rivals.

Tang Wulin scratched his head, smiling somewhat sheepishly, though he could not hide the brightness in his blue eyes. "You should keep working hard too, Wan Yunchao. Aren't you already Level Nine? Push a little harder, and maybe the two of us can reach Level Twenty-something together!"

"Hahaha, I'll take those good wishes!" Wan Yunchao heartily slapped Tang Wulin on the shoulder, nearly knocking him off balance. "Eastsea City... I hear it's huge, ten times more prosperous than Aolai City! When you come back, you have to tell me all about the fun places and good food!" He leaned closer, lowering his voice with the loyalty of a brother-in-arms. "If we get lucky and make it into the same intermediate academy, you'll have to look out for me!"

"Of course!" Tang Wulin agreed without hesitation and firmly slapped Wan Yunchao's broad back in return. The two smiled at each other, their friendship simple and passionate in the way only boys' friendship could be.

After hearing why Tang Wulin needed leave, their homeroom teacher Lin Ximeng revealed a gratified smile. Over the past three years, she had paid close attention to this student. Tang Wulin had displayed extraordinary talent and focus in meditation. He could easily sense and draw in the energy particles around him that suited him, and his Soul Power had always advanced faster than that of his peers. Lin Ximeng privately suspected that this stemmed from his innate spiritual power, which surpassed that of children his age by a considerable margin. Thus, in his final year, she had given Tang Wulin plenty of extra guidance, and he had never disappointed her. He gave equal attention to his academic studies and martial soul cultivation, remaining steady and diligent.

"Be sure to stay safe on the road. Stick with your parents, and don't run around." Lin Ximeng gently reminded him, her eyes full of encouragement. "I'm approving four days of leave for you. That should be enough time. Eastsea City is a major coastal city in the east. The size of its Spirit Pagoda branch, its variety of Soul Spirits, and its accompanying soul-raising facilities truly cannot compare with those in a small city like ours. Choose carefully. Pick a Soul Spirit that truly suits your martial soul and can accompany you for a long way. That is extremely important."

"I understand. Thank you, Teacher Lin!" Tang Wulin respectfully bowed to her, his heart full of gratitude.

After school that afternoon, Tang Ziran and Lang Yue spotted their son from a distance at the school gate. He was gathered around the quiet Na'er, gesturing animatedly and chattering nonstop like an excited little skylark.

"Na'er, what kind of Soul Spirit do you think I'll meet? A mighty beast-type one, or a strange plant-type one? I think beast-types might be stronger—like a Lightning Leopard or an Ironclad Dragon. How impressive would that be!" Tang Wulin was immersed in his wonderful fantasies, as if he could already see himself fighting alongside a powerful Soul Spirit.

Na'er lifted her little face, her purple eyes smiling as she seriously listened to every word of her brother's eager chatter. From time to time, she nodded gently, her voice soft yet full of strength. "Mm, whatever Brother chooses will be good. As long as it has fate with Brother, it will definitely be the most suitable and the strongest." Her words always soothed Tang Wulin's occasional unease with perfect precision and gave him the firmest support.

Tang Ziran and Lang Yue exchanged a smile, their eyes full of warmth and contentment. Over the past three years, relying on their salaries, Tang Wulin's income from the forging workshop, Na'er's earnings from handicrafts, and the Spirit Pagoda's steady subsidy, the family had somehow managed to save more than three hundred thousand Federal Credits. That was not a small sum in Aolai City, but considering that they were going to purchase a Soul Spirit in a major place like Eastsea City, the couple had prepared themselves to give it everything they had.

Mang Tian Studio.

The familiar scorching heat and ringing sounds of hammering greeted him. Tang Wulin walked in as if he knew the place by heart and happened to run into Brother Long, who was bare-chested and drenched in sweat as he came out from inside.

"Brother Long." Tang Wulin greeted him with a smile. "What task did Teacher assign today? Is there a lot?"

Brother Long wiped the sweat from his face with a towel and smiled. "Quite a lot! Go in and take a look yourself. The list is on your workbench. Honestly, I'm almost jealous of you. You're still so young, yet your workload is nearly catching up to mine! Congratulations on reaching Level Ten!" He was genuinely happy for his junior brother. Forging was honest work: the more one did, the more one earned. He had watched Tang Wulin's diligence and progress all along.

Tang Wulin chuckled. "Thanks, Brother Long! But how could I compare to you? Teacher still won't let me independently forge large core components. He says I'm still lacking in skill."

"That's because Teacher values you and wants your foundation to be as solid as an anvil!" Brother Long said seriously, giving Tang Wulin's shoulder a firm pat. "All right, stop dawdling and get to work. Otherwise, you won't finish today's assignment in these two hours."

There were not many people at Mang Tian Studio. Including Mang Tian himself, there were only three. Brother Long had originally been Mang Tian's only disciple, but after Tang Wulin arrived, he became his junior brother. Three years ago, when Tang Wulin came here for the second time, he officially changed the way he addressed Mang Tian from "Uncle Mang Tian" to "Teacher."

Tang Wulin had long grown accustomed to everything here. He had even fallen deeply in love with forging. Wielding a hammer every day, listening to metal roar and change shape beneath its blows, was an incomparably satisfying release. Sometimes, he entered a wondrous state—as though he, the hammer in his hand, and the red-hot metal on the anvil had resonated with one another. His breathing, heartbeat, and hammering rhythm merged into one. Whenever that happened, the components he forged were always exceptionally refined. Even Mang Tian, with his harsh and aloof temperament, would rarely nod and offer a remark or two, such as "Passable" or "You're getting somewhere."

Today's task was to complete a batch of hundred-refined metal base plates for standard Level-One Energy-Gathering Core Arrays. Tang Wulin calmed his mind, lit the forge, clamped out a red-hot copper ingot, and swung his hammer. At first, the sounds of "clang, clang" rang out in steady rhythm. Gradually, his entire mind sank into the work. The sounds of the outside world faded away, leaving only the rhythm of the metal and its subtle resonance with his Soul Power and spiritual power. Sweat slid down his temples and dripped onto the blazing metal with a soft hiss, turning into white smoke. Two hours later, the final base plate had been quenched. Its surface was smooth, its texture even, and it gleamed with flawless metallic luster.

He had just let out a breath of relief and prepared to put away his tools and turn in his work when he discovered that Mang Tian had silently appeared at the door to his forging room at some point, staring at the completed stack on the forging table.

Mang Tian stepped forward, picked up a base plate, and carefully examined it against the light. Then he tapped it several times with his knuckles, listening to the echo. After a moment, he gave an almost imperceptible nod and set the plate down. Then he pulled out a thick, neatly stacked bundle of banknotes from his pocket and handed it over.

"This month's wages. You did well." Mang Tian's voice remained stiff and devoid of warmth, but his hand was steady as he passed Tang Wulin the money. His gaze lingered for a moment on Tang Wulin's face, darkened slightly by soot yet astonishingly bright.

"Thank you, Teacher!" Tang Wulin was overjoyed and hurriedly accepted it with both hands. The heavy weight of it made him feel secure and excited. He carefully tucked the money into an inner pocket, unable to stop himself from clenching his fist hard, his little face flushing with excitement. This was not merely an income—it was recognition for his three years as an apprentice.

Mang Tian looked at the pure light in his disciple's eyes and fell silent for a moment. Then he raised a large hand and pressed it lightly against Tang Wulin's still-slight shoulders. "Go. Choose a suitable Soul Spirit." There were no further instructions, but that touch contained all the concern and expectation that this stern blacksmith could express.

Night, the Tang household.

Anticipation and excitement had led the Tang family to finish dinner early, wash up, and go to bed. Tang Wulin lay on his bed staring at the ceiling, his mind still filled with images from various soul beast illustrations. He thought about what Eastsea City would look like, thought about Uncle Huo's grilled fish shop... and before he knew it, he drifted into sleep.

However, the dream changed abruptly!

Gone were his lovely hopes and dreams. In their place was endless heat and destruction. He "saw" himself floating in a shattered Void. The earth below had melted, churning with thick, blazing golden lava, while the burning sky ran with blood and fire. Amid deafening roars, an enormous golden dragon large enough to blot out the sky tore through the clouds and descended! Every scale on its body resembled a burning sun, and its vertical pupils held nothing but pure savagery and the desire to destroy. With each swing of its dragon claws, mountains crumbled and cities became seas of fire. What terrified Tang Wulin even more was that, between those pillar-like claws, he clearly saw Na'er's pale, shattered figure!

"Na'er—!!" He screamed hoarsely in the dream, yet no sound came out.

The golden dragon seemed to sense that tiny gaze, and its destructive vertical pupils abruptly turned toward him! That gaze was like tangible flame, pinning him in place in an instant as boundless terror clenched his heart. The dragon let out a roar that tore at his soul, then charged at him—small as an ant—with the force to burn the world to ashes! He could not dodge, could not flee. The scorching breath of death had already seared his skin...

"No... don't!!" Extreme terror made Tang Wulin curl into himself within the dream.

Just as the destructive dragon claw was about to touch him—

Boom!

Behind him was no longer the Void. Instead, a vast phantom of an azure ocean surged forth! Calm yet boundless seawater gently but firmly enveloped him, forming a crystal-clear barrier of water. At the same time, a crisp chill from the depths of his bloodline suddenly erupted, confronting that destructive heat head-on! Countless dazzling hexagonal ice crystals condensed from nothing in the Void, spreading and intertwining as if alive, forming an icy wall that stretched across heaven and earth and forcibly blocked the golden dragon's path!

Hiss—!!!

Ultimate ice collided with destructive dragonfire, unleashing a silent annihilation of energy powerful enough to tear apart the dream. Before the chill of absolute zero, the golden flames continuously extinguished and froze, while the dragon's furious roar was sealed within the spreading cold tide. Behind the ice wall and within the curtain of water, Tang Wulin felt only a warm exhaustion wash over him as the oppression of the nightmare receded like the tide...

The real bedroom was completely silent. Only the Eternal Snowflake pendant that had accompanied Tang Wulin for years and had never left his side flashed fiercely with azure light inside, like the final desperate flicker of a candle flame. Then came an almost imperceptible crack. Several fine fractures appeared across the pendant's surface, and the vast power of protection within it quietly dispersed into the air as if it had fulfilled its final mission. At the same time, another divine power hidden in the embroidered words "Tang Wulin" on his old scarf—the power that had always faintly protected him—also completely returned to stillness, as though it had never existed.

Outside Rain Spirit Grilled Fish Shop, Eastsea City.

Having seen off the final regular customer and just about to close and lock the door, Huo Yuhao suddenly froze.

It was as if an invisible ice spike had struck the core of his mind without warning. The pain and emptiness of a familiar, closely linked protective contract being forcibly torn apart suddenly surged through him. The sensation was faint yet sharp, like the lingering note of a snapped string, echoing clearly through his spiritual senses.

His hand gripping the doorframe tightened slightly. A heavy understanding flickered through the depths of his ice-blue eyes, along with a deeper worry. He looked toward the northwest, in the direction of Aolai City, his gaze seeming to pierce through the layers of night and distance.

"Oh?..." He breathed out the syllable softly. There was no surprise in his voice, only the complicated sense of destiny that said, So it had finally come. Then it became an almost inaudible sigh. "Sigh..."

What was meant to come would eventually come. A breach had appeared in the barrier of protection, and the lurking dragon's shadow was about to become clearer. Silently, he firmly hung the "Closed for Four Days" sign outside the shop door. The metal hook struck the wooden sign with a light tap that sounded especially clear on the quiet street, as though it marked a temporary pause to one chapter while raising the heavy curtain on another filled with uncertainty and challenge.