Breakthrough to the Sixth Layer of the Golden Dragon King Bloodline, Sparring with the Second Years

Dusk dyed Shrek's plane tree leaves a warm gold. The evening breeze carried the scent of fresh grass as it brushed through Tang Wulin's bangs. He still held half a candied hawthorn skewer in his hand, its sweet-and-sour fragrance mingling with the faint scent of silvergrass around Gu Yue and spreading through the air.

The two walked side by side, the stone path beneath their feet still warm from the setting sun. From the novel gadgets at the Soul Tool shop to the sugar paintings on Snack Street, and then an entire afternoon spent watching koi by the lake, the day had stretched out like cotton candy—soft, sweet, and too precious to blink away.

"Today's sugar painting, my dragon was still better-looking," Gu Yue said, turning her head. A sly smile danced at the corners of her eyes, and her moonlit gaze was startlingly bright.

Tang Wulin grinned foolishly and scratched his head. "Your dragon was impressive. Mine... mine was pretty cute too." He meant the crooked jade rabbit he had drawn, the one Gu Yue had laughed at for ages.

As they spoke, the shadow of the girls' dormitory had already fallen before them. The streetlamps at the entrance lit up one after another, their warm yellow halos enclosing passing figures. Gu Yue stopped, turned to look at him, and said nothing. Yet in her eyes reflected both the evening glow and his silhouette.

Tang Wulin's heart inexplicably skipped faster. His fingers tightened slightly around the candied hawthorn stick. He wanted to say something, perhaps, "Let's feed the fish by the lake again tomorrow," or, "Next time, I'll definitely draw a dragon more impressive than yours." But when the words reached his lips, they became only one sentence. "We're here."

"Mm." Gu Yue answered softly. After a pause, she added, "Today... was quite nice. Actually, I didn't dislike you kissing me. It's just too soon right now."

Her voice was light, like ripples stirred across a lake by the evening breeze. Tang Wulin's cheeks heated up, and he hurriedly nodded. "It really was just an accident. You didn't take it to heart, did you?"

Seeing his foolish expression, Gu Yue could not help curling her lips. She turned and walked toward the dormitory entrance. After taking a few steps, she stopped again, turned back, and waved to him. "How could I take it to heart? Go back and rest early. Don't stay up too late practicing forging."

"Got it!" Tang Wulin waved back at her, his voice bright. "You should sleep early too!"

Gu Yue did not turn back again. Her steps were light as she entered the dormitory's glow, and that moon-white figure soon disappeared around the corner of the corridor.

Tang Wulin remained where he was, his hand still raised. Only after she was completely out of sight did he slowly lower it. He looked down at the remaining candied hawthorn skewer in his hand and took a bite. Sweetness spread over his tongue, while his heart felt filled with something soft and warm.

The evening breeze blew again, carrying the laughter and chatter of girls drifting from the dormitory building. He stood there for a while before turning toward the boys' dormitory. His steps were slow, but the smile on his lips would not fade no matter how hard he tried.

Night gradually deepened, and stars began blinking in the sky. In Tang Wulin's heart, it was as though a glittering starry sky had been hidden away.

Tang Wulin sat alone in the dormitory, recalling what the teacher had said two days ago. "This week, we'll be holding a sparring tournament between the first and second years. As first-years, we can't embarrass ourselves. Go back and prepare well." Tang Wulin decided to break through the sixth layer of the seal.

The blackout curtains in the dormitory were drawn tightly shut, with only a dim ray of daylight slipping through the window gap and falling upon the floor where Tang Wulin sat cross-legged.

He held a glass vial between his fingers. Fine bubbles rose from the purple potion within—the specially prepared auxiliary medicine Mu Ye had made for him. It was a rare formula worth a million Federation credits, his only support for enduring the impact of the seal.

There was no one protecting him, no one else present. Only dust floating in the air accompanied his heavy breathing.

Tang Wulin tipped back his head and drank the potion. Its strange sweetness instantly dissolved in his throat. The warmth had barely spread through his limbs and bones before it abruptly turned into a searing heat that seemed to burn his heart.

He let out a muffled groan, veins bulging at his temples. The Golden Dragon King Bloodline had been stimulated by the potion and erupted even earlier than expected. The golden energy of the sixth-layer seal crashed into his meridians like a tsunami, and every inch of his blood vessels seemed about to burst apart.

"Can't stop..." He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms until blood seeped out. The Mysterious Heaven Skill circulated frantically, trying to guide the rampaging energy.

But the seal's power was far too violent. His body had only recently broken through the fifth layer and had yet to fully adapt. As his blood and qi surged, golden netlike patterns spread from his forehead across his body. Diamond-shaped scales tore through his clothes, glinting with a cold, hard light in the darkness.

Once the heat faded came bone-piercing cold. His blood seemed to freeze instantly, and his skin turned bluish from the chill. His entire body trembled, yet he kept his back straight, relying solely on his willpower to resist the torment of alternating ice and fire.

In his mind, Old Tang's voice was low and resolute. "Hold on. This is the Golden Dragon King's trial."

Tang Wulin abruptly opened his eyes, determination flashing within them. He had to live. He had to find his father and mother. He had to become strong. That obsession became resilience, supporting him as he steadied his mind amid the turbulent energy and allowed that destructive power to scour his meridians and temper his body.

Who knew how long passed before the violent energy within him suddenly stalled for an instant. Tang Wulin seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, mobilizing all his Soul Power and blood essence to slam fiercely against that invisible seal barrier.

With a soft crack, it was as if shackles had shattered. Golden radiance suddenly burst from his body, illuminating the entire dormitory.

Three dazzling golden Soul Rings floated around him. The glow of the third Soul Ring was especially solid, and the aura of his bloodline surged instantly. Dragon Might silently spread through the walls, making distant Soul Masters with dragon-type Martial Souls feel inexplicably uneasy.

What delighted him even more was that an ancient spear phantom suddenly appeared within his dantian. Golden dragon patterns flowed across its shaft. It was the Golden Dragon Spear, formed from the Golden Dragon King's forty-ninth rib.

At the same time, comprehension of the soul skill Golden Dragon Roar flooded into his mind. It was an area-of-effect sonic attack containing the Golden Dragon King's power of intimidation.

Tang Wulin slowly finished his cultivation. The scales gradually settled back against his skin, and the Soul Rings faded into his body. He was soaked from head to toe, his clothing shattered inch by inch, yet neither the wild joy nor exhaustion in his eyes could be concealed.

Breaking through alone had been far more dangerous than he had imagined. If not for the potion's assistance and his own foundation, he might truly have been unable to survive this trial. But now, with the cultivation of four Soul Rings, his overall strength had taken a decisive step forward.

When he woke up, he discovered that three days had already passed.

The dormitory door was pounded loudly, accompanied by Xie Xie's anxious, impatient shout. "Tang Wulin! Are you dead in there? You've been missing for three days, and you won't even answer your Soul Tool communicator!"

Inside, Tang Wulin had just finished cleaning up the torn clothes when he paused. His voice was still somewhat hoarse from the breakthrough. "Coming."

The instant he opened the door, three figures rushed in at once. Xie Xie grabbed his arm, his brows twisted into a knot and his eyes filled with lingering fear. "What the hell were you doing? Gu Yue nearly turned Shrek City upside down looking for you! The Spirit Ascension Platform, the forging room, even the Snack Street we always visit—she searched every one of them three times! She practically shouted herself hoarse through the Soul Tool communicator!"

Gu Yue walked in slowly. The concern in the usually cool-eyed girl's gaze had yet to fade. Her eyes swept over the golden markings still lingering on Tang Wulin's body, then fell upon his damaged clothes and the bloodstains on his palms. Her voice was slightly hoarse. "You were injured?"

Xu Xiaoyan poked her head out from behind them. A faint mist still lingered in her watery blue eyes. Only after seeing that Tang Wulin was all right did she let out a breath of relief. She hurried over and took out a small bottle of pale blue medicine from her Soul Tool, offering it to him. "Captain, this is a soothing potion I prepared. It can ease the exhaustion from overusing Soul Power. Quickly, put some on your hands."

Her voice was soft, carrying a nasal trace of lingering fear. "I searched for you with everyone for so long. Last night, I even used the astrolabe to divine your whereabouts. I was only a little relieved when the stars showed that you had merely fallen into a deep sleep, but still..."

Tang Wulin accepted the potion. His fingertips touched the cool bottle, and warmth rose in his heart. He raised a hand and circulated his Soul Power. Three solid golden Soul Rings suddenly rose beneath his feet, the glow of the third more brilliant than the first two.

The Golden Dragon King's unique pressure quietly spread, making Xie Xie instinctively take half a step back. Shock flashed in his eyes. "Four Soul Rings? You... you broke through the sixth layer of the seal?"

"Yeah, I just made it." Tang Wulin nodded. His fingers moved slightly, and the phantom of the Golden Dragon Spear flashed briefly within his dantian. "This breakthrough was a little dangerous. It took three days to stabilize my aura, so I didn't get the chance to reply to your messages. I made you worry."

Gu Yue stepped forward, her fingertips gently brushing the scale marks on his arm that had only just settled. Her movements carried rare tenderness. "If you disappear without contact like this again, I'll break down the door myself." Her tone remained cool, but the concern hidden within it could not be concealed.

Xie Xie noisily added from the side, "Exactly! Gu Yue thought you might have suffered a seal backlash and was about to go get Teacher Wu Changkong. Good thing you're all right now!"

Xu Xiaoyan nodded vigorously as well, her eyes red-rimmed. "Captain, you have to remember to let us know you're safe from now on."

Tang Wulin looked at his companions, his heart filled with warmth. The danger and loneliness of breaking through alone vanished completely in that moment.

"Now it's time to let those second-years know how strong we are. Are you all ready?" Tang Wulin confidently waved his fist.

"Ready at all times!" the other three shouted together. Though the four of them were now students of Shrek Academy, the bond of Eastsea F4 would always remain.