Sparring with the Second Years, Dragon God Transformation Appears Again

The sparring arena by Sea God Lake was enveloped in a pale blue soul power barrier. Biting winds carried rippling soul power, whipping the clothes of the teachers and students watching below.

Tang Wulin had returned from his dormitory less than half an hour ago, yet the lingering aftereffects of breaking the Golden Dragon King's sixth seal still surged through every limb and bone in his body.

He stood at the edge of the arena, his back straight as a pine. The pair of golden dragon wings behind him, now noticeably more solid, quietly folded away, leaving only faint dragon-scale patterns hidden beneath his school uniform. Unless someone deliberately sensed them, no one would notice.

Whenever he raised his eyes, a fleeting golden vertical pupil flashed in the depths of his dark gaze. It was a sign that the Golden Dragon King bloodline was surging. Though he suppressed it with all his strength, a faint but unmistakable true dragon pressure still lingered around him—an overbearing aura originating from the Ancient Dragon God, one that even the Super Douluos watching from afar could vaguely sense.

Tang Wulin lightly rubbed the custom-made One-Word Battle Armor gauntlets on his hands. The cool metallic sensation calmed his restless bloodline slightly.

Within his body, a third brilliant golden Soul Ring floated quietly, reflecting the first two. As his blood essence circulated, he could now freely control partial dragonification. When dragon scales covered his right arm, his strength increased by thirty percent. This was the tremendous gift bestowed by breaking the sixth seal and advancing the Golden Sky Dragon Transformation Art to its third level.

"First match: forging spar. First-year Tang Wulin versus second-year He Xiaopeng."

Teacher Shen Yi's voice, amplified by soul power, clearly spread across Sea God Lake. The two blacksmiths stepped onto the side platform, where palm-sized titanium crystal ingots were steadily placed atop their forging tables. He Xiaopeng was widely acknowledged as a forging genius among the second years. At merely fifteen, he was already a fourth-rank blacksmith. He rolled up his sleeves, his eyes filled with eager fighting spirit, while soul power poured into his forging hammer and gave it a faint silver glow.

Clang—clang—clang—

He Xiaopeng held nothing back from the very start. His heavy hammer descended rapidly, every blow carrying tremendous force. Sparks scattered in all directions, displaying fierce and tyrannical power as the titanium crystal ingot quickly deformed beneath his strikes. The metal's hum echoed throughout the arena. The second-year students below immediately erupted in cheers, and even several teachers from the forging department nodded slightly. Such a fierce forging style was already among the best for blacksmiths of the same rank.

Tang Wulin, in contrast, merely stood before his forging table with his eyes closed, allowing the titanium crystal's metallic patterns to resonate with his blood essence. Only after a moment did he slowly raise his hammer. His strikes were not fast, yet they carried a strange rhythm, as though synchronized with the dragon heart beating in his chest. Ding—ding—ding— The clear hammering was completely different from He Xiaopeng's thunderous blows, like a flowing melody reverberating across the arena.

This was an advanced technique of Thousand-Forging Aperture Tempering: using blood essence to stir the patterns within the metal rather than forging through brute force. A sharp glint flashed through Teacher Cai Yue'er's eyes as her fingers lightly tapped the armrest. This brat already faintly possesses the foundation of a sixth-rank blacksmith!

He Xiaopeng completed his forging first. A piece of first-grade Thousand-Forged titanium crystal with a pale silver luster landed on the platform. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he looked smugly toward Tang Wulin, only to find that his opponent was still unhurried, his hammer strikes measured and rhythmic.

Just as the referee was about to announce that half the allotted time had passed, Tang Wulin suddenly opened his eyes, golden light flashing within them.

"Hah!"

A low shout escaped his throat as the forging hammer in his hand abruptly accelerated. Hammer shadows fluttered like butterflies, so fast that only a blurred afterimage could be seen. This was no longer simple hammering—it was the opening stance of Spirit Forging!

Buzz—

A gentle, glowing white radiance suddenly burst from the titanium crystal ingot. It was the unique spiritual light of successful Spirit Forging. Its warm glow instantly overwhelmed the silver sheen of He Xiaopeng's Thousand-Forged titanium crystal and even stirred the metal elements nearby.

The entire audience erupted.

Spirit Forging! A fifteen-year-old Spirit Forging master!

The smugness on He Xiaopeng's face instantly froze. He stared blankly at the titanium crystal overflowing with spiritual light, his eyes full of disbelief.

"First-year Tang Wulin wins." Elder Cai's judgment rang out decisively, carrying a trace of undisguised praise.

The cheers from the first years nearly blew the roof off. Tang Wulin simply set down his hammer and sat cross-legged in a corner of the arena, using meditation to stabilize the bloodline power he had yet to fully control after breaking the seal. Golden blood essence circulated over his body, forming a faint halo that shut out the cold wind.

The auxiliary profession contests were tense and fiercely fought. Led by Tang Wulin, his companions achieved two wins, one draw, and one loss in categories such as mecha operation and soul tool design, barely tying the second years. Yet everyone knew that the true main event was the final team battle.

When seven figures leaped onto the main arena together, the cheers below instantly reached their peak.

Tang Wulin stood at the front of the first-year team, with Gu Yue, Xie Xie, Xu Lizhi, Ye Xinglan, Xu Xiaoyan, and Yue Zhengyu arranged at his sides. The seven had linked their auras together, faintly forming a battle formation capable of both attack and defense.

Leading the second-year team opposite them was none other than Yuanen Yehui, known as the strongest among the second years.

Yuanen Yehui was tall and slender, her fitted black outfit outlining her athletic figure. She raised her eyes toward Tang Wulin, battle intent blazing within them.

When their gazes collided in midair, golden patterns instantly surfaced across Tang Wulin's body. Dense black soul power also rose around Yuanen Yehui, accompanied by the faint roar of a colossal beast—her martial soul, the Titan Giant Ape!

The two entirely different auras collided across the arena, and even the air within the barrier seemed compressed, producing faint crackling sounds.

"Begin!"

The instant Teacher Shen Yi's words fell, Tang Wulin moved.

He stomped down with his left foot and shot forward like a cannonball. The bluestone tiles beneath him cracked, scattering shards of stone. He did not release his martial soul or use a soul skill. He merely poured bloodline power into his right arm. Golden dragon scales instantly covered his forearm, and his five fingers came together, forming a sharp Golden Dragon Claw. At the same time, he activated the One-Word Battle Armor gauntlets on his hands and charged straight at Yuanen Yehui.

"Good!"

Yuanen Yehui gave a fierce shout as the Titan Giant Ape martial soul possessed her. The muscles in her arms swelled dramatically, black fur covered her body, and her fists became as large as millstones as they met him with immense force.

Boom!

The Golden Dragon Claw and iron fists collided with a deafening explosion that echoed throughout the arena. A terrifying shockwave spread in every direction, making even the barrier tremble violently. Tang Wulin felt an enormous force travel up his arm, leaving it slightly numb, but he borrowed the recoil to spin through the air and land steadily.

Yuanen Yehui, however, was sent three steps back. The bluestone tiles beneath her feet shattered inch by inch. A flicker of shock crossed her eyes. This brat's strength has risen by far more than just one level!

At nearly the same time, the members of both teams displayed their own abilities.

Gu Yue formed hand seals, and icy blue soul power swept outward in every direction. "Icebound Myriad Miles!" A biting blizzard instantly blanketed half the arena. Xie Xie quietly released his martial soul, cold light flashing through his eyes as his entire body merged into the snowstorm, his figure becoming elusive and unpredictable.

Xu Xiaoyan's Eye of Destiny quietly opened, and pale violet light fell upon her teammates, granting them buffs of good fortune.

The second-year Yue Zhengyu, a different student sharing the same name as the first-year Yue Zhengyu, held a Light Saint Sword. Holy light swirled around him as he charged into the blizzard. Duanhun Xiao raised his jade flute to his lips, and a mournful tune sounded, carrying a strange mental shock intended to disrupt the first-year students' focus. Song Yuheng sat cross-legged in the rear, plucking the strings of his zither. Blades of sound mixed with soul power shot toward Tang Wulin and the others.

"Cheap tricks."

Tang Wulin sneered. Just as Song Yuheng's third sound blade came flying toward him, the Golden Trident imprint on Tang Wulin's forehead suddenly lit up, and an even more tyrannical true dragon pressure erupted!

It was not an impact of soul power, but suppression originating from the deepest depths of his bloodline!

Pfft—

Song Yuheng felt his chest tighten, and he violently spat out a mouthful of blood. Staggering several steps backward, he dropped to one knee, blood seeping from all seven of his orifices. Several strings of his zither snapped at once, and his sound blade assault came to an abrupt halt.

The entire arena fell silent.

Mere bloodline pressure had injured a sound-wave soul master at the Soul King level?!

Seeing this, Yuanen Yehui's gaze turned solemn. She let out a low roar as her third Soul Ring abruptly lit up—Titan's Wrath!

Terrifying soul power erupted. Her body grew several feet taller, and her fist, carrying earth-shattering force, smashed viciously toward Tang Wulin. This strike was enough to pulverize a small mountain!

Yet Tang Wulin neither dodged nor retreated, a confident curve appearing at the corner of his lips. He recalled the blood essence force-dissipation technique Teacher Zhuo Shi had taught him. The Golden Dragon King blood essence within him circulated at high speed. Just before her fist struck him, he shifted slightly to one side. Dragon scales covered his right arm, and his palm precisely slapped the back of Yuanen Yehui's fist.

"Deflect!"

As the word fell, Yuanen Yehui felt her power vanish as though swallowed by the sea, guided off course by a strange force. Her fist slammed heavily into the ground, blasting out a deep crater.

Seizing the opportunity, Tang Wulin sprang up. His Golden Dragon Claw swept out, forcing back the second-year students who had rushed forward.

Behind him, Xu Lizhi's Food God martial soul operated at full power. One steaming recovery bun after another flew out, landing precisely in his teammates' hands.

Ye Xinglan drew her Star God Sword. Dazzling sword intent shot into the sky as a single slash split apart several sound blades, protecting their rear line.

Tang Wulin was like a fierce tiger charging into a flock of sheep, rampaging through the second-year team. At times, his dragon claws broke through defenses, tearing apart his opponents' soul power barriers.

At other times, his dragon tail swept out, sending two second-year students flying.

As golden Soul Rings flashed, every attack carried the tyrannical force of the Golden Dragon King bloodline. No one could withstand his edge.

The barrier around the sparring arena by Sea God Lake trembled continuously, while chaotic currents of soul power surged like raging waves.

Tang Wulin's blood essence churned in his chest. He had barely steadied himself when Yuanen Yehui's heavy fist, carrying the suppressive force of the Titan Giant Ape martial soul, was already before his face. In his haste, he raised his dragonified right arm to block. A burst of agonizing pain came from his bones, and he was sent flying like a kite with its string cut, slamming heavily into the barrier.

"Wulin!" Gu Yue cried out in alarm. An icy blue Elemental Barrier rose hastily, only to be pierced simultaneously by the second-year Duanhun Xiao's sound blades and Song Yuheng's string notes. The instant the barrier shattered, the aftershock made her blood essence churn, and a thin line of blood spilled from the corner of her lips.

The Golden Dragon King power brought by breaking the sixth seal was indeed formidable, but the second years' teamwork was far more coordinated than they had imagined.

Yuanen Yehui's Titan's Wrath restrained them head-on. Yue Zhengyu's Light Saint Sword pinned down Xie Xie's shadow clones. Song Yuheng's sound-wave soul power specifically countered Xu Xiaoyan's power of destiny, while Duanhun Xiao's flute melody made everyone's soul power circulate sluggishly.

Xu Lizhi continuously sent out recovery buns, but they could not withstand the enemy's repeated onslaughts. Though Ye Xinglan's Star God Sword was sharp, she was held down by two second-year soul masters working together. For a time, the first-year team was forced into continuous retreat, their situation increasingly perilous.

"Are the first years going to lose?" Faint murmurs came from below. Supporting himself against the ground, Tang Wulin rose to his feet, unwillingness flashing through his dark eyes.

He could clearly feel the agitation of the Golden Dragon King bloodline within him. After the sixth seal was broken, that power belonging to the Ancient Dragon God was practically about to burst from his body. Yet he had not fully mastered it, and forcing it out would only harm himself.

At that moment, Yuanen Yehui's fourth soul skill erupted—Titan Earthshaker!

A terrifying shockwave spread outward from her as its center. The ground split open and stones flew everywhere. Xu Lizhi could not dodge in time and was blasted backward, his recovery martial soul temporarily suppressed.

Xie Xie's shadow clones instantly collapsed. His true body was slashed by the Light Saint Sword, leaving him covered in blood.

Ye Xinglan's Star God Sword nearly flew from her hand, and her sword intent dimmed at once.

The first years' defensive line had completely collapsed.

Yuanen Yehui crushed shattered stones beneath her feet as she walked toward Tang Wulin step by step, battle intent blazing in her eyes. "Tang Wulin, surrender. You can't hold on any longer."

"Impossible!" Tang Wulin clenched his teeth as the Golden Dragon King blood essence within him circulated madly. The outline of dragon wings emerged behind his back, golden patterns crawled over his cheeks, and golden vertical pupils abruptly lit up. He knew that they could not lose this battle!

He suddenly turned to look at Gu Yue. The moment their eyes met, without a single word, understanding arose between them.

The icy blue soul power around Gu Yue suddenly surged. The five elemental powers of wind, fire, lightning, water, and earth swirled around her. Determination flashed through her eyes as she poured all her soul power toward Tang Wulin without reservation.

"Wulin, use that!"

Tang Wulin's pupils shrank. He knew exactly what Gu Yue meant—it was their martial soul fusion skill, one they had not fully mastered but that could shake heaven and earth. It was the fusion of the Golden Dragon King and Silver Dragon King's powers, their unique Dragon God Transformation!

"Martial soul fusion skill—"

Tang Wulin let out a low roar as he released the Golden Dragon King bloodline power without restraint. Golden dragon power collided fiercely with Gu Yue's elemental power, yet there was not the slightest rejection. Instead, they merged as naturally as fish returning to water.

"Dragon God Transformation!"

A dragon's roar resounded through the skies as silver and golden light erupted simultaneously. The dazzling radiance was so bright that no one could keep their eyes open. The chaotic soul power currents inside the barrier were instantly suppressed, and a terrifying pressure far beyond a Soul Emperor's, nearly reaching that of a Soul Saint, swept across the arena.

Within the light, a figure slowly emerged. It was a youth clad in armor of golden and silver dragon scales. A pair of enormous golden-silver dragon wings spread behind him. His left hand wielded a golden dragon claw that controlled destruction and power, while silver radiance representing creation and elements surrounded his right hand. A Dragon God mark shone brightly upon his forehead.

This was the Dragon God Transformation!

Yuanen Yehui's expression changed drastically. She felt suppression rising from the depths of her soul, and her Titan Giant Ape martial soul actually began trembling. She instinctively threw a punch, but that golden dragon claw lightly caught it.

Bang!

With a muffled boom, Yuanen Yehui felt an irresistible force strike her. She was instantly blown away and crashed heavily into the ground, her martial soul possession state directly dispelled.

The golden dragon wings lightly flapped. In the Dragon God Transformation state, Tang Wulin's fused form flashed and appeared before Song Yuheng and Duanhun Xiao. Silver radiance brushed across them from his right hand, and both felt the soul power around their bodies instantly drained away. Their flute and zither slipped from their hands as they collapsed weakly to the ground.

Yue Zhengyu's Light Saint Sword slashed toward him, only to be casually knocked aside by the golden dragon claw. The holy sword's radiance dimmed, while Yue Zhengyu's palm split open from the shock and he staggered backward.

The remaining second-year students looked at one another, their eyes full of terror.

With just one move, the situation had reversed!

Tang Wulin slowly restrained his aura in the Dragon God Transformation state. The golden-silver light faded, and he and Gu Yue staggered at the same time, their faces pale as paper. This martial soul fusion skill consumed too much power. With their current strength, they could not sustain it for long at all.

But victory was already decided.

Supporting herself on the ground, Yuanen Yehui stood up. She looked at her battered teammates, then at Tang Wulin and Gu Yue, whose faces were pale but whose eyes remained resolute. Shaking her head with a bitter smile, she said, "I surrender. The first years win."

The barrier dispersed. The audience below was silent for a moment, then erupted with deafening cheers.

Tang Wulin looked at Gu Yue beside him. They exchanged a smile, their eyes filled with the relief of surviving disaster and their shared understanding.

They had won this battle.

With their Dragon God's Power.

Teacher Shen Yi's voice rang out at just the right moment. "Team battle, first years win!"

The moment her words fell, the barrier vanished.

In an instant, the deathly silence below completely exploded!

"We won! We won!"

The first-year students erupted like a pot boiling over. Their cheers pierced the heavens as countless people waved their arms and shouted wildly toward the seven students on the arena.

Xu Lizhi's classmates were the first to rush over, surrounding him as they jumped and cheered.

Ye Xinglan's supporters raised handmade little flags and chanted, "Star God Sword is unbeatable!"

Even Gu Yue's usually composed fan club could not hold back their enthusiastic cheers.

Tang Wulin and Gu Yue exchanged a smile, their eyes full of the relief of surviving disaster and their shared understanding.

Xie Xie clutched the wound on his arm and limped over with a grin. "I knew it. Once Boss and Gu Yue made their move, it was guaranteed!"

Ye Xinglan sheathed the Star God Sword, a rare hint of a smile appearing on her lips. "You were somewhat useful."

Xu Xiaoyan blinked her large, watery eyes and clapped excitedly. "Captain, Sister Gu Yue, you were so cool just now!"

Xu Lizhi took out a huge pile of snacks from his storage soul tool and smiled foolishly. "Everyone, hurry and eat something to restore your strength!"

Below the stage, the teachers spoke in low voices as well. Cai Yue'er looked at Tang Wulin and Gu Yue standing side by side on the arena, amazement flashing through her eyes. "Dragon God Transformation... these two children truly are a match made in heaven." Shen Yi nodded slightly, her tone full of satisfaction. "The fusion of the Golden Dragon King and Silver Dragon King's powers... their potential is immeasurable."

Though the second-year students were disappointed, they still applauded. They had not lost unfairly in this exhilarating battle.

Yuanen Yehui walked up to Tang Wulin and extended her hand. "Next time, I won't lose again." Tang Wulin grasped her hand and replied seriously, "I'll be waiting."

The setting sun shone over Sea God Lake, dyeing the sparring arena a warm gold. The first-year students surrounded Tang Wulin's group of seven and headed toward the academy cafeteria amid cheers. With a grand wave of his hand, Xu Lizhi boldly announced that he would treat everyone to a lavish meal.

Amid the laughter and chatter, Tang Wulin quietly looked at Gu Yue beside him. The sunset fell upon her hair, coating it in a gentle golden glow.

He suddenly felt that this hard-fought battle after breaking the sixth seal was perhaps the most memorable victory he had achieved since entering the academy.