Ahead of the Ages, First Understanding of Battle Armor

The crowd before Sea God Pavilion had yet to disperse.

Everyone was still immersed in the shocking decision that Tang Wulin and Wang Qiu'er would duel to determine the captain, but before long, all attention was drawn to the strange armor faintly visible beneath Tang Wulin's clothes.

When his aura had briefly leaked out earlier, many had vaguely caught sight of what seemed to be a close-fitting suit of armor beneath his clothes, its texture exquisitely refined and dark golden dragon patterns flowing across it. It was restrained yet luxurious, unlike any ordinary protective gear.

Huo Yuhao frowned slightly, his gaze resting on Tang Wulin with a hint of scrutiny and confusion.

In the present era of the Peerless Tang Clan, the only means by which soul masters could gain external enhancement was through soul tools.

Shield soul tools, enhancement soul tools, and humanoid armor-type soul tools were the limits of common understanding. Even the Ice Extreme War God Armor he wore was merely the pinnacle of high-grade humanoid soul tool battle armor, a supreme creation of the soul tool system.

Yet the protective gear on Tang Wulin had no fluctuations from soul tool arrays, no tremors from an energy core, stored no soul power, and held no thermal energy. It possessed none of a soul tool's characteristics, yet its texture, fit, and heavy aura far surpassed every known humanoid soul tool armor on the continent.

"Junior Tang Wulin, what grade of soul tool is this protective battle armor you're wearing?"

Bei Bei was the first to speak, his eyes filled with curiosity.

The moment he said that, every student nearby turned to look, all sharing the same thought.

In this era, where soul tool technology flourished and crushed traditional forging, everyone instinctively believed that all armor-based external enhancements were soul tools.

Wang Dong'er blinked her large eyes curiously. "It looks so beautiful. The patterns are especially intricate, and I can't sense any soul tool energy fluctuations at all. Could it be a specially made silent high-grade soul tool armor?"

Xu Sanshi nodded repeatedly. "It really is strange. I've never seen this kind of humanoid soul tool before. I've even seen the Sun Moon Empire's latest standard mecha models, but this is completely different."

Everyone present, including Huo Yuhao, Jiang Nannan, and Xiao Xiao, had assumed that this was a rare, unknown, high-grade custom soul tool battle armor crafted far ahead of its time.

After all, in this era, the term battle armor had never appeared in the world. No one knew of it; it was a blank across all ages.

Battle armor was the supreme system that would only gradually emerge, flourish, and come to dominate the soul master world in the Dragon King era ten thousand years later.

To the people of this era, forging could only create ordinary metal tools and low-grade components. It was absolutely impossible for it to produce close-fitting battle armor capable of rivaling high-grade soul tools.

Tang Wulin shook his head slightly, a faint smile flickering through his eyes.

He had long grown accustomed to the limitations of this era's understanding.

It was precisely because it had not yet completed its final evolution, making its aura more restrained and pure, that no one could identify what category it belonged to.

"It isn't a soul tool."

Tang Wulin's voice rang out clearly, calm yet utterly overturning everyone's understanding.

The entire crowd froze slightly at his words.

"Not a soul tool?" Huo Yuhao's Spirit Eyes narrowed, his face full of bewilderment. "It doesn't rely on a soul tool core to store energy or arrays for enhancement. Then what does it use to carry power and strengthen the body?"

In this era, how could armor superior to top-tier protective gear possibly be forged from metal alone, without relying on soul tool technology?

Unhurried, Tang Wulin raised a hand and lightly brushed his sleeve. Beneath the fabric, fine dark golden patterns like scales flashed faintly before vanishing in an instant.

"This is another path, one completely independent of the soul tool system. It is called—battle armor."

"Battle armor?"

Everyone exchanged looks. They had never heard this unfamiliar term before, never seen it and never known of it.

Tang Wulin slowly explained, his voice composed and carrying a clarity that transcended the ages:

"Soul tools borrow external energy, operate through arrays, and rely on rare cores and technological construction. They are external enhancements."

"But battle armor is different."

"Battle armor uses supremely rare metals as its foundation, forging as its base, and soul power and Soul Forging as its spirit. It becomes completely symbiotic with a soul master's meridians, soul power, and martial soul. It requires no energy core, no array operation, and no charging or energy storage."

"The stronger the soul master, the stronger the battle armor. The purer the soul heart, the more magnificent the armor's essence."

These words completely moved everyone present.

No technology, no external objects—only forging and symbiotic enhancement with one's own soul power?

This had completely stepped beyond the cognitive framework of contemporary soul masters and soul tools!

Huo Yuhao's mind shook violently as thoughts raced through his head. With his profound knowledge of soul tool theory, he could find neither flaws nor points of reference in this system. It was an entirely new system that had never existed in the continent's history.

"Battle armor... symbiotic with soul power, growing alongside the soul master?" Huo Yuhao murmured, his face full of disbelief. "Such a path of forging actually exists in this world?"

Bei Bei's pupils contracted in shock. "So this battle armor of yours was forged by your own hands? It took shape through the tempering of soul power alone, without relying on soul tool technology?"

"Yes."

Tang Wulin nodded gently.

"At present, this set is only the peak form of Two-Word Battle Armor."

"Battle armor is divided by word ranks. One Word lays the foundation, Two Words bring sublimation, Three Words attain profundity, and Four Words seal divinity. Every advancement requires deep Soul Forging, tempering the armor soul, and aligning it with one's own path."

"In the future, this Dragon Moon Battle Armor can continue evolving and transforming, accompanying me as I break through realms and ascend to greater heights."

In just a few sentences, he overturned the worldview of every Shrek genius present.

They had always believed that soul tools were the future, that technology was the limit.

Yet the path of battle armor Tang Wulin described today was a supreme path centered on the individual, transcending technology and growing alongside its wearer.

Xu Sanshi was completely dumbfounded. "Forging... can actually reach such a level? This isn't armor anymore. It's practically a second martial soul!"

Xiao Xiao covered her mouth with her small hand, her eyes filled with shock. "That's incredible. I don't understand any of it, but it feels unbelievably amazing!"

Wang Dong'er's eyes shone as she looked at Tang Wulin's back, growing ever more astonished.

Just how many secrets that transcended the ages did this young man possess?

Huo Yuhao remained silent for a long time, the light deep within his Spirit Eyes growing incomparably profound.

He suddenly realized something.

Tang Wulin's strength had never been merely a matter of bloodline talent.