Golden Tier Second Awakening!

Although the book had been finished, Wukong was in no hurry to publish it.

A blacksmith needed iron of his own making. In this world where strength reigned supreme, cultivation was the foundation.

He was at the critical point of breaking through to Rank 20, so that had to take priority...

After resting briefly.

Wukong sat cross-legged on the bed, closed his eyes, and began cultivating.

After several days of calm cultivation, a muffled sound came from within his body.

Rank 20—he had reached it.

Wukong opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of stale air. He felt completely refreshed, yet there was helplessness in his expression.

"Although my cultivation has broken through, unfortunately, my research into [Seventy-Two Transformations] is only halfway done."

Thinking of this, Wukong scratched the back of his head, feeling quite helpless.

A heaven-defying skill like Seventy-Two Transformations truly could not be mastered overnight.

He could no longer count on it for his second Soul Ring skill.

"If I can't count on Seventy-Two Transformations, I can only choose [Immobility Technique] first."

Immobility Technique was also an exceptional control skill. Used well, it could absolutely allow him to kill someone above his rank.

Wukong stood up and stretched his limbs, his bones cracking crisply throughout his body.

"Fortunately, over the past two months, I've taken medicinal baths every day to temper my body."

"I've also eaten who knows how much Millennial Whale Rubber."

"I've digested more than half of the remaining medicinal power of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum in my body."

"My current body can fully withstand a six-thousand-year Soul Ring."

A six-thousand-year second ring was extremely rare across the entirety of Douluo Continent.

But Wukong was not satisfied with that. His goal was a ten-thousand-year second Soul Ring!

So next, he still needed to refine and absorb that piece of Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber.

With the help of Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber, he had a chance of reaching the ten-thousand-year limit in one go.

Even if he could not, he would not be far off.

Afterward, he could continue tempering his body for a while.

Or he could consume another immortal herb to forcefully raise his physical strength.

In any case, there was not much of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum's residual medicinal power left in his body.

As long as the immortal herb he chose did not have conflicting properties, it should not be much of a problem.

Having made up his mind, Wukong did not delay any longer.

He glanced out the window. Night had already fallen, and pedestrians on the streets were gradually growing scarce.

He changed into a clean set of black casual clothes, pushed open the window, and flipped straight out.

The purple Soul Ring beneath his feet lit up. His first Soul Skill activated, and Somersault Cloud instantly formed.

Wukong then stepped onto Somersault Cloud and flew out of Dragon Rising City under cover of darkness.

Before long, he arrived at the secluded wilderness cave outside the city.

Wukong entered the cave, skillfully released Cai Lin, and retrieved the Twin Dragon Staff.

"Same as usual, Cai Lin. I'm going to cultivate, so help keep watch for me..."

After giving Cai Lin his instructions, Wukong took out the Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber.

Wukong placed the Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber on the ground.

As Soul Power flowed into the Twin Dragon Staff, flames instantly surged forth.

Boom—

The flames completely enveloped the Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber and began roasting it continuously.

Time passed second by second.

The difficulty of refining the Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber far exceeded Wukong's expectations.

Ordinary Millennial Whale Rubber would melt after being roasted for a while.

Yet after this black lump had been burned for half a day, it showed no reaction at all.

"Looks like ordinary high-temperature flames won't work. It has to be Ultimate Fire!"

Wukong had no choice but to increase his Soul Power output, causing the flames' temperature to rise again.

The Soul Power within Wukong's body was also rapidly being depleted.

Fortunately, he had already broken through to Rank 20, and his Soul Power reserves were much greater than before.

Gradually, the Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber finally began to react.

A strange fragrance wafted out from within the Whale Rubber.

The fragrance was extremely rich, lingering without dispersing as it drifted back and forth through the cave.

After taking a breath of it, Wukong felt his spirits lift, and even his fatigue lessened considerably.

The blackened outer layer of the Whale Rubber began to peel away.

A faint golden glow seeped out from its core.

Before long, the entire piece of Whale Rubber had turned a strange dark gold.

As the temperature continued to rise, the dark-gold Whale Rubber finally softened and became a pliant gelatinous substance.

The Soul Power in Wukong's body was also nearly exhausted.

He quickly put away the Ice-Fire Twin Dragon Staff, dropped onto the ground, and panted heavily.

"That was close. I almost drained myself dry."

With his previous experience refining dozens of pieces of Millennial Whale Rubber.

Wukong's control over the heat this time was extremely precise. There was absolutely no way he would make the mistake of undercooking it again.

He looked at the dark-gold gelatinous substance giving off an enticing fragrance and reached out to grab it.

"Ahh..."

He then opened his mouth and swallowed it in one bite.

The Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber entered his mouth, bringing with it an intense fishy stench.

Wukong forced himself to swallow it despite the nausea.

The stench quickly vanished, turning into a scorching current that rushed down his throat and straight into his abdomen.

At the same time, a faint fragrance escaped from Wukong's nostrils.

The alternating fishy scent and fragrance felt truly strange.

Wukong sat cross-legged and began absorbing the Whale Rubber's medicinal power with all his strength.

His body was currently in an extremely energy-starved state.

His absorption efficiency for the Whale Rubber's effects had reached its peak.

The current of heat in his abdomen began spreading toward his limbs and every part of his body.

At first, it merely felt warm, but before long, it became searing hot.

The surging heat flowed madly through his meridians, constantly washing over his body.

Wukong's body temperature rapidly climbed.

Large amounts of sweat seeped out of his body.

His skin reddened at a visible speed.

Even the sweat flowing out had turned a faint reddish-brown.

Before long, his clothes had been dyed red by sweat.

"This energy is way too outrageous."

Wukong could feel that the energy contained in this piece of Whale Rubber was unimaginably vast.

"This definitely isn't ordinary Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber."

"Judging by how fierce its medicinal power is, it's at least of forty- or fifty-thousand-year quality."

Although Wukong was not affected by its aphrodisiac effect this time.

The pure heat alone was becoming more than he could bear.

His body was simply too hot.

His internal organs were being roasted by the high temperature, while his blood surged and roared through his veins.

Wukong opened his eyes and beckoned toward the cave entrance.

"Cai Lin, hurry over and hold me."

Cai Lin immediately slithered over and tightly wrapped Wukong in her cool snake body.

Man and snake embraced tightly once more.

The chill emanating from Cai Lin continuously seeped into Wukong's body.

It finally neutralized that violent, blazing heat.

Wukong let out a long breath, closed his eyes, and continued guiding the medicinal power.

The effects of the Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber were incomparably domineering.

The immense energy continued coursing through Wukong's body, madly tempering every inch of his flesh and blood.

His bones gave faint crisp cracks under the energy's wash.

His meridians were continuously widened, while the density of his muscles rapidly increased.

And that was not all.

This powerful medicinal force also completely activated the residual medicinal power of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum within Wukong's body.

The two top-tier medicinal powers converged, producing a wondrous chemical reaction.

Wukong only felt his body fill with explosive strength.

He possessed a Body Martial Soul, so every strengthening of his body was equivalent to an evolution of his Martial Soul.

His Martial Soul's quality had originally reached quasi-top-tier after the previous tempering.

Once he summoned his Martial Soul, his body became exceptionally hard, truly possessing Copper Head Iron Bones.

But now, under the combined effects of forty- or fifty-thousand-year Whale Rubber and the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum.

The quality of Wukong's Martial Soul finally underwent a qualitative leap.

It broke through the threshold of awakening in one stroke.

Martial Soul Second Awakening!