The day's classes ended, and Eastsea Academy's Class Promotion Tournament began on schedule.
Today's match pitted first-year Class Five against first-year Class Two.
Taking the stage, Tang Wulin, Gu Yue, and Xie Xie worked together seamlessly, advancing and retreating in perfect measure. The entire fight proved effortless. Class Two's overall strength was mediocre, with only one student possessing a hundred-year yellow soul ring to serve as the team's sole pillar. Yet whether in martial soul control, combat experience, or physical foundations, that student fell far short of the trio.
Against their mutually reinforcing assault, Class Two could not hold its ground. After only a few exchanges, its defenses were easily shattered, and it suffered a complete defeat.
With that match concluded, first-year Class Five claimed an outstanding record of three victories in three matches.
Combined with the sensation caused by yesterday's confrontation with Guang Biao, first-year Class Five became one of the hottest, most closely watched classes among Eastsea Academy's first years.
Tang Wulin, meanwhile, became the center of attention and the subject of everyone's discussions.
Everyone had clearly witnessed the uncanny nature of his Blue Silver Grass-a seemingly unremarkable trash martial soul, yet blessed with extraordinary toughness beyond all reason. Entanglement, restraint, defense, support-it excelled at everything. His control was honed to perfection, exquisite beyond compare, completely overturning everyone's established understanding of Blue Silver Grass.
Countless students were secretly stunned. Everyone knew that this dark horse from Class Five had a future without limits.
The tournament schedule was set, and tomorrow was the academy's rest day. After one day of recuperation, first-year Class Five would face its final and strongest opponent, issuing its ultimate challenge to first-year Class One, which firmly held the top spot.
The evening breeze grew cool, and night descended.
After dinner, Tang Wulin remained preoccupied with the hidden danger of his Golden Dragon King bloodline and the three rare treasures he needed. He did not linger at the academy, instead hurrying alone toward the East Sea Blacksmith Association.
Xie Xie returned alone to the student dormitory to rest and conserve his strength for the coming battle against a formidable opponent.
Tang Wulin had just stepped through the academy gates, ready to head to the Blacksmith Association, when a slender figure suddenly approached and blocked his path.
"Hey, Wulin, where are you going?"
It was Gu Yue.
Tang Wulin's mind was filled with how he should ask Mu Chen for help and explain why he needed those three rare treasures. His thoughts were tangled, leaving him no attention to spare. He merely waved a hand casually and answered rather perfunctorily, "I'm going to the Blacksmith Association to finish today's forging practice."
Seeing his distracted, coldly distant manner, Gu Yue felt an inexplicable surge of frustration. Her delicate brows immediately drew together.
She sulked inwardly. Am I really that boring, that annoying? You won't even say a few more words or pay me a little attention. (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞
Catching sight of her puffed-up expression, Tang Wulin felt a headache coming on. He quickly softened his tone and explained, "Lady Gu Yue, I really do have something urgent to handle. You and I are different. Every bit of food, clothing, and everything else I use comes from money I earn myself, penny by penny. You know how much I eat. If I slack off instead of forging to earn money, I won't even be able to feed myself."
He paused, then continued earnestly, "Besides, Eastsea Academy has an intermediate division and an advanced division. Tuition is free in the intermediate division, but once I enter the advanced division, I'll have to pay all my tuition, food, and lodging expenses myself. Forging more and saving more now is how I prepare for my future."
Gu Yue blinked and asked in confusion, "You have an Eight-Star Saint Craftsman as your teacher, someone with immense status and wealth. Why not just borrow money from him? Why work yourself so hard?"
Tang Wulin turned back at her words, his gaze clear and resolute. "Borrowing money would be easy, but then my ambition and willingness to struggle would slowly wear away. Besides, through forging day after day, I can keep refining my resonance with metal, improve my skills, and move toward my forging dream one step at a time. I want to walk this path steadily on my own."
Those stubborn yet earnest words completely took the wind out of Gu Yue's anger.
Seeing how impervious he was, intent only on rushing off to forge, Gu Yue had nowhere to vent her frustration. She could only stamp her foot hard and turn away.
Deep in her heart, unheard by anyone, she grumbled in anger and hurt:
Jerk!
I, the dignified Silver Dragon King, lowered my supreme standing to seek you out and show concern for you, and you don't appreciate it in the slightest! <(‵□′)───C＜─___-)||
Tang Wulin returned to his family's residence at the East Sea Blacksmith Association and immediately greeted his parents, Tang Ziran and Lang Yue.
Since enrolling at Eastsea Academy, he had stayed at home every night and seen them daily, yet dinner was the only time he could spend with his parents. Classes, cultivation, forging, and training packed his schedule to the brim. The time he could truly devote to his family was pitifully scarce.
Seeing Lang Yue busy in the kitchen, Tang Wulin hurried over and said gently, "Mom, let me help."
Lang Yue turned to look at her thoughtful, filial son, her eyes filled with a tender smile. She waved him away gently. "You must be exhausted after a whole day at school. I don't need any help. Go wash your hands and wait for dinner."
The sunset and evening breeze were gentle, and the lamplight warmed the heart.
That evening, the family of three gathered around the table in cheerful harmony, enjoying a warm dinner together. The dishes were simple, but filled with the comforting warmth of family companionship.
After dinner, Tang Wulin said goodbye to his parents and headed straight to the forging room the Blacksmith Association had assigned exclusively to him.
Mu Chen had specially arranged this room as his private training space, where he could hone his forging skills each day.
The forging room was not empty. Mu Chen stood quietly inside with his daughter, Mu Xi.
Day after day, no matter how busy he was, Mu Chen always carved out time to personally guide Tang Wulin's forging practice. He understood deeply that forging required gradual progress and never rushed for results. Even now, he had yet to teach Tang Wulin the profound knowledge and advanced methods beyond Level Three forging.
Advancing too quickly on an unstable foundation would only hinder the road ahead. Only by securing every step could Tang Wulin travel farther and more steadily along the path of forging.
Tang Wulin gathered his thoughts and immersed himself in forging practice as usual.
He took a piece of pegasus cloud iron and placed it in the furnace to heat at a high temperature. Once the metal softened, he gripped his forging hammers and began his daily hammering and refinement.
Bang, bang, bang-
Clear, steady hammer blows rang throughout the forging room. Their rhythm was orderly, yet concealed a faint, almost imperceptible discord.
Having studied countless forging rhythms over the years and mastered both human nature and the craftsman's art, Mu Chen keenly detected something unusual in those familiar blows.
His disciple was unsettled today, plagued by distracting thoughts.
Mu Xi stood quietly in a corner, her gaze fixed on Tang Wulin as he concentrated on his hammering, her eyes brimming with astonishment and envy.
In just a few short months, he had undergone an earth-shaking transformation.
At first, although Tang Wulin had mastered Thousand Refinement, his success rate still fluctuated. He could not perfectly complete Thousand Refinement on every piece of metal. But through Mu Chen's meticulous guidance and his own relentless hard work, he had now firmly established himself in Thousand Refinement. His techniques were polished, his progress steady, and he was advancing step by step toward becoming a Level Four Blacksmith.
By contrast, she had grown up learning from her father, Mu Chen, receiving his careful instruction for years, yet still had not reached the threshold of Thousand Refinement.
The comparison truly invited a sigh. Comparing oneself to others could infuriate a person to death.
When Tang Wulin successfully finished the day's forging and put away his hammers, Mu Chen walked over and handed him a bottle of water.
Without thinking much of it, Tang Wulin unscrewed the cap, tipped his head back, and gulped it all down, washing away his heat and fatigue.
Just then, Mu Chen's gentle, low voice slowly sounded, piercing straight to the heart of the matter. "Wulin, has something happened? Your forging was very off today. Your mind never settled."
The moment those words reached his ears, Tang Wulin's heart jolted, and his entire body tensed.
Mu Chen extended his broad, warm hand and gently patted Tang Wulin's shoulder. His voice was gentle and steady, carrying a reassuring strength. "Relax. Only your teacher and senior sister are here. There are no outsiders. Whatever difficulty is weighing on you, just tell us."
Mu Xi hurried to agree, looking at Tang Wulin as she asked softly, "That's right, Wulin. We heard about Guang Biao going to Eastsea Academy to confront you yesterday. Are you unsettled because you haven't fully put that behind you?"
Tang Wulin gave a helpless, bitter smile and shook his head. "Senior, if that were all, I really ought to burn incense in thanks."
After a brief silence, he drew a deep breath and slowly revealed the secret weighing on his heart.
As he spoke, he deliberately concealed the secrets of the Golden Dragon King. He attributed all the abnormalities to a special martial soul hidden within his body that had recently begun awakening on its own. Its bloodline power was restless, constantly turning against him and harboring a deadly danger.
After hearing his account, the normally calm and composed Mu Chen underwent a sudden, dramatic change of expression. Disbelieving shock surged in his eyes.
The Golden Dragon!
The progenitor of strength, the Golden Dragon!
It was a supreme existence among the Dragon Clan, governing the ultimate physical body and absolute strength. A legendary ultimate martial soul, it represented the absolute authority of strength in this world.
In an instant, every doubt became clear.
Understanding dawned in Mu Chen's heart. He finally understood the source of Tang Wulin's extraordinary abilities.
He still remembered how Tang Wulin had freely wielded two Thousand-Refined Tungsten Steel Hammers at just nine years old. Each hammer weighed more than ninety kilograms, bringing their combined weight to over a hundred and fifty kilograms. Even many adult blacksmiths struggled to swing both with ease, yet young Tang Wulin wielded them with roaring vigor, lifting heavy weights as though they were light.
So the source of everything was this Golden Dragon martial soul hidden within him and his tyrannical dragon blood.
Mu Chen gazed at the troubled boy before him and immediately saw through his reserved, sensitive reluctance to trouble others. He comforted him gently. "Wulin, I'm the teacher who passes my craft on to you. A teacher for a day is a father for life. From now on, whenever you encounter difficulties, don't shoulder everything alone because you're afraid of troubling me. Do you understand?"
Tang Wulin lowered his head silently, a jumble of emotions filling his heart.
He had been sensible since childhood, tenacious and stubborn by nature, and had always been reluctant to trouble anyone. If someone showed him a measure of kindness, he engraved it in his heart and repaid it a hundredfold. Yet accepting favors and continually asking for more always left him deeply uneasy.
He had never wanted much. He only wished to grow up steadily, live safely, preserve his warm little home, and protect the family and companions around him.
After a long while, he nodded gently and told Mu Chen everything, omitting only some key details.
Before he could say more, Mu Chen spoke, every word steady and certain. "A Century Ice Crystal Fruit, a Century Scarlet Flame Fruit, and ten drops of essence blood from a hundred-year soul beast with a pure Dragon Clan bloodline, correct? Focus on your cultivation and leave this to me. I'll find them for you. With me here, I won't let anything happen to you."
Mu Xi stood to one side, quietly listening to their entire conversation, her eyes filled with shock and heartache.
She had never imagined that this seemingly cheerful, resilient boy, who diligently forged every day, constantly bore a life-threatening danger at such a young age, walking along the edge of death.
The atmosphere in the forging room grew heavy and oppressive. Seeing this, Mu Chen quickly spoke gently, deliberately easing the tension. "Wulin, look at it from another angle. This is the progenitor of strength, the Golden Dragon!"
"As long as you survive the danger before you, fully stabilize your bloodline, and master your martial soul, once you grow up, becoming a Titled Douluo will be your minimum achievement. You'll even have an excellent chance of reaching Super Douluo. Among the Federation's entire younger generation, no one can match your talent. Hardship in youth tempers you. The suffering you endure will eventually become the foundation beneath your climb to the summit."
In truth, Mu Chen was not entirely certain himself at that moment. He even felt faintly at a loss.
There were indeed many unusual cases in the Soul Master World. Some second martial souls did not appear during the initial awakening, instead remaining hidden within the body before gradually awakening later. Yet throughout history, Tang Wulin's case was unique: his martial soul awakening brought not opportunity, but constant backlash that threatened his life.
Still, as an Eight-Star Saint Craftsman with many years of experience, he had exceptionally deep connections. He might not excel in soul master cultivation or martial soul research, but when it came to connections and resources, few in all of Eastsea City, or even Federation East, could surpass him.
After those words of comfort, Tang Wulin concluded all his forging practice for the day. Before leaving, he stopped and looked up at Mu Chen, his eyes carrying a boy's cautious plea. "Teacher, about this... could you not tell my parents?"
Though he faced the danger of death and suffered the torment of bloodline backlash day and night, his first concern remained his parents at home. He did not want them frightened for his sake, worrying day and night.
Seeing such a thoughtful boy, Mu Chen felt both warmth and pain in his heart. He nodded solemnly. "Don't worry. I'll keep your secret."
Watching this junior disciple who had only recently joined them, Mu Xi felt her heart fill with compassion. She volunteered, "Dad, I'll see Wulin back and walk with him."
With that, Mu Xi followed Tang Wulin, and they headed toward his residence together.
Once the two left, Mu Chen was alone in the spacious forging room.
The gentle smile faded from his face, and his expression grew grave. He stood alone in thought for a moment, then took out his Soul Communication Device and dialed a number he had not contacted in a long time.
After the waiting tones, a hearty, easygoing middle-aged man's voice came from the other end, full of vigor. "Hello? Mu Chen, now there's a rare caller! What made you think of calling me all of a sudden? If something's come up, just say it."
The name displayed prominently on the communication device was Zhen Hua.
He had made this call not to ask Zhen Hua about martial soul cultivation, but to ask him to bring in an old friend who often stayed by his side-the Body Sect's master, Mu Ye.
With a legacy spanning ten thousand years, the Body Sect devoted itself to studying the great path of the physical body, the origins of bloodlines, and bodily mutations. Its achievements in this field stood above the entire world of soul masters.
Mu Chen explained each of the grave dangers Tang Wulin faced: his restless bloodline and the life-threatening backlash from his martial soul.
Zhen Hua immediately recognized the severity of the situation, and his hearty tone gradually grew solemn. "I understand. Make some time soon and bring the boy here. I'll have Mu Ye examine him personally. The Body Sect has ten thousand years of unparalleled knowledge in flesh and bloodlines. He may be able to find a way to suppress the hidden danger."
After thanking him, Mu Chen ended the call on his Soul Guidance communication device.
In the courtyard at the other end, the sizzling of cooking still came from the kitchen.
Mu Ye, who was cooking, heard Zhen Hua answer his junior fellow disciple's call. He wiped his hands and came out of the kitchen. His face was handsome and rugged, with a snow-white full beard. He wore plain white soul master training clothes and still held an iron spatula. "What happened?" he asked.
Zhen Hua slowly explained, "My junior fellow disciple recently took in a gifted forging apprentice, but the boy has developed an extremely rare bloodline mutation."
"A bloodline mutation?" Mu Ye's eyes suddenly lit up with interest. "Could it be a body martial soul awakening?"
Zhen Hua shook his head gently. "The details aren't clear yet. All we know is that the boy has a second martial soul hidden inside him. Its power is extremely violent, completely beyond its host's control. It even corrodes his mind and turns against his body. My junior fellow disciple specifically asked me to have you take a look."
"All right, I'll keep it in mind."
Mu Ye answered and turned to return to the kitchen to continue cooking.
Just then, Zhen Hua leisurely added, "There's one more thing. Mu Chen said that this disciple's second martial soul is the progenitor of strength-the Golden Dragon."
The moment the words "Golden Dragon" fell, the entire room became so quiet that not even a crow could be heard.
Mu Ye stopped dead. The spatula in his hand struck the edge of the stove with a clang. Disbelief filled his eyes as he cried out involuntarily:
"What? The progenitor of strength, the Golden Dragon?!"
Looking at Mu Ye in his casual clothes, still holding a cooking spatula as he suddenly lost his composure and shouted, Zhen Hua rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"What are you yelling for? It's only the progenitor of strength, the Golden Dragon."
His tone was indifferent, as though there were nothing unusual about it. Then he changed the subject, his voice carrying sincere admiration. "Compared to his martial soul, this child's forging talent is what truly leaves people speechless."
"He became a Level Three Blacksmith at just nine years old. When Mu Chen told me, he couldn't conceal the pride and gratification in his voice. In forging, this child is an unparalleled prodigy who comes along once in a thousand years."
His words left the courtyard briefly silent.
Yet the moment Zhen Hua finished speaking, his thoughts abruptly stalled.
Immersed in that shocking forging talent, he had momentarily overlooked the most important detail.
In the next instant, Zhen Hua's composed expression abruptly froze, and his pupils contracted.
Wait...
That's not right!!!
The Golden Dragon?!
He had only paid attention to the forging talent Mu Chen had emphasized, unconsciously brushing past the martial soul. Now, recalling those words carefully, a towering wave of shock swept through his mind.
The progenitor of strength!
The supreme being of the Dragon Clan!
The legendary martial soul that had vanished ten thousand years ago-the Golden Dragon!
His earlier pretense of composure vanished completely. Uncontrollable, storm-tossed waves surged in Zhen Hua's eyes.
Beside him, Mu Ye had long since forgotten the spatula in his hand. He stood rooted to the spot, even his snow-white beard trembling faintly.
A monstrous forging prodigy who had reached Level Three at nine years old actually had a legendary Golden Dragon martial soul slumbering within him?
How was this merely a genius?
This was an unparalleled monster born to astound the world!
The room sank into utter silence.
Zhen Hua and Mu Ye both stood stunned, neither speaking a word.
One was a foremost God Craftsman of the age who had seen the world's finest prodigies; the other was the Body Sect's master, accustomed to extraordinary bloodlines and physical geniuses.
Yet at that moment, the same name circled endlessly through both their minds-the Golden Dragon.
An unparalleled forging genius, a Level Three Blacksmith at only nine years old, possessed the martial soul of the progenitor of strength, unseen for ten thousand years.
Those two heaven-defying talents combined had completely overturned decades of understanding for both men.
Shock submerged their minds like a tide, leaving the two supreme experts speechless for a long while, utterly oblivious to everything around them.
A prolonged silence shrouded the entire courtyard. Even the air seemed to freeze.
Just then, a faint burnt smell quietly began spreading through the air.
In the next instant, Mu Ye's expression changed sharply. He snapped back to his senses and cried out:
"Oh no! My food!"
His mind had been entirely occupied by the earth-shaking news of the Golden Dragon martial soul. He had completely forgotten that food was still cooking on the lit stove.
The moment he realized it, he no longer had any attention to spare for unparalleled geniuses or supreme martial souls. Clutching his spatula, he whirled around and rushed into the kitchen like a gust of wind, frantically trying to salvage the food in the pan, which was already on the verge of burning.
Watching him scramble in a fluster, Zhen Hua felt his taut nerves suddenly relax. He could not help chuckling and shaking his head.
Before you continue