If the Tang Wulin of the past could only passively accept everything that happened to him, then, ever since learning of the Golden Dragon King's seals, he had clearly realized something for the first time—
He was not without a chance to grow stronger.
The Eighteen Seals were blades suspended above his head.
But they were also a path laid out before him.
The Golden Dragon King's power could bring death, but it might also offer a chance to change his fate.
And now, he still had a week.
A week the Typhoon had bought him.
His father had obtained those One Million Federation Credits by stepping back into a dangerous world. He could not let that money simply sit in his account. He would use it to stay alive—and to grow stronger.
Tang Wulin stopped, took his Soul Communicator out of his Storage Ring, and quickly dialed one of the few numbers saved on it.
The call connected almost immediately.
"Wulin?" A gentle voice came from the other end.
Tang Wulin got straight to the point. "Grandmaster Cen, I'd like to take the Level Three Blacksmith assessment. Could I do it now?"
On the other end was Cen Yue, a blacksmith of Master Artisan Rank.
"Now?" Cen Yue said reflexively. "It's already rather late... wait, what did you just say?"
His voice rose noticeably.
"The Level Three Blacksmith assessment?"
"Is that not possible?" Tang Wulin gripped the communicator, his footsteps coming to a halt as well.
A trace of disappointment flickered through his eyes.
The Typhoon would arrive tonight. If he could not do it today, then once the Typhoon made landfall, the association might not be able to hold assessments as usual. His plans would be stalled again.
His heart, which had already begun to blaze, felt as