Leaving

With a thought, the AFK Panel appeared. Under Hu Jiu's direction, the third Idle Slot was instantly filled, and Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer officially began AFK training.

In just a few seconds, Hu Jiu began gaining idle-training experience in the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique.

Although AFK training had successfully begun, he did not give up the opportunity to receive Tang San's direct instruction.

He had already experimented with AFK training the Soul Power Meditation Method and Five Senses Strengthening Technique. While AFK training was in progress, if he continued studying them himself, he could actually improve in both ways at once.

That way, his own study combined with the experience and insights gained through AFK training gave him double the improvement speed.

Two days later.

At the Blacksmith Shop, Hu Jiu held a small iron hammer in his hand, his body brimming with strength like a bent bow.

Clang, clang, clang...

He swung the small iron hammer at incredible speed, completing nine strikes in just two seconds.

In a mere two days, through Tang San's instruction and the improvement from the AFK Panel, he had already mastered the basics of Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer. Being able to store power through nine consecutive strikes marked the technique's official entry level.

At this point, Tang San was only one step ahead of him, having reached the stage of storing power through eighteen consecutive strikes.

"Xiao Jiu, looks like you've learned this leverage-based hammering method. You're a real genius. When I first learned the basics, I wasn't nearly as fast as you!" Tang San praised him with a smile from nearby.

Tang San knew his own talent. If he had not cultivated the techniques from the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, he would not have learned it so quickly. Yet Hu Jiu had learned even faster despite having nothing at all, so in his heart, Hu Jiu was the true genius.

Unfortunately, Hu Jiu had no idea what he was thinking. If he had known, he definitely would have told him: You don't understand a life with cheats!

"Haha, it's not that fast. After all, I've watched you hammer for so long. Of course I'd learn faster now." This dog Hu Jiu was secretly overjoyed, but his face was full of humility, as though he even thought two days was too slow for mastering the basics.

Hu Jiu's words made Tang Hao raise an eyebrow behind them. He silently took a drink of wine, perhaps gaining a new appreciation for Hu Jiu's shamelessness.

In the days that followed, Hu Jiu did not leave either. Since he had learned Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer and achieved his purpose in coming to Tang Hao, he still acted like an apprentice worker to avoid suspicion, occasionally helping Tang San with odd jobs and working the bellows.

Tang San treated him well too, often taking the initiative to switch places with him and let him do the hammering.

For that reason, Tang San even specially found him a piece of Mundane Iron so he could train just like Tang San did.

As a result, because he practiced Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer so often, its level actually surpassed that of the Soul Power Meditation Method and Five Senses Strengthening Technique, which he had begun AFK training first.

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed. Hu Jiu's Soul Power Meditation Method reached Level 3, improving his results by at least twenty percent compared with normal cultivation.

The Five Senses Strengthening Technique also reached Level 3. His Vision, Hearing, Smell, Touch, and Taste had all been greatly enhanced. Things dozens of meters away appeared as clear as if they were right before his eyes, and he could hear much farther as well. At night especially, he could accurately determine the locations of animals and insects from their calls. His Touch was even more impressive. Through changes in the air, he could already accurately tell the time.

His Taste, Smell, and the rest had changed as well. In short, his five senses had begun evolving in a nonhuman direction.

His own Soul Power Level had also changed considerably. By his estimate, he was currently at Level 5, approaching Level 6. With two months remaining before he went to Dingnuo City to attend school, his ideal level before the semester began would probably be somewhere between Level 8 and Level 9.

In other words, not long after school started, he might be able to begin preparing for his First Soul Ring.

However, he still needed to think carefully about how to arrange his First Soul Ring.

As for the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer he practiced every day, he had raised it to Level 4. He could now swing the hammer sixty-four times in succession, and its body-tempering effect was growing stronger and stronger.

Every day, he could feel his strength increasing. In terms of his mastery of Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer, even Tang San was no match for him. At this point, Tang San had only just become capable of swinging thirty-six hammers in succession.

Still, Tang San was a cheater in his own right. With the Mysterious Heaven Skill and Mysterious Jade Hand, his strength was far beyond what Hu Jiu could match.

When Tang San forged, he used Tang Hao's large hammer. Hu Jiu, on the other hand, used only Tang Hao's neglected auxiliary hammer, which was merely a little larger than an ordinary Spike Hammer.

During their casual conversations, Hu Jiu also learned that Tang San really did want to attend Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy. It seemed Tang San's enrollment had become a certainty.

Hu Jiu was a little worried that, when the time came, Old Jack might not be able to withstand the pressure and would give the village's only Work-Study Student spot to Tang San.

It was not that Hu Jiu was unwilling to give up the chance to study. He simply could not bear to give up Xiao Wu, all right?

But the time had not yet come, and he had no idea how things would develop.

Time flowed like water. In the blink of an eye, two months passed.

Early that morning, Old Jack came to Hu Jiu's house to take him to the primary soul master academy in Nuoding City.

He was, after all, his biological grandson. In the end, that Work-Study Student spot had not escaped him and became Hu Jiu's prize.

Although he felt a little sorry for Tang San, for Xiao Wu's sake, Hu Jiu could only accept it.

Hu Jiu had gotten up early at home as well. Bedding and clothes filled a large bundle, and he held a small iron hammer in his hand. He had taken it from Tang Hao's house, grandly claiming it was a weapon for self-defense.

And so, with a bundle larger than his body on his back and a small hammer in his hand, that was all his worldly wealth.

After bidding farewell to his reluctant Mom and Dad, Hu Jiu followed Old Jack toward Nuoding City.

"Eh, Grandpa, isn't this the road to Little San's house? Why...?" Hu Jiu had been happily imagining what it would be like to see Xiao Wu later, but suddenly he felt that something was wrong.

"Haha, Grandpa forgot to tell you. Little San will be going with you to study at the primary soul master academy. That way, you'll have some company. The two of you must support each other!" Old Jack said kindly.

"Huh? L-Little San is going to school too? Wasn't there only one Work-Study Student spot?" Hu Jiu suddenly felt anxious. Could his Xiao Wu really be taken away from him just like that?

"Actually, I was surprised too. That drunkard Tang Hao finally did something good this time. I never expected him to have some savings. It was enough to cover the enrollment fee." Old Jack explained with a smile.

Paying his own way was great. If he paid his own tuition, he would not stay in the Work-Study Student Dormitory.

As long as he did not steal his Xiao Wu, they could still be good friends.