Wu Zhangkong nodded once more.

  Shen Yi continued on. “HIs first soul ring is purple and his physique is excellent. Did you raise him to be like this? If he has three rings by the time he’s fifteen, his body will likely transform again. You have an eye for disciples.”


  Wu Zhangkong said, “If you have time you can continue watching their matches. I’m going for now.” He stood up to depart, his white robes fluttering along his strides.

  Shen Yi watched as he left, blinking a few times. A pensive look settled on her face as she lost herself in contemplation.

  ☀

  Within box three.

  Whether it was Mu Chen or Duan Xuan, both wore faces of shock.

  For Mu Chen, this was his first time seeing Tang Wulin battle. He had rushed over not too long ago. Gaining experience or securing a spot in future tournaments was not why he had Tang Wulin compete. However, those reasons did serve as adequate veils masking his true intentions. It was more important to examine Tang Wulin’s temperament.

  The most crucial aspect of a master and disciple relationship was not the disciple’s ability to receive the teachings. Rather, it was that the disciple have an upstanding character.

  If problems arose and the student surpassed the teacher, then the former’s immoral character would lead to ruin.

  Tang Wulin was not shy about his love for money. Consequently, Mu Chen concocted this trap to entice him. In the end, Tang Wulin’s nobility triumphed over his greed, much to Mu Chen’s satisfaction.

  Mu Chen had not been skeptical about whether Tang Wulin would pass this test. After all, Tang Wulin was at an easily influenced age. With Mu Chen guiding him like a hen would its chicks, there was no reason to be worried.

  Despite that, Tang Wulin was maturing too quickly. Against all expectations, he advanced to the fourth rank in less than a year. The Association needed to invest more resources into him in order to facilitate his growth. They chose to use the Skysea Alliance Tournament as a test to determine how successful their efforts had been.

  The results were satisfactory. Tang Wulin gave up first place to Mu Xi willingly and declined Duan Xuan’s tempting offer.

  Furthermore, he displayed tremendous battle strength. Mu Chen was surprised pleasantly.

  “I didn’t think this brat’s combat ability would be so great. With a single ring, he beat a three-ringed opponent. And his one ring is of the thousand-year level! Those spirit items I helped him buy were probably used to help refine his body,” Mu Chen said with a smile.

  After a moment of stupor, Duan Xuan’s brows creased. “You think this is a good thing?”


  Mu Chen was taken aback. “Teacher, what’s wrong with it?”


  Duan Xuan sighed gently, his concern apparent. “If he has talent as a soul master, then would he spend energy on blacksmithing? We want him to become a Divine Blacksmith or a battle armor master, you know?”


  A trace of a smile flickered on Mu Chen’s lips. “I’ve already thought of an answer to this problem. Long ago, I had asked him what his dream was. He told me he wanted to become battle armor master. I support his plan.”


  Astonishment filled Duan Xuan’s eyes. “You’re in favor of this?”


  Mu Chen nodded. “His martial soul and body are quite peculiar. As a blacksmith, he has been blessed by heaven. He possesses not just innate divine strength but also piercing insight. In fact, his cultivation can’t keep up with his talent for blacksmithing at the moment. It’s a shackle restraining him to the fourth rank. To him, blacksmithing is a tool to earn money. Unlike other trades like mecha crafting and designing, blacksmithing is not tied directly to battle armor masters. However, it will still be highly beneficial in achieving his goals.

  “I dare say, becoming a Saint Blacksmith would be more helpful than becoming a mecha craftsmen or designer. I’m convinced that he won’t choose another profession.

  “This situation is the epitome of where guiding beats opposing. I won’t disapprove of his efforts toward becoming a battle armor master; rather, I’ll encourage it. As long as I can convince him that the foundation of a battle armor master stems from being a first-rank blacksmith, it’ll be enough to steer him in the right direction. Sure, battle armor masters are the greatest occupations on the continent, but less than one in one hundred soul masters can walk that path. The requirements are astronomical. Aside from Shrek Academy, who dares say their students will definitely become battle armor masters? Nevertheless, if he advances into a Saint Blacksmith, his chances of success would be tangible. He’s a clever kid; he’ll know what choice is best for him.”


  Bearing profound eyes, Duan Xuan stared at Mu Chen with a deep and penetrative gaze. “I’m so old now. My mind can’t keep up with the latest trends. Maybe you’re right.”


  Mu Chen’s expression lit up. “You can rest at ease. There’s no one who wants this kid to be a blacksmith more than me. I’m looking forward to seeing if I can raise a Divine Blacksmith.”


  Duan Xuan chuckled. “You mean like how I, a seventh-rank blacksmith, raised an eighth-rank blacksmith like you?”


  ☀

  Tang Wulin and his teammates were in high spirits when they descended from the arena. In today’s match, Tang Wulin had been able to display his full might in close combat, attaining a swift victory with a blitzkrieg strategy.

  However, after reviewing the battles from the last few days, he discovered one problem that seemed to plague the entire junior division: the participants had no combat experience! The majority of them weren’t able to showcase their true strength in battle. It had been the same in both the individual and team competitions.

  While the members of Skysea Academy’s secondary team were able to use their soul skills during the match, they had performed mechanically without any finesse. Not to mention Wu Zhangkong’s level of skill, they couldn’t even match Tang Wulin’s soul skill proficiency. He could pulverize them with a lower cultivation because they were too green.

  “They were so weak! It looks like soul power isn’t that important after all.” Xie Xie came to the same conclusion and was now bursting with confidence.

  Gu Yue had a pensive expression. “It’s not that they were weak, but that our combat experience outweighed theirs.”


  Xu Xiaoyan said, “That’s right! Teacher Wu doesn’t teach us the same way as conventional soul master academies do. They focus on imparting knowledge. Even if the schools host combat practice, they do it in the safest way possible. The students just stand there using their soul skills against each other. It’s completely different from our real battles!”


  After joining class zero, Xu Xiaoyan discovered quickly how far the original trio exceeded her in combat prowess. Because she had yet to train in the spirit ascension platform, she had been unable to comprehend the source of their strength. As such, she strived to catch up with them. Coupled with the spars against Wu Zhangkong, she began to understand what made class zero so strong.

  Wu Zhangkong did not go easy on them during combat training. It was normal to finish each session covered in bruises and cuts. His training regimen was incomparable with a normal class’s curriculum. Although the growth rate of their soul power settled, their combat strength soared.

  Xie Xie immersed himself in thought. “The Skysea Alliance has always been inferior to the central and western regions in terms of soul master ability. This might be because of different teaching methods and history. Mechas exist now. Normally, anyone with four rings or less is no match for a mecha. Most people choose to take the easy way out. As long as their soul power grows to a sufficient level, they can become a mecha pilot. It’s a pretty good occupation too. This is also why the majority of students entering an advanced academy choose to join the mecha department to become mecha pilots.”