The Legend of the Dragon King Chapter 971-980

Chapter 971 - The First Battle

Chapter 971: The First Battle

Although Tang Wulin did not have a good impression of the Federation, he had to admit that the Federation’s scientists were outstanding.

He was not too familiar with artificial intelligence, but he understood the immense changes it would bring for mankind when artificial intelligence was widely used in the various fields.

Shadows flashed once and the scene before his eyes began to change. Tang Wulin discovered that he was on a street. At the same time, a voice was heard, “You have entered the west division. Please go to the west division competition area following the guide provided. At the same time, choose your competition mode: soul master battle or mecha battle.”

An arrow shimmering with a faint white radiance appeared before Tang Wulin’s face. He followed the arrow and walked forward quickly until he saw a building as large and grand as a stadium. Just like him, many people were heading to the building.

Apparently, it could not rival the spirit ascension platform’s hyper-realistic scene. There was still much room for improvement in this system.

However, considering that artificial intelligence was actually being used here, the other features did not matter as much.

Tang Wulin followed the stream of people and entered the west division

competition area. Shadows flashed past Tang Wulin’s face once again and something similar to a screen appeared.

“Please choose your competition mode.”

Tang Wulin chose both soul master battle and mecha battle without the slightest hesitation. An instruction manual then appeared on the screen. At the top of the instruction manual were displayed two big words: ‘Registration Successful’. It signified that he had already completed the registration. Following that were the rules and regulations for mecha battle and soul master battle.

Due to the large number of contestants, the entire Federation was separated into eight divisions. The division was set according to the location of the Star Dou Cabin. Tang Wulin was in the Endless Mountains, so naturally, he belonged to the west division.

The annotation stated that there were only two options. For the contesting mecha in the mecha battle, they were either close combat or long range. The mecha battle focused mainly on the mecha operating skills, and the

contestant was allowed to experience the standard mecha model used in the competition beforehand. However, the contestant was not allowed to use

any customized mecha.

It was a troublesome issue for many mecha masters as they were only

familiar with their own mechas. One’s fighting capacity would certainly be compromised on a large scale when using a mecha that one was unfamiliar with.

However, Tang Wulin felt it comprehensible considering the fact that it was still a beta version. After all, if everyone brought their own mechas, how vast would the data stream need to be in order to complete such a task?

Moreover, a mecha master ought to compete based on their skills in Tang Wulin’s perception.

Although the mechas were standard models, a soul master’s abilities could still complement the mecha. It was generally fairer to engage in such a mecha battle.

A soul master battle was even simpler. It was a direct competition, a battle executed on the competition stage.

The two types of competitions would be carried out in divisions with the top thirty-two finalists from the division competitions proceeding to the finals.

The competition qualifying system would be determined according to the number of contestants from each division. Overall, it was a combination of an elimination tournament and a round-robin tournament. The elimination tournament would be the basis for the competition.

The rule was simple as there was no restriction on destroying one’s opponent within the Star Dou Battle Network. One was allowed to utilize one’s most powerful skills to defeat one’s opponent in order to advance in the rankings. It was that simple.

However, a competition with a simple qualifying system would result in ruthless competition. The elimination tournament signified that if one was not so fortunate and had to confront a powerhouse at the beginning of the

competition, then that would be the end of one’s journey in the competition.

Tang Wulin associated this with his heaven-defying luck when he was once in a competition on Star Luo Continent. His lips could not help twitching upon recalling the experience. He hoped that his luck would be better in the Star Dou Battle Network. He felt it would be difficult for him to become one of the three finalists nonetheless.

‘Powers below the Title Douluo rank and battle armor’s boundary below a three-word battle armor. I should give it my best shot then. I wonder if any of my companions are joining this Battle Network competition as well?’

It was appropriate that the artificial intelligence system was built to keep their identities a secret. At least, they would not be drawing attention during the early phase.

What a waste it was that there were no pairs or teams in the competition. Otherwise, he would be more confident of winning.

Of course, he was only giving it a thought for he was not with his comrades at the moment. They would not be able to join even if such competitions

were held. Tang Wulin waved his hand once to turn off the screen when he was done reading. Then, he strolled around the stadium to check out the condition of the competition area and to familiarize himself with the surroundings.

The setup of the stadium was not complicated and it appeared to be rather beautiful. There were a few spots worthy of his attention. The stadium was divided into a mecha battle zone and a soul master battle zone. The soul master who signed up for both competitions would be assigned a staggered time accordingly by the system.

At present, one was allowed to experience a walk-through of both

competition areas. He could enter the area to familiarize himself with the

competition surroundings but it came at a cost. He would need to pay using Federation coins!

‘I have to spend money on this?’ Tang Wulin immediately widened his eyes for he was a frugal person. This was outrageous!

Furthermore, it was not cheap. Two thousand Federation coins were

charged for the use of the battle room in the mecha zone while a thousand Federation coins were charged for the battle room in the soul master zone. With one entry, he could only engage in one battle.

“Why don’t you just go and rob someone?” Tang Wulin had an outraged expression on his face.

“You can’t get money this fast even if you were to go robbing.” At this moment, a voice was heard by his side. He turned his head to the side and found someone next to him, to his surprise.

Everyone’s appearance was altered to a certain degree upon entering this place. Everyone wore a white mask which concealed their appearances while they were dressed in ordinary gray outfits.

The person’s nickname floated above his or her head.

He was facing a person with the nickname ‘Between Four-Six’. What a weird name. “Even when they’re in their coffins, they’re still begging for money!” Tang Wulin heaved a sigh.

Between Four-Six nodded in agreement. “So, are you planning to give it a try?”

Tang Wulin spoke slightly frustrated, “I’ll need to experience it anyhow. Problem is I don’t know how to transfer Federation coins to this place.”

Before his voice had even died down, the artificial intelligence immediately revealed its powerful ability. A screen flashed past his eyes and the

electronic voice was heard in his ears soon after, “Would you like to charge it to your account?”

Tang Wulin could not help gnashing his teeth in anger. The Federation managed to do a good job in this respect!

“Yes. Charge ten thousand Federation coins to my account first.” Tang Wulin gritted his teeth and endured the pain of charging ten thousand coins to his Federation card which he used for his savings.

When the transaction was completed, he noticed a row of numbers at the lower left corner of his vision. The number was precisely ten thousand.

“Shall we give it a try?” Between Four-Six seemed to have completed his payment as well when he issued an invitation to Tang Wulin.

“Between Four-Six is inviting you for a sparring session. Please pay one thousand Federation coins to enter the battle room.”

Tang Wulin clicked ‘accept’ since it was a walk-through experience.

Two streams of radiance descended from the sky and shone upon both of them at once. The vision before their eyes turned blurry and they changed to a different location in the next moment.

It felt identical to a real stadium. The built-up area was, in fact, even larger. The enormous competition stage with a diameter that exceeded three hundred meters was truly majestic and domineering. It had ample space for them to express themselves. There were innumerable seats in the stadium’s surroundings. Of course, no one was watching them…

“Three, two, one, begin!”

The electronic voice was clear and direct. They were not given any time for preparation. They appeared on each side of the stage with a distance of a hundred meters between them. Then, the countdown began and the battle

commenced!

Tang Wulin looked toward Between Four-Six just as his opponent was looking right back at him. In the next moment, both of them charged toward each other simultaneously.

Both of them did not unleash their martial souls yet.

Tang Wulin had walked forward with great strides while Between Four-Six breathed steadily. The distance of a hundred meters was closed in an instant. They unleashed their martial souls in unison when they were about twenty meters away from each other.

Chapter 972 - Between Four-Six

Chapter 972: Between Four-Six

Countless Bluesilver Emperor vines shot out, as he immediately unleashed his first soul skill, Bind!

The body of Between Four-Six on the opposite side swelled instantly as six soul rings appeared abruptly which made his body tall and bulky at once!

What was that…

It appeared rather familiar!

Blades of the Bluesilver Emperor Vines surged forward at full speed and bound tightly around Between Four-Six. However, Between Four-Six’s body had swelled to seven meters tall. He exerted his body’s strength to haul up Tang Wulin who was linked to the other end of the Bluesilver Emperor. Then, he slammed Tang Wulin ferociously against the ground.

Such powerful strength he had!

Tang Wulin broke and released the link between the Bluesilver vines and himself. A large expanse of the Bluesilver Impaling Array expanded and impaled the opponent.

Between Four-Six’s body stiffened, but the dusk golden radiance made his body glow brightly all of sudden. He managed to recover after he was

slowed down by a third due to the Bluesilver Impaling Array’s restriction.

Meanwhile, Tang Wulin who was slammed against the ground earlier somersaulted to a standing position.

The vines of the Bluesilver Emperor grew larger soon after his fourth soul ring glowed. He managed to conceal his abilities from his learning at the Demon Island such that he appeared to have a mediocre, soul-ring color combination of two yellow and three purple soul rings.

He was actually launching the Bluesilver Overlord Transformation.

The Bluesilver Impaling Array was unleashed once again. It was

completely different from earlier as the enormous Bluesilver Emperor vines shot out from the ground valiantly and lashed the dusk gold scales that

emerged on Between Four-Six’s body. His massive body was pushed upward. When he landed on the ground, he was unconscious for a moment.

Tang Wulin stamped his left foot on the ground as his body blasted forward akin to a flying cannonball. His fist pounded the area above his opponent’s chest.

He felt as if he had punched into a wall and not a human when his fist hit his opponent. However, his powerful strength managed to blast Between Four-Six outward.

Tang Wulin did not seize the opportunity to follow through the victory. On the contrary, his lips cracked into a faint smile. “Hello, sir.”

Between Four-Six had already recovered from being paralyzed, caused by the Bluesilver Impaling Array, the moment he landed on the ground. He felt a sharp pain on his chest, while he looked at the figure descending from the sky. He was speechless.

“Tang Wulin?”

“Yes sir, it’s me.” Tang Wulin unleashed his Golden Dragon King Bloodline aura as he smilingly exercised an all-round suppression over Between Four- Six’s bloodline.

“How could that be you? You little brat!” He turned to the side and stood up. This person was precisely Jiang Wuyue. Tang Wulin already had that established when he unleashed his martial soul.

“It’s me! Hello sir,” said Tang Wulin with a smile on his face. He had not seen Jiang Wuyue ever since they fought side by side the other day.

“I heard that you’ve been taken as a supernumerary personnel by the Blood God Battalion?” Jiang Wuyue did not even attempt to conceal his envy.

“Hmm.” Tang Wulin nodded.

Jiang Wuyue spoke, “Then, there’s no need to address me ‘sir’. We’re brothers from this day on. It’s my first time here too, quite interesting. It’s different from our army’s simulation system, and it’s really user-friendly with the guidance.”

“Hmm, that’s the artificial intelligence. The Federation’s technological development is pretty impressive. At least, it’s a good start. Sir, are we going to continue to spar?” Tang Wulin asked.

Jiang Wuyue patted his body. “Spar? Of course, we’re sparring again. We didn’t spar to our heart’s content previously. We won’t be injured in here. So come, let’s devote all our efforts into sparring a round. Let me see if you’re truly capable of suppressing me. I won’t be merciful today anymore. Also, I told you to stop addressing me ‘sir’. Call me Wuyue.”

“Okay!” Tang Wulin answered delightfully. It was a rare opportunity for Tang Wulin to be able to spar with someone who had such a strong will to fight.

He watched as Jiang Wuyue immediately unleashed his two-word battle

armor without any hesitation. His battle armor which was as pitch black as ink was shimmering with a faint metallic gloss. He appeared like the

Overlord Dragon that Tang Wulin first encountered after the battle armor had covered his entire body.

A powerful bloodline aura was elevating accompanied by Jiang Wuyue’s wild howls. He was resisting Tang Wulin’s Golden Dragon King Bloodline by force. Tang Wulin did not underestimate Jiang Wuyue while he was confronting him. He unleashed his battle armor as well. The core circuit attached to his battle armor was spinning wildly as gushes of powerful energy infused into his body. His soul power and bloodline power were elevated on a large

scale while a pair of dragon wings spread out behind his back. Tang Wulin’s body was enshrouded by a layer of misty golden radiance.

“Come!”

Jiang Wuyue shouted aloud as he flapped the enormous wings on his back strenuously. He struck boldly at Tang Wulin with his pair of war hammers which appeared in his hands. Akin to a meteorite, he was smashing away with his hammers.

He had never used his weapons when they were sparring previously.

A golden radiance shimmered as Tang Wulin conjured his Golden Dragon Spear. The Dragon Core on Tang Wulin’s chest grew brighter while his blood essence power radiated through his entire body at the same time his radiance was blooming.

If the blood essence power flowing inside Tang Wulin’s body initially was akin to the great Yangtze River, then his blood essence power was akin to the light of the galaxy with the Dragon Core’s presence. How could the

speed of water currents possibly compare to the speed of light?

Thus, Tang Wulin’s blood essence power was elevated to its ultimate level during that split second.

“Open!” Tang Wulin shouted aloud. “Boom…”

The entire battle room shook violently for a moment. Jiang Wuyue,

standing at seven meters tall with his pair of war hammers together with the thick and heavy scales on his entire body, exuded such a shocking aura. Yet, he was tossed into the air from the quake caused by Tang Wulin’s Golden

Dragon Spear. Tang Wulin’s Golden Dragon Spear began to change after his battle armor was included with the massive infusion of his blood essence power.

The spear elongated to five meters in length. Its mid section was thick as a goose’s egg while the blades on both ends were one and a half meters long. The blades were shimmering with a golden radiance that made them appear especially sharp.

Jiang Wuyue’s pair of war hammers pounded on the Golden Dragon Spear. He felt the terrifying force and also the bloodline power’s suppression. His body was bounced up a few meters from the ground.

Tang Wulin’s Golden Dragon Spear swung downward at his command and blasted Jiang Wuyue’s body hundreds of meters away. Upon landing, he

stumbled for a few steps before he could stabilize himself.

“Your strength…” Jiang Wuyue looked toward Tang Wulin in fear.

Even for opponents who were soul masters of the same rank, almost none of them, with a two-ring cultivation base higher than Jiang Wuyue, could withstand a frontal blast from his double war hammers. He was a pure

strength-type soul master! Strength and defense were his two strongest points.

Yet, the famed acclamation of his strength had completely turned into empty bluster before Tang Wulin. Not only was he totally incapable of

moving Tang Wulin an inch, but he also suffered from a major loss too. His battle armor had deep scratches, and there was a gaping gash on his two-

word battle armor’s protective shield earlier. How sharp was Tang Wulin’s weapon?

Tang Wulin said, “I’ve improved since we last engaged in the war.” It was true that not only had his strength improved ever since he possessed the

Dragon Core, but he had sublimed to a higher state as well. He had progressed to a brand new state.

Jiang Wuyue was capable of matching Tang Wulin’s strength initially, but they were now at two different levels altogether. “I don’t believe that!” Jiang Wuyue’s one-upmanship was triggered. He looked up to the sky and roared in rage as the sixth soul ring on his body glowed.

The battle armor and scales that covered his entire body had all turned dusk gold. A layer of dusk gold radiance infused into his body, enlarging his body to a height of about ten meters.

A massive, fifty-meter tall phantom shadow appeared behind his back. It was precisely the Overlord Dragon. The Overlord Dragon’s phantom

shadow opened its large mouth in Tang Wulin’s direction and gave out a silent roar of rage. A powerful gush of formless fluctuation immediately

rushed toward him. In the next instant, Tang Wulin’s bloodline suppression seemed to lose its effect on Jiang Wuyue.

“World Destroyer Overlord Force!” Within the sound of the raging dragon’s roar, the terrifying dusk gold radiance seemed to have transformed into a giant dragon. It took only a split second to arrive before Tang Wulin,

accompanied by an indomitable momentum and a terrifying strength. Jiang Wuyue had already exhausted all his abilities at the moment.

Tang Wulin reacted swiftly. His left foot stomped the ground as he opened his mouth to roar.

The Golden Dragon’s head appeared valiantly and wrapped around his entire body. It was the Golden Dragon Roar!

The terrifying pressure wave was immediately crushed by the Golden Dragon Roar. The enormous Golden Dragon’s head even managed to

shatter the Overlord Dragon’s phantom shadow behind Jiang Wuyue with its raging roar.

Jiang Wuyue’s World Destroyer Overlord Force was extremely powerful due to its world-destroying wave emitted by the Overlord Dragon’s phantom shadow. At this moment, his body emitted an ability similar to the Domineering Golden Dragon Body, while his defense was elevated to a terrifying level as well. It was the most powerful attack Tang Wulin had ever encountered from someone of the same rank, in that Jiang Wuyue’s attack even exceeded Long Yue’s from before.

Chapter 973 - 1-0

Chapter 973: 1-0

Tang Wulin’s dragon roar shook and dispersed the world destroyer wave but he was incapable of stopping Jiang Wuyue from dashing forward with his

Domineering Golden Dragon Body.

Just then, the Golden Dragon Shocks the Earth appeared. Eight golden dragons bored out from underneath Jiang Wuyue commanded by Tang Wulin. The golden dragons gave Jiang Wuyue’s gigantic body a powerful shove throwing him up by seven or eight meters.

Yet, the World Destroyer Overlord Force had shown itself to be Jiang Wuyue’s sixth soul skill. Jiang Wuyue’s direction was shifted, but he only slowed down for a moment. His outspread wings were diverting his body into dashing toward Tang Wulin once again.

Having slowed down Jiang Wuyue’s attack, Tang Wulin had adequate time to prepare himself for the follow-up attack. He placed his left leg in front

and right leg behind as he lunged forward with his spear before his body.

At the same time, the battle armor on his body turned reflective. The

Dragon Core’s radiance shone brightly on his chest while the explosive energy shook its surroundings accompanied by his dragon’s roar.

“Clang…”

The World Destroyer Overlord Force lashed against Tang Wulin’s

Domineering Golden Dragon Body and his spear. Jiang Wuyue’s massive body paused in mid-air and was suspended in a ghastly manner.

On the other hand, Tang Wulin’s entire body was thrown back by the powerful impact that he plowed through the ground and left behind two deep trenches in the ground. Yet, Tang Wulin’s upper body was unusually stable as he was sliding back. The Dragon Moon battle armor that covered his body was shimmering with radiance. The energy absorbed from the Domineering Golden Dragon Body was triggered. He raised the Golden Dragon Spear in his hand and pointed toward Jiang Wuyue who had remained suspended in the air after the

collision.

A golden giant dragon leaped out from the Golden Dragon Spear at the

sound of a valiant dragon’s roar. He unleashed the Golden Dragon Soars to the Heaven which was impressive.

The vision before Jiang Wuyue was all black as his body was shaking violently all over from the massive quake at present. In the next moment, the darkness turned into a light but his body was devoured by the golden light as well.

A shadow flashed once and an electronic voice was heard, “Your body has sustained damages over seventy percent. You have lost. 0-1.”

Jiang Wuyue discovered that he was at the same spot earlier, in front of the stadium, when all the pain he felt suddenly vanished.

‘I’ve lost just like that?”

He did not devote all his effort nor exerted all his strength for fear of hurting Tang Wulin during the previous one-on-one fight. However, it was different this time. He had lost unequivocally because he had even launched his strongest hidden ability, and yet he was defeated by a blow from Tang Wulin’s spear.

Jiang Wuyue was in a daze when he heard Tang Wulin muttering to himself on the opposite side, “This is not worth a thousand coins. It ended too

soon.”

‘Too soon? What do you mean by too soon?’ Jiang Wuyue wished that he could snarl at Tang Wulin, yet, as a loser, he felt that he had utterly lost the authority to do so. A five-ring Soul King annihilated him, a six-ring Soul Emperor. He had always assumed that no one of the same ranks was worthy of being his opponent. Yet, this person managed to do it despite being a rank lower!

He was unwilling to accept his defeat and his will to fight remained strong as ever. Yet, he had no choice but to acknowledge that he had lost. Tang Wulin won fair and square, and it was purely due to the disparity between their strengths. He had lost to Tang Wulin’s absolute power. How powerful was this guy actually?

“I’m leaving,” said Jiang Wuyue sullenly.

Tang Wulin hastily caught up to him. “Feeling gloomy?”

“Hmm.” Jiang Wuyue did not have any intention to conceal his mood.

Tang Wulin spoke, “The issue is with our bloodlines. Your bloodline is greatly affected by my bloodline. There’s utterly no way you can express your true fighting capacity. We shouldn’t have been each other’s opponent. If we were partners instead, you’ll be even more powerful. I’m not necessarily stronger than you when it comes to your true inner strength.”

Jiang Wuyue scratched his head as he recalled the terrifying amplification effect on him cast by Tang Wulin’s Golden Dragon Rage Domain. “That’s true. What a waste that there’s no team battle this time. Otherwise, we can register as brothers and be undefeated.”

Tang Wulin was laughing to himself in his heart. Jiang Wuyue was truly a carefree person for he had recovered from his defeat so soon.

“That’s right! We can form a team if there’s a two-on-two battle.” Tang Wulin could not help missing Gu Yuena once again when he thought of the two-on-two battle. Who else would be a better match for him for the two- on-two battles? Was he truly hoping that she would complement him as a team? Or was he hoping that she would remain amnesic and forever depend on him? His relationship with Gu Yuena had always been complicated, especially when he thought about the Gu Yuena now who was like a combination of Gu Yue and Na’er.

The present Gu Yuena was more like Na’er as Na’er had been so strongly

attached to him in the past. Yet, Tang Wulin felt that she was essentially Gu Yue. What happened in between?

It remained a puzzle in his heart.

However, the moment she appeared right before him, using her body to protect him when he had lost all hope, Tang Wulin knew it was her.

Whether she was Gu Yue or Na’er, her love for him did not change.

‘I must work hard to become a major as soon as possible!’ Tang Wulin

clenched his fists tight. He could return to visit her once he became a major.

Tang Wulin did not log out from the battle network. He headed over to the mecha arena for a tryout since he was already here.

The situation at the mecha arena was the same as the soul master’s battle room. The payment and entry procedures were the same except that there was an additional process to choose either close combat or a long-range attack mecha.

Without the slightest hesitation, Tang Wulin chose… Long-range!

He discovered that he was already inside a mecha when he appeared on the competition stage. The instrument panel inside the mecha showed that it

was just a standard mecha. Tang Wulin could tell from the complexity of the instruments that he was in a yellow mecha. He could see that the mecha was pure white all over on the internal display screen. It had a soul cannon and was equipped with a protective shield. That was all the equipment.

Just a soul cannon! Meanwhile, a shadow flashed once on the opposite side as a mecha

appeared. The mecha appeared to be slightly bigger, thicker and heavier than Tang Wulin’s. It held an epee. It was a close combat mecha! Its

equipment did not seem much better than Tang Wulin’s either.

Tang Wulin could not help smiling to himself as this form of mecha battle was rather interesting actually.

He adjusted the soul cannon in his hand and familiarized himself with the controls inside the mecha.

The countdown was heard at this moment. “Three, two, one, begin!”

The opposite mecha had already dashed toward Tang Wulin akin to a bulldozer shoving its way soon after the word ‘begin’ was heard.

Standard mecha. Close combat model. Height: twenty meters. Weight: eight tons.

Standard mecha. Long-range model. Height: ten meters. Weight: six point five tons.

Tang Wulin immediately maneuvered his mecha into raising its hand to shoot a cannonball at his opponent before turning around to run as he watched his opponent dashing swiftly toward him.

Distance is undoubtedly the most important factor that separates a long- range mecha from a close combat mecha.

The cannonball’s color was orange. It accelerated instantly and shot straight toward the close combat mecha after it was blasted into the air.

The close combat mecha was extremely agile in its reaction. Its body

swayed gently as if it was about to slip, but only its body was tilted. With its left hand, it pushed against the ground to dodge the cannonball. Its speed did not reduce by much as it continued to dash in Tang Wulin’s direction. The propeller on its back was not activated yet.

‘The opponent’s execution is rather impressive!’

Tang Wulin thought to himself. At the same time, he turned around and blasted a few rounds continuously using the soul cannon. “Bang, bang, bang.”

The close combat mecha seemed calm as its body dodged left and right continuously. Its movements were agile and stable. When Tang Wulin

turned around to launch an attack, it seized the opportunity to get closer to him. It only took half a second to arrive before Tang Wulin when it used its accelerator. Tang Wulin’s long-range mecha would be in serious trouble if the close combat mecha got too near.

The soul cannon required a three-second recharge period each time it fired ten rounds. Tang Wulin made an estimation of the standard soul cannon in his hand.

Chapter 974 - The Manipulation

Chapter 974: The Manipulation

‘Hmm, it’s not too weak, so I’ll make do.”

He initiated the propeller as he was making the estimation mentally.

The propeller was attached to the back of the mecha to aid in flight and acceleration.

On the other hand, close-combat mechas were generally slightly faster than long-range mechas. Despite their great size, close-combat mechas tended to be lighter. This was because, unlike their long-range counterparts, there was no need for close-combat mechas to carry around enormous soul batteries in order to sustain their attacks.

Tang Wulin had only initiated his propeller when his opponent had already launched theirs. Tang Wulin would be have been rammed into instantly if he had been just one step slower.

The two figures almost collided before they dashed apart again and flew into the air.

The close-combat mecha reacted swiftly. During that split second when it failed to collide into Tang Wulin, it swung the epee in its hand and released it.

The epee cast a stream of dark radiance in the air and instantly caught up to Tang Wulin, whose speed was decreasing as his propeller just stopped functioning. The close-combat mecha’s attack could only be described as perfection in every way, whether it was its precise timing or accuracy.

So powerful! Tang Wulin was feeling astonished, but that did not slow his reactions even by a little. According to the mecha battle rules, the destruction of one’s mecha was considered a loss even if the soul master inside was still capable of fighting.

Tang Wulin’s long-range mecha made a ghastly movement as he bent over.

The mecha’s entire body turned completely sideways in the air while the soul cannon in its hand pushed upward once gently. He managed to shake away the epee.

On the other hand, the close-combat mecha was already accelerating again and was shooting straight for Tang Wulin.

“Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!” Six balls of lights shot out almost simultaneously.

Tang Wulin fired the soul cannon in his hand while he was turning sideways, but he lost his balance in the air.

The six cannonballs immediately blocked the only path the close-combat mecha could pass while appearing pleasing to the eyes like the petals of blossoms

He did not shoot the cannonballs at once when he was doing the side turn to dodge the epee, but fired them when the opponent initiated their propeller for the second time and was coming forward at full speed. This was because Tang Wulin understood that it was difficult for close-combat mecha to

change its direction when it was moving at such high velocity. Not only

would the mecha have to endure the massive impact if it were to change its direction by force, but the soul master on the inside would similarly suffer from the overwhelming forces involved. The soul master could only change direction during an assault if his piloting skill was exceedingly high and the mecha’s strength was great enough.

Tang Wulin’s opponent’s close-combat mecha did not change its direction but chose to brace for impact. It was impossible that a long-range soul cannon could destroy the close-

combat mecha’s protective shield with just a few cannonballs. On the other hand, the close-combat mecha managed to turn its body ever so slightly and dodged four out of six cannonballs while it was bracing for the attack, only allowing two cannonballs to blast against its protective shield.

As the impact created two explosions, the mecha paused for a moment in the air. Meanwhile, Tang Wulin’s mecha seized this opportunity to put some distance between them once again.

The close-combat mecha was not in a rush to dash forward again after the pause. Instead, it dove sharply to pick the epee off the ground.

The close-combat mecha was not equipped with a soul weapon, so it was at a disadvantageous position when confronting a long-range mecha of the

same league. Tang Wulin’s instant attack of six cannonballs earlier and his timing had already made the mecha master inside this close-combat mecha understand that the opponent was not a weakling that could be defeated as easily as imagined.

“Bang!” A cannonball shot out with incomparable precision. It was not aimed at the mecha but the epee on the ground.

The cannonball struck the epee’s hilt, and the explosion immediately blew it into the air. Then, three cannonballs in a triangle formation appeared before the close-combat mecha, preventing it from going after the epee.

The close-combat mecha gave out a cold grunt. Its figure staggered as it

abruptly dove in an attempt to dodge the three cannonballs, but the epee had already flown dozens of meters into the air.

Tang Wulin’s mecha accelerated in the air and arrived before the epee, grabbing it with his left hand.

The close-combat mecha was very experienced. When it saw that Tang Wulin was reaching for the epee, it had leaped up and launched the propeller on its back without the slightest hesitation. This time, he was focusing his efforts into retrieving the epee. It was determined to get the weapon even if it had to endure a few cannonballs. Meanwhile, Tang Wulin was dashing in that direction. Closing the distance was clearly

advantageous for the close-combat mecha.

Both of them activated their propellers. Tang Wulin managed to beat the opponent by one step, and he arrived at the epee first.

Meanwhile, the close-combat mecha suddenly glowed brightly as countless icicles formed around it while it charged at Tang Wulin.

‘Finally had enough, huh?’

Tang Wulin’s lips cracked into a faint smile.

A top grade mecha master was most probably a soul master. A soul master would possess soul skills for sure, so the soul master that chose the close- combat mecha naturally had abilities compatible with the machine. The

close-combat mecha master finally could not stop himself from unleashing his soul skill. On the other hand, the person that unleashed their soul skill first in the battle of mecha masters would usually be at a disadvantage. This was because their opponent would now have a chance to learn what the soul master’s martial soul was.

The icicles condensed and gathered in an attempt to surround Tang Wulin’s attack.

Tang Wulin did not stop moving nor unleash his martial soul, but his right hand stretched out and grabbed the epee, waving it about in the air and

creating a row of shadow epees.

The epee projected only three feet of energy, so it was not considered powerful, but it did manage to touch every icicle precisely. Icy mist

exploded in the air instantly.

There was a series of explosions, and ten cannonballs suddenly blasted out from the mist, completely bombarding the close-combat mecha as it dashed forward in a split second. Because of the mist, the close-combat mecha was left entirely clueless as to Tang Wulin’s attack method. In fact, he had unleashed his icicles with the purpose of slowing down Tang Wulin so he could close the distance.

However, he did not expect that Tang Wulin had not intended to back away again after grabbing the epee. Instead, Tang Wulin had used the epee to break the icicles while the soul cannon in his right hand shot ten

cannonballs at his fastest speed and at an extremely short range.

The close-combat mecha collided head first into the attack. The power of ten cannonballs exploding in succession smashed it down from the sky. The mecha’s protective shield energy immediately dropped by eighty percent.

It was only then when Tang Wulin turned around and retreated. He put

some distance between them, which also gave his soul cannon some time to cool down.

As the close-combat mecha landed, he was overcome by frustration. This

was what every close-combat mecha felt when it could not approach a long- range mecha.

Moreover, he could tell from Tang Wulin’s manner of using the epee, indeed from the moment the sword had landed in his hand, that the opponent was not only skilled in long-range mecha, but he was definitely halfway to qualifying as a close-combat mecha master. Additionally, the fact that his mecha’s protective shield energy had dropped by such a large amount meant that he had already put himself in a highly disadvantageous position.

‘Not much. I’m still not rusty.’ Tang Wulin was feeling exuberant.

He learned about operating mechas from the Tang Sect where he majored in long-range combat. This was because he was already skilled in close-

combat, so when it came to mechas, long-range was his only choice.

Actually, due to his lack of experience in using high-end mecha, the

standard mecha was considered handy for him. The overall feeling was pretty impressive. The distance between both parties grew by a hundred meters again. Tang Wulin’s soul cannon had rested for three seconds, so he could shoot ten times continuously once again.

The Tang Sect’s long-range mecha course was absolutely the best in the

world. Twenty thousand years ago, the Tang Sect was untouchable when its founder, Tang San, relied on his perfect hidden weapon technique and all

sorts of hidden weapons that were invented later.

Thus, the Tang Sect was definitely the first on the list for studying long- range attacks. Tang Wulin did not have too much practice with mechas, but he was naturally gifted.

Firstly, he had physical capabilities that exceeded the ordinary standards of a mecha master, making him capable of withstanding impacts that other ordinary soul masters could not. Secondly, he possessed Spirit Abyss- ranked spiritual power, and great spiritual power was also crucial when operating a mecha.

He was already getting more and more used to doing this after he familiarized himself with the process.

“I yield.” The opposition mecha transformed into a stream of light before disappearing. The words above Tang Wulin’s head turned into 2-0. To his surprise, the mecha battle and soul master battle’s score could be

accumulated.

‘What? Surrendering just like that? I’m not done sparring yet!’

Tang Wulin could not help feeling speechless. How could the opponent give up so easily? It cost two thousand coins! Why didn’t the opponent give

even a little consideration?! He had just begun to familiarize himself with operating the mecha, so this truly felt like a disappointment.

Whatever the case, he was transferred back to the arena once again despite how hard he was pondering. ‘What a loss! It cost two thousand coins. I’m going to ask Blood One later to see if the money can be reimbursed.’

Tang Wulin chose to log out from the battle network after experiencing two trials.

Chapter 975 - Compensation?

You're Overthinking It!

Chapter 975: Compensation? You’re Overthinking It!

Tang Wulin had his own Star Dou Cabin, so he could enter at his

convenience. Having missed Gu Yuena after the battle with Jiang Wuyue earlier, he made the decision to call her on his communicator.

Tang Wulin stretched his body for a while after he had left the cabin. It was slightly shabby, but it did not make him uncomfortable.

Tang Wulin picked up his soul communicator and connected the signal

amplifier, which he had reluctantly purchased with his merit points before he dialed Gu Yuena’s number. There was no way he could call to the outside without an amplified signal, but he would need to pay for its every use and his calls would be monitored by the army to prevent the disclosing of military secrets.

Fortunately, the merit points exchanged came from his forging merit points. The call was connected.

“Doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo!” ‘No one picked up? Where is she?’

Tang Wulin dialed twice, but there was no answer either time. He could not help feeling slightly anxious.

Even though Gu Yuena possessed great powers, she had no idea whatsoever as to how to use them due to her amnesia!

What should he do now? Tang Wulin was not allowed to leave the army at this time. The call was finally answered when he dialed for the sixth time.

“Father!” Gu Yuena’s joyful voice was heard from the other end of the call. “Gu Yue, where did you go?” Tang Wulin’s voice sounded a little offended.

Gu Yuena did not seem to notice. She laughed and spoke, “I went out to play! I had barbecued meat. It’s so scrumptious, and the barbequed meat man only took half of my money. So tasty.”

Tang Wulin could not help saying, “Take your soul communicator when you go out to play in the future. I’m anxious when I can’t find you.”

“Hmm, hmm. Father, when are you coming to visit me?” Gu Yuena’s voice was filled with anticipation.

Tang Wulin replied, “I’m taking part in a competition. I can come to visit you if I can score a good result. It will begin in two days, and I estimate that it will take over a month’s time to complete. I’ll come to see you immediately after the competition has ended.”

“Why are you taking so long?” Gu Yuena’s voice sounded like she was wronged.

“Be a good girl, Gu Yue. It’s going to be fine in a while. I’ll call you on the sou communicator every day, okay?”

“Hmm. Alright, then I shall wait for you over here. Father, please tell me in advance if you’re coming back, so I won’t be out me playing again.”

“Sure, I’ll tell you in advance for certain.”

Tang Wulin felt especially satisfied upon listening to her voice. Actually, he felt slightly worried every time he called her soul communicator, as he

wondered whether she had already regained her memories due to the Velvet Skyreach Chrysanthemum’s medicinal effect.

He was being pulled between concern and anticipation. He found that he was afraid that Gu Yuena did not pick up his call earlier because she might have already left after regaining her memories.

He could only calm down after hearing her voice.

…

“What? You’re not taking part in Federal Star Dou Battle Network

Challenge? Why? This is a good opportunity. If you must know, your nomination as a reserve spiriter has already arrived at our highest level of authority. You will certainly pass if you achieve a good result through this competition. It should be easy for you with your powers. Why aren’t you taking part, huh?”

“I’m sorry, teacher. I don’t wish to take part anymore. There’s no reason. I trust in my abilities and that I can still become a reserve spiriter anyway.

Please help me explain to the Pagoda Master. Tell him that I plan to engage in closed-door cultivation and break through to Soul Sage rank.”

“You’re about to reach to Soul Sage rank? Really?”

“Hmm, I’m almost there. I’ll need to engage in closed-door cultivation for a period of time. Teacher, thank you for your trouble.”

“Sure, things will be different if you can get to Soul Sage rank. Let’s see who would still dare to talk behind our backs. Work hard.”

…

“Compensation? You think too much of yourself. You don’t even have that amount of money? I thought you’re a Saint Craftsman-ranked blacksmith?” Blood One was speechless as he looked at Tang Wulin. He had never thought that the boy would meet him over such a trivial matter.

Tang Wulin spoke with a confused expression, “But it’s so expensive! Shouldn’t I be getting some sponsorship since I’m representing our Blood God Army in the competition?”

“Boy, how stingy can you be?” Blood One could not help laughing aloud for he had never expected the young boy to be such a miser. Tang Wulin hastily spoke with a flattering smile, “It’s not that I’m stingy! I really don’t have much money. See, I was just a poor student. I need to

cultivate and forge, and don’t these things require money? I’m a Saint Craftsman-rank blacksmith, yet I don’t have anything coming from that either! I don’t have time to earn by forging. I can get merit points by

forging within the army, and the merit points can’t be used to promote my military rank. That’s a rule that is specifically targeting me, so how can I earn with my forging?”

Blood One pondered for a moment before he said, “Our Blood God Army doesn’t really have the concept of money. However, you should be able to exchange forging merits with money even if it can’t be used to promote your military rank. Here, let me help you to convert a portion of your merit

points into Federation coins as it is usually done. The conversion rate is one to one hundred, so calculate it yourself.”

One to one hundred? Tang Wulin immediately felt like he was at a loss. “That’s too low, isn’t it? A Saint Craftsman can make millions from a

commission out there, while I make one to two thousand merit points for each mission. I’ve only managed to score one soul forging case for ten to twenty thousand merit points so that only converts to a few million Federation coins…”

“Leave it if you don’t agree. Figure out a way by yourself.” Blood One waved his hand as if he was swatting a fly.

“No! I still want it,” Tang Wulin hastily said with a smile. It would be nice for him to use his excess merit points in exchange for some Federation

coins. In truth, he had no lack of funds. It would be relatively better for him to use his merit points to exchange for some rare resources.

He saw from the military supplies department that a wide variety of rare metals were available there. Moreover, there were also some valuable items that could not be found elsewhere. These could only be exchanged for merit points. So, who could say that merit points were useless? Tang Wulin headed straight for his own forging workshop after he left the Blood God Battalion. He was not feeling anxious for there were still two more days until the Federal Star Dou Battle Network Challenge began. It should not be too much of an issue for him during the first few rounds of the division competition at least. It could not be helped even if he were to truly encounter a powerhouse of an unexpected rank.

He would certainly devote all his efforts into fighting for the chance to be promoted to major soon. However, he had also drafted a series of plans for himself at the same time.

Mu Ye once told him that battle armor and mechas did not need to conflict with each other since the beginning. A top-ranked battle armor master could still own a mecha, only that it was a rare occurrence for a top grade battle

armor master to also be a top grade mecha master.

Long ago, Mu Ye made the wrong choice and focused all his efforts into mechas. He eventually became a divine mecha master, but he missed the best period to cultivate his battle armor and lost the opportunity to own four-word battle armor.

Tang Wulin’s present situation was much better for he was already a two- word battle armor master at just over twenty years old. Moreover, he could

begin forging his own three-word battle armor’s metal after he had a broken through to a six-ringed cultivation base. He was already a Saint Craftsman so he was certainly capable. He would only need to accumulate for a few years before he could become a three-word battle armor master.

On the other hand, he had never had adequate time or resources before in regards to his mecha, so he had not paid too much attention to that. He had already made the decision now to forge a special mecha that was

compatible with himself. Moreover, he would forge it to the standards of a black mecha. At the same time, his mecha would be just like his battle

armor with the possibility for future advancement.

He would require a large number of resources including metal, while he could do ensure the best forging by doing it himself. At the same time, he would also need to learn many things by himself including the study of circuits and mecha design.

He thought about seeking help from someone, but only he would know

what was best for himself. Mecha design was not as complicated as battle

armor because battle armor was made to fuse into one’s body while mechas came in larger sizes that made the designing and modifying process much

easier. Thus, Tang Wulin made the decision to forge his own mecha by himself.

All sorts of resources necessary to forge mecha could be exchanged with merit points naturally. Hence, he still needed more merit points in order to proceed.

Tang Wulin received Long Yuxue’s call that a three-word battle armor master was here to have his battle armor repaired before Tang Wulin headed to the Blood God Battalion earlier. The battle armor master was seeking his help.

Tang Wulin was startled when he saw the person before himself was Xu Weitao. He was no longer the confused new recruit in the Blood God Army

anymore. He could recognize that this man was the division master from the Blood Division that was one of the two great divisions in the Blood God

Army. He was one of the fourteen most powerful people in the entire army, a Title Douluo-ranked three-word battle armor master!

Long Yuxue cast Tang Wulin a look as she stood by Xu Weitao’s side. Tang Wulin hastily stood at attention and saluted. “Sir.”

Xu Weitao patted Tang Wulin’s shoulder with a pleasant smile on his face. “You’re already a member of the Blood God Battalion now, so you’re no longer governed by the army’s military ranks. You can address me as Old Xu.”

Old…Old Xu?

Chapter 976 - Other Uses for the Golden Dragon Spear

Chapter 976: Other Uses for the Golden Dragon Spear

Tang Wulin did not expect the person before him to be easy going. Aren’t all soldiers supposed to be old-fashioned and obstinate? Xu Weitao had a soldier’s physique with his tall and large figure. He was even a head taller

than Tang Wulin, with broad shoulders and sharp, facial features. He did not look laid back at all. He was responsible for the Blood Division and also the close combat division. One could tell how powerful the army was by observing Jiang Wuyue. The Blood Division’s fighting capacity as a whole could be seen by inspecting just a part of the 1st Battalion.

“Sir, that can’t be right.” said Tang Wulin probing for an answer.

Xu Weitao chuckled. “There’s nothing wrong with that. Those few people from your Blood God Battalion call me by that name. Ask them the next time if you don’t believe me. Oh, not all but Blood Seven, Blood Eight, and Blood Nine address me as Old Xu while the others call me Little Xu.”

Tang Wulin felt speechless at once, for he was a nobody but just a

supernumerary personnel from the Blood God Battalion. Could he be like the rest of them?

Long Yuxue hastily spoke from the side, “Alright, Wulin. Don’t you worry about salutations any longer. Why don’t you follow me and simply address him as Uncle Xu. Open the door quick and invite us in.” She did not have the forging workshop’s key so she could only wait for Tang Wulin to come open the door.

Tang Wulin hastily invited both of them into the workshop. Xu Weitao surveyed the rather small forging workshop and said with a

smile, “Wulin, I heard from Yuxue that you’re a Saint Craftsman. You’re a scarce talent in our army. The deputy regimental commander did not allow you to use your merit points in exchange for military rank promotion. It’s to prevent the officers and soldiers from having any ill intentions against you. It’s also for the harmony of our people. I hope you understand, and if there’s anything you need, please feel free to ask. We’ll do our best to help you.”

The higher authorities of the army still felt sorry for Tang Wulin regarding the rule of not allowing him to accumulate forging merit points for his military rank promotion. It was truly rare for a Saint Craftsman to be in the army. Sooner or later, they would turn to him for help.

Tang Wulin hastily shook his head and said, “Uncle Xu, don’t mention it. The army is also taking into account the overall situation. Our fighters are killing our enemies with great effort. So, it’s justified that their merit points can be used for promotion when they’re sacrificing their lives for it. They deserve to be promoted. My forging, on the other hand, isn’t that much of a sacrifice.” He seemed nonchalant about it, but how could he conceal his dissatisfaction?

His forging skill was acquired from many years of training! It had been fifteen years since he began at the age of six. Furthermore, he was the youngest Saint Craftsman on the entire continent.

Xu Weitao spoke with a smile, “I understand your resentment, but you’ve

already joined the Blood God Battalion. Do you think that it’ll be a problem for you to advance in your military rank in the future? The army has invested its resources in you. So, you’re allowed some reasonable requests as well.”

Tang Wulin smiled. “Then, I won’t beat around the bush. I need a bigger

workshop. It’ll be best if it’s large enough to accommodate a mecha. It’ll be beneficial for my forging work and I won’t ask for anything else.”

Xu Weitao was slightly stunned. His purpose in visiting Tang Wulin today was not only to seek his help in repairing the battle armors but more importantly, he was here to express goodwill. A spoonful of sugar goes well with the medicine. There was still some dispute amongst the higher

authorities of the army on the issue of disallowing Tang Wulin from gaining a promotion through forging. Although Tang Wulin came from Shrek

Academy and was one of the current Shrek Seven Monsters, the Blood God Army need not worry about the troubles he would cause. Also, it would be appropriate for him to use his forging work to exchange for merit points.

In any case, the final decision agreed upon was not to nullify the previous decision. Besides, they would still need the services of a Saint Craftsman.

In a sense, the Blood God Battalion was not directly under the Blood God Army. Blood One was willing to appoint Tang Wulin as a supernumerary personnel of the Blood God Battalion in such a short period of time.

Perhaps, it was to show his dissatisfaction of the army. Blood One was the main pillar of support for the entire Blood God Army.

The purpose of Xu Weitao’s visit today was a gesture of goodwill. He was willing to put in some resources for Tang Wulin. However, he did not

expect Tang Wulin to be so reasonable in his request.

Although Tang Wulin was a money grubber, at the same time, he was

equally smart. Of course, he could seize the opportunity to extort for more resources, but he was not sure how much the army was willing to give. On the other hand, if he were to get the army’s resources for free, it would be difficult for him to decline any forging work requested by the army in the future.

He wished to devote more effort into his cultivation and take part in the

competitions. He would not be staying in the Blood God Army forever, so it would be best for him not to owe the army any favors.

Thus, Tang Wulin considered well and only made the most basic request. “That’s easy. I’ll help you look for a place. There’s one right behind our

army’s mecha warehouse. Also, there’s a spot on my battle armor that was severely damaged in the abyssal tide the other day. It may possibly need

some repairs. Can you please take a look at it for me?” Xu Weitao’s right shoulder glowed once as his left hand grabbed the shoulder. A radiance flashed once and a piece of dusk gold pauldron appeared in his hand.

Tang Wulin noticed that his right shoulder was quite stiff. It appeared as if he was injured during the battle with the abyssal creatures earlier.

Tang Wulin drew in a cold breath, as he took a glance at the pauldron upon receiving it. Generally, a three-word battle armor was forged from soul- forged metal. A qualitative leap was made during the transition from a two- word battle armor to three-word battle armor. There were so few Saint

Craftsmen that the number of three-word battle armor masters was only a tenth of the number of two-word battle armor masters.

The soul-forged metal was already bestowed with intelligence and life, so it was capable of repairing itself on a large scale. That was why general trauma was considered as nothing to the soul-forged metal. Yet, the damage to this pauldron was out of the ordinary.

There was only a cut on the pauldron, but it was in the middle of the pauldron. Tang Wulin was unnerved to find countless fine threads of energy corroding the pauldron around the cut such that the metal was rendered incapable of self-repair.

These fine threads of energy looked like tiny gray-white worms that were densely arranged together. It was a ghastly sight.

Good lord, what sort of energy could produce such damage! There were abundant powerhouses amongst those abyssal creatures as expected.

Despite his initial shock, Tang Wulin was figuring how to repair the pauldron. There was no way it could repair itself even with the help of soul power. This piece of battle armor might possibly be wasted.

He was a blacksmith, but not a battle armor maker. There was only one way he could repair the piece of battle armor. It would be to make the battle

armor’s self-repairing ability defeat the mutation energy’s destructive ability. Only by doing so, would he be able to restore the battle armor. After pondering for a moment, Tang Wulin’s eyes suddenly glowed brightly as he got an idea.

He carried the battle armor and placed it on top of his forging table. He did not use his forging hammers. Instead, he rubbed the area between his brows once and unleashed his Golden Dragon Spear.

There was a twinkle in Xu Weitao’s eyes when he saw the Golden Dragon Spear. “What a remarkable weapon!” He had watched Tang Wulin use the Golden Dragon Spear in the video recording, but the spear seemed to have changed as compared to previously. It exuded a sharp, hidden energy that made one feel as if one’s heart was sliced just by looking at it.

Tang Wulin smiled at Xu Weitao and touched the tip of the spear against the battle armor.

A peculiar scene appeared immediately. A radiance flashed once on the Golden Dragon Spear as the fine threads of mutated energy on the battle armor shook once, then surged into the Golden Dragon Spear, akin to the rivers which flowed into the sea, before vanishing.

Tang Wulin’s body shook once. A gush of pure and dense energy infused into his body through the Golden Dragon Spear. He was filled with vigor while his Dragon Core glowed brightly as well.

What… the energy that seemed miniscule could be so pure and dense. It was almost similar to the energy absorbed after killing a Ba An.

Tang Wulin’s lips cracked into a satisfied smile.

Chapter 977 - Landlady

Chapter 977: Landlady

The pauldron immediately glowed with a layer of faint white radiance after being rid of the mutated energy which had continually damaged it. The damaged gap began to close in a slow but steady manner.

Tang Wulin picked up the pauldron once again and walked over to Xu Weitao. “Uncle Xu, it should be fine now.”

Xu Weitao had witnessed the entire process. His face was filled with shock at present. “How did you do it? This is not forging and that is the energy from the Centipede Demon King which is found on the hundred-and-first layer of the abyssal plane. You can dissolve it so easily? Its energy attacked my body earlier and it required a lot of energy to heal my injuries. I

should’ve asked for your help if I’d known this earlier, then I could’ve recovered sooner, right?”

Tang Wulin said with a bitter smile, “I can’t heal injuries because it doesn’t work on life forms but only metals.” The Golden Dragon Spear would immediately draw out a person’s life force if it were to pierce into the person’s body. He was afraid that he would do more harm than the

Centipede Demon King’s energy.

Xu Weitao nodded. There was a peculiar look in his eyes. He felt that this young man was even more outstanding the more he got to know him.

No wonder the Blood God Battalion was so quick in action. He would have taken action if he knew earlier without giving the Blood God Battalion any chance.

“I was prepared to make a new piece of this battle armor. Making a piece of soul-forged metal into a pauldron should cost at least twenty thousand merit points. I’ll pay you that number,” said Xu Weitao frankly. Tang Wulin spoke hastily, “There’s no need, Uncle Xu. Look, I haven’t

even exerted much strength. It’s okay, there’s no need to give me any merit points.”

Xu Weitao spoke with a deep voice, “That won’t do. A penny is a penny, so I’ll pay for what needs to be paid. It’s your talent to be able to do so without any effort, but I still have to pay. Otherwise, I’ll come off as cheap, right?

Alright, you don’t have to be decorous with me. You don’t have to prioritize helping me if I have other forging work in the future. Moreover, I still have a burning ambition to be a four-word battle armor master. Perhaps, you’ll be a Divine Craftsman by then.”

Xu Weitao insisted on transferring twenty thousand merit points to Tang Wulin before he left.

Long Yuxue did not leave yet. She looked at Tang Wulin with a peculiar expression.

Tang Wulin placed his Blood God Bracelet in front of her. “Here, take half. You can’t use it to promote your military rank, but you can exchange it for something useful.” The forging workshop was financed by Long Yuxue

when they first started the business. They had agreed to split the profits between them. Finally, Long Yuxue understood that she had gotten extra profits at Tang Wulin’s expense after witnessing Tang Wulin at work.

“There’s no need to split the profits anymore. It’s your talent. I…” Long Yuxue was about to continue speaking but said nothing.

Tang Wulin spoke smilingly, “What did Uncle Xu say earlier, a penny is a penny, so I’ll pay what needs to be paid. How will I ever have the capability to come up with this forging workshop without your help? There’s no need to oblige me. Come, landlady. It’s time to split the money.”

Long Yuxue’s charming face blushed when she heard him calling her ‘landlady’, yet she did not stop him from transferring the points to her. She said, “Do let me know if you need any merit points in the future.” “Hmm. I’ll be fine if I get a bigger place. Have you signed up for the Federal Star Dou Battle Network Challenge?”

Long Yuxue nodded. “I did. The majority of the people in the army who have a five-ring and above cultivation base and fulfill the requirements have already signed up. I suspect that most participants in the west division will

come from our army. There are not that many cities in the entire west division.”

Tang Wulin spoke with a bitter smile, “It seems like our west division is not an easy place huh!” It was no joke. There were about twenty thousand people in the Blood God Army. Hence, there were thousands of them who have five-ring and above cultivation bases and fulfilled the requirements.

There were so many competitors and numerous masters.

Jiang Wuyue’s cultivation base was already powerful. He would not be so easily defeated if not for Tang Wulin’s bloodline suppression. He was but a lieutenant colonel. Tang Wulin was absolutely sure that there were many

people in the army with a cultivation base that surpassed his but were yet to be three-word battle armor masters. He could never break through the intense competition of the army without putting up a desperate fight.

Tang Wulin did not feel dismal about the soul master battle because he was rather confident with his Dragon Core. What about the mecha battle? The mecha battle was not so easily dealt with.

The Blood God Army’s mecha masters were trained to grapple with the

abyssal creatures on an actual battlefield. They were absolutely first on the list of all the federal armies based on their true combat abilities. It was definitely not an easy task to break through the keen competition of the mecha army.

The mecha master whom Tang Wulin encountered in the battle room earlier had a rather impressive ability. It would not have been so easy for him to defeat his opponent if not for his familiarity with his own abilities.

On the other hand, he would be fighting the mecha masters that were more powerful than the previous ones later on. It would definitely be tougher than the soul master battle because one would lose the moment one’s mecha was damaged.

He was truly feeling troubled upon thinking about it. “So, you’re taking part as well?” asked Long Yuxue. “Hmm, I’ve signed up too.”

Long Yuxue spoke, “So what would you do if you encounter me in the competition?”

Tang Wulin was stunned for a moment. “I’ll allow you to last for a little while longer?”

Feeling a little upset, Long Yuxue stamped her foot against his. “What do you mean by allowing me to last a little while longer? You should immediately yield!”

Tang Wulin felt a pang of pain in his heart. He said with a bitter smile, “What about the integrity and fairness of the competition?”

Long Yuxue spoke, “There’ll be none of that. What’s your nickname? Tell me.”

Tang Wulin shook his head with a bitter expression. “I won’t.”

Long Yuxue spoke, “Are you going to tell me or not?” She squished her foot against Tang Wulin’s.

Tang Wulin gave in helplessly. “My nickname is Little Tang.”

Long Yuxue’s lips cracked into a smile then. “My nickname is Little Xue. Hmm, you should know what to do if you encounter me, right?”

“I… I have a mission. It’s the mission assigned by the Blood God Battalion.

I’ll be expelled from the Blood God Battalion if I don’t win in the

competition.” Tang Wulin did not blink whenever he told a white lie. Long Yuxue was caught off guard for a moment. “Really?”

Tang Wulin answered in all seriousness, “Of course, it’s true.”

Long Yuxue scoffed. “Don’t let me encounter you then. Alright, I’m leaving. Are you going to stay here?”

Tang Wulin nodded. “I’ll practice forging here for a bit.”

Two days passed in the blink of an eye. Tang Wulin spent his days studying about mechas and completing some forging work, apart from working on his cultivation. A small number of people were aware that he was a Saint

Craftsman. He only accepted soul-forging work now, so there were not that many people who sought his help in forging. Xu Weitao was quick to respond by finding him a new place the next day. He had a more private

space now beside an exclusive warehouse where he had moved his fixtures.

For the past two days, Tang Wulin logged on to the Star Dou Battle Network each day. He was notified of his competition time after his

registration was completed. He would then log on to the Battle Network within the stipulated time.

His competition was at eight o’clock tonight.

For some unknown reason, Tang Wulin felt more excited in participating in the Federal Star Dou Battle Network Challenge than when he participated in the competition back in Star Dou empire.

Perhaps, it was because he was participating in a federal-level competition. He would be fighting against the most powerful powerhouses, below Title Douluo ranks, of the entire federation. There was no doubt that Blood One encouraged him to participate in this competition, for it provided the best training for him.

Shrek Academy had been a strong advocate of developing one’s potential since the beginning. The actual combat in this competition would give free

rein for one to express one’s abilities without worrying about injuring one’s opponent. “Star Dou Battle Network login successful. Welcome, Little Tang. There’s still thirty minutes before your competition time. Please head to the soul master battle zone to wait for your turn.”

Tang Wulin had entered the place on time where he was immediately notified by an electronic voice when he completed his login process.

This was his first west division’s soul master challenge elimination tournament while tomorrow would be his first mecha challenge elimination tournament. The qualifying system was set up in such a way as to

accommodate the contestants who registered for both types of competitions simultaneously.

Earlier, Tang Wulin’s estimation of the competition’s duration had been too short. He reckoned it to be at least three months to complete the

competition according to the timetable that was displayed.

Tang Wulin had already figured that he would apply for leave from Blood One to visit Gu Yuena if he entered the finals.

The competition had begun since noon. He could see people with white masks milling around the west division’s stadium with names and numbers above their heads.

The number above Tang Wulin’s head now was already 5-0.

He was rather selective in taking part in the competitions because he did not lack actual combat experience. Also, he was not inclined to spend too much money.

“Countdown to competition, one minute.”

It was finally time for the competition. Tang Wulin took a deep breath. He had already prepared himself to his best ability before logging in to the Star Dou Battle Network.

A golden radiance flashed once as the surrounding space warped. In the next moment, he was already on the competition stage.

Chapter 978 - Old Tang Awakening

Chapter 978: Old Tang Awakening

His opponent was also wearing a white mask as he stood before him. What astonished Tang Wulin was that his opponent’s name was not displayed

above him, although it was an official match. It was clearly a way to protect his opponent’s identity.

A smile appeared at the edge of his lips. Long Yuxue would not have any

excuse this time. Even if she had met him on the competition stage, both of them would have no way of knowing that they were actually fighting each other.

“Three, two, one, begin!”

Just as Tang Wulin was praising the anonymity of the Star Dou Battle

Network, the electronic countdown voice had already completed its task. It also announced that his first Federal Star Dou Battle Network Competition had officially begun.

The electronic voice had barely faded when four soul rings rose from beneath the soul master’s feet. Two yellows and two purples. His opponent pointed a right finger at the skies and a beam of red light shot toward the

skies immediately. Then, a dense cluster of fist-sized fireballs appeared in the skies. They shot straight toward Tang Wulin.

A four-ring Soul Ancestor?

Tang Wulin could not help but smile. Did his god-forsaken luck finally improve?

Blades of the Bluesilver Grass surged outward like a swarm of bees. He acted as if he did not see the fireballs that were falling straight toward his head. He stood at his spot without moving a muscle. The Bluesilver Emperor had already spread toward his opponent like giant pythons.

A dozen of the Bluesilver Emperor vines shot toward the skies and

shattered the dense fireballs. The fireballs exploded into spots of firelight in the air.

The vines then aimed wildly toward the soul master like a dozen huge tentacles.

This was…

The four-ring Soul Ancestor was clearly stunned. With his mask on, his

expression was not visible, but his control of his martial soul was flustered. His fire-type soul power flowed out. In his haste, he lit up another soul ring just as he released another massive fireball toward Tang Wulin.

If he had been an ordinary plant-type martial soul, he would definitely be at a disadvantage when faced with a fire-type soul master. Fire inhibits wood, so it was only normal for a plant to succumb to the scorching fire.

However, Tang Wulin’s Bluesilver Emperor was no ordinary martial soul. It was a king among the plants, and it had always been under the influence of Tang Wulin’s Golden Dragon King bloodline. The Bluesilver Emperors

acted like dragons but surged forward like bees.

The massive fireball was stabbed directly by a Bluesilver Emperor. Not

even a single char mark was seen. The fire-type Soul Ancestor noticed that the huge vine glittered a deep sapphire under his own fireball’s shine. The center of the sapphire had golden veins that looked like bones.

What was this? The four-ring Soul Ancestor almost cried. Although he knew that he would not be able to obtain a good ranking in such a grand competition with his cultivation base, he definitely did not wish to end up defeated after his first match!

However, to be idealistic was always wonderful, but reality could be cruel. The vines entwined and bound his body in a frenzy. When his fire-type soul skills were defeated one after another, he had no other way to fight. His body was lifted high and flung mercilessly toward the ground again.

“The match ends. You’ve won.” The electronic message Tang Wulin heard was short and simple.

To him, this battle was truly too easy. It was completely a one-sided victory. From the beginning until the end, he only took a few steps forward.

Because the various abilities granted by the Golden Dragon King’s bloodline power were very effective, Tang Wulin rarely used his own martial soul now.

However, when he used his Bluesilver Emperor to bind his opponent from afar, he noticed that his Bluesilver Emperor was quite different than before.

On the surface of each Bluesilver Emperor, there was a layer of network-

shaped patterns. These patterns were like the ones that had appeared on his body before.

Could it be that his Bluesilver Emperor had now grown scales?

In any case, his opponent had a four-ring cultivation base. However, his opponent’s soul skills were unable to harm the Bluesilver Emperor in any way.

He had also used his Bluesilver Emperor when he faced the abyssal experts in his fights a few days ago. Obviously, he was not in good condition back then. Now, he knew that the problem did not lie in the strength of his

Bluesilver Emperor, just that his opponents were too powerful. That was why his Bluesilver Emperor could not display its prowess.

However, the Bluesilver Emperor had given Tang Wulin a great surprise in this fight. With the Bluesilver Emperor’s current strength, it was far better than many close-range soul weapons. Not only would this be of great use in a fight against soul masters, it would also be of great use in a mecha fight! If one were to ask: would it be easy for a regular mecha to break free from the Bluesilver Emperor’s entanglement?

The answer would be negative. A smile had already appeared at the edge of Tang Wulin’s lips without him realizing it.

First victory!

He got down the competition stage and the name above Tang Wulin’s head changed again. The two words ‘Little Tang’ were now displayed in a faint golden hue. The initial counts of wins and losses had vanished, in its place was a golden arrow pointing up.

This meant that he had qualified for the next round after today’s match.

As he thought about the Bluesilver Emperor, Tang Wulin felt certain that this competition had great meaning for him. His cultivation base had improved tremendously these two years. Especially after spending a few years in the Dragon Valley, the transformation he had experienced was

earthshaking. However, in truth, he had never been able to comprehend fully all the things he had learned. Taking part in actual combat was the best way to improve himself. The merging of his martial soul and bloodline power was a significant way for him to improve himself.

The collective strength of his soul power and bloodline power was his greatest advantage.

Tang Wulin made up his mind to allocate more time to cultivate his soul power. He had a vague feeling that once he was able to complete his Soul

Core, there would be profound changes between it and his Dragon Core. He would then have complete confidence to break through the tenth seal.

“Very nice.” Just when Tang Wulin’s mind was filled with thoughts, a familiar voice suddenly sounded in his head. The voice came all of a

sudden that he had a fright. However, he was quickly filled with surprise. “Old Tang?” Old Tang had been in a slumber for a long time. He had not given Tang Wulin any pointers in a long while. As such, Tang Wulin did not expect him to awaken at this moment.

“Hmm.”

“Your judgment is correct. If you can complete your Soul Core, the

cooperation between the two great energy cores will definitely give rise to some chemical reactions, and it’ll most certainly be beneficial. Your

condition is much better than I imagine. I see that you’ve gotten some great yields while I was having my slumber. To my surprise, you’ve condensed your Blood Essence Core. This is good, very good. You’ve completed your Blood Essence Core before you’ve condensed your Soul Core. I’m beginning to see signs of you being able to transfer all the Golden Dragon King’s essence to yourself.”

Old Tang’s voice was full of relief. Tang Wulin instinctively closed his

eyes. His consciousness quickly sunk, and he appeared in the same hall as Old Tang.

Old Tang stood with his hands behind his back and a faint smile on his face. He appeared a few years younger.

“Old Tang, why have you been asleep for so long?” Tang Wulin asked with great puzzlement.

Old Tang smiled faintly as he shook his head lightly. “I’ve had this feeling of a summons from afar. So, I’ve been using all my remaining energy to look out for it. Your progress has been smooth, so you don’t need me frequently. You finally have the strength to protect yourself. The next thing you must do is to cultivate what you have in greater depth and consolidate

all of them, especially that blood essence power of yours. These abilities are the abundant gifts of nature that you have. Simply put, if you can

completely absorb the essences from all the eighteen Golden Dragon King seals, then you’d be the new Golden Dragon King, in a sense. You may

even surpass him.”

Chapter 979 - The New Golden Dragon King?

Chapter 979: The New Golden Dragon King?

“New Golden Dragon King?” Tang Wulin looked at Old Tang with

astonishment. It was his first time hearing Old Tang saying such things.

Old Tang laughed hysterically. “Yes! The new Golden Dragon King! All the Golden Dragon King’s essence is within your body. Although it may rob you of your life at any time, provided you’re able to completely absorb and digest it, I have no doubt that you’ll be able to possess its powers in its

entirety. However, I must remind you that possessing the Dragon Core alone won’t guarantee your safety. The final nine seals of the Golden Dragon King are the ones that truly contain the sealed Golden Dragon

King’s powers. The first nine seals were only to allow you time to adapt to the power.”

“Never think that you can rest easy just because you’ve obtained your

Dragon Core. With your body’s current strength, you’d still need to exert yourself to break through the tenth seal. If you’re able to condense your soul core, then that’s more like it.”

Tang Wulin was greatly astonished. He had thought that it would be easy as pie to break through the tenth seal since his body had already been

strengthened to such a degree. However, from the tone of Old Tang’s words, it seemed like it would not be easy to break through the tenth seal.

“Why’s that so, Old Tang? I already feel that my body is strong enough, especially now that I have my Dragon Core. If the Golden Dragon King’s essence were to be released, can’t I just absorb them completely with my Dragon Core?”

Old Tang shook his head as he said with a lowered voice, “It’s not as easy as you think. The reason why I’ve awakened at this moment is to remind you that you shouldn’t be blindly optimistic. Not only do the final nine Golden Dragon King seals contain terrifying energy, more importantly, but they also hold some of the Golden Dragon King’s initial will. Nobody knows what this will is filled with. However, with the Golden Dragon

King’s violent nature, it must be something that’ll affect your

consciousness. Hence, your task is not merely to digest the Golden Dragon King’s energy, you must protect your mind at the same time. Otherwise, there’s a possibility that you’ll be controlled by the Golden Dragon King’s will.”

Tang Wulin drew a cold breath. Although he knew that the Golden Dragon King’s seals were threatening, he had never expected the final nine seals to be so deadly.

“What should I do then, Old Tang? If the Golden Dragon King’s will truly exist, wouldn’t it impact my spiritual powers and soul sea? Such terrifying energy, how can…”

Old Tang held his hands behind him and said with a lowered voice, “You must know that in the Divine Realm, the Golden Dragon King is also the highest rank-1 deity.”

Tang Wulin’s heart shook. “Is it true that the Golden Dragon King is a part of the Dragon God?”

Old Tang looked at him with amazement. “You know that already?” Tang Wulin knew that it was true just by looking at his expression. “Don’t you know, Old Tang? What’s a rank-1 deity?”

Old Tang replied, “In the Divine Realm, all the gods are equal.

Nevertheless, they’re still divided into a few ranks. They are mainly differentiated by their differences in strength. The ones with the lowest cultivation bases are known as the God Officers. One step up the ranks

would be the rank-3 deities, followed by the rank-2, and the rank-1 deities, in that order. The ones with the highest ranks are known as the Godkings. They’re also the law enforcers of the Divine Realm. There were once five Godkings in the Divine Realm. All these that I’ve mentioned are applicable to humans who have become gods through their cultivation.”

“For the beasts, the conditions are roughly the same. However, there’s only one beast-type Godking, and that’s the Dragon God! In terms of individual combat strength, the Dragon God may even surpass any one of the Five

Great Godkings. It’s because he’s alone that he isn’t able to lord over the humans. The Dragon God died during a battle with the human Godkings. That’s how the Golden Dragon King and Silver Dragon King came about. You can say that the Golden Dragon King is similar to a human Godking, and is a rank above a rank-1 deity. So, If you think about it, such a

terrifying power is sealed within your body’s final nine seals. How difficult would it be to completely absorb and convert it?”

“Have you mentioned the Divine Realm before this? I’ve heard that it has been many years since anyone was able to cultivate into a god on Douluo Continent. Are you telling me that the Divine Realm doesn’t exist

anymore?”

Old Tang’s gaze displayed some befuddlement. He sighed. “No, the Divine Realm still exists. It’s just that it can’t contact our world anymore. If ever the day comes when you’re able to completely unseal the Golden Dragon King’s seals and absorb its energy, you’ll be able to establish a Divine

Country and frame its rules.”

Tang Wulin drew a cold breath. He had expected the Golden Dragon King’s seals within his body to be exceptionally powerful. No matter how high his expectations were, he only thought that he would reach the ranks of a Limit Douluo. He never thought that Old Tang would tell him that he could be a God-King.

It truly racked his brain!

Tang Wulin was no longer the clueless kid who had the Golden Dragon King’s seals.

Unrivaled dangers lay behind the possibility of reaching the rank of a

Godking. Even with his current conditions, the probability of him absorbing all the energy was almost zero.

Tang Wulin gulped. He looked at Old Tang and said with a bitter smile, “Am I close to death’s door already?”

Old Tang went silent. “I don’t know.”

Tang Wulin’s gaze darkened. “Old Tang, can you help me figure, with my body’s current conditions, how long I can hold out and the number of seals I can break in the meantime?”

Old Tang shook his head. “I’ve no way of estimating that for you since you’ve already exceeded my expectations. You’re twenty-one this year, but the strength you possess now is possibly that of a twenty-five-year-old by my reckoning. Twelve seals would be the limit for a human. Beyond the twelve seals, one seal is equivalent to a god’s rank. Judging by the stability of the seals, I can only say that you’ll most likely break through the twelfth seal in ten years. After fifteen years, the thirteenth seal will unseal on its own. When the time comes, you’ll not only have to face your body’s problems but the powers of the world’s order as well.”

Tang Wulin was astonished, “Powers of the world’s order? What’s that?”

Old Tang said, “There are invisible orders at work in any world. The Divine Realm has its order and the mortals’ realm has its own as well. The order of the mortal world is that god-ranked beings cannot exist here. I’m sure there have been many Limit Douluos cultivated from among the humans throughout the years. Why aren’t they able to break their limits and attain the ranks of a god? It’s not that they don’t have enough talent. If there’s no supply of Godhood tablets, they’ll have to live under the suppression of the powers of the world’s order which render them impotent to breaking through this separation barrier.”

“You’ll face the same problem as well. It’s impossible that there’ll be a

Godhood tablet for you. So, when your thirteenth seal is broken, you’ll not only be withstanding an immense energy shock, you’ll also have to

withstand the suppression of the entire Douluo Continent’s order.” Tang Wulin remained quiet as he imagined the sorry state he would be in if such an incident were to occur.

A bitter smile appeared on his face. He sighed softly. “Looks like there’s no other possibility, right? Fifteen years, so I only have fifteen years at most?”

While the Golden Dragon King bloodline gave him powerful strengths, it also shortened his life.

Old Tang nodded lightly. “It’s not like you don’t have any opportunities at all. If you’re able to break through that barrier, then your future will be as wide as the seas and as endless as the skies. As long as you’re able to attain

godhood, perhaps you’ll then be able to create a God Country. Although the chances of success are very slim, my existence is to help you break through that barrier.”

Tang Wulin looked at Old Tang and suddenly said, “Don’t tell me how high my chances are.”

Old Tang was astonished. After a moment, a smile appeared on his face for the first time in their meeting.

“You’ve grown stronger!”

Tang Wulin smiled as well. “Indeed! If I don’t know the worst case

scenario, I’ll have more courage. I’ll fight with all my might no matter the circumstances. So what if I can’t break through? At least I won’t have any regrets. Old Tang, I have a favor to ask of you. I’d like you to help me

analyze when the best time to break through the tenth seal will be. Should I delay or do it as soon as possible?”

Old Tang replied without hesitation, “Do it as soon as possible!”

Tang Wulin was astonished. “That’s not what you said during the first nine seals.”

Old Tang said, “It’s not the same. I was worried about your body breaking down during the first nine seals. Since your body’s strength has already exceeded my expectations, you should absorb the strength from the

subsequent seals as soon as possible. In a way, the final nine seals are

considered as one. Perhaps, I should say that the Golden Dragon King’s

energy is all in the nine seals. If you absorbed a part of it, the seals will be under less pressure overall. The unsealing of the seals can be postponed for as long as possible allowing you more time. Do you understand?”

Chapter 980 - Old Tang Handing Down the Spear

Chapter 980: Old Tang Handing Down the Spear

Tang Wulin nodded. “I understand. It’s just like having nine partitions in deep waters. When the water on the topmost layer is removed, the weight borne by the other partitions will be lighter. Since there’s one less partition, the time it takes for the other partitions to break down will be shorter.”

“Yes, that sounds right. As long as your safety is guaranteed, the earlier you break through the final seals, the better it’ll be for you. It’ll buy you more time. Similarly, the sooner you can absorb the energy contained within the seals, the quicker you can boost your strength. It’ll also make you better in controlling the powerful energies and hasten your evolution.”

“I understand.” Tang Wulin nodded.

“So, I’ll begin attempting the tenth seal after I’ve condensed my soul core,” said Tang Wulin determinedly.

Old Tang nodded forcefully. “Exactly!”

Tang Wulin looked as if he was pondering something. “Time is short and the mission can’t wait!”

A dozen years, that was the length of time he had. Meanwhile, the heavy burden of restoring Shrek Academy was on his shoulders.

No matter what, he could not waste any more time.

Old Tang said, “What I’ve told you are the dangers that you’ll face in the future. Are you facing any problems in your cultivation? Your cultivation growth has restored my memories somewhat. I can give you some pointers.” Tang Wulin replied, “A serious problem that I’m facing right now is the Golden Dragon Nine Moves that I’ve been cultivating which was handed down to me by my grandteacher. He died during the battle where Shrek Academy was destroyed. I’ve not learned the final three moves of the

Golden Dragon Nine Moves and the domain-related abilities. I have my Dragon Core now, and I think that I’m able to cultivate it already. Also, with the enhancement of my cultivation base, the effects of my Golden

Dragon Spear has grown stronger. However, I can only use it with my own strength and speed. There are no good spear techniques from the Tang Sect, and I think it’s a waste.”

After Old Tang heard what Tang Wulin said, he replied with a faint smile, “Those aren’t difficult problems. Regarding the Golden Dragon Nine

Moves, in truth, it’s good enough for you to learn the first six moves. The latter domain-related abilities can’t be learned in the first place. You must figure it out yourself. That’s probably why the Scarlet Dragon Douluo didn’t teach you. When you’re at the doorstep of the domains, you’ll have to create your own unique abilities instead of learning it from someone.

Only the techniques that you’ve created yourself will suit you the most.

Haven’t you thought it through before I called you here? The combination of your bloodline power and martial soul is the path which you will tread in the future.”

Tang Wulin’s eyes brightened. He seemed to have grasped the idea

somewhat. Maybe, the turning point will happen when he formed his own soul core.

“As for spearing techniques,” said Old Tang while smiling faintly, “I’ve developed this for you. This spearing technique was created by a god. It suits you very well.”

“A spearing technique created by a god?” Tang Wulin’s eyes sparkled.

“Hmm. It requires you to contemplate on it and endure the hardship during your cultivation. I’ll teach you the first move today, the Thousand Accusing Fingers!” As he said this, Old Tang swung his right arm and a beam of golden light appeared in his hand. It resembled Tang Wulin’s Golden

Dragon Spear. He pointed the spear to his front and a beam of light erupted, quick as lightning.

Thousands upon thousands of golden lights burst forth in the skies. Tang Wulin felt countless Spear’s Consciousness impale his body as if his soul was shattered under the Spear’s Consciousness. Just when he was pained to

the point of crying out, the Spear’s Consciousness suddenly faded. He saw a giant golden spear shoot past his eyes. Thousands upon thousands of golden lights were condensed into a single beam of light.

The dome of the heavens seemed to be stabbed through in this instant. It was truly some spearing technique!

It was not known how much time had elapsed. When Tang Wulin woke up from his meditation, his clothes were completely wet. However, he felt thoroughly relaxed and refreshed.

Old Tang returned to his slumber. As to when he would wake up again, he only mentioned that he would be up when Tang Wulin had truly mastered the Thousand Accusing Fingers.

Currently, Tang Wulin’s mind was completely filled with the Spear’s

Consciousness. It was his first time experiencing the Spear’s Consciousness being used in such a way.

The spear was the king of weapons! This was what Old Tang had told him. If he wished to master the spearing techniques, he had to strike out a kingly path of his own.

Tang Wulin spent the entire day immersed in the Spear’s Consciousness. He was startled awake when his alarm clock rang on the second day, signaling the start of the mecha competition.

How time flew! With his Dragon Core, he did not feel hungry even when he had not eaten for a whole day.

He entered the Star Dou Cabin connected to the Battle Network. A light flashed, and he reappeared in the west division’s stadium. However, Tang Wulin felt numb currently. There was nothing else on his mind except for the Spear’s Consciousness.

He went to the other side of the stadium where the mecha combat area was.

“The competition begins! Please select your mecha type: melee or long range.”

“Melee!” Tang Wulin made his choice instinctively. It was only then that he realized he had chosen wrongly.

“Please select the weapon to be used with your melee mecha!” came the electronic voice again. A series of weapons appeared for him to choose. There were more than a dozen choices: saber, spear, sword, halberd, hatchet, battle ax, hook, battle fork, whip, mace, hammer, claw, pronged spear, and meteor hammer. All in all, eighteen types of weapons were

available. It was surprisingly different from the test before this.

Were they offered the chance to select their weapons at the competition stage?

Tang Wulin was greatly surprised. He picked the spear almost without hesitation. He was currently immersed in the Spear’s Consciousness.

Although controlling a mecha to wield the spear was different from

wielding it himself, the objective was to operate the mecha as if it was one’s own body.

A light flashed, and the twelve-meter tall melee mecha appeared on the

competition grounds. Tang Wulin was sitting within the mecha. A fifteen- meter long massive spear appeared in the mecha’s grasp. The mecha

emanated an impressive domineering aura.

On the other hand, his opponent who stood opposite him was operating a long-range mecha equipped with a soul cannon. It was no different from before. Could it be that the organizers felt that melee mechas were at a disadvantage during the testing stages? That might have been why there were so many additions to the choice of weapons.

It was the opposite situation from when he first fought in the mecha competition. Melee against long-range.

“Three, two, one, begin!” the smart electronic voice was curt as usual.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!” The long-range mecha opposite Tang Wulin had begun to attack him at the first opportunity it had. It raised its hand and fired three shots in a row. The three soul ammunitions formed the three vertices of a triangle which went straight toward Tang Wulin.

Tang Wulin controlled the mecha to grip the spear tightly. In an instant, there seemed to be an endless Spear’s Consciousness appearing in front of him. He shook the spear in his hands and stabbed thrice with lightning

speed. Without missing a beat, he had detonated the three soul ammunitions while the mecha itself stood unmoving on the ground.

It was not the spearing technique of the Thousand Accusing Fingers, but Tang Wulin’s control of the mecha. It reflected the combination of his

agility and pure strength.

When he stabbed with his spear, he began to feel something different. The king of weapons, a kingly path!

“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!” Another five rounds of ammunition were fired at him.

Again, he stabbed five times with his spear to nullify his opponent’s attacks. Tang Wulin’s mecha had still not budged from its initial spot.

The sensation truly came. During actual combat, he had just simply stabbed with his spear. However, with every stab of the spear, Tang Wulin felt that the trajectories of the spear were like kingly paths. Amidst the flickering of the spear’s glow, halos swirled and lingered in the air. The long-range mecha opposite him was also acting strangely. Normally, when a melee mecha was faced with a long-range opponent, the melee mecha would attempt to close in on its opponent if given the opportunity,

whereas the long-range mecha would attempt to put more distance between itself and its opponent. For a melee mecha to stand riveted to the ground

while withstanding the long-range attacks of its opponent, as what Tang Wulin was doing now, such a situation would probably not have occurred in a competition.