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"Big Brother Xie Xie, are you heading to the Blacksmith Association again?"
The call had just ended. Xu Xiaoyan lifted her gaze toward Xie Xie, a flicker of calculation flashing across her eyes. Going to the Association meant a chance to stroll through the city—or even play, just like last time. The thought alone brightened her face.
"Mm. Coming with me, or heading back to the dorm to cultivate and meditate like a good girl?" Xie Xie smiled, recalling her last "productive" trip to the Association.
"I... I'll cultivate."
The moment she heard the word "cultivate," Xu Xiaoyan's glance swept past Gu Yue, who was standing a little too close to Xie Xie for her liking. Her resolve hardened.
"My cultivation is currently the weakest," she said, puffing out her chest. "I want to become a powerful Control-System Spirit Grandmaster, just like you were, Big Brother—so I can keep certain people in check!"
Gu Yue's face darkened slightly. She gritted her teeth in silence—she was standing right here!
"So, I'm off to train! But... when you come back, could you bring me something tasty?"
Xie Xie beamed. "Sure thing. I'll bring back your favorite."
After seeing Xu Xiaoyan and his roommates into the dormitory, Xie Xie turned to Gu Yue in puzzlement. "Not going back?"
"I'm not in the mood for meditating, and I'm not hungry. I thought I'd walk around the academy grounds... and see you off," Gu Yue said, her lips curving into a subtle smile.
"It's called walking me to the gate," Xie Xie corrected her with a sigh. "'Seeing someone off' sounds like I'm never coming back."
"Mm? Same difference." Gu Yue shrugged, inwardly pleased with herself. This was all part of her strategy to remain an active presence in his life.
"Oh, right—you actually forge?" she asked, blinking with feigned surprise.
"A bit of practice," he answered, glancing at her coolly.
"Hardly just a bit." Gu Yue shook her head. If she hadn't already sensed the steady, tempered rhythm of his soul power—a side effect of top-tier blacksmithing—she might have believed his modest act.
"Good enough is good enough. I'm heading out now, Gu Yue."
At the gate, he waved a casual goodbye. Only after he disappeared from view did her face turn cold, her eyes sharpening with a predatory light.
"This Xie Xie—his luck with women will be abysmal if he keeps this up," she snorted. She had walked him all the way to the gate and even brought up his hobbies; shouldn't he have invited her along? Xu Xiaoyan could go, Na'er could go—why not her?
"Just you wait, Xie Xie. We have plenty of time."
Meanwhile, in the administration building, Wu Changkong sat before a class roster, his complexion complicated.
He had expected the new Class One to be formidable, but this was beyond his darkest estimates. Five Spirit Grandmasters in a single entry-level class—it was unprecedented in Donghai's history. Even his iron resolve was beginning to waver. Could he really train the scrappy Tang Wulin and two other "rejects" to beat these monsters?
"Nine years old, Rank 29. Even at Shrek Academy, that's top-tier talent—inner-court material," Wu Changkong murmured. "And they have two of them, both with unheard-of Martial Souls."
A knock sounded at his door. "Come in."
"Teacher Wu, you asked for me?" Tang Wulin stood there, already packed for his shift at the Blacksmith Association.
"Remember the Class Promotion Tournament I mentioned? Here is Class One's roster—your future opponents." Wu Changkong slid a folder across the desk with a heavy sigh.
Tang Wulin opened it with a grin, eager to see his competition. But as his eyes swept over the names, his smile vanished.
"A Rank 19 Spirit Master... one step from Grandmaster," he noted, seeing Xu Xiaoyan. Then his eyes hit the next few names: Wei Xiaofeng, Zhang Yangzi, Wang Jinxi—all Rank 21. And then, at the very top...
"Xie Xie and Gu Yue... Rank 29 Spirit Grandmasters?" Tang Wulin's face turned ashen. "Teacher Wu... you mean... me, a Rank 11 Spirit Master, must fight these people?"
He pointed a finger at himself, his voice cracking with disbelief.
Wu Changkong merely nodded, though a rare touch of sympathy crossed his face. "I know the gap is immense. Don't pressure yourself too much. Just... give it your best. Strive, and we will be content with whatever happens."
Tang Wulin left the office, his mind in a chaotic whirl. He had only been a Spirit Master for a month. Rank 29? They were practically Spirit Elders! How could his Blue Silver Grass even touch them?
Old Tang, do you think they'll beat me into a pulp? he asked inwardly.
In the depths of his spiritual world, a mysterious figure cloaked in black appeared. This was Old Tang, the presence that had guided him for three years, protecting the sealed Golden Dragon King bloodline within him.
"Wulin, do not fear," Old Tang said calmly. "Though your cultivation is still developing, the time is coming. Your first seal is about to open. It is dangerous, yes—but it is also your greatest opportunity. If you obtain the three necessary treasures and consume them, the first of the eighteen seals will grant you a power that defies common logic."
Tang Wulin took a deep breath. Power that defies logic... against a Time-Space Dragon. He tightened his grip on his bag and headed toward the Association. He didn't just want to survive; he wanted to win.
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