Chapter 428 - Temptation (1/2)

“He's just an eccentric guy! I'm his only friend. Well, in any case, I'm not sure if you'll ever meet him again. But I'll tell you this.” Zhen Hua motioned for Tang Wulin to lean closer, covering part of his mouth with a cupped hand. “He doesn't have a good relations.h.i.+p with Shrek Academy, and he doesn't like dealing with them.”

Zhen Hua's ambiguous words left Tang Wulin puzzled, but he didn't think much about it. Right now, he had to focus on finis.h.i.+ng his exam.

A spatial door opened before them. The door reminded him of the one to the spirit soul tower at the Spirit PaG.o.da. He hadn't expected the Blacksmith's a.s.sociation would also have such a s.p.a.ce.

“Are you familiar with this?” Zhen Hua noticed the glint in Tang Wulin's eyes.

Tang Wulin nodded. “Yeah. The Spirit PaG.o.da headquarters has a door just like this.”

“Yes, they're similar. Similar, but different. Apart from Shrek Academy, no other society can compare with the Spirit PaG.o.da's resources. However, our Blacksmith's a.s.sociation also has a few tricks up its sleeve, and this sealed s.p.a.ce is used for storing important treasures and cla.s.sified materials. You could call it our warehouse. Only high-level members of the a.s.sociation can enter it. Once you become a Saint Blacksmith, you'll gain access to it too. The key is a Saint Blacksmith's badge.”

Saint Blacksmith's were seventh-rank blacksmiths. Tang Wulin yearned for the day he could finally step on that plane of existence.

“Uncle-master, is it hard to soul refine?” Tang Wulin asked.

Zhen Hua smiled and shook his head. “It's both hard and not hard at the same time. You have a strong foundation and good wits. But you're lacking in soul power. I can help you with that, though. I have many treasures that can boost your cultivation. Would you like to go that route?”

Tang Wulin stared at him in astonishment. “Uncle-master, what do you mean?”

Zhen Hua chuckled. “I can see it in your eyes that you already understand. Don't you feel embarra.s.sed keeping up an act?”

Tang Wulin scratched his head, showing a meek smile. Of course he would want to get his hands on some treasures.

“If you use treasures to boost your cultivation, I guarantee you'll become a t.i.tled Douluo and Divine Blacksmith within fifteen years. However, I must warn you, your foundation won't be firm and you'll likely never advance into a Hyper Douluo. Still, that should be enough for you in my opinion. Battle armor will improve your strength anyway. As long as you get a set of four-word battle armor and become a t.i.tled Douluo, you'll stand at the very peak of the world,” Zhen Hua said.

“Uncle-master, I've always been curious about that. If battle armor can make a t.i.tled Douluo as powerful as a Limit Douluo, why do they still continue to cultivate to become Hyper Douluos?”

Zhen Hua sighed. “They're not quite the same. You'll understand once you reach that level. Even if you compared two Limit Douluos, or two t.i.tled Douluos with the same amount of soul power, the combat strength of the one who boosted their advancement through the use of treasures and the one who advanced normally would differ. And more importantly, only by relying on their own strength can they hope to ascend to G.o.dhood. No one has ascended in the last ten thousand years. But who doesn't wish to ascend like the founder of the Tang Sect, Tang San? Or the Spirit PaG.o.da founder, Spirit Ice Douluo Huo Yuhao?

“Think about this carefully. If you choose to accept my offer, then I'll nurture you into a Divine Blacksmith by the time you're thirty. You'll be the youngest Divine Blacksmith in all of history and stand at the world's summit. However, you'll also be turning your back on the path of battle, forgoing the mysteries of the world.”

A moment of silence slipped by. ”Uncle-master,” Tang Wulin eventually said. “Can you give me some time to consider it?”

Zhen Hua's offer was enticing. Tang Wulin's cultivation wasn't advancing quickly, but when it came to blacksmithing, he was blessed by the heavens. If he became a Divine Blacksmith and a t.i.tled Douluo, he could easily proceed to become a four-word battle armor master as well. However, he had to consider if this was what he truly wanted. With this sudden choice thrust upon him, he didn't know what to do.

Zhen Hua smiled. “Don't worry about it too much. I didn't know what to do back when I was your age too. Just pick whatever route you think is best for you. And even if you choose to cultivate with your own efforts, you still have a good chance of becoming a Divine Blacksmith. Consider your options carefully, and when you make your decision, make sure you do so with the resolve to see it through to the end with no regrets. There are countless treasures in this world, but there are none that can cure regret.”

“Thank you, Uncle-master.”

The two stepped through the spatial doorway and entered the sealed s.p.a.ce. It was enormous, utterly different from that of the spirit soul tower. Truly a gigantic warehouse. Countless doors lined the perimeter and stood all around, leading to unknown s.p.a.ces.