After dealing with the chaotic aftermath of the ambush, the group from Shrek Academy boarded a new train and arrived smoothly at the heart of the Star Luo Empire—the magnificent Star Luo City.
Once settled into their rooms at the Star Luo Grand Hotel, team leader Wu Zhangkong immediately called everyone together.
"Listen up," Wu Zhangkong's voice remained as cold as ever, his gaze sweeping over the group. "The main purpose of our trip is to participate in exchange activities with the Star Luo Empire, primarily engaging in interactions with various academies."
"At the same time, the Star Luo Empire will be hosting the 'All-Continent Youth Advanced Soul Master Elite Competition' during the exchange period. The academy has decided that you will represent Shrek Academy in this competition."
This news sparked excitement among the group, igniting a fiery determination in their eyes. The name of Shrek Academy was legendary on the Douluo Continent and equally renowned in the Star Luo Empire.
Wu Zhangkong continued, "In this competition, you need to pay special attention to one opponent—the 'Monster Academy.'"
"Monster Academy?" Xie Xie asked curiously. "The name sounds arrogant, but isn't that just imitating Shrek Academy?"
"They have the right to be arrogant." Wu Zhangkong's tone grew more serious. "The Monster Academy is the highest-level soul master academy, created with the full support of the Star Luo Empire. It gathers the top geniuses of this generation."
"Their goal is clear—to defeat us, Shrek Academy, in this competition and prove the strength of the younger generation of the Star Luo Empire."
"Therefore, set aside any underestimation. This will be a tough battle. Specific rules and opponent information will be distributed later."
Wu Zhangkong was extremely serious. He would not allow the academy to suffer disgrace due to his oversight again.
As soon as he received the news from the elder, he immediately used his connections within the Tang Sect to purchase intelligence and data on the Monster Academy.
"Dismissed."
After the meeting ended, Tang Wulin's thoughts drifted elsewhere. As a blacksmith, he was curious about the rare metals that might exist in the Star Luo Empire.
He turned to Gu La beside him: "Gu La, do you want to go out for a walk? I heard that the Star Luo Empire has some unique minerals, and I want to see if there are suitable rare metals."
Interest flickered in Gu La's eyes: "Sure, I also want to take a look."
The others were not interested in metals and returned to their rooms to rest, leaving only the two of them to leave the hotel and stroll through the bustling streets of Star Luo City.
Row upon row of shops, buildings with exotic charm, and passersby with generally stronger physiques made Tang Wulin feel intrigued.
"By the way, Gu La," Tang Wulin remembered Gu La's earlier acquisition during the attack, his tone filled with envy and curiosity, "the beast-type mech you acquired left a deep impression. If it's convenient, could I take a closer look at it? I'm very interested in its structure and forging methods."
"Minor matter." Gu La nodded readily. "When we return to the hotel room, I can take it out for you to study."
Tang Wulin had broken through to the fourth ring and was already a Rank 6 Blacksmith. Gu La never underestimated Tang Wulin's achievements in forging. If their cultivation levels were the same, their talents in forging would actually be quite similar.
One relied on the special influence of the Golden Dragon King bloodline on metal forging, while the other relied on the unique perception of metal bestowed by dominion over the earth. Both had immense power, and before undergoing the Heavenly Forging, the gap between them was not significant.
The topic naturally shifted to forging. Tang Wulin shared his experiences and insights while striving to become a Level 7 Blacksmith, his words brimming with passion:
"The realm of Soul Refining is vast and profound. I feel like I've just scratched the surface, and every attempt feels like opening a new door."
After Mu Yi broke through to Soul King, he was busy cultivating his innate martial soul under Mu Ye's supervision. He had no spare time to formally forge souls or strive for Level 7 Blacksmith status.
Two-word battle armor didn't require Soul Refining, so Gu La wasn't in a rush. Hearing this, he felt a sense of urgency. He had been leading for a while, but he couldn't let Tang Wulin catch up.
Deep in conversation, they unknowingly walked into a relatively quiet street, lined with more upscale shops and wider, brighter roads—Star Luo Avenue. Among them were specialized stores dealing in rare metals and soul-guided materials.
Just as Tang Wulin eagerly pointed to an elegantly decorated metal materials shop ahead and prepared to enter with Gu La, an unexpected incident occurred.
Walking on the inner side near the shop entrance, Tang Wulin's gaze was still fixed on the store's sign. Suddenly, the heavy wooden door swung open from the inside, and four exceptionally burly middle-aged men clad in dark, tight-fitting outfits stepped out in quick succession. Their steps were steady and powerful, exuding a fierce aura.
Tang Wulin couldn't dodge in time, and his shoulder collided solidly with the stern-faced, middle-aged man walking in front.
"Hmm?" Tang Wulin felt like he had crashed into a hard rock, but with his physique, he naturally didn't budge. Realizing he hadn't been paying attention, he quickly apologized: "Sorry, I didn't notice..."
However, before his apology was finished, the middle-aged man he collided with already wore an angry expression, feeling offended.
Without saying a word, a flash of ferocity appeared in his eyes. His palm, large as a fan, struck Tang Wulin's chest with a sharp gust of wind.
The force of this push was immensely heavy, carrying the formidable physical strength of a soul master. If an ordinary person were hit, several ribs might break!
The incident happened suddenly, and with such close proximity, Tang Wulin hadn't expected the other party to be so aggressive. In haste, he only managed to slightly shift his body to deflect the force, failing to completely evade.
"Slap!"
A clear thud echoed. The man's palm struck Tang Wulin's shoulder.
However, the anticipated scene of Tang Wulin spitting blood and flying backward did not occur. Tang Wulin only swayed slightly, his brow unfurrowed.
On the contrary, the attacking man's face changed abruptly. It felt like his palm had struck a piece of diamond tempered by countless hammers. A strong counterforce jolted his wrist, numbing it and causing severe pain in his finger bones.
"Hiss..." The man instinctively sucked in a breath, looking at Tang Wulin with astonishment and growing rage. How could this kid's bones be so hard?
"Looking for death!" The enraged man swiftly extended his other hand, fingers hooked, slicing through the air with a sharp whistle, fiercely grabbing toward Tang Wulin's wrist, intending to subdue him.
This time, Tang Wulin was prepared. His eyes turned cold; the other party had attacked without asking questions, which ignited his anger.
Just as the large hand was about to grab his wrist, Tang Wulin flipped his wrist with ghostly speed, precisely locking onto the man's wrist joint instead.
Simultaneously, he shifted his footing, exerting force from his waist, executing a clean and efficient grappling move.
"Bang!"
The burly man, larger than Tang Wulin, felt an overwhelming force. His joints screamed in pain, and he instantly lost balance. Tang Wulin deftly twisted his arm, pressing him firmly to the ground, face-down on the cold stone pavement, kneeling toward Gu La, emitting a muffled groan.
Gu La glanced indifferently at the burly man, unmoved.
"Bastards!"
Seeing this, the other three burly men were both shocked and furious. Their soul power erupted instantly, roaring as they prepared to charge and surround Tang Wulin.
"What's going on here?"
At this moment, a crisp yet authoritative female voice rang out from the shop entrance.
A girl in an elegant pale yellow dress emerged. She appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen, her features exquisitely refined, her skin snow-white, her smooth golden hair tied up, exuding noble grace. Her delicate brows were slightly furrowed, observing the chaotic scene before her.
The burly man pinned down by Tang Wulin struggled to lift his head. Seeing the girl, he urgently shouted: "Your Highness, a reckless brat bumped into us. We'll deal with him immediately."
The yellow-dressed girl's gaze swept over the subdued man, then landed on Tang Wulin, who stood tall with a stern expression, and finally rested on Gu La, whose demeanor carried a hint of arrogance and scrutinizing eyes.
Her gaze lingered on Tang Wulin for a moment, her brows furrowing further. She reprimanded the men preparing to attack: "Enough! How many times have I told you? This is Star Luo City, not a border military camp! Control your temper and don't cause trouble."
Her voice wasn't loud but carried an indisputable commanding tone.
Upon hearing this, though their faces still bore traces of unwillingness and anger, the menacing men immediately retracted their soul power, reluctantly stopping their advance, standing aside with their heads bowed, their eyes still glaring fiercely at Tang Wulin.
Tang Wulin had no intention of causing trouble. Seeing the responsible party step forward to stop the conflict and seemingly reasonable, he didn't wish to prolong the situation.
He snorted coldly, released the man on the ground, nodded slightly toward the yellow-dressed girl as a gesture of acknowledgment, then said to Gu La: "Let's go." With that, he turned to leave.
The girl's gaze briefly met Tang Wulin's as he prepared to depart. Tang Wulin's eyes were clear, candid, bearing a hint of displeasure from being disturbed, yet devoid of fear or flattery.
A trace of barely noticeable surprise flickered in the girl's eyes, evidently astonished by Tang Wulin's ability to easily subdue her guard and his composed demeanor.
Their gazes met, and both paused slightly, finding each other somewhat agreeable, at least not as presumptuously rude as imagined. They both nodded silently, tacitly agreeing to "let this matter pass."
When the yellow-dressed girl appeared, Gu La's gaze subtly tightened. Her iconic golden hair, exquisite features, the respectful address of "Your Highness" by her guards, and the unintentional display of royal elegance instantly led him to guess her identity—the sole princess of this generation of the Star Luo Imperial Family, Dai Yun'er.
'Even the spoiled princess is shallow when it comes to appearances, truly fitting of the Douluo Continent.'
Gu La thought inwardly. His Spirit Domain mental power was highly sensitive to people's emotions. After seeing the two boys' appearances, Dai Yun'er's anger visibly diminished.
He chuckled silently and followed Tang Wulin.
Gu La had no interest in the Star Luo Imperial Family, especially in the rumored temperamental princess, whom he preferred to keep at a distance.
Having confirmed her identity, he indifferently shifted his gaze, acting as if everything happening before him was irrelevant, softly saying to Tang Wulin: "Let's go," and turning away, showing no interest in even glancing at Dai Yun'er again.
Tang Wulin sensed Gu La's indifference and had no intention of lingering. The two quickly disappeared around the corner.
Dai Yun'er watched their retreating figures, particularly the green-haired youth who remained excessively calm and somewhat indifferent throughout, deep in thought.
She turned her head, her gaze sternly sweeping over her guards: "If this happens again, you don't need to follow me anymore! Remember, this is the capital, not a place for you to act recklessly. Go inside!" With that, she turned and entered the shop.
The burly men, trembling like frightened sparrows, quickly followed her in. The heavy wooden door closed once more, restoring the street to its peaceful state.
After walking a distance, Tang Wulin quietly said to Gu La: "Those guards' soul power wasn't weak. The yellow-dressed girl's identity must not be simple."
Gu La's pace didn't falter, his tone remaining calm: "Hmm, if I'm not mistaken, she's the sole princess of the Star Luo Imperial Family, Dai Yun'er, the emperor's most favored daughter."
He paused momentarily, a barely perceptible smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth, teasing: "If I'm not mistaken, she seems to have taken a liking to you. Want to stay in the Star Luo Empire and become a prince consort?"
Hearing this, Tang Wulin recalled Dai Yun'er's commanding reprimand and her guards' deference, realizing: "So it's her."
He then shook his head with a bitter smile, dismissing the episode. "Forget it, I have no interest in becoming a prince consort. Besides, we're just acquaintances. There's no future relationship."
"Whatever princess, none of them concern us. Let's go, continue searching for rare metals! Hopefully, the mineral resources of the Star Luo Empire won't disappoint."
The two continued walking toward shops selling rare metals. The slight unpleasantness brought by the brief conflict soon gave way to anticipation for unknown materials.
The minor episode with Princess Dai Yun'er was quickly forgotten. The two quickened their pace and entered the shop Tang Wulin had previously eyed, with its elegant and grand decoration and the signboard reading "Hundred Refinements Pavilion."
Upon entering, a mixed scent of various metals, slightly dense, greeted them.
The interior of the shop was spacious, though not brightly lit. Heavy metal shelves lined the walls, displaying metal ingots and ores of various shapes and colors, categorized neatly.
Some emitted a subtle, restrained glow, while others displayed peculiar textures. The air was imbued with the unique aura of metal materials.
The shopkeeper was a white-haired, spirited old man wearing a grayish-white robe. He was examining a fist-sized, dark red ore through magnifying glasses with great care.
Seeing customers enter, he looked up, a glimmer of shrewdness flashing in his cloudy eyes as he appraised the two youths, who, despite their young age, exuded an extraordinary presence.
Tang Wulin's gaze was immediately drawn to the dazzling array of metals. Like a child entering a treasure trove, he moved between counters and shelves, gently brushing his fingers over the cold metals, sensing their internal energy fluctuations and properties.
Gu La, on the other hand, appeared much calmer, his sharp gaze scanning through the metals, using his metal perception to seek out targets of interest.
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