Chapter 55 – Shouldn’t There Be Rewards?

That was right, this was precisely what Tang Wuling did. In Tang Wulin’s mind, Xie Xie was no longer a person, but a piece of metal that he was currently forging. His mind gradually entered the forging phase where one emptied out their thoughts and cleared their mind. Xie Xie’s previously dizzying actions seemingly slowed down and became clearer.

It was in this situation that the pair of Thousand Refined Tungsten Hammers were waved around, hammering twice each time to shield off Xie Xie’s attacks.

Though Xie Xie hadn’t started his third move, he felt a gush of vile wind blowing in his direction. Tang Wulin struck his hammer towards Xie Xie. From the ear-splitting sound it produced upon moving through the air, one could easily judge the heaviness of a single strike.

Xie Xie hastily dodged. However, Tang Wulin unfolded his hammers and started hammering down, his strikes, worthy of being called a ferocious thunderstorm, were aimed towards Xie Xie. The hammers produced a ‘wu-wu’ sound as they struck down, causing dust to rise from the ground. The repeated strikes left Xie Xie cowering in retreat.

Xie Xie didn’t dare use his Light Dragon Dagger against Tang Wulin’s attacks. He was an Agility System Battle Soul Master. He knew that even though his opponent was just using pure power, he wasn’t confident he could muster the strength to match it. If one compared both their strengths, the difference was simply too great.

With a flash of his body, Xie Xie quickly retreated and distanced himself from Tang Wulin. Tang Wulin didn’t give chase; he knew that his speed was of no match to Xie Xie’s. Involuntarily, he halted his hammering, but his gaze remained glued to Xie Xie and his every action.

‘This bastard!’ Xie Xie cursed in his heart. His gaze sharpened.

Xie Xie’s expression turned solemn as he caught his breath. The Light Dragon Dagger in his right hand waved slightly. At the same time, he raised his left hand. His entire person suddenly became more vigorous and powerful.

He pressed lightly against the ground with the tips of his toes and pushed out, shooting into the air. As he shot up into the air quickly, faint afterimages of himself trailed behind him. He unleashed a speed that had increased by at least 30% more than before.

Pelted by the wind Xie Xie produced, Tang Wulin raised both his hammers.

With his body in the air, Xie Xie gave Tang Wulin’s Thousand Refined Tungsten Hammers a light tap using the Light Dragon Dagger in his right hand. As he turned, Xie Xie’s energy was recharged. Simply by borrowing some from Tang Wulin in that little move, he was able to direct his left hand towards Tang Wulin.

Pu!

Tang Wulin’s back was marred with yet another scar.

The stabbing pain brought Tang Wulin back to his senses and he staggered a little, feeling the burning pain in his back. Despite that burning pain, a wave of heat flowed into his body from his spine.

Tang Wulin’s shock was eradicated by his joy. ‘Are the golden scales appearing? So it was true that the golden scales will only appear under the circumstances of being attacked?’

However, when he tried stabilising himself again, the sudden heat wave he felt a moment ago disappeared. It didn’t rise through his body like it did during his previous experience, when it transformed into a huge volume of strength, along with the appearance of golden scales.

“Stop!” Wu Zhangkong suddenly appeared between the both of them and halted the match.

“Xie Xie wins!”

Xie Xie sighed in relief, a strand of glee appearing in his eyes. He finally won! He had finally won for the first time and tears were flowing down his cheeks. But Xie Xie was curious as to why Tang Wulin’s golden scales didn’t appear. Could it be that he was still concealing them from others? Or that he was speaking the truth and didn’t know how to control those golden scales?

Wu Zhangkong spoke to Xie Xie, “You will be in charge of getting Tang Wulin a new uniform set.”

“Eh…”

‘Didn’t I win the match? Shouldn’t I be rewarded?’ Xie Xie felt his surroundings darken with despair. ‘How is this Tang Wulin guy always finding ways to cost me money!?’

‘How!’

Wu Zhangkong turned and faced the class. He spoke coolly, “The competition has ended and all of you have witnessed it. What are your feelings?”

“Rotten wood cannot be carved!” This Icily Arrogant Prince Charming answered his own question.

“It is no wonder why all of you have been sorted into class five, you are all a bunch of trash. However, even if you are all merely scrap iron, I will take pride in tempering all of you. As all of you would’ve seen from the previous match. What is Tang Wulin’s martial soul? It is the widely-recognised trash martial soul, Bluesilver Grass. However, Tang Wulin has successfully made it all the way to the finals, and even almost won the final match.”

“I was the winner, right?” Xie Xie grieved silently, why did it sound as if he lost the match?

Wu Zhangkong ignored him and continued. “He relied not only on his martial soul, but his body strength as well. Some say that physical power is useful in your current stage, but would be useless when everyone has upgraded their ranks and accumulated many soul skills.

“However, let me mention this; you are in no position to even think about accumulating many soul skills. You should first ask yourself, how many of you are able to reach the stage where you are able to possess a second soul skill? How many more can possess a greater number of soul skills? As you are in charge of your body, would you not think that having a strong physique is useful?

“Soul power is no longer the only criteria used to assess an individual’s potential in becoming a Mecha Master. Possessing a powerful enough energy storage soul tool would allow ordinary people to become aMecha Master as well. However, a strong physique is the foundation of all Mecha Masters. Without a good body, you will not be able to withstand the strong impacts that exist within a mecha, nevermind the high intensity combat. Therefore, those with a weak martial soul should start your physical fitness training with me tomorrow. Physical training in the morning, then theory and knowledge class in the afternoon.

“This morning’s class will end here. With regards to the competition earlier this morning, I want all of you to think about it. I will be teaching meditation for this afternoon’s theory and knowledge class. Class dismissed!”

This speech was one of the longest speeches the Icily Arrogant Prince Charming had given during his capacity as their teacher, yet it didn’t feel like a lecture. Rather, it was a mere statement of facts. Regardless of whether he was calling them trash or announcing the initiation of special training, his tone remained confident.

“Xie Xie, Tang Wulin, follow me.” Shortly after he finished that last sentence, Wu Zhangkong headed for the Academic Building.

‘Is he giving me a reward?’ A flash of jubilance appeared in Xie Xie’s eyes. Prior to his arrival to the school, he had heard of rewards being given out after matches within school grounds. These rewards weren’t too bad. He was, after all, the champion of class five. What would the reward be for a teacher as powerful as Wu Zhangkong? He started to imagine it.

Wu Zhangkong brought both students into his office. This office of his was pathetic in size, a mere ten square meters. The room was bare except for a desk, a cupboard, and a chair.

“The trash I referred to in my speech included both of you as well!” The Icily Arrogant Prince Charming’s first sentence killed all the good feeling within Xie Xie’s heart.

‘Shouldn’t there be rewards? If not, just a little encouragement?’

Wu Zhangkong looked towards Tang Wulin, “Your performance in the matches was fine. However, you didn’t give your all in the matches. That must be a variant Bluesilver Grass. Its tenacity looked extraordinary, but your soul power seemed weak and couldn’t last for a long period of time. In this situation, you won’t stand a chance if your opponent’s soul power is higher than yours. What’s with your hammers?”

Tang Wulin spoke with reluctance, “I’ve learnt forging before.”