He felt the spatial pull originating from his bloodline, but his handsome face remained unchanged. A flicker of understanding passed through his emerald-like eyes.
He quickly packed up all his forging tools, placed the unfinished metal into his storage ring, and adjusted his collar.
"The next time I return… it will probably be years later," Mu Yi thought with a quiet sigh. In the next moment, his figure vanished like foam in the forging room, leaving behind only faint green specks that slowly dissipated.
On the top floor of the association, the air rippled like water as Mu Yi elegantly stepped out of the void.
His signature lush green hair was neatly tied back with a silver ribbon, forming a sleek ponytail that swayed gently with his movements. His identity as a pseudo-Child of Nature endowed him with an even more outstanding presence—his emerald eyes seemed to contain endless forests within them.
Seeing Mu Ye's eager expression, Mu Yi immediately understood the purpose of his summoning. He bowed slightly, his voice clear and respectful. "Mu Yi greets you, Master."
Mu Ye grunted, trying hard to maintain a stern demeanor befitting a teacher, but the joy in his eyes betrayed him completely.
He scrutinized the young man before him, growing more satisfied with each passing moment—the upright posture like a pine tree, the balanced yet powerful muscle lines, and those eyes brimming with immense spiritual energy—all were quintessential qualities of a Body Martial Soul cultivator.
"Ahem, truly a remarkable talent," Mu Ye coughed to cover his excitement, his rough hand slapping heavily onto Mu Yi's shoulder with enough force to make an ordinary soul master collapse to their knees.
But Mu Yi merely swayed slightly, standing firm like a mountain. This made Mu Ye's eyes shine with even greater admiration.
He couldn't help but glance between Mu Yi and Gu La. If not for prior knowledge, he would never have guessed they were one and the same person.
The refined aura of a seasoned blacksmith that surrounded Mu Yi contrasted sharply with Gu La's scholarly calmness, yet the two blended harmoniously in an inexplicable way.
Mu Ye could only inwardly marvel at how Shrek Academy and the Spirit Pagoda had jointly created such a prodigy.
But now, this prodigy belonged to his Body Sect!
"Starting today, you'll undergo special training with me here," Mu Ye declared without room for argument. "As for the sect… you can return after mastering the Body Sect's secret techniques."
Gu La interjected at the right moment. "Elder Mu Ye, Mu Yi is still a Rank Six Blacksmith. Once he breaks through to Soul King, he'll reach Rank Seven."
"Nonsense!" Mu Ye waved his hand dismissively. "The golden age for cultivating the Body Martial Soul is limited to just a few years. Who cares about forging? I'll personally teach him the true secrets of the Body Sect!"
"What?"
Zhen Hua had heard enough. His relationship with Mu Ye was close, and they rarely kept secrets from each other. He had witnessed Gu La "selling" his clone.
He walked over from the forging area, glanced at Mu Yi, and turned to Gu La. "No wonder your forging skills have improved so rapidly. The two of you practicing together has certainly surprised us old-timers."
After praising Gu La and resolving his doubts, Zhen Hua turned to Mu Ye with a hint of irritation. "Stop talking nonsense. Can't you see what the kids are thinking? Balancing forging and cultivation is the best path."
Due to his average combat abilities, even after becoming a Divine Craftsman, Zhen Hua had been forced to forge heaven-forged metals for various factions, leaving him with hidden injuries and enduring much humiliation. Now, seeing a forging prodigy with astonishing combat strength made him eager to offer guidance.
"Mu Yi stays here. He'll learn forging from me regularly, and you can find time to teach him the Body Sect's secret techniques."
"That's settled."
"Agreed."
Mu Ye grinned. "I can't argue with you, so we'll do it your way. However, some cultivation cannot be interrupted. I must take Mu Yi with me to focus on practice."
Zhen Hua nodded in agreement.
Mu Yi and Gu La exchanged a glance, their thoughts aligned. After a brief silence, Mu Yi nodded slightly. "Student obeys."
Mu Ye's face lit up with joy, his rugged features displaying a childlike triumph. He wrapped his arm around Mu Yi's shoulders with such force that it nearly crushed him:
"Good! That's more like it! Let's go now—I can't wait to see how far you can take the sect's secret techniques!"
Gu La watched Mu Ye enthusiastically drag Mu Yi away, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Though Mu Ye's actions were rough, he was indeed a rare and excellent teacher.
Just as they were about to step out the door, Mu Ye suddenly turned back, his eyes flashing with mischief. "By the way, kid. Don't leave tonight—I'll come back and cook you a feast."
"I'll look forward to it."
Gu La waved goodbye and turned to Divine Craftsman Zhen Hua.
"Teacher, I'll trouble you to arrange an opponent for me. Below Level 55 will do."
"Alright, I'll arrange it shortly."
Zhen Hua harbored no resentment. It was a tradition of Shrek Academy that every few years, major factions would brace themselves for challenges. Although the Forging Association was generally peaceful, it hadn't faced many challenges.
However, both the Federation and the Spirit Pagoda often ended up humiliated during these events. Zhen Hua disdained their hypocrisy and enjoyed watching the spectacle.
"Thank you, Teacher."
Gu La left the top floor and headed to the battle room Zhen Hua had arranged for him.
The Forging Association didn't have a dedicated battlefield, so they temporarily cleared a forging room for him to fight against a young man.
The red-haired youth was just preparing to forge, his crimson hammer glowing with a liquid-like sheen under the firelight. He flicked away the sweat-soaked strands of hair from his forehead, revealing a slender mark on his brow.
"Chen Yu, Rank Five Blacksmith, Martial Soul: Crimson Hammer."
As his words faded, three purple and two black soul rings rose from beneath his feet. The hidden crimson patterns on the hammer came alive, flowing across the metal surface like molten lava.
Gu La noticed the layers of calluses on the youth's palms—a testament to years of pounding metal. Beneath his seemingly frail frame lay power honed through countless hammer strikes.
"I've heard you're from Shrek Academy." Chen Yu flipped his wrist, effortlessly spinning the three-hundred-pound hammer in his palm. "Though I focus on forging, my combat abilities are nothing to scoff at."
The hammer suddenly halted, the gust of wind stirring the hem of his black robe. "I won't concede easily."
A faint smile curved Gu La's lips. "Gu La, Level 49 Battle Soul Ancestor. Please instruct me."
"Just give it your all," Gu La straightened his stance. "Otherwise, you'll never get another chance."
The crimson hammer suddenly erupted with furnace-like heat as Chen Yu's first soul skill, "Molten Heart," activated instantly.
His charging stance resembled pushing an invisible forging platform, his hammer techniques subtly aligning with the association's secret "Thousand Forges" doctrine. Each strike carried the unique rhythm of metal shaping, and the seemingly cumbersome hammerhead left trails of orange-red afterimages in the air.
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