Chapter 97 - Spirit Item Fusion
“You found everything?”
When he heard the voice, it was as if a gong had been struck inside his head, causing him to feel a bout of nausea as he once again entered that dark space.
The ephemeral golden figure appeared before him. He hadn’t entered this world in his sleep this time, but rather, he had entered while completely awake. For him, this confirmed that everything before his eyes was real.
“I think I have everything.” Tang Wulin nervously looked at the golden figure before him before summoning up his courage to say, “What should I call you?”
That golden figure seemed to freeze for a moment, before it slowly answered, “You can just call me Old Tang.”
“Old Tang?” He wasn’t sure why, but when Tang Wulin said this name, a strange feeling stirred within his heart. His family name is also Tang, the same as me?
“It’s just a name. Well then, time waits for no one. I have already sensed the aura of those three heaven and earth treasures. It must have been difficult for you to find them in such a short period of time. Are you ready to break the first seal now?”
Tang Wulin blinked in astonishment a few times. “Do I still need to do anymore preparations?”
Old Tang profoundly said, “You need to prepare many things: endurance, strength, courage, and dedication. When you break the first seal, you will experience unfathomable suffering. This pain may drive you to insanity or cause you to give up. If you don’t have the qualities I spoke of, then you will be unable to bear the seal’s power. If you are driven to insanity, then you may lose all hope of recovering.”
Startled, Tang Wulin stared at Old Tang. “You didn’t tell me this last time. Last time you said I only needed to find these three items…”
Old Tang indifferently spoke, “Don’t tell me you actually thought it would be so easy to undo the seal that is preventing your death? In this world, there is nothing you can obtain without putting in the work. In order to obtain something, you must pay forward an equivalent amount. Regardless of whether this happens in your life or in your cultivation, everything is like this. As a Soul Master, if you don’t put in the hard work, to withstand pain and loneliness surpassing others and possess a will stronger than ordinary people, how could you possibly become powerful?
“The situation you are currently faced with is also the same. The portion of the Golden Dragon King’s soul that is contained within this first seal will fuse with, and transform, your body. If the fusion succeeds, then your strength will increase in every aspect. In the process of fusing with it, the first thing you need to do is endure the pain. Although you are still young, you have no other choice but to do so.”
Tang Wulin remained silent. Even though he was young, his father had always been instructing him on how to conduct himself. He understood that everything Old Tang said was for his sake.
“Since I have no other choice, I will definitely succeed.” Tang Wulin’s expression grew resolute as he spoke this.
He still wanted to go search for his parents and Na’er. He also needed to help his comrades attain victory in the Class Promotion Tournament. If not to become strong, then for what reason had he obtained these three treasures?
It was due to these reasons that he didn’t cower at all in the face of those risks.
“Please tell me what I need to do now,” Tang Wulin said.
Old Tang said, “You now need to find a quiet place, a place people won’t visit or disturb you for at least several days. After you have done this, you will need some sort of vessel that you can seal. You will put the two spirit fruits into the vessel and pour the hundred year dragon-type beast blood over it. Then you will seal the vessel and wait for the contents within it to calm. Finally, you will drink everything within the vessel. Only then will you be ready to break the first seal.”
“Okay.”
Old Tang said, “After you have done this, I will guide you in breaking the first seal. You must remember, however, that before you take this medicine, you must be in your best state and your heart must be tranquil.”
Tang Wulin opened his eyes once again and was met with the familiar sight of the forging workshop from before. Similarly, outside the workshop everything was still in chaos from the wind and rain.
The hum of the wind and pitter-patter of the rain grew louder and louder. Soon it was accompanied by roaring thunder. It was as if the heavens and earth had been torn asunder.
Tang Wulin glanced at the three treasures for a moment before taking out his soul communicator and dialing Xie Xie’s number.
“Hello? Wulin, why haven’t you come back yet? The hurricane has already hit us. Where are you right now?” Xie Xie’s static filled voice fired questions at him in rapid succession. The hurricane was now affecting their communicator’s transmissions.
Tang Wulin calmly responded, “I’m fine. I finished my business at the Blacksmith’s Association before the hurricane struck and now I’m taking shelter in my forging workshop. It’s too windy and rainy outside so I’m unable to return at the moment. Fortunately I can just complete some forging tasks in the downtime. I’m calling you to assure you that I’m fine. Did you get all of that?”
“Your voice is a bit fuzzy, but I could understand most of what you said. Everything is good as long as you’re fine. The hurricane also came at an opportune time. Just wait for this big brother to cultivate hard for the next few days and see if I can make a breakthrough and become a two ringed Soul GrandmMaster. If I can, then we’ll beat up those bastards from class one.”
Tang Wulin said, “Don’t get ahead of yourself. Safety is still our number one priority.”
Xie Xie let out a mischievous laugh. “You can be at ease, I’ll be fine. Teacher Wu is paying special attention to me. The three of us were originally supposed to undergo special training together, but you didn’t come back. I’ll cover for you for a couple of days. Just quickly come back once the hurricane has died down a little.”
“En. Alright.”
After hanging up his communicator, Tang Wulin looked at the window and the door once again. He checked that everything had been locked up before returning to the table.
Getting ahead of himself? He was the one getting ahead of himself in his enthusiasm to make a breakthrough. After all, what would he become afterward?
It was really easy to find a sealable vessel inside of the workshop. After all, it had been one of the first things he had learned to forge and he could also just quickly forge it if he couldn’t find one.
He took the metal cup and placed it on top of the table.
Do I begin now? No. Old Tang said I must be in my best state. I must be calm and steady.
He began meditating and regulating his breathing. He recovered some of the soul power he had expended and gradually stilled his mind.
After some time had passed, he awoke from his meditative state with his body in peak condition.
Amidst the sounds of the wind and rain, Tang Wulin unhesitatingly got up and put the two hundred-year fruits, the Ice Crystal Fruit and the Scarlet Flame Fruit, into the metal cup. Afterward, he swiftly opened up the porcelain bottle and poured the fishy- smelling dark violet blood into the cup.”
A powerful wave of energy began overflowing from the cup, causing the entire cup to begin trembling. Tang Wulin hastily covered the cup with its lid, sealing it before holding it close to his chest.
A succession of explosions began to rumble within the cup. Tang Wulin nearly let go of the cup as it was scarlet red with heat. The intensity of the rumbling increased even further. The red coloring began to fade and in its place was a layer of frost.
He was vaguely able to hear the roar of a dragon within the cup.
The Scarlet Flame Fruit and Ice Crystal Fruit were both spirit fruit treasures. After reaching a hundred years, they had already gained a trace of intelligence. Fire and ice were two extremes, and together, a violent rejection would naturally occur. When restrained within the small cup, this violent rejection became even fiercer and the two began to mutually attack the other.
The hundred year dragon-type soul beast blood was what increased their effects as well as what brought the two into harmony. These three spirit items mixed together to quietly created a fantastic reaction.
Tang Wulin subconsciously drew back a few steps. He had sensed that within the metal cup was a powerful energy that wanted to break free. It’s not going to actually explode, right? All of my efforts would go to waste then.
Fortunately, the small explosions booming within the metal cup gradually died down. The cup was now intermittently changing between a flaming red and an icy blue color as it calmed.
Despite this, Tang Wulin could still sense an immensely powerful energy emanating from within the metal cup. He didn’t know where this feeling came from, but it had somehow made its way into his mind.
That was wrong. This feeling hadn’t come naturally. It was only after he opened the bottle of dragon-type soul beast blood that this feeling came about. Everything he felt was caused by that dragon blood.
Old Tang’s words echoed within his mind. He didn’t dare to delay and hastily stepped forward to pick up the metal cup. Its temperature was oddly normal, merely a bit warm.
After unsealing the cup, a reeking, strange smell assaulted his senses, causing Tang Wulin to nearly sneeze.