Legend of the Dragon King: I really didn't mean to provoke them!

"Of course it's true." Tang Wulin nodded, both helpless and amused.

"Then grant me one request," Xie Xie said, seizing the opportunity.

“No problem!” Tang Wulin replied immediately.

Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Xie Xie instantly put away his handkerchief, as if the tear stains on his face had never existed, and resumed his carefree, smiling demeanor.

"You should have said so earlier! Since we're good partners, how about you join my Xie family's blacksmith team?"

Tang Wulin asked in confusion, "A blacksmith... a team?"

"Hmm~ Hmph!"

Xie Xie gave Tang Wulin a general overview of the structure of his team of blacksmiths, as well as the various benefits and resources they enjoyed.

"Tang Wulin, have you ever heard of battle armor?" Xie Xie asked mysteriously.

"I've heard of it." Tang Wulin nodded.

He had only heard about it, and didn't know the specifics.

Xie Xie explained, "After so many years of development, soul-guided mechs have gone from being small-scaled to large-scaled, and now they've returned to being small-scaled, with their individual combat power becoming increasingly stronger!"

"And the Battle Armor is the miniaturized mecha that best suits its user!"

"Let me tell you, almost all god-level mecha pilots build their own mechas and battle armor to maximize their strength!"

"And also, you can engrave words on the battle armor!"

"A one-character battle armor can be engraved with one character, a two-character battle armor can be engraved with two characters, and so on."

"Engrave words?" Tang Wulin asked, puzzled. "Why do we need to engrave words?"

Xie Xie smacked Tang Wulin on the head. "Are you stupid?"

"Well……"

Tang Wulin held his head in frustration.

"The inscription serves two purposes: first, to demonstrate the level of your battle armor; second, it..."

As Xie Xie spoke, the playfulness in his tone unconsciously faded, replaced by a seriousness that even he himself didn't realize.

"The second is to engrave the person you like or the most important person on your battle armor. That is another kind of promise besides spirit fusion, that can accompany you to the battlefield and protect you for a lifetime."

After saying that, Xie Xie resumed his carefree and nonchalant demeanor.

He reached out and hooked his arm around Tang Wulin's shoulder, winking and saying, "When you become a Title Douluo and forge a four-word battle armor, who knows whose name you'll engrave on it!"

Golden Dragon Moon Whisper~

Silver Dragon Dance of the Unicorn~

Tang Wulin nodded as if he understood, his gaze lingering on Xie Xie for a moment before quickly shifting away.

Yun Xiao, who was being completely ignored, nudged Zhou Changxi, who was also being ignored, next to her.

"Hey, don't you think those two...act kind of gay?" Yun Xiao said quietly, pointing at Tang Wulin and Xie Xie.

Zhou Changxi was puzzled, "But I saw Tang Wulin and Gu Yue in the cafeteria before, didn't I?"

"Tang Wulin and Gu Yue?" Yun Xiao frowned. "Doesn't Gu Yue often fight with Xie Xie?"

"Didn't Tang Wulin also get involved with Xie Xie..."

Zhou Chenxi stopped mid-sentence.

The two exchanged a glance and took a step back simultaneously.

Yeah, the relationships in your circle are really messy.

Ultimately, under Xie Xie's various forms of guidance (and coaxing), Tang Wulin agreed.

Seeing Tang Wulin accept the token symbolizing the Xie family's blacksmith team, Xie Xie's lips practically curled into a smile, and he immediately pounded his chest and guaranteed:

"Good brother, truly a good brother!"

"From today onwards, you're under my protection! If anyone dares to bully you, they'll have to ask me first if my Light Dragon Blade will allow it!"

Yun Xiao said weakly, "Shouldn't you say that after you defeat Gu Yue?"

"roll!!"

The fulfilling days passed in the blink of an eye.

Xie Xie lives a simple life, going between his dormitory, the canteen, and training.

Every day, I work as soon as I open my eyes and sleep as soon as I close them.

When Wu Changkong called the three of them to his office and told them that the first match of the promotion tournament would begin next week, he realized that more than two months had already passed.

In just over two months, Xie Xie's changes were almost visible to the naked eye.

Not only did his soul power break through to the peak of level nineteen, but his physical strength was also three or four times that of when he first entered the school.

Xie Xie can now completely use Tang Wulin's hammer as a weapon, which moved him so much that he held onto the hammer all day long.

The next day, Tang Wulin went and exchanged his hammer for a heavier one.

Xie Xie: ...Damn it!!

It's funny, actually.

Xie Xie could occasionally defeat Tang Wulin and Gu Yue together when he was giving it his all, but he was always beaten by Gu Yue in one-on-one fights.

Every time Gu Yue gets close to victory, she resorts to trickery, but Xie Xie always falls for it.

Others learn from their mistakes.

He suffered one setback after another with Gu Yue.

After two months, Xie Xie was driven to the point of questioning his existence.

Chapter 20 Was it a staged accident?

"Teacher Wu, do we need to collect information in advance?" Tang Wulin asked.

"Do we even need any information?" Xie Xie draped his arm over Tang Wulin's shoulder. "Just drive right through them!"

Wu Changkong did not refute, which can be taken as an admission.

"The promotion tournament is about to begin, one match every day until all the matches are over. I'm giving you a goal: to reach the fourth grade." Wu Changkong's tone remained calm.

Normally, students with two rings will appear in the third grade, and it is common for students with two rings in the fourth grade.

No wonder the academy said that this year's first-year class one was the strongest class, but unfortunately they encountered three dragons, and their bloodline levels were not low.

I was referring to Class 1, Grade 4.

Wu Changkong added, "If you defeat Class 1 of the fourth grade, you can get all the rewards; otherwise, they will all be confiscated as class funds."

Xie Xie put his hands on his hips and said, "So what? The class funds are still going to be used for us."

Wu Changkong glanced at Xie Xie expressionlessly.

"Alright, let's begin today's training."

"Tang Wulin, you will fight Gu Yue. As for Xie Xie..."

With a flick of her wrist, the Heavenly Frost Sword was drawn, its chilling aura piercing Xie Xie's crown. "Spar with me alone."

Gu Yue couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.

Xie Xie instinctively wanted to use Tang Wulin as a shield, but Tang Wulin had already stood next to Gu Yue, looking at him with a sympathetic expression.

"When has Teacher Wu ever changed her mind? Keep it up, young man!"

As Wu Changkong approached step by step, Xie Xie grew increasingly terrified.

Nearly two months of solitary training almost gave him PTSD! The worst part is that Wu Changkong showed absolutely no mercy, and the Heavenly Frost Sword even had a built-in freezing buff!!

"No, Ms. Wu! Yamete!"

"Aww! Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"

Another day of training has begun.

The promotion tournament is an annual grand event for Donghai Academy.

Only the promotion tournament is something that all grades in the entire college must participate in.

In the promotion competition, students' outstanding performance will be recorded in their personal files, which will play an important role in their future admission to higher-level institutions of higher learning.

Moreover, the rewards for the promotion tournament are quite generous.

Classes that achieve excellent results in the promotion competition will not only see changes in their rankings, but their homeroom teachers will also receive awards.

Of course, almost no one paid attention to the first day of the competition.

Since the challenges were initiated by the weakest classes, the stronger classes felt there was no point in watching.

Today is the first day of the promotion competition, and also the start of the competition for Class 5 of Grade 1.

In the very center of the intermediate-level playground, a competition platform has been erected using metal plates ten centimeters thick, and there are also special soul-guided shield launchers around the platform.

In order not to affect students' studies, the competitions are held after school.

After the bell rang, the students of Class 5, Grade 1, lined up in neat rows and followed Wu Changkong to the playground.

Tang Wulin and Gu Yue both followed the rules, lagging behind by half a step, and followed behind Wu Changkong.

Only Xie Xie, with his hands behind his head, swaggered ahead of Wu Changkong.

The students from Class 4 of Grade 1 walked over in twos and threes, seemingly not very interested in the competition.

Kong Hanwen, the homeroom teacher of Class 4, Grade 1, tried to strike up a conversation with Wu Changkong.

As a result, he was not only ignored, but also ignored by the entire Class 5 of Grade 1.

Kong Hanwen was so angry he almost twisted his nose. After making a sarcastic remark, he returned to his first-grade class, Class 4.

At this moment, Long Hengxu, the director of teaching, stepped onto the competition stage.

"Today, the promotion competition begins. Class 5 of Grade 1 will challenge Class 4 of Grade 1."

Long Hengxu looked at Wu Changkong and asked, "Teacher Wu Changkong, has your class decided how many students will participate?"

Wu Changkong raised his head slightly, "Three people from our class will participate."

Long Hengxu turned to Kong Hanwen, the homeroom teacher of Class 4, and said, "Three students from Class 5 are participating in the competition. Teacher Kong, I'll give you five minutes to assign tasks to the participating students."

"Galon, Lin Zunyuan, Moss, the three of you go!" Kong Hanwen's words were filled with anger and a hint of disdain. "Give them a good beating!"

With a wave of his hand, Wu Changkong sent Xie Xie and the other two onto the competition stage.

"Xie Xie, Gu Yue, Tang Wulin," Wu Changkong suddenly spoke.

The three of them turned around.

"Remember this: if you lose, the intensity of the special training will be increased tenfold."

As soon as Wu Changkong finished speaking, the air around Xie Xie and the other two suddenly froze, and a powerful killing intent suddenly surged out.

The intense killing intent sent a shiver down Kong Hanwen's spine.

Xie Xie and the other two slowly turned around and looked at each other. Their school uniforms fluttered without wind, and their eyes glowed with a red cross.

But Kong Hanwen quickly recovered and gritted his teeth, saying, "Hmph! Today I'll teach you what manners are! This is just a student we randomly picked from our class!"

Wu Changkong didn't bother to look at him anymore. He simply closed his eyes slowly, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"Prepare!"

The two were fifty meters apart, and Long Hengxu raised his right hand.

"The first match of the new school year's promotion tournament: Class 4 of Grade 1 vs. Class 5 of Grade 1..."

"start!"

As soon as Long Hengxu finished speaking, a golden light flashed before his eyes, and then Galon, who had just completed the Martial Soul Possession, was slapped away by a blade of light.

This sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard.