173 To Lose and Regain!

“It’s true that ordinary people can become Mecha Masters now and thatAuxiliary System Soul Masters can become quite formidable with a mecha, but theorigin of true strength hasn’t changed in the past hundred thousand years. Onlytruly talented Soul Masters can become genuinely powerful entities. It is forthis reason that real Battle Armor Masters are unequivocally powerful SoulMasters. On its own, battle armor doesn’t have any power, only serving toamplify a Soul Master’s abilities. A six-ringed Auxiliary System Soul Masterwith a mecha is merely cannon fodder in front of a similarly ranked Soul Masterwith battle armor. That is the unbridgeable gap between the two. Understood?”

“Yes! I understand!” Tang Wulin answered with a heavy breath.

He had long known the history of soul mecha. Soul Masters were rather doubtfulwhen they were first introduced since it narrowed the distance between SoulMasters and ordinary people. It also reduced the significance of one’s martialsoul; Soul Masters of similar ranks would be almost of equal strengthsregardless of their martial soul.

It wasn’t until the following era that Soul Masters finished developing battlearmor, returning the world to how it had always been. The strong were alwaysstrong!

Although Tang Wulin couldn’t comprehend the level of power a Soul Masterpossessed when equipped with battle armor, Wu Zhangkong’s reverence for battlearmor was clear in his tone of voice.Considering how powerful Teacher Wu is, hemust have seen one before!

“The starting price is two million, and the minimum bid increase is twohundred thousand. Let the bidding begin.”

The three pieces of battle armor each sold for sky-high prices, their combinedbids easily surpassing twenty million. This was only natural since they werebattle armor after all.

Virtually all battle armor were custom-made for specific Soul Masters andrarely sold, so it was difficult to find a piece on the market.

Furthermore, it was challenging to make them, each piece requiring ThousandRefined metal and a design specific to one’s martial soul. For some markedlyunique Soul Masters, their battle armor wouldn’t sell even if they put it onthe market.

For these reasons, powerful Soul Masters devoted their time to create theirown battle armor and the situation was similar for divine rank mecha.

Even six-ringed Soul Masters rarely had a battle armor to call their own, notsimply because they lacked the strength but also from a financial deficit andplain bad luck. It was impossible to master every secondary occupation, andeven if they did, they most definitely wouldn’t have the energy required todevelop as a Soul Master. In the end, they needed to rely on craftsmen todesign, make and adjust the armor for them.

Every set of battle armor was like an extension of the user’s flesh and blood,their most valued treasure as well as a sign of power and wealth.

Battle Armor Masters had long become the most prestigious existences on thecontinent; even one could outshine an entire Mecha Master regiment.

To have even a chance of using battle armor, at least four soul rings werenecessary. With such a requirement, it was no wonder that the great clans ofthe Douluo Continent were able to maintain their positions throughout the agesas they possessed both the finances to make battle armor and the Soul Mastersto equip them.

Tang Wulin still buzzed with excitement after leaving the Heaven Dou ImperialAuction.If the Dragonscale Fruit appeared once, then it’ll appear a secondtime. I don’t have enough money right now anyway. Once I earn enough money,I’ll definitely be able to get it.

After setting his eyes on the battle armor, a burning desire had been ignitedwithin Tang Wulin’s heart, his mind filled with scenes of donning such armor onhimself in the future. The domineering figure he conjured up made his bloodboil as he wondered if Battle Armor Masters were like the generals of oldentimes.

“Wait a moment.” Wu Zhangkong called out to Tang Wulin who was already makinghis way back to the inn.

Tang Wulin paused, and without any explanation, Wu Zhangkong led him to standon the side. The two quietly observed the other bidders coming out.

Tang Wulin’s didn’t ask for the reason why, his mind still preoccupied withfanciful thoughts about battle armor. With his adolescent temperament, this wasall it took to sweep away his gloom over the loss of the Dragonscale Fruit.

When a familiar figure entered his view, however, Tang Wulin’s brows jumped insurprise.

Isn’t that Branchmaster Zhao? The plump branchmaster exited the auction andheaded straight for them. He handed a jade box to Wu Zhangkong and dully spoke,“Pay back the money to the company’s account. I’m going now.” He rubbed TangWulin’s head with a faint smile before walking away, leaving Tang Wulin baffled.

The jade box in Wu Zhangkong’s hands disappeared in a flash of light.

“I’ll help you sell the rebellion entry card later. It should fetch enough tocover the price of the two intermediate entry cards. You can pay me for theDragonscale Fruit once we get back,” Wu Zhangkong said in his usual cold tone.

Tang Wulin was dazed. “Dragonscale Fruit? What are you saying…?” Understandinghit him suddenly.

Remembering Branchmaster Zhao’s exit from the auction house, a possibilityoccurred to him.The mysterious bidder from the sixth box was actuallyBranchmaster Zhao! So he was the one who won the bid.

From this new perspective, he realized that five million federal coins wasn’tactually that expensive.Teacher Wu was taking advantage of the intimidationfrom Branchmaster Zhao’s counterbid on the thousand-year Frozen Grass to saveme some money.

Although Wu Zhangkong had clearly stated the debt, this was just what TangWulin wanted—to earn it through his own efforts without having to rely on otherpeople. Only then would his conscience be clear.

“Let’s go back now.”

The master and disciple duo returned to the inn. Back in their room, WuZhangkong said to Tang Wulin. “Rest properly tonight. Tomorrow morning we’reentering Heaven Dou City’s spirit ascension platform to upgrade your spiritsoul. After that, we’ll return to Eastsea City.”

“Okay!”

Tang Wulin passed the night meditating and cultivated Purple Demon Eyes atdawn. He was now practically bursting with energy. This trip had brought himgenerous returns. He obtained one of the four spirit items he needed and had anidea of where he could acquire the rest. Now he would enter the spiritascension platform under Wu Zhangkong’s guidance to ascend his spirit soul. Itwas almost guaranteed that he would return to Eastsea City with a thousand-yearspirit soul! Now his rubbish Little Goldlight would transform into a powerfulthousand-year Little Goldlight.

At this moment, Tang Wulin could finally tell himself: I’m not a loseranymore; I have the potential to become a powerful Soul Master now!

Wu Zhangkong had Tang Wulin pack early in the morning before checking out oftheir room and boarding a soul bus headed for the spirit ascension platform.

Compared to Eastsea City’s, Heaven Dou City’s spirit ascension platform wassmaller in scale but brimming with heritage. The dazzling mural in the hallclearly depicted a tale that was far more complex than the one in Eastsea City.

Yet Tang Wulin was in no mood to appreciate it, still jumping with exitement.I wonder what the intermediate spirit ascension platform will be like?

The cards were easy to use; after a simple registration they were brought to aroom resembling the one in Eastsea City except smaller in size and with glasschambers instead of metal boxes.

The staff member who guided them didn’t question the master and disciple. Itwas quite normal for a clan to send a powerful adult to escort members of theiryounger generation and aid in upgrading their spirit soul to the limit since asturdy foundation was crucial. But while it wasn’t difficult for large clans toobtain entry cards, only the most gifted children earned such an opportunity.

Before entering the glass chambers, the two were required to strip down due toadditional restrictions set before entering the intermediate level. WuZhangkong explained to Tang Wulin that it was a rule set by the Spirit Pagodato prevent others from wearing battle armor into the spirit ascension platform.No one except the innermost members of the Spirit Pagoda knew the reason behindthe regulation.

It was impossible for someone entering the elementary level to possess battlearmor, but the intermediate level was different, forcing strict inspections toenforce this rule.

After finishing their preparations, metal rings fastened onto their bodies,holding them in place as the glass chamber’s cover closed.

“Prepare to enter!”

A golden light radiated from the metal rings, spreading a numbness throughoutTang Wulin’s body. In the next moment, his vision of the outside was replacedby a blank void.

Only after some time did the dark space transform into a sea of green filledwith a refreshing air that he knew all too well.

Intermediate spirit ascension platform, here I come!