13 Chapter 13.

Sorry for the late update, I just got free from my right now and it's 1:45 in the morning.

Enjoy people. I'm going to sleep. 🥱

P. S Please leave a comment or review, that'll be very much appreciated.

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The ability of the first form of the Chaos Green Lotus, the Golden Lotus should unquestionably surpass what it currently exhibits after gaining a suitable soul ring. Wang Feng's gaze shifted away from the little bird as he once again became lost in contemplation. 

"I'm still lacking a soul ring but once I obtain one, I'm certain the golden lotus will unveil its true potential." he mused.

The present ability of the Golden Lotus is just the tip of the iceberg, a mere glimpse of its true potential. The moment a soul ring embraces its core, a whole new realm of possibility will unfold, like closed petals blooming into a majestic flower.

As Wang Feng felt the enigmatic Chaos Green Lotus martial soul within him, he marveled at the first form's astounding recovery capacity. The question now lingers - what marvels will the higher forms of this golden lotus unleash? Second, third, fourth forms - each a doorway to uncharted abilities, waiting to be unraveled. The journey ahead looks brim with excitement, an adventure into the realm of untold wonders!

Wang Feng was still in awe, utterly unable to fathom how he has awakened this OP of a martial soul. As he made his way toward the small lake in the distance, a cold bath seemed like the perfect way to cool his feverish heart before engaging in some exercise.

Unbeknownst to Wang Feng, the little bird he left behind suddenly erupted with excitement, vigorously flapping its wings. With a swift motion, it sliced a thumb-sized branch clean in half! If Wang Feng had witnessed this, he would surely have been left flabbergasted. This seemingly ordinary bird had evolved into a soul beast from a normal birdy and not just any soul beast—it was Lingzhi, an extraordinary one!

(E/N: Truly sorry as I don't know what or who Lingzhi is. It might be some ancient Chinese mythological birdy like that of a phoenix or roc.)

Meanwhile, Wang Feng, by the lake, contemplated the powers of the first form of his martial soul he had harnessed earlier. It surpassed even his wildest imaginings—beyond mere healing, it bestowed upon him newfound abilities to practice and gain wisdom.

With thoughts about hunting spirit beasts and the gaps in his strength, Wang Feng immersed himself in rigorous training. Swimming, sprinting, navigating obstacle courses and performing various weight exercises to push his limits as he sought to bolster his strength further.

His journey on the Douluo Dalu demanded even more and he knew he must enhance his skills if he was to succeed. Determined, he aimed to harness the true potential of his golden lotus and forge ahead into a future filled with incredible challenges and wondrous growth.

Wang Feng contemplated, determined to enhance his strength by incorporating continuous weight training. He envisioned wearing weights constantly, even during daily activities like eating, drinking, and sleeping. As he thought about strength training, the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer method came to his mind, a technique he had read about in the original work. It fascinated him with its unique way of increasing force, seemingly defying scientific principles.

Though he couldn't ask Tang Hao to teach him such a special skill, Wang Feng decided to try and learn it on his own. After all, he was a traveler with enhanced abilities and self-learning seemed kind of plausible. Excited and confident, he borrowed a hammer from Tang Hao's forge and requested a large amount of raw iron to create weight-bearing protective gear.

Wang Feng's determination and dedication to training intrigued Tang San, who was surprised by his friend's ambitious plans. As Wang Feng set off with the raw iron, Tang Hao marveled at his skills, acknowledging that he was even better at striking iron than even his own son.

Meanwhile, Tang San revealed that Wang Feng was planning to fight Master Su Yuntao, a level 26 war spirit master, in three months. Tang Hao couldn't help but wonder at Wang Feng's audacity to challenge someone of that level at such a young age. The anticipation of this upcoming confrontation lingered in the air, adding an air of excitement and mystery to Wang Feng's journey of growth.

"Yes, it does seem a bit peculiar." 

Tang San thought, contemplating the prospect of facing Su Yuntao in a duel. He realized that using hidden weapons might offer him a better chance against his formidable opponent as they would be more effective in the shadows rather than in direct combat.

Tang Hao expressed interest in witnessing the battle when the time came, adding to the intrigue surrounding the upcoming event.

Days passed and Tang San continued practicing the hammering technique taught by his father, swinging the hammer continuously, reaching his limit. His excitement grew and he wondered what Wang Feng was up to during this time.

Curious, Tang San decided to find Wang Feng and discovered that he had been frequenting the village to buy raw iron. Pondering the complexity of hammering, Tang San speculated whether Wang Feng was attempting to forge something from iron himself.

Venturing into the nearby grove, Tang San heard the familiar clang of hammer striking metal. Following the sound, he stumbled upon Wang Feng, diligently and enthusiastically beating the fixed iron with a hammer.

Amazed by Wang Feng's determination and skill, Tang San observed his friend's relentless effort, realizing that Wang Feng's pursuit of self-improvement went beyond their expectations. The scene left Tang San both surprised and inspired as he marveled at the depth of his friend's commitment to growth and training

…

"What is this?" Tang San gazed into the distance with astonishment visible in his eyes.

Before him, Feng'ge swung his hammer, striking a piece of raw iron. Each blow sent sparks flying as the hammer rebounded, causing Feng'ge to pivot and strike the iron once more, generating an even stronger force and more dazzling sparks.

"This…isn't this the technique father taught me?" Tang San observed brother Feng, who was drenched in sweat, with a surprised expression.

It was a method of utilizing force, leveraging the impact of hitting the iron to swiftly follow up with another powerful strike, surpassing the previous one in force. It allowed for rapid tempering of the iron while providing an excellent workout.

"Did father teach Feng'ge as well? No, something is different..." Tang San squinted, noting the distinct posture adopted by Brother Feng, unlike the one taught by his father. It appeared a bit crude and Feng'ge hadn't been to the forge recently. Could it be that he grasped this technique on his own?

"Brother Feng understood this through his own insights?" 

Tang San marveled at the brilliance of his friend.

While Tang San had followed his father's footsteps, Feng'ge was forging his own path, walking with sheer determination. Tang San continued to observe the spectacle.

"Brother Feng is getting stronger and stronger. This is already the thirtieth hammer..." Tang San whispered.

With each strike, Feng'ge's power increased.

"This is incredible," Tang San murmured, recognizing that this strength wasn't merely a result of the number of swings but derived from some kind of unique technique.

"He can learn and understand this skillful technique by himself. Feng'ge is truly brilliant." Tang San admired.

Unlike Tang San, who was guided step by step by his father, Feng Ge experimented and made changes with a singular purpose. He sought to achieve an effect akin to the Disorder Splitting Wind hammer method but it wasn't yet sufficient.

"Fortunately, I have Meteoric Tears. As long as I can persist, I can continue researching," 

Wang Feng thought, acknowledging the toll this intensive research took on his body.

Only someone like him, with Meteoric Tears, dared to undertake such exhaustive research and tolerate the physical strain.

Initially, it was tough. For two full days, he relied solely on his physical strength to deliver each hammer blow. He struggled to comprehend the application of force and find the right posture. Unlike Tang San, who received direct guidance, Wang Feng had to discover the essence of the technique himself.

"Just keep studying and evolving... In two months, I should develop a relatively complete set of hammer technique. While it might not surpass the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer method initially, continuous research may yield superior results." Wang Feng mused with a touch of arrogance.

As a time-traveler, benefiting from the knowledge of previous traverser and wielding golden fingers, surpassing them would prove his true strength.

"However, this hammering method truly depletes energy. After thirty-six strikes, it becomes challenging to continue... Each hammer becomes harder than the last and the difficulty increases geometrically... Once I forge the two pieces of raw iron into a simple protective gear capable of carrying 150 kilograms, the training difficulty will escalate significantly, along with the benefits," He strategized.

As evening approached and darkness enveloped the surroundings, Wang Feng exhaustion became palpable and he collapsed to the ground, his eyes shimmering with a golden hue.

The power of meteor tears surged through him, reinvigorating his body. 

"This feels refreshing," he exhaled.

The hammering and lifting technique could indeed push the body to its limits rapidly, making him feel stronger.

"Now, at my current limit, I should be able to swing five or six more hammers!" Wang Feng declared. 

With consistent effort, he could swing hundreds of hammers without pausing. But the true mastery lay in delivering each hammer with superior force, with each blow surpassing the last.

"I should rest for now and continue to tomorrow." Wang Feng decided, returning to the village.

Over the next two months, Wang Feng dedicated himself to studying and practicing the hammer technique, until his physical prowess allowed him to swing 64 hammers in one breath. This remarkable speed increase was beyond imagination and would have taken years to achieve without the aid of Meteoric Tears.

His overall improvement was significant. In comparison to his state three months ago, Wang Feng's strength now was such that he could defeat his past self effortlessly with only 10% of his current power. However, he also knew that Tang San must also have been growing during this time as well.

The time drew near. 

"Brother Tao, it should be time," Wang Feng said as he secured the iron block he had tempered onto his calf and donned the iron vest, totaling close to one hundred fifty kilos in weight. An ordinary adult would struggle to walk even a hundred meters carrying such a load, but Wang Feng moved with surprising ease, as if he had already adapted to it.

Half a month before the agreed date, Wang Feng had secretly forged and tempered this weight-bearing protective gear in the blacksmith's shop. He had since grown accustomed to wearing it, taking it off only during meals and baths.

With the various components distributed across his body—calves, arms, and back—each weighing about fifty kilograms, he had transformed them into a simple yet formidable protective gear. As a result, Wang Feng now appeared sturdier than before.

With everything prepared, Wang Feng left the village and headed towards the designated meeting spot outside the village.

On the other side, Su Yuntao released a sigh and his eyes wandered.

Lately, Su Yuntao had become engrossed in the story of the Douluo Dalu Soul Breaking the Sky but he had only managed to read half of it before it ended, around the time when Xiao Yan confronted the enemy from the soul palace. Frustrated by this, he had been eager to find the kid from Holy Soul Village to hear the rest of the story.

However, as a dignified 26th-level war spirit master, he couldn't casually visit Holy Soul Village. He had to wait patiently until the agreed-upon date.

Touching his chest, Su Yuntao frowned, "I sustained a minor injury while hunting the soul beast the other day but it shouldn't be a problem. Once I'm face to face with this kid, I can defeat him with one hand and make him divulge the rest of the story."

"Although I shouldn't hurt him yet as his martial soul is useless against me. I hope he's been training these days so I can challenge him without causing serious harm to him."

"It's quite a challenge for me, Su Yuntao to not harm him!" he declared with determination.

...….