Chapter 212 – Tough and Thick Skin
Tang Wulin said, “No, it’s fine. Don’t forget about the match in the afternoon. I might not be able to battle, but you guys still can. Do your best for me! I’ve already been eliminated from the individual competition, so I only have the team competition left.”
Gu Yue was dumbfounded. “You still want to compete?”
“Of course! You don’t have to worry; I’m fine. They’re just flesh wounds. I’ll be all better by tomorrow.” A strange emotion welled in his heart.
When he tried to move his body a while ago, he was hit with waves of ache, followed by an eerie numbness that faded into an itch. However, this was a good sign. It meant he was healing quickly.
Wu Zhangkong’s eyes narrowed. “You felt it too?”
“Huh?” Tang Wulin made a confused face.
Wu Zhangkong said, “When I was helping you close your wounds, I discovered that your body’s recovery ability is abnormally great. The sliced muscles were practically squirming to knit themselves back together and your other wounds were closing as well. That was the first time I had ever seen something like that. It is probably related to your bloodline. Does your body feel strange anywhere?”
Tang Wulin’s lips morphed into a wry smile. “Apart from being hungry, I feel fine.”
Wu Zhangkong nodded. “It seems all that food you eat hasn’t gone to waste. Gu Yue, can you fetch some high-protein food for him?”
“Alright.” Gu Yue was overjoyed from Tang Wulin’s speedy recovery and rushed off to complete her task.
“How do you feel about today’s battle?” Wu Zhangkong asked.
After a moment of retrospection, Tang Wulin answered, “She’s really strong. Her martial soul is powerful and her control is amazing. I can’t match her in martial soul control. If it wasn’t for my golden dragon claw, I probably wouldn’t have stood a chance.”
Wu Zhangkong made another gesture of approval. “That’s right. If she hadn’t underestimated you, you wouldn’t have stood a chance. Your golden dragon claw can’t be sustained for long. If she had been more prepared against you, she could have easily stalled until you ran out of soul power. After a while, you would lose your martial soul’s protection and the might of your golden dragon claw. Then defeat would be inevitable. It was only because she was too focused on a quick victory that you had a possibility of winning. You did pretty well, but in order to put perception and control into use, you need a sufficient power base.”
“Yes.” Tang Wulin understood Wu Zhangkong’s meaning. He was still too weak. He had only the Bind soul skill, and though his control over his Bluesilver Grass had improved, it wasn’t at the point of mastery. Furthermore, the mighty golden dragon claw required close combat usage to be most effective. Not only that, but it also couldn’t be sustained. The Tang Sect’s Purple Demon Eyes was no exception: its power was not absolute. After all, the technique had been blocked that very day. What he needed was to expand his library of battle-skills and increase his overall combat ability.
His first time injured so badly, Tang Wulin found his own recovery speed astonishing. This time, he had suffered quite a bit at Ye Xinglan’s hands. Although her stargod energy didn’t penetrate into his body, they exploded on his skin. That was more than enough to leave him in that blood-soaked state.
Surprisingly, it took him two hours after waking up to rise. His wounds were scabbed over like bizarre patchwork on a quilt.
By the time night settled, Tang Wulin could walk on his own and left for dinner.
Although his body was littered with wounds, concentrated on non-vital areas like his limbs, his rapid healing left his teammates utterly speechless. They gawked and couldn’t help but treat him as a monster.
Despite Tang Wulin’s absence in the team event’s second round, his team emerged victorious due to Gu Yue’s brazen charge. Their weak opponents were no match against her.
Xie Xie was the sole participant from their group to fight in the individual competition. Tang Wulin was left with the blacksmith’s and team competitions.
Regardless of his swift recovery, forging required immense amounts of energy. As such, he decided to skip the final round of the blacksmith’s competition after careful deliberation with Cen Yue.
However, he was guaranteed a spot in the top two because he forged a second-grade thousand refined metal. After all, the competition was scored by the sum of all the points obtained, with a significant amount based from the quality of refinement.
“You couldn’t have gotten injured on purpose to make me the champion, right?” Mu Xi had received the news of Tang Wulin’s injuries right after dark and ran over immediately.
The moment she saw Tang Wulin, her anxiety was washed away.
This guy is still gorging himself on food while in bed! He hasn’t even slowed down a little from his usual pace! It seems his injuries weren’t that serious.
“Of course not! My opponent was way stronger than me,” Tang Wulin said as he continued to nibble on some pork shoulder.
Mu Xi said, “It’s good if you’re alright then. Be careful in the future. And you can rejoice you little money grubber; I won the championship and the money is yours.”
“Hehe. Thanks a lot senior disciple sister. Actually, I really lost this time since I was too injured to compete. You’re such a good person though.”
Mu Xi giggled. “That’s enough. Stop flattering me so much. We both know how much you love money. Anyway, are you hungry for anything else? I’ll go buy it for you. Eat more and quickly recover.”
Tang Wulin put down his pork shoulder without a peep. This was the third time that this had happened. Before Mu Xi came, Gu Yue, Xie Xie, and Xu Xiaoyan had stopped by with the same offer. Afterward, Cen Yue paid him a visit and did the same. It was finally Mu Xi’s turn. Why does everyone who visits me treat me like a glutton? Even if I really am one, can’t they show some tact!
Mu Xi giggled as she took in Tang Wulin’s face that is blushing with embarrassment. “Who did you lose to today that left you in such a state?”
Tang Wulin said, “A girl with a sword.” He omitted the fact that she was from Shrek since he didn’t harbor any grudge against her. Besides, she was just a proud girl. In reality, she had been pulling her punches in today’s match, avoiding vital parts. If not, then Tang Wulin wouldn’t have been so well off.
There was a knock on the door.
Mu Xi cracked it open slightly to check who it was. The little fatty Xu Lizhi stood outside, stunned for an instant at the sight of Mu Xi. “Hello, I’m looking for Tang Wulin.”
“Come on in.” Mu Xi opened the door wide for him.
Xu Lizhi’s nose twitched a couple of times, his face’s fat contorting to squeeze his eyes. “Pork shoulder! You have pork shoulder!” He walked in, swallowing a gulp of saliva at the sight of the delicacies arrayed before Tang Wulin.
“Lizhi, you want to join me for a bit?” Tang Wulin was taken by surprise at his visit.
Xu Lizhi lowered his head. “Sorry Wulin! It’s all my fault. This all happened because I forgot my money that day and couldn’t treat you guys. Xinglan is actually a really good person! She’s usually taking care of me. Please don’t hold a grudge against her!”
Tang Wulin shook his head. “It’s fine! It was a match you know. It’s only natural for there to be some injuries. How could I be angry with her? Just look, don’t I seem better already? We might run into each other later in the team competition. I’ll have my teammates with me, so we might just snatch victory from you then! I’m by no means the strongest on my team!”
Shock crept through Xu Lizhi’s face, pupils blown wide. “Y-you! You’re fine? Big sis Xinglan’s stargod energy is so fearsome, but you’re already able to sit up?” He had been distracted by the allure of food when he first entered the room. He just noticed Tang Wulin’s healthy state, his cheerful feasting the proof of his recovery. Shouldn’t he still be severely injured?
Tang Wulin said, “I eat a lot so my skin is a bit tougher and thicker than normal.”
Off to the side, Mu Xi nodded in understanding. Her actions did not go unnoticed by Tang Wulin. “Senior disciple sister, if you don’t have anything else to do, then you should go back and rest.”