Douluo Continent III Haotian Wulin

"I'm here for the blacksmith level assessment."

Tang Wulin didn't actually speak loudly when he said those words.

The pretty young woman behind the counter was taken aback at first, then her smile faded slightly. She didn't take it as a joke just because the person standing in front of her was a teenager; instead, she asked again seriously:

"Do you want to take the blacksmith level assessment?"

Tang Wulin nodded.

"Yes."

Another girl with a fuller figure next to her couldn't help but laugh.

"Look at him, his face is all red." She turned her head and looked Tang Wulin up and down. "Little brother, your eyes are really beautiful."

Tang Wulin was already a little flustered, and after she said that, his ears started to burn, and he didn't know what to say for a moment.

The sweet girl glanced at her companion with a hint of helplessness.

"Yuanyuan, stop fooling around."

She turned back to look at Tang Wulin, her tone noticeably gentler.

"Little brother, where are your parents? Or did any teachers or elders come with you?"

Tang Wulin shook his head.

"No. The teacher told me to come by myself. He said I should find a master named Cen Yue."

Upon hearing the name "Cen Yue," the two girls behind the front desk became more serious.

The sweet-looking girl immediately asked, "Did you contact Master Cen beforehand using soul-guided communication?"

Tang Wulin shook his head again.

Of course he didn't.

Soul-guided communicators might be everyday items for the people of Donghai City, but in his family, they only had one fixed communicator. As for portable soul-guided communicators, he had barely even seen one a few times. Before coming to Donghai, he had even thought that after finishing his business, he would find a coin-operated public communicator to let his family know he was safe.

"Please wait a moment," the sweet-looking girl said. "Let me ask Master Cen if he has time right now."

She picked up the communicator on the front desk and dialed the number.

"Master Cen, a child has come to see you. Yes, a little boy. He said Master Mangtian sent him... Hmm, he has big eyes and is dressed very simply. Okay, I understand."

After hanging up the call, she looked up and smiled at Tang Wulin.

"Master Cen happens to be free. Please come with me."

Tang Wulin quickly said, "Thank you, sister."

"My name is Yun Xiaoling." The sweet-looking girl walked past the reception desk and led the way. "You don't need to be so nervous. Although Master Cen's temper isn't particularly good, he's still a very fair person."

Tang Wulin followed obediently behind and nodded.

Yun Xiaoling took two steps, then turned back to look at him again.

The boy was indeed dressed simply, his backpack was old, and he seemed somewhat out of place in a place like the association. Yet, he stood very upright, his gaze was clear, and he spoke politely, making it difficult for anyone to feel disrespectful. Especially his eyes, clear and bright, were particularly striking when he looked at someone intently.

On one side of the lobby, the silver-gray soul-guided elevator doors opened silently.

Tang Wulin paused slightly.

This was the first time he had ever seen something this close up like this.

"Come on, come on up," Yun Xiaoling said gently.

Tang Wulin then stepped inside.

The elevator was quiet, with only the slight sound of it running. Yun Xiaoling pressed the button for the fifteenth floor, turned her head to him, and said:

"Master Cen's office is on the fifteenth floor. I'll take you to see him first, and then he will personally take you to take the level test."

"Mm," Tang Wulin replied. "Thank you, Sister Yun."

Yun Xiaoling smiled.

"She has a sweet tongue."

The elevator ascended smoothly, but Tang Wulin could still feel a slight sense of weightlessness. He didn't look around; he simply stood upright, his hands hanging naturally at his sides, the backpack straps resting firmly on his shoulders.

"bite."

We've reached the fifteenth floor.

The elevator doors opened, revealing an extremely clean metal corridor. The walls were silver-white, and the floor and ceiling were equally spotless; you could barely make a sound when you stepped on them.

Tang Wulin subconsciously softened his breathing.

This place is completely different from downstairs.

There were no forging sounds, no people coming and going, and no smell of clashing metal. The entire floor was quiet, so quiet that people unconsciously lowered their voices when they spoke.

Yun Xiaoling led him to a door and stopped. There was a metal plaque on the door with two words engraved on it:

岑岳

She raised her hand and pressed a button next to the door.

"Master Cen, I am Yun Xiaoling. I have brought the child with me."

A deep voice soon came from inside the door.

"Come in."

The door opened with a click.

The office wasn't small, about thirty square meters. A tall filing cabinet stood by the window, and in the center was a large solid wood table with blueprints and some metal parts spread out on it. Behind the table stood a middle-aged man, not particularly tall, but with extremely broad shoulders and back, and thick arms. His black shirt was stretched taut by his shoulders and arms, clearly the work of someone who wielded a hammer all year round.

He had been looking down at the blueprints on the table, but he looked up after hearing footsteps.

His gaze was direct, landing first on Tang Wulin.

"You are Mang Tian's disciple?"

"Yes, Master Cen, hello." Tang Wulin immediately stood up straighter and said respectfully, "My teacher asked me to give you his regards."

Cen Yue frowned.

"That guy Mang Tian has really high standards." When he said this, it was impossible to tell whether it was a compliment or an insult, but his gaze remained on Tang Wulin. "How did he end up taking on such a lowly disciple like you?"

Tang Wulin did not respond to that.

Firstly, he didn't know how to answer, and secondly, he didn't dare to answer randomly.

Cen Yue clearly didn't intend to wait for his reply, and simply put the blueprints in his hand on the table.

"Let's go," he said. "Let's take the level test first."

In the eyes of a true blacksmith, explanations and speculations are of little use. Whether or not they survive, their work will speak for itself.

Yun Xiaoling stood to the side and said softly, "Master Cen, I'll go down first."

"Mm." Cen Yue nodded.

Yun Xiaoling smiled at Tang Wulin, then turned and went out the door first.

Tang Wulin followed Cen Yue out, and the two returned to the elevator. Yun Xiaoling was also in the elevator, and Cen Yue stepped in and pressed the button for the third floor.

The elevator started to descend.

Cen Yue, standing to the side, suddenly asked, "Did Mang Tian tell you roughly what level of blacksmith you are now?"

Tang Wulin shook his head.

"The teacher didn't say it explicitly." He thought for a moment, then honestly added, "He only said that I should do the assessment. After passing it, I can take on some simple jobs."

The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the elevator subtly changed.

Yun Xiaoling, who had been standing quietly, couldn't help but glance at Tang Wulin.

To be able to take on jobs, one should at least be a level 2 blacksmith. Level 1 blacksmiths can usually only work under the guidance of a level 1 blacksmith; taking on jobs independently is something that can only be done after level 2.

It's one thing for a nine-year-old child to come for an evaluation, but to come with the intention of getting a job is another; this is no ordinary "give it a try".

Cen Yue also glanced at Tang Wulin, the casualness in his eyes fading considerably.

"Do you know about the blacksmith ranking system?"

This time, Tang Wulin nodded quickly.

"I know. The teacher said that blacksmiths are divided into nine levels. Level 1 and 2 are master level, level 3 and 4 are grandmaster level, level 5 and 6 are grand master craftsman level, level 7 and 8 are saint craftsman level, and the highest level, level 9, is god craftsman level."

"Hmm." Cen Yue nodded. "I remember it fairly clearly."

The elevator quickly reached the third floor.

As soon as the door opened, a familiar voice immediately rushed in.

"Clang, bang, crash—"

One sound after another, rising and falling, with a distinct rhythm. Unlike the quiet of the fifteenth floor, this place was more like the Blacksmith Association that Tang Wulin remembered.

Hearing the sound of hammers actually made him feel a little relieved.

"Goodbye, sister." He said goodbye to Yun Xiaoling first, and then followed Cen Yue out.

There were more people at the reception desk on the third floor than on the first floor, and they were coming and going more frequently. Some people were carrying blueprints, some were carrying metal cases, and others were walking around discussing the pieces they had just finished.

Cen Yue walked to the front desk and said directly:

"Open a testing room and call over a reviewer."

The receptionist clearly recognized him, nodded immediately, and handed him a form.

"Master Cen, is this your disciple?" she asked, looking at Tang Wulin with curiosity in her eyes. "He's so young, doesn't he look about twelve years old?"

Cen Yue didn't answer, but handed the form to Tang Wulin.

"Fill in the basic information first."

"Yes."

Tang Wulin took the form with both hands and stood aside to fill it out carefully.

He didn't write fast, but his handwriting was neat and steady, each stroke firm. Cen Yue stood beside him, glanced at it casually, and read it aloud:

"Tang Wulin, from Aolai City, nine years old, a first-year student in the intermediate department of Donghai Academy..."

His voice paused when he read this part.

"You're only nine years old?"

This time, not only Cen Yue, but even the staff member at the front desk was stunned.

She had only thought the child looked a bit small, but she never imagined he was this small.

Nine years old.

Come and take the blacksmith level assessment.

Such a thing hasn't been seen in the East Sea City Blacksmith Association for many years. The youngest evaluator in history was only eight and a half years old. And that person is now a figure that ordinary blacksmiths can no longer mention.

Looking at the little boy standing quietly in front of him, Cen Yue's heart finally stirred.

If it's just a Level 1 evaluation, then so be it.

But this kid just said that Mang Tian asked him to come and evaluate him before he would take on the job.

Cen Yue knew very well what that meant.

This child is probably not here to try out the first level.

The front desk staff were the first to come to their senses, and they all lowered their voices.

"Master Cen, test room number three is now available. The evaluators are also on their way there."

Cen Yue nodded slowly.

He put away the form that Tang Wulin had filled out and glanced at him again.

This time, his gaze was no longer just that casual scrutiny that arose from the initial impression of "a disciple of Mangtian," but rather a genuine seriousness.

"Let's go."

He said.

"Let me see what kind of child Mang Tian has raised."