Early Morning.
Tang Lan held a revolver in each hand—
A pair of Python Revolvers, freshly forged last night.
Compared to semi-automatic pistols, revolvers had a simpler structure—
Easier to craft, easier to operate.
All that was left was to mix the gunpowder, load the bullets, and they'd be fully functional.
"Brother, what's that?" Xiao Wu asked curiously.
"A new toy for you later." Tang Lan chuckled indulgently.
—— Unlike Tang San, that stingy bastard.
Xiao Wu beamed happily.
She didn't know what it was,
but as long as it was from Tang Lan, she liked it.
Tang San's Tragic Morning
Just as they stepped out—
The door of Rose Room 2 also opened.
Tang San emerged with dark circles under his eyes.
Who knew if it was from the sound of Tang Lan forging or from losing his Crystal Board Ore?
Tang Lan casually retrieved a pouch of coins from his Blue Silver King storage.
"Here, 300 Gold Soul Coins—all yours."
Tang San's face lit up with joy!
"Thank you, brother! I'll pay you back as soon as I can!"
"You two head to Shrek Academy first—I'll meet you there later!"
Then he sprinted off like his life depended on it.
Tang Lan smirked secretly.
If it weren't for the "Culprits Always Get Caught at the Scene" curse,
he would've followed to watch the drama unfold.
Because when Tang San found out his "treasure" was gone—
His expression would be priceless!
"Brother, why did he need to borrow so much money?" Xiao Wu pouted unhappily.
"You've already given him so much over the years, and now—"
"It's fine. He's my little brother, after all." Tang Lan reassured her.
"Come on, let's go register at Shrek Academy."
Xiao Wu puffed out her cheeks, clearly still unhappy.
Scandalous Hotel Gossip
As they checked out—
The previous receptionist was gone, replaced by two newcomers.
But before they even stepped out—
They overheard whispers from the front desk.
"Man, the noise last night was insane."
"I know, right? It was like thunder!"
"They went at it all night! And the girl could still walk fine in the morning—Soul Masters are something else!"
…
Excuse me?
Did they just mistake his forging sounds for—?!
Xiao Wu's face turned bright red!
She glared at Tang Lan.
"It's all your fault! Who hammers metal in the middle of the night?!"
Tang Lan shrugged innocently.
Birth of Firearms in Douluo Continent!
Before heading to Shrek Academy,
Tang Lan stopped at a shop, purchased gunpowder materials, and mixed them on-site.
Then, using pre-crafted bullet casings,
he loaded them with gunpowder and primers.
At last—
The first-ever functional Python Revolver was born in Douluo Continent.
System Notification
[Host has caused Tang San & Flender to have a falling-out, stealing a small portion of Tang San's luck!]
[Reward: +50 Soul Ring Years!]
Oh?
So things got heated over there, huh?
Guns vs. Hidden Weapons
Tang Lan handed one of the Python Revolvers to Xiao Wu.
"Here—your new toy."
"It works like Tang San's sleeve darts—flip the safety, aim at the target, and pull the trigger."
Xiao Wu quickly grasped the simple mechanics.
She aimed at the ground—
And pulled the trigger.
"BANG!"
A bullet shot out,
Punching a finger-sized hole into the stone pavement,
Its depth impossible to see.
Normally—
A standard bullet wouldn't pierce stone that easily.
But Tang Lan had crafted armor-piercing rounds
from hundred-forged steel,
which was much harder than regular stone.
Piercing stone was expected.
—— Unfortunately, thousand-forged steel was too heavy,
which would reduce bullet speed and range.
But who cared?
Mastering Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique meant you could afford to be extravagant.
"Wow!" Xiao Wu exclaimed.
"Brother! This thing holds six darts—can it shoot six times?"
"They're called bullets."
Xiao Wu excitedly fired again.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Five more holes appeared in the ground.
"Brother! This is way better than Tang San's sleeve darts!"
"His thing is single-shot and needs to be carried all the time—so impractical!"
Xiao Wu's review of the Python Revolver was overwhelmingly positive.
Which further confirmed—
Firearms could absolutely replace hidden weapons.
Since Xiao Wu loved it so much,
Tang Lan handed her a pile of bullets to store in her spatial belt—
(A "gift" from Yu Xiaogang, originally meant for Tang San).
"Python Revolvers are different from sleeve darts."
"You can keep bullets loaded in the chamber without worrying about mechanical wear."
"Just remember to flip the safety on when you're not using it."
And…
As Tang Lan finished explaining—
They finally arrived at Shrek Academy.
Shrek Academy Entrance
From the outside, Shrek Academy looked like a rundown scam operation.
Yet despite its shabby appearance, the entrance line stretched long.
Because—
Graduating from here meant an automatic noble rank of Viscount.
It also meant being recognized by the Martial Soul Hall.
Many came for its reputation alone.
Shrek's Absurd Graduation Requirement
To graduate, a student needed to reach Rank 40 (Soul Ancestor) before turning 20.
But Tang Lan was already Rank 40—
As soon as he obtained a soul ring, he'd be a Soul Ancestor.
Wouldn't that mean instant graduation?!
Xiao Wu's Disdain
"Brother, do we really have to enroll here?" Xiao Wu frowned in disgust.
"Let's just go to Notting Noble Academy instead—this place is falling apart!"
The hidden message—"Let's ditch Tang San!"
That wasn't an option.
The Shrek Seven Devils were Tang San's stepping stones to godhood.
Tang Lan needed to steal that luck.
"We're already here—let's sign up and check it out." Tang Lan reassured her.
Xiao Wu, though unhappy, still nodded obediently.
Unexpected Encounters—Zhu Zhuqing & Ning Rongrong!
Tang Lan scanned the crowd—
And spotted two familiar figures—Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong!
Zhu Zhuqing, sensing something, turned her head and locked eyes with Tang Lan.
For a brief moment,
A flicker of surprise and excitement flashed through her cold eyes!
He really came!
As for Ning Rongrong…
Tang Lan silently activated Martial Soul Bestowal.
Instantly—
Ning Rongrong's head snapped toward him,
her gaze fixed on him with deep confusion.
Then—
Without any hesitation,
She walked straight over.
"What's your Martial Soul?" Ning Rongrong demanded.
"Summon it so I can see."
Straight to the point—clearly, she had some suspicions.
But…
That tone was incredibly bossy!
This spoiled princess still hadn't been humbled by the real world.
Before Tang Lan could even respond—
Xiao Wu stepped up, hands on her hips.
"Who do you think you are, bossing my brother around?!"
Ning Rongrong's expression soured.
Hmph!
I'm looking for a Martial Soul Fusion match—why are you interfering?!
Just as she was about to snap back—
A commotion erupted at the front of the line.
"This is a scam!"
"Give me my tuition back!"
Shrek Academy's admission standards were notoriously strict.
Must be under 12 years old.
Must have at least Rank 21 soul power.
Some tried to sneak in, only to get exposed and demand a refund.
But Flender—
Was too broke to return money.
"Mubai, someone wants a refund."
The examiner, Li Yusong, casually called for backup.
Dai Mubai stepped forward, releasing his three soul rings—yellow, yellow, purple.
The troublemaker instantly backed down.
Still—
Li Yusong was a fair man,
So he took the time to explain Shrek's extreme admission standards.
"…So if you didn't read the requirements properly, you basically just donated your registration fee."
"Shrek Academy is a Monster Academy—we only accept monsters."
"If you don't qualify, leave."
Then—
He activated his Martial Soul.
Six soul rings—white, yellow, purple, purple, purple, black—rose beneath him!
A Rank 60 Soul Emperor!
A "Middle-Level Academy" With Soul Emperor Faculty?!
This was mid-tier academy staffing?!
At high-level academies, Rank 60 Soul Emperors were considered core instructors!
Many onlookers lost their nerve, and the line shrunk considerably.
Dai Mubai's eyes scanned the crowd—
And locked onto Tang Lan and Xiao Wu.
His gaze sharpened.
(End of Chapter)