Chapter 1465: Seventh Round – Mecha Operating Skills
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Tang Wulin shrugged. “Perhaps there are some decisions that are decided at a higher level without our knowledge. After all, he is the direct descendant. It is said that he too is a Title Douluo-ranked powerhouse. If you are really looking for a worthy opponent, I think you should fight against him first.”
Light flashed across Lan Fozi’s eyes as he fixed his gaze on Qiangu Zhangting and coldly scoffed. “It’s such a grand competition. I don’t think they have the audacity to play too many underhanded tricks.”
Tang Wulin calmly smiled. “Don’t forget that they’re the ones that set the rules. It’s best for you to pray that you encounter him in the group match. Otherwise, I don’t think we stand a chance when it comes down to the final ten candidates for the Silver Dragon Princess to choose from.”
“If they have the audacity to act unfairly, then I will…” At this point, his chest was heaving up and down, and he did not finish his sentence. There was an unstable and irregular radiance flickering in his gaze.
Tang Wulin spoke, “Let’s go. We shall put it off until the tests are over.” He had no qualms inconveniencing Qiangu Zhangting at all. Lan Fozi had a mysterious origin. Moreover, his abilities were incredible and his spiritual cultivation base had achieved the Spirit Domain realm. He was certain that it would not be too difficult for him to pass the elimination match. If Qiangu Zhangting was truly placed with Lan Fozi in the group match later, then he would find himself in a tough spot.
The seventh round of tests had begun.
After passing the first six rounds, Tang Wulin and Lan Fozi had both scored very well. One of them had scored fifty-seven points while the other scored fifty-eight points. One would only have to score sixty points in order to pass the test and enter the elimination rounds.
Tang Wulin was extremely familiar with the topic of the seventh round. It was a mecha operating skill test!
However, both Tang Wulin and Lan Fozi were stunned when they saw the standard yellow mechas being used for the test.
“How is this okay? We’re going to be tested on mechas?” Lan Fozi gulped and appeared to be nervous.
“You’re not skilled in this?” Tang Wulin darted a look towards Lan Fozi.
Generally, soul masters with a certain level of cultivation base would more or less be skilled in operating mechas.
“No.” Lan Muzi appeared to be slightly disappointed. “I don’t know how to operate one at all. I’ve always thought that this thing here is useless as the soul master’s abilities take priority. You’re a battle armor master, right? I am one too! Isn’t a battle armor more powerful than mecha?”
Tang Wulin smiled. “Actually, any type of ability that has been well-honed arrives at the same end by different means. It is the same for mechas.”
“Oh? You know how to operate a mecha?” Lan Fozi slightly raised his brows.
Tang Wulin shrugged. “If you’re not skilled in this, then my total score will surely surpass yours.”
It was interesting that the mecha test would be carried out by drawing lots. Each individual drawn lot would carry a specific technique in operating a mecha and the score would be given based on the soul master’s level of completion in the technique.
This round was obviously prepared for the soul masters with weaker cultivation base and other abilities but very strong in mecha operating skills. It was meant to help them achieve a better score.
Qiangu Zhangting lined up in front of Tang Wulin and Lan Fozi. There was no one else before them. After drawing his lot, he got into a mecha right away.
The mecha operating skill was completed in the air and as a result, it did not occupy space inside the coliseum. The space above was divided into ten regions so that ten people could simultaneously carry out the mecha operating test. Dozens of panel judges were seated on the ground below these regions.
Due to the very high number of registered participants, every participant that was originally supposed to complete three designated movements had to complete only one movement now. However, the difficulty of this single movement was intensified.
Qiangu Zhangting drew the lot first. After drawing his lot, an electronic voice that announced the specific movement expected of him was heard immediately.
“Double turn-charge!” He was assigned a very difficult movement.
“What’s that?” Lan Fozi looked towards Tang Wulin in confusion.
Tang Wulin answered, “The double turn-charge is referring to the change of direction when the mecha is charging forward at high speed to confuse the opponent. At the same time, the soul master will have to exercise proper control over the mecha after changing its direction so that the mecha will not go out of control. The evaluation standard is based on the starting speed, the range of change in direction and the final posture control after the change is completed.”
Lan Fozi looked at Tang Wulin in astonishment. “It seems like you are very well-acquainted with the test.”
Tang Wulin shrugged. “You’re inquiring from a mecha operating master!”
“Sh*t!” Lan Fozi pouted but his gaze remained fixated on the mecha operated by Qiangu Zhangting.
“Begin!” Qiangu Zhangting’s mecha suddenly leaped into the sky and instantaneously flew high into the sky following the electronic voice’s prompt.
Tang Wulin was originally a powerful mecha master so he was capable of noticing many things based on the simple movement operated by Qiangu Zhangting. Firstly, it was Qiangu Zhangting’s familiarity with a mecha. He was capable of launching the mecha in a split second and accelerated the mecha to high speed. This showed the extent of his familiarity to operate a mecha.
Every mecha had its own endurance limit. When the limit was exceeded, the mecha would be in danger of breaking down. On the other hand, if the limit was not achieved then there was no way the mecha could express its most powerful ability.
Tang Wulin could identify through the amplitude of vibration and the state of energy jet-burners on the mecha operated by Qiangu Zhangting that he had managed to perfectly operate the mecha to its best condition. It was operated such that it was at its breaking point but had yet to achieve its limit.
‘I didn’t expect this man here to be so gifted in his mecha operating skills.’
The yellow mecha surged into the sky like a cannonball. He completed a perfect deflection in the sky without the slightest delay before charging forward and then abruptly cut out from the side. The entire movement was performed very smoothly. He was unusually swift without a moment’s pause.
After cutting an arc line, the mecha cut out to the other opposing direction. The two arcs were connected tightly without the slightest flaw.
It felt as if two enormous yellow light arcs were cut out in the sky. It had only taken a moment before the yellow light arcs were already completed. The mecha was slightly shaking from the overload. However, the speed, strength, and synchronization performed by the mecha earlier had already surpassed the limits of an ordinary yellow mecha.
The mecha descended from the sky and began decelerating when it was about thirty meters away from the ground. The jet-burners under its legs gushed down to slow down its speed while simultaneously resulting in a gush of wind on the ground.
Lan Fozi scoffed once. “What’s there to be snobbish for, this broken junk is useless.”
Tang Wulin shrugged. “It is actually quite useful, just that it’s not shown on a mecha of this rank.”
He had always cherished mechas ever since he was young. The notion had not changed even after he owned his battle armor. This was also the reason to why Tang Wulin would always find time to practice his mecha operating skills over the years. His belief to continue his development in mechas was strengthened even more after Zhen Hua explained to him about the purpose of mechas to soul masters back then.
Out of all his soul master acquaintances, the first divine mecha master he knew was Mu Ye. Back then he bore witness to Mu Ye’s powerful divine mecha with his own eyes.
The minimal requirement for a divine mecha was that its core parts must be made from divine-ranked metal. Only divine-ranked metal would allow mutual communication between the soul master and the divine mecha. My Ye once asked Tang Wulin, ‘What is a divine mecha?’ A divine mecha was the soul master’s second life. Mu Ye would willingly give up the chance of breaking through to the Limit Douluo realm in the future for his divine mecha. This had clearly shown how much he was attracted to it.
The most difficult part of making a divine mecha was that the Heavenly-refined metal was hard to come by. On the other hand, Tang Wulin was the Divine Craftsman of the newer generation. Even though he was incapable of measuring up to his uncle master at the moment, performing Heavenly Refinement was not at all an issue for him! Thus, he would surely be making a divine mecha for himself in the future. Moreover, it would not take long before he could achieve that.
Even though his cultivation base was elevating swiftly, there was still some disparity between his cultivation and a Limit Douluo. The process was almost far beyond his reach. Despite his natural endowments, it would at the very least take him another ten years or so to possibly step into the demigod realm.
However, the next ten years would be extremely important to both Tang Sect and Shrek Academy. He could not afford to waste time during that time. Thus, he must spare no effort in elevating himself to the best of his abilities. Both battle armors and mechas were the shortcuts to elevate a soul master’s abilities. This was also the most important task for him during the following period of time.
“Hey, what are you thinking about? You look like you’re lost in thoughts. It’s your turn.” Lan Fozi nudged Tang Wulin by his side.
Tang Wulin had only reacted to the situation at this moment. He waved his hand at Lan Fozi before he walked forward in strides and scanned his electronic identity card.
The process of drawing lots was carried out electronically for this method helped to save time. Soon, an electronic voice was heard. “Your test technique is, triangular shift.”
Triangular shift?
Tang Wulin could not help slightly raising his brows upon hearing the technique.
It was a mecha operating skill that appeared to be simple but was actually filled with profoundness.
It was Ling Wuyue who taught the technique to Tang Wulin back then. If the mecha master was capable of proficiently controlling the technique, it would be very helpful in the mecha master’s mecha operating skills.
The so-called triangular shift was referring to the three consecutive changes in direction during the mecha’s advancing process that formed a triangle in the air. The training requirement for this technique was its accuracy. In the final shift, the mecha would have to return to the starting point before its first shift and form a perfect triangle. Only then was it considered a complete triangular shift.