Forging with Heart and Soul

"Living in this era, setting aside absorbing Soul Rings beyond one's level, even obtaining the optimal Soul Ring combination was a problem."

Su Ming felt somewhat helpless.

His current status was far from ideal. For his First Soul Ring, he only hoped to obtain a Hundred-Year Soul Ring. As for absorbing one beyond his level, that would have to wait until his next Soul Ring.

"Little Su, you've reached Level 10 in Soul Power, right?"

As Su Ming pondered, Duan Tie came over and asked.

Duan Tie's question caught him off guard. After a moment, he answered, "Yes."

"Have you not decided how to obtain your Soul Ring?"

Su Ming nodded.

"Uncle Duan, are you a hidden Soul Master?"

Duan Tie gave a wry smile and waved his hand.

"No, I'm not a Soul Master. Of course, my son is. He'll be coming back to visit me in a couple of days. If you need it, I can ask him whether he can take you to Hunt Soul Beasts."

Duan Tie's son?

Su Ming had some impression of him. While working at the blacksmith shop, he had occasionally heard several adults mention Duan Tie's son. It seemed he had gone to Gengxin City for further studies.

So Duan Tie's son was actually a Soul Master.

"Little Gold is a three-ringed Soul Elder. He should be able to help you."

A Soul Elder?

"Then thank you, Uncle Duan."

Duan Tie laughed heartily. "You have a real talent for Forging. When my son comes back this time, I wanted to introduce you to him and have him take you to Gengxin City."

Gengxin City?

Su Ming's expression shifted slightly.

Wasn't that exactly in line with his own plans?

"Little Su, Gengxin City is the holy land of blacksmiths. You can learn the most advanced Forging techniques there." Duan Tie said, "I can see that you love Forging as well, so I had this thought."

Su Ming said, "Uncle Duan, do you mean to suggest that I go to Gengxin City with your son to study Forging?"

"That's right." Duan Tie said, "I also know that you have Soul Master Talent and many other choices. If you don't want to go to Gengxin City and have a better option, then I won't say any more."

Su Ming smiled.

"Uncle Duan, how could I not want to go?"

Duan Tie's eyes lit up.

He had initially hesitated to tell Su Ming because he was afraid of being rejected.

Though he had known Su Ming for less than a year, he had personally watched him grow from a complete novice who knew nothing into someone whose Forging skills had become increasingly proficient, even surpassing his own. Naturally, he wanted Su Ming to have a better future in Forging.

That had been the same reason he sent his son to Gengxin City to study under a master.

"Uncle Duan, what is your son's Martial Soul?" Su Ming asked.

"His Martial Soul is an Iron Hammer. It looks just like my new Forging Hammer." Duan Tie pointed at the Forging Hammer he used, sitting on the stall outside.

An Iron Hammer?

That was quite good.

With such a Martial Soul and the cultivation of a Soul Elder, dealing with a Hundred-Year Soul Beast would not be a problem.

So...

Had the problem of Hunt Soul Beasts been solved just like that?

If so, could he try absorbing a Soul Ring beyond his level after all?

"Although exceeding the limit for the First Soul Ring may not seem particularly meaningful, and it would be difficult to directly obtain a thousand-year First Soul Ring, exceeding the limit itself has meaning. Breaking through limits can often allow a Martial Soul's growth to surpass its current boundaries."

For a Body Martial Soul, breaking through limits had to become the norm. Only then could it undergo Second Awakening smoothly later on.

"I've also been tempering my body this past year, so I've brought out the advantages of my Body Martial Soul. I won't exceed the limit by much—just find a four-hundred-year Soul Beast."

According to the data compiled by the Master, the limit for the First Soul Ring was four hundred and twenty-three years.

Although it was absurd to be able to determine a Soul Beast's age down to the exact year, it should be roughly accurate. Four hundred and ten or twenty years was the limit, while Su Ming could attempt something close to five hundred years.

"I'll exceed it by just a little first and experience what absorbing a Soul Ring beyond my level feels like," Su Ming thought.

For this attempt, Su Ming would not claim to be one hundred percent certain, but he was at least eighty percent confident.

He had even asked his future self to gather information on absorbing Soul Rings beyond one's level, confirming that his circumstances met the prerequisites.

Soon, two days passed.

Su Ming arrived at the Duan Family Blacksmith Shop.

"Little Gold, this is the Little Su I told you about." Duan Tie led Su Ming into the inner room.

Su Ming was greatly surprised when he saw Duan Jin. Duan Jin did not look middle-aged at all; instead, he was a young man, and a very young one at that, looking exceptionally energetic.

Rather than possessing the burly image of a traditional blacksmith, he was lean and wiry, with perfectly defined muscles that seemed filled with explosive power.

"Little Su, this is my son, Duan Jin. He's only twenty this year. Just call him Brother."

Only twenty?

Su Ming was even more surprised.

At that age, becoming a Soul Elder already counted as being a genius. The Soul Master Tournament required competitors to be no older than twenty-five, and Soul Elders were already rare at the tournament.

At Duan Jin's age, he might even have a chance to advance to the Soul Ancestor realm within five years!

At the Soul Master Tournament, Soul Ancestors were among the very best.

"It's all thanks to my teacher's help," Duan Jin said.

He spoke with complete sincerity. He genuinely believed that he had come this far because he had found a good teacher.

Blacksmiths with Soul Power were a minority. Even in Gengxin City, finding a disciple with good Soul Master Talent was exceedingly rare, and such disciples were usually trained with great care.

At the same time, however, the disciple had to be diligent and ambitious, someone who truly pursued Forging.

It required both sides to give their all.

And master-disciple pairs who fulfilled those conditions were often the most enviable.

"My father said you learned his skills in only half a year."

Seeing this, Duan Tie had Su Ming light the furnace and begin working the iron.

"Little Su, show Little Gold what you can do."

"Alright!"

Su Ming was highly motivated as well.

He knew that if he performed better in front of Duan Jin now, the other man would put more care and effort into helping him Hunt Soul Beasts.

He could sense that both father and son of the Duan family were blacksmiths who truly pursued Forging.

As long as he displayed talent in Forging and showed his devotion to it, he would earn their regard.

It was not only the First Soul Ring. Su Ming would need a second, third, and even more Soul Rings in the future. If he wanted to absorb them beyond his level all the way through, he certainly would not be able to hunt them himself. He needed support.

Duan Jin might not have a Titled Douluo behind him, but he could help Su Ming quickly establish himself within the Blacksmith Association.

After that, Su Ming threw himself into Forging with heart and soul.

In truth, he did not need to deliberately put on a performance. His ordinary state while Forging was enough to make others feel his attitude toward the craft. When Duan Jin saw the delighted expression on Su Ming's face each time he swung the Forging Hammer, he could tell that Su Ming was enjoying the process.

That was crucial to every blacksmith.

If one could not enjoy the pleasure of Forging, one could not pursue its ultimate mysteries.

Su Ming felt that his condition was exceptionally good.

Every hammer blow landed perfectly.

He felt as though he were dancing, wielding the Forging Hammer in his hand and massaging the iron block before him. Every strike landed on the point where the iron felt most comfortable.

The iron block gave no dull sounds. Instead, it rang with crisp dings, as if responding to Su Ming's state.