Blacksmith Association

That afternoon, after simply tidying up their dorm room, Luo Ze and Tang Wulin prepared to leave the campus and head to the Eastsea Blacksmith Association to register and pick up some tasks along the way.

The moment he arrived at the academy, Luo Ze had spent fifty-four thousand Federal currency. For someone with assets worth over a million, it was an utterly insignificant amount.

But there was no helping it. Dragon blood grew more expensive by the day. Every extra penny spent meant he was further away from dragon blood, so he had to save wherever he could!

The benefits offered to blacksmiths in Eastsea City were worlds apart from those in Aolai City. Not only were task payments doubled, but an additional 10% would be awarded based on the customer's satisfaction!

To Luo Ze, such benefits were practically heaven!

If he worked hard, he might be able to bring home that dragon blood worth seven million this month! Luo Ze's confidence was overflowing. When it came to saving money and accumulating wealth, if he claimed second place, no one among his peers would dare claim first!

After leaving Eastsea Academy, Luo Ze led Tang Wulin through the streets of Eastsea City with a map in hand. Compared to Aolai City, Eastsea City covered more than ten times the area, and its streets were naturally much more complicated.

However, that was no challenge for Luo Ze. With the map guiding him, even the most complex streets became easy to navigate.

Like Eastsea Academy, the Blacksmith Association was located in the central district of Eastsea City. After walking for about half an hour, Luo Ze and Tang Wulin reached their destination.

The Blacksmith Association was easy to recognize. It was a gray building around thirty stories tall, with a gray hammer emblem above it. With such a conspicuous symbol, there was no need for a signboard to find it.

Upon entering the Blacksmith Association, they saw a ten-meter-tall glass wall directly ahead. Set into it was a relief sculpture of a massive hammer that glimmered with a faint golden light.

Though the Blacksmith Association was not as wealthy as the Mecha Association, it still held an important position on the continent. Top-tier blacksmiths enjoyed even higher social status than mecha masters of the same rank.

There were two reasons for this. First, top-tier blacksmiths were exceedingly rare. Second, high-level mechas required materials processed by these top-tier blacksmiths before they could be successfully made.

The first-floor lobby was spacious and empty, with only two Staff Members in gray professional attire at the front desk.

"Little brothers, are you here to see someone? This is the Blacksmith Association, so you mustn't run around."

Seeing Luo Ze and Tang Wulin, a sweet-looking Staff Member rose to her feet and slowly walked over, speaking in a gently admonishing tone.

"Hello, big sister. We're here to register with the Blacksmith Association. Could you please help us find Master Cen Yue?" Luo Ze answered politely.

"Master Cen Yue? All right, please wait a moment. I'll ask whether Master Cen Yue has time. Have you contacted Master Cen before?"

At first, the Staff Member had found it difficult to believe the young-looking pair. But the moment she heard Cen Yue's name, her expression became much more serious.

Cen Yue was a member of the Eastsea Blacksmith Association. Ordinary children could hardly know him, so these two little ones really must have come to register with the association.

"Yes, we called him through a Soul Guide Communicator. Please let Master Cen Yue know," Luo Ze replied.

The Staff Member nodded and then had the two wait in the lounge.

"Kids, how old are you two? What are your names? What rank blacksmiths are you?" another Staff Member receiving them asked curiously.

"Hello, big sister. My name is Luo Ze, and this is my brother Tang Wulin. We're both nine years old. I'm a third—ah, no, second-rank blacksmith! He's third-rank!" Luo Ze said.

"Oh my god, third-rank! You're so young, yet you're already a third-rank blacksmith?" Hearing Tang Wulin's blacksmith rank, the Staff Member's eyes widened in shock.

Anyone who became a third-rank blacksmith at that age was essentially a once-in-ten-thousand genius. Their future accomplishments would certainly be no less than those of the president of the Eastsea Blacksmith Association!

"Huh?! Brother Luo, aren't you too?" Tang Wulin looked at Luo Ze in confusion. His blacksmith rank was clearly the same as his own.

"Hehe, I'm not that amazing!" Luo Ze glanced at Tang Wulin, signaling for him to take it back.

Before coming to Eastsea City, Teacher Mang Tian had told Luo Ze more than once that he absolutely had to keep a low profile!

His achievements were simply too astonishing: a peak third-rank Designer, a peak third-rank blacksmith, and a fabricator nearing the fourth rank.

If those accomplishments reached other people's ears, there was no telling how much trouble they might bring Luo Ze. For the sake of safety, Tang Wulin had no choice but to make a little sacrifice!

Tang Wulin sighed helplessly, instantly understanding what Luo Ze meant. There was nothing he could do. He owed Luo Ze far too many favors, more than he could ever repay in this lifetime.

Half an hour later, the Staff Member who had gone upstairs brought them to a testing room on the third floor.

Seated at the head was a middle-aged man around forty years old. He was not tall, but he was powerfully built, with exceptionally broad shoulders.

When he saw the two arrive, Cen Yue scrutinized them.

Judging by their age, these two little fellows did not look like third-rank blacksmiths at all. Could Mang Tian be pulling my leg?

"Master Cen, I've brought them to you." The female Staff Member at the front bowed respectfully before leaving the third floor.

"You two, fill out these forms. There's one testing room for each of you in the back."

Seeing was believing, and hearing was not. Cen Yue decided it would be better to witness it himself.

The two understood Cen Yue's intentions. Indeed, there had never been a precedent in the history of the Blacksmith Association for Nine Years Old children to become third-rank blacksmiths. It was only natural that he wanted to see it for himself.

Doesn't this mean he already knows we're third-rank blacksmiths? Then why did Teacher Mang Tian tell me to hide it?! Luo Ze complained helplessly.

After announcing the rules, the evaluator led them to the storage rack to choose the metals they wanted to forge.

Without question, both chose refined gold. Since the other party already knew their abilities, there was no need to keep hiding them. They might as well perform well—perhaps they could earn his appreciation and even get a little more funding!

Seeing the metals they had chosen, Cen Yue and the evaluator both looked astonished. Among all forging metals, Deep Silver and refined gold were the most difficult to forge. Few third-rank blacksmiths would dare forge them without absolute confidence. Did these two little fellows truly have that ability?

"Master Cen Yue, may we begin?"

After making his preparations, Luo Ze turned and asked.

"Yes, begin." Cen Yue nodded.

With his approval, the two began forging with practiced ease. They activated the forging tables, raised the temperature, and heated the metals.

Ten minutes later, the heating was complete. Luo Ze and Tang Wulin took out the metal blocks, now glowing red-hot, one after another. Wielding their Thousand-Forged Tungsten Steel Hammers, they began forging.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

As the two struck with flawless precision, the sound of metal colliding echoed through the forging room.

"Geniuses! These two children are absolute geniuses!"

Cen Yue slapped the table excitedly, unable to hide the delight in his eyes.

From their striking movements, their focus, and their proficiency, he could tell that they had been third-rank blacksmiths for at least three months!

Refined gold was an extremely difficult metal to hundred-forge. Unless one's forging skill had reached a consummate level, even a third-rank blacksmith would not dare guarantee success one hundred percent of the time!

Mang Tian had really taken in two excellent disciples!

These two little fellows would certainly achieve no less than the association president in the future. They might even have a chance of reaching the legendary level of Divine Craftsman...

At that thought, other ideas entered Cen Yue's mind. He began considering how he could poach both of them. If he could not get both, then even one would do!

How could he let Mang Tian keep such outstanding disciples all to himself?!

Meanwhile, on the third floor of the Blacksmith Association, the elevator chimed, and a man and a woman stepped out.

The man was around forty years old, with handsome features and an imposing bearing. A silver-gray suit outlined his burly physique, and a medal hung from the left side of his chest.

The medal had a golden base, with a slightly raised forging hammer in the center, surrounded by eight stars.

Each star represented a blacksmith's rank. Eight stars meant that this man's blacksmith rank had reached the absolute pinnacle: an Eight-star Saint Craftsman, a true existence at the very peak of the blacksmithing pyramid.