Thousand Forging Spirit Imbuing, Meeting Kong Deming

This metal was not the rarest in his collection, but its properties were familiar to him.

Now, it was perfect for attempting Thousand Forging.

He lit the forge.

The forging hammer in his hand fell with lightning speed.

He had no idea how much Hundred-Refined Metal he had forged by now. Yet forging Moonlight Silver again gave him the pleasant sensation of being connected to it by blood.

Hundred Refining itself was a process of understanding metal, as well as the beginning of everything.

With every hammer strike, he listened to the echoes within.

He sensed its veins and properties.

Xu Tinglan began hammering continuously, using less than twenty percent of his strength.

Sparks flew in every direction, while the crisp, rhythmic sounds rang out pleasantly.

Hundred Refining was not simply hammering a piece of metal a hundred times. It required completely removing its impurities.

After more than six years of forging, Xu Tinglan had long since developed ample patience.

Half an hour passed...

The Moonlight Silver shrank slightly.

An hour passed...

The sounds of forging grew increasingly dense.

Xu Tinglan listened to the metal's voice and gradually completed his communication with it.

Every strike improved the patterns within the metal.

He could feel it.

The metal was gradually transforming. The sense of harmony between it and his hammering grew stronger and stronger, forming an unseen connection with him.

It was difficult to describe.

Only those who had experienced it could truly understand.

Xu Tinglan knew that he had finally touched upon Thousand Forging!

Hundred Refining purified, Thousand Forging imbued spirit!

A flash of silver light burst through the forge flames, bathing the entire forging room in silvery white.

It was as though moonlight had scattered across the mortal world.

The forging hammer descended, and the Moonlight Silver reached its peak.

Xu Tinglan looked at the metal. Though his chest heaved continuously, his essence, energy, and spirit had reached their peak.

He stared at the metal with blazing eyes.

"I did it! Thousand Forging Spirit Imbuing, hahaha!"

The boy laughed loudly.

He raised the piece of metal in his hand.

The Moonlight Silver shed its dullness and reflected faint moonlight.

He had truly completed Spirit Imbuing for metal during the era of the Peerless Tang Sect.

Thousand Forging Spirit Imbuing was already within reach. Could Spirit Forging still be far away?

As long as he had enough rare metals to practice with, Spirit Forging would only be a matter of time. After all, the beginning was always the hardest part!

Tang Wulin had spent only three years completing Thousand Forging at the age of nine, but he had a teacher's guidance.

Xu Tinglan, however, had relied solely on his knowledge of the future and his years of insight into metal, yet he had still forced his way into Thousand Forging.

One had to know that Thousand Forging was worth more than a hundred times as much as Hundred Refining.

It was also the beginning of granting spirituality.

Suppressing his excitement, he held the Thousand-Forged Moonlight Silver in his hand.

Then he headed for Xuan Ziwen's Fifth Experimental Zone.

The forging room was not far from the Experimental Zone.

He swiped his card all the way through and arrived at the Experimental Zone, where he found Xuan Ziwen busy at work.

The man was concentrating on a book. Hearing the sound, he instinctively looked up. "What is it? Weren't you preparing to break through to Soul Ancestor?"

Xu Tinglan took out the Thousand-Forged Moonlight Silver.

"Teacher Xuan, look!"

The man stared at the Thousand-Forged Metal radiating specks of moonlight, his face full of astonishment.

He had never seen such beautiful metal before.

"Is this Moonlight Silver?" he asked uncertainly.

Xu Tinglan's voice was filled with excitement.

"That's right. I gained a new insight while forging, and then this Moonlight Silver underwent a qualitative transformation!"

Xuan Ziwen abruptly rose to his feet, his face filled with excitement.

"This!"

He cradled the Moonlight Silver and paced back and forth. Taking a deep breath, he sighed, "You've opened an entirely new path for metal."

"Many Soul Tool core inscriptions are limited by metal, but you've revolutionized the material itself!!!"

The man clenched his fist and swung it down hard.

Anyone with even the slightest understanding of technology would know what material innovation meant.

"Give it a name!"

Xu Tinglan did not hesitate in the slightest. "Call it Thousand-Refined Moon Glow."

Xuan Ziwen grabbed him. "Come on, I'll take you to see my teacher!"

From the moment he recognized the value of this metal, immense waves had surged through the man's heart, and his voice could not stop trembling.

Xuan Ziwen led the boy and rushed out through the gates.

As a royal Offering Hall member, his teacher Kong Deming had his own Experimental Zone within the Offering Hall.

When researching Soul Tools, he did not permit anyone to disturb him without an appointment.

But Xuan Ziwen could no longer hold himself back.

This revolution in metal materials was simply too important.

He could even sense extremely faint vitality within this metal, and that was what excited Xuan Ziwen the most.

Wings spread from the man's back, lifelike and vivid.

They were clearly no ordinary Flight Soul Tool.

An orange-red energy membrane rose from the wings and enveloped the boy.

The two sped through the air.

Xu Tinglan discovered in surprise that he could not feel the slightest swaying or interference from the wind.

The Offering Hall was very close to Sun Moon Academy.

As Kong Deming's disciple, Xuan Ziwen naturally possessed an identity token.

After presenting the token,

they made their way to the Offering Hall.

It was not conspicuous. The gray, unremarkable building looked ordinary, and amid the surrounding metal towers, it was no different from an ordinary residence.

Xuan Ziwen led him swiftly through several gates, moving as fast as if he were flying.

Yet its interior was secretive and profound.

They stopped before the door to Laboratory Zero.

The man took a deep breath, quickly swiped his identity card, and raised his head to face the doors directly.

A green membrane shot out and swept over them.

A mechanical voice sounded.

"Verification passed."

"Welcome, Xuan Ziwen. Please wait to one side."

Xuan Ziwen said anxiously.

"Mingyue, help me contact Teacher. I have an urgent matter."

About ten minutes later, the metal doors rumbled open.

Xuan Ziwen led the boy inside.

Beside the metal testing platform, Xuan Ziwen and the boy saw an elderly man standing at the platform, busy at work.

A Soul Tool left-arm armor piece lay on the platform.

The old man had his back to them and did not even raise his head. "Xiao Xuan, how far have you progressed on the Soul Tool Armor I assigned you?"

Xuan Ziwen lowered his head and replied respectfully, "The outer shell has been installed. But you know that this student prefers Civilian Soul Tools."

Kong Deming turned around and sighed. "Still softhearted."

"You must understand that only by ending war and achieving prosperity and unity can we stop this meaningless internal consumption of resources."

Xuan Ziwen nodded repeatedly.

All those in high positions understood that Soul Beasts could no longer impede humanity's advance.

Even Ferocious Beasts could only remain confined to isolated corners, practically raised by humans in captivity, and the gap between the two sides would only grow wider.

Kong Deming looked at the boy with interest.

"Little friend, what do you think?"

Xu Tinglan looked at the old man. His gaze did not waver in the slightest and carried a resolute firmness.

"Douluo has been killing for over ten thousand years. It is no different from cutting flesh with a dull blade, and now the bones of the dead have piled high."

He paused.

"Hesitation only brings more bloodshed. Failing to act when one should only invites greater chaos. Only decisive, thunderous measures can end this troubled age, halt the fighting, and calm the people's resentment."

Xuan Ziwen's eyes widened.

He stared at the boy in disbelief. Were those really words a child under thirteen could say?

Kong Deming froze for a moment. After savoring the words carefully, he burst into laughter.

He pointed at the boy, then at the man.

"This child is smarter than you!"

"Those words are exactly to my liking!"