Mang Tian

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Mang Tian (邙天)
Gender	Male
Age	Appears to be in his early fifties 9
Affiliation	Mang Tian Forging Studio; alumnus of Eastsea Academy 9 28
Occupation/Role	Master-level blacksmith, forging-studio owner, and mentor to Lin Qingzhou and Tang Wulin 9 10
Soul Power	Level 40; unable to advance further 9
Status	Alive; last confirmed aiding Tang Wulin after the Proud Arrival City attack 19
First Appearance	Chapter 9

Background

Mang Tian graduated from Eastsea Academy's formal forging program and was once a blacksmith of some reputation in Proud Arrival City. His soul power later stagnated at level 40; during reforms within the Blacksmith Association, his lack of connections led to his marginalization. He left and opened his own forging studio instead. 9

Despite initially rejecting Lin Qingzhou's request for apprenticeship, Mang Tian relented after Lin returned to wait outside the studio for four consecutive days. He made Lin move a pile of steel billets as his first task, then accepted him as the studio's sole apprentice. 9

Lin's formal apprenticeship remained incomplete, as Mang Tian was reluctant to officially acknowledge such a young apprentice. Nevertheless, he taught Lin foundational forging, quenching, and finishing techniques over several months. 28

Appearance

Mang Tian is a broad, weathered middle-aged blacksmith whose appearance reflects decades of metalwork. 9

• Slightly graying temples and deeply lined features. 9
• Sharp eyes described as carrying the authority of a quenched blade. 9
• Usually wears a dark-blue work jacket scorched with spark burns and steel-toed boots. 9
• Has thick, callused hands with oil stains embedded beneath his fingernails. 9
• Was injured during the Proud Arrival City attack, suffering facial cuts, a head wound, and a crushed right foot. 19

Personality

Mang Tian presents himself as stern, impatient, and blunt. He berates Lin for being late even when the clock says otherwise, calls him “waste” for practice purposes, and habitually dismisses praise or gratitude. 9 10

His harshness conceals genuine concern for his apprentices. He quietly overpays Lin, gives him hand cream for bloodied hands, prepares food for him, and purchases an expensive protective bracer while falsely claiming it came from a scrap pile. 9 10 He is similarly protective of Tang Wulin, arranging for his schooling and promising to locate his missing parents after the attack. 19

Mang Tian is also a traditionalist in his craft. He permits machines to handle rough work but insists that fine forging must be completed by hand, believing machine-made items lack “soul.” 9

Abilities & Skills

Master-Level Forging

Mang Tian is a genuine Master-level smith whose craftsmanship distinguishes him from ordinary blacksmiths. His studio receives commissions from Soul Masters in neighboring cities. 9

• Specializes in precise hand-forged finishing work rather than relying entirely on machinery. 9
• Handles demanding industrial commissions, including high-precision grain-dryer drive shafts. 9 11
• His instruction gave Lin Qingzhou a foundation in hammer control, uniform heating, quenching, and finishing. 28 29
• Was recognized by Zhen Hua as having solid technique, despite poor luck in his career. 28

Soul-Guidance Repair

Mang Tian assisted the Proud Arrival City Spirit Pagoda garrison by repairing the soul-guidance circuits of their battle armor during the Evil Soul Master assault. 19

Physical Strength

Years of forging have given Mang Tian notably strong hands and grip strength. He can seize Tang Wulin by the collar hard enough to nearly lift him from the ground. 19

Equipment and Workshop

• Mang Tian Forging Studio — A roughly 200-square-meter workshop equipped with a high-precision CNC forging machine, hydraulic forming system, laser cutting table, heat-treatment furnace, and ventilation system. 9
• Traditional forging station — Includes a heavily used anvil, handmade hammers of multiple sizes, and a quenching tank. 9
• Blacksmith’s protective bracer — Dark-silver recoil-absorbing wrist protection secretly purchased for Lin Qingzhou; it has micro-cushioning pads at the joints. 9 10

Relationships

• Lin Qingzhou — His sole apprentice and de facto disciple. Mang Tian trained him in forging, paid him for his work, and quietly provided practical care despite refusing to speak affectionately. 9 10 28
• Tang Wulin — His apprentice. Mang Tian acts as a guardian figure following the Proud Arrival City attack, arranging Tang Wulin’s transfer to Eastsea City and promising to find his parents. 10 19
• Zhen Hua — An acquaintance from a Blacksmith Convention. Zhen Hua considers Mang Tian’s technique solid and attributes his setbacks largely to poor fortune. 28

Story Role

Lin Qingzhou’s Forging Mentor

Mang Tian employs Lin at his studio and gives him the practical forging foundation that later impresses Zhen Hua. He also notices Lin’s exceptional physical strength and believes he could become a forging genius if he awakened a suitable Martial Soul. 9 10 28 29

Proud Arrival City Attack

During the Evil Soul Master assault, Lin warns Mang Tian to hide. Mang Tian is instead at the Spirit Pagoda helping repair battle-armor circuits and becomes trapped amid the bombardment. 19

He survives with serious injuries and later searches Lin Qingzhou’s devastated home with Tang Wulin. Believing Lin and Na'er may still have escaped, he does not give up hope despite the destruction. 19