Divine Craftsman

Because Mu Han had invited him, Zhen Hua had not stayed in Heaven Dou City.

As a result, he had also avoided the assassination from the original story.

But now that the butterfly effect had taken hold, it was hard to say whether there would be an assassination at all.

Just as the train terrorist attack from the original story had never happened.

And just as the Tang Sect's headquarters were in Shrek City, while its true core was actually in Heaven Dou City.

The Blacksmith Association's headquarters seemed to be in Heaven Dou City, but in truth, its real foundation was in Ming Capital.

After all, Heaven Dou City had banned high-rises to preserve its ancient architecture.

Even the Spirit Pagoda wasn't allowed to build too high, let alone the Blacksmith Association.

But wasn't the Ascension Platform the Blacksmith Association's most important asset?

Shrek City was a fine location, but it held too much political significance,

so the Blacksmith Association had placed its headquarters in Ming Capital.

As long as you were near the Blacksmith Association, you could see it.

Suddenly, a five-colored glow lit up the rooftop of the building.

"Is that... the Divine Craftsman performing Heaven Forging? Is another powerful, divine-grade metal about to be created?"

"I wonder when we'll be able to ask the Divine Craftsman to make us a piece of divine-grade metal!"

Even a single piece of divine-grade metal could greatly improve a mecha's overall strength.

"Don't get your hopes up."

The price of divine-grade metal alone was astronomical. And the Divine Craftsman himself didn't have the time to forge for them.

Besides, the older a Divine Craftsman got, the more Heaven Forging damaged his body.

Until a second Divine Craftsman appeared, it was best to have him forge as little as possible.

Otherwise, if they lost their only Divine Craftsman, the craft's legacy might be severed.

"But I heard Mu Han became a Saint Craftsman at a very young age. Maybe he'll become a Divine Craftsman someday."

Mu Han's fame had long surpassed Zhen Hua's, though as a researcher rather than a blacksmith.

Still, his forging skills were there for all to see.

"But Mu Han isn't a Titled Douluo. How could he possibly perform Heaven Forging?"

The basic requirement to become a Divine Craftsman was Titled Douluo cultivation. It was common knowledge.

"You could pile up enough heavenly treasures to get there."

"Heh, Mu Han's a Soul Master prodigy too. He'd never force his growth with heavenly treasures."

"Let's hope another Divine Craftsman appears soon. At His Excellency Zhen Hua's age, you and I may never get our turn."

"Honestly, I've already given up hope. It's hard to say whether we'll even break through to Super Douluo."

"Then don't dream about it. Without Super Douluo-level cultivation or higher, a Four-Word Battle Armor is simply impossible."

A Titled Douluo could wield a Four-Word Battle Armor, but an ordinary Titled Douluo wasn't afforded that privilege.

At that moment, on the Ascension Platform,

the metal silently melted into liquid, spiraled upward, and fell into Mu Han's palm.

It seemed to have lost all its weight, leaving behind only a strange, wonderful texture.

Neither Zhen Hua nor Mu Han himself had expected his Heaven Forging to be completed just like that.

This was genuine divine-grade metal, the kind that could be used to forge a Four-Word Battle Armor.

Upgrading a Three-Word Battle Armor to a Four-Word Battle Armor didn't mean forging directly on top of the Three-Word Battle Armor.

Instead, divine-grade metal had to be fused with the original Three-Word Battle Armor,

and then its Core Array had to be inscribed anew. Only then could it become a Four-Word Battle Armor.

In fact, Mu Han's method for upgrading a standardized One-Word Battle Armor to a Two-Word Battle Armor had been modeled on the method for Four-Word Battle Armor.

That was why he could directly fuse Spirit-Forged Metal into it to strengthen it.

Most importantly, Mu Han was now a Divine Craftsman!

The standard for a Divine Craftsman was simple: successfully complete Heaven Forging and forge a piece of divine-grade metal, and you were one!

Just as completing Thousand Refinement once made you a Grandmaster,

completing Spirit Forging once made you a Grandmaster,

and completing Soul Forging once made you a Saint Craftsman.

Completing Heaven Forging once made you a Divine Craftsman, and Mu Han had indeed completed Heaven Forging.

Though he had taken a shortcut.

He had drawn the Elemental Tribulation Lightning through his Thunder God bloodline.

He had supplied all the elements himself, too.

His Soul Power was wind-aspected.

His Second Soul Ring provided darkness and earth.

His Third Soul Ring provided ice and fire.

That gave him five of the seven elements.

The lowest level of Heaven Forging only required four elements.

Yet Mu Han could perform Heaven Forging at the five-element level, effortlessly, with a hundred percent success rate.

Ordinary Heaven Forging required the blacksmith to draw down the Elemental Tribulation Lightning while forging.

That was why Heaven Forging required Titled Douluo cultivation.

Without enough Soul Power, it was impossible to draw down the Elemental Tribulation Lightning.

And without enough Soul Power, even if you drew it down, you wouldn't be able to withstand it.

This wasn't something you could rely on external help to accomplish.

Before the Elemental Tribulation Lightning was drawn down, Heaven Forging was, in the end, just preparation.

The moment the Elemental Tribulation Lightning fell was when the true Heaven Forging began.

If too much tribulation lightning came, the Divine Craftsman couldn't withstand it, and the metal would be destroyed.

But if too little came, Heaven Forging couldn't be completed at all.

Mu Han, however, had condensed the Elemental Tribulation Lightning with his bare hands.

So he could control it perfectly.

And his Martial Soul, Gold-Water Mutual Containment, could merge with metal.

That meant he could judge how much was needed.

Not too much, not too little—exactly enough for the metal.

But his Martial Soul shouldn't be called Gold-Water Mutual Containment anymore.

In theory, Gold-Water Mutual Containment couldn't perform Heaven Forging.

At least, that was what the original story had said.

Divine Craftsman Zhen Hua had said so many times as well.

But now Mu Han had managed to do it.

The properties of Gold-Water Mutual Containment couldn't have changed that easily.

The only explanation was that Mu Han's Martial Soul, Gold-Water Mutual Containment, had undergone a Second Awakening.

With his Second-Awakened Martial Soul, Gold-Water Mutual Containment, Mu Han had become the second Divine Craftsman of the modern era.

The youngest Divine Craftsman in history!

Zhen Hua suddenly burst into laughter. He couldn't remember how many years it had been since he'd been this happy.

His craft had an heir!

And one who would surpass his master!

But Mu Han had no intention of making this public. At least, not yet.

According to the original story, the exchange trip to the Star Luo Empire was coming up next.

If he became a Divine Craftsman, his plans to visit the Star Luo Empire would likely be affected.

The Federation wouldn't allow a Divine Craftsman to leave the country at will.

Zhen Hua assumed Mu Han simply didn't want to share his burden, and laughed as he scolded him. "You lazybones!"

"But that's for the best. If you make a name for yourself too early, it'll be hard to hold your ground."

After all, Mu Han wasn't Zhen Hua.

Zhen Hua was a Four-Word Battle Armor Master, even if he wasn't much of a fighter.

But Mu Han wasn't. He was only a One-Word Battle Armor Master on the verge of reaching Two-Word Battle Armor Master.

Though his status as a Divine Craftsman would give him a powerful foundation, his Two-Word Battle Armor wouldn't be enough to let him hold Zhen Hua's position and remain neutral.

For now, Zhen Hua had no choice but to shoulder the burden.

Zhen Hua had already come up with a way to get back at him.

Once Mu Han became a Four-Word Battle Armor Master, he'd have to use his kindness as leverage

and make him become the Blacksmith Association's president!