Examination

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The hammer blows came in a dense rush, like a sudden rain beating on banana leaves or pearls tumbling onto a jade plate, echoing through the spacious Forging Room.

The red-hot metal kept changing shape under Mu Xi's forging hammer. With each strike, impurities were driven from within, and its core grew ever denser, faintly glowing a deep red.

Na'er watched from the side, itching with curiosity. She couldn't help lowering her voice to ask, "Redhead, what metal is Mu Xi forging?"

"Red Star Iron," Yuanen Yehui replied softly. "A rare fire-attribute metal. It's much harder to forge than ordinary Hundred Refinement metal. Mu Xi is trying to break through to Thousand-Refinement, but she's still a little short."

With her keen eye, Yehui could already tell that Mu Xi's attempt was about to fail.

That did not mean Mu Xi had mediocre forging talent. Thousand-Refinement was a natural chasm that stood before every blacksmith. Anyone who became a level-three blacksmith before turning twenty was an extraordinary genius with the potential to become a Saint Craftsman.

Mu Xi was only fourteen. Girls were naturally at a disadvantage in forging, yet she had already reached the peak of level two and was attempting Thousand-Refinement at her age. Her talent was undeniably impressive.

"Three more strikes!" Mu Chen said in a low voice. "Focus, and finish strong!"

Mu Xi took a deep breath. The muscles in her arms tightened, and Soul Power poured steadily into her forging hammer.

"Clang!"

The first strike landed, sending a ring of red energy rippling across the metal's surface.

"Clang!"

The second strike hit hard, and a clear resonance rang from within the metal.

"Clang!"

The third strike fell—

"Crack!"

A harsh snap abruptly shattered the rhythm. A fissure split the metal's surface, and the spiritual glow that had gathered within it scattered in an instant.

Thousand-Refinement had failed.

Mu Xi stared blankly at the ruined Red Star Iron on the forging table, a trace of unmistakable disappointment flashing through her eyes.

"I failed again..." She set down her hammer and bit her lower lip. "Dad, am I just too stupid?"

"Nonsense." Mu Chen shook his head. "Thousand-Refinement is a hurdle. Plenty of blacksmiths get stuck here for years without making any progress. You're only fourteen, and you're already a level-two blacksmith. Don't doubt your talent."

"But Yehui is four years younger than me, and she became a level-three blacksmith months ago. And that useless glutton... he's already trying to reach first-grade Thousand-Refinement." Mu Xi lowered her head, her voice heavy with frustration.

Thousand-Refinement was divided into five grades, with fifth grade the lowest and first grade the highest.

First-grade Thousand-Refinement was also known as Half-Spirit Refinement. Any blacksmith capable of reliably forging first-grade Thousand-Refinement metal was at the peak of level four, with one foot already over the threshold of level-five Spirit Refinement.

Clearly, the two monsters by Mu Xi's side had dealt her a crushing blow.

People had different talents, and the path of cultivation moved at a different pace for everyone, but in the end, they all reached the same destination. Mu Chen patted his daughter on the shoulder. "Yehui and Wulin are forging prodigies rarely seen in a thousand years. You can't measure them by ordinary standards. Don't put yourself down. Just take steady steps."

"I understand." Mu Xi nodded lightly, but the disappointment in her eyes lingered.

After all, her father was an Eight-Star Saint Craftsman, and her uncle was the only Divine Craftsman in the world. Forging ran deep in her family. How could she easily accept being so far behind others in talent?

Of course, she was only venting now and then. Deep down, she was already quite strong.

Only then did Mu Xi notice the group standing at the doorway. When her gaze landed on Yuanen Yehui, her eyes immediately lit up. "Yehui!"

"Mu Xi." Yuanen Yehui walked over with a smile. "Long time no see."

"You finally made it! I've been waiting for you forever!" Mu Xi excitedly took her hand, her earlier gloom swept away.

"Sorry. I've been so busy cultivating lately that I haven't had a chance to visit you or the teacher." Yuanen Yehui sounded apologetic.

"It's fine, it's fine!" Mu Xi waved her hands repeatedly, then looked at the people behind Yehui and tentatively called out, "An Lan? Na'er?"

"That's me!" the two answered in unison.

They were all around the same age and had met on the Soul Net, often teaming up to play together. Though this was their first time meeting in person, none of them felt like strangers.

Watching his daughter chat happily with her friends, Mu Chen wore a relieved smile. "All right, Xi'er, go get some rest. I need to test Yehui's forging skills first. I want to see how much she's improved after eight months of teaching herself in isolation."

"A test? I want to watch too!" Mu Xi refused to leave and insisted on staying.

Mu Chen shook his head helplessly. "Fine. Stay if you want to watch."

He turned to Yuanen Yehui. His smile quickly faded, replaced by a stern expression. "Yehui, it's been eight months since I last saw you. Let me see how much you've improved."

"Teacher, I won't disappoint you."

Yuanen Yehui bowed slightly, her voice full of confidence. Then she took a specialized forging hammer from her Spatial Soul Tool.

The hammer was entirely red, its heavy body exuding a solid, weighty presence. It had been made from metal she chose herself, with Mu Chen imbuing it with a spirit. It weighed three hundred pounds.

"Today's test is still Thousand-Refinement." Mu Chen took a piece of pitch-black metal from his Storage Soul Tool. Its dark sheen was restrained, and its texture dense and weighty. "Black Gold is known for its hardness. It's a grade harder to Thousand-Refine than Mithril. I want you to reach third-grade Thousand-Refinement. Can you do it?"

By Mu Chen's standards, this was already an extremely demanding goal.

For an ordinary blacksmith to rise from fifth-grade to third-grade Thousand-Refinement in eight months would be pure fantasy.

But given Yuanen Yehui's talent, it was not impossible if he guided her.

If she could make that breakthrough through self-study alone, he truly would have nothing to criticize.

Yuanen Yehui took the Black Gold. It felt cold and heavy beneath her fingertips. She made no boast, only replying solemnly, "This disciple will do her best."

She took a deep breath and placed the Black Gold into the forge.

Flames roared upward. Orange-red firelight flickered in her eyes and illuminated her focused face.

Once the Black Gold had turned red-hot throughout, Yuanen Yehui flipped her wrist and set it steadily on the forging table.

"Clang!"

The first strike landed, and the clear ring of metal echoed through the room.

A barely perceptible ripple crossed the Black Gold's surface, a sign that its internal structure was beginning to loosen.

"Your control of your strength is good," Mu Chen commented from the side. "But it's not enough. Black Gold needs more force to shake its internal structure apart."

Yuanen Yehui said nothing, and her hammer kept moving.

"Clang! Clang! Clang..."

One strike, two, three...

As the forging went on, the aura around her gradually settled, as if she had merged with the air around her.

Her short red hair streamed behind her as she bent forward and swung the hammer. Every strike landed precisely on the same spot on the Black Gold.