Trying Spirit Forging

Elsewhere.

Xu Tianran arrived at a palace.

The palace was small, but its decor was exceptionally refined and cozy, utterly unlike the solemn grandeur of the other parts of the imperial palace.

"Big brother, what brings you here?"

A petite figure dashed out of the inner hall and threw herself straight into his arms.

The sternness vanished from Xu Tianran's face in an instant. He raised a hand and affectionately stroked her silky hair.

"What, you don't want me here?"

"Of course I do!" The girl looked up, revealing a delicate, adorable face. "It's just that you're always so busy, big brother. You hardly ever have time to visit me."

Xu Tianzhen.

The Sun Moon Empire's only princess, and Xu Tianran's younger sister by the same father and mother.

The second and third princes had been born to other concubines of their father, so Xu Tianzhen had been on his side from birth.

There were few people who could make Xu Tianran let down his guard completely. Besides Ju Zi, Xu Tianzhen here was one of them.

Ming Capital Soul Engineer Academy had recently gone on break, so naturally she had returned to the imperial palace.

"How have things been lately?" Xu Tianzhen pushed his wheelchair into the hall. "Have you settled in at Ming Capital Academy?"

"I've settled in just fine," Xu Tianzhen said, pouting with a hint of discontent in her voice. "It's just too boring."

"Boring?"

"Yeah. Everyone my age at Ming Capital Academy is too weak. I can't find anyone to challenge."

Xu Tianran looked at her, a complicated emotion flickering in his eyes.

"Then go to Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy."

"No!"

Xu Tianzhen refused without the slightest hesitation.

"It's been so long. You should be over Father's anger by now. Besides, there are plenty of people your age there who are stronger than you. You're sure to find it interesting."

"Stronger than me?" Xu Tianzhen froze for a moment, then her face lit up with excitement. "Really? You're not lying to me, are you, big brother?"

"When have I ever lied to you? You'll see when you get there."

"Actually, I came today because I wanted to discuss this with you. You've been at Ming Capital Academy for a long time, and it really is time for a change of scenery. Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy has better teaching and more resources. It'll help you grow."

"Then I'll go challenge that person. If I lose, I'll transfer."

Xu Tianran raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Fine, we'll do it your way. Challenge that person, and if you lose, transfer to the Royal Academy."

"It's a deal!" Xu Tianzhen immediately held out her little finger.

Xu Tianran hooked his little finger around hers helplessly, and the two of them made a pinky promise like children.

"By the way," Xu Tianzhen asked curiously, "who's the person stronger than me?"

"You'll have to find out for yourself," Xu Tianran said calmly.

"It's getting late. I should head back," Xu Tianran said, pushing his wheelchair as he rose to his feet. "Get some rest."

"Mm. Take care, big brother!"

By the time Xu Tianran left Xu Tianzhen's palace, the gentle smile had vanished from his face.

He knew Xu Tianzhen well. She would never be a match for that boy. She'd lose, then transfer schools, decide that Xiao Hongchen was a worthy rival to catch up with, and keep clinging to him.

He had also considered what might come of it.

The two young people would spend their days together; it was not impossible that sparks might fly.

If that day came, the Hongchen Family and the imperial house—or, more precisely, the crown prince's faction—would be bound by a tie no one could sever. Even if Xiao Hongchen grew powerful and harbored treacherous ambitions, with Xu Tianzhen as a connection, they should have little trouble keeping him in comfort, just as they did Elder Kong.

Even if nothing came of it, that was fine too. The information from Ju Zi was still one step removed; Tianzhen could help him learn about Xiao Hongchen's movements more quickly.

Xu Tianzhen silently watched the wheelchair recede into the distance, lost in thought.

Back at Mingde Hall, Xiao Hongchen immediately set about testing his idea.

He took out a piece of standard metal and placed it on the table.

It was a piece of Ten-Forged Sinking Silver (not). It was highly malleable, came from depths of over a thousand meters beneath the sea, and made an excellent Soul Power conductor.

After heating the Sinking Silver in the furnace until it glowed red all over, Xiao Hongchen lifted it out with telekinesis and set it on a specially made table.

Then he took out a standard forging hammer.

He wanted to hammer it first and get a feel for it, then compare the finished product with the one he had refined by hand. The result would determine whether he should devote himself to the field of forging.

That was what he said, but when he began hammering, he still quieted his mind and focused on the Sinking Silver's properties.

He raised both hammers and brought them down again and again.

Xiao Hongchen at least knew that forging wasn't just random hammering. The impurities inside the metal had to be removed without damaging its internal structure.

He didn't know how long he hammered for. Eventually, no matter how much more he pounded it, nothing happened.

A faint white glow appeared on the surface of the Sinking Silver.

Xiao Hongchen had no idea what it meant, so he simply stopped.

He took out another piece of identical Sinking Silver and was about to start working on it directly, but then remembered he needed to control the variables, so he put it back in the furnace to heat.

Once it had been heated for about the same amount of time, he took it out.

He suspended the red-hot Sinking Silver between his hands and activated his first and third Soul Skills. Golden light swirled around the metal.

His Spiritual Power gave him a thorough look inside the Sinking Silver. Impurities kept spilling from its surface as its volume continued to shrink. At last, it had shrunk to eighty-five percent of its original size, and could not be compressed any further. Its density had essentially reached its limit.

At that moment, silver light burst from the Sinking Silver in every direction. Xiao Hongchen could feel its joy.

He was just thinking that this was probably good enough when it felt as if he had made contact with the Sinking Silver. It seemed to urge him to continue.

Then continue he would. The pale golden Eye of Fate on his forehead had opened at some point, and strands of golden thread connected Xiao Hongchen to the Sinking Silver. A golden phantom of a Three-Legged Golden Toad, just like the one behind Xiao Hongchen, gradually appeared on the metal's surface, surrounded by silvery-white mist.

His Soul Power was also flowing into the Sinking Silver without pause. Now Xiao Hongchen could tell that he had reached the crucial moment of Spirit Forging.

How much Soul Power are you going to absorb?!

The phantom Three-Legged Golden Toad behind Xiao Hongchen blazed brilliantly, and the divine beast bloodline was fully activated. You're just a piece of Sinking Silver—submit to me!

The Sinking Silver seemed to be intimidated. The whole piece trembled faintly.

"Become!"

At some point, his hands had curled into claws, facing each other in midair as if gripping the entire piece of Sinking Silver between them. His ten fingers slowly rotated, compressing it.

The Blade of Life's Watch appeared at his side. Its emerald-green life energy flowed along the threads from the Eye of Fate and poured into the Sinking Silver.

Soul Power, the Power of Destiny, life force, and Spiritual Power—four forces poured into it at once. The golden light on the Sinking Silver's surface grew brighter and brighter. Fine tremors came from within, as if something were being born.

The moment had come. Sensing the opportunity, Xiao Hongchen bit the tip of his tongue and spat a mouthful of blood onto the Sinking Silver.

"Boom—" The Sinking Silver compressed just a little more, and a golden flame shot into the sky. If you looked closely, you could make out a Three-Legged Golden Toad within it, surrounded by an aura of life.

It was a living being, exulting and rejoicing at its own birth.

The flame lasted ten seconds before slowly fading, revealing the piece of Sinking Silver beneath: gold all over, with silver glimmering faintly through.