Attempting Spirit Forging

On the other side.

Xu Tianran arrived at a palace.

The palace was not large, but it was decorated with exquisite warmth, standing in stark contrast to the solemn and austere atmosphere found elsewhere in the imperial palace.

"Big Brother, why are you here?"

A petite figure dashed out from the inner hall and threw herself directly into his arms.

The sternness on Xu Tianran's face vanished in an instant. He raised his hand and affectionately stroked the newcomer's silky hair.

"What, am I not welcome?"

"Of course you are!" The girl looked up, revealing an exquisite and adorable face. "It's just that you're usually so busy, Big Brother. It's rare for you to have time to come see me."

Xu Tianzhen.

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

As for the Second and Third Princes, they were born to other concubines of their father, so Xu Tianzhen was naturally aligned with his faction.

There were few people who could make Xu Tianran drop all his defenses; aside from Ju Zi, the Xu Tianzhen before him was one of them.

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

"How have you been lately?" Xu Tianzhen pushed his wheelchair into the hall. "Are you adapting well at the Ming Capital Academy?"

"I'm adapting well enough," Xu Tianzhen pouted, her tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction, "it's just too boring."

"Boring?"

"Yeah, the peers at the Ming Capital Academy are all too weak. I can't find an opponent at all."

Xu Tianran looked at her, a flash of complex emotion crossing his eyes.

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

"No way!"

Xu Tianzhen did not hesitate in the slightest.

"It's been so long, you should let go of your anger toward Father. Besides, there are many peers there who are stronger than you; you'll definitely find some fun."

"Stronger than me?" Xu Tianzhen paused, then immediately wore an excited expression. "Really? You aren't lying to me, Big Brother?"

"When have I ever lied to you? You'll see for yourself once you go."

"Actually, I came here today to discuss this with you. You've stayed at the Ming Capital Academy for so long; it really is time for a change of environment. The teaching quality at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy is better, and the resources are more abundant. It will be more helpful for your growth."

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

Xu Tianran raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Alright, let's do as you say. You go challenge that person, and if you lose, you transfer to the Imperial Academy."

"It's a deal!" Xu Tianzhen immediately extended her pinky finger.

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

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

"That is something you will have to discover for yourself," Xu Tianran said calmly.

"It's getting late, I should head back," Xu Tianran maneuvered his wheelchair to stand up. "Get some rest early."

"Mm, take care, Big Brother!"

Once Xu Tianran left Xu Tianzhen's palace, the gentle smile on his face vanished completely.

Based on his understanding of Xu Tianzhen, she would certainly be no match for that youth. Once she lost and transferred, and once she identified Xiao Hongchen as an opponent worth chasing, she would keep pestering him.

On a deeper level, it wasn't as if he hadn't thought further ahead.

With the two young people spending time together day and night, it was not impossible for sparks to fly.

If that day truly came, a bond that no one could sever would be forged between the Hongchen Family and the imperial house—or more accurately, his own faction as the Crown Prince. Even if Xiao Hongchen truly harbored ulterior motives once he became powerful in the future, with the layer of connection provided by Xu Tianzhen, it shouldn't be much of a problem to keep him on a pedestal just like Elder Kong.

Even if nothing came of it, it wouldn't matter. The intelligence from Ju Zi's side was ultimately separated by a layer; Tianzhen would allow him to know Xiao Hongchen's movements much faster.

Xu Tianzhen watched the back of the wheelchair as it gradually moved away, lost in her own thoughts.

Back at Mingde Hall, Xiao Hongchen immediately began planning to replicate his concept.

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

This was a piece of Ten-Refined Sinking Silver; its characteristics were excellent ductility, and it was produced from the seabed at depths exceeding a thousand meters, making it a very good conductor of Soul Power.

After heating the Sinking Silver in the furnace until it glowed red throughout, Xiao Hongchen retrieved it from the void and placed it on a specialized table.

Then, he took out a standard forging hammer.

He wanted to hammer it first to get a feel for it, then compare the finished product with what he had purified with his bare hands. The result would determine whether he should delve deeper into the field of forging.

Though he said that, he still calmed his heart to feel the properties of the Sinking Silver as he swung the hammer.

He swung both hammers, striking down repeatedly.

Xiao Hongchen knew at the very least that forging was not about striking randomly; it was about removing impurities from within the metal without damaging its internal structure.

He did not know how long he had been hammering, but eventually, there was no reaction no matter how hard he struck.

A pale white halo radiated from the surface of the Sinking Silver.

Xiao Hongchen had no idea what this signified, so he simply stopped.

He took out another identical piece of Sinking Silver. Just as he was about to operate on it directly, he remembered the need to control variables and placed it back into the furnace to heat.

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

Suspending the glowing red Sinking Silver between his hands, he activated his first and third soul skills, causing golden light to swirl around the metal.

His mental power scrutinized the Sinking Silver thoroughly. Impurities were continuously expelled from its surface, and its volume shrank until it reached eighty-five percent of its original size, at which point it could no longer be compressed; its density had essentially reached its limit.

At this moment, a silver light scattered from the Sinking Silver, and Xiao Hongchen could feel its jubilation.

He was just about to call it a day, but it felt as if he had established a connection with the Sinking Silver, which seemed to be urging him to continue.

Then he would continue. The pale golden Eye of Fate on his forehead had opened at some point, and strands of golden silk connected Xiao Hongchen to the Sinking Silver. A golden phantom of the Three-Legged Golden Toad, identical to the one behind Xiao Hongchen, gradually emerged on the surface of the Sinking Silver, surrounded by silver-white mist.

His Soul Power was also being continuously channeled into the Sinking Silver, and Xiao Hongchen realized that this was the critical moment for Spirit Forging.

Just how much Soul Power do you still need to absorb!

The phantom of the Three-Legged Golden Toad behind Xiao Hongchen flared brilliantly, and his divine beast bloodline was fully activated. A mere piece of Sinking Silver shall submit to me obediently!

The Sinking Silver seemed to be intimidated, trembling slightly as a whole.

"Form for me!"

His hands had curled into claws at some point, facing each other in the air as if he were holding the entire piece of Sinking Silver in his palms. His ten fingers slowly rotated, compressing it.

The Blade of Life's Watch appeared at his side, and emerald-green life energy was injected into the interior of the Sinking Silver along the threads of the Eye of Fate.

Soul Power, Power of Destiny, life force, and mental power—four types of energy poured in simultaneously. The golden light on the surface of the Sinking Silver grew increasingly intense, and a fine vibration emanated from within, as if something were gestating.

It was time. Sensing the opportunity, Xiao Hongchen bit the tip of his tongue and sprayed a mouthful of fresh blood onto the Sinking Silver.

BOOM— The Sinking Silver was compressed by one final, small fraction, and a golden flame shot into the sky. If one looked closely, they could see a Three-Legged Golden Toad within it, surrounded by an aura of life.

It was a life form marveling at and cheering for its own birth.

The flame lasted for ten seconds before slowly fading, revealing the piece of Sinking Silver, now entirely golden with faint, shimmering silver traces.