One Year Later

North River Mouth Town, west side of town, Jiang Blacksmith Shop.

"Clang—! Clang clang! Clang—! Clang clang! ..."

The rhythmic hammering rang out without end. Under the glow of the crimson forge, beads of gleaming sweat on Ling Yi's fair face shone like rubies.

"Hiss—!"

The moment the dark-red iron tool was plunged into the icy spring water, thick white vapor billowed out, making Ling Yi's upper body appear and disappear within the mist.

"Clang—!"

With a crisp sound, a crescent-shaped black iron casting was placed onto the anvil with tongs.

It was a sickle blade missing its handle. Its overall color was deep black, its body smooth and flat, its crescent-like curve flawlessly sleek, displaying the smith's exquisite craftsmanship.

Just then, a head poked over from the side. After inspecting the sickle blade on the anvil for a few moments, then looking at Ling Yi's handsome yet still youthful face, Ling Bai could not help but sigh. "A Yi, your skill has already surpassed mine. You're no worse than Master Jiang!"

"Not at all~"

With a sunny smile on his face, Ling Yi shook his head at Ling Bai, who had leaned over. "I just don't have enough strength, so I can only put more effort into the finer details. When it comes to actual forging skill, Brother Bai and Master Jiang are still better—"

"You..." Ling Bai raised a hand and tapped Ling Yi on the shoulder. "Still so modest. You don't act your age at all..."

As they spoke, neither delayed their work. Ling Bai held a pair of tongs, feeding chunks of Pig Iron into the furnace, where red and blue flames mingled. Meanwhile, Ling Yi picked up the cooled sickle blade with his bare hand, turned, and walked to the workbench two steps away to begin sharpening its edge.

Just as Ling Yi held the sickle blade in one hand and a file in the other, concentrating on filing the edge into rows of fine serrations, the owner of Jiang Blacksmith Shop, Master Jiang, appeared at the workbench at some point and silently watched the sickle in Ling Yi's hands gradually take shape.

When Ling Yi set down the file, picked up a rough piece of burlap, and wiped the sickle several times, a booming praise sounded by his ear.

"Not bad—!"

"A Yi~" Master Jiang glanced at the sickle in Ling Yi's hand, its edge gleaming with cold light, and said with a face full of gratification, "Just judging by this sickle's edge, that brat Bai was holding back. Your skill is actually already better than mine—!"

As he spoke, a reminiscing look appeared on Master Jiang's face.

"When I was learning from my master, he told me, 'Forging takes three years to learn; sharpening blades takes a lifetime to master'~"

"Generally speaking, the techniques of sharpening an edge are far more difficult than forging!"

"The patterns and grain of a blade, the thickness of its edge... all of these require extremely meticulous attention—"

At this point, Master Jiang's expression dimmed, but he quickly returned to normal. Shaking his head, he sighed.

"Sadly, I was slow-witted and had limited talent. The skills I learned were limited too. In the end, I could only return here to my hometown, open a little blacksmith shop, and barely make a living..."

Master Jiang's tone was calm. Clearly, he had already accepted his current circumstances and was content with things as they were.

Ling Yi did not offer any comforting or inspirational words. He merely smiled shyly, handed the sickle to Master Jiang, and said with a chuckle, "Master Jiang, I still have much to learn~ If you praise me like that, I'll get cocky—"

"You brat~" Master Jiang chuckled as he took the sickle. His rough thumb gently pressed against the serrations along the edge. Feeling the thick calluses on his fingertip pricked slightly, approval filled his eyes once again.

"Oh, right~"

As though recalling something, he asked Ling Yi, "I heard from that brat Bai yesterday that you're going to attend school in Mu Zhi City next month?"

As he asked, Master Jiang suddenly realized that the one standing before him was not an Ordinary Person like Ling Bai and the other two youths in the shop—someone who had come to become a Blacksmith Apprentice, intending to make a living as a blacksmith after learning the trade—but a "favored child of heaven" with Innate Soul Power, someone with the potential to become a Soul Master!

Well, in the eyes of Ordinary Persons without Soul Power, Soul Masters—and even Soul Scholars below Level 10—were people above them, above lowly commoners like themselves~

"Mm~"

Facing Master Jiang's question, Ling Yi nodded and answered with a smile, "There happened to be an open Work-study Student slot in town this year, and my family has saved up some money for my living expenses. Naturally, I have to attend the academy and systematically learn knowledge related to Soul Masters—"

"That's true~" Master Jiang nodded in agreement. "You should learn. Otherwise, by the time your Soul Power cultivation reaches Level 10, you might not even know how to choose and absorb a Soul Beast Soul Ring..."

"Oh, right, when are you leaving? Mu Zhi City isn't close to here—"

Ling Yi said, "I'll leave in three days. I'm going early so it'll be easier to handle enrollment, lodging, and such..."

"As you should~" Master Jiang said. "You may be young, but you're always reassuring when it comes to handling things!"

At this point, hesitation appeared on Master Jiang's face, but after no more than two breaths, it turned to resolve. He immediately said to Ling Yi, "How about this? When you leave for Mu Zhi City in three days, you'll be passing through town anyway. Stop by the shop then..."

"Huh?" Ling Yi was taken aback, but there was no hesitation on his face. Without asking why, he nodded immediately. "All right, Master Jiang. I'll definitely come say goodbye to you then."

"Ha ha—"

Seeing Ling Yi's straightforward, unreserved manner, Master Jiang felt immensely pleased. After laughing heartily several times, he stopped beating around the bush and said, "Don't worry, it's a good thing—"

"When the time comes, I'll write a letter for you to take to Mu Zhi City. After you've enrolled and settled in, find some time to visit Jin Geng Blacksmith Shop on Anfang Street in the south of the city. Give the letter to the Master Craftsman there, Vajra Old Man Jin."

"Thank you, Master Jiang. You've gone to a lot of trouble~" Ling Yi thanked him first, then asked curiously, "This Old Man Jin is—?"

"Heh heh~" Master Jiang grinned, his dark, reddish face creasing with amusement. "No rush. I'll tell you in three days..."

All right then~

Ling Yi did not mind. He shrugged, asked Master Jiang about a few questions that had come up while hammering the sickle blank earlier, and, after receiving Master Jiang's experienced advice, picked up another red-hot iron ingot and resumed forging.

The distinct rhythm of hammering rang out once more. This time, Ling Bai no longer focused solely on heating the iron ingots beside him. He also took out a bright-red ingot and began swinging his hammer.

Within the duet of hammer blows, Ling Yi divided his attention three ways. One part focused on his stance, breathing rhythm, arm extension, muscle exertion, and more while swinging the hammer; another sensed the shape, weight, density, grain, and more of the ingot beneath his hammer; the final part planned his schedule for after the blacksmith shop's practice session ended.

It was now August of Douluo Calendar 2598. More Than a Year had passed since his Martial Soul Awakening last year.

Compared to a year ago, Ling Yi's character panel now contained considerably more information.

Ling Yi

Age: Seven Years and Six Months

Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass

Soul Power: Level 3, 37%

Aptitude: Innate Soul Power Half Level

Physique/Essence: Strength of 176 jin

Mind/Spirit: Deep Sleep Level 2, Serene and Peaceful Intent, Spiritual Perception, Blue Silver Mimicry

Methods: "Crystal Meditation Method 2.8," "Feline Breathing Method," "Basic Body Tempering Exercise"—Cat, Dog, Rabbit, and Chicken Forms, "Farmer Three Forms"—Hoeing Form, Scything Form, Axing Form, "Basic Meditation Method: Improved Version 1.5"

Skills: Slingshot (Never Missed Within Seventy Meters; limited by slingshot draw strength), Hypnosis (Initial Mastery of Rhythm of Life), Staff Technique (Thirteen Forms), Spear Technique (Eight Forms), Saber Technique (Eight Forms), Axe Technique (Five Forms), Forging—Intermediate Blacksmith

Pets: A'Huang (Earth Dog, Head Wolf Level Combat Power+), Meow Meow (Li Hua Cat, Leopard Level Combat Power+)