Mu Xi Wants to Improve! Jiang Yan, Where the Accomplished Are Teachers

"Master Jiang Yan, please stop."

"You've already proven your potential."

In the workshop, Mu Chen swallowed as he watched Jiang Yan seemingly still unsatisfied, his tone solemn.

Now, faced with the talent Jiang Yan had displayed, the emotions in his heart surpassed even those he felt for his own daughter.

This was no ordinary forging prodigy.

A freak who could forge Thousand Refinements Grade One at six years old! Even his senior brother had already been over sixteen when he became a Level Four Blacksmith. How could Jiang Yan be this terrifying?

What kind of peerless genius was this?

Master Jiang Yan was destined to be unparalleled.

"Congratulations, Master Jiang Yan. You have met the requirements to become a Level Four Blacksmith."

"From today onward, you... are the youngest Level Four Blacksmith on the continent certified by the Blacksmith Association."

Smiling, Mu Chen took out four badges from his soul tool. Each bore the image of a special hammer.

These were the strictly regulated blacksmith rank badges. They ranged from one star to four stars; the more star patterns there were, the higher the blacksmith's rank.

After handing him the first three badges, Mu Chen personally pinned the brightest Level Four badge onto him.

"A Level Four Blacksmith Master..."

This scene made Mu Xi beside them incredibly envious. For ordinary blacksmiths, Level Four was already the limit they could reach in their entire lives, while she...

Even now, she only had a one-star badge!

"Then thank you, President."

At this moment, Jiang Yan smiled as he looked at the four-star badge the man had personally pinned on him. He was in a very good mood.

Naturally, this joy had nothing to do with the other party, nor with the sense of achievement from becoming a Level Four Blacksmith. Rather...

[Congratulations to the host for becoming an association-recognized Level One Blacksmith, Level Two Blacksmith, Level Three Blacksmith, and Level Four Blacksmith under the certification of an eighth-rank Saint Blacksmith!]

[Star of Forging One, Star of Forging Two, Star of Forging Three, and Star of Forging Four have been completed simultaneously. Rewards are now being distributed.]

[Total increase of 200% Metal Affinity! 25 million legal Federation Credits! Four heavenly treasures...]

[Congratulations, you have obtained: Hundred-Year Dragon Spirit Fruit, Thousand-Year Radiant Sun Fruit, Thousand-Year Dragon Phoenix Fruit, Ten-Thousand-Year Earth Dragon Golden Melon...]

The system announcements rang out.

Listening to the repeated notifications in his mind, Jiang Yan lowered his head and looked at the metals he had just forged. He could clearly sense the eagerness they radiated toward him.

Even... loyalty.

That was right, loyalty.

Among the four quests currently completed for [Star of Forging], each stage increased his affinity by 50%. One hundred percent was already ultimate metal affinity, let alone two hundred percent.

"Two hundred percent affinity. It seems my forging will be even more effortless from now on."

"And there are twenty-five million Federation Credits, plus heavenly treasures that are a hundred, a thousand, and even ten thousand years old."

"The system truly is absurdly generous."

Jiang Yan could not help praising it inwardly. To him, these were practically free rewards. At this moment, how could he not sincerely say, "I love forging the most"?

"President Mu Chen, sorry for the trouble this time."

Though Jiang Lingli had not been surprised by any of this, seeing his nephew become the foremost prodigy under the recognition of his Divine Blacksmith junior brother still gave him a sense of accomplishment. He smiled slightly.

"You are too courteous, Pagoda Master."

"To witness the emergence of such a genius with my own eyes..."

"Is my good fortune."

Mu Chen smiled and shook his head, his expression sincere.

Blacksmithing was currently at the height of its development, but even so, there were very few true geniuses willing to study it.

Someone like Master Jiang Yan, who possessed innate full soul power yet was still willing to learn forging, was truly unique in the world.

"..."

"Senior Brother, the blacksmithing world is about to welcome a true peerless prodigy. Let me tell you..."

"Anyway, come over when you have time."

A few minutes later, after seeing Jiang Yan and Jiang Lingli off, Mu Chen hurriedly called his senior brother, Zhen Hua.

Only then did he notice that his daughter was still standing in the office, staring blankly into space.

"Xiao Xi, Master Jiang Yan has already left."

"Are you still thinking about him?"

Mu Chen guessed the reason instantly and asked with a smile.

"Mm!"

"Dad, I don't understand. How can someone be such a monster? I really don't understand."

Mu Xi nodded solemnly and said frankly.

She knew geniuses existed.

But she had never imagined such a genius could exist!

"Before today, even I wouldn't have believed it. But he appeared. A dazzling star has risen in the forging world, someone capable of stirring up a tremendous storm across the entire continent."

"And a genius like that... Xiao Xi, you must not compare yourself to him, much less let anxiety over him affect your resolve."

Mu Chen nodded solemnly. As he spoke, his tone became increasingly worried.

His daughter had always been proud and competitive. He hoped she would not...

"How could this..."

"How could this possibly not put pressure on me, Dad?"

Mu Xi gave a bitter smile, her pretty face filled with distress. Mastering Thousand Refinements Grade One made one a Level Four Blacksmith Master, and Jiang Yan had proven that potential through three consecutive Grade Ones.

"I'm ten years old and only a Level One Blacksmith."

"He's six years old. He just awakened his martial soul, yet he has already passed the Level Four Blacksmith certification. Has my dream of becoming a Blacksmith Master ended before it even began...?"

She lowered her head bitterly. At that moment, she felt as though her pride had been shattered all over the ground.

"Xiao Xi, geniuses are not all the same. You are naturally outstanding among blacksmiths, but he is completely different from you."

"He was born for forging."

Mu Chen sighed, but his tone grew even more solemn.

"Not to mention you—even I, even your uncle, are insignificant before his talent. He..."

"Is a peerless genius who can only be looked up to."

He spoke to comfort his daughter.

Yet even so, his own tone was not calm. He could not help reflecting from his daughter's perspective—

Was being born in the same era as such a genius misfortune or fortune for you, Xiao Xi?

Perhaps... neither good nor bad?

"..."

"Dad, is little brother Jiang Yan from East Sea City too? Does he attend a junior academy?"

Mu Xi suddenly raised her head, an indescribable emotion flashing through her eyes.

"Mm. His uncle is Pagoda Master Jiang of the East Sea City Spirit Pagoda, so of course he's in East Sea City too."

"Do you want to improve and compete alongside him?"

Mu Chen saw through his daughter's thoughts at once, and his eyes immediately lit up. Good, Xiao Xi truly was a smart child.

"Mm!"

"As they say, only by being with geniuses can one make greater progress. Although little brother Jiang Yan is a bit young, he's very impressive. If there's a chance..."

"At worst, I'll take him as my master!"

There was not the slightest hesitation on Mu Xi's face. Instead, she spoke with sparkling eyes. Her pride had been shattered, but she had pieced it back together.

There was nothing shameful about being surpassed by such a genius!

As the ancients said, where the accomplished are, there are teachers.

If there was a chance, at worst she could take him as her master.

His brilliance was even greater than her uncle's!

"Hahahaha! Xiao Xi, you really do see things clearly. It's good that you think this way..."

"Eh?"

Mu Chen was smiling at first, but as he gradually realized that she did not seem to be joking, his expression turned blank.

Wait, don't tell me you're serious!

"Xiao Xi!"

"He's still a child!"

In an instant, he said helplessly. If she took a master, her father was an eighth-rank Saint Blacksmith, and his elder brother was a Divine Blacksmith. Xiao Xi...

Don't do this to me!

"Dad."

"Do you think I don't know he's a child?"

Mu Xi came back to her senses and gave him a speechless look, though that cute and handsome face flashed through her mind involuntarily.

He was a child, that was true.

And a very handsome, adorable little brother at that.

Taking him as her master was naturally only an idea. As for the future, there was no need to rush—there was plenty of time ahead!

"And since he attends East Sea Academy, everything will be easy..."

Mu Xi thought for a moment, the smile on her face deepening.

"..."

Meanwhile.

Jiang Yan had only just returned to the living room when a grand notification sounded in his mind. It was none other than—

A new achievement had appeared.

[Having witnessed your exquisitely unmatched forging talent, the blacksmithing genius and future Divine Blacksmith Mu Xi has developed the desire to take you as her master.]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the achievement: Where the Accomplished Are Teachers.]

[On Douluo Continent, strength is revered, and where the accomplished are, there are teachers. This achievement will be activated when you are acknowledged by a genius older than yourself.]

[Congratulations, you have received the reward: when facing elders older than yourself, you will possess an additional layer of intimidation.]

"Huh?"

"Take me... as her master?"

Jiang Yan frowned. While feeling utterly baffled, the helplessness in his heart reached its peak.

He understood now.

Mu Xi... wanted to improve way too badly!