Silver Dragon King

The workshop was deathly silent, with only the dull wheezing of the forge bellows.

A full dozen seconds passed before Mang Tian seemed to recover a trace of his senses from the enormous shock.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil within him. His voice became exceptionally dry, carrying even a faint, barely perceptible tremor:

"..."

"Again..."

"Try again."

"Right here. Right now."

There was no further explanation, only an unquestionable demand.

Without the slightest hesitation, Bai Lin stepped forward and gripped the dark metal hammer once more.

He adjusted his breathing, recalling the sensation of being filled with strength just now. His gaze instantly became incomparably focused.

Bang!

The first hammer fell. It was still crisp, yet somehow steadier and more powerful than before.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The hammering rang out again, like a raging storm, yet carrying a strange rhythm!

Bai Lin's small body seemed to merge with the hammer in his hand, every swing brimming with fluid strength!

Sweat beaded on his brow, glimmering in the dim light, but his focused eyes and steady arms revealed a resilience and

...control that surpassed his age!

Mang Tian stood just one step away, like the harshest overseer. His sharp gaze was fixed firmly on Bai Lin's every movement, on every mark left by the hammer's descent!

The shock in his eyes gradually turned into extreme concentration, before finally being completely ignited by a blazing light he could not conceal, as though he had discovered a priceless treasure!

Seven minutes!

Just seven minutes!

When the final hammer fell and the soul-guide counter once again jumped to "1000," the new hammer marks on the heavy silver billet were stamped deeply over the previous ones with perfect precision, driving the indentation several points deeper!

Bai Lin set down the hammer and panted lightly. His little face was flushed from exertion as he looked up at Mang Tian.

Mang Tian did not look at the counter, nor did he look at the battered metal billet.

His gaze, like red-hot iron, was locked tightly and unyieldingly onto Tang Wulin.

His eyes were filled with tidal waves of shock, wild joy, and an almost worshipful fervor!

Even his tall body seemed to tremble slightly with excitement. His Adam's apple bobbed, his lips moved, as if he wanted to say something, yet the overwhelming emotions had clogged his throat.

In the end, only a few words, like a dreamer's murmur and carrying boundless shock and ecstasy, struggled out from between his trembling lips, echoing repeatedly through the scorching air:

"Peerless genius..."

"Peerless... genius!"

When Lang Yue came to pick up Bai Lin at the agreed time, carrying a trace of unease, what she saw was completely different from when she had arrived.

The workshop door stood open, and Mang Tian was actually waiting at the entrance.

The afterglow of the setting sun fell upon his usually cold, iron-hard face, strangely casting it in a never-before-seen glow that could almost be called "gentle."

When he saw Lang Yue, he took the initiative and walked several steps toward her. He even forced out a somewhat stiff but utterly sincere smile.

"Sister Lang Yue."

Mang Tian's voice was low, but it carried an unprecedented warmth, along with a hint of...

Hoarseness after excitement.

"Your child..."

He paused, seeming to search for the most appropriate words. Finally, he said forcefully, one word at a time:

"A natural!"

"Born to be a blacksmith!"

He turned aside, allowing Lang Yue to see Bai Lin obediently putting away the tools inside. The heat and admiration in his eyes were completely undisguised.

"This child, I, Mang Tian..."

"Will take him in!"

Lang Yue stood outside the heavy metal doors of Mang Tian's forging workshop. Looking at the utterly uncharacteristic Mang Tian, whose face even held a hint of what could be called a "gentle" smile, she was so stunned that she could barely speak.

This master-level blacksmith, famous throughout Aolai City for being cold, taciturn, and hot-tempered, was looking at the small figure behind her as though he had discovered a priceless treasure. The blazing admiration in his eyes was something she had never seen before.

"A natural! Born to be a blacksmith!"

Mang Tian's decisive words struck Lang Yue's heart like the heaviest iron hammer, smashing open a flood of immense joy.

She looked at her son Bai Lin's small body, exhausted yet standing straight, at the calm expression on his face that carried a hint of determination. An overwhelming surge of pride and comfort instantly washed over her.

Her Linlin was actually this outstanding!

On the way home, Lang Yue could not help carefully examining her son's arms and palms, terrified she might find burns or blisters.

Yet apart from being slightly red and a little rough at the fingertips, those small hands did not even have a single blood blister!

It was simply unbelievable!

Her suspended heart finally settled, leaving only boundless happiness behind.

That evening, when Tang Ziran dragged his exhausted body home and pushed open the door, Lang Yue immediately and eagerly relayed Mang Tian's assessment to him.

Tang Ziran froze. The tool bag in his hand dropped to the floor with a clatter.

He repeated in disbelief:

"Brother Mang Tian..."

"He really said that?"

"A natural..."

"Born for this trade?"

After receiving his wife's confirming nod, immense joy and excitement erupted across the face of this usually steady man. Even his eyes grew faintly hot.

The approval of Master Mang Tian carried far more weight than anyone could imagine!

The atmosphere at the dinner table was especially warm and lively.

For the first time ever, Tang Ziran placed several of the largest pieces of meat into Bai Lin's bowl, praising him nonstop.

"Good boy! You've really made your dad proud!"

"Who is Brother Mang Tian?"

"To get a 'natural' from him—Linlin, your future is limitless!"

The smile on his face nearly overflowed. It was the purest pride of a father.

Bai Lin's little face reddened from the praise, but his heart was filled with warmth and strength.

He turned his head toward Na'er, who was quietly eating beside him, her silver hair falling over her shoulders. His eyes sparkled brightly.

"Na'er, once your brother earns more money, I'll buy you lots and lots of delicious food!"

"Candied hawthorns, cream cakes, and those glowing soul beast milk candies!

"I'll buy you anything you want to eat!"

Na'er raised her little face. Her pale violet eyes curved into crescents, clearly reflecting Bai Lin's high-spirited appearance.

She nodded vigorously, her voice soft yet clear.

"Mm! Thank you, Brother!"

Her smile was pure and flawless, filled with complete trust and dependence.

Dinner ended amid that warm, hopeful atmosphere.

Night fell. After bathing, Bai Lin returned to his room, fresh and clean with a faint mist of moisture still clinging to him.

The moment he pushed open the door, the smile on his face froze, and his heart seemed to be clenched by an invisible hand!

Under the dim yellow light of the wall lamp, Na'er was sitting quietly beside his small bed.

And in her fair little hands, she was holding the thick dark-brown book with no writing on its cover—the very book he had carefully hidden deep beneath his bedding!