"Why... Hahahahaha..." Tai Tan burst into laughter. "You want to betray Master. What's wrong with this old man cleaning house for Master?"
"Master?" One of the blacksmiths looked baffled. "When did we suddenly get a master?"
"Could he be talking about Tang Hao?" another blacksmith said.
Realizing what he meant, a blacksmith said furiously, "Bastard, Tai Tan! You acknowledged a master yourself, so don't force your master onto us."
Tai Tan glared and snapped back, "Master is the Divine Craftsman of the Blacksmith Association. This old man guards the Blacksmith Association for Master. Everything here belongs to Master."
Si Long said indignantly, "Vice President Tai Tan, you kept saying Spirit Hall harbored evil intentions and wanted to enslave us, that our Blacksmith Association should be free. So what is this now? You've conjured up a master for us out of thin air."
"It is your honor to serve Master," Tai Tan said.
"So, for Tang Hao, you betrayed the friendship we've had for so many years and came to kill me?" Lou Gao stepped out from the crowd, looking at Tai Tan with disappointment.
"Because you are a traitor," Tai Tan said.
"You're beyond redemption." Lou Gao looked deeply at Tai Tan. "I have never been loyal to any one person. I have always been loyal to the interests of the blacksmithing trade."
Lou Gao summoned his Martial Soul, the Sacred Forging Eye-Painting Brush. "My Martial Soul, Si Long's Diamond Chisel, and the rest—our Martial Souls are neither the Clear Sky Hammer renowned across the land nor a Mighty Gorilla like yours. We can neither become battle Soul Masters nor provide support. In the eyes of Soul Masters, our Martial Souls are useless Martial Souls that can be cultivated. Yet they grant us unique abilities and allow us to become