Learning to Forge and Becoming Divine Craftsman Zhen Hua's Disciple

"You're not a little kid anymore. It's time you learned to stand on your own feet... you need a way to earn a living, like a Second Profession!"

Hearing Leng Yaozhu's words, Tang Wulin felt his whole world fall apart. Was his wonderful life of eating and drinking to his heart's content about to vanish forever?

Leng Yaozhu stared at Tang Wulin with a complicated expression. It wasn't that she truly couldn't afford to support him.

After all, she was the Spirit Pagoda's Vice Pagoda Master, with wealth to rival a nation. How could she possibly be unable to support one child?

But she also knew she couldn't supply Tang Wulin with unlimited resources, or she might spoil him into uselessness.

"Teacher, then I want to learn forging!"

Tang Wulin quickly worked out the pros and cons. Since he had to learn a Second Profession, of course he would choose the one that seemed the hardest but actually had the highest ceiling!

In the technological age of Legend of the Dragon King, neither mechas nor Battle Armor could do without high-grade rare metals, which meant they couldn't do without blacksmiths.

And high-ranking blacksmiths were extraordinarily rare across the entire Douluo Continent. There was only one Divine Craftsman.

"Forging? That's the hardest Second Profession to advance in... do you really want to learn it?"

Seeing how sensible Tang Wulin was, Leng Yaozhu's maternal instincts surged again, and her heart ached for him. Forging was truly grueling, and Tang Wulin was only a six-year-old child.

Leng Yaozhu even considered simply continuing to spoil him. It wasn't as though she really couldn't afford to support him.

But Tang Wulin said he wasn't afraid... and he genuinely wanted to learn forging. Even his original-story self, who had awakened Blue Silver Grass, had been able to forge with ease.

He had awakened the Soft-Boned Enchanting Rabbit Martial Soul, which combined strength, explosive power, and speed. In theory, it should be even better for forging... his talent for forging should have improved as well.

"Teacher, please! I know our Spirit Pagoda lacks nothing, but what we need most is a powerful blacksmith. If I become a Divine Craftsman, I can make up for that weakness."

"Teacher, I want to help you!"

Tang Wulin looked at Leng Yaozhu with utter sincerity. Deeply moved, she pulled him into her arms.

How had she ended up with such a thoughtful disciple?

Permission granted!

After an hour, Tang Wulin had finally turned the tables and persuaded Leng Yaozhu to let him learn forging. He had even secured one last batch of resources.

Namely, the Four Great Spiritual Objects needed for the Golden Dragon King Seals. Leng Yaozhu had gathered all of them for him.

She would also take him to the Blacksmith Association headquarters in Heaven Dou City to test his talent for forging and see whether he could become Divine Craftsman Zhen Hua's disciple.

Fiercely protective of Tang Wulin and utterly doting on him, Leng Yaozhu felt that if he was going to learn forging, he naturally had to learn from the best.

Leng Yaozhu had already decided that if Tang Wulin's talent wasn't good enough, she would spend money and owe favors—whatever it took to make Divine Craftsman Zhen Hua accept him as a disciple.

Tang Wulin was deeply touched.

My soul power is level 19 now, and the Four Great Spiritual Objects needed for the second seal have all been gathered. Perhaps before I start learning forging... I can break through the second seal and obtain my first Blood Essence Soul Ring.

Tang Wulin was in his private cultivation room. As Leng Yaozhu's personal disciple, he naturally received top-tier treatment, and the room was large and spacious.

Tang Wulin laid out the Four Great Spiritual Objects, then reached out to Old Tang.

"I want to break through the second seal!"

Old Tang, who was in his Sea of Consciousness, was clearly a little surprised, but he agreed. Soon, brilliant golden light filled the cultivation room.

Time flew by, and a month passed!

Heaven Dou City!

The Blacksmith Association headquarters!

As the sacred ground of every blacksmith on the Douluo Continent, this place had always bustled with activity. Countless blacksmiths came every day on pilgrimage to pay their respects, for the continent's only ninth-rank Divine Craftsman was here.

What was more, Divine Craftsman Zhen Hua set aside one day every month specifically to provide guidance and demonstrate his forging techniques.

"As everyone knows, what matters most for a blacksmith? Perseverance. Practicing your techniques day after day. Talent alone won't carry you all the way..."

"The same goes for me. Today, I'll demonstrate my Thousand Refinement technique. Watch closely and learn..."

In the plaza, surrounded by a sea of blacksmiths, Divine Craftsman Zhen Hua calmly took out his two forging hammers and began his demonstration.

The forging platform soon finished heating a piece of heavy silver. Zhen Hua drew a deep breath and struck it.

Clang!

A single blow flattened it by a quarter, forcing impurities out as well. That alone showed the level of Zhen Hua's skill.

Clang, clang!

The ringing of metal continued. Under Zhen Hua's hands, the dull, tedious craft of forging became vivid and lively, even artistic.

"As expected of Divine Craftsman Zhen Hua... he completed Hundred Refinement purification in just five strikes, and Thousand Refinement in fewer than fifty. Terrifying!"

"Of course! He's the continent's only Divine Craftsman! But he's so fast that I feel like I haven't learned anything."

"It's only natural not to learn anything... how could you master a Divine Craftsman's techniques after watching them once?"

Exclamations of admiration rose one after another. These blacksmiths were all Zhen Hua's admirers.

Ugh, all these people know how to do is flatter me... can't they pay attention to the details?

Zhen Hua inwardly lamented their failure to live up to his hopes. What use was flattery to him? He would much rather discover a genius and pass down his forging craft.

That was why he spared no effort searching the entire Douluo Continent for promising young talent. Unfortunately... finding a good prospect for forging was simply too difficult.

They either feared hardship and exhaustion or wanted instant results.

He was no longer young. Heavenly Refinement, the later stage of a blacksmith's craft, consumed Life Force. In other words... his lifespan wasn't as long as that of other Titled Douluos, and he urgently needed a successor.

"I've demonstrated this for three consecutive months now. Has anyone learned it...? You can come up and demonstrate. I'll guide you in person."

Zhen Hua looked at the crowd and asked sincerely.

Their eyes shifted, and a group of them instinctively drew back. It wasn't remotely that easy to learn. They hadn't grasped a damn thing, and going up would only make fools of them.

Some were eager to try, however. Just then, a young voice suddenly rang out, catching his attention.

"May I try?"

Zhen Hua looked over, and everyone else turned curiously as well. Then they spotted a very young figure in the crowd.

It was a child.

He looked a little over six, with black hair and an exquisitely sculpted little face full of innocence. Quite a few female blacksmiths melted at the sight. He was so adorable.

But the others thought he was merely grandstanding.

A six-year-old claiming he could do it after watching once—wasn't that a joke? He should go home and drink his milk.

Zhen Hua clearly didn't believe him either and assumed the child was making trouble. But looking at Tang Wulin's face... he couldn't bring himself to speak harshly.

"Little one, forging is no joke... come back and try when you're a few years older."

Tang Wulin remained insistent.

"But I want to try, because I think it's very simple."