Inside the Forging Room, the air seemed to have frozen.
Zhen Hua drew a deep breath, putting away his usual genial manner and replacing it with the dignity and solemnity unique to a Divine Craftsman. He watched Tang Wulin standing before the Forging Table, his gaze blazing like a torch.
"Wulin, you must understand that what separates a Divine Craftsman from an ordinary blacksmith is neither skill nor strength, but the ability to draw upon the power of heaven and earth and grant metal true 'life.'"
Zhen Hua's voice echoed through the spacious Forging Room, carrying the sacred weight of a ritual.
"Heaven Forging is the ultimate mystery of forging. It is no longer merely hammering and shaping, but a contest with the laws of heaven and earth. If you fail, at best, the metal will be ruined. At worst, the heavenly tribulation will turn against you, destroying both your life and your path."
Tang Wulin's expression grew solemn, and he nodded slightly. "Teacher, I understand."
"Good." Zhen Hua nodded and stepped back, yielding the center of the Forging Table. "Then begin. Let me see whether you are worthy of taking up the crown of 'Divine Craftsman.'"
Tang Wulin took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes.
At that moment, the bloodline power within him began to boil. The domineering presence of the Golden Dragon King bloodline instantly flooded his body, but rather than deliberately suppressing it, he guided that power to mingle with the Blue Silver Emperor's aura within his Sea of Consciousness.
"Humm—"
A strange humming sound rang out.
Tang Wulin held both hands out, palms down, and a metal billet of an unusual dark gold slowly floated into the air. This was no ordinary metal, but a "spirit alloy" he had spent months creating by fusing