Tang Qingye had learned his forging from Master Mo. His hammerwork was thoroughly methodical, but its patterns were apparent at every turn, his imitation of the fundamentals impeccable.
Yet resemblance in form could never quite match resemblance in spirit. Following the tracks of his predecessors, he had yet to hone a forging path that belonged to him alone.
Taking another step forward would require time to mature. Though Tang Qingye's Spirit Forging had some padding to it, it was still genuine Spirit Forging.
"Your pure forging ability is probably around level four at present. That's my conservative estimate." Zhen Hua's eye was extraordinarily keen. By his judgment, Tang Qingye had a wealth of tricks and methods, but once those were stripped away...
Leng Nu Jiao's lashes trembled slightly, her gaze fixed on him, admiration and affection tucked deep within her eyes.
Level four was still quite a distance from becoming a Divine Craftsman of his generation. That meant he would have to put the boy through his paces. Jiejiejie.
"Pagoda Master Leng, I'd like to take Qingye as my disciple. You would teach him the path of a Soul Master, and I would handle forging. Would that be acceptable?"
Zhen Hua asked with an eager, sincere expression.
Naturally, Zhen Hua understood why Leng Yaozhu had brought her disciple here, but the formalities still had to be observed.
La la la, I'm a happy Divine Craftsman...
Leng Yaozhu said mildly, "I'm not willing."
"Excellent! Huh? That's not right, is it?"
"Your gaze is far too ardent. You've frightened my disciple."
"Ahaha, I'll rein it in a little." Zhen Hua scratched his head with his fair, slender hand.
"Qingye." Leng Yaozhu looked at Tang Qingye, her smile both indulgent and gentle.
Tang Qingye bowed to Zhen Hua. "Your disciple, Tang Qingye, pays his respects to you, Teacher."
"Excellent!"
Zhen Hua lightly patted Tang Qingye's shoulder and helped him straighten.
He had neither sons nor daughters in this life. His only company was the mischievous Mu Xi, but looking at her made his heart ache.
But now he finally had a successor, one with the makings of a Divine Craftsman, too. Mu Chen, I win!
Mu Chen: Bao'er is pregnant.
Zhen Hua: Fuck!
Zhen Hua's expression turned solemn, recovering the dignity of a Divine Craftsman. "Qingye, although you've completed Spirit Forging, you still have a long road ahead in forging. I have high expectations of you, so I will only award you a Level Four Blacksmith Badge. Can you understand that?"
"I understand. A badge's rank is merely an empty title. Forging fundamentals are what matter." Tang Qingye did not mind the rank, either. Level four was already enough to shock the world.
Zhen Hua nodded slightly, a trace of approval flashing through his eyes. "Qingye, now that you've taken me as your teacher, I'll give you a special initiation gift. This item carries my great hopes for you."
Zhen Hua's fingertips moved slightly as Soul Power slowly flowed into the silver Storage Soul Guidance Ring on his finger, sending out a faint ripple of silver light.
A palm-sized piece of azure metal, with what seemed to be golden water flowing inside it, appeared out of thin air and hovered quietly above his palm.
"Gold-Water Interfusion?" Leng Yaozhu was somewhat surprised. This was the rarest metal in the world.
"You have a good eye, Pagoda Master Leng."
"My disciple, this is my first meeting gift to you: gold-water interfusion."
"Its greatest inherent property is its ability to reconcile the repulsion between different metals. Fusing multiple rare metals is extremely difficult, and this is the best medium for it."
"It is also your stepping stone to crafting Four-Word Battle Armor and attempting Heavenly Refinement. I hope it will spur your growth."
Battle Armor made without the help of gold-water interfusion was not good Battle Armor.
Tang Qingye put away the small piece of metal, which could nevertheless rival a Red-Grade Mecha, unable to keep a little excitement from rising in his heart. "Thank you, Teacher."
Zhen Hua was about to speak when he suddenly paused, one eyebrow lifting. A flash of inspiration crossed his mind as he abruptly remembered an "important matter." His expression shifted slightly, and he cried inwardly, Oh no!
A low hum sounded, and the heavy metal door slid inward along its tracks without warning!
With her weight pitched forward, Mu Xi nearly tumbled into the room from her momentum. In her haste, she tapped her toes against the floor, forcibly checked her forward rush, and stood stiffly in the doorway.
She and Zhen Hua stared at one another. Mu Xi spoke first. "Stupid Uncle! Did you forget about me?"
"Ahem, how could I? An adorable princess like little Mu Xi is on my mind every day."
"You're a pervert, Uncle."
Zhen Hua: ...
What can I say? Mamba out.
"Heehee."
Mu Xi spread her arms and scurried across the floor on her two short little legs, throwing herself at Zhen Hua. She was fast!
Zhen Hua could only smile and catch the little tyrant, holding her in his arms.
Just then, Mu Chen and the other two entered the room and saw Leng Yaozhu and Leng Nu Jiao standing to one side.
It was hard to miss those two beauties, one grown and one young. Mu Xi's eyes could have shared a table with sesame seeds.
Looking at the little blonde girl, Leng Nu Jiao recalled what had happened on the Spirit Ascension Platform, her gaze turning somewhat playful. One could say Tang Qingye had thoroughly led her astray.
Mu Chen recognized Leng Yaozhu at a glance. She was simply too distinctive. The Spirit Pagoda's Deputy Pagoda Master... what was she doing at Senior Brother's place?
"Your Excellency Heavenly Phoenix."
Mu Chen and Yuan Bao'er bowed in greeting.
Leng Yaozhu nodded, indicating that there was no need for such formality.
Hearing her parents' voices, Mu Xi poked her head out of Zhen Hua's arms, her large golden eyes meeting Tang Qingye's placid gaze.
"Ah... ah! Why is it you!"
"Why can't it be me?" Tang Qingye remained expressionless.
"It just can't! You're a bad guy. Uncle, hurry up and chase him away." Mu Xi shook Zhen Hua's arm.
Zhen Hua felt rather embarrassed. Chase away his own disciple? Was that something a person should say? He set Mu Xi down. "Xi'er, do you know Qingye?"
"I don't know him!"
Only then did Mu Chen and the other two notice Tang Qingye, who had been blocked from view by Zhen Hua.
Tang Qingye: My height set me up.
Ouyang Zixin: "Oh! It's you."
Everyone: ?
Mu Chen felt somewhat helpless. Stop all just saying "it's you." Are you trading riddles here? He looked at Ouyang Zixin and asked, "Zixin, are you classmates?"
Ouyang Zixin shook her head, cast a playful glance at Tang Qingye, and slowly recounted Mu Xi's trip to the Spirit Ascension Platform.
Just as Zixin was about to reveal Tang Qingye's assessment of Mu Xi, Mu Xi finally could not bear to listen any longer. She pounced on Ouyang Zixin and covered her mouth with her little hands.
Mu Chen shook his head. He had wondered what had happened, but it turned out she had simply been disdained. He rather wanted to laugh.
But that boy from the Ice Staff Family...
Xu Xiaoyu: Why do I have a bad feeling? Could it be him again... No, no, I need to leave this den of trouble as soon as possible.
"Hahaha, so that's what happened. Isn't this a case of friendship being forged through a fight?"
"How about this? My treat today. To celebrate my gaining a cherished disciple and help these little ones get along happily, shall we all gather at the Heaven Dou Hotel?"
Mu Chen studied Tang Qingye. The disciple Senior Brother has taken in?
Suddenly, as if something had occurred to him, he looked toward the metal giving off a faint spiritual glow nearby. Connecting it with the hammering sounds, he murmured, "Surely not..."
"All right, little Xi, you're four years older than Qingye. Give him a little leeway. Don't you want to be the big sister in charge?" Zhen Hua said softly in Mu Xi's ear.
"Hmph! Bad Uncle."
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