"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Two more strikes from the hammer echoed through the room, rhythmic and full of raw power.
As the sparks flew in every direction, the volume of the star silver began to shrink and condense once more, though its inner glow became much more subtle and pure.
After witnessing only three strikes, Mu Chen could already tell that the Hundred Forging process was finished.
The purification required for Hundred Forging usually took an ordinary Blacksmith dozens or even a hundred strikes to complete, yet it had taken Huo Yuhao only three.
Huo Yuhao did not slow down for a single second; instead, his subsequent hammer strikes suddenly began to accelerate in speed.
The shadows of the hammers became a continuous blur, looking almost like a dark curtain of light descending on the metal. Every landing point was perfectly precise, and each strike carried a specific rhythm with tiny changes in force—some were light, some were heavy, some vibrated the core, and others were designed to penetrate deep into the grain.
His movements flowed like water, showing none of the hesitation an ordinary Blacksmith might have while stopping to observe and think; it was as if everything was already under his total control.
When Huo Yuhao's twenty-sixth strike hit the surface... "Boom!"
The sound was like the metal itself was jumping with joy, vibrating in a way that announced its total rebirth.
At the same time, a beam of silver starlight over four feet long surged up from the star silver, filling the entire forging room with a bright, clear radiance.
"Thousand Forging with Spirit, First-Grade Realm!"
Tang Wulin, who was standing nearby, whispered the words in shock. This was the unmistakable sign of a finished Thousand Forging, and it had reached the prestigious First-Grade level.
It meant the spirituality of the metal had been successfully awakened, and its quality had reached the absolute peak of the Thousand Forging stage.
However, Huo Yuhao did not stop his work there.
He took a deep breath, his eyes becoming even colder and more focused, and the rhythm of his hammering shifted yet again.
Spirit Forging was an entirely different beast compared to Thousand Forging.
It was not just about physical shaping or optimizing the structure of the metal; it was about injecting spirit and will—it was about giving the metal a soul of its own.
This process required a Blacksmith to perform a deep soul communication with the metal while they worked.
To be honest, the secret to this soul communication was the use of mental force to guide and influence the metal during the forging process.
In this specific area, Huo Yuhao's mental-type Spirit Eyes Martial Soul gave him an advantage that could only be described as a gift from the heavens.
Every ounce of power in his swings was soaked in his pure mental intent.
Right now, the spirit forging myriad soul hammers in his hands acted as a bridge to communicate directly with the soul of the metal.
As the hammers rose and fell, there were not just variations in physical strength, but also a stream of exquisite mental force flowing like a small creek into the star silver, providing the nourishment needed for its spirit to grow.
The number of strikes became impossible to count as Huo Yuhao's entire mind and soul merged completely with the piece of metal on the anvil.
Finally... "Buzz!"
A strange, low hum filled the room, sounding much deeper and longer than the one heard during the Thousand Forging stage.
Immediately after, a beam of silver starlight—taller, more solid, and reaching a full six feet in length—shot up from the metal, which had shrunk to a third of its size but now looked as clear as a silver jewel.
The light lasted for more than ten seconds, pulsing and breathing with a rhythmic glow that made it look like it was actually alive and happy to exist.
Spirit Forging was a success.
A flash of light appeared over Huo Yuhao's hands, and the spirit forging myriad soul hammers vanished back into his body.
He exhaled a long breath, a few drops of sweat forming on his forehead, but his eyes remained as sharp and bright as the stars.
Tang Wulin stood frozen next to his teacher Mu Chen, his mouth hanging open. The way he looked at Huo Yuhao had changed from simple surprise to total, dumbfounded awe and deep respect.
Knowing Huo Yuhao was a Level Five Blacksmith was one thing, but seeing him go from Hundred Forging to Spirit Forging so easily was a soul-shaking experience.
That level of control and the perfect fusion of mental force and skill showed Tang Wulin just how wide the gap between them truly was.
The shock in Mu Chen's eyes was also visible, and it took him a significant effort to finally push it down.
He had always believed his student Tang Wulin was a once-in-a-century genius who could look down on everyone his age, making him very proud.
He never expected to see a monster with even more terrifying skills standing right in front of him today.
This boy was clearly born to be a Blacksmith.
Huo Yuhao walked away from the forging table, his face calm but his eyes showing a trace of stubborn pride as he looked directly at Mu Chen.
He thought to himself: This performance should have been good enough not to embarrass my teacher, right?
He expected that by completing the Spirit Forging, Mu Chen—who he thought was his teacher's rival—might look angry or feel humiliated.
However, things did not go the way he expected.
He watched as the serious look on Mu Chen's face melted away like snow the moment the silver light faded.
It was replaced by a look of warmth and... was that relief?
Then, a loud and happy laugh filled the forging room.
"Hahaha! Good! This is wonderful! I really didn't think my arrogant Senior Brother Zhen Hua would find such an amazing student in secret! Hahahaha!"
"Senior Brother?!"
Hearing those words, Huo Yuhao was stunned, his face full of confusion as he repeated the title back to him.
Mu Chen walked forward while laughing and patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder, explaining with a wide smile, "That is right! Divine Craftsman Zhen Hua is actually my fellow Senior Brother."
"So, if you think about it..." He pointed at himself and then at Huo Yuhao, his smile growing even bigger, "You should really be calling me Junior Martial Uncle!"
"Ah?!"
Now it was Huo Yuhao's turn to be completely shocked.
He never could have guessed that the situation would end like this.
The heavy tension from a few minutes ago had suddenly turned into a warm reunion of family members.
He spoke up, feeling a mix of amusement and confusion, "Just now, when you were being so serious, President, I really thought you and my teacher Zhen Hua had some kind of blood feud!"
When he said that, a very complicated look briefly crossed Mu Chen's eyes.
A blood feud?
Not exactly.
If someone really wanted to look into the past, maybe they would call it a grudge over a woman.
But back then, the person who had won the heart of that talented woman was actually himself.
His Senior Brother, the Divine Craftsman who ruled the world of forging, was actually the one who had lost in love.
Of course, his history with Senior Brother Zhen Hua was much more complicated than just that.
But no matter what happened, they weren't enemies.
Mu Chen pushed those old memories aside and looked at Huo Yuhao with appreciation, saying, "If I hadn't acted like a difficult person, how could I have forced you to show me what you can really do?"
Huo Yuhao felt a bit embarrassed by the praise and waved his hands, saying, "You are being too kind, President. You are an Eight-Star Saint Craftsman; my skills are nothing compared to yours."
Mu Chen made his face go stiff again as if he were annoyed, "Are you still calling me President?"
Huo Yuhao understood immediately and gave a sincere smile as he bowed again and said clearly, "Junior Martial Uncle!"
"Good!"
Mu Chen finally nodded, his face turning back into a smile that showed the pride an elder feels for a talented junior.
He officially stated, "Then, on behalf of the Eastsea Blacksmith Association, I welcome you as a member!"
He then turned to Tang Wulin, who was still standing by, and gave an order, "Wulin, you know the way. Take Yuhao downstairs to finish all the official paperwork."
"Yes, Teacher!"
Tang Wulin replied with a big smile on his face.
He walked over to Huo Yuhao and said in a friendly tone, "Let's go, Yuhao. Now we aren't just classmates, but we're brothers in the world of forging too!"
Huo Yuhao nodded with a smile of his own. After both of them bowed to say goodbye to Mu Chen, they walked out of the room with light steps.
Watching them leave, Mu Chen felt a sense of excitement for the future.
These two boys were definitely going to become legends in the forging world.
After they left, Mu Chen calmed his heart, pulled out a communication device, and after thinking for a moment, made a call.
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You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion