Clap… clap… clap…
Applause echoed through the forging room as Bai Chen finished.
Zhen Hua looked at him with unmistakable satisfaction and spoke sincerely.
"Remarkable."
"You are absolutely the most talented person I have ever seen."
"Even I cannot compare to you."
In the original story, Tang Wulin completing Thousand Refinement at nine years old had already broken the Blacksmith Association's historical record.
But Bai Chen had accomplished it three years earlier.
Moreover, as the most accomplished blacksmith of the era, Zhen Hua could instantly tell that Bai Chen's work was not an ordinary Thousand Refinement.
The metal in front of them was Second-Grade Thousand Refinement.
Even within the same forging tier, there were quality rankings.
Hundred Refinement: divided into three grades — upper, middle, and lower.
Thousand Refinement: divided into five grades.
Grade One was the highest.
Grade Five was the lowest.
Normally, Grade Five metals were produced by blacksmiths who had only barely reached the Thousand Refinement level.
Once a blacksmith could consistently produce Thousand Refinement metal, their work would typically stabilize around Grade Four or Grade Three.
But Grade Two was already extraordinary.
If a blacksmith could produce Grade Two Thousand Refinement with more than 20% success, they could apply for the Level 4 Blacksmith badge from the Blacksmith Association.
As for Grade One Thousand Refinement, it was often called Pseudo-Spirit Refinement.
The higher the success rate of Grade One Thousand Refinement, the greater the chance of eventually reaching Spirit Refinement and advancing to Level 5 Blacksmith.
Since Bai Chen could already forge Grade Two Thousand Refinement, it meant that even among Level 3 Blacksmiths, he was already considered quite skilled.
With some time, he could even attempt to challenge the Level 4 threshold.
For the first time in his life, Zhen Hua felt his vocabulary was insufficient.
Every word he could think of to praise Bai Chen seemed inadequate.
After a long breath, his expression turned serious.
"Your talent astonishes me."
"Become my disciple."
"I am confident that under my guidance, within twenty years, you can become the next Divine Blacksmith."
If anyone else had said those words, they would have been laughed at.
But the one speaking was the only Divine Blacksmith on the continent.
His words carried immense weight.
At the same time, they revealed his determination.
For Bai Chen to become a Divine Blacksmith within twenty years, he would need to reach Title Douluo before the age of twenty-six.
That requirement alone was terrifying.
Even in this era, those who had reached Title Douluo before twenty-six were legendary figures:
Yun Ming
The Underworld Emperor
The Dark Blood Demon
All of them were limit-level powerhouses, and the latter two had relied on evil cultivation methods.
Even Yun Ming—the man widely regarded as the most talented genius of the era—only became a Title Douluo at twenty-three.
By making such a promise, Zhen Hua was essentially declaring that he would pour every possible resource into Bai Chen to accelerate his growth.
Bai Chen bowed respectfully.
"I leave myself in your care, Master."
"Haha! Good! Very good!"
Zhen Hua laughed happily.
"You probably noticed already—the forging hammers you're holding were made from the Thousand Refinement metal you forged earlier."
"Now…"
"Extend your hand. It's time for the Blood Sacrifice."
Blood Sacrifice was a special ritual used by blacksmiths.
It could be performed either during forging or after the forging process.
If performed during forging, it greatly increased the success rate.
If performed afterward, it could further enhance the metal's quality.
Regardless of when it was performed, once a metal underwent Blood Sacrifice, it became exclusively bound to its creator.
If someone else attempted to use it forcibly, the item might even self-destruct.
However, Blood Sacrifice carried serious side effects for the blacksmith.
Excessive use could even cause permanent damage.
Therefore, aside from the first Thousand Refinement item every blacksmith creates, this ritual was rarely used.
The reason Duan Xuan hadn't allowed Bai Chen to perform Blood Sacrifice earlier was simple—
Bai Chen had been far too exhausted at the time.
Using Blood Sacrifice then could have harmed the six-year-old child.
But now things were different.
Even after completing such a forging session, Bai Chen showed almost no signs of fatigue.
Performing the ritual now would cause no real harm.
Bai Chen obediently extended his hand.
Zhen Hua swiftly made a small cut.
A thin stream of blood flowed from the wound and dripped onto the golden forging hammers.
As the blood touched them—
The two hammers began to change.
The left hammer slowly developed black-purple patterns.
Those patterns gradually formed the outline of something demonic and ominous.
The right hammer, however, became strangely ethereal, as if an invisible force surrounded it.
Even Zhen Hua found it difficult to perceive clearly.
Even without testing them, Bai Chen could tell—
The two hammers had inherited two different attributes.
One carried the power of Evil.
The other carried the power of Time.
Both were supreme attributes, superior even to ordinary ultimate elements.
None of his other attributes could compete with them.
"Hmm…"
Zhen Hua also noticed something unusual.
"So they awakened two different traits."
"That's rare."
"Why don't you test them now?"
Bai Chen nodded.
"Alright."
He lifted the hammer in his left hand and lightly struck a piece of metal.
Bzzz—
Instantly, the metal's glow dimmed significantly.
"Stop!"
Zhen Hua quickly stepped forward and examined it carefully.
"…Strange."
"The metal's quality seems to have deteriorated."
"Does your hammer's ability actually destroy metal?"
His tone carried some disappointment.
In truth, such an ability was extremely powerful in combat.
In an era dominated by battle armor and mechas, a weapon capable of damaging metal directly would be incredibly valuable.
But Zhen Hua was a blacksmith.
Naturally, he hoped Bai Chen's hammer would enhance forging, not degrade materials.
Now it seemed the hammer didn't improve metal at all—
It actually lowered its quality.
How could he not feel disappointed?
But Bai Chen shook his head.
"Wait, Master."
"Let me try something."
He struck the same metal again.
A black-purple flash flickered across the hammer.
Under Zhen Hua's astonished gaze—
The metal's glow partially returned.
Although it hadn't fully recovered to its original state, it had clearly improved again.
Bai Chen sighed softly.
"As expected."
Then he explained:
"Master… the ability of this hammer is Devour and Bestow."