「That night.」
Hong Yuan swung the Miao Blade in the training room, investing his whole heart into it. For a time, blade shadows flickered, and tiger roars resounded continuously.
A week had passed since he had become Lin Daoyan's apprentice. During this week, he learned weapon forging Skills and Arts during the day and practiced the Five Tiger Breaking Gate Sword at night. Everything was moving in a positive direction, and he was beginning to indulge in the pleasure of continuous improvement.
[Cultivation Technique: Five Tiger Breaking Gate Sword (Minor Achievement 3,995/4,000)]
[Skills and Arts: Forging Zero Tier (453/500)]
At this moment, his Five Tiger Breaking Gate Sword was increasingly close to the Great Achievement Realm, just a step away.
"HEIYA!" Hong Yuan shouted angrily, unleashing the White Tiger Jumping Over the Ravine style against a wooden stake.
His arms swelled violently, his robes splitting, and behind him, a Tiger Shadow seemed about to emerge.
ROAR!!!
A dreadfully dull tiger roar erupted from the tip of the blade, turning the wooden stake into dust, a total mess. The Miao Blade couldn't withstand the pressure and shattered into four pieces.
[Five Tiger Breaking Gate Sword +7]
[Cultivation Technique: Five Tiger Breaking Gate Sword (Great Achievement 2/8,000)]
Hong Yuan's gaze lowered slightly as he exhaled a breath of turbid air.
The Great Achievement Realm! My Five Tiger Breaking Gate Sword has reached the Great Achievement Realm! This is a realm that typically only third or fourth-tier Martial Artists can master, and I've reached it.
Now, I can definitely dominate among lower-tier Martial Artists!
Hong Yuan was very pleased, humming a small tune.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, he quickly checked the Talent·Tiger Shadow that had formed from the Five Tiger Breaking Gate Sword.
[Talent·Tiger Shadow: Able to summon one Tiger Shadow to fight the enemy → Able to summon three Tiger Shadows to fight the enemy]
After seeing the [Talent·Tiger Shadow] enhanced along with the progress of the Five Tiger Breaking Gate Sword, Hong Yuan chuckled with delight.
With this, my Mysterious Water Snake Avatar will hunt even faster!
With this thought, Hong Yuan shifted most of his consciousness to the Mysterious Water Snake Avatar. His main point of view switched from the human Hong Yuan to the Mysterious Water Snake Hong Yuan.
「The primeval forest's large pond.」
「Shallow water zone, the Mysterious Water Snake's cave.」
Hong Yuan opened his eyes and looked towards the deep water, his gaze turbulent with emotion.
Should I test the deep water that feels so threatening? he pondered. But in an instant, Hong Yuan decisively dismissed the reckless thought born from his increased strength.
Better safe than sorry.
I'll wait a bit longer, Hong Yuan thought, flicking his snake tongue. I'm still just at the peak of the first tier, not yet at the Mysterious Water Snake's true pinnacle. He then swam slowly out of the cave.
He had to continue hunting and devouring the large fish and shrimp in the shallow waters.
Slow growth is better than no growth at all.
It's better than nothing.
...
...
「The next morning.」
「A06 Workshop.」
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
Bare-chested, Hong Yuan showed off his newly defined muscles. He picked up the hammer and repeatedly struck the blade blank, forging a Tang Sword suitable for his strength!
"Wow, Hong, is this Hundred Tempered Fine Iron?! Zhu really shows favoritism towards you, so unfair!" Zhao Gonghe came over to watch Hong Yuan and immediately let out a wail. He had been working the bellows for three days before Zhu allowed him to learn forging.
But Hong Yuan, with his head start and proficiency panel, has already far surpassed me! Zhao Gonghe lamented internally. The gap between us hasn't shrunk; it's only gotten wider!
"Gonghe, you've been working on that Miao Blade blank for three days. Is it shaped yet? If not, you'll have to pay for the material costs yourself," Zhu Wushang said sternly, only relenting when Zhao Gonghe returned to his station.
Zhu Wushang glanced at the Tang Sword Hong Yuan was still forging and nodded in approval.
This Hong, Zhu Wushang thought, despite his rough techniques from just starting, has outstanding comprehension and works diligently. His future is very promising!
Zhu Wushang was very satisfied with Hong Yuan, extremely satisfied. Therefore, when Hong Yuan wanted iron blocks to forge a large blade, he immediately used his authority to allocate a full basket of Hundred Tempered Fine Iron for Hong Yuan to experiment with.
"Yuan, don't be hasty. Once you've used up all this Hundred Tempered Fine Iron, I'll replenish it for you," Zhu Wushang said kindly.
"Thank you, Zhu," Hong Yuan replied with a grateful smile.
"HMPH." Zhao Gonghe, hearing the interaction, snorted silently, feeling extremely upset.
Zhu is too partial! Way too partial!
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
Hong Yuan didn't get distracted again; he concentrated on forging the Tang Sword billet. The Hundred Tempered Fine Iron to be forged was first heated red-hot in the furnace, then moved to the large anvil, where he took charge of the main hammer, wielding the large hammer to forge it himself. An experienced lead smith would grasp a smaller hammer in the right hand and tongs in the left. During the forging process, this smith had to constantly turn the iron stock by eye to change a square billet into a round rod or a rough iron bar into a fine, long one.
As this job was highly physically demanding, even with some ventilation, Hong Yuan was dripping with sweat, ceaselessly swinging the hammer.
During this laborious process, the dark-colored Tang Sword billet gradually flattened.
Through such a repetitive cycle, Hong Yuan, following Zhu Wushang's teachings, steadily progressed with forging the Tang Sword. The Tang Sword slowly took shape, its edge beginning to show.
...
Two hours later, Hong Yuan looked at the slightly crude Tang Sword in his hands and fell silent.
I succeeded... but not completely, he thought. It's better than a standard Miao Blade, but it still doesn't meet my expectations. This Tang Sword definitely can't withstand the power of my Five Tiger Breaking Gate Sword at the Great Achievement Realm. It would probably shatter with just one swing.
"PFFT..." Zhao Gonghe, noticing Hong Yuan's odd expression, snickered.
Forging a weapon with Hundred Tempered Fine Iron on your first solo attempt? Who do you think you are?
"Yuan, don't overthink it. Your first attempt was already quite remarkable," Zhu Wushang said, walking up to Hong Yuan and gently patting his shoulder.
"Yes, I understand. Don't worry, Zhu," Hong Yuan replied with a smile.
"That's right. If it doesn't work once, then try again. We have no shortage of anything here, especially not Hundred Tempered Fine Iron," Zhu Wushang said, actively helping Hong Yuan place more of the material into the furnace, encouraging him to try again.
Zhao Gonghe, seeing Zhu Wushang so favorable to Hong Yuan, his face twisted with envy.
If I didn't know A06 Workshop was Zhu's territory, I'd definitely be cursing him under my breath right now!
Hong Yuan placed the Tang Sword into an iron chest, then turned to forge a new, better one. With the experience of one attempt behind him, Hong Yuan methodically forged the new Tang Sword. His movements were succinct, his demeanor composed.
"Yes, just like that, Yuan. Keep it up," Zhu Wushang said, nodding in satisfaction. He crossed his arms and stood by, overseeing Hong Yuan's work.
"HEH HEH..." Zhao Gonghe, standing to the side, murmured his displeasure and averted his gaze, but then he caught sight of the roughly forged Tang Sword Hong Yuan had just completed.
I want to see just how big the gap between us really is, Zhao Gonghe thought, his eyes darting around as he quietly shifted his feet. He bent down to pick up the Tang Sword from the iron chest. After just one inspection, his expression changed drastically. He looked back at the Miao Blade he had been forging for three days, and an intense feeling of defeat welled up within him.
Damn that Yuan! he fumed internally. You looked so dejected, I actually thought you'd failed! Turns out, you were just aiming for something better and didn't even care about this blade, which is already superior to a standard Miao Blade!
Zhao Gonghe cursed wildly in his heart, but soon he lost motivation, feeling downcast.
The gap is too wide. While I'm still struggling to forge an ordinary Miao Blade, Hong Yuan is already working on high-quality ones.
...
Two hours later, Hong Yuan looked with delight at the snow-white, frost-like, keen-edged Tang Sword in his hands.
It's just a small step away from being a first-grade fine blade! he thought. The quality of this Tang Sword is incredibly close to that of a first-grade fine blade. In other words, I'm nearing the level of a first-grade Forger!
"Well done, Yuan," Zhu Wushang said, giving Hong Yuan a thumbs up, unable to hold back his praise.
"HEH HEH. It's all thanks to your excellent guidance, Zhu. Otherwise, I couldn't have reached the threshold so quickly," Hong Yuan said humbly.
Pleased to hear this, Zhu Wushang became even happier. He pulled Hong Yuan out to eat at a tavern, ending Hong Yuan's work for the day early.
Zhao Gonghe watched them leave, a thoughtful expression on his face. I still don't think I'm worse than Yuan, he murmured. Could it be that Zhu Wushang, that rough fellow, actually has some real skill? But he's clearly just a minor second-grade Forger.