Longevity by Grinding Skills

In the Celestial Craft Hall, eighteen Beast Head Bronze Lamps lit up one by one, casting a blood-red glow on the Cold Iron Weapons lining the walls.

Within half an Hour, the masters of Celestial Craft Cave’s Nine Peaks and Six Ministries had all gathered. Even the Sect Leader of Celestial Craft Cave, Hong Baichuan, made a rare appearance—a clear sign of the importance placed on the Weapon Casting Hall.

Hong Baichuan sat on the main seat, his Blood Qi billowing around him like wolf smoke. His breaths rumbled like muffled thunder. This was a sign that a Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster had just finished practicing and had not yet had time to quiet his Blood Qi. It was clear he had rushed over immediately upon hearing the bell.

He was the only Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster in the entire Celestial Craft Cave—a renowned expert of considerable rank throughout the Sixteen States of Yanbei Dao. It was precisely because of him that among the Eight Sects of Cangzhou, the Celestial Craft Cave was implicitly ranked first.

"The third time the bell has been rung in twenty-five years."

Hong Baichuan’s voice rumbled in his throat like muffled thunder, causing the copper beams of the hall’s ceiling to hum faintly.

"Hall Master Zhan, you’ve surprised me."

He looked down with great interest at Zhan Yan, who stood tall and proud. He was inwardly surprised. ’This old man used to be hunched over and rarely said a word. Now he’s so full of vigor, his entire Essence, Qi, and Spirit seem different.’

"I wish to hold a True Inheritance Ceremony."

Zhan Yan clasped his hands in a salute toward Hong Baichuan, then swept his gaze across the room. Seeing that the masters of Celestial Craft Cave’s Nine Peaks and Six Ministries were all present, he spoke aloud.

Upon hearing this, the Medicine Hall Master frowned. "Hall Master Zhan, you must be mistaken. The Weapon Casting Hall was only founded twenty-five years ago. How could it have the qualification for a True Inheritor?"

"Eighteen years ago, the Golden Wing Tower besieged our mountain." Zhan Yan stared at the Medicine Hall Master. He casually grabbed a flask of cold wine from a Profound Iron table and poured it down his throat, the liquid trickling down his knotted chest muscles and into his fire-retardant cloth belt.

"Who was it that led the men to defend the Medicine Hall’s thirty-six Earth Fire Furnaces?"

Hearing this, the Medicine Hall Master’s face went pale then red, and he fell silent. Back then, it was Zhan Yan who, despite suffering heavy injuries, had saved him. Otherwise, there would be no Medicine Hall Master today.

The Hidden Blade Pavilion Master slammed his fist on the table and snorted coldly.

"You dare bring up old history! According to the ancestral rules of Celestial Craft Cave, a newly established hall must exist for a full thirty years before it can have a True Inheritor spot! Surely Hall Master Zhan is aware of this?"

As he spoke, the bones throughout his body cracked like colliding steel ingots. This Metal Clanging, a sign of Great Mastery of Bone Cultivation, was one of the Celestial Craft Cave’s True Inheritor Ultimate Skills. It lent his voice a metallic, clanging quality, clearly showing his dissatisfaction.

Naturally, the Hidden Blade Pavilion held a great deal of resentment toward the Weapon Casting Hall. Many buyers had started specifically requesting to trade directly with the Weapon Casting Hall, bypassing the Hidden Blade Pavilion entirely.

"That is why Sect Leader Hong made a special exception and granted three spots back then."

Zhan Yan pulled a Red Copper Token from his waist and held it up.

"I have yet to use any. Today, I still have three."

He made a slow turn, showing it to the crowd, then suddenly faced Hong Baichuan and gave a long, deep bow.

"I ask the Sect Leader to decide!"

The hall fell deathly silent.

The veins on the Hidden Blade Pavilion Master’s neck bulged like iron chains. Just as he was about to speak, the sound of metal striking stone came from the main seat. Hong Baichuan had tapped his finger on the Profound Iron armrest, and the entire hall’s Refined Steel and copper beams trembled in response.

"Continue."

Zhan Yan said, "The Weapon Casting Hall will only take three True Inheritors, and for now, I only intend to take one. At the Furnace Opening Ceremony three months from now, whoever can endure the Ninefold Quenching Pass will be the one!"

"Bullshit!"

The Foreign Affairs Hall Master shot to his feet and pointed at Zhan Yan’s nose. "Which Sect’s True Inheritor hasn’t fought their way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood? You, a mere blacksmith, think you can use the Quenching Fire Pass to make a mockery of the ancestral rules?"

Zhan Yan lowered his gaze and said coolly, "I, too, have bled for the Celestial Craft Cave. Of the dozen or so disciples who came from Divine Weapon Ridge back then, only two or three remain... Back then, if my disciples hadn’t sacrificed their lives to protect your Foreign Affairs Hall, would you even have the right to be here spouting such nonsense?"

"You..."

The Foreign Affairs Hall Master was enraged and about to lash out.

"Enough!"

The moment Hong Baichuan stood up, the eighteen bronze lamps flared violently.

As the Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster took his first step, the floor tiles of the great hall cracked and splintered. When his second step landed, everyone’s eardrums throbbed as if struck by a Heavy Hammer.

"I promised the Weapon Casting Hall three True Inheritor spots back then, and I will not go back on my word. In three months, we will hold the True Inheritance Ceremony in honor of the Weapon Casting Hall!"

Hong Baichuan’s voice, laced with vibrating Blood Qi, boomed, "However, the Weapon Casting Hall must add a rule. During the True Inheritance Ceremony, the other two spots will be open for disciples from other halls to compete for. If they defeat the True Disciple you have chosen, you must accept them as True Inheritors as well."

Hearing this, the Hidden Blade Pavilion Master gave a savage grin.

"The Sect Leader is wise! The Hidden Blade Pavilion accepts the terms for this True Inheritance Ceremony! I’d like to see if the Weapon Casting Hall’s Thousand Jin Hammer can withstand the blades of my Hidden Blade Pavilion!"

The Mechanical Hall Master, who had been silent the whole time, lifted his eyelids. He glanced at the Hidden Blade Pavilion Master beside him, scoffed, and shook his head without a word.

From outside the hall, a scorching wave of Earth Fire suddenly billowed in.

Zhan Yan tucked the Red Copper Token into his robes, saluted Hong Baichuan, and turned to leave. As he did, his expression flickered between light and shadow.

He seemed... somewhat pleased.

"Then let everyone rely on their own abilities. But let me give you a fair warning."

He paused at the hall’s entrance. "The Weapon Casting Hall’s Earth Fire Furnaces... they don’t care if they’re burning iron ingots or human bones. When the time comes, if I can’t hold back my strength, don’t blame the Weapon Casting Hall for being ruthless."

The Foreign Affairs Hall Master stared at Zhan Yan’s retreating back.

"Hall Master Bao, are you really going to send someone to test that Quenching Fire Pass? It seems our dear Hall Master Zhan has long been prepared."

"Send someone?"

Hall Master Bao of the Hidden Blade Pavilion grabbed a wine cup from the table and poured it into his mouth. The wine dripped through his fingers, sizzling as it hit the floor.

"The man I trained myself—is he not enough to tear three pounds of flesh from the Weapon Casting Hall?"

The Melt Gold Hall Master, toying with his Golden Abacus, suddenly interjected, "This year, the Weapon Casting Hall has overspent its budget for mined Profound Iron by seventy percent."

Amidst the clacking of gold beads, an account book slid out from his sleeve. "Does Sect Leader Hong know where all these extra materials have gone?"

With the matter already decided, Hong Baichuan couldn’t be bothered with the squabbling below. He had turned his head to study the *Celestial Craft Jade Cauldron Map* on the wall. At these words, he flicked a finger. The air surged violently, and a muffled WHOOSH sounded as a current of air snatched the account book.

The account book flew through the air to him, its pages flipping on their own without a breeze. A Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster’s control over their power had truly reached the Transformation Realm.

"Seven hundred jin of Cold Iron, three hundred cubic units of Fire Pattern Jade..." A sharp glint flashed in Hong Baichuan’s eyes. He was a little surprised, but not overly so.

He glanced at the Melt Gold Hall Master, a teasing smile touching his lips.

"Could it be that you all are just working too hard at your mining?"

Hearing this, the Melt Gold Hall Master’s expression turned quite ugly. He gave a slight bow to Hong Baichuan.

"The Sect Leader is wise."

Hong Baichuan consoled him, "Your Melt Gold Hall is the cornerstone of our Celestial Craft Cave. Your benefits are the best, second only to the Weapon Casting Hall. When the time comes, just send your people to compete for Zhan Yan’s two remaining True Inheritor spots.

But let me be blunt: if anyone breaks the rules, don’t blame me for being ruthless."

Everyone felt a chill in their hearts and remained silent. They were all well aware of his methods. Once the Sect Leader had decided on a matter, anyone who still wanted to cause trouble behind the scenes had better consider whether their life was worth the risk.

Once outside the great hall, Zhan Yan’s gloomy expression suddenly changed. He nearly threw his head back and laughed. This outcome was exactly what he had wanted.

Although Hong Baichuan’s ruling seemed to favor the other halls, it had actually left the Weapon Casting Hall a great deal of room to maneuver.

’I’d like to see which of the Six Ministries has a Third Level Martial Artist stronger than that kid of mine.’