Longevity by Grinding Skills

Internally, Hong Baichuan was cursing Yin Hong to a miserable death, but his face was all smiles. "Don’t worry about it, Brother Yin," he said. "After all, with Yunfan’s talent, it’s only natural he’d attract the attention of the Mortal World. I’m afraid this sort of thing will become quite common from now on."

Yin Hong let out a couple of loud laughs, cupped his hands, and said no more. He then turned and followed the Celestial Craft Cave disciple to the Arsenal to select a weapon.

Zhan Yan was deeply gratified by Xu Yunfan’s unhesitating refusal. He reached out and patted Xu Yunfan’s shoulder.

"Good kid. I knew I wasn’t wrong about you."

Xu Yunfan grinned. "Don’t you worry about a thing, Master."

’Are you kidding me? With my Attribute Panel, why would I go to the Jiuyao Sect?’

’The more elite a Sect is, the fiercer the competition. It would be exhausting. How could it compare to the relaxed atmosphere of the Celestial Craft Cave?’

’The elders care for you, the martial brothers are friendly... As for the other departments, while our relationship with them was a bit strained, they’ll probably be walking on eggshells around us after today.’

Hong Baichuan’s laughter boomed like a great bell as he suddenly pressed his palm onto a Bronze Cauldron at the edge of the Martial Arts Arena.

The Hundred Beasts Forging Pattern carved into the cauldron’s body hummed and vibrated with his Palm Force. The overflowing Powerful Qi whipped everyone’s robes about, making it hard for them to keep their eyes open.

"Yunfan, once you have mastered the Outer Three Harmonies, you may come find me to learn the Celestial Craft Meridian Forging Method."

Before his voice had even faded, he abruptly applied force with his five fingers, leaving five distinct prints in the three-inch-thick bronze of the cauldron’s handle. "This method can temper your internal organs as if you were forging Profound Iron. Among the Eight Sects of Cangzhou, ours is the only one that possesses it!"

Zhan Yan’s expression shifted with emotion upon hearing this. He urged Xu Yunfan, "What are you waiting for? Thank the Sect Leader! This method can help one cultivate to the Organ Cultivation Realm. Among the Eight Sects of Cangzhou, only our Celestial Craft Cave has this millennium-old inheritance. It’s truly one of a kind."

Xu Yunfan was naturally overjoyed and quickly expressed his thanks. ’One can never have too many skills,’ he thought, ’and you certainly can’t have too many Divine Skills or Ultimate Skills.’

His Adam’s apple bobbed. He immediately performed a fist-and-palm salute, his knuckles striking his chest with a clang. "Thank you for your guidance, Sect Leader!"

The smile on Hong Baichuan’s face broadened. He nodded and said, "I must head to the Arsenal now. With Elder Yin of the Jiuyao Sect present, I must be there to host him."

Only after Hong Baichuan had left did Zhan Yan continue, "You fought two consecutive matches today. You must be exhausted. Go get some rest for now. I’ll find you tomorrow to tell you about the Thousand-Pound Mountain-Shaking Hammer Technique."

Xu Yunfan readily agreed.

He had grown extremely comfortable using a Heavy Hammer and had little interest in those flimsy-looking swords.

Take Qi Huan, for example. His Thousand Waves Sword technique was as fast as lightning. With a flick of his wrist, the tip of his sword would burst into seven points of cold light, creating sparks from thin air.

But what did it matter? A single blow from the Heavy Hammer, and his opponent, terrified that his Sword Artifact would shatter, was forced to retract his move and change his stance.

He tightened the Fine Steel Box on his body. Amidst the sounds of the Celestial Craft Department disciples cleaning up the Martial Arts Arena, the scraping of the fine steel lock was exceptionally clear. Xu Yunfan adjusted the seven-inch-thick Fine Steel Box on his back, and the Gilded Mace vibrated faintly within it.

He tapped the lid of the box with his knuckle, listening to the dull echo as he mused, ’Once I break through to the Inner Harmony Realm, perhaps I should reforge the box’s body with Profound Iron.’

He had been in the Celestial Craft Cave for some time now, and Fu Jin had once told him that a properly crafted box could completely seal the aura of a Divine Weapon, preventing it from being detected.

A truly superior Soldier Box should make a Divine Weapon as dormant as a hibernating Profound Serpent. The story goes that the Ancestral Master of Divine Weapon Ridge once walked through the Nine Great Sects carrying the Divine Weapon, the Dragon Abyss Sword. For three days, that group of Grandmasters remained completely oblivious, as if they were blind with their eyes wide open.

His master, Zhan Yan, naturally knew this technique, as did his senior brother, Fu Jin. Fu Jin’s skill, however, was just a bit lacking; his creations always leaked a bit of the aura upon completion.

According to him, his talent was no match for their master, Zhan Yan, and he had already reached his limit.

’Looks like I’ll have to handle this myself.’

’With the Attribute Panel, it’ll be a piece of cake.’

’Of course, my own talent for smithing must be top-notch. Otherwise, how could I wield this Heavy Hammer so well?’

Besides that, what made Xu Yunfan most comfortable was that although Zhan Yan and Fu Jin were curious about the Iron Box he carried all day, they only gave it a few cursory glances. Seeing that Xu Yunfan didn’t volunteer an explanation, they didn’t press him for one. They merely mentioned that the Mechanical Hall within the Celestial Craft Cave had better carrying straps, and that he should find a disciple there to order a set when he had the time.

Glancing at the few notifications for increased Skill Level that popped up in his vision, Xu Yunfan let out a breath.

That True Disciple from the Jiuyao Sect, Teng Lingchuan, had only contributed a measly two or three points to his Skill Level after their entire battle.

’What a stingy bastard!’

「Seven days later, deep beneath Guniu Mountain, at the edge of the Thunder Fire Pool in the Thunderfire Cave.」

Zhan Yan stood bare-chested before an anvil, his knotted muscles rising and falling with each breath like flowing lava.

Before Xu Yunfan even drew near, a wave of heat carrying the cloying, sweet scent of Dragon Blood Sand washed over him.

"The Thousand-Pound Mountain-Shaking Hammer Technique isn’t about forms. It’s about breathing, gravity, and intent; it emphasizes intent over moves. You’re considered a beginner once you can deliver all your body’s force in a single strike without the slightest waste. Cultivating this technique gives you an innate advantage in mastering the Celestial Craft Forging Technique."

As he spoke, Zhan Yan lifted a wineskin and took a large swig of Cold Wine.

"We who practice hammer techniques naturally have an innate advantage when it comes to smithing and forging soldiers. Since you want to see the Celestial Craft Forging Technique, watch closely."

Zhan Yan gripped a Profound Iron Steel Forging Hammer, the skin of his palm glowing with a Red Coppery Luster.

"Inhale like Earth Fire gushing from a spring; exhale like a Cold Pool freezing to ice."

The sound of the Heavy Hammer whistling through the air erupted.

Zhan Yan swung the Heavy Hammer with a single arm. Just as the hammer’s head was about to touch the red-hot iron on the anvil, it froze mid-air.

Xu Yunfan was astonished to see that the green bricks beneath Zhan Yan’s feet hadn’t cracked in the slightest. However, the Cold Jade Bricks surrounding the anvil had all sunk half an inch. The force had been channeled entirely along an Earth Vein and into the lava pool, causing the magma in the Thunder Fire Pool below to churn restlessly.

"Now, don’t blink!"

The shadow of the hammer suddenly split into thirty-six afterimages, each one precisely striking the same corner of the red-hot Profound Iron Embryo.

Those seemingly random points of impact secretly corresponded with the Thousand-Pound Mountain-Shaking Hammer Technique that Zhan Yan had taught him the previous night.

Amidst the flying sparks, a Dragon Scale Cloud Pattern gradually emerged on the surface of the iron embryo.

Zhan Yan’s wrist trembled slightly, and the edge of the hammer tapped the corner of the embryo three times, producing three crisp chimes.

In response, the magma in the Thunder Fire Pool erupted into a pillar of fire more than ten feet high, brightly illuminating the stalactites hanging from the cave ceiling.

"Look at the direction of this Dragon Scale pattern."

He flicked a finger against the spine of the gradually forming sword.

"The Bone Forging Technique of Divine Weapon Ridge emphasizes grand, powerful movements. Thirty years ago, when I was forging a blade at Divine Weapon Ridge, the Fire Master Disciple had to stand barefoot on the ground, enduring the searing pain to temper their Copper Body Skill. This makes one’s force appear tyrannical and ferocious."

As he said this, Zhan Yan’s hammer suddenly struck the iron embryo horizontally, the sparks outlining an indentation in the shape of the Big Dipper.

"While such a tyrannical method can bring out the rigidity of Profound Iron, it sacrifices some of its wonderful malleability. It’s fine when forging heavy weapons like Long Spears, greatsabers, or Heavy Hammers, but for nimble weapons like swords, it lacks a certain degree of grace."

Xu Yunfan saw the indentation actually heal itself as the iron embryo cooled. Only then did he realize in astonishment that a Cold Jade Pendant, unique to the Celestial Craft Cave, was tied to the end of Zhan Yan’s hammer handle, and it was accelerating the cooling of the Profound Iron Embryo.

Zhan Yan smoothly spun and switched hammers, now holding a slender tungsten steel hammer engraved with a fish-scale pattern. "Now, look at the Celestial Craft Cave’s Quenching Technique."

The tip of the hammer struck the blade like falling raindrops, each blow producing a clear, ringing vibration. "The Celestial Craft Forging Technique is like carving a flower on a grain of rice. We can engrave a nine-bend pattern onto a sword’s body with an embroidery needle. It’s a pity..."