Longevity by Grinding Skills

The moment the nearly four-hundred-pound Thunder Pattern Steel Hammer touched the bluestone bricks, their internal structure was pulverized into dust by a shockwave, yet their surfaces remained perfectly intact.

Xu Yunfan’s pupils constricted. He never expected that integrating the Celestial Cicada Force into Celestial River Reversal, the final move of the Cloak Hammer technique, would create such an effect. The Bone-shaking and Body-penetrating power, a stacking Strength like wave upon wave, combined with the innate Qi Force from the Thunderfire Qilin Hammer—a Treasure Artifact—produced this incredible result.

Seeing the ten-foot radius of bluestone bricks beneath the Heavy Hammer that had been turned to dust, Xu Yunfan couldn’t help but grin.

’Looks like I’ll have to call those guys from the Celestial Craft Department to come do repairs again.’

He casually picked up a cobblestone and held it in his palm. With just a slight exertion of his Strength, he crushed it into a fine, even powder.

’If I just gently placed a single, high-frequency vibrating finger on someone’s body, it could probably shred their flesh to pieces.’

"Impressive work, Junior Brother!"

Fu Jin’s voice came from outside the moon gate. Night had fallen, and the myriad lights of Celestial Craft City were twinkling. From the Weapon Casting Hall’s residence on the mountainside, one could take in a view of most of the city.

Xu Yunfan, who had been resting, was staring blankly at his own forearm. Faint golden patterns swam like living things beneath his skin—a textural change in his muscles caused by reaching Tendons and Skin Perfection, with his bone density approaching a critical breakthrough point.

’Reaching Great Perfection in all three refinements might trigger some kind of strange, unexpected transformation.’

When he heard Fu Jin’s voice, he straightened his sleeves and rose to greet him.

"Senior Brother Fu, you’re here?"

Fu Jin stepped into the courtyard carrying a food box, and in his other hand, he held a Fine Steel Long Sword—the very one Xu Yunfan had forged.

This typically composed head senior brother of the Weapon Casting Hall now had a rare spark of excitement dancing in his eyes.

"Man, you won’t believe it. This afternoon, when the three hundred Flow Pattern Swords were being prepared in the Arsenal, those arrogant guys from the Hidden Blade Pavilion almost started a fight over the last ten. They all wanted to keep a few for themselves."

Xu Yunfan was a bit surprised. "They’re just Middle-grade Mortal Artifacts. Was it really necessary to go that far?"

"Of course it was. The Chief Steward of the Melt Gold Hall was green with envy when he heard the news this morning. He used to work against us, both openly and in secret, but now he’s eagerly rushing to the Arsenal to fight the Hidden Blade Pavilion for them."

Fu Jin took the dishes from the food box and placed them on the table. "Don’t be so surprised," he said. "There are countless weapons in the world, but Upper Grade ones are extremely rare. Even a Low-grade Mortal Artifact would be considered a family heirloom by the minor households back in your Beiye City."

"The Celestial Craft Cave is uniquely blessed, so we’re never short on weapons. That’s why you don’t appreciate it. Otherwise, why do you think the Jiuyao Sect is always so desperate for our creations? Now, sit down, sit down. Let’s have a couple drinks, brother to brother."

Naturally, Xu Yunfan didn’t refuse. After sharing a few cups of Cyan Plum Wine and some food with Fu Jin, he watched his senior brother repeatedly stroke the Fine Steel Long Sword in his hand. "Senior Brother Fu," he asked suddenly, "have you ever felt that the Celestial Craft Forging Technique is... missing something?"

He picked up a piece of pig iron he had brought back and casually kneaded it. His immense finger strength made the metal change shape between his fingers as if it were dough.

"It’s like... I can clearly see the direction of every forging pattern, but I can’t feel their roots. It just feels like something is missing."

Fu Jin wasn’t fazed by the display. With his strength at the Flesh Refining Realm, he too could easily crush iron like clay.

"Junior Brother, do you know how many processes a Profound Iron Ingot goes through during forging?"

Fu Jin didn’t keep him in suspense. "The outermost layer involves the Melt Gold Hall’s Thousand-layered Forging Technique," he said frankly. "The middle incorporates the Mechanical Hall’s Hive Shock Absorption Skill. There’s even Dragon Blood Resin from the Medicine Hall added during quenching, and the Refining Air Hammer forged by the Celestial Craft Department. To produce a single Iron Selection Ingot, among the Nine Peaks and Six Ministries of Celestial Craft Cave—setting aside the Foreign Affairs Hall and Hidden Blade Pavilion—the other four ministries are all indispensable."

He paused, took another gulp of wine, and rubbed his nose before continuing.

"The term ’Celestial Craftsmanship’ is all-encompassing."

"The Melt Gold Hall excels at finding ore veins and can identify Profound Iron a thousand feet underground. The Mechanical Hall studies intricate mechanisms; it’s said they’ve discovered the secret to using steam from boiling water to power Mechanical Beasts that weigh several tons. Even the Medicine Hall’s quenching formulas are divided into thirteen different schools, like Cold Pool, Earth Fire, and Blood Quenching..."

At this, Fu Jin sighed. "The Celestial Craft Forging Technique incorporates the strengths of every ministry. Don’t overthink it, Junior Brother. Of the Ruishui River’s three thousand leagues, you only need a single scoop to drink. Mastering just one part is enough to benefit you for a lifetime. If you can one day forge a true Divine Weapon, you’ll naturally understand that mechanisms are but a minor path and the Medicine Hall’s quenching methods are nothing special."

Listening to Fu Jin’s drunken boasting, Xu Yunfan gazed at the swords and sabers on the weapon rack and came to a firm conclusion.

’I have an Attribute Panel! Wouldn’t it be a criminal waste for me to cultivate an incomplete technique? After hearing what Fu Jin said, I feel like I’ve got a fishbone stuck in my throat. I can’t stand it.’

’In my previous life, I was a completionist. No matter what game I played, I had to get 100% of the achievements. Even if it was a total piece of crap, I’d hold my nose and finish it just to get them all. Only after that would I go to the message boards and tear it to shreds.’

’And that goes double for this life.’

’If I can combine the strengths of all the different branches and get my hands on the complete Celestial Craft Forging Technique, then with my Attribute Panel... who knows, maybe I could even build a Gundam...’

「The next morning.」

After practicing the Linn Character Technique during the night, Xu Yunfan ate breakfast and ran through his Celestial Cicada Force a few times. Then, he rushed off to find his master, Zhan Yan.

When Xu Yunfan found Zhan Yan in the Thunderfire Cave, his master was using a pair of special iron tongs to hold a dark red piece of metal, slowly quenching it and keeping it just at the edge of glowing hot.

"You want a token for the Scripture Pavilion?"

Zhan Yan seemed surprised. "Don’t you already have a Martial Arts technique?"

"I’ve been in the Celestial Craft Cave for so long, but I’ve never set foot in the Scripture Pavilion. I just had a sudden impulse to go and take a look."

Zhan Yan tossed the Blood Steel into the Quenching Pool. The red-hot metal erupted in the Cold Spring, sending a thirty-foot-high cloud of steam into the air. He dusted off his hands, took out his flask of Cold Wine, and took a couple of large swigs.

"Looking for the Outer Three Harmonies, are you?"

"...Not exactly. I think it’s still too early for that. I want to aim for Bone Refinement Perfection first. I’m just going to broaden my horizons and see if there’s anything to learn from other Martial Arts."

Zhan Yan nodded. "I’ve studied that Celestial Cicada Force carefully. It’s unique on the path of Bone Training, capable of forging a body of Refined Steel and Iron Bones. When the time comes to cultivate the Profound Steel Hundred Forgings of the Thousand-Pound Mountain-Shaking Hammer Technique, you’ll have an unparalleled advantage. In light of that, a trip to the Scripture Pavilion is indeed a good idea."

Having said his piece, Zhan Yan turned back, fished the ingot from the Quenching Pool, and brandished his Heavy Hammer. With a series of resounding CLANGS, he began to hammer the metal into the rough shape of a spear.

A short while later, Zhan Yan looked back and saw Xu Yunfan still standing there. "You’re still here?" he asked, surprised.

Xu Yunfan looked a little embarrassed. "Master, you haven’t given me the access token for the Scripture Pavilion."

"What do you need that for? The True Inheritance Token at your waist gets you access everywhere, aside from the two restricted mechanical zones in Celestial Craft Cave."

"..."

By the time Xu Yunfan arrived at the Scripture Pavilion, it was already 5:00 PM.

He presented his True Inheritance Disciple Token to the Elder on duty at the Scripture Pavilion. He watched as the Elder pressed a hidden mechanism, causing an indented slot to pop up from the counter.

He pressed the token into the slot, and with a soft CLICK, a scroll popped out of a hidden compartment below. As the Elder unrolled it, he saw it was a portrait of Xu Yunfan.