The scorching waves of fire distorted the sky's light.
Deep within the Forging Hall, the blistering heat made every breath feel like an infernal tornt.
"Li Mo's talent with the hamr is beyond doubt."
"Indeed."
Elder Hanhe and Elder Zeng, two old n who often bickered, had for the first ti reached swift agreent on a matter.
Every inner disciple who ascended the Divine Arms Peak had to first temper their hamr techniques before entering the Forging Hall to learn the art of smithing.
But the "Little Tyrant of the Divine Hamr" skipped this step entirely.
"A skilled craftsman usually wields the hamr with mastery," Elder Zeng stroked his beard and chuckled. "But not everyone skilled with the hamr can beco a grandmaster smith—it requires extraordinary endurance."
Smithing wasn’t just about striking iron.
It involved many intricate techniques, and spending years near the fire veins ant enduring relentless, searing heat.
"Li Mo, I heard you once refined pills with Old Xue?" Elder Hanhe set down his hamr and asked curiously.
Every ti he t Xue Jing, the conversation about Li Mo inevitably circled back to the sa lant within three sentences:
‘Ah, how foolish I was! Why didn’t I make him my disciple in pill refining back then?’
Elder Hanhe wholeheartedly agreed.
Whether Li Mo had talent in pill refining or not, it was still better than following that troublemaker Shang Wu...
Li Mo thought for a mont and replied, "To be precise, I was the one being refined."
Elder Hanhe: "?"
Elder Zeng: "?"
Why did this kid’s words always carry an inexplicable charm?
"Co with . Let’s see how much heat you can endure."
Elder Hanhe opened the rear door of the Forging Hall, revealing a downward passage.
"I’ll join as well," Elder Zeng followed.
Li Mo trailed behind them. The mont he stepped into the passage, a wave of scorching air assaulted him, distorting the very atmosphere as if the stone walls themselves glowed a deep crimson.
Was this the fire vein where the hamr treasure had once been placed?
The deeper they descended, the more intense the heat grew.
The rhythmic clang of tal being forged echoed through the passage, growing sparser the further they went.
"To beco a smith, the first step is learning to temper iron. The higher the temperature, the better the quality of the refined material," Elder Hanhe explained as they walked.
Elder Zeng added, "If you can’t bear it, speak up imdiately. Don’t push yourself—burning your ridians or organs is no small matter."
The two elders exchanged a glance.
After walking for a while longer—
‘How’s Li Mo holding up?’
Elder Hanhe exhaled heavily, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
‘He should be near his limit.’
‘The first ti I ca here, I only made it a hundred paces into the fire vein.’
Elder Zeng glanced back.
The two old n shared the sa thought. They locked eyes, then turned around simultaneously—only to see Li Mo strolling leisurely, looking around with utter ease.
Noticing their pause, Li Mo asked curiously, "Why’d you stop?"
"Heh... I thought you’d reached your limit. Let’s keep going."
"Kid, I’m curious to see just how far you can go," Elder Zeng said.
And so, Li Mo followed them deeper into the earth’s veins.
Ten minutes later.
Li Mo was now leading the way.
Behind him, Elder Hanhe was drenched in sweat, his body trembling faintly.
Elder Zeng’s eyes were glazed over, as if he’d aged several years in monts. He discreetly pulled out a bottle of Frostspring Pills.
"Old Zeng, give one."
"These are Frostspring Pills! I only take them when forging divine weapons! How can you ask so shalessly?"
"Just... give one..."
The two elders whispered and fumbled in the background.
Li Mo, noticing the commotion, turned and asked, puzzled, "Elders, why are you moving so slowly? If it’s too hot, you should tell ."
He was impervious to fire and water.
The two old n imdiately straightened up.
"Ah... just an old leg acting up."
"A re bit of heat ans nothing to a forging grandmaster like . I’m just... invigorated."
"Alright."
Young Li found it odd but didn’t dwell on it.
After all, when he retrieved the hamr treasure, he’d seen a forging platform deep in the fire vein.
He assud it was Elder Hanhe’s.
Surely the elders had their own ways to withstand the heat...
In truth, that platform belonged to the founder of the Divine Arms Peak.
After walking a while longer, the glow of flas beca visible ahead.
"Sothing’s off... this kid... sothing’s off..."
Elder Hanhe’s vision blurred, his voice hoarse like a broken bellows.
"Cough! Water... water..."
Elder Zeng seed to have shriveled, shivering uncontrollably.
But when Li Mo turned back questioningly—
The two elders instantly stood tall, hands clasped behind their backs, feigning serenity as if out for a casual stroll.
"Elders, want so barbecue?"
Li Mo had taken the opportunity to roast so lamb skewers using the fire vein’s heat.
"Ah... seems like it’s alti, huh..."
"Mmm, I do love lamb skewers. Slls delicious..."
They accepted the skewers, staring at the fiery red chili flakes coating the at. Their dry throats convulsed in unison.
If they refused—
Wouldn’t it seem like they were weaker than this junior?
How could they call themselves master smiths afterward?
What face would they have left at the Forging Conclave?
Their pride as lifelong craftsn steeled their resolve. They took a bite of the spicy lamb skewers.
"Uh... did I add too much chili? It’s already pretty hot here."
"Hiss... not spicy at all."
"Phew... not hot either."
"..."
Watching the two elders turn redder than copper ore, Li Mo finally realized sothing was wrong.
Hmm.
The two old n now looked like brittle crackers, as if they’d crumble at a touch.
You’re practically dehydrated! And it’s not like the three suns are engaged in a three-body problem!
Just as he considered using his Heavenly Eye to check on them—
Thud—
Two dull thumps. The elders rolled their eyes and collapsed backward, unconscious.
"..."
An indeterminable amount of ti later.
Elder Hanhe and Elder Zeng groggily opened their eyes. The lethal heat of the fire vein seed to have vanished.
Yet the flickering flas before them confird they were still deep within its depths.
What happened?
Clang—
A thunderous strike rang out.
The two elders instinctively looked up toward the sound.
"Eh?"
"Huh?"
Clang—
Another explosive impact, like a mountain crumbling or thunder erupting from the earth.
Sparks erupted violently, reflecting in the elders’ widened eyes, illuminating the figure of a hamr-wielding youth.
Amid the flas, beside the flowing magma, he stood bare-chested, breathing in fire and wind. His crimson-glowing divine hamr rose high before crashing down with unwavering determination, strike after strike.
He resembled an ancient deity of fire and forging, hamring out mankind’s first iron tool.
No—that was no god.
It was Li Mo.
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