Chapter 62: Stealing a Master

Hearing that, Tie Li realized his chance had arrived, his expression, like the other blacksmiths, seemed especially interested in the child.

But Tie Li's gaze was sharp, watching every move and detail of Tang San.

"Now."

"No wonder you're the son of our blacksmiths, such great strength."

His foot pressed tightly to the ground, his calf drove the force upward, his body half‑turned, the Forging Hammer in Tang San's hand swung a full circle, then struck heavily onto the round iron.

Immediately followed by another turn; at such speed, another full‑circle hammer strike hit the iron block.

The scene left every blacksmith present unforgettable for life; Tie Li was stunned into speechlessness for a long time, realizing that only when one's skill reaches a certain height can one appreciate the subtlety of this hammer method.

Tie Li stared intently at the hammer method Tang San displayed, wishing to imprint every tiny detail clearly into his mind.

Clang!

When the final hammer fell, the iron block was a full circle smaller, yet its shape showed no change.

The other blacksmiths were shocked by Tang San's hammer method; currently, only Tie Li and Shi San in the blacksmith shop can temper an iron block to this level, and even they need a full day.

But Shi San has been a blacksmith for a full fifteen years.

Tie Li need not be mentioned; he already learned forging skills from Mu Xin, and as a Three Ring Soul Honorable, his physique is robust.

"Could this be the legendary Chaos Cloak Hammer Method, the strongest continuous forging technique among blacksmiths?"

It must be said, Shi San has some insight; from the general outline of Tang San's swing of the Forging Hammer, he discerned the Chaos Cloak Hammer Method.

However, this seems to be the only explanation that makes sense: a six‑year‑old child surpassing a veteran blacksmith of fifteen years in forging skill.

Tie Li's gaze had already left Tang San; regaining his composure, he began recalling the recent scene, refusing to miss any detail.

Tang San naturally passed Shi San's test and officially became a blacksmith.

That night, Tie Li was not in a hurry to leave the blacksmith shop.

Clang!

Tie Li struck the iron block with a hammer; having learned by stealing a master without anyone teaching him, the few essences he could grasp had to rely on his own experience.

He hammered five times in a row, trying to emulate Tang San's perfect use of leverage, but a deviation occurred midway; the rebound force exceeded Tie Li's control, and the Forging Hammer nearly slipped from his grasp and flew away.

"No, no, it should have been a bit to the left just now."

Tie Li thought the deviation lay in the details of his hammer method, adjusted his stance, and continued trying.

But by midnight, Tie Li still couldn't manage it; the hammer kept slipping from his hand.

He hoped he could still see himself perform the Chaos Cloak Hammer Method.

He whispered it silently in his heart, packed up his things, closed the blacksmith shop's doors and windows, and went back to rest.

But the next day, Tie Li was again the first to arrive at the blacksmith shop.

As blacksmiths gradually came to work in the shop, Shi San set up a new forge furnace in front of Tie Li's side; this was the optimal spot for stealing a master, allowing a clear view of the other's every move.

"This…"

Shi San walked over, simply patted Tie Li's shoulder; everything was understood without words.

Tie Li returned very late last night; does he only forge ironware in the shop? Shi San guessed Tie Li's little thought.

"That child will only come to the blacksmith shop in the afternoon for work."

"Oh."

In the afternoon, Tang San arrived at the blacksmith shop, and Shi San assigned him the task of tempering raw iron.

Tang San greeted each blacksmith, including Tie Li.

"Brother Wan, good afternoon."

Wan Li is the false identity Tie Li gave himself; on both the Imperial Certificate and the Soul Master Handbook, that is the name used.

"Hmm, hello."

Clanging and banging sounds rose continuously in the blacksmith shop; Tie Li also hammered the iron block, but his gaze lingered more on Tang San.

Like yesterday, Tie Li was not in a hurry to leave the blacksmith shop.

The doubt from yesterday was resolved, and Tie Li immediately began forging.

"Indeed, now it won't slip… why has the striking force become weaker?"

"Wrong, wrong, the force has weakened, so the effect of striking the iron block is greatly reduced."

"No, still can't."

Tie Li shook his head, tried several more times in succession, but still ended in failure.

In the original timeline, Tang San spent a full six years in the blacksmith shop, so there was still a chance for him.

Every afternoon, Tang San would come to the blacksmith shop to forge; it must be said, at this stage Tang San was very polite, appearing to everyone as a well‑mannered child.

Even Tie Li, setting aside his preconceptions, thought Tang San was a decent person.

Earlier, Tang San seemed to have no major flaws; his subsequent changes appeared to stem from leaving the Killing City, then undergoing court etiquette training, after which he seemed like a different person.

Earlier, he treated his companions sincerely, even willing to share Immortal Herb.

Tie Li asked himself, he couldn't do that; if he obtained Immortal Herb, his first thought would be himself, then his family.

If Tang San had not appeared, the fates of the other six Slayers seemed predetermined from the start.

Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing would die in the struggle for the Imperial Seat, Ma Hongjun would still be a Soul Master of the Evil Fire Phoenix controlled by Evil Fire, Ning Rongrong would remain a Soul Master of the Seven Treasure Glass Tower forever unable to break past level 79, Xiao Wu might be hunted by the Spirit Hall and become a Soul Ring and soul bone; the only one perhaps not heavily affected might be Oscar, and bluntly say, he is a true genius.

Tang San's spiritual power was keen, sensing that more than one blacksmith was spying on him, yet in his mind he did not regard the Chaos Cloak Hammer Method too highly.

He could not equate the Chaos Cloak Hammer Method with his Tang Sect's supreme art.

And this Chaos Cloak Hammer Method is the highest forging art in the blacksmith world, its allure to blacksmiths is certainly great.

The fact that Tang San could stay in the blacksmith shop for six years in the original timeline already explains many issues.

In his spare time, Tang San would also collect useless scraps for processing, assembling hidden weapons.

Mornings he attended class at Nording Academy, afternoons he forged at the blacksmith shop, and evenings he studied with the master; Tang San's life was very full.

Similarly, Tie Li's life was the same; after learning that Tang San would only come to the blacksmith shop in the afternoon, he spent the morning meditating and cultivating. Shi San still thought that Tie Li had been working too late at the blacksmith shop at night and needed the morning to rest.

Every morning when he arrived at the blacksmith shop, Shi San could see the metal that Tie Li had tempered the night before. Tie Li's daily workload was no less than that of other blacksmiths, and he often did even more.

As days went by, Tie Li, through constant covert study, truly grasped a bit of the essence; combining it with his own understanding of forging, his forging skill rose at an astonishing speed.

Starting a year ago, Tie Li began attempting to forge higher-grade metal.

(End of chapter)