Chapter 29: Jiutian of the Eight Deceiver Gods, Divine Artisan Master Zhenhua Shakes the World, and the Original Body Sect Master Mu Ye

The moon is bright and the stars are sparse; the flow of people gradually thins.

After eating and drinking their fill, the three left Yu Hao's Grilled Fish and found an inn to rest for the night.

The front-desk attendant at the inn, seeing the classic combination of one man and two women, immediately felt the demonic fire of a Spirit Master surge uncontrollably within; he inwardly cursed Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen as a beast, until the three took three separate rooms, at which point he roared again that Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen was worse than a beast!

"Rest well; tomorrow morning we will go to the Forgemasters' Association."

"Good night." / "Good night, Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen!"

The three each walked into their respective rooms.

"Xun character: listen to the wind."

Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen exhaled lightly; instead of meditating to nourish his spirit, he released two wisps of clear wind to listen to the voices of Xiang Xiang Naer and Gu Yue next door. After half an hour, they washed away the dust and smoke from their bodies and both sank into a meditative state; the room fell completely silent.

He pushed open the window, leaped down from the thirteenth floor of the inn; a gale lifted Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen's body, making him float down like a grain of dust, then he instantly accelerated, leaving a string of afterimages along the way.

The gray-iron building resembled a giant hammer slanted into the ground; on its thirty-story exterior wall, dark-gold patterns outlined a hammer-shaped relief, and at the hammerhead, a metallic halo of embedded metal flowed, dyeing the entire long street with a cold, metallic texture.

The Forgemasters' Association of Tiandou City.

With a command in his heart for Teng She to use the power of deception to conceal everything, Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen looked up at that giant hammer; his pitch-black pupils had, at some unknown moment, turned into brilliant gold. The Eight Trigrams Bagua Qimen Divine Plate rotated, swallowing streams of invisible qi flows—those were the Heaven, Earth, and Man of the Forgemasters' Association.

"Qian, the Jin Zhixiang, returns to its position."

"Vmm—"

The Divine Plate cracked open a deep, bottomless dark fissure; compared to Teng She's grand and imposing arrival, the awakening of the second Eight Deceiver God seemed far more plain.

A boy of about ten years old possessed a sharply defined pentagonal face; his jawline was as sharp as if carved by a knife and axe; broad shoulders supported the muscle lines coiled beneath his clothes; his gray eyes were like black iron; in every gesture and movement, he exuded a natural majesty and uprightness.

The boy clasped his fists in a bow and said with a resonant, powerful voice: "Jiutian of the Eight Deceiver Gods, greets the Master of Bagua Qimen."

"Hehe, Jiutian, you are so weak; unlike me, I descended directly in my peak state..."

Teng She poked out a head in a shameless manner, looking at his old companion with mischief.

Jiutian was too lazy to bother with Teng She; his face was cold and hard; using the Limit Douluo Continent's level system for judgment, he was equivalent to a Level 21 Grand Spirit Master, while Teng She was at the realm's limit, a quasi-god.

The combat power of the two Eight Deceiver Gods at this moment was worlds apart, but Jiutian understood that Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen must have other plans in awakening his infant-stage self.

"Jiutian, I need you to join the Forgemasters' Association and ascend to become the next Divine Artisan." Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen said straight to the point.

"The Divine Artisan under this world's plane rules is too important; for me, there can be no failure. You are the Jin Zhixiang, and with the addition of having absorbed the Heaven, Earth, and Man of the Forgemasters' Association, you can be called a natural seed of a Divine Artisan."

"As you command, my lord."

Jiutian accepted the order without any complaint.

Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen nodded slightly, exercising the advantage of a transmigrator, preparing for a rainy day and laying his plans in advance.

Controlling the Forgemasters' Association meant seizing the throat of Dou Kui; furthermore, only a Divine Artisan can independently forge the Tian Duan metal used to create Four-Character Dou Kui; he needed a person of absolute trust.

Whether it was Tang Wulin, Sister Mu Xi, or the later Yang Nianxia and other forgers, none had reached the standard in Zhao Xuanzhen's eyes, so he decided to send out the Eight Deceiver God whose loyalty was maxed out.

Jiutian, as the Jin Zhixiang and the God of Majestic Might, was the most fitting for the Limit Douluo Continent's rules of a Divine Artisan. He would take over Master Zhenhua's position, shoulder the responsibilities of Divine Artisan and President of the Forgemasters' Association, provide Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen with Tian Duan metal, and lead the Forgemasters' Association to advance further.

The Heaven, Earth, and Man qi of the Forgemasters' Association was inferior to that of the Spirit Tower; therefore, Jiutian's early growth speed was far behind Teng She's, but once he broke through to Divine Artisan, the Man qi would instantly surge, and Jiutian's cultivation would skyrocket like a rocket until it reached the continent's limit, the quasi-god realm.

In the morning, sunlight streamed through the window; Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen slowly opened his eyes.

After a night of meditation, his spirit was complete and his qi abundant; his soul power had made some tiny progress, approaching Level 33. The left and right metacarpals of the Dark-Gold Clawed Bear were of extremely high quality, yet they were only thousand-year-level soul bones and did not bring much soul power increase.

After washing and changing clothes, Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen pushed open his door; the two rooms on either side happened to open at the same time, and two graceful figures, one in white and one in black, walked out.

Xiang Xiang Naer wore a light blue half-skirt, fresh and elegant, with soft-textured butterfly accessories that were lively and exquisite; her silver-white long hair fell to her slender waist; her delicate neck and collarbone lines displayed pure elegance.

Gu Yue was no less beautiful; the colors of her skirt seemed to be crushed forest light and shadow, interwoven with emerald green and pure white; the fine luster and texture carried the natural spiritual charm. Her tall figure came with an immortal aura, and her quietness and softness were displayed to the fullest.

At this moment, someone would ask: Xiang Xiang Naer and Gu Yue are so beautiful; what about Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen, who accompanies the two women?

Lao Zhen is also a famous handsome young man in the surrounding ten villages!

The world favors beautiful things; Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen is no different; accompanied by two stunning beauties, the air around them seemed even fresher.

"Welcome, three of you."

As the three stepped through the gate of the Forgemasters' Association, a sweet-faced girl actively greeted them.

"We come from the Spirit Tower; we seek Divine Artisan Master Zhenhua."

Mu Ye was unknown to outsiders; Zhao Xuanzhen directly presented his identification and demanded to see Divine Artisan Zhen Hua. As a direct disciple of the Lady Tianfeng Limit Douluo, Leng Yaoju had always been cultivating Zhao Xuanzhen for the position of the next Vice Tower Master; his authority within the Spirit Tower was extremely high, one rank higher than the branch tower masters of the Eighteen Pillars.

The girl's expression immediately became solemn; she respectfully said, "Respected official of the Spirit Tower, my lord, the Divine Artisan holds a public lecture once a month; he is currently in the first-floor hall teaching the Thousand-Forging course to forgers under the age of twenty. Could you please wait a moment?"

"Hmm, let us wait in the hall."

"Very well, please follow me, three of you."

The girl led the way ahead; seeing this scene, a dark current surged in Gu Yue's eyes; Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen's power and status were evident; getting close to him was indeed the right choice!

The first-floor hall of the Forgemasters' Association was quite spacious; every item was made of metal. The Divine Artisan's public lecture was sought after by countless forgers; the hall was packed with people, a sea of black heads.

"Thousand-Forging metal requires the forger's strength, soul power assistance, and spiritual power control; all three are indispensable..."

Standing at the podium ahead was a middle-aged man in his thirties; his hands were broad and long, and his skin was as crystal-clear as jade. A gold-background hammer-shaped badge hung on his chest, with nine stars, representing his Level 9 second-profession rank.

A Level 9 Divine Artisan forger; there is only one such person across the three continents: the President of the Forgemasters' Association, Master Zhenhua!

"Following this method, the success rate of Thousand-Forging has been greatly improved... Today's lesson ends here; anyone with questions may ask."

Gazing at the young faces below, Master Zhenhua smiled; he showed no impatience despite explaining the Thousand-Forging techniques; the youth were equivalent to the future of the Forgemasters' Association, and the Divine Artisan, as the leader of forgers, had the obligation to help them build a solid foundation.

"Divine Artisan, I have a question; I wish to forge metal on the spot and seek your guidance."

Jiutian, who had already entered the hall, spoke with a voice like a great bell, immediately attracting the attention of all the forgers.

Xiang Xiang Naer secretly tugged at Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen's sleeve and whispered, "That pentagonal-faced young man clearly does not seem like an ordinary mortal!"

"Don't give people random nicknames..."

Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen spoke up for the Eight Deceiver God. However, Jiutian did indeed have a square face with sharp angles; Xiang Xiang Naer was simply stating the truth...

"I like your courage; come up!"

Master Zhenhua laughed heartily; there were few forgers daring to forge metal on the spot before a generation-defining Divine Artisan and many peers; with his cheerful temperament, he greatly appreciated Jiutian and was willing to give the young man a chance to show himself.

A large hand slapped the button; the original podium transformed into a forging table, displaying over a dozen rare metals for free selection.

Under hundreds of gaze-beams like searchlights, Jiu Tian strode through the crowd with head held high, stepped onto the forging table, and picked up two black metal pieces. The touch was as cold as jade, and fine star-like patterns shimmered with a faint glow under the Soul Guidance lamps.

Rare metal: Starfall Iron.

"I wonder whose disciple this child is. Without a badge, his Forger rank is invisible. Is he preparing to forge both pieces of Starfall Iron at once...?" Master Zhenhua thought silently.

Jiu Tian took a deep breath, tossed the two Starfall Iron pieces into the forge to heat. The air mixed the scorched smell of flame with the unique metallic rust scent. He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again; his iron-gray pupils were crystal clear.

His palms flipped, and two gilded forging hammers materialized. Cloud patterns densely covering the hammer heads moved vividly, while the hammer handles fit the indentations of his palm lines as if symbiotic with flesh and blood. Jiu Tian spread his feet slightly, spine taut. With every breath, the rise and fall of his chest gradually synchronized with the leaping flames of the forge.

Dry Gold Hammer! Jiu Tian chose to reveal the Martial Soul exposed to the public, which also suited the identity of a Forger!

With the preparatory work finished, Jiu Tian retrieved the Starfall Iron. The two hammers crossed through the half-air, leaving two trails of Jin Guang afterimages. Before the hammer heads even fell, wind pressure tore open the air first, smashing heavily onto the metal edges.

"Clang!"

The sharp ring of metal striking stone made the air tremble. The two Starfall Iron pieces suddenly dented, sparks flew like a meteor shower, and the iron blocks radiated a circle of gold-red. Ripples spread from the impact points as the air currents roared and churned!

"Good lad!"

Master Zhenhua shouted loudly, his eyes flashing with sharp light. With the eyesight of a Divine Forger of a generation, he saw Jiu Tian's extraordinariness with just one hammer strike.

With the Dry Gold Hammer's first fall, Jiu Tian resonated with the Starfall Iron, entering a wonderful state of fusion. Forger and rare metal became one!

Drawing power from his waist and hips, Jiu Tian spun, pouring down the two hammers. The hammer shadows merged into a black cloud.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The knocking sound started dull, gradually turning into a clear bell chime. With each hammer strike, the Starfall Iron continuously shrank, impurities steamed away, and the core grew denser, revealing a deep-sea blue. The prototype of a Thousand Forgings emerged.

All the Forgers below were under twenty years old. Those capable of forging Thousand Forging metals were the elite. Seeing Jiu Tian's maturity beyond his years, they couldn't help but shout their approval loudly.

Jiu Tian had no time to attend to anything else; the world shrank to the two metal pieces before his eyes. The Dry Gold Hammer rose again. The two hammers were sometimes as light as a goose feather, stirring ripples on the iron surface, and sometimes as heavy as a mountain, making the forging table creak.

Soul Power turned into a trickling stream, seeping into the iron core with every strike. The iron block shrank at a visible speed, with silver threads flowing faintly inside and starlight twinkling deep within.

Double Thousand Forging Starfall Iron, success!

Divine Forger Master Zhenhua stepped forward quickly, ignoring the scorching temperature on the metal surface. He held it, turning it over and over to examine, and praised: "Perfect Thousand Forging. Forging level at the peak of Grade Three. Even the Thousand Forging metals of veteran Forgers in the Association may not surpass yours."

"Young man, what is your name, how old are you, and which Holy Forger is your master?"

Master Zhenhua subconsciously assumed Jiu Tian was a disciple carefully cultivated by some Holy Forger; otherwise, he shouldn't possess such excellent forging ability at this age.

"Jiu Tian, ten years old. I have no master; I rely entirely on my own comprehension. Passing through Tian Dou City, I heard the Divine Forger was teaching, so I came specifically to learn."

"Ten years old, no master!?"

Jiu Tian's answer hit Master Zhenhua right in the heart. His large mouth split open so wide it couldn't close. The more he looked at that square face, the more he liked it!

That is how a Forger should look!

Master Zhenhua cleared his throat, restoring the Divine Forger's dignity, and said: "Jiu Tian, your talent is rare in the world. I intend to take you as my disciple and impart the true essence of forging. I wonder if you are willing."

"It is my greatest honor."

Jiu Tian revealed a smile. He had hoped to attract Master Zhenhua's attention with his own abilities, enter the core of the Forger Association, receive the best cultivation, and quickly become a Divine Forger.

"Good!"

Master Zhenhua heavily patted Jiu Tian's shoulder. This Divine Forger had lived alone all his life and had never found a successor worthy of taking the Divine Forger's throne. The timing of Jiu Tian's appearance was perfect!

An unpolished jade and a formed Forger are completely different matters. Jiu Tian at level twenty-one was far more favored by Master Zhenhua than a Jiu Tian at levels eighty or ninety.

A youth forging with double hammers to achieve Thousand Forgings, and a Divine Forger taking him as a disciple on the spot—undoubtedly, this would be a fine tale if spread!

"Mu Chen, oh Mu Chen, weren't you showing off that you took in a genius disciple? Now I have one too!"

Master Zhenhua felt smug for two and a half seconds, then wiped his hand across the Storage Soul Guidance device at his waist, took out two white forging hammers, and smiled: "Jiu Tian, this is the master-disciple gift from your teacher: Spirit-Forged Cloud Gold Hammers."

"Before I started Soul Forging, I used them to forge metals. From now on, they belong to you!"

"Thank you, Teacher."

Jiu Tian put away the Spirit-Forged Cloud Gold Hammers. The next moment, the young girl and Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen, along with two others, arrived before Master Zhenhua.

Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen smiled: "Divine Forger Senior, we come from the Spirit Tower, seeking the Sect Master of the Original Body Sect, Senior Master Mu Ye. The Illusionary Brain Limit Douluo wrote a secret letter."

"Illusionary Brain Limit Douluo..."

Master Zhenhua realized. The Sky-Forging metals of the modern four-character Dou Armor came from his hand alone, so naturally, he remembered the Illusionary Brain Limit Douluo, Han Han Tianyi.

Although Han Han Tianyi had left the Original Body Sect and joined the Spirit Tower to pursue the extreme of the Illusionary Realm, his relationship with the Original Body Sect was not stiff. When he originally came to find Master Zhenhua to forge Sky-Forging metals, he had shared wine and joy with Mu Ye and the other.

"Come with me. Jiu Tian, you come too. I am taking a direct disciple; that fellow Mu Ye must pay up."

Master Zhenhua led the four children into the Divine Forger's exclusive small canteen, shouting: "Mu Ye, come out quickly!"

A middle-aged man who looked somewhat thin and gaunt appeared, wearing a white chef's hat. He said unhappily: "What are you doing? It's not mealtime yet!"

"The Illusionary Brain Limit Douluo sent someone to deliver a letter." Master Zhenhua gestured to Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen beside him.

"A letter?"

Mu Ye scratched his head in confusion. In the technological era, if there was business, one would directly use Soul Guidance communication. Why was Han Han Tianyi getting more and more retro as he lived?

"Original Body Senior, here is the secret letter from Elder Han."

Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen handed over the letter. Mu Ye took it. It was truly the unique Spirit Imprint of Han Han Tianyi. Simultaneously, he sensed a blood qi fluctuation as hot and surging as the sun. His gaze shifted to Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen, looking inquisitive as he said:

"Young man, your blood qi is dense. Are you from body refinement?"

"Something like that."

"We'll chat later, you and I. First, let me read the letter."

The Spirit Imprint served only to display identity. Mu Ye broke through it easily. On the white paper, two large characters written with dragon-like vigor and phoenix-like grace stood out clearly.

True Self.

"Sigh, True Self... Hmm? True Self!!"

(End of this chapter)