Chapter 260: Divine Artifact Forge

This is a huge space, and a massive black-and-red wall appears before everyone.

The entire huge wall is arched, extending toward the mountains on both sides.

Red is the main hue of this wall, with some writhing black vapor mixed in the middle.

Su Sheng again thought of something similar to the trunk of the phoenix‑fallen wutong tree he had seen before in Phoenix Fallen Wutong.

Moreover, those black vapors give a vague, uncomfortable feeling.

It is obvious that this is demon energy.

"Where is this?"

Su Sheng instinctively asked.

"The core forge of Chi Yan City!"

"The core position of the entire Chi Yan City."

The Iron Hammer dwarf's expression carried sarcasm as he looked at the black patterns: "These demon spawn still want to use demon energy to erode the forge for their own use—truly naïve."

Su Sheng looked over and saw that within this huge black‑red wall, red predominated; the black veins kept writhing and twisting, as if trying to erode the red areas.

But each time, the red hue suppresses it back to its original "plot of land."

The dwarf kingdom has fallen for decades, yet this Chi Yan City forge has not been completely eroded by the demon race's demon energy, showing that the dwarves' core craftsmanship is still quite good.

"It's been so long and these demon energies still haven't eroded this Chi Yan City forge—indeed rare." Su Sheng remarked with feeling.

"That's natural." The Iron Hammer dwarf said somewhat proudly.

"Our dwarves' main city forge is both a structure and a tool."

"According to tool classification, even the lowest‑grade main city forge is of three‑colored divine artifact tier; a forge that hasn't reached divine artifact level isn't fit to be our main city forge." The Iron Hammer dwarf said somewhat arrogantly.

However, after his words fell, the Iron Hammer dwarf's expression dimmed: "But all that is now past glory."

"A divine artifact..." Su Sheng gazed at the wall before him and couldn't help but murmur softly.

It would be great if we could take it away, but this thing seems somewhat… enormously large.

"Then how do we get in now?" Su Sheng asked, somewhat puzzled.

This "wall" should be the furnace wall of the forging furnace, right? It looks seamless, and a divine artifact… probably isn't that easy to open. How should I get in?

"Actually, this forge is now considered ruined; although not completely corroded by demon energy, it has been eroded so much that normal forging is impossible." Iron Hammer reached out, touching the furnace wall as he spoke.

"Huh?" Su Sheng was stunned upon hearing that—wasn't the plan to use this forge to craft a divine artifact?

After all our hardship to get here, you tell me this thing is ruined?

Lin Huan and the others also looked at the Iron Hammer dwarf in astonishment, as if saying, "You're not kidding, are you?"

"Don't worry..." Obviously the Iron Hammer dwarf knew what Su Sheng was thinking: "Ordinary blocking forging is certainly ruined, but for this expedition, your forging needs are just right?"

Upon hearing this, Su Sheng calmed down, quietly waiting for the Iron Hammer dwarf's continuation.

"Because this forge has been tainted by demon energy, forging ordinary weapons or gear would naturally imbue them with the demon race's aura, and equipment contaminated by demon energy is naturally unsuitable for use."

"But explorer, don't forget what core material you intend to forge your spear with." The Iron Hammer dwarf looked at Su Sheng.

Su Sheng blinked: "Demon God Tree Heart?"

"That's right. The Demon God Tree Heart, as a three‑colored divine artifact material, inherently possesses the aura of gods and demons; the current state of Chi Yan City's forge happens to complement your Demon God Tree Heart perfectly." The Iron Hammer dwarf had clearly calculated this when he first mentioned Chi Yan City.

Every city forge in the dwarf kingdom is at least a three‑colored divine artifact standard; even for the demon race, outright destroying these "divine artifacts" would be too extravagant, so they would surely let demon energy erode them into magical devices and then use them themselves.

But since they are themselves divine artifacts, they are not so easily eroded by demon energy.

Therefore, according to Iron Hammer's calculations, there should be no major problem now.

In fact, Iron Hammer's calculations have proven correct; after all, he is also a master‑level smith, and with his knowledge of his own city's forge, he is quite confident.

"Next, we need to make some preparations; I want this Chi Yan City forge to finally unleash its residual heat." Iron Hammer said to Su Sheng.

However, Iron Hammer's tone carried some inexplicable emotion, as if he were calculating something unknown.

But Su Sheng didn't mind; as long as he could smoothly complete the forging, obtain his divine artifact spear, and then retreat safely, there would be no problem.

Immediately afterward, the Iron Hammer dwarf again directed the dwarves who had come with the team to begin pounding.

Su Sheng and Lin Huan exchanged glances, faces full of resignation—what could they do but wait?

However, the game time is only two hours—will we really make it in time?

Next, everyone again idled while waiting; Su Sheng also rushed his side profession, checked the game forum, and asked Chen Guan about the current situation of Yan Huang over there.

And the two hours of game time quietly passed.

The dwarves were obviously still preparing; when the game time arrived, Su Sheng and the others could only log off first.

Seeing Su Sheng and the others pull out tents to log off, the Iron Hammer dwarf said nothing and continued pounding away at something.

This bizarre dungeon had absorbed most of Su Sheng's attention.

"Captain, what are you thinking about? I've called you several times." A member of the security team shoved Su Sheng's shoulder.

"Huh, nothing's wrong?" Su Sheng, who had been out of it at work today, was almost entirely preoccupied with the game.

"It's just today's shift...."

Su Sheng truly felt for the first time that each day dragged on like a year.

The agonizing time passed so slowly.

Finally enduring until game time, Su Sheng practically logged into the game instantly.

Lin Huan, Li Wenwan, and the others also logged in almost instantly; evidently everyone was thinking about this quest and dungeon.

"Explorer, have you rested well?" Upon seeing Su Sheng and the others emerge, the dwarf Iron Hammer immediately went up to greet them.

When players log off, from the NPC's perspective it is rest.

"Huh?" Su Sheng nodded, but his gaze was instantly drawn to the "wall" before him.

At this moment the black‑and‑red wall had already opened a "door", obviously the result of the Iron Hammer dwarves' long effort.

Let's go inside the furnace; it's already opened.

Under normal circumstances, we couldn't possibly damage the furnace, but now let it bloom one last time!" Tie Chui Airen said with some regret.

Obviously, opening this door, the dwarves have expended great effort, and it is also a kind of damage to the central furnace...