Chapter 144

"Hearing you say that, it's true. Could this kid really be that confident in his own ability to forge the Fire Dragon Sword?" muttered the short-haired giant.

"Heh, maybe. But one thing is certain: no matter his actual forging skill, he's now a certified forger. And in our sect, there are barely a dozen certified forgers—soon, he'll be entitled to his share of forging resources."

"Let him have his share. With thousands of disciples in the Four Symbols Sect, even if all our forgers worked together, we couldn't possibly meet everyone's needs."

"That's true, but this timing is particularly bad."

"After all, Elder Bai's lifespan is nearly spent. Once he passes, the sect will have no second-rank forger capable of forging Foundation Establishment artifacts. Before that happens, the sect will pour every resource into training one. Another certified forger means another rival for you and me—and Wang Yu is young; his potential in both forging and cultivation far surpasses yours and mine."

The short-haired giant's expression shifted slightly, but after a moment's thought, he shook his head.

"Brother Xiao, I think you're overthinking this. Even if the sect truly wants to train a second-rank forger, the first thing they'll look for is forging skill."

"How old is Wang Yu? Even with exceptional talent, how high can his forging skill be? The sect doesn't need a forger with potential—it needs one who can deliver results immediately."

"Your words have merit. It seems I've been worrying needlessly. Since Wang Yu has potential, we might as well cultivate a good relationship with him—it can't hurt."

"Hah! I thought the same thing!" The short-haired giant burst into laughter.

The forging hall now lay ahead, and the two descended one after the other.

…

"Hah! Who would've thought I, Sun, would one day train a disciple who becomes a certified forger? Wang Yu, since you've passed the certification, the hall will issue your official forger token at once, assign you a new cave dwelling, and provide a dedicated independent forging chamber."

"Remember: when choosing your cave, pick one close to the ground fire—only then will the ground fire drawn for your furnace be optimal. As a certified forger, you may now independently accept entry-rank forging tasks from inner sect disciples and elders. You'll also receive a set annual allotment of free forging resources—materials, spirit stones, even assistant hands…"

From Master Sun's residence came the same hearty laughter and a stream of instructions directed at Wang Yu.

"Thank you, Master Sun. I've taken it all to heart," Wang Yu replied earnestly.

Seeing Wang Yu still show such respect even after passing certification, Master Sun felt even more pleased, and added:

"You've learned nine-tenths of my forging techniques. What remains are merely fine details of experience."

"Still, I notice you rarely take on forging tasks—your focus clearly lies in cultivation. And your rapid advancement to late Qi Refinement—have you decided to enter the upcoming Four Sects Law Assembly?"

"Master, you read me correctly. I intend to enter the Law Assembly. The rewards are too rich to pass up—any advantage gained there could save me countless detours on my cultivation path."

"I knew it. Any disciple who wishes to go far on the cultivation path won't let such a chance slip away. Now that you're a certified forger, you'll surely forge your own custom artifact before the Assembly—what kind of artifact do you have in mind?"

"Though my forging skill is mediocre, my experience is vast—I can still offer you some useful advice," Master Sun said, stroking his beard with quiet confidence.

"I do plan to forge my own entry-rank artifact soon. If Master is willing to advise, that would be perfect. I've already thought it through—I intend to forge a set of integrated offensive-defensive artifacts, with Fire as the primary element and Metal as the secondary."

Master Sun's smiling expression froze. He didn't even notice he'd plucked a few strands of his beard.

"Yes. I'm a top-grade Fire elemental, yet I also have talent for Metal spells. As Qi Refinement cultivators, before we split our spirit during Foundation Establishment, we can activate only one artifact at a time—and to switch, we must first release the first. Thus, an integrated set is my best choice."

"Of course integrated artifacts are better! Their power far exceeds ordinary ones! But have you even considered how difficult they are to forge?" Master Sun finally snapped back to himself, sounding exasperated.

"Integrated artifacts are far more complex than ordinary ones—they test a forger's ability to conceive the artifact's core structure. I've thought about it for a long time, and only a set can carry the design I envision."

"So your envisioned artifact is highly complex. But consider this: for entry-rank artifacts, complexity doesn't guarantee greater power—only greater risk of damage, whether during forging or in battle."

"Master, I know this well. But I'm confident in my design—I've already minimized these risks."

"To that end, I spent years gathering 'Fire Cloud Copper.' It holds immense flame energy, yet remains light and sturdy—though it softens easily under high heat, which is precisely why I need it as the main material."

"So you've truly decided to forge a set. Very well—I won't dissuade you. But forging an entry-rank set is nearly as difficult as forging a second-rank artifact, with a main artifact and subordinate ones."

"In my youth, I attempted such sets several times—though none succeeded, I accumulated some experience. Stay here a moment—I'll tell you everything you must watch for."

"That's excellent! With Master Sun's guidance, I'll have far greater confidence in forging this artifact," Wang Yu replied, bowing deeply again.

"Wang Yu, listen carefully. When using a set in battle, though it appears you're activating multiple artifacts, you need only control the main one—the sub-artifacts are passive, shifting automatically with the main. Thus, material selection and structure of the core are paramount. Since you plan to use Fire Cloud Copper as the main material, your auxiliary materials should best be…"

……

Half a day later, Wang Yu returned to his dwelling, sat cross-legged in his stone chamber, and replayed Master Sun's warnings about forging sets in his mind.

"Taiyuan, enter login interface."

Wang Yu spoke the command, and a flash of white light swept over him—he appeared in the silver hall.

(Something came up tonight, too late—Wang Yu couldn't finish the second chapter. Don't wait for it.)