Amidst the rolling, scorching flames that twisted the sky, deep within the Forging Institute, the heat waves made it feel like one was breathing fire itself.
“Ke Mo’s hammering talent is undeniably good.”
“Indeed.”
Elder Han He and Elder Zeng, the two old geezers known for their catty banter, surprisingly found themselves in total agreement for the first time in a flash.
Every inner disciple of Shenbing Peak had to first undergo the painstaking refinement of hammering techniques before gaining entrance to the Forging Institute and learning the art of forging.
God Hammer Little Overlord skipped all that nonsense.
“An excellent hammering technique usually comes from a top-notch craftsman.”
Elder Zeng stroked his beard and chuckled, “But just having good hammering skills doesn’t necessarily make one a great craftsman; you need a level of perseverance beyond ordinary folks.”
Forging wasn’t just about hitting iron with a hammer; there were countless complicated techniques and years spent with the fire veins, always in high temperatures.
“Ke Mo, I heard you used to refine pills with old Xue?”
Elder Han He put down his hammer, curiosity twinkling in his eye. Every time he met Xue Jing, as soon as the topic of Ke Mo came up, within three sentences, he’d hear a familiar phrase.
“I was such a fool back then; why didn’t I let him learn pill refining with me?”
Elder Han He couldn’t help but agree. Whether or not Ke Mo had pill refining talent aside, it had to be better than floundering around with that troublemaker Shang Wu…
Ke Mo thought for a moment and replied, “To be precise, I was the one who was being refined.”
Elder Han He: “?”
Elder Zeng: “?”
This kid always had a knack for saying things that left them utterly baffled!
“Follow me, let’s see how much you can endure in this heat.”
With that, Elder Han He opened the back door of the Forging Institute, revealing a pathway leading downward.
“I’m coming too.”
Elder Zeng tagged along.
Ke Mo followed the two elders. Once they stepped into the pathway, a wave of scorching heat hit them like a freight train, and even the air seemed to have been twisted and charred, the stone walls glowing a dull, ominous red.
So this was the fire vein that once housed the Hammer Treasure?
The further down they went, the hotter it got.
Sounds of metal forging echoed in the corridor as they proceeded, yet the sounds gradually thinned out as they ventured deeper.
“To become a craftsman, the first step is naturally learning to smelt iron — the higher the temperature, the better quality materials you can produce.”
Elder Han He explained as they walked.
Elder Zeng chimed in, “If you can’t handle it, just say so. Don’t push yourself; it’s a big deal if your meridians and organs get burnt.”
They exchanged glances.
After a while…
‘Is little Mo still fine?’
Elder Han He let out a huff, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
‘He should be okay by now.’
‘When I first came here, I barely made it a hundred feet into the fire vein.’
Elder Zeng thought to himself, as he glanced backward.
Both old geezers suddenly shared a moment of intuition, turned around at the same time, and were quite surprised to see Ke Mo strolling casually, taking in the sights with a relaxed expression.
Seeing them stop, he asked curiously, “Why aren’t we moving?”
“Haha… I thought you couldn’t take it anymore. Let’s go.”
“Kid, I’m curious to see just how far you can go.”
So, Ke Mo fell back in line with them, continuing their treacherous journey down the vein.
Ten minutes later…
Ke Mo was strutting confidently ahead.
Elder Han He was soaked with sweat, his body trembling slightly from the heat.
Elder Zeng wore a blank expression, looking as if he had aged a decade, sneaking a cold pill from his pocket when he thought Ke Mo wasn’t looking.
“Old Zeng, give me one of those!”
“That’s a cold spring pill! I only take that when refining profound weapons; are you actually going to ask for one?!”
“Quick… just give me one…”
The two old geezers were whispering, sneaking around.
Noticing the commotion, Ke Mo turned back and asked in confusion, “Elders, why are you walking so slowly? If it’s hot, feel free to let me know.”
“Ah, well…”
Elder Han He rubbed his back, “It’s just that my old bones are acting up.”
“Pff, this temperature is nothing for an old crafting master like me! I’m just mildly excited.”
“Sure, sure.”
Little Li found their banter strange but didn’t dwell on it.
After all, when he pulled out the Hammer Treasure, he spotted a forge setup deep within the fire vein. Presumably, it was Elder Han He’s personal workbench.
The elders must have some special heat-resistance techniques…
Except that it was used by the ancestors of Shenbing Peak.
They walked a bit more until they could finally see flickering flames ahead.
“Something’s off… this kid… something’s off…”
Elder Han He’s eyes darkened, his voice raspy, like a broken accordion.
“Cough, cough! Water… water!”
Elder Zeng seemed to shrink into himself, trembling all over.
But just when Li Mo turned to check the situation…
Both elders immediately straightened up, putting on their best poker faces while casually strolling, hands behind their backs, looking like they owned the place.
“Elders, would you like some barbecue?”
Li Mo had taken advantage of the heat in the vein to grill some lamb skewers.
“Ah, it seems like it’s dinner time…”
“Hmm, I do love lamb skewers; the smell is heavenly…”
They eagerly took the skewers, eyeing the fiery red chili pepper sprinkled on top, and silently exchanged glances that screamed desperation.
As if they hadn’t eaten!
Wouldn’t that make them look weak, even in front of a junior?
How could they face the world and call themselves great craftsmen?
The two prideful old farts, with a steely determination, swallowed the spicy lamb skewers whole.
“Cough! Did I put too much chili? It’s just a bit warm in here, right?”
“Hiss… not spicy.”
“Phew… not hot.”
“…..”
Watching the two elders’ faces turn as red as copper ore, Little Li finally realized something was wrong.
Emmmm…
The two old geezers looked as delicate as two biscuits, ready to crumble at the slightest touch.
You two are practically dehydrating! Even three suns couldn’t compete with your plight!
Just as he contemplated whether to use his Divine Eye of Fate to take a look…
Thud—
Two loud thuds, and the two elders rolled their eyes back and collapsed, unconscious.
“…..”
Time passed, and after what felt like an eternity, Elder Han He and Elder Zeng groggily opened their eyes, only to find the suffocating energy of the fire vein seemed to have vanished.
But in front of them lay a fierce, intense fire, signaling one thing for certain.
They were deep within the fire vein.
What the heck is going on?
Bang—
A thunderous crash resounded.
Elder Han He and Elder Zeng instinctively looked up at the sound.
“Hmm?”
“Ah?”
Bang—
Another earth-shattering boom echoed, like mountains crumbling, shaking the very ground.
Fiery sparks erupted, reflecting in the elders’ eyes, causing their gazes to flicker while illuminating the figure of a young man wielding a hammer.
In the midst of the raging flames and flowing lava, he stood tall, breathing in the flames and fierce winds, hoisting the molten red God Hammer high above and striking down with unwavering determination.
He resembled an ancient deity mastering fire and forging, hammering out the first iron weapon for humankind.
No, that wasn’t a god.
That was Li Mo.
