Enlightenment: Beginning as a Disposable Warrior-Chapter 163 - 127: Melding Techniques, Secret Message from Cang River (First Update)

Su Mu's eyes were focused, and through the cold pool water, he saw that the mystical pattern on the blade was incomplete, as if it had been interrupted by an invisible force.

Meanwhile, beneath the turbulent cold pool water, the broken blade quietly showed several cracks that were hard to see with the naked eye.

This short blade has undoubtedly failed.

In the midst of Su Mu's contemplation, Lin Ruoshui stepped forward with iron tongs to remove the quenched short blade, and as it emerged from the water, a chilling aura accompanied a fierce sharpness escaping from the cold pool.

Water pearls, large and small, slid off the blade.

"Crack!" 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Alongside a crisp sound, as the blade struggled free from the cold pool, a series of cracks rapidly opened and expanded.

"As you can see, this short blade has failed and cannot be considered an Entry Level Treasure Artifact." Lin Ruoshui asked Su Mu to come closer for a better view.

"This pattern, seemingly crafted by divine intervention, is the Grade-Entering Artifact Pattern. It's easy to distinguish; an artifact with one pattern is First Grade, and should this artifact pattern succeed, it could be called a Ninth-Grade Treasure Artifact."

"In addition, the appearance of artifact patterns varies by grade, most noticeably by color. Lower Three Grades appear as white light, Middle Third Grades are said to be blue, but beyond that, us three old guys are unsure."

As he uttered the last words, Master Lin Ruoshui's eyes showed strong yearning and aspiration, a kind of pilgrimage-like fervor. As a Treasure Forger, he naturally pursued high-grade Treasure Artifacts eagerly.

If currently given a chance to see an Upper Three Grades Treasure Artifact, even from afar, Lin Ruoshui might be willing to give up everything, even his own life, to exchange for this opportunity.

After taking several deep breaths, Lin Ruoshui suppressed the excitement in his heart and turned to ask Su Mu a question, "Boy, what do you think is the reason for the failure this time?"

"The blade cracked, and I think it's due to insufficient material strength. Maybe engraving a strong inscription might have led to a different result..."

"Go on," Lin Ruoshui listened and sensed Su Mu had more to say.

"There are two other solutions for material strength: directly changing to better material is one way, but I also believe that forging the iron billet is crucial. If the folds and forging of the iron essence were increased, it might have led to different results."

Lin Ruoshui was pleased rather than angry; this level of obsession made his eyes shine. In his view, simply accepting external opinions without one's own obsessive pursuit would make it difficult to advance far. They all held their unique obsessions in the Treasure-Forge Art.

Currently, he was delighted to see that obsession in Su Mu, and thus Lin Ruoshui leveled his demeanor, seeing it as an equal exchange rather than questioning from a master's perspective.

"Your ideas are good, but do you know that the materials used for forging Treasure Artifacts aren't just hard to melt, but their strength far exceeds ordinary iron material."

"Both Chen Yuntian and I are Eighth Grade, Second Bone Forging Martial Artists. We can finish forging ordinary hundred-refined iron material within ten days, but it took over three months to forge the hundred-refined iron essence for this short blade, even with joint efforts; for one person, at least half the time would be added, nearing five months here."

"And in continuing to fold and forge with each additional layer, the time would definitely be extended longer. Moreover, the subsequent inscription engraving would be even more difficult."

"To solve this problem, there are two methods: external assistance or enhancing one's Martial Arts Realm."

"But enhancing one's Martial Dao, how easily said than done?"

The blacksmiths and blacksmiths in the Forging Workshop hold high status and prestige in their eyes, dreaming of becoming master forgers capable of creating Treasure Artifacts. Yet now, Lin Ruoshui seemed like an ordinary person, revealing the difficulties in forging Treasure Artifacts.

He mentioned earlier that external help could be hired, meaning employing powerful martial artists for assistance, such as having stronger martial artists fold and forge.

However, doing so would leak the Treasure-Forge Art.

But to seek one's own improvement, Lin Ruoshui, and the other two had spent twenty to thirty years to become master forgers, even the youngest Zhao Ju became one at the age of forty-five or forty-six, nearing half a century in life.

Time is fleeting, and human energy is limited. How can one refine the forging art while advancing in Martial Dao?

Moreover, when the three became master forgers, their bones, blood, and tendons were set, potential declined, and they were long past the golden age of martial arts practice, making it harder than ever to train like young lads.

The best example is today's Martial Fierce Pavilion Master Wu Lie, whose youthful focus was not in forging but in martial arts practice, thereby succeeding in reaching Seventh Grade.

Yet, gains come with losses, and the Martial Dao-advanced Wu Lie Pavilion Master still can't be considered a true Treasure Forger.

"Sigh------"

Listening to Master Lin Ruoshui's melancholy sigh, Su Mu's heart trembled, feeling a multitude of emotions.

At first, the three master forgers seemed to hold an elder-like authority in his eyes, and within the Forging Workshop, they held a loftily position, yet at this moment, Su Mu suddenly realized the three masters were just ordinary people.

Famed for their forging skills, while also struggling to advance further in it.

At this very moment, Lin Ruoshui appeared much older in Su Mu's eyes, the wrinkles on his face more pronounced.

Suddenly.

Su Mu's eyes flickered, gaining a deeper understanding of his Comprehension Panel.

The Comprehension Panel allows Su Mu's Martial Arts Skills advances to continuously improve, could be described as supreme insight, with infinitely extended lifespan accompanying the improvement.