Enlightenment: Beginning as a Disposable Warrior-Chapter 164 - 127: Mastering Craftsmanship, Secret Letter from Cang River

The longevity brought by advancements in martial arts far exceeds the passage of time; time seems to reverse its course on Su Mu.

Limitations of finite energy, issues of lifespan, the passage of time, all these constraints, all these shackles, do not exist for Su Mu; he does not encounter the dilemmas faced by the three master craftsmen.

Su Mu is able to concurrently improve his martial dao and forging skills, and even embrace all worldly arts like medicine, calligraphy, and gu techniques.

Faced with Lin Ruoshui's lamentations, Su Mu profoundly understood the strength of his comprehension interface; one day he might truly surpass all worldly powers, even ancient sages step by step!

Thinking thus, Su Mu's heart of growth beat vigorously and steadily like a rock.

After Lin Ruoshui sighed, his eyes brightened when they fell upon Su Mu; he saw Su Mu, the young man ablaze with burning fire in his eyes.

"These might be problems for us three old geezer, but..."

Lin Ruoshui stared directly at Su Mu with eyes blazing, unable to contain the intense anticipation and a trace of unhideable envy on his face.

"But perhaps for a monster like Su Mu, none of these are challenges; he shall surely surpass us three old geezer!"

Lin Ruoshui mused, Su Mu is not yet seventeen this year, likely already an eighth-grade Bone Forger Martial Artist, and his forging skills are just a step away from success.

This can be seen from the blow dealt to Chen Yuntian and Zhao Ju, indicating the tremendous success Su Mu has achieved in learning the arts from the previous two master craftsmen.

"Indeed, this kid can do it!"

The dejection on Lin Ruoshui's face vanished, his frail fingers unconsciously clenched into fists, regained his full motivation.

"In this life, I find it tough to progress in forging and martial dao, but teaching a disciple to surpass us all can suffice a lifelong regret!"

With a shift in thoughts, Lin Ruoshui, whose intentions now flowed freely, retrieved an age-old prepared secret manuscript from a cabinet, "Kid, this is the 'Blood Transformation Technique' master art of the Forging Workshop; try to comprehend it yourself first, consult me if puzzled."

"The secret manual should not be taken out or shared."

"I'll remember, Master."

Su Mu promptly cupped his hands respectfully and bowed, receiving the secret manual with both hands.

"As for these remaining two short blades and the demon beast blood, consider them my test of you. Make one blade achieve grade-entering, reveal the artifact pattern, and you'll have passed; the Cold Pool Forging Room is yours to use thereafter."

"Thank you, Master Lin."

Previously, Lin Ruoshui had entrusted Su Mu with insights and experiences about 'Spirit Awakening,' demonstrated how to infuse spirits personally, and let Su Mu carry out the final quenching.

The entire process was shown to Su Mu completely, adding to the secrets He imparted, was a thorough handover.

"Out of sight, out of mind; this kid won't cause me the blows Chen Yuntian and Zhao Ju inflicted."

Masters guide you in the door, but self-cultivation depends on the individual.

Thus, Lin Ruoshui waved dismissively, letting Su Mu proceed while he himself leisurely turned and left the forging room.

Su Mu was momentarily dazed but quickly understood this as Master Lin Ruoshui's teaching style; after all, Master Lin had already imparted everything required, leaving Su Mu to rely on himself henceforth.

"Rustle rustle!"

Unrestrained, Su Mu directly sat by the corner against the wall, holding the nameless secret manual with both hands and began flipping through it. A page after page, the flipping sound brought peace of mind. Su Mu's eyes brightened with every turn. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"Blood Transformation Technique", just like Melting Gold Technique, is an eighth-grade martial arts skill brought back by the first master of the Forging Workshop all the way from Qingzhou Prefecture. This martial art imitated a unique demon beast named 'Blood Transformation Beast,' which lived by devouring blood, able to digest and ingest demon beast blood more potent than itself to convert to its own power, even obtaining other demon beasts' strengths from blood, thus creating the Blood Transformation Technique.

"The world is vast with wonders aplenty; such demon beasts indeed exist."

Su Mu slowly closed the secret manual in hand, and with a gradual closing of eyes, etched every word from the manual into his mind, enlightenment followed.

He soon began the second reading. This time in his mind arose an image of a shadow consuming blood, the blood pool swirling into a vortex in the shadow's mouth.

On the third reading, reaching a third through, the youth suddenly shuddered lightly.

Blood Transformation Technique (entry-level 1%)

During Canghe County days, three readings were sought for eighth-grade martial arts, whereas now, with Su Mu's improved comprehension, ordinary eighth-grade martial arts need not thrice pondered.

Su Mu gradually opened his eyes, exhaled softly, and focused on the two remaining short blades in the iron box; immediately before him appeared two silhouettes and two gazes holding monster-like looks.

"It is not urgent."

Su Mu did not rush to begin spirit infusion. At this moment, after receiving the comprehensive teachings from Master Lin Ruoshui, the Treasure-Forging Art he'd learned prior from Masters Chen Yuntian and Zhao Ju welcomed the final component.

Su Mu's mind sparked brightly, resembling the evening glow pouring over rivers; myriad thoughts surged like Cang River waters of molten gold, every thought inciting a shimmering ripple.

The Melting Gold Technique with Melting and Refining Art, Calm Heart with Inscription Art, Blood Transformation Technique with Spiritual Infusion Art; fragmented skills fully merged into a scroll entitled forging.

The scroll unfolded like a painting; the first silhouette was Zhou Mountain.

"Remember Su Mu, in forging, hammering the iron cast is crucial!"

Then transformed into various blacksmith masters in Qingshui Town's iron shop, Uncle Li, Xiaohu, the scene transitioned from Qingshui Chapter to Cyan Cloud Chapter.

"Szzz!"

Hot-tempered Chen Yuntian wielded the Melting Gold Technique, fiercely pounding an iron hammer upon the iron essence on the forging platform, hammer after hammer shaping the outline of a short blade.

Following the emotionless Zhao Ju stepping out from the vacant space, his ten long slender fingers especially prominent, "You're right, but not entirely... You're not Chen Yuntian, and neither am I; next, I'll convey my understanding of forging."

"Inscription is the mysterious mark of heaven and earth!"

Zhao Ju wielded the writing brush, each stroke backed by years, ten to twenty years of serene focus and inscription skills.

One inscription drawn after another.

The images of the little doctor and pharmacist emerged alongside, displaying the little doctor and Su Mu's side-by-side transcription of medical books to maintain calm hearts.

Finally, the short blade was grasped by a hand; Master Lin Ruoshui immersed it in the blood pool.

"Spirit infusion endows weapons a thread of spirit... Every treasure artifact possesses unique spirit, having a potential to metamorphose to higher grades!"

Scenes rapidly passed by the scroll, Su Mu at this moment integrated them into a complete treasure-forging art skill.

In no time, Su Mu could no longer hear a single sound in his ears; silence enveloped the world completely.

Suddenly, Su Mu's refining art, dormant for over half a year since the Perfection Forging Art's advancement, began its breakthrough, transitioning from static to dynamic, rapidly advancing towards small success.

"Seal the furnace, seal the furnace!"

The sound of sealing the furnace transmitted from outside, the youth in the Cold Pool Forging Room exhaled deeply, gradually opened his eyes, causing the dim room to brighten abruptly.

Refining (entry-level 90%)

After completing and integrating the treasure-forging art, in just one afternoon, barely half of the entry-level refining proficiency was raised to near small success.

Su Mu had a premonition, perhaps when he completes the final spirit infusion of the short blade, upgrading it to a treasure artifact, or personally forges a grade-entering treasure artifact from scratch, his refining art would advance to small success.

"It's close, so close."

...

Outside, a waning sun settled in the west, while a spy from Canghe County arrived at Cyan Cloud Demon Slayer Bureau, handing over a secret letter to Li Zhihe.

Within the study, Li Zhihe tore open the seal, took out the letter and read it, his expression turning solemn.

Only the sound of fingertips tapping the desk remained in the room.

"This matter, I, the official, already know of it; you may return now."