Chapter Forty-Four: Seeing Hope

“Me?”
“Yes, I’d like to ask you to help look after my nephew.”
“No need to go out of your way, just let him train with you, as you do with that disciple from the Golden-armored Thunder Cattle clan.”
“I’ll use my authority in the sect to officially assign you this task.”
“One year, five thousand spirit coins.”
Steward Bai’s beautiful face wore a kindly smile.
Ever since the distinguished guest from the Imperial Dao Palace had sought out Xu Chen, she’d started paying attention to him.
After a thorough investigation, she discovered Xu Chen was especially suitable to train with her timid, shy nephew. Most importantly, her nephew wouldn’t pick up any bad habits from Xu Chen.
“Well…” Xu Chen hesitated.
“No need to force yourself,” Steward Bai said.
“In that case, there’s no need for you to assign me the task, Steward Bai. It’ll suffice if your nephew lives nearby.”
“If we get along, training together won’t be a problem,” Xu Chen said after some thought.
“That works too—I’ll owe you a favor,” Steward Bai replied, her gaze lingering on Xu Chen with deeper meaning.
After seeing Steward Bai off, Xu Chen began his training with Niu Dali.
At dusk, man and beast sparred.
Now, Niu Dali possessed the strength of both a dragon and a tiger; Xu Chen dared not underestimate a single move.
Bang!
Xu Chen blocked a punch from Niu Dali, but was sent flying more than ten yards before he could dissipate the force.
“No more!”
“Brother Niu, your moves are fierce, and your golden armor is so thick that I can’t break through your defenses,” Xu Chen said, rubbing his hand.
“Junior Xu, maybe I should hold back a bit?” Niu Dali scratched his head, embarrassed.
“That would make it pointless.”
“When I’m stronger, I’ll spar with you again,” Xu Chen sighed.
Before, though he couldn’t break through the defense, at least his attacks could sting.
Now, his force couldn’t penetrate Niu Dali’s golden armor at all.
“All right, then we’ll just train together from now on,” Niu Dali said, a bit disappointed.
After sparring, Xu Chen returned home and had his wine monkey chef prepare some dishes for him.
Alone in his small courtyard, Xu Chen ate, pondering if there might be a better way to deal with his doppelgänger.
“My strength is too weak. In a few more years, Brother Niu might advance to the Treasure Body Realm and go to another area to establish his own abode,” Xu Chen sighed.
Within the Great Creek Sect, the place one resided depended on their strength, as did the density of spiritual energy.

At night, in the Sacred White Space, Xu Chen focused intently on forging a Hundred-Forge Blade.
After three months of relentless smithing, the highest quality he’d achieved for the Hundred-Forge Blade was 89. Just a bit more, and it would be qualified.
This time, Xu Chen poured all his concentration into forging, considering each hammer blow carefully.
When the final hammer fell, the Hundred-Forge Blade was complete, a “90” appearing on its surface.
In that instant, Xu Chen’s soul was pulled into an abyss—heaven and earth flipped, the world remade.
He found himself at the banks of a subterranean magma river, among hundreds of bare-chested, muscular men forging weapons.
Xu Chen became one of them.
“Calm your mind, steady your hand. Observe the state of the material with every blow, adjusting your force accordingly,”
A scarred, middle-aged man wielded a wooden stick, patrolling the magma riverbank. If someone’s hammer landed incorrectly, he’d strike them with the stick, then offer guidance.
Xu Chen examined the blade blank in his hand and began forging.
After just a few blows, his arm was struck hard by the stick.
“What are you hammering, using such force right from the start? This is a Hundred-Forge Blade made from white steel!”
“Did Bai teach you that?”
“How many times do I have to tell you? Observe the blank’s material, control the heat.”
“For white steel, start light, then increase the force.”
“If you waste any more materials, you’ll be thrown out.” The middle-aged man glared at Xu Chen.
Xu Chen wanted to protest, but his body trembled.
“Master, I won’t dare again. Please give me another chance.”
From then on, Xu Chen experienced the life of a smith from a third-person perspective.
Day after day, forging weapons, practicing hammer techniques at night in the dormitory.
After two months, the man whose perspective Xu Chen inhabited finally produced a Hundred-Forge Blade that satisfied his master.
“Not bad, you show some promise. This blade is qualified,” the middle-aged man nodded, pleased.
In that moment, the world fractured, Xu Chen’s soul returned.
Countless insights into smithing flooded his mind.
Now, Xu Chen felt no less skilled than veteran smiths who’d spent decades at the forge.
Even more wondrous, through that unique perspective in the other world, he’d learned how to craft weapons at the Thousand-Forge level.
“Amazing.”
Originally intending to continue making medicines, Xu Chen left the Sacred White Space and went to the forge room.
He tossed five spirit coins into the furnace to ignite the spirit fire, then placed ten steel blanks inside.
“If I can craft a Thousand-Forge Battle Blade this time, maybe I can defeat the doppelgänger.”
With that thought, Xu Chen’s eyes burned with anticipation.

After three hours, Xu Chen forged the ten steel blanks into a single Thousand-Forge Blade.
“I didn’t expect to succeed on the first try—excellent!”
After putting the weapon away, Xu Chen eagerly returned to the Sacred White Space.
Entering the wooden door of smithing arts, a voice spoke:
“Please forge a Thousand-Forge Battle Blade of quality ninety or above.”
Xu Chen expertly selected materials, ignited the spirit fire, and began forging the blade.
Three hours later, a Thousand-Forge Blade of quality seventy-eight appeared in his hands.
“It’s stable now.” Xu Chen looked up at the sky—a massive thunderbolt struck down.
After three thunderbolts, Xu Chen’s avatar coalesced, and he excitedly entered the medicine arts door to fetch items.
“Seven-Wounds Ointment, Blood-Burning Pill, Corrosive Blood Extract.”
He opened the smithing arts door again and took out the Thousand-Forge Blade.
Standing before the Sacred Ape Six Techniques door, Xu Chen’s heart raced—rare for him.
He recalled his first practice of the Sacred Ape Six Techniques, when his father stood by, grave-faced, his eyes tinged with sadness.
“The Sacred Ape Six Techniques is the most balanced method for the human race to build qi and blood foundations, the easiest of all foundation arts to practice.”
“Originally, I had prepared the Sacred Ape Nine Techniques and Sacred Ape Twelve Techniques for you. But now, it seems there’s no need.”
Xu Chen still remembered his father’s disappointed expression.
“Why am I getting lost in memories?” Xu Chen muttered, pushing open the Sacred Ape Six Techniques door.
Once inside, Xu Chen popped all the Seven-Wounds Ointment and Blood-Burning Pills into his mouth.
He then smeared Corrosive Blood Extract onto the blade’s edge.
“You’ve brought new tricks this time.” The doppelgänger’s expression turned expectant.
Xu Chen said nothing, swinging the blade at his double.
As before, the doppelgänger intended to slap the blade a few times to break it?
But Xu Chen never gave him the chance, instead almost landing several blows on his double.
“You’re finally using your head, you little rookie.”
The doppelgänger stepped back, unable to resist a word of praise.
“Let’s hope your brains are still in your head.”
Xu Chen unleashed the fierce moves of the Wild Blade technique, but even so, he couldn’t overcome the doppelgänger right away.
After thirty moves, the doppelgänger finally seized an opening and slapped the blade’s surface with his palm.