Blake released the billet from the iron tongs, letting it dance in the air for a moment. He grabbed another billet with the tongs and placed it on the anvil, timing the impact of his heavy hammer precisely for the moment the first one landed.

The two pieces of red-hot metal sprang apart, desperate to break free, but the hammer ruthlessly drove them back together again. Gan Jin’s eyelids twitched wildly.

This level of skill was completely different from his previous attempts at the forge! This time, he wasn't just calculating the landing point of one hammer, but simultaneously charting the trajectory of two billets, even demanding control over both impact points at the precise instant of the strike.

Was this… was this blacksmithing? Gan Jin wondered if he was watching some kind of super-soldier teaching him the art of combat.

The hammer rose, circling once above his head, and then descended… The hammer rose, circling once above his head, and then descended… The hammer rose, circling once above his head, and then descended… The two billets fused into one, and that single piece became the head of a steel spear. A blast of searing heat rushed toward Gan Jin’s face.

Just as he had before, Blake plucked it up with his tongs and plunged it into the water bucket. The scorching metal shrieked a sound akin to a lament as it met the icy water, sending up continuous plumes of mist-like white vapor.

Having finished, Blake gently set the hammer down again and relit the extinguished pipe. He pointed the stem of the pipe toward the anvil nearby and the raw iron lying on the ground, his tone entirely commanding: “Learn to do it.” “Wait a moment.” Blake looked at Gan Jin, then pointed toward the backyard.

“Go take a bath.” A bath? Gan Jin couldn’t fathom why the old smith had such an idea, but he dragged his fatigued body toward the rear courtyard.

For more than a day, he had barely rested. Last time, he had been forging here, then back at school he was washing clothes, arm-wrestling, getting a job at the forge, and finally fighting Zuo Luntianren.

His body had received no rest, only to be thrown into this [Endless World] to hammer metal again. Stripping off his clothes and sinking into the steaming hot spring, Gan Jin immediately felt a warm current circulating through his entire body.

The exhaustion was being systematically assaulted and broken down by these thermal flows. “This is incredible!” Gan Jin sighed, closing his eyes.

He had bathed in hot springs before, but never one that felt this profoundly relaxing. The fatigue in his body was being washed away completely in such a short span of time.

“This is miraculous, isn’t it?” Gan Jin lifted his arms, palms open. The soreness in his muscles had completely vanished in mere moments.

He looked down at the surrounding water, noticing that it had become somewhat murky without him realizing when it happened. “Tired now?” Blake’s hoarse voice echoed from the front yard.

“If you’re not tired, get out here and start forging.” Gan Jin jumped out of the spring, quickly dried himself off, dressed, and walked back to the front yard, glancing back repeatedly at the magical spring with a look of astonishment. “That thing…” Blake broke the silence.

“That is called the Fatigue-Relief Spring. You can use it free of charge three times.

After the third time, the water will turn green and lose its ability to relieve fatigue. To restore its effect, you need money—you must purchase powder from the Mysterious Apothecary and inject it.” “Earn money?” Gan Jin glanced out the doorway.

This small village seemed deserted apart from the shop; where was he supposed to find work? “The Endless World is vast,” Blake said, tapping the sole of his boot with his pipe and leaning against the wall.

“You have three free chances. Make the most of them.

Begin…” Seeing Blake close his eyes contentedly to smoke, Gan Jin knew he wouldn’t get any more answers. His gaze returned to the raw iron in the furnace, which had already been heated to a blazing red.

“This is difficult,” Gan Jin muttered, taking a deep breath. He placed a billet on the anvil, channeled strength into his arms, and hoisted the two-to-three-hundred-pound hammer high above his head, swinging it around before bringing it down with tremendous force.

Clang! Sparks erupted, and the resonant sound of metal striking metal shattered the quiet of the smithy once more.

Blake’s half-closed eyes snapped open slightly, a glint of appreciation dancing in his pupils, his lips unconsciously curving into a small, appreciative smile, his chin nodding with the rhythm. Gan Jin was no longer aware of Blake’s movements; his vision was consumed only by the two pieces of glowing, red-hot raw iron.

The massive hammer in his hands felt like an enemy, striking down repeatedly upon them. Two billets didn't just mean doubling the number of hammer blows; Gan Jin knew the moment he struck the first one that the required number of strikes would need to be more than doubled.

Monotonous, repetitive, piercing blows of the hammer punctuated the silence of the smithy. Sweat streamed down Gan Jin’s forehead.

His clothes were soaked through. Occasionally, sweat fell into his eyes, but he only blinked reflexively before continuing to strike the billet.

His right hand wielded the hammer. It grew tired.

He switched to his left hand. It grew tired.

Back to the right hand. Tired again.

The left… “Your Forging Proficiency has increased. Strength increased by one point.” “Your Forging Proficiency has increased.

Strength increased by one point.” “Your Forging Proficiency has increased. Strength increased by…” Last time, Gan Jin had forged a thousand strikes, working until evening.

This time, it was three thousand. Gan Jin poured all his Level Four Warrior’s Strength into the task, finally completing the three thousand blows when he was nearly completely depleted.

The instant the final blow landed, a dull thud echoed as the hammer slipped from his grasp and hit the ground. He no longer possessed the strength to hold the two-to-three-hundred-pound hammer.

His body collapsed instantly, sprawling out in a wide X-shape on the floor, panting heavily. Gan Jin felt as though not just the muscles in his right side were screaming in agony, but every muscle in his entire body was protesting.

Even the muscles controlling his jaw ached as he gasped for air. He lacked the strength to move a single finger.

Blake opened his cloudy eyes, lifted a hand to wipe the sleep from their corners, checked the time against the sky, and finally fixed his gaze back on Gan Jin. “You did well today, and there’s still some time left.

We’re running low on raw iron here. Go east of the village, past the edge of town.

There’s a mine shaft there; dig up some ore for me.” Blake gave Gan Jin no chance to object. He placed a pickaxe beside him and grabbed two chunks of raw ore.

“Watch closely: this bluish-green is Bronze Stone, and this dark gray is Iron Ore. Over there, the dusky red material is Wind-Fire Copper, but you might not find any.

You can go now.” :Yesterday and the day before yesterday’s updates were not on time. Some readers mentioned this in the review section.

I will be mindful of this going forward and try to update around 9 AM and 5 PM.