Qian Jin couldn't be bothered with Lei Guangming and turned toward the blacksmith's forge in the corner of the courtyard. The Flowing Torrent Battle Fortress hired its own blacksmiths, though their skill level was lacking; acquiring truly fine weaponry required a visit to the Blacksmiths' Guild. Nevertheless, the forging equipment available here was remarkably comprehensive.

The entire group was completely captivated by Qian Jin's strange actions, momentarily forgetting their earlier commotion. They watched, full of curiosity, as Qian Jin stood by the roaring fire of the furnace, wondering what exactly he intended to do.

"That kid," Lei Guangming murmured, uncertainly, "he isn't trying to prove his worth by taking up the forge, is he?"

Whoosh! Kerosene was splashed onto the still-glowing embers, instantly igniting a furious blaze.

Qian Jin casually tossed an appropriate amount of coal into the furnace, followed by several chunks of raw iron. Without even glancing, he snatched a blacksmith's hammer from the adjacent tool rack and held it in his hand.

Lei Guangming stared at the hammer in Qian Jin's grip for two seconds before bursting into laughter. The kid had good posture, but he was clearly a complete novice at smithing. Forging raw iron required a much larger hammer for the initial shaping; the one in his hand was clearly a tool for refinement.

"He's pumping the bellows too frantically, the flame is too fierce—it'll damage the metal's integrity..." Lei Guangming shook his head repeatedly as he watched. This was utter foolishness; did the boy think blacksmithing was just randomly banging on metal with a hammer?

The bellows were worked violently, drawing up an even hotter inferno. The raw iron quickly turned a deep, incandescent red. Qian Jin picked up an iron rod and used it to fish the glowing mass out of the fire.

This time, several blacksmiths standing behind Lei Guangming also snickered. There were fire tongs right there, specifically for handling glowing-hot iron! The fact that he didn't use them was unbelievable. When he brought the hammer down, who knew where the searing hot piece of metal would fly or whom it might burn.

Qian Jin seized another hammer with his left hand, now holding one in each hand. Lei Guangming’s eyes suddenly lit up. This stance... it resembled a rumor he had heard years ago. That... that rumor regarding...

Lei Guangming rubbed his eyes hard, finally recalling something a blacksmith named Lucas from the city of Oakland had mentioned: a person capable of using two hammers, without needing tongs, to refine raw iron into fine steel. That person’s name was... was Qian Jin!

Could it be such a coincidence? While Lei Guangming was momentarily stunned, the hammer in Qian Jin's hand had already struck the incandescent iron. Before the still-bouncing piece of iron could fly off, the other hammer swiftly pinned it back into place.

The two blacksmith hammers, at that moment, seemed transformed into the fiercest war hammers on a battlefield, striking with sounds like the beating of massive war drums.

Everyone watching was utterly dumbfounded by the scene. What was this? Wasn't this kid a warrior? How could he also know how to forge, and so skillfully?

Mu Gui Wuxin vigorously rubbed his eyes. He had only heard that Qian Jin was a Forgemaster, but he never imagined the sight of him forging would be so spectacular.

Lei Guangming stared fixedly at the raw iron, which was being transformed into the shape of a weapon with the elegance of a performance. What was the boy doing? Was he forging refined steel while simultaneously shaping it directly into a weapon or equipment? Was he mad? Didn't he know this would lower the quality of the weapon and drastically increase the difficulty for himself?

After an unknown length of time, the sound of hammering finally ceased. Qian Jin wiped the sweat from his brow and tossed the weapon, now shaped like an axe, at Lei Guangming's feet.

Clang! The sharp axe blade embedded itself in the dusty earth beneath Lei Guangming's feet, reflecting a chilling, cold light.

Lei Guangming bent down, gently running his hand over the battle-axe. His palm, usually rock-steady when handling forging tools, trembled uncontrollably. His pupils contracted to pinpricks, and his gaze was fixed, dazed, on the weapon in his hand: "This... how is this possible? A... a Grade Two Fighting Weapon..."

A Grade Two Fighting Weapon. Instantly, the sight of everyone present converged on the weapon forged in such haste.

A Grade Two Fighting Weapon. Lei Guangming gasped for air, as if relaxing for even a moment would cause him to suffocate from lack of oxygen. It truly was a Grade Two Fighting Weapon!

A Grade Two Fighting Weapon—while it couldn't compare in value to the Grade Seven Fighting Weapon axe, the question remained: how was this Grade Two Weapon created?

In an incredibly short time, Qian Jin had simply grabbed some random metal lying around, wielded two hammers in a flurry of rhythmic clanging, and easily hammered out this item.

Lei Guangming was convinced that if he traded places with Qian Jin, he couldn't achieve this level, not even as a Level Ten Axe Forgemaster. One couldn't just casually forge a Fighting Weapon, especially not using such low-grade, inferior metal.

The surrounding onlookers silently watched Qian Jin. Even those ignorant of forging could tell that what Qian Jin had produced was something Forgemaster Lei family could never replicate!

Mu Gui Wuxin smiled faintly, looking at Lei Guangming, then at the vice-chairmen of his own faction, and finally at the old man of the Lei family, Lei Zhen: "Showing up early in the morning to disrupt my sleep and threaten me? Very good! The Lei family—our previous issues were considered settled. Since you wish to continue this quarrel? Then let us proceed! Fabredys will return in a few days, and then..."

"Uncle," Qian Jin dropped the hammer he was holding, let out a yawn, and looked up at the sky, "I have to go to school now. If I don't leave, I'll be late. You handle things, and just tell me the outcome later."

"No problem!" Mu Gui Wuxin bellowed across the courtyard, "Hey, you lot! Flowing Torrent Ten Warriors! Yes, the ten of you! Guard Qian Jin on his way to school! Escort him there and back! If anyone dares touch a single hair on my treasure's head on the road..." he yelled, his voice filled with menace, "...just kill them on the spot! Kill them! Did you hear me!"

The Flowing Torrent Ten Warriors, who had been lurking nearby watching in secret, immediately rushed out, each brandishing a longsword or saber, shouting their fierce affirmation. Regardless of Qian Jin's consent, they escorted him and Biluo out of the Flowing Torrent Battle Fortress.

Mu Gui Wuxin maintained his smile, though it did little to improve his hideous features. To the Lei family members, it made him even more detestable. Mu Gui Wuxin himself was oblivious to his own ugliness; he was shaking all over like a crab, nearly walking sideways because he couldn't decide the most satisfying way to move.

Satisfied! Mu Gui Wuxin had never felt this exhilarated. He had feared that Qian Jin's involvement would cause him to offend the Blacksmiths' Guild, leading to future equipment shortages. Yet, with just a few casual movements, Qian Jin had produced a Fighting Weapon!

What was there left to fear from the Blacksmiths' Guild now?

"Heh heh," Mu Gui Wuxin shoved his ugly face close to Lei Guangming's: "Do you want to walk out on your own, or shall I throw you out?"

"You..."

"Oh..." ...I know! You want me to throw you out." Mu Gui Wuxin gripped Lei Guangming's neck, lifting him as easily as a bear catching a chick, and simply tossed him out the gate of the Flowing Torrent Battle Fortress.

Satisfaction! Mu Gui Wuxin watched the tossed Lei Guangming. This was something he had wanted to do for years—finally having the chance to bodily eject someone. That little brat Qian Jin was truly astonishing and praiseworthy.

Lei Zhen rose, his face dark, and walked out of the fortress. He glanced back at the weapon Qian Jin had forged on the ground. Mu Gui Wuxin looked like a bear, but his schemes were surprisingly intricate. Without the protection of the Flowing Torrent Ten Warriors, he would have gladly sacrificed some men just to eliminate Qian Jin and remove a major asset from the Flowing Torrent Battle Fortress.

The Flowing Torrent Ten Warriors... Lei Zhen truly lacked the courage to slaughter them all. Fabredys had achieved Sainthood! And rumor had it he had grasped his own Soul Domain—he was now a true Battle Saint!

Killing the Flowing Torrent Ten Warriors would be a direct declaration of war against the Flowing Torrent Battle Fortress. The fortress might suffer heavy losses, and the Lei family could be completely wiped out from the ranks of the Eternal Flow's major powers.

"Qian Jin... Qian Jin..." Lei Zhen saw several warriors in black combat uniforms walking down the road, and his eyes suddenly brightened. Yes! There was still a way to eliminate Qian Jin!

Jun Wudao! The biggest head of the underworld forces in Eternal Flow City—Jun Wudao! He could pay a hefty price to Jun Wudao; that man always completed a job once he was paid.

Qian Jin sat in the carriage as it jostled toward the Academy, feeling a strange flicker of nervousness. He had been a member of the Conquest War Academy for some time, but this was genuinely his first day attending classes.

Dismounting, he entered the Academy grounds.

Qian Jin noticed the expressions of the warrior cadets guarding the entrance change drastically the moment they saw him—they snapped to attention like soldiers undergoing inspection, and he felt like a commanding general reviewing a parade.

It seemed the display of force at the gate yesterday had an effect. Qian Jin smiled; at least today there were no more strange, scrutinizing glances directed at him.

"Well, I'm going to class now," Biluo murmured faintly, before turning and speed-walking rapidly in the opposite direction toward the Magic Department.

Qian Jin watched Biluo's figure recede, then turned to see two figures not entirely familiar, yet still recognizable, up ahead on his path.

"Classmate Qian Jin, what a coincidence."

Mune Tian Ce approached with a graceful sway, fanning himself with a folding fan. His long black hair, defying the lack of wind, was kept fluttering by the aura of his magic device, lending him an indescribable air of casual elegance.

Qian Jin met Mune Tian Ce's gaze, smiled, and nodded a greeting. He re-examined the man ranked 100th on the Hundred Battles List—someone who appeared low-key but used magic devices even in daily life to maintain an image, a reserved show-off: "Classmate Mune, truly a coincidence."

"Classmate Qian Jin, I checked last night and discovered we are in the same class. Shall we go to class together?" Mune Tian Ce snapped his fan shut and shifted slightly to the side: "Please."

Qian Jin walked alongside Mune Tian Ce, entirely missing the subtle deference in the latter's polite gestures. Recalling it now, those actions, meant to be courteous, instead held a faint, almost imperceptible undercurrent of command—a command buried so deep it was nearly impossible to detect.