The blacksmiths needed even more focus; keeping apart made them more susceptible to distraction. The closer one’s location was to the back courtyard, the higher their standing within the Blacksmith Guild, and naturally, the superior their forging skills.

The Guild Master resided in the eleventh courtyard—not a large space, barely bigger than Uncle Black’s yard. Various hammers essential for forging hung from the walls.

Li Litote curiously surveyed the Guild Master’s courtyard. He had been in the Blacksmith Guild for some time now but had never entered this area before.

The Master’s residence wasn't as splendid as he had imagined; it was simply a very ordinary workspace for a blacksmith. Yun Xinghuisheng swung his hammer, diligently forging a shield.

Qian Jin stopped Li Litote just as he was about to call out a greeting, instead walking alone into a nearby room. A few simple bookshelves.

Qian Jin picked up a notebook on forging written by Yun Xinghuisheng and lightly flipped through the pages, hoping that gaining insight from the Master’s notes might offer some inspiration. Li Litote stood quietly beside Qian Jin, staring intently at the subtle changes in Qian Jin’s expression.

This… this person actually dared to alter Master Yun Xing’s notes without permission! Li Litote was so shocked he nearly cried out.

Qian Jin took out a pen from the Dou Realm and habitually began scribbling his own thoughts into the notebook—a habit formed during his time as a librarian in the Qian family. Huh?

The sound of forging had stopped? Li Litote turned back and saw Yun Xinghuisheng, who had just entered the room, about to bow in greeting, but the Guild Master made a 'hold that thought' gesture and slowly walked behind Qian Jin.

Yun Xinghuisheng observed the changes Qian Jin was making in the notebook. This… this young man… the insights I spent ages studying, he points out the error just by looking at it?

Who on earth taught him? “Guild Master Yun Xing.” Qian Jin felt someone beside him, quickly closing the notebook in his hand and turning to nod.

“Your attire today…” Yun Xinghuisheng’s eyes were filled with surprise. “That must be the work of Mu Gui Wuxin, right?” Qian Jin nodded awkwardly.

It seemed Uncle Mu Gui Wuxin’s sense of aesthetics was quite famous. “Li Litote, what are you doing here too?” Yun Xinghuisheng shifted his curious gaze onto the promising young man.

“I brought him,” Qian Jin smiled. “We met at the Outer Courtyard No.

2. He was being reprimanded, but they were teaching him incorrectly, so…” “They were teaching him the wrong way?” Yun Xinghuisheng sighed.

“I’ve told those boys many times, a blacksmith needs their own imagination; it's not about mechanically doing a task.” Qian Jin nodded repeatedly. While Guild Master Yun Xing’s overall forging ability was far inferior to Uncle Black’s, his perspective on the art of forging was certainly quite refined.

“What? You took a liking to him?” Yun Xinghuisheng looked at Qian Jin with great interest.

“Thinking of taking Totte as your apprentice?” Qian Jin sighed. “That was the initial thought, but it seems he hopes to become the Guild Master’s apprentice.” “Become my apprentice?” Yun Xinghuisheng sized up Li Litote from head to toe.

“If I had that thought before last night, I have completely dismissed the idea now.” Li Litote’s heart tightened. He had unwittingly lost the chance to become the Guild Master’s apprentice.

He could no longer hold back his question: “Why?” “Because…” Yun Xinghuisheng raised his hand and pointed at Qian Jin. “The new Guild Master might actually be stronger than me in terms of forging.” The new Guild Master?

Li Litote’s jaw nearly dropped. His bright eyes constantly darted between them.

This… how old is this person? Even if his forging skills are excellent, how can he compare to the Guild Master… “Totte, if you want to become a great blacksmith, he should be more suitable for you than I am,” Yun Xinghuisheng patted Li Litote’s shoulder.

“When I first met you, I wanted to take you as an apprentice, but I feared you might end up like Guangming. So, I thought it better to let you hone yourself more, and unexpectedly, I encountered Guild Master Qian.” “Gui… Guild Master…” Li Litote stammered while looking at Yun Xinghuisheng.

“You… you mean, he… he is…” Yun Xinghuisheng looked kindly at Li Litote and nodded repeatedly. “Otherwise, why would he be dressed like this today?” Qian Jin’s cheeks flushed.

Uncle Mu Gui’s taste in clothing selection… “Alright,” Yun Xinghuisheng waved his hand. “Since you happened to be here, and Guild Master Qian is interested in taking you as an apprentice…” Li Litote tightly bit his lips and gently shook his head.

This news was simply too shocking. His lifelong wish was to study under Guild Master Yun Xing.

Now, a young man suddenly appears; even if he is the new Guild Master, he is not Li Litote’s original goal. Qian Jin smiled nonchalantly.

If the roles were reversed, perhaps he would have the same reaction. “You,” Yun Xinghuisheng sighed, “don’t know what luck is.

Forget it. Go and summon all the Vice Guild Masters for me, and also notify everyone present in the Guild to wait in the meeting hall.” Li Litote walked out of the room filled with confusion.

Reaching the gate of the courtyard, he couldn't help but look back with curiosity. The Guild Master at such a young age?

Did he truly possess such powerful forging skill? “Heh heh…” Yun Xinghuisheng watched Li Litote disappear past the courtyard gate and smiled calmly.

“Young man, he hasn’t seen what true forging looks like. Still, he has great potential.” “I know that,” Qian Jin replied, hands clasped behind his back, his bearing calm.

“It won't be too late to teach him when he realizes I am qualified to be his master.” Yun Xinghuisheng regarded Qian Jin with even greater satisfaction. Even when looked down upon by a promising youngster, he felt no hurt or anger.

Such a steady and composed demeanor showed a maturity far beyond his actual age. “Right, you mentioned earlier that my notes had errors?” “Oh!

That? I only added a bit of my own perspective.” “Is that so?

Actually, this is what I was thinking…” Yun Xinghuisheng pulled out several sets of his own forging notes from the bookshelf, flipping through them to show Qian Jin his thoughts, and they began to discuss and exchange views in low tones. Li Litote ran the whole way, inquiring everywhere until he arrived at the Blacksmith Guild’s Round Table Meeting Room, where the Guild’s higher-ups convened.

To his surprise, Vice Guild Master Lei Guangming was hosting a meeting today. Standing before the imposing door of the Round Table Meeting Room, Li Litote felt a surge of nervousness.

In all his time at the Blacksmith Guild, this was the first time he stood before such a high-level door. “What!

Vice Guild Master Lei, is what you’re saying true?” A trembling voice pierced through the gap in the door Li Litote had pushed open, startling him into forgetting to push further. “Of course, it’s true.” Lei Guangming looked sternly at the furious, white-haired, stout old man opposite him.

“Vice Guild Master Chun Zhensheng, why would I lie to you? Qian Jin is a warrior from the Hongliu War Fortress.

If he truly becomes the Guild Master of our Blacksmith Guild…” Chun Zhensheng gripped the table excitedly with his calloused hands. The Hongliu War Fortress was one of the Blacksmith Guild’s major sources of business; if someone from the Fortress took the position of Guild Master… “So what if he’s a warrior from the Hongliu War Fortress?” Xian Qiang said dismissively, placing both hands behind his head.

“We are the Blacksmith Guild. As long as the forging technique is excellent, that’s all that matters.” Forging technique?

Xian Qiang recalled the skill Qian Jin displayed, and a look of admiration surfaced on his face. He certainly couldn’t match that level!

Guild Master Yun Xing made a grand gesture! With one move, he gave away the Guild Master position!

Forging technique? Lei Guangming’s eyelids twitched several times.

Qian Jin’s forging technique was indeed excellent, but if they couldn’t stop him from becoming Guild Master, the Lei family might truly lose their footing in Yongliu City! They had to rally everyone to stop Qian Jin today, or the Old Patriarch would personally come out to kill!

Killing Qian Jin? Was that a joke?

Lei Guangming knew clearly that if Mu Gui Wuxin discovered that the Old Patriarch was involved, the Lei family would face an all-out war. “Guangming, do your best.

If it proves impossible, I will step in personally! I’m an old man anyway; I might as well exert my final effort for the Lei family.” Lei Guangming violently shook his head, wanting to erase the memory of last night at home, of Lei Zhen’s words spoken under the dim candlelight, his expression sorrowful and utterly exhausted.

That was not an act; it was the genuine resolve of an Old Patriarch who had steered the family toward renewed glory, willing to make any sacrifice for the family’s honor and reputation. “Forging technique?” Lei Guangming gritted his teeth.

“No matter how good his forging technique is! Can it surpass my Master’s?

Can it surpass Vice Guild Master Chun Zhensheng’s? Or Vice Guild Master Chen Motu’s?” Chun Zhensheng narrowed his eyes contentedly, raising a hand to stroke his white beard.

Although he had competed with Lei Guangming for the Guild Master position for years and found him irritating, this statement was undeniably pleasing to hear. Chen Motu snorted, a look of utter disdain in his slender eyes.

He lightly tapped the table with his finger, revealing no emotion whatsoever. “I don’t care who becomes Guild Master.

As long as it is Master Yun Xing’s order, I will obey! Absolutely not like some people, who are clearly apprentices yet still speak against their master here.” Lei Guangming closed his eyes, forcefully suppressing the frustration churning in his heart.

This skinny Chen Motu was indeed the Master’s staunch subordinate; winning him over would be difficult, but this was not the time for a falling out. “Brother Motu, that’s not right to say,” Chun Zhensheng slowly stood up, stroking his beard, filled with smug satisfaction.

He used to think that since Guild Master Yun Xing was Lei Guangming’s master, his own chances of winning the leadership were slim, but now he saw a sliver of opportunity. “Guild Master Yun Xing is a noble person, but that doesn’t mean the people he sees are noble too,” Chun Zhensheng rose and looked around at the assembly.

“The Yongliu Blacksmith Guild is not Guild Master Yun Xing’s private domain; he is…” “He is Guild Master Yun Xing’s private domain!” Chen Motu slammed the table and roared. “Without Guild Master Yun Xing, where would your current glory come from?

Has a spirit eaten your conscience?”