Xian Qiang had never imagined that a Soul Weapon could look as common as a woodsman's axe forged by the lowest-tier smith.

Chun Zheng Sheng stood with his arms crossed, a cold sneer plastered on his face, clearly enjoying the show. No way! You can actually identify a weapon like this! Unless, kid, you've forged a Soul Weapon yourself! Otherwise... Hmph!

Qian Jin's eyes immediately latched onto the battle-axe. What a treasure! The forging technique is masterful! Truly skillful! Though it pales in comparison to Uncle Black's work, it’s far superior to anything I can manage.

Qian Jin bent down, lightly tapping the side of the axe with his finger. Hearing the dull sound—hardly crisp—he looked up at Yun Xinghui Sheng with undisguised surprise. "Master Yun Xing, I'm truly taken aback that we have a Soul Weapon here."

Soul Weapon... Soul Weapon... Soul Weapon...

The words 【Soul Weapon】 echoed solely in Chun Zheng Sheng's mind, reverberating from Qian Jin's statement. Who exactly was this newcomer? He tapped it twice with his finger, barely inspecting it, and immediately declared it a Soul Weapon?

The wrinkles around Yun Xinghui Sheng's eyes instantly multiplied, enough to crush an ant. This brat deduced it was a Soul Weapon after just two taps? He, on the other hand, had studied it day and night for days, neglecting even his rest, just to confirm it was a Soul Weapon.

"Guild Master." Chen Motu bowed deeply toward Qian Jin. "A pleasure to meet you for the first time. I am Vice Guild Master Chen Motu."

The stunned crowd snapped out of their shock and quickly bowed, "Guild Master!"

What more was there to say? Nothing! This young man was too formidable! Everyone was utterly convinced; his forging skills were outstanding, and his weapon appraisal abilities were beyond reproach!

Guild Master? Guild Master! Lei Guangming fell into despair. Even if Yun Xinghui Sheng didn't crush Qian Jin now, the moment he stepped down, everyone would undoubtedly elect Qian Jin as his successor.

"It’s a pity this Soul Weapon is dormant," Qian Jin sighed repeatedly. "Why not awaken it?"

"Dormant?" The skin around Yun Xinghui Sheng's eyes instantly smoothed out, becoming as flawless as a young girl's complexion. "What dormancy? This Soul Weapon, it..."

"It is indeed dormant," Qian Jin nodded gently. "Though I don't know why someone used it, it has clearly only been sharpened six times and remains in a sleeping state. Just one more sharpening..."

One more sharpening? Yun Xinghui Sheng felt the world spinning. Since acquiring this Soul Weapon, he had thought of nothing else but reviving it, yet the weapon could not be sharpened again; its lifespan was at its absolute end.

"It would be best to use Flowing Cloud Stone," Qian Jin nodded firmly, appearing deeply thoughtful. "We'll need to find Uncle Fabredis. I wonder when he'll return..."

"Guild Master..."

Chen Motu had just opened his mouth when his expression violently twisted. His pupils contracted sharply, and a look of unprecedented terror bloomed across his face.

BOOM!

Almost simultaneous with Chen Motu's terror, a large tree just outside the edge of the Guild Master's courtyard exploded into splinters. A dark shadow pierced the air with a whistling roar, heading straight for Qian Jin! A gigantic palm swooped down, grasping, as if the entire courtyard was suddenly caught within its hold. A massive wave of air pressure hummed, kicking the dust in the courtyard high into the sky.

The flames in the furnace roared restlessly under the intense compression of the air pressure...

A Soul Fighter level warrior! Qian Jin felt the pressure course through him like electricity. He looked up at the vast, ten-meter-wide handprint of vacuum that seemed to have punched the sky.

"Qian Jin! Die!"

Assassinations were not uncommon in the True Strategy Dynasty; the Demon Race's Dark Divisions frequently infiltrated the dynasty using various means for similar activities. Thus, the True Strategy Dynasty placed certain martial requirements on its City Lords.

However, an open assassination in broad daylight at the Blacksmith Guild—such a thing had never occurred! At least, neither the True Strategy Dynasty smiths nor the Lucifer Dynasty smiths, despite their intense rivalry, ever resorted to assassination.

Blacksmiths possess their own pride and honor.

The Demon Race's Dark Divisions were well aware that the minds of the Demon Race blacksmiths seemed filled with iron blocks rather than brains. If they dared to assassinate a True Strategy Dynasty smith, the first group to erupt in fury would not be the True Strategy Dynasty side, but the Demon Race blacksmiths themselves.

Defeating the True Strategy Dynasty smiths should be the rightful task of our Lucifer Dynasty smiths! You Dark Divisions go after the warriors!

Under this special unspoken code, the Blacksmith Guild, aside from occasional petty thieves, had never faced an assassination attempt.

A colossal killing intent, accompanied by torrents of Battle Qi, instantly enveloped the entire courtyard. More than a dozen blacksmiths didn't even have time to react; this was too shocking.

Lei Guangming’s hairs stood on end with exhilaration. All fear and worry vanished in that moment. The only thought in his mind was: Go, Qian Jin! How can someone this young so easily discern a Soul Weapon? What level of mastery is this?

The Blacksmith Grand Guild—that was a colossal entity even the Lei family couldn't challenge! Lei Guangming was certain: if Qian Jin was this strong in forging at such an age, he might one day occupy a significant position within the Grand Guild. Then the Lei family would truly have no hope of revenge.

The massive vacuum palm, mixed with a dull, special grey Battle Qi, pressed down like a thundercloud from the sky. Every bone in Qian Jin’s body clicked audibly in an instant. He flipped his wrist, and half of a broken shield materialized in his palm. The Battle Qi within his body poured into it recklessly, without regard for cost. The core of the shield suddenly emitted a faint glow, and from it burst forth a light screen—a massive, umbrella-shaped barrier of light appeared above Qian Jin.

However, this giant light-screen shield resembled only half an umbrella, as if violently cleaved in two by some weapon.

What is this? A flicker of surprise and a cold smile crossed Lei Zhen's masked eyes. This brat isn't panicking at all, as if he knew I was hiding nearby? How did he know? My stealth capabilities are not something ordinary warriors can compare to!

Half a broken shield? Even if I don't know what bizarre thing you pulled out, do you think you can withstand the full blow of a Soul Fighter level warrior? Shatter!

The gigantic hand formed of grey Battle Qi descended like a ferocious blacksmith's hammer smashing a fragile egg, heavily pressing onto the light-screen shield.

Crack, crack, crack...

The shield’s light curtain instantly resembled a shattered eggshell, covered in countless visible cracks. In the next moment, it violently exploded!

What? Lei Zhen's heart skipped a beat. Although the light screen shattered, the power of his grey Battle Qi hand was reduced by at least thirty percent! What kind of strange vambrace was this? How could it possess such power?

"Lei Zhen! I think you've had enough of living!"

A rough roar erupted almost simultaneously from a large tree behind the courtyard wall on the opposite side. The massive battle-axe, mixed with a brilliant green Battle Qi aura, formed a giant axe dozens of meters in diameter in the sky. It carried a chilling, sharp killing intent that made the skin tingle as if scraped by blades, and it locked fiercely onto Lei Zhen.

Mu Guwuxin? How is he here? Lei Zhen's scalp prickled. Every hair on his body stood on end. His pupils, tiny as needle points, contracted again, flashing a look of defiance. Today, even if he were cleaved by that battle-axe, he must kill Qian Jin!

His identity exposed, there was no need for further concealment! Lei Zhen's Battle Qi surged again instantly. A four-meter-tall, ferocious phantom resembling a demon god burst from his body, then merged back into him, combining the Soul and the body. His outstretched, five-fingered hand instantly coated in a layer of grey, as if smeared with some special metallic coloring.

Is this an established Soul Fighter level warrior? Just lacking a Soul Weapon prevents him from ascending to the Saint level? Qian Jin felt his breathing become labored. The surrounding air seemed to be completely sucked dry at that moment; the surroundings no longer felt like air, but like a swamp!

Muddied, difficult to move! A quagmire!

"Patriarch Lei, stop!"

Another powerful shout erupted from Mu Guwuxin's hiding place, and his Soul Aura exploded once more. In a short span of time, the Blacksmith Guild had gathered three Soul Fighter level warriors! How many ordinary warriors with a Soul existed in the entire Eternal Flow Province?

At this moment, the Blacksmith Guild had gathered three!

Li Deyork? Lei Zhen glanced sideways at the other approaching powerhouse and the sharp, gleaming sword. His heart was filled with curiosity: why were Mu Guwuxin and Li Deyork both here today? Never mind! I must kill Qian Jin!

Damn Lei Zhen! Li Deyork, who had initially held back some strength in his long sword, saw that Lei Zhen was showing absolutely no weakness and felt his rage surge. He had been forcefully dragged here by Mu Guwuxin to witness Qian Jin's internal promotion within the Blacksmith Guild!

He had planned to appear immediately after Qian Jin's promotion to offer his congratulations! Who knew that Qian Jin would recognize the Blacksmith Guild's treasure at a glance? It was an unexpected delight, but that delight had now turned entirely into shock and worry, because someone was trying to kill Qian Jin.

Lei Zhen, if Qian Jin dies today! You will have severed this City Lord's path to Sainthood. Even if my own forces suffer severe damage and weakening, I will annihilate your entire Lei family line!

The thought flashed, and Li Deyork held nothing back in his strike, instead infusing his sword with a ferocity greater than usual, laced with killing intent.

Mu Guwuxin and Li Deyork were fast, but Lei Zhen was faster! As the one who struck first, even though he was slightly impeded by the shield's light screen, his speed still held a slight edge over the other two.

Qian Jin took a deep breath into his lungs. The two Soul Cores within his body spun at high speed simultaneously. Two different forces flooded his raised left arm at once: the ignition of the Earth Fire Core and the flow of the Battle Qi Core. They intertwined yet repelled each other, making his arm feel as if it were being forcefully ripped apart down the middle by the opposing forces.

For the first time! An indescribable joy bloomed in Qian Jin's heart. Indeed! Facing true life-or-death pressure, there was still potential to excavate within him. Previously, trying to channel both Battle Qi forces into the same arm had never succeeded. This time, thanks to Uncle Enlack's guidance during the hundred-man battle, he had managed to momentarily combine them for the first time.