Hearing Tang San's words, the big man's expression immediately softened. Having grown up in poverty himself, he felt an immediate wave of sympathy—what's more, the child was studying at Nuoding Academy. The man waved his hand and said straightforwardly, "Fine. If you're willing to come, then come. You can help out around the shop—carrying tea and water, things like that, surely you can manage. The pay won't be high, but you'll eat your fill. How about it?"
"Deal, no problem." Tang San was overjoyed and quickly agreed.
The blacksmiths all smiled kindly at Tang San. The big man glared at them and said, "What are you all staring at? Don't you have work to do? Get moving. Tonight I'm buying everyone ale."
At his words, the blacksmiths perked up immediately, each snatching up their hammers and getting back to work.
The big man lifted his own forging hammer, hammering away at the pig iron in front of him while saying to Tang San, "My name is Shi San—Shi as in 'stone.' You can call me Uncle San. This blacksmith shop has been in my family for generations. From now on, if you come work here, I'll cover your lunch and dinner every day, plus I'll give you ten Copper Soul Coins—that's one Silver Soul Coin. If business is good, I'll throw in a bit more. Oh, right—what's your name?"
"Uncle San, my name is Tang San."
"Tang San? Ha ha, great—we both have 'San' in our names. Must be fate. Which village are you from?"
Tang San said, "I'm from Sacred Soul Village."
Shi San said, "You mentioned earlier that your father taught you blacksmithing since you were small. You're so young—what could he possibly have taught you?"
Tang San replied, "Forging, of course. Uncle San, don't let my size fool you—I'm strong. Forging pig iron is no problem."
Shi San burst out laughing. "Brothers, our new apprentice says he can forge too. Believe it or not?"
The blacksmiths erupted into laughter. Tang San looked only six or seven years old—even after obtaining his first Soul Ring, he'd only grown a little. From his appearance alone, who would believe he could forge?
Being underestimated never felt good. Tang San said, "Uncle San, I really can forge. If you don't believe me, let me try."
Shi San set down his work and planted his forging hammer upright on the ground. "Tell you what—if you can lift my hammer, I'll believe you." He offered the hammer handle to Tang San. Since the hammerhead was resting on the ground, he wasn't worried Tang San would drop it on himself.
"Uncle San, you're trying to remove the impurities from this pig iron, aren't you? Let me help you finish it." Tang San took the hammer handle from Shi San's hand.
Shi San was born with extraordinary strength. The forging hammer he used was noticeably larger than the others—taller than Tang San by half a foot. Once again, he became the center of attention in the shop, and all the blacksmiths watched him with amused expressions. But soon, the amusement vanished from their faces, because Tang San had lifted the hammer—raised it straight up from his sides.
It was thirty percent heavier than an ordinary forging hammer. The moment it left the ground, Tang San could tell. Though heavy, he could have managed it even before obtaining his Soul Ring, let alone now.
Watching Tang San slowly raise the hammer overhead, Shi San's eyes went wide. "Impressive strength," he exclaimed. "Truly a blacksmith's son."
Tang San fixed his blazing gaze on the pig iron in the furnace, exhaled sharply, and swung Shi San's forging hammer in a mighty arc.
"Hey!"
His feet gripped the ground, his calves surged with power, and the force traveled upward. Tang San's body pivoted halfway as the massive hammer carved a slanted circle through the air and slammed down onto the pig iron.
CLANG! The deafening ring turned every blacksmith's smile into a stare of shock. Then, riding the hammer's rebound, Tang San spun quickly and swung again. Another thunderous boom—this time the hammer fell even harder on the glowing red iron.
"Uncle San, please work the bellows for me. The temperature isn't high enough." Tang San called out quickly as he swung the hammer a third time. This stroke came even faster, the hammerhead cutting through the air with a sharp whistle.
Shi San was a veteran blacksmith and understood the consequences of insufficient temperature. He hurried to one side and began working the bellows with all his might.
What followed was something none of the blacksmiths present would ever forget for the rest of their lives. That massive forging hammer seemed to come alive in Tang San's hands. Circle after circle it traced through the air, each strike falling with perfect rhythm—a cascading symphony of clanging metal that resonated through the entire shop.
None of them noticed that Tang San's hands had turned luminous, white as jade. Accompanying each ring of steel, the block of pig iron bounced and shifted under the hammer's relentless blows.
Shi San kept pumping the bellows for all he was worth while his eyes remained locked on Tang San. The look on his face could no longer be described as mere surprise.
The other blacksmiths all knew how heavy Shi San's hammer was. They understood how difficult it was to strike repeatedly—especially in the manner Tang San was demonstrating, with each blow falling harder than the last.
CLANG. The final strike landed. Tang San spun in place twice more, the hammer sweeping in full circles to dissipate its momentum, then set it down gently, hammerhead to the floor. The impact seemed to shake the shop and the hearts of every blacksmith within it.
Twenty-seven strikes. Twenty-seven consecutive blows without a single pause. The piece of pig iron Shi San had been forging hadn't changed shape, but it had shrunk uniformly by an entire size.
Everything Tang San had done, Shi San knew he could replicate—but it would take him an entire day. And Shi San had been a certified blacksmith for fifteen years.
Watching Tang San, slightly out of breath with a sheen of sweat on his forehead, Shi San stammered, "This… could this be the Chaotic Wind Hammer Technique? The most powerful continuous forging method in the craft?"
"The Chaotic Wind Hammer Technique? What's that?" Tang San asked in confusion.
Shi San's face was flushed bright red with excitement. "The so-called Chaotic Wind Hammer Technique is a continuous-strike forging method. It uses force against force, channeling momentum from one blow into the next, allowing us blacksmiths to bring out the full extent of our power. Legend has it that the greatest blacksmiths can deliver eighty-one consecutive strikes, shaping a block of raw iron into whatever form they desire in a single session. Most importantly, the Chaotic Wind Hammer Technique is the most powerful forging method for purifying metal of its impurities. I thought it had been lost to history—I never imagined I'd see it with my own eyes today."
(End of Chapter)