However, the young fellow simply curbed his fire a few moments after Xu Guangji did. It was truly unbelievable.
At the spur of the moment, everyone gazed between Ou Yangming and Xu Guangji. They had a feeling that if the former really managed to fuse the 2 ores, his smithing foundation was probably much more solid than that of the latter.
After all, Xu Guangji was assisted by his spirit beast, whereas Ou Yangming completed the task on his own.
Xu Feiyu suddenly cleared his throat loudly and said, “Since you’re both down, put them on the table and let us take a look.”
Ou Yangming and Xu Guangji responded to him at the same time, then they placed their merged ores on the casting table.
Xu Feiyu and Bai Zhiyi went forward shoulder-to-shoulder. They looked at each other and picked up the merged ores that belonged to their respective sides.
Following that, they released white lights through their hands concurrently; those were the marvelous Appraisal Lights. Both elders seemed to be satisfied, but nobody could tell that Bai Zhiyi was not pleased but was in awe.
Even so, Bai Zhiyi’s cultivation base was so profound that nobody noticed anything from his expression.
Xu Feiyu laughed and announced, “Guangji was in such a rush that his result isn’t the best this time, but he managed to pass with 92 points.”
“92 points?”
“Oh, he’s amazing to have scored 92 points from merging the 2 ores in such a short period!”
“Yes, those are a gild ore and a black grindstone, which have always been the most difficult ores to be merged.”
The crowd exclaimed one after another, and most of them looked glad.
After all, Xu Guangji was a God-favored one from the sect, whereas Ou Yangming was an outsider. This was the perfect depiction of the direction of popular feelings.
Among the spectators, a majority of them hoped that Xu Guangji would be victorious.
Bai Zhiyi laughed and remarked, “92 points—this is indeed a great result. Hmm, based on his age, very few people can achieve the same result too.”
“Brother Bai, you’re overpraising him. Ah, it’ll be better if he wasn’t so impatient and was more stable.” Xu Feiyu nodded and pretended to ask casually, “Brother Bai, what’s the melting degree achieved by this fella, whom you’re optimistic about?”
“Similar to Guangji’s.” Bai Zhiyi chuckled.
Xu Feiyu furrowed his eyebrows and asked, “Brother Bai, if you don’t mind, may I take a look at it?”
Bai Zhiyi put the merged mineral on the table and uttered, “Ah, it’s about the same anyway, so you don’t need to take a look at it!”
Upon hearing how shameless he was, Xu Feiyu was somewhat annoyed. He grabbed the ore from the table and released his white light again.
Bai Zhiyi was already overjoyed, but he acted as if he was regretful. “Ah, I told you that they’re about the same. There’s only a gap of 5 to 6 points, so there’s not much difference between them!”
The spectators shook their heads. They could not believe that the honorable elder was being so shameless to protect Ou Yangming.
‘What do you mean by only a gap of 5 to 6 points? For this kind of assessment, the gap is considered huge. To put it impolitely, the different standards can even be said to belong to 2 blacksmiths in entirely different boundaries.’
That said, Bai Zhiyi insisted on saying that they were roughly the same, which was simply unreasonable.
Nevertheless, Bai Zhiyi was incredibly reputable here. Apart from the people that made him their enemy, the others dared not say anything even though they were not convinced.
Despite that, the discussion slowly stopped after some time.
They initially thought that Xu Feiyu would be furious after hearing what Bai Zhiyi said and would reproach Elder Bai for being shameless. Who knew, Xu Feiyu flushed and turned blue, which was evident that something was off.
Xu Feiyu twitched his mouth, and he spoke as though his voice was forced out through his teeth. “Brother Bai, is this meaningful at all?”
“Brother Xu, what do you mean?” Bai Zhiyi was taken aback.
“Hmph!” Xu Feiyu said coldly, “You said that it’s Ou Yangming’s first time participating in this kind of challenge, and he has never used these 2 ores, right?”
Bai Zhiyi frowned and answered, “It’s indeed his first time joining this kind of challenge, but I never said if he has used these ores before.”
Xu Feiyu curled his mouth and responded, “Alright, I was careless this round, so you win this time.”
There was instantly a heated discussion among the crowd. This initially thought that Xu Guangji had definitely grasped victory, but there was suddenly a turn of events as Xu Feiyu simply admitted defeat.
Xu Guangji looked up in confusion and disbelief.
‘Did my grandfather just admit defeat on my behalf?’
Through his grandfather’s help, he had shown immense talent in smithing art from a young age.
He could not compare with the other God-favored ones in terms of martial arts cultivation, but he was exceptionally confident that he was not inferior to anyone in smithing art.
This was the exact reason he could not accept his defeat.
“Grandfather, why am I defeated?” Xu Guangji could not hold it back anymore, so he questioned loudly, “Did he really merge better than I did?”
Xu Feiyu pulled a long face without saying a word, whereas Bai Zhiyi laughed out loud and said, “Guangji, don’t overthink this. Honestly, your merging degrees are about the same; they’re only 5 to 6 points apart.”
“5 to 6 points…” Xu Guangji was dumbfounded for some time, and he slowly turned pale.
At this point, even the dumbest person could understand the meaning behind those words.
This was also why they were so shocked that it could not be put into words.
It turned out that Xu Guangji was not the one that achieved 5 to 6 points more than Ou Yangming, but it was the other way round.
A challenge regarding merging degrees tested the blacksmiths’ basic skills, but it was also a way to prove their strengths.
It was worth noting that a difference of 5 to 6 points was significant as it almost represented 2 blacksmiths in different ranks.
“No, it’s impossible!” Xu Guangji mumbled, “Did he achieve 97 points?”
Bai Zhiyi smiled calmly and noted, “98 points.”
As soon as he spoke, the whole room fell silent.
This was because everyone knew that the higher a merging degree, the harder it would be to increase it further.
Similar to practicing martial arts, one would advance by leaps and bounds at the beginning, but one would eventually become stagnant especially when one was nearing the peak.
A merging degree of 90 and above was a watershed. If one wanted to increase the value, every additional point would be a new watershed.
Xu Guangji was considered potent to many people for being able to achieve a 92-points merging degree. As for a 98-points merging degree… Even if Xu Feiyu and Bai Zhiyi took the test, it would also be tough for them to accomplish that, right?
Sure enough, Xu Guangji swallowed his saliva then turned to look at Ou Yangming. “Brother Ou, it turns out that you’ve done this countless times and grasped the key technique. Heh, I must’ve made a joke out of myself by comparing my weakness with your strength.”
Ou Yangming shrugged. He did not deny the statement, and he asked, “Is there more?”
“Of course,” Xu Guangji uttered and said to the elders, “Please arrange something else for us, judges.” He looked determined, and he had a strong desire to fight.
Bai Zhiyi and Xu Feiyu were secretly impressed because the fellow did not give up after being defeated, so he deserved special respect.
Chapter 619 - So Slow
Xu Feiyu turned around and said, “Brother Bai, I set the task for the first round, so it’s your turn now.”
Bai Zhiyi nodded and looked
at Ou Yangming, then he asked after some thought, “Lil’ Ou, what are you skilled in?”
Ou Yangming was stunned. He glanced at the elder and could not help but laugh. “I don’t have anything that I’m skilled in, so you can arrange as you seem fit.”
The elder furrowed his eyebrows as he was displeased. “Lil’ Ou, this is a serious matter, so don’t joke around.”
“I’m really not specifically good at anything…” Ou Yangming responded honestly and scratched his head as he felt troubled. In actuality, after the young fellow fully incorporated his mental power into his Military Fire and activated his spiritual world, smithing processes became transparent to him. As a result, he could almost perfect every step in a process.
If Ou Yangming had shortcomings in smithing art in the past, he had made up for them and no longer had obvious weaknesses.
Bai Zhiyi sighed. Since they were in public, he did not know how he could persuade the young fellow.
They did not purposely keep their conversation a secret from the others, hence the people looked grave, and they even cast looks of enmity at Ou Yangming.
Ou Yangming looked at them strangely as he could not understand the change.
In actual fact, those people thought that Ou Yangming gave that answer on purpose.
They thought that he was showing off to everyone that he could suppress Xu Guangji regardless of the challenge.
Although Ou Yangming displayed his potency in merging, so much so that he was superior to the 2 elders, nobody believed that he could have the same achievement for everything skill in smithing art.
Moreover, even if Ou Yangming was victorious earlier, he was slapping the people in their faces by behaving arrogantly.
Ou Yangming would cry out a grievance if he knew what the people were thinking. He was only saying the truth, but he ended up enraging the crowd by accident.
Xu Feiyu scoffed and suggested, “Elder Bai, since he’s being so presumptuous, how about I set the second task too?”
Bai Zhiyi frowned, but he could not help but smile bitterly when he noticed the expressions of the people around them. “Fine, you may proceed, Brother Xu.”
Normally, if there was a challenge between 2 parties, they would take turns to set tests to defeat the other party with their best skills.
However, the rule was changed because of Ou Yangming. Even so, nobody felt that it was wrong. Instead, they took pleasure in his misfortune.
‘Who asked you to be so pretentious? Now, you’re going to be struck by lightning!’
Xu Feiyu pondered and noted, “Elder Bai, let’s make them smith a piece of equipment each for the second round. The outcome will be decided based on the quality of their equipment.”
Bai Zhiyi nodded and smiled. “That sounds good.”
He was initially worried because he would not be confident if Xu Feiyu proposed an odd challenge, but he would not be afraid if it was simply equipment smithing.
The elder lowered his voice and explained, “Lil’ Ou, for the next challenge, you’ll have to smith a piece of equipment. The equipment only needs to contain basic attributes without having anything else attached to it.”
Bai Zhiyi was aware of Ou Yangming’s ability, thus he especially reminded him. If the young fellow went too crazy and made something a half step to White Silver or a piece of Dual Skill Equipment, it would be interesting.
Ou Yangming nodded and lowered his voice as well. “Elder Bai, I only have to smith a piece of equipment of any equivalent rank?”
The elder was dumbfounded, and he thought, ‘What kind of question is that? Do you think you can surely smith the equivalent rank that you want?’
Nonetheless, it was not the time for more questions, so Bai Zhiyi responded after some thought, “Xu Guangji has a fairly high standard, so he should be able to smith a magic tool around Good Grade Rank Two. If you’re able to smith a Good Grade Rank Four magic tool, the victory is likely yours.”
Ou Yangming nodded. Judging from Elder Bai’s tone, a Rank Four magic tool might not guarantee anything, but a Rank Five one would do the job.
Honestly, based on his strength now, though he had not learned the smithing technique for High Grade magic tools, he could easily smith a High Grade Rank One magic tool if he went all-out and layered with his Military Fire.
Having said that, it would probably be too shocking.
Xu Guangji picked several ores first and placed them on the smithing table. Ou Yangming spent some time choosing some ores, and he settled on a few that he was familiar with.
The crowd grinned after they saw their choices.
Xu Guangji had selected slightly different ores from Ou Yangming. They were all materials for Good Grade magic tools but since the former made such a choice, he was naturally more confident In comparison, the latter had only chosen the most basic materials for a Good Grade magic tool. The basic materials could be used to smith a Good Grade magic tool too, but the end product would unlikely be of a high quality due to the extremely ordinary nature of those materials.
In other words, the success rate would not be lowered if Ou Yangming smithed using those materials, but he could only produce something of Good Grade Rank One or Rank Two.
They had not begun smithing, but most people were optimistic about Xu Guangji.
Seeing as they were done preparing, Bai Zhiyi announced, “You may begin.”
As soon as he gave the order, the spirit beast beside Xu Guangji spat out an intense fire while he released his fire too. The human and the beast cooperated perfectly.
On the other hand, Ou Yangming raised his hands without hurry. When he waved them gently, his fire drifted and enveloped all of the materials.
Ever since the young fellow’s mental power and Military Fire merged, he became much faster in equipment smithing. Back then, he could command the fire as he wished, but there was a barrier in between, such that it was an indescribable gap.
Now that the 2 had joined as one, the Military Fire was Ou Yangming, and he was the fire. Given the situation, his smithing speed naturally improved.
The minerals visibly merged inside the fire, and they turned into the equipment that Ou Yangming needed.
He decided to smith an arm guard. Since this was a challenge, there was no need to smith something that required more energy, and an arm guard was unquestionably the most worry-free option.
In just a few breaths, the arm guard’s model was constructed inside the fire. As various minerals continued to merge, the equipment was eventually perfected.
Pieces of equipment for the Humans were far less complicated than those for the Beasts, but blacksmiths in the Spiritual Realm were used to incorporating some Wish-fulfilling Clay. Needless to say, very little clay would be included, so the core expansion-and-contraction extent would only be within 2 times.
After all, the pieces of equipment were for humans, not beasts.
Under Ou Yangming’s control, the equipment was slowly finished, and it rested quietly inside his fire.
[Item: White Slate Arm Guard]
[Equivalent Rank: Magic Tool, Good Grade, Rank Three]
[Attributes: Toughness +28, Durability 28]
[Wish-fulfilling Degree: 2]
This was a magic tool of Good Grade Rank Three. It only had a White Slate Attribute, but its equivalent rank was pretty good.
It was worth noting that Ou Yangming’s fire had a notable origin, hence even if the materials were poor in quality, he could add additional attributes when he smithed a piece of equipment. For instance, he had used the 6 most ordinary materials to smith a Good Grade magic tool, but it turned out to be of Rank Three.
Nevertheless, Ou Yangming was not content. Energy attributes in his sea of consciousness began to surge, and they entered the flame along with purple lights, then they were released to the arm guard.
Next, the arm guard’s attributes increased.
[Item: White Slate Arm Guard]
[Equivalent Rank: Magic Tool, Good Grade, Rank Five]
[Attributes: Toughness +30, Durability 29]
[Wish-fulfilling Degree: 2]
Ou Yangming smiled when he sensed that the equipment had reached the peak of Good Grade.
Unless Xu Guangji could smith a High Grade magic tool, he would not be defeated in this round.
The young fellow turned his head slightly and subconsciously glanced in Xu Guangji’s direction. He only took a glance, and Xu Guangji concealed his fire, but he could sense the real situation from the changes in the fire.
‘No way, is that fella not done melting his ores?’
Ou Yangming twitched his mouth hard. He knew he was incredibly fast in equipment smithing, but to be this fast…
He took a deep breath and looked in front again. Whenever he smithed a piece of equipment, his fire was used to being maintained at a stable state. As such, it would be nearly impossible for other people to spot anything through his fire.
Of course, this would require one to release more mental power, so even Xu Guangji, who was assisted by his spirit beast, dared not do this.
Despite that, it was not an issue for Ou Yangming because it was not difficult for him at all.
He was staring at his fire at the moment, but his mind was already wandering off.
That said, he did it very discreetly, where he widened his eyes as though he was focusing on the fire in front of him.
Normally, blacksmiths would have the same expression when they concentrated on equipment smithing, thus nobody could differentiate the real situation.
Ou Yangming waited and waited…
After an hour, he finally sensed an energy fluctuation, which he had been looking forward to, from Xu Guangji’s direction.
The young fellow was immensely grateful at this moment.
‘You’re finally done. You must know that it’s very energy-consuming for me to maintain my fire at this scale without moving at all, okay?’
Following that, Ou Yangming exhaled deeply and curbed his fire pretentiously.
It seemed to the spectators that the 2 of them had almost finished at the same time. Nonetheless, when they thought about how Xu Guangji was assisted by his spirit beast, they felt that Ou Yangming was indeed faster.
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