Void Cultivation

The moment the metal came out, Grey opened his eyes and raised the two hammers in his hand. Although he didn't know how to forge, he had heard some things that the captain said about how to refine metals.

He brought the first hammer which was on his right hand down.

'Bang'

The hammers hit the metal made loud banging sounds. Grey furrowed his brow as he entered a state of total concentration. The second hammer fell shortly after. Another loud bang rang out and Grey felt like his actions was right.

So he raised his hammers again and brought them down again. At first several seconds passed between each strike. Then only one second passed before the hammers could be heard hitting the metal again.

At first, the loud bangs made from both the hammers and the metal were disordered and sounded the random beating of a drum.

But after several minutes, Grey got used to the feeling of swinging the hammers and soon got indulged in it fully. A pensive expression appeared on his face as the hammers smashed against the metal.

A slightly simple and harmonic forging sounds could be heard. Grey felt like he had entered a completely different world. As the Hammers struck down once more, he felt a change in the metal. The orange metal had shrunk down to a smaller size after several hundred hits. Grey had already begun to sweat without his knowledge.

Just as he was about to swing his Hammers again, the old man suddenly erupted and held him back. Grey was surprised and confused at the same time.

Surprised because if the old man was to attack him, he would not be able to defend against himself. And confused because he still wanted to forge this piece of metal before him.

He felt that this piece of metal had gained a quality after his repeated forging. Strangely, he didn't seen content and wanted to forge it to it's best.

"That's enough! You've barely managed to pass the test. Go on to the next test!" The old man said coldly. His expression was somber.

Grey was confused but respectfully took his leave. Once out of the room, he heaved a sigh of relief. Under the scrutiny of such a person, he felt like he was transparent. Moreover, the old man's attitude changed quite quickly after Grey refine the piece of metal. Who would want to stand the anger of such an expert? Who would want to die prematurely? Of course he didn't want to die, si he took his leave.

As he was cleaning the sweat from his face, he remembered what the Captain had said about forging.

***

"Basically forging is the same as refinement, but they are referred to differently because as you know medicinal refinement is on the path of Life. Which path do you think forging is?" The Captain asked.

Grey shook his head, signifying that he didn't know. The Captain sighed before speaking. "Forging is the path to war! You only forge weapons when you are going to fight. Your weapons were created only to bring death and to keep you alive. Now you can see why Forging and refinement are miles apart. Medicine is the Dao of medicine, but forging is the path to death and destruction. You can only forge a great weapon when you have understood the essence of death! If you truly have the talent to refine, from your first contact with the weapon you will feel a certain kind of kinship. This means that you can walk the path of death." The Captain sighed as a melancholic expression appeared on his face.

"But the moment you have chosen to forge, you cannot go back. There will be death around you! Cultivation was already cruel as it is, people killing for resources and personal needs, but ever since God descended and wrecked havoc to the world. It has turned into hell! It's only because we are still in a small corner of a small continent, that's why we are still experiencing a bit of peace. I pray that when you venture into the outside world, you are strong enough to protect yourself and what you hold dear!"

That was the first time the Captain spoke so much words with so much emotions. He felt that something terrible must've happened to make the entire continent's genius a cold hearted melancholic figure.

'But I will not make the same mistake!' Grey said inwardly with resolution. He could guess that the captain had been a soulsmiths not too long ago. But an accident must've occurred. Something concerning someone he loved dearly, that's why everything he explained despite being little was so detailed.

Grey sat down silently and began to replenish his spirit energy reserves. The Hammers weigh very much and he had been swinging them repeatedly for several long minutes without rest. During the process, he had used his spirit energy to strengthen his arms. But even then, he still ended up tired and with sore arms.

'At least I passed the forging test, I guess?' He said inwardly as he didn't know whether he passed the test or not. But he felt that his forging should be satisfactory as someone who did not know a thing about forging.

The cacophony of Hammers hitting metal and the fragrant smell of medicinal pills assaulted his nose and his ears. But after a few minutes, he grew used to the loud noises and quietly entered a state of meditation.

He was not afraid of any harm that may befall him. After entering the sixth level of Qi accumulation, he felt that his awareness had increased significantly. Also, after comprehending Dragon eyes his perception increased as well.

So he could naturally detect if anyone came as close as twenty meters to him. But despite his perception, Grey did not detect when a ghostly figure flew by him. The ghostly figure was wearing white robes and had a head full of white hair. Her figure was graceful but lacking any elegance. Like dead nonchalance.

Her expression was dull and detached, with no warmth or emotion in her eyes. Her eyes were as dead as a fish. The ghostly figure stopped a few inches in front of Grey. She stood just barely ten centimeters from his face, gazing at him silently but he didn't even notice.

This content originates from M1VLEMPYR, My Virtual Library Empire.

After an unknown number of time, the graceful ghost like figure gave a soft sigh. Out from her mouth came a pale white smoke. The smoke drifted over to Grey and was about to enter his orifices when the ghostly figure sucked in gently and the white smoke entered back into her mouth. She looked at Grey with a complicated expression before she entered into the room that Grey used to forge.

She did not even need to open the door as her floating figure just passed through the wall and entered into the room where the old man stood with a pensive expression on his face.

His eyes were clear and bright but his face was downcast as he kept muttering inaudible words. But if you strained your ears to hear, you would hear that the man was repeatedly saying.

"How is that possible?"

"But it can't be happening..."

"But how?"

He kept muttering over and over to himself but when the ghostly figure drifted into the room, he brought his head up and looked at the graceful lady with reverence and utmost respect.

"Ancestor..." He wanted to speak but was interrupted when the white figure gently raised her hand, signifying for him to keep quiet. The old man instantly fell silent as he watched the floating woman drift over to the forging table.

He could not guess what was on her mind because he face was gloomy and detached, but he could see that she was in deep thought. She put her hand on her chin as if in thought, then after a while she turned to him and spoke for the first time.

Her voice was gently and calm, yet at the same time it was ghastly and sounded like the raging rivers.

"Why did you do that?"

She placed her gaze on him with a calm expression. Despite not emitting any spirit energy fluctuations, the old man immediately retreated as loud rumbling sounds went up in his head. He brought his head down the next second, not daring to look at the this gently yet dangerously beautiful woman.

With his head bowed down, he spoke respectfully. "Ancestor, I just wanted to check if he had some talent for forging and I am truly shocked. I could tell from his previous actions that this was the first time he had ever held a forging hammer, yet, he entered total concentration and managed to refine this low quality metal to the first rank."

"Why did you stop him continuing?" She asked gently, her face held no particular expression except for cold nonchalance.

"I didn't want him to realize what he has done yet, and besides he still has other tests ahead of him. If he forged any longer, his spiritual power would have been exhausted and he may not be able to participate in the next tests." The old man hurriedly said. His expression was still calm and respectful.

The beautiful ghostly lady nodded and turned around to leave, as quietly as she came. The old man was still bowing until the ghostly woman in pure white attire left.