"I should have studied more about forging," he grumbled under his breath. But there was no point crying over spilled milk.
One month. That was all the trial allowed him.
He turned the dagger in his hand, watching its faint glow flicker like a candle in the storm. "Spirit-Rank is the threshold. Earth-Rank is the true gateway. And Heaven-Rank…" his emerald eyes narrowed, the corners of his mouth lifting faintly, "…Heaven-Rank will make me undisputed."
The forge roared in agreement, embers leaping as if stirred by his will.
For the next days, Tian Lei pushed his vessel's body beyond its limits. Hammer strokes cracked the air like thunder. Flames bellowed and shrieked under his command. With each attempt, failures piled—cracked blades, warped hilts, molten slag that never took shape.
