Clang! Clang! Clang!
Continuous metallic clangs echoed through the venue. Though the sounds seemed a bit chaotic, they oddly carried a rhythm.
It was the sound of hammer striking iron!
Donghai City, located in the eastern part of the Douluo Continent, was hosting a small forging exchange competition in one of its arenas.
On the central stage, young forging students were swinging their hammers with sweat dripping down their faces. Under their efforts, the pieces of metal they worked on were becoming increasingly shiny.
This was merely an exchange competition between schools. The oldest student on stage was only fifteen years old, and most of the participants were Level 1 or Level 2 blacksmiths.
To young people, these competing students were idols—promising talents who might become master blacksmiths in the future.
But to seasoned blacksmiths, the competition lacked substance. Mu Chen was one such person.
As the president of the Blacksmiths' Association's Donghai City branch, Mu Chen was an Eight-Star Saint Craftsman, capable of complex and advanced spirit forging.
Logically speaking, someone of his status shouldn't have been at such an event. A branch president of the Blacksmiths' Association was always busy. How could he find the time to attend a small-scale competition like this? Even if someone paid him to show up, it was unlikely he would accept.
After all, to a Saint Craftsman, money no longer held much value. If he really wanted to make money, he could casually forge a few pieces of metal and sell them for a high price.
The only reason this Eight-Star Saint Craftsman was here today was because his daughter had recently shown some promise in forging. Feeling pleased, he went out for a stroll and happened to come across this competition, so he decided to watch.
"Lord Saint Craftsman, these kids are the future of our academy. What do you think of them?"
"Promising youth with great potential!"
Most of the competitors were average, but since Mu Chen was in a good mood, he gave a favorable comment. For him, it was just a simple sentence.
But for the headmaster who asked the question, it meant everything.
It was praise from a Saint Craftsman! If the students heard about it, it would undoubtedly boost their morale significantly—a huge benefit!
The exchange competition ended quickly. The winner was a Level 2 blacksmith—someone Mu Chen had favored from the start.
"Seems like there aren't any truly outstanding kids here after all…"
But just as Mu Chen was about to leave, something on the stage caught his eye. A middle-aged man had stepped up after all the students had exited.
Mu Chen was puzzled. He recognized the man—it was a Level 5 blacksmith from Donghai City's Blacksmiths' Association branch.
Mu Chen didn't remember his name, but the man had left a strong impression. He was capable of Level 5 spirit forging—worthy of being called a Master—but all the metals he forged were of inferior quality. His potential for growth was very limited.
Barring any major changes, this man was unlikely to progress further in his lifetime.
So what was he doing here?
Soon, a voice from the speaker explained everything:
"Please welcome Master Craftsman to the stage to demonstrate the art of spirit forging!"
Clearly, he was here to give the students a demonstration.
Mu Chen glanced at the academy head beside him. Not bad—this man had some connections. Even if the invited craftsman was the weakest of the masters, bringing him in still meant the headmaster had some pull.
But none of that concerned Mu Chen. He had only come to look around and would soon head home to see his daughter.
The spirit forging demonstration soon reached its end. Compared to the excited students and teachers around him, Mu Chen remained calm—even a bit displeased.
He had seen it at a glance—the quality of that spirit-forged metal… it was another inferior piece! That guy hadn't improved at all over the years!
Even worse, judging from the crowd's enthusiastic reactions, not even the headmaster beside him could see the metal's poor quality.
Watching so many people admire a defective spirit-forged item made Mu Chen frustrated. But he didn't have the heart to ruin the students' excitement.
"Sigh… Might as well take a walk."
Letting out a helpless sigh, Mu Chen stood up and rejected all offers to accompany him. He left the venue alone.
His good mood from earlier—brought on by his daughter's achievements—had vanished after witnessing that disappointing demonstration. Now, all he wanted was to clear his head by walking along the seaside.
Due to his identity, Mu Chen didn't plan to exit through the main gate. Instead, he chose a quiet side path and walked slowly.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Not long after, the sound of running footsteps came from behind him. Judging by the light steps, the runner seemed quite young—probably around ten years old.
Mu Chen turned to look and saw a little girl running toward him, carrying a pile of metal materials in her arms.
Was she coming to ask for his autograph? Or to inquire about forging techniques?
Though he had many questions in his heart, Mu Chen still gave the girl a thorough look. Her features were delicate—definitely a beauty in the making. And the metal in her arms appeared to be leftover scraps from the earlier competition.
Looking at her, Mu Chen couldn't help but think of his daughter. When Mu Xi was younger, she used to happily carry home leftover forging scraps just like this.
"Well, since we've crossed paths, I'll give her a little guidance."
With that thought, Mu Chen raised his hand, ready to call the girl over.
"If you have any questions, just—"
Mu Chen: ???
He froze before finishing his sentence.
The girl didn't stop at all. She simply ran past him and headed straight for the exit.
The scene was… rather awkward.
"Little girl, wait!"
"Hmm?" The girl paused upon hearing the voice behind her and turned around, looking puzzled.
"You don't have anything to say to me?" Mu Chen pointed to his own face. As a Saint Craftsman, his appearance was well-known throughout the forging world. There were very few blacksmiths who didn't recognize him. Judging by the girl's demeanor, she was probably a blacksmith too, right?
"Something to say to you?" The girl tilted her head, looking adorably confused. Then she answered hesitantly, "Um… May your fortune be as boundless as the Eastern Sea, and your life span as great as the Southern Mountains?"
Pfft!
Mu Chen nearly spat blood. Suppressing his emotions, he forced a smile. "I meant in the field of forging. Don't you have any questions for me?"
"Why would I have anything to ask you?" The girl suddenly grew impatient. "Old man, don't you think you're a little too full of yourself?"
"You're just like that awful Level 5 blacksmith from earlier—performed one failed spirit forging and suddenly thinks he's all that?"
"If I were your age, I'd already be a Divine Craftsman!"
After saying that, the girl turned coolly and walked away, leaving Mu Chen dumbfounded.
He was an Eight-Star Saint Craftsman! When had he ever been scolded like this?
But soon, Mu Chen's expression changed.
"Wait! She knew that the earlier spirit forging was a failure?"
Earlier, besides himself and that Level 5 blacksmith on stage, Mu Chen was certain there were no other high-level blacksmiths present. So how did this little girl know?
Driven by curiosity, Mu Chen quietly followed the path the girl took.
Who would've thought—a dignified Eight-Star Saint Craftsman had been reduced to tailing a little girl.
What a crazy world this had become!