Cultivation Through Artifacts

Inside a room which walls were filled with numerous carvings and small gaps, a young man was seen standing before a chunk of metal that shone as brightly as a sun.

His arm, which was clad in a material similar to black crystal, was constantly moving up and down, striking the piece of glowing steel with his hammer, resulting in not only the steel gleam brighter but also the temperature around it to rise beyond what should be called ordinary!

CLANG!

The sound of a metallic pitch, which was both sharp and loud, reverberated inside the room, while a powerful burst that broke forth from the metal almost sent the young man flying into the distance!

However, because of the lowered posture and the firm stance the young man took up since the start of his process, no matter how strong the bursts were, he remained in one place like an immovable mountain!

And thus, time went by like this for hours...

After exactly six hours of straight forging later in the immense and suffocating heat, suddenly, Khal watched as several crimson dots arose on the metal's surface, exactly around the Soul Threads, indicating that it was finally time for him to take his first major step; using the Spirit Refining Technique!

CLANG~!

Except for the louder pitch and the surrounding heat that skyrocketed once again, becoming twice as hot as it previously was and even slightly melting the anvil, Khal noticed no other changes much less danger that could threaten his life. Thanks to his Diamond Skin that protected his body from turning into ash, he could continued to strike the dots without any fear!

Hours have passed again, and after another 6 hours, Khal saw as eight, finger-sized red dots remained on the steel, implying that only eight strikes were needed to finish forging this metal.

This immediately made his face show a wide smile, feeling extremely happy that he could finally finish and get some rest!

After forging for more than 12 hours straight, even though he didn't feel tired as the power that controlled him refreshed his muscles with energy whenever they felt sour or numb, he did feel discomfort because of the immense heat in the air.

It could even be said he felt like an egg, boiling in extremely hot water as he was slowly getting cooked inside his Diamond Skin alive!

Thus, after such a long time, he wished nothing more but to finish forging and get outside to enjoy the gentle breeze. Even Rubie, who was in the corner seemed like dying from the suffocating heat, her body slightly waving here and there as if she was drunk.

Khal clenched his teeth and without thinking about anything else swung his arm, striking the first red dot powerfully.

CLANG~!

Then the second...

CLANG~!

And the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh...

'And the final one!' Khal thought himself and like he wanted to smash the metal into chunks, he swung his hammer, striking the last dot with all his might!

BAM!

A powerful flare exploded from the steel, turning the orangish-red color into pure yellow, almost white, while the heat it radiated leaped several levels into the skies and melted the anvil below it into a boiling mass in a blink! Even the tables and tools in the distance began to blend, like pieces of ice creams under the scorching hot sun on a summer day!

And what was even more shocking was that even Khal's Diamond Skin showed signs of melting which was even scarier!

"Not good!" Khal quickly turned around and with lightning speed picked up Rubie from the ground before he burst toward the exit, knowing if he remained in that room his Diamond Skin will only melt away, turning him into ash in no time at all!

However, just as he reached the door, Nova's voice sounded in his head right before the metal stopped radiating immense heat and turned into a glowing yellow piece of steel!

[Notify! 'Spirit Essence' successfully created!]

[Forming 'Power Core'!]

[Warning! Forming 'Power Core' is improbable!]

[Please place a 'Core' into the 'Inferno Steel' first!]

"I... Did it... Haha! I did it!" Khal exclaimed out merrily, and quickly approached the Inferno Steel in the middle of the boiling jam on the ground, and stared at it in silence.

After a bit later, he extended his still Diamond Skin-covered arm and touched it. Even though he felt it was hot, hot enough to burn everyone's flesh and skin into ash upon the slightest contact, with his Diamond Skin, it felt okay to grab it as it didn't radiate the previous immense heat.

And just as he picked up, the door behind him opened and two figures walked inside, one was Bazz but the other one was someone he didn't see before. 

"So it's him, huh?" the man, who seemed to be in his forties with long black hair, beard, and sharp eyebrows stared at Khal with calm eyes before shooting his gaze at the yellow piece of metal in his hand.

"Yes, Chief Rou, his name is Khal Nevio and he is my disciple," Bazz told the man called Chief Rou, but his gaze and complexion couldn't hide the shock as he stared at Khal and the Inferno Steel in his old.

He didn't believe he would succeed, thus was ready to jump in and help if anything seemed to go wrong, but who would have thought that the very moment Khal began his forging process he would meet with the head of this Blacksmithing Department, Chief Rou!

He asked him why he was waiting before the chambers and as he didn't want to lie, he told him everything. Of course, his story made Chief Rou extremely angry, especially when he learned Khal was a newbie, but once he learned Khal's incredible feats, such as when he obtained 3 Golden Stars on his first Beginner Event, his boss seemed to calm down a bit.

But even like that, Bazz knew if Khal fucked up, he will definitely lose his current position and that would be the least he has to worry about!

Yet, to his great surprise, Khal not only not failed, but he even succeeded in creating a Supreme-Quality metal's Spirit Essence under just half a day as it would take at least a day if not more!

It was a feat that not even he would have thought of in his wildest dream!