Blacksmith Association

The students of the middle class left their building and went towards the core area of the outer court led by Weilan. In their way, they crossed an immense blue plaza crowned with two statues.

"What a huge plaza" Xueqin said amazed.

"Oh, you didn't see it before?" Wuhua was the one to answer "This is the Ice Plaza, is considered the center of the outer court. From here, you can access every important facility. It was built in honor of Huo Yuhao and Wu Jian for protecting the continentinent 10.000 years ago from the spirit beasts attack. Each one driving away one spirit beast god."

The two statues were effectively Huo Yuhao and Wu Jian. They had their backs facing each other and looked very valiant and strong.

Wuhua pointed towards a white building "There's the administration building where you can take task and redim them for contributions points. Here at Shrek, all cost contributions point so it's a very important place."

As they continued walking, she pointed all the directions indicating the buildings, the dining hall where they had eaten before, the Mecha Assossation, the Shrek House. Finally, they left the plaza and stopped over a tall and imponent red building. The air twisted around it, seemingly to exuded a great temperature over it.

"We finally arrived at the Blacksmith Assossiation" Weilan stated.

As they entered the building they were recieved by a big and wide hall, however, it was so full of people that it seemed smaller than what it was. People were crowding the desk, madly shouting asking for something.

"Why is so crowdy?" Xueqin asked, "I thought that Blacksmith was one of the rarest professions."

"This is exactly reason" Weilan said "The people here aren't blacksmith. They are people searching to buy refined metals. There are so few blacksmiths that metals are always in demand, people fighting to take them."

"Even us are unable to take some of them" Wuhua said with a somewhat sad face "We would like to actually try our design."

"That why we are all so excited" Lizhi punched at Xueqin's shoulder "If you are also a competent blacksmith, we will finally have all the components necessary to creates mechas and even combat armors!"

"Where will I need to go to be able to have a test?" Xueqin asked.

"To actually do a rank test, you will need to go to the Blacksmith Association outside Shrek Academy." Weilan informed "But I suppose that if we ask here, they won't directly refuse us."

"Let's ask at the blacksmith's desk. Unlike the others is quite empty" Xinglan said.

Just as they were about to step forward, all the noises around them disappeared, the people shutting down as all of them looked towards the same man.

It was a middle-aged man with disheveled hair as red as flame and a scorching hot aura. He wasn't particularly tall, only about 170 centimeters, but his shoulders were broad with arms thick with muscle, making him look like a human fortress. With his thick beard blaze red, plus the his hair, he resembled a lion.

The man walked towards the middle class, everyone opening space for him. He reached them and looked directly at Xueqin "You are Ning Xueqin?" He asked with a powerful voice, frowning a little as he evaluated at Xueqin.

"Yes" Xueqin quickly nodded. It was clear that he was a powerful figure, very respected by everyone.

The man thrust his arm, gripping Xueqin's shirt "W-wait!" Xueqin shouted nervously as he was effortesly lifted, unable to react before the man in front of him. Then, bringing Xueqin with him, quickly disappeared from the hall towards the inner parts of the association.

The other of the class had surprised faces "That was...?" Xinglan asked, receiving a nod from the others.

"Rest in peace, brother" Weilan said.

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Xueqin was brought somewhere by the red-haired man who released him, throwing him to the ground. Xueqin had been at his complete mercy, a scorching aura suppressing him all the time.

Xueqin stood up and looked at his surroundings. It was a big round room. In the middle of it stood a desk and furnace that Xueqin quickly recognized as forging table. Surrounding him, there were tall shelves full of differents metals.

"Refine it" The man said pointing at a metal over the forging table. Xueqin didn't really have much knowledge of metals and blacksmithing as Mucheng always had refused to teach him, but he recognized the metal over the table. How could he not recognize the metal that he had hit during 3 years? It was exactly the same given by Mucheng and the one from his hammers.

"Who are you? Why bring me here?" Xueqin asked confused by such.

"Didn't you come here for a test? Refine the metal that's your test" He said overbearingly.

Xueqin turned between the man and the metal, thinking about what to do. (Whatever) At the end, he shrugged his shoulders, deciding to refine the metal. He had come to teh association to grade his skills and this was an opportunity for it, never having been seen forging before by anyone other than Mucheng.

Xueqin approached the table and took out his hammers. The man's eyes shined with curiosity seeing the hammers.

Xueqin started hammering and slicing the metal like he had done countless times before. Like always the metal changed its properties after every hit, however, Xueqin was already used, being able to more or less control the margin of change, controlling his strength, speed and point of contact.

(It seems easier) The truth was that Xueqin found it even easier than usual, this metal seemingly more stable than his usual one, increasing his speed.

"Clank!" Shing!" He immersed himself in his forging, ignoring completely his surroundings.

The man looked attentively at him with a thoughtful look "Swordsmithing. Good momements, but a somewhat lacking technique."

"Clank!" After 30 minutes, Xueqin finished. On the table, a perfect black refined ignot of the metal stood.

Xueqin was all sweaty, needing to spend a great deal of mental energy and concentration. He cleaned his sweat and turned towards the man "Happy? I finished the refinament. What's my rank."

The man didn't even need to take the metal to know that it had been perfectly refined "Thousand refine this metal for me" He said taking out another metal, this one was blue and amber.

"What?" Xueqin was shocked "I won't refine anything else. If you aren't going to tell my rank, release me now" Xueqin glanced at the man. Xueqin knew that the man was far stronger, but what? He was part of the Ning family and they were at Shrek Academy with full of witnesses of the man kidnapping him.

Xueqin was sure that the man was part of Shrek and he would be unable to truly hurt him, unable to bear the consequences.

"This will be the last metal and if you do, I will let even take the metals" The man offered.

Xueqin continued glancing at him "Okay, I will do it, but it would be the last." He lifted his hammer towards the metal as he heated it controlling the pedals.

"Tuck!" Xueqin touched the metal with his hammer, learning the state of it to start refining.

"Bang!" "Shing!" Xueqin hammered and sliced over the metal on time. However, when he hit it a second time, he frowned. With every hit, his frown became more provident. He started slowing the speed and be more careful of it. In the end, it took him over an hour to refine it.

The man took the metal and started analyzing "A thousand refining. A little crude, low grade"

"What's this metal?!" He shouted shocked as he looked at the metal.

"How could you not know? That's Blue Cooperite. A material very used" The man answered, "What happens with it?"

"There's almost no change of properties!" Shouted Xueqin "It's always the same. It should always change with each hit or reveal against me. It was too easy." Xueqin seemed to realize something "Did you do something to it, to make it easier?"

"What are you talking about? That was a normal ore" The man's eyes went wide, now he was the one that seemed to realize something. He turned to the first metal "You know what metal is this?"

"I don't know the name if you ask for it, but I know its properties." Xueqin answered.

"That is Twilight Metal" The man answered his own question "Light and Darkness twisting each other, changing with every hit making it seem like completely new metal. It's a rare metal, but what characterizes it is his difficulty to refine, being considered one of the most difficult metals to refine."

"That's true?" Xueqin asked with doubt "Dammit Mucheng!" He spatted "He said that it was the first step, that if I wasn't even able to do it, I would be worthless."

"In a sense is true" The man said "Some people think that only Master Craftsmen are to be considered true blacksmiths. To be able to thousand refine the Twilight Metal, one usually is able to spirit refine other metals."

"Master Craftsmen? Thousand refine? Spirit refine? What's all that?" Xueqin asked confused, not really understanding all the technics.

(He doesn't know anything about blacksmithing!) The man finally realized. (But to be able to refine an unknown metal. Having an incredible grasp over metal properties and absolute control over himself.) He chuckled (He must be a madman to teach him like this) A smile appeared over the man's face (But, I like it. If I teach him about the metals and actual blacksmithing, what would be his level? It's decided!).

"Kid. I am Feng Wuyu, the president of Shrek Blacksmith Association" Wuyu presented himself "From today..."

(Oh no!) Xueqin's face showed terror as a sense of dejavu invaded him.

"I will be your master" He grinned, not leaving a no for an answer.

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In the middle of the night, a figure could be seen swagging his way towards a dormitory. His steps were weak and he seemed to fall with everyone.

The figure entered a building and walked inside, reaching a big room with two beds. Over one of the beds, a boy woke up from sleeping, having listened the door open.

"Brother qin, congratulations!" The figure dragging himself was Xueqin who seemed half-dead. Incredible tired and most of his clothes burned "You survived the Mad Elder. It is said that he had a very low temper and usually attack students."

"L!" Xueqin spatted seriously pissed towards the boy, Lizhi stopping still "Not today" He said seriously. He was forced to spend all the day refining with Wuyu. Wuyu had been teaching him everything about blacksmithing, unlike Mucheng, but he was too intense, his methods being too barbaric, forcing him to continue hammering different metals as he was teaching him, never letting him rest.

Xueqin was barely to even move his body, completely exhausted. It was close to a miracle that he was able to return to his dorm.

Xueqin collapse over his bed. He clenched his teeth "Why I only attract madmen as masters?" He cursed the heavens as he instantly fell asleep.