Mu Xi's Determination

Thirty minutes had passed since the start of the challenge Mu Chen issued. A daunting task of striking the metal plate 1000 times for two children. Both of them were slowly reaching their limits as each strike continued to suck out the stamina from them.

Mu Xi, her breathing starting to become unstable as sweat poured down her face. Strike after strike she willed her body on. What made her so stubborn? What made her go against her father? She didn't know herself other than blacksmithing was something that she loved, it called for her. It was her passion, everyday after she had first learned to talk properly she had come watch her father work. She saw his dedication and love for the craft, she saw how an ugly piece of metal could be transformed into something truly beautiful.

Maybe it was in her blood, but the moment she heard the strike of a hammer as a child wasn't fear or nervousness, no she felt her blood boil in excitement. She wanted to wield that hammer, she wanted to be the one to strike the hammer and now she finally had the chance to prove herself. Prove that even a girl can wield a hammer, even a girl can become a blacksmith.

*Ding* *Ding* *Ding*

Looking up towards her machine the number was currently at 995, close she was so close. Her body was screaming in pain, telling her to stop but she willed her body to continue moving. Lifting up the hammer was always an enjoyable thing to her, and she had practiced it numerous times to be proficient in it. Yet, she never pushed herself to this limit, each swing felt like her last.

*Ding* 998

Once more, she raised her arm in the sky to only barely be able to lift it up, but with the last bit of her strength she slammed the hammer down.

*Ding* 999

Finally, the goal was near. She only had to do it one more time. Mu Xi tried to raise her hammer up for the last time but it was stopped midway as an intense pain hit her.

*Clang*

She had dropped the hammer. Looking at her arm, it was shaking uncontrollably and she knew that pushing her body further would be hard. Mu Xi looked down at the hammer on the ground as dark thoughts filled her mind.

Was this it? Was this her limit? Being so close but unable to complete it? Was her father right that women aren't suited for blacksmithing?

No, it can't be. She still had something to prove, she still had strength in her.

Ignoring the pain she felt, she picked up the hammer from the ground and screamed urging her body to lift it up.

"GO UP" ""GO UP" "GOO UPPPP!!"

Mu Xi screamed at the top of her lungs, raising the hammer with shaky hands she arc'd her body using everything she could with the last strike.

*Ding* 1000

"Hah.. Hah..Hah.. I..I did it!" wailed Mu Xi as she dropped on the ground. Her arms burned with intense pain, every movement she made felt like needles pricking her. She just laid down staring at the machine that read "1000" on it.

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"GO UP" ""GO UP" "GOO UPPPP!!"

Turning his head over towards the sound of the voice Mu Chen was shocked to see his daughter laying on the ground drenched in sweat and her arms looked incredibly frail as they twitched from time to time.

He quickly ran over towards her

"Mu Xi are you okay?!"

"Hehe, I've never been better Dad. Look at the machine!"

Turning over what he saw shocked him.

"1000...but how?"

He had given a task that even grown men would struggle to accomplish yet his daughter had done it? Looking at her hammer he was even more shocked, lifting it up this wasn't the normal 5kg hammer but actually a 10kg hammer! It was twice as heavy and even most grown men would give up before reaching 1000.

"Hahahaha! So my daughter is this talented"

He was proud of her, but looking at her body he felt saddened as she must be in pain and extremely tired. Picking her up he was going to send her home.

"Wait Dad, Xie Xie isn't done yet"

"Xie Xie? He is also doing it?"