Blacksmith

The next morning Ezio was in a good mood. He was rewarded with two precious things by the Mysterious Room. It surprised him, of course, he had no idea where these gifts came from, but he didn't mind.

He sat on his mattress in the lotus position and appeared in the Mysterious Room. At his will, a manual flew over and landed on his open hand. The book was black in color. Golden engravings on its covers were majestic, but the feeling the title was giving him was making it hard to focus on those engravings.

"The Azure Wolf King's Eternal Fang!"

It was as if there was a dagger about to lance his heart, throat, eyes, and brain just by looking at the title. Ezio's hand holding the book started to shake, he was sweating profusely. When he came back to himself, his clothes were sticking all over him with sweat.

"What a mysterious feeling. It must be a rather strong technique. I bet it is Heaven Grade Technique. Not a low one either. Must be the Pinnacle." Ezio was on cloud nine. Having such a great technique would help him to conquer all the women in the world.

"There are 3 ranks of techniques. Mortal, Earth, and Heaven. And they are separated into Low, Intermediate, High, and Pinnacle Grade." Ezio mused silently as he was ready to open the manual in his hand.

"Speed is the strongest Dao. Doesn't matter how many attacks, how strong attacks, and how quick the attacks are, as long as I am the fastest, I can evade everything.

Doesn't matter how sturdy my opponent is, I can cover him from all angles, and attack continuously. In the end, the faster I, will win."

Ezio started to read and couldn't help but be astonished. Speed was one of the strongest Daos, but Ezio never looked at it like this.

Wanting to learn more, Ezio started to read agitatedly. There were Seven Stages of the technique, and all of them were difficult to comprehend. Ezio studied the first stage all day and night, but still couldn't even make a little progress.

"I guess, I am too weak at the moment." Ezio, with no other choice, left the Mysterious Room.

Leaving the hut, he started to climb the mountain. He had something in his mind and wanted to speak with Abbot two days ago. But when he was lost in the manual, he forgot about it. Since he was free today, he started to climb the mountain to reach Abbot's Hut.

Not anyone could climb the mountain and visit Abbot freely. There were 5 floors on the mountain. The first floor was for the Miscellaneous Disciples and nurses. The second floor was for Outer Sect Disciples and Miscellaneous Elders. The Third Floor was for Inner Sect Disciples and Outer Sect Elders. The Fourth Floor was for Core Disciples and Inner Sect Elders. And finally, The fifth floor was for Supreme Elders and Abbot. As a star disciple, Ezio was staying on the fourth floor.

While he was climbing, he saw the forge at the corner. Core Disciples could acquire weapons of their choice from the forge. Since he just learned a new technique, he would also need a weapon to go along with it.

"Greetings Elder Solon." Ezio decided to visit the Blacksmith. He always loved the art of blacksmithing and was frequent in the forge; when he wanted to watch, Elder Solon would let him. "How are you doing today?"

"Oh, Ezio. Hello." The man with a thick beard stopped his hammering and greeted Ezio back. Solon wasn't local, like Ezio. 20 years ago, when he was heavily injured, he was healed by Abbot. Ever since he stayed in the sect and forged weapons for the sect. "Congrats on breaking through.

I heard you made a clown out of Elder Tian!" Elder Solon said with a whisper while smiling.

"Eheh. They were asking for it." Ezio admitted openly. He was close to Elder Solon.

"Since you acquired Seamless Body, how about I gift you a Baron Grade Weapon." Elder Solon said.

"Seriously?" Ezio was dumbfounded. Even though Elder Solon was Rank II Blacksmith, it didn't mean he could forge Baron Tier Weapons trivially. There were too many factors that defined the tier of a weapon.

When forging a weapon the most important thing was the material. Then, the forging techniques are used during forging. Lastly, the Qi or Mana infused into the weapon when it was forged.

Blacksmithing was one of the most cultivation-based occupations. Without cultivating to a certain level, one couldn't rank up in the occupation. But it also didn't mean everyone in the required rank could be a Master Blacksmith.

Elder Solon was a Qi Crystalizing Realm First Layer cultivator. With his cultivation, he could be Third Rank Blacksmith, but because he wasn't adequate enough, he was still Second Rank.

There were 10 Ranks in all occupations. Starting with Apprentice, to the ninth rank. Most of the occupations required cultivation level before ranking up. Even though a low-level blacksmith could forge a higher-level weapon, it was easier said than done.

The techniques required to forge were hand in hand with the cultivation level. Meaning, to forge a higher-level weapon, the higher-level techniques were required to use. To use those techniques one needed high-level cultivation. In the end, it all boiled down to the cultivation level.

Techniques weren't a cabbage in the market either. There were only two forging techniques in the Cleansing Buddhist Sect, and both of them were barely enough to forge Baron Tier Weapons.

He also heard that there were ten corresponding weapon ranks, but he didn't know them all. Starting with Farmer Weapon. They were so bad quality, only the farmers would use them. Following with, Baron Grade, Viscount Grade, Earl Grade, Marquis Grade, Duke Grade, King Grade. Beyond that, he wasn't sure.

"Yes, why not." Elder Solon laughed loudly. "So, what weapon do you use?"

"Dagger, I want a dagger!" Ezio was over the moon. He just wanted to get a Farmer Weapon, and now he was offered a Baron Tier weapon. Baron Tier weapons were rare in the sect. Even the Elders were jealous when Tian Huang took out his Baron Tier spear.

"Oh, anything but a dagger." Elder Solon was surprised by the weapon Ezio had chosen. "Why not a spear, or a sword? As far as I know, there isn't any martial art in the sect that focuses on the dagger."

"Unfortunately, I need the dagger for the technique I am cultivating at the moment. But I can't go into the details." Ezio said his heart sank.

"How about this? You get me the materials and I will forge you a dagger." Solon said after pondering for a moment. Because he was an outsider like Ezio, he was fond of the kid.

"I knew Uncle Solon is the best," Ezio said with a smirk.

"Yea, yea. Enough of the flattery. I have most of the materials except a good quality metal. But I heard Elder Jie is in possession of a Pristine Iron ingot. If you get me the ingot, I can forge you a dagger." Elder Solon said.

"I will go to speak with Elder Jie right now," Ezio said happily as he was ready to run down the mountain, but he remembered he had to speak with Abbot first. "I have something to discuss with Abbot, I will find Elder Jie later."

***

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