Chapter 30: Reforging the Artifact

The Blacksmith Guild Hall was a towering structure of dark iron and stone, its immense doors etched with sigils of flame and steel, symbols of craftsmanship and mastery. Even from the entrance, the sound of hammers striking metal and furnaces roaring filled the air, accompanied by the distinct scent of molten steel, burnt coal, and sweat.

Jin Ye expected to be stopped at the door, forced to explain his presence like any other newcomer. Instead, the moment he stepped inside, a Silver Grade 7 blacksmith, a wiry old man with scarred hands and keen eyes, called out to him.

"Jin Ye?" The man's gaze swept over him, weighing him like an unfinished blade on a forge.

Jin Ye nodded. "That's me."

The old smith tapped a rolled parchment resting on the counter. "Master Yun's letter came in yesterday. Said you forged a sword under him and weren't just some arrogant brat trying to swing a hammer for the first time. That true?"

Jin Ye smirked. "You tell me."

The old smith let out a dry chuckle. "Master Yun's word carries weight, but the Guild doesn't hand out ranks for a signature." His sharp gaze narrowed. "No beginner's test for you. If you want to forge here, prove it. No simple blade, no practice piece. Make something real."

Jin Ye stepped forward. "I'll forge armor—but not from scratch."

The old smith raised a brow. "Oh? Then what?"

Jin Ye reached into his satchel and pulled out a battered old robe—worn, ragged, and stained with time.

It looked useless at first glance, but any blacksmith with a trained eye would recognize it for what it truly was.

The fabric was not ordinary. Despite its battered appearance, the robe's material was unnaturally sturdy, resistant to cuts, and carried a faint aura of resilience.

Elder Xu's eyes flickered with interest. "That's not common cloth. What is it?"

Jin Ye laid it across the forge table, running his hand over the ancient threads. "An artifact. It's taken countless years of wear, yet hasn't fallen apart. But it's incomplete."

Elder Xu folded his arms. "And you're saying you can reforge it?"

Jin Ye cracked his knuckles. "I'm saying I can turn it into something better."

Jin Ye stood before the roaring forge, carefully laying out the materials he needed. Refined spirit steel filings, powdered beast bone, and a Qi-reactive alloy.

The robe was sturdy, but it lacked flexibility and refinement. It had survived time, but it hadn't been improved. That's where he came in.

Elder Xu watched, arms crossed. "So, what's the plan, kid?"

Jin Ye lifted the robe, feeling the ancient energy pulsing faintly beneath his fingertips. "The robe is tough, but it's not complete. It absorbs energy, but it doesn't reinforce the user. I'm going to reshape it—infuse metal threads into the fabric, weave beast bone essence into its structure, and enhance its Qi conductivity."

Elder Xu scoffed, but there was an edge of curiosity in his voice. "That's a damn bold idea. Plenty of blacksmiths would just scrap an old artifact and start fresh."

Jin Ye smirked. "Then they lack vision."

He pulled out his hammer and ignited the forge. The battered robe would no longer be just a relic of the past.

By the time he was done, it would become a war robe.

The forge blazed hot, heat rolling off the coals in waves as Jin Ye worked, sweat beading on his skin. The old, battered robe lay stretched out in front of him, looking every bit like something that should've been tossed away long ago.

But he knew better.

This thing had survived years, maybe even centuries, without breaking down. There was something in its very fabric—something worth saving.

Jin Ye ran his fingers over the worn material, feeling its strange resilience. It wasn't just cloth. It had a toughness that metal couldn't match, but it lacked flexibility, lacked refinement. That's where he came in.

He grabbed his materials and got to work:

Spirit steel threads to reinforce the structure while keeping it light.

Powdered beast bone to enhance its ability to absorb Qi.

Qi-reactive alloy shavings to give it synergy with his own energy flow.

He could feel the eyes of the other blacksmiths on him. The muttering had started the second he laid out the robe instead of a slab of metal.

"What the hell is he doing?"

"That's not how you reforge an artifact..."

"You'd be better off melting it down."

Jin Ye ignored them.

They thought he was doing it wrong—but they didn't understand. You don't destroy a legend. You rebuild it.

The forge flared as he worked, weaving spirit steel threads into the fabric, letting them bind with the robe's essence. The beast bone powder settled into the fibers like it had always belonged there, reinforcing without stiffening. The Qi-reactive alloy spread through the material, creating a living conduit for energy.

With each hammer strike, the robe shifted, tightened, changed.

What had once been a relic of the past was now something else entirely.

Hours later, Jin Ye stepped back, rolling his shoulders as he let out a slow breath. The robe lay on the table before him, no longer just a piece of cloth but something far more.

It had been reforged.

He picked it up, feeling the weight in his hands—light, yet undeniably strong.

The fabric had taken on a subtle sheen, the spirit steel woven into it shimmering under the forge's glow. It still looked like a robe, but when he flicked it, the material resisted like reinforced leather.

More than that, he could feel it, the way it hummed faintly in tune with his Qi.

It wasn't just armor. It was an extension of himself.

The room was dead silent.

Even Elder Xu, the gruff Silver Grade 7 examiner, was giving it a long, thoughtful look. He finally exhaled through his nose.

"Hmph. Not bad."

Jin Ye smirked. "That the best you've got?"

Elder Xu tapped the guild ledger, then stamped Jin Ye's guild badge with the official seal.

"You're in. Grade 1 Blacksmith."

Before Jin Ye could slide the badge into his belt, a broad-shouldered man stepped forward from the crowd of watching smiths. His apron was marked with the insignia of Silver Grade 8.

Han Geng.

"I've seen a lot of newcomers who think they're special," Han Geng said, arms crossed as he eyed the robe. "Most fall apart the second they try forging something outside their level. But you?" He let out a low chuckle. "You're interesting."

Jin Ye raised an eyebrow. "That respect I hear? Or are you looking to test me?"

Han Geng smirked. "Bit of both. You made a war robe. Now let's see if you can forge a weapon to match it. When you're ready, come find me."

Elder Xu chuckled. "Looks like you've got work ahead of you, brat."

Jin Ye pulled on the robe, feeling its weight settle around his shoulders, like it had always belonged there.

This was only the beginning.

The Azure Sky Sect trials were next.

And he was more than ready.

Jin Ye adjusted the newly forged war robe as he stepped out of the Blacksmith Guild. The lingering heat of the forge clung to him, but his mind was already moving forward.

The Azure Sky Sect trials were next.

As he made his way through the bustling street, he barely had time to register the wave of energy that hit him before a familiar voice rang out.

"Well, well. Didn't expect to see you here."

Jin Ye turned his head, already smirking before his eyes landed on Shen Li standing a few steps away.

There was something different about him. His presence was heavier, more refined. A solid, unwavering aura surrounded him.

Foundation Establishment.

Jin Ye raised a brow. "You finally broke through."

Shen Li crossed his arms, a cocky grin on his face. "Took a little longer than I wanted, but yeah." His gaze flickered over Jin Ye. "And you… you feel different too. Stronger."

Jin Ye shrugged. "Indeed been busy preparing for the Azure Sky Sect trials."

Shen Li chuckled. "Then how about we make things interesting?" He rolled his shoulders, loosening his stance. "A little warm-up before we step into the real fight?"

Jin Ye tilted his head. "You asking for a spar?"

Shen Li smirked. "Just a friendly one. Unless you're afraid of losing."

Jin Ye laughed. "Afraid? No. Curious? Maybe." He took a step forward, rolling his wrist. "Alright, let's see how much stronger you've gotten."

Jin Ye followed Shen Li through the winding streets, past the merchant stalls and the ever-present scent of roasted skewers and spiced broth. They moved without speaking, both knowing that words wouldn't mean much until fists and blades spoke for them.

Eventually, they arrived at a secluded training ground behind a small martial hall—an open courtyard lined with worn-out stone tiles, faint cracks running through them from countless battles fought here. Wooden dummies stood at the edges, their surfaces scarred from repeated strikes.

Shen Li stepped onto the field first, rolling his shoulders. "No interruptions here. No distractions. Just you and me."

Jin Ye stepped forward, adjusting his robe. "Good. I'd hate to hold back because of some gawking audience."

Shen Li chuckled, then cracked his knuckles. "Rules?"

Jin Ye smirked. "Don't die."

Shen Li grinned. "Wouldn't dream of it."

The air between them shifted, tension coiling like a drawn bowstring.

One last fight before the trials. A test to see how far he had come.