Chapter 0453: The Dwarven Home

However, within Xuanhuang City, there was an unspoken understanding—no one approached Yi Tianxing during his outings or strolls. This behavior had become an unwritten rule, a silent consensus passed down over time.

Yi Tianxing had never acted arrogantly. He had shared meals and homes with the common folk, bled with them in battle, and endured hardship together. Now that everyone had embarked on the path of cultivation and could be considered cultivators, they naturally possessed a cultivator's broad-mindedness and composure. They wouldn't interfere with the daily lives or movements of high-level figures like Yi Tianxing. Unless there was a true emergency, no one would gather around just to gawk.

This kind of atmosphere brought a great sense of ease and comfort, especially for the strong. It removed the feeling of being treated like a spectacle—something unique to Xuanhuang City.

The surrounding citizens, upon seeing Yi Tianxing, all showed respectful expressions but did not interrupt him. They continued doing what they had been doing without any deliberate change in behavior.

"In just three months, the changes in the city are incredible. It's expanded again. All kinds of buildings have sprung up like a forest. With no city walls to restrict it, expansion can occur whenever desired. Compared to before, the scale has at least doubled," Yi Tianxing mused internally as he scanned the surroundings.

The city had changed greatly. Buildings shot up like bamboo shoots after a rain.

The streets and alleys teemed with people.

"Look, that's a Scorpion-Tailed Azure Lion, a formidable Tier 1 vicious beast! Someone actually hunted it and brought it back."

"That's the bounty hunters from the Hunter Hall. I saw that there was a bounty mission for a Scorpion-Tailed Azure Lion there. The one who issued it was Ouyang Qing, the famous artifact forger. He apparently needs its materials to forge some kind of magical artifact."

"Speaking of Ouyang Qing, I saw one of his magical tools once—absolutely amazing. They say he used the skin of a Red-Chain Snake and some rare materials to make a Red Chain Rope. Once activated, it binds like the snake itself. Even vicious beasts can't escape it."

"Absolutely. Master Ouyang is one of the top artifact craftsmen in Xuanhuang City. Though a bit eccentric—asking him to forge something isn't easy. You have to provide your own materials, he takes no responsibility if it fails, and you still owe him a hefty fee. Total money-grubber."

"But the bounty for this hunt wasn't bad—besides a large sum of Eternal Coins, there was also a Blazing Sun Banner. They say that once infused with true energy, it can unleash blazing flames. A powerful artifact for both offense and defense."

Amid the excited chatter, a group of hunters—still carrying the battle aura and blood from their recent fight—marched toward the Hunter Hall carrying the massive body of the Scorpion-Tailed Azure Lion.

"Speaking of forging, the Dwarven Home's smithy is also incredible. They forge by hand, hammering out the impurities from materials and perfectly fusing them together. The weapons they make are exquisitely crafted—some even inscribed with runes, qualifying them as graded divine weapons. Their forging method is unique, and their skill is undoubtedly superb."

"I know the shop. They're not human, though—they're of the Dwarven race, who look almost like humans except they're much shorter. Considered a branch of the human race. Their arrival in Xuanhuang City caused quite a stir. It was only after the city lord's wife and Elder Huang discussed it that they were allowed to open a store. And what a store—it turns out the dwarves are master craftsmen, far superior to even the best blacksmiths."

"They say the Dwarves are innately gifted in forging, with every one of them a smith by nature. All the dwarves here are master smiths, and their weapons are exceptionally well made. It's even said their kind has forged divine artifacts in the past."

The arrival of this Dwarven-run smithy had generated a huge buzz in the city. Normally, a new store wouldn't attract such attention, but this one was different. The Dwarves specialized in weapon forging, though not in crafting strange magical artifacts. They focused on perfecting a single skill to an extraordinary level—a talent embedded deep in their bloodline.

They were also known for their forthright nature, love of alcohol, and fiery tempers. But after some interaction, the city's residents found them generally easy to get along with—as long as one didn't provoke them.

"Dwarves in Xuanhuang City? Could they be from Bronzehammer's tribe? According to him, there aren't many dwarves in the region. It's likely these are from his tribe," Yi Tianxing thought to himself, noting the information in the surrounding conversations.

Dwarves looked nearly identical to humans, aside from their shorter stature. In appearance, they resembled what would once have been called "dwarfs" or "little people." Their appearance wasn't something the people of Xuanhuang City rejected. On the contrary, the physical similarity made it easy for people to accept them—external similarity often fosters a sense of kinship.

"If the Dwarves have indeed settled in Xuanhuang City, that suggests they're inclined toward an alliance with humanity. After all, the Dwarves are relatively few in number. Joining with the human race might be their best option for survival and reproduction. A classic case of 'borrowing the chicken to lay eggs.'"

Yi Tianxing's mind rapidly turned over this possibility.

Though just speculation for now, the fact that these Dwarves had opened a store without officially registering their residency hinted at deeper complexities yet to be addressed.

"Interesting. It seems the last three months really have brought tremendous changes to Xuanhuang City. Still, the human path lies in inclusivity, in accepting all and becoming a melting pot. The Dwarves, in both blood and appearance, are close to humanity—effectively a humanoid race. If managed well, they might fully integrate and become part of us."

Just as ancient Huaxia once had 56 ethnic groups forming one nation, the greatest strength of humanity is assimilation—quietly absorbing and integrating different peoples into a cohesive whole.

A race like the Dwarves, with their exceptional forging talents, would be welcomed with open arms by Yi Tianxing.

"But I should go see for myself."

With that decision made, Yi Tianxing headed straight to the Dwarven Home, following the directions he had heard.

Ding! Ding!

Clang! Clang!

As he approached, rhythmic hammering echoed in his ears—the sound of iron being struck. Yet it wasn't grating. Instead, it carried a strange musical rhythm, like a forging symphony that drew the listener in, soothing the mind.

Outside the store, a small crowd had gathered to watch.

Inside, Yi Tianxing's eyes were immediately drawn to the weapons on display.

"What exquisite weaponry. These could be considered divine weapons capable of cutting through metal and jade. Some even contain natural rune formations—that elevates them to the level of magical weapons."

There were all kinds: hammers, broad swords, war blades, spears, shields—each one shimmering with a lustrous sheen. Clearly, they were freshly forged, brand-new.

Most remarkable of all, natural-looking engraved patterns adorned their surfaces, smooth and flowing lines that made them almost beautiful.

Further inside, he saw Dwarves at work—one stoking a blazing forge, another pulling red-hot material from the flames, and yet another raining powerful blows down on it with a hammer.

The hammer strokes weren't random. They followed some mysterious trajectory, each strike differing in placement and force. From each blow, impurities were forced out, reduced to dust, and vanished beneath the hammer's relentless rhythm.

"This is indeed amazing. That's not just forging—it's a forging hammer art, a combat technique. The Dwarven Forging Secret! They channel their strength through specific hammering techniques, penetrating the material to expel impurities and refine the essence."

Yi Tianxing's eyes narrowed slightly as he observed a shirtless Dwarf, sweat pouring from him, working with focused intensity. There was a trace of gravity in his heart.

Where others saw an enchanting hammer rhythm, Yi Tianxing recognized it for what it was: a high-grade battle technique disguised as a forging method. The hammer strikes weren't just physical—they carried different combat properties: vibration, twisting, spiraling, piercing.

Each strike was carefully calibrated to force out impurities from the material, leaving only the purest essence behind.

Without understanding the true secrets, even copying the motions wouldn't recreate the effect. It would just be an empty form.

This was the Dwarves' inherited legacy.