Chapter 152: The Disciple Outshines the Master
Damian finally stopped laughing and waved his hand toward Vulkara. "Alright, enough playing around. Follow me."
Vulkara hugged the [Spiritual Beast Cage] close to her side and raised an eyebrow. "Follow you where?"
Damian placed both hands behind his back and smiled like a wise master. "Naturally, it is time for me to teach you some blacksmithing skills."
Vulkara stared at him.
For several breaths, she said nothing.
Soon, her eyebrow rose even higher. "You? Teach me?"
Damian’s smile froze slightly.
A few nearby blacksmith disciples immediately lowered their heads, trying very hard not to laugh.
Damian coughed and lifted his chin. "Of course. Don’t look down on your master."
Vulkara looked him up and down with obvious suspicion. "Master, I respect that you somehow get ridiculous treasures, but blacksmithing is different."
Damian’s grin returned. "Hehehe. That’s where you’re wrong."
He pointed at her proudly. "What I’m teaching you today is the same blacksmithing art I gave you before."
Vulkara’s eyes immediately lit up. "The [Heavenly Forge Tempering Art]?"
Damian nodded smugly. "Exactly."
Vulkara blinked, then slowly said, "Ooooo..."
Damian’s mouth twitched. "Don’t ’oooo’ me like I’m some suspicious street performer. Come on, let’s go to your private forge."
He paused and looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Don’t tell me you don’t have one."
Vulkara’s face darkened. "Of course I have one!"
Damian smiled. "Good. Lead the way, my obedient disciple."
Vulkara gritted her teeth. "I’m only obedient because you gave me the drake."
Damian nodded seriously. "A wise disciple knows when to respect treasure."
Vulkara glared at him but still turned around. "Fine. Follow me."
She walked deeper into the Blacksmith Hall with Damian following behind her.
A moment later, Elder Garron also began walking after them.
Damian glanced back. "Elder Garron, why are you following us?"
Garron rested his hammer on his shoulder and snorted. "Of course I’m curious."
Damian blinked. "Curious?"
Garron looked at him with a grin. "I admit your disciple is a genius. That little brat really does have talent for blacksmithing."
Vulkara immediately looked proud.
Garron continued, "But you? Heh. I know you’re shameless, lucky, and full of strange treasures, but blacksmithing is not something you can fake."
Damian’s grin slowly widened. "Hehehe... is that so?"
Garron raised an eyebrow. "What? You want to prove me wrong?"
Damian turned around and continued walking with his hands behind his back. "Just watch carefully, Elder Garron."
His laughter echoed through the hall. "Hahaha! Today, I’ll show you what kind of terrifying blacksmithing talent I have."
---
Not long after, the three arrived inside Vulkara’s private forge.
It was not large, but it had everything a proper beginner blacksmith needed: a furnace, an anvil, forging tools, material shelves, and enough space to swing a hammer without smashing someone’s head by accident.
Damian looked around and nodded. "Not bad."
Vulkara placed the [Spiritual Beast Cage] safely in the corner before grabbing her hammer. "Alright, Master. Teach me."
Damian smiled and walked toward the anvil. "Good. First, the [Heavenly Forge Tempering Art] is not just about hitting metal harder."
He picked up a piece of heated iron and placed it on the anvil. "It has rhythm."
Damian raised the hammer. "Your flame, your Qi, your breathing, and your hammer strikes need to move together."
His Qi slowly flowed through his arm and into the hammer. "Watch carefully. Qi enters the hammer before the strike lands. Not after. Before."
The hammer fell.
CLANG!
A dull sound rang through the forge.
Damian continued, "If your Qi enters too early, the metal resists. If it enters too late, the strike becomes ordinary. The timing has to match the exact moment the hammer connects."
He struck again.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Each strike carried a steady rhythm. It was not perfect, but the flow was clear enough for Vulkara to understand.
Garron stood to the side with his arms crossed, his expression slowly becoming more serious.
Damian stepped back and handed the hammer to Vulkara. "Your turn."
Vulkara took a deep breath and stepped forward.
At first, her rhythm was rough.
Her Qi moved too quickly, and the hammer strike landed a fraction too late.
CLANG!
Damian nodded. "Too early. Slow your Qi. Match it with your breathing."
Vulkara frowned but listened.
She adjusted her stance, controlled her breathing, and struck again.
CLANG!
This time, the sound was cleaner, and Damian’s eyebrow rose slightly.
Vulkara struck again.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Her rhythm quickly became smoother, and her Flame Qi began flowing with the hammer instead of fighting against it.
Damian stared at her.
"Wait... she’s actually learning this really fast."
Garron suddenly laughed. "Damian, I’ll admit it. You really are quite good at blacksmithing."
Damian grinned. "Naturally."
Garron continued, "You already understand the early stage of the [Heavenly Forge Tempering Art]."
Damian’s grin widened.
Garron glanced at Vulkara, then added, "But judging from her movement and hammer rhythm... sorry, your disciple is way better than you."
Damian froze. "What the..."
Vulkara’s eyes lit up.
A second later, she burst out laughing. "Hahaha! Master, I beat you!"
Damian’s face darkened. "You little brat, don’t get too proud."
Vulkara laughed even harder. "Hahaha! Great Master lost to his disciple!"
Damian sighed and rubbed his forehead. "What can I say? I only have talent. My comprehension is still the lowest kind of ordinary."
He looked at Vulkara’s smug face and clicked his tongue. "Damn. Having a genius disciple is painful."
Vulkara grinned proudly.
Damian narrowed his eyes at her. "If you weren’t a treasure chest, I would have kicked you out already."
Vulkara immediately glared at him. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Damian smiled shamelessly. "It means your master values you very much."
Vulkara’s expression became even more suspicious. "That sounded wrong."
Garron laughed loudly from the side, clearly enjoying the rare sight of Damian getting bullied by his own disciple.
Damian’s face darkened. "Alright, I’m leaving."
He turned around and walked out of the forge without another word.
Vulkara stared at his back for a moment before bursting into laughter again.
For once, she had actually won against her shameless master.
Her grin widened. "Damn... I need to tell Sister Violetta about this later."
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