26: Chapter 26 The Essence of Forging: Is This the Legendary Epiphany?

[Character]: Lin Ye

[Identity]: Villager

[Realm]: Unranked

[Essence]: 16

[Qi]: 7

[Spirit]: 5

[Cultivation Technique]: Hundred Refinements Method (Novice 50/200)

Basic Breathing Method (Flowing Water 31925/100000), Basic Staff Technique (Flowing Water 1180/100000), Basic Qinggong (proficient 3865/10000), Basic Body Tempering Method (proficient 2000/10000), Basic Forging Method (proficient 825/10000), Basic Archery (initial insight 680/1000), Basic Appraisal Technique (initial insight 225/1000), Basic Tracking Technique (initial insight 120/1000)

[Talent]: Heaven Rewards Diligence (Red)

[Life-Bound Weapon]: ruyi jingu bang

Looking at the incredibly luxurious Cultivation Technique interface, Lin Ye was filled with a sense of accomplishment.

To be frank, all these Cultivation Techniques were earned by him bit by bit through effort and sweat, without any exaggeration!

Now, his Essence attribute had reached 16 points, 6 of which came from the Basic Body Tempering Method.

It must be said, while this thing was painful, the key was that the improvement was significant.

Of the remaining points, 3 came from Basic Staff Technique, 2 from Basic Qinggong, and 2 from Basic Forging Method.

As for why the Hundred Refinements Method, despite its higher grade, didn't directly add attributes upon comprehension.

Lin Ye speculated that it might be related to its Cultivation Technique characteristics.

To put it simply, this thing was an improvement on forging techniques.

By increasing the speed and strength during tempering, it achieved the effect of improving equipment quality.

This was essentially a sublimation on the knowledge level, so it was reasonable that it wouldn't affect the physical body.

Just like when Lin Ye comprehended the Basic Breathing Method from the System, it didn't directly increase his Qi attribute; it only improved after a period of Cultivation.

In short, to improve attributes, one must put in the corresponding effort.

His talent meant that effort would yield rewards, but it didn't mean he could create something out of nothing!

...

The next day, before dawn, Lin Ye rushed to Second Uncle's house.

Having just comprehended the Hundred Refinements Method, he had to try it out himself. And with Second Uncle correcting him on the side, it would also speed up his proficiency.

When Second Uncle pushed open the door, he saw Lin Ye starting a fire in the furnace.

"You're here so early?" Second Uncle was quite surprised.

"I just learned the Hundred Refinements Method, so I'm itching to try it out." Lin Ye rubbed his hands like a fly.

"You learned it?" Second Uncle's eyes widened, and he asked again in disbelief.

"Are you sure you learned it?"

"Uh, I think so. Should I try?"

Lin Ye was questioned so much by Second Uncle that he lost his confidence.

If it weren't for the three words 'Hundred Refinements Method' clearly displayed in the Cultivation Technique column, he would have doubted it himself.

Hearing Lin Ye's words, Second Uncle pulled out a piece of pig iron from the shelf and threw it directly onto the anvil.

"Come, hammer it with the Hundred Refinements Method. I want to see if you're just boasting, kid."

"Okay."

Lin Ye nodded, walked over, and threw the pig iron into the furnace fire. He pulled the bellows a few times, and the flames shot up with a whoosh.

Carefully observing the color of the iron ingot, he waited until it burned to an orange-red, then Lin Ye immediately clamped it out with tongs and placed it on the anvil.

Clang!

Using the techniques recorded in the Hundred Refinements Method, Lin Ye brought a hammer down.

With the Basic Forging Method at the proficient Realm as his foundation, his hammer strike was very steady, and the force was just right.

The iron blank was instantly flattened without cracking.

Soon, the second and third hammers fell consecutively, nearly twice as fast as when using the Basic Forging Method.

At this moment, Lin Ye made another unexpected discovery.

That was, the effect of the Basic Forging Method could, to a certain extent, enhance the effect of the Hundred Refinements Method.

After all, the Hundred Refinements Method at the Novice Realm only increased forging speed by 10%.

Logically, the forging speed should be much slower than the Basic Forging Method, which had reached the proficient Realm.

But the facts were just the opposite.

However, Lin Ye was busy hammering now and didn't have time to ponder the reasons. He could only collect his thoughts and concentrate on forging the iron ingot in front of him.

He strictly followed the steps written in the manual: fold, forge, fold again, forge again.

Although his movements weren't fast, each hammer strike completed one refinement on the iron ingot.

At the same time, the proficiency of both the Hundred Refinements Method and the Basic Forging Method began to increase.

The Hundred Refinements Method increased a bit slower, basically improving proficiency once every five hammer strikes.

Second Uncle stood by, watching without a word.

However, despite Lin Ye being cautious, the iron blank still cracked on the twentieth hammer.

Continuing to hammer at this point was meaningless.

If it were put back into the furnace for re-smelting, everything would have to start over.

Second Uncle finally spoke: "Alright, stop."

In fact, when Lin Ye struck the first hammer, he had already confirmed that Lin Ye wasn't lying.

This kid really mastered the Hundred Refinements Method in just one night.

How long did it take him back then?

Too much time had passed, and he couldn't quite remember, but it was definitely more than one day.

"You have indeed comprehended the Hundred Refinements Method, but you overlooked an important step!"

"Ah?" Lin Ye was stunned by the words.

He had already memorized the Hundred Refinements Method inside out, how could he have forgotten a step?

Could it be that you, old man, forgot to write it down?

Seeing Lin Ye's suspicious gaze, Second Uncle's old face actually blushed for once.

He really did forget to write it down.

But he couldn't be blamed for it.

After all, that step, strictly speaking, wasn't a technique within the Hundred Refinements Method, so how could he have specifically marked it?

"Do you remember why I asked you to choose the Ore yourself back then?"

Second Uncle picked up the now cooled iron ingot and asked casually.

"It was to train my eyesight, so I could select quality Ore from among many." Lin Ye answered decisively.

"Yes, and no." Second Uncle shook his head, looking profound.

"Quality Ore has its own tempering method, and inferior Ore has its own tempering method.

As a qualified blacksmith, the first thing is to know the raw Materials in your hand like the back of your hand."

"So, do you know what step was missing now?"

At this point, Second Uncle suddenly turned to Lin Ye, his eyes carrying a clear hint of examination.

"I know."

Meeting Second Uncle's somewhat sharp gaze, Lin Ye nodded seriously.

His Comprehension Ability was not bad to begin with, and Second Uncle had given such obvious hints.

If he still couldn't figure it out, he might as well just bash his head in and die.

"Oh? Tell me?" Second Uncle's eyes lit up.

"Second Uncle means that although I have comprehended all the techniques of the Hundred Refinements Method, I rashly started without carefully observing that iron ingot."

"This is precisely the step I was missing."

Hearing Lin Ye's words, Second Uncle smiled with satisfaction: "Not bad, you're teachable."

"The so-called Hundred Refinements Method is essentially a re-purification of pig iron.

If you don't even understand the iron ingot itself, how can you talk about purifying it?

This is the same principle as when I asked you to select Ore for tempering iron blocks."

"Come, try again." Second Uncle said, then threw another piece of pig iron over.

Lin Ye reached out and caught it. This time, he didn't throw it directly into the furnace to burn, but carefully observed its thickness, texture, weight, and other data.

Only after memorizing all the data in his mind did he throw it into the furnace.

Clang, clang, clang... Crack!

This time, Lin Ye had clearly improved a lot, only cracking on the thirtieth hammer.

"Continue!"

Second Uncle timely threw over a third piece.

On this piece, Lin Ye hammered to the fortieth strike.

Next was the fourth piece, hammered fifty times.

"Again!"

This time, Lin Ye didn't even need Second Uncle's reminder and proactively picked up an iron ingot to hammer.

Clang, clang, clang!

The rapid impact sounds echoed under the iron shed.

One hammer, two hammers, three hammers...

When Lin Ye hammered for the tenth time, a System prompt sounded in his ear:

"Ding! Hundred Refinements Method Realm has improved. Current Realm: initial insight 0/2000"

Boom!

Accompanied by a massive torrent of information rushing into his Sea of Consciousness, Lin Ye instantly paused.

Seeing this, Second Uncle was first puzzled, then as if he saw something extraordinary, a look of shock appeared on his face for the first time.

"Could this be... the legendary Epiphany?!"