151: Chapter 151 The Fifth Life, The Blazing Sun Illuminates the Martial Path (Ninety-Nine)

He had always been pursuing "One-Step Unification," attempting to make all twenty-seven runes collapse and fuse simultaneously.

However, the basic runes had different attributes and patterns, and inherently had distinctions of strength and sequence.

So-called unification was never about piling and fusing everything in one go, but rather a gradual, step-by-step collapse from few to many!

First, fuse two or three to gather minute spiritual energy; then, connect ten or more to form an overall network; finally, unify them all to condense an intermediate rune.

Aligning with the martial arts principles of refining skin and casting bone, and the laws of step-by-step transformation, this was the safest and most correct method!

Once he realized this, all the problems that had troubled him for days became clear.

The blockage in his heart dissipated completely, replaced by extreme clarity and determination.

Chu Shi stood up and reignited the furnace fire, his gaze as steady as a mountain, devoid of any impatience.

This time, he was neither rushed nor impatient, his movements flowing like clouds and water.

He precisely proportioned the black iron and Copper Essence, melting them at high temperatures and forging them repeatedly until the alloy blank was pure and flawless.

When engraving the runes, his focus was concentrated to the extreme; every line was steady, with consistent depth.

After all twenty-seven basic runes were fully formed and firmly rooted on the blank artifact, only then did Chu Shi circulate his true energy to initiate the collapse and unification.

The first, the second, the third...

He followed a rhythm of progressing from shallow to deep, allowing adjacent patterns to fuse in pairs, their energies communicating and connecting with each other.

There was no violent backlash, no abrupt disintegration.

The delicate rune patterns continuously adhered, compressed, collapsed, and converged.

Bit by bit, inch by inch, the scattered faint light continuously gathered, and the originally dense basic patterns began to simplify and unify at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The furnace fire blazed, and spiritual light swirled.

Time passed slowly; in the courtyard of Lieyang Peak at midnight, all that remained was the soft sound of the furnace fire and the steady circulation of true energy.

He did not know how much time had passed.

"Hum!"

A gentle yet heavy vibration suddenly erupted from the furnace!

On the jet-black blank that had originally been covered in delicate patterns, all twenty-seven basic runes had completely collapsed and unified.

Countless fragments of spiritual light converged, finally condensing in the center of the sword body into a pale golden pattern that was complete in outline but still appeared immature and incomplete.

An intermediate rune, it was done!

The incomplete yet truly existing intermediate rune circulated with faint primal energy, clinging tightly to the gentle sword blank, having completely transcended the category of a Magical Artifact.

When the last wisp of pure golden energy was slowly absorbed into the sword body through Chu Shi's fingertips, the three-foot-long blade suddenly let out a piercingly clear sword hum.

The humming sound penetrated the thick stone walls, echoing for a long time in the empty valley, startling countless birds resting on the cliff face.

A faint black halo flowed over the sword body; it was no longer the spiritual light of a Magical Artifact that floated on the surface and dissipated at a touch, but a gentle treasure light that seemed to possess life, emanating from within.

Every pattern was clear and smooth, gleaming with the cold luster unique to metal.

Chu Shi gripped the hilt, his fingertips clearly feeling the subtle resonance between the sword body and his own blood energy.

He swung it gently, and a sharp, peerless sword energy cut through the air, carrying a piercing whistle as it slashed fiercely onto the half-person-high black iron sword-testing stone opposite him.

"Shhh."

With a soft sound, the sword energy sank more than three inches into the stone, the cut as smooth as a mirror, without even a speck of stone dust splashing up.

"A Profound-grade low-tier Treasure Artifact, it's done."

Chu Shi whispered to himself, his nerves, which had been taut for three whole days, finally relaxing.

A trace of uncontrollable excitement flashed in his eyes, and his fingers gripping the hilt tightened slightly.

Just then, a slight sound of footsteps came from behind him.

Chu Shi turned his head and saw that Elder Jin had already been standing at the workshop entrance, though he did not know when he had arrived.

The old man was still wearing that washed-out grey cloth smithing robe, with many small holes burned by sparks on the cuffs and hem.

He was still clutching half an unfinished wheat cake in his hand, with a bit of wheat bran on the corner of his mouth; he had clearly been startled by the sword hum while eating and had rushed over without even finishing his meal.

From the moment Chu Shi appeared, Elder Jin's gaze had been glued firmly to the long sword in his hand.

His cloudy old eyes suddenly brightened astonishingly, like two rekindled flames.

He walked over slowly, step by step, his withered, twig-like fingers reaching out and then retracting several times before finally touching the sword body cautiously.

The cold, gentle sensation came from his fingertips, carrying a trace of lingering warmth.

The old man's fingertips could not help but tremble slightly.

He stood there in a daze, staring at the sword, and did not speak for a long time.

It was not until the furnace fire stretched his shadow out long that he let out a long, long sigh.

In that sigh, there was disbelief, gratification, emotion, and a hint of melancholy that even he himself had not noticed.

"Half a year... it really only took half a year." Elder Jin's voice was a bit hoarse.

"I originally thought it would take you at least a year to truly succeed."

He had seen countless geniuses in his life and had taught countless disciples.

But never had there been anyone like Chu Shi.

With the cultivation of the Iron Skin Realm completion, he had forcefully transcended boundaries to forge a Profound-grade low-tier Treasure Artifact, and it had only taken a short half-year.

This level of control over fire, perception of metal, and understanding of runes was simply a gift from the heavens.

Let alone in the Great Sun Holy Land, even looking at the whole world, one could not find many like him.

"Good, good lad." Elder Jin patted Chu Shi on the shoulder twice, with enough force that Chu Shi couldn't help but frown slightly.

"It wasn't in vain that I've been watching over you, you rascal, for the past half year."

After praising him a couple of times, the old man changed the subject and asked as if casually: "Now that the Treasure Artifact is complete, what are your plans for the future?"

Hearing this, Chu Shi's heart stirred.

He did not believe that Elder Jin did not know the purpose of his arrival.

His master, Peak Master Lieyang, had personally tricked him into coming here, not to make him a smith.

But rather to let him temper his state of mind through smithing, hone his subtle control over blood energy and power, and make final preparations for breaking through to the special path of the Copper Bone Realm.

He looked up and happened to meet Elder Jin's eyes, which were so eager they were almost burning.

The old man's gaze was glued tightly to the long sword in his hand, containing undisguised appreciation, heartfelt admiration, and even a heavy, almost obsessive expectation.

Chu Shi understood in an instant that his smithing talent had been displayed too well.

So well that it had made this lonely old man, who had spent his whole life immersed in the way of smithing, consider passing on his mantle.

He was silent for a moment, his fingertips gently stroking the cold hilt.

His tone was firm, without the slightest hesitation or beating around the bush, as he replied:

"Elder, this disciple's heart is set on the martial path, and my will is set. Now that my smithing skills have achieved minor success and my state of mind has been tempered, I will return to the peak to meet my Master in a few days to seek a breakthrough."