novelnext Chapter 21 The Apprentice at the Anvil
Chapter 21 The Apprentice at the Anvil
The gentle blood and qi from the earthworm's flesh and blood, along with the pure energy of the earth's veins, nourished Yang Jin's body as it recovered from its serious injuries, much like spring rain seeping into parched land.
With the help of the demonic ape's "rooting" visualization and guidance, the effects were already evident after just one night and most of the day of rest and secret cultivation.
The dull pain in my chest has subsided considerably, leaving only a slight ache when I move around.
The tremors in my internal organs subsided, and my breathing became smooth and long.
Most noticeably, the blood and qi beneath the skin, which had been weak due to severe injury and depletion, became solid and full again, like a dormant stream that, though not yet large, had regained its vitality and was flowing steadily beneath the stone skin.
His dark yellow-brown skin tone became more subdued, and its texture became more like solid rock.
Yang Jin secretly estimated that if he had enough exotic beast flesh and blood and earth vein essence to assist him, and combined with the cultivation of the Demon Ape Sect, his injuries would heal in three to five days at most, and his foundation of the newly broken-through and slightly unstable Skin Refining Realm would also be solidified in the process.
He calmed his mind, communicated with the mountain cauldron, and examined his own state:
[Master of the Cauldron: Yang Jin]
[Refining the Cauldron Spirit: Earth-Walking Marmoset (Gray)]
[Fusion Rate: 19.7% → 20.1% (Stable absorption of earth vein essence and alien beast life energy, slowly increasing)]
[Earth Vein Essence Reserves: 0.0 points]
[Mountain Favorability: Slight (Continuous)]
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[Martial Arts Realm: Skin Refining Realm (Early Stage, Foundation Gradually Stabilizing)]
[Current Status: Recovering from severe injury (approximately 60% recovery), improvement in Qi and blood deficiency]
[Cultivation Technique: Mountain Battle Diagram - Twelve Forms of the Demonic Ape (Fragment) - First Form 'Rooting' (Mastered)]
[Practical Technique: Mountain Splitting Style (Minor Mastery)]
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[Spiritual Talent:]
• Stone Skin (Tier 1): Significantly enhances defensive capabilities, increases resistance to blunt force and cutting, and improves adaptability to soil and rock environments.
• Vibration perception (5 zhang): The range is stable, and the perception of details is slightly improved.
• Stone control (can affect the structure of rocks weighing up to 50 kg): Smoother control.
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【Commander of Mountain Beasts: Rock-Carving Earthworm (A-Tu)】
[Status: Healthy, slightly tired, continuing to grow]
[Evolutionary Requirements: 65/100 → 60/100 (Slight progress in underground activity and digestion/absorption)]
The changes aren't huge, but everything is moving in a positive direction.
The integration level has steadily improved, the injury has healed rapidly, and the foundation has been consolidated.
More importantly, thanks to Atu's efforts, the channels for obtaining the essence of the earth veins and the flesh and blood of exotic beasts have been temporarily secured.
"Stone! Where have you been? Get back to work!"
Chen Shan's hoarse voice came from the front yard, interrupting Yang Jin's thoughts.
Yang Jin immediately composed himself, comforted A Tu who was resting in the corner, then pushed open the shed door and jogged to the front yard.
The morning light was just right, but the fire in the stove had not yet been lit.
Chen Shan was standing in front of the anvil. When he saw Yang Jin, he was taken aback at first, a hint of surprise flashing in his cloudy but sharp eyes. He hadn't expected Yang Jin's injuries to heal so quickly in just one night...
He pondered for a moment, then changed his plans without asking any further questions, pointing to a pile of newly arrived, unprocessed pig iron ingots and several irregularly shaped pieces of ore beside him.
"Watch closely, kid." Chen Shan, unusually, didn't immediately start cursing. Instead, he tapped a dark iron ingot with his withered fingers. "In our line of work, we forge iron, hone our strength, and temper our character. The first step isn't for you to grab a hammer and smash things randomly."
He picked up a small hammer and a pair of pliers, grabbed a small piece of iron, and placed it on the cold anvil.
"Today, you will learn this: recognizing materials, observing fire, listening to sounds, and applying skillful force."
"Identifying the material means knowing what kind of iron you have, what its properties are, how much heat to use, and how heavy the hammering should be," Chen Shan said, while gently tapping the iron material on different parts with a small hammer, producing a crisp or dull sound. "Listen to the sound; solid material and material with inclusions will produce different sounds."
"Watching the fire isn't just about the color. When iron is heated in the furnace, there are specific rules about when to take it out, when the heat is just right, the color, the hardness, and even the shape of the smoke. If the heat isn't right, the iron is too hard, requiring a lot of hammering and effort to forge properly; if the heat is too high, there will be too much slag, making it easy to crack."
"As for using skillful force..." Chen Shan flicked his wrist, and the small hammer fell with a peculiar trajectory. It seemed light, yet with a "ding," it precisely flattened a tiny protrusion on the edge of the iron, with almost no excess vibration transmitted to the iron clamps. "It's not just about using arm strength to pound downwards. The force starts from the ground, passes through the waist, over the shoulder, reaches the elbow and wrist, and finally gathers at the hammerhead. The force should be crisp when it's released, quick when it's released, and penetrating, without stagnation."
He put down his tools and looked at Yang Jin: "Your job today is to take these pig iron ingots and ores, and use the method I'm telling you to knock them down one by one to identify their quality and sort them into categories. At the same time, keep an eye on the furnace fire. Add charcoal when I tell you to, and turn on the bellows when I tell you to. Keep a close eye on the changes in the iron."
This task sounded simple, even tedious, but Yang Jin sensed something unusual about it.
The "power originates from the ground," "strength must penetrate," and "listen to the sound to discern the quality" that Chen Shan mentioned... these seem to be more than just the secrets of blacksmithing; they also have some connection to his methods of cultivating qi and blood and controlling power!
He immediately perked up and nodded vigorously to show that he understood.
Chen Shan said no more, lit the fire, stuffed a piece of iron into the furnace, and sat down to the side, picking up the unfinished wood-chopping knife to continue repairing it, occasionally glancing at Yang Jin's movements.
Yang Jin took a deep breath, and imitating Chen Shan, picked up a small hammer and pliers, and used them to pick up a piece of pig iron ingot.
At first, the movements were clumsy and stiff.
The knocking sounds were chaotic and indistinct.
Controlling the force is even more difficult; if it's too light, there's no reaction, and if it's too heavy, it makes your arm go numb and aggravates the injury in your chest.
But he was not discouraged.
Recalling Chen Shan's actions and words, she tried to adjust her breathing, relax her shoulders, and focus her attention on the point where her wrist and hammer would land.
Visualize the demonic ape "rooting itself," feel the connection between your feet and the earth, and try to exert force as a whole body.
Gradually, the tapping sound became clearer, and he could vaguely sense that the inside of the iron ingot seemed somewhat uneven.
The effort exerted was no longer brute force; it began to have a slightly "crisp" and "penetrating" feel, although it might only succeed once or twice out of ten attempts.
The fire in the stove was roaring and needed his constant attention.
Add charcoal and a venting box, and observe the process of the iron material changing color from dark red to orange-red and then to bright yellow in the flame.
Chen Shan would occasionally offer pointers: "The fire's too high, slow down!" "Look at that plume of smoke, it's almost done, get ready to take it out!"
Yang Jin spent the entire day in this monotonous process of tapping, observing, listening, and controlling the heat.
Sweat soaked through his gray cloth jacket, new blisters formed on his hands, and his chest ached slightly from the continuous exertion, but he was so focused that he hardly felt tired.
He vaguely sensed that during this process of intense focus, requiring extreme control of the body's subtle strength, and constantly repeating specific movements, the blood and energy in his body, which had just recovered and were still somewhat scattered, seemed to be being combed by an invisible hand.
Each successful application of "skillful force" seems to smooth out the flow of qi and blood; each accurate judgment of the heat seems to sharpen the mind's perception.
This isn't learning to forge iron; it's clearly honing his control over his own power (blood and flesh) in an extremely subtle yet incredibly solid way!
He gradually pounded and solidified the slightly "bloated" power that he had built from the visualization of the demonic ape and the flesh and blood of strange beasts, removing the dross and retaining the essence, so that he could truly make it his own!
Chen Shan... this seemingly down-on-his-luck and disgraced old martial arts master is indeed unfathomable!
What he taught was indeed "the basic skills that a blacksmith's apprentice should learn," but every detail subtly aligned with the profound principles of martial arts training!
What might seem like a chore to ordinary people is an invaluable foundation-building course for Yang Jin!
As the sun set, Chen Shan called for a halt.
Yang Jin put down his tools and realized that his arms were so sore that he could barely lift them, and his whole body felt like it was falling apart, but he had a strange sense of fulfillment.
Although a lot of qi and blood are consumed, they circulate more smoothly and efficiently than in the morning.
"Not bad, not completely stupid."
Chen Shan glanced at the few piles of iron that Yang Jin had sorted out, which were barely acceptable, and gave a nonchalant evaluation. He then tossed him two slightly thicker multigrain pancakes than yesterday's, saying, "Eat up and get some rest. We'll continue tomorrow."
Yang Jin took the pancake and watched Chen Shan's hunched back as he walked back into the house, his heart filled with gratitude and respect.
This mentor not only had knowledge, but also taught him exactly what he needed most!
As night fell, Yang Jin returned to the shed, munching on a pancake while reviewing the day's harvest.
He became increasingly convinced that by following Chen Shan, he could not only learn how to conceal his identity, but also lay an incredibly solid foundation in martial arts!
He ate the remaining earthworm meat from the stone chisel and began his evening cultivation.
This time, when I practiced the "Rooting" technique of the Demon Ape, the flow of Qi and blood was noticeably smoother and more controllable than last night, and the nourishing effect on the skin seemed to be better.
Outside the small shed, the fire in the stove had gone out, and the anvil was icy cold.
The stone skin on the boy's body gleamed with a faint bloody light.