THE FIRMAMENT PALACE

Currently standing amidst the test hall was Qin Weng (Long Tao's avatar). It was the test for the first incubation of the sect. From his long years spent inside the Crimson Lord realm, within the forging and weapons pavilion, the one thing Long Tao understood was that there was no particular essential element required for forging except the element of metal.

The other elemental compatibility just helps in dictating which attribute weapon are you more profound in forging and hence, he had decided that the attributes he will be proficient in would be Metal and water.

Long Tao needed to get to the best available facility and masters because he needed to upgrade his level in this area fast. It was one of the areas he was not well proficient in. Long Tao's test proceeded in the same way as the previous academy and this time he got chosen as the disciple of the grand elder of the academy.

It was a piece of good fortune for him. Long Tao had made the choice based on the prowess of the person who was willing to take him under his/her wing. He didn't care for whether they were good or evil, as long as they were prepared to deliver their best support, he would pay them back in the future.

Long Tao had a clear view of what his pathway is going to be. His ideas didn't allow him to hurt the innocent but he didn't care a little bit about the enemy. Those who oppose him could only die.

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The grand elder was a well-known figure in the forging world. It was said that both the sect master and Grand elder were fellow sect mates of transcendent prowess and came here together to set up the sect

Both of them traveled around the world and were not present in the sect most of the time. Also, the disciples of either of them were also geniuses from varied fractions of cultivation. Qin Weng was currently proceeding towards the dwelling of the grand elder.

Soon enough he reached the mansion and entered it. Within the mansion, there was a set of simple courtyards and a figure was standing in the middle.

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"Another variant figure to have appeared in this backward place." the Keeper said. Long Tao had guessed the meaning behind these words. The only other time he had shown such a reaction was when he saw the 1st elder of the pill hall.

"The man is also a Qi king of middle grade. How come this backwater has figures like them in here. Also, this one is even more special than the previous guy".

"How so."

"If I am not wrong this guy is only in his early thirties at the moment. To be able to reach mid-level Qi King at such a young age is commendable."

Long Tao looked at the camouflage his master was currently showcasing. It appeared as if he was trying to hide his true appearance from the rest of the world.

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The grand elder was known as Qin Wentian which made the surname of both the parties to be the same.

"Have you tried metal forging before?"Qin Wentian asked in a cordial way.

"No sir"

Although Long Tao had tried it out before, he decided to keep on the low side. He didn't want to surprise the guy and be forced by him like he was done by the 1st elder. The man sighed and took out a book

"It is the 100 strikes refinement method. The most basic requirement of being a metal forger is your ability to have synchronization with the metal attribute, your strength, your technique, and at the end, your imagination."

"To become a metal forger, you first need to have good proficiency with metals and have knowledge about them. The special body type of yours is already good enough to have a response with the metal attribute, what you need at first is to know the knowledge required to go with the forging."

"The next part is the strength. Metal forging requires a huge amount of patience as well as strength. The basic requirements are going to be 1000 catties which only a beginner Qi master is capable of having, but you seem to have better bodily strength and a cultivator in the path of the body.

"You should have already opened some of the primary meridians right boy."

Qin Weng was now acquainted with the fact that there were cultivators of the path of a body in this region too since he met the vice-commander of the north-eastern military region.

"I have opened the whole set of primary meridians master. I am now concentrating on opening the secondary meridians too."

For the first time in their conversation did the expression of Qin Wentian changed. He expected the boy to have opened 3-4, but this one has completed the whole set and was still in the Qi child realm.

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It was an embodiment of good talent. He smiled and took out a ring and forwarded it to Qin Weng

"This ring contains the necessary resources that would sustain you for your cultivation in the body path for some time. This is the only gift master will give you for now and the resources required in the future have to be acquired by yourself."

Long Tao understood meaning. After all, this was the same reason why he decided to hunt for his own resources not utilizing those in the crimson world realm. If he concentrated on just cultivation and didn't understand the struggle of the real world, it would affect his state of mind and heart.

Also, he didn't want to become some silk-pants guy with a silver spoon in his mouth. He wanted to earn his belongings by his own capability. It was the reason Long Tao had joined the sect in the first place.

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"The book I have given you is the first-tier refinement technique you will practice. The first step towards forging is to refine the metal well. This will help you do that. ".

Qin Wentian also took out a slip" You are to go to the weaponry and pick a suitable set of hammers for yourself. The choosing of a hammer should be done based on your raw body strength. If you apply Qi to lift it, the hammers will get only heavier. Based on my knowledge of your raw strength, you would be able to get a good pair."

Long Tao accepted the slip. "You will accompany the disciples to the classes. The resources you require to start forging will have to be earned by yourself. I am not going to interfere or show any favors to you. I will be roaming around the world and will not be present in the sect all the time but you need to continue learning and tempering yourself."

"The rules will be known to you as you get acquainted with the rest of the newcomers. You are to be assigned a beginner's courtyard. You have my slip and will be able to contact me through it. You will practice the 100 strikes refinement first till you master it and only then are you allowed to contact me."

"With the slip of mine, you can go into the various libraries without any restrictions but I would suggest you have some caution in your action. Weapon forging is still considered to be a side job, your strength is still the primary goal. From here on you are to divide and concentrate your time between forging and cultivation."

"The quota of resources for cultivation and forging are given out every month and any more requirement will have to be fulfilled by yourself through completing the task on the task boards and gaining merit points."

"The level of your forging capabilities and cultivation decides the number of resources you are allotted. You are to go with the servant and first settle in the quarters provided for you. After that, you can decide when to go to the various places you are to visit." Qin Weng nodded and left with the servant.

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Looking at the departing figure of Qin Wen, Qin Wentian was still smiling.

"I hope you won't betray my expectations brat. You are the only person I have put my faith in for a long time."

His past was something he had buried long since. He didn't find a beacon of hope he could put his faith upon in these years until now. When he saw the body talent of the boy, it was already exceptional that he had such a good combination of elements. Metal and fire were the two basic requirements in metal forging.

He decided to take him under his wing and train him properly for that event. But he was still not that optimistic since he knew what kind of talent usually participate in that competition. But when he verified a little more carefully, he discovered that his new disciple was a body cultivator.

He expected him to have opened some primary meridians, but when he heard that his disciple had already managed to excavate all of it, he was truly elated. His hope rose to new boundaries now.

Initially, all he decided to do was to give his disciple a set of techniques, but this event changed his thoughts. He gave a set of resources to give Qin Weng a thrust. This would enable him to open at least 5-8 secondary meridians too and if he was successful in opening those, he will continue to provide the guy with cultivation resources of the body path.

If Qin Weng was able to open all the secondary meridians by the time of that contest, he didn't dare to imagine what stage he might obtain. But not in his wildest thoughts had he ever thought that maybe Qin Weng was holding back.

If he knew that Long Tao had already opened 12 secondary meridians and 9 acupoints, he would have been shocked to death. Only 16 years of age and already stepping into the Qi master realm with such achievements in Body cultivation made Long Tao an ideal candidate to be trained for the competition.

But Qin Wentian didn't want to spoil his disciple. That was the reason he held back his generosity and provided only the bare minimum essential to Qin Weng.

Just then his messaging insignia shined and a voice presented itself

" Brother Wentian, are you present in the academy?".

"What matter does brother Bu needs to talk about. You seem to be quite elated." The call was from none other than Bu Puti, the punishment elder of the Thunder-academy. One master of Long Tao was contacting another at the moment.

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"I have a great reason to be happy. After all, I just undertook an incredible seedling as my disciple. The boy has a grade 4 elemental body of metal and thunder. Also, he is a dual Sword and hammer cultivator. Do you understand my elation brother Qin?"

Qin Wentian was also shocked. A dual body of Thunder and metal, this was on a similar stage as the disciple he undertook. Also, the guy was a dual sword and Hammer cultivator. Hammer was the primary weapon of Bu Puti. He understood the elation originating from someone on the same path. He too had experienced it when he saw Qin Weng due to his Body cultivation.

"Would you mind forging a set of Hammer and sword for my disciple? This would be my gift to him for successfully entering the Qi master realm."

Qin Wentian asked with a curious tone "When does brother Puti require the weapon delivery."

"He has gone to the thunder pool for tempering his body. I would like it to be delivered by the end of the month."

Qin Wentian complied with Bu Puti on the matter and set on to the forging hall.

"I should prepare some gifts for my disciple too. When he reaches the second-grade refiner, I will present him with some useful gifts."