Shen Mu's hair finally stopped growing, falling to his waist. He took a band and tied it back, his expression grave, and stepped forward to the furnace.

Granny Zhu frowned: "Silent Craftsman, you can smelt Cold Iron Essence at the Spirit Embryo realm?

" The Silent Craftsman nodded.

Granny Zhu spat angrily: "Freak!

" The Alchemist, Deaf Elder, and others also nodded in deep agreement, saying, "Freak! Silent Craftsman, you're a real freak!

" The Silent Craftsman was smug, grinning from ear to ear.

Cold Iron Essence was far superior to Profound Iron Frost Crystal; it was the essence refined from Profound Iron Frost Crystal. While Profound Iron Frost Crystal could be melted in furnace fire to forge weapons, the chill of Cold Iron Essence could extinguish the furnace fire directly, making it extremely difficult to work! The Silent Craftsman threw two pieces of Cold Iron Essence to Shen Mu, indicating he should melt them down and forge them into one, then make a weapon!

If Shen Mu could do this, he would pass this trial. Shen Mu circulated his vital energy, transforming it into Vermilion Bird energy.

Flames ignited in his palm, and he put one hand into the furnace while the other worked the bellows, trying to fan the flame and ignite the coal.

But as his palm entered the furnace, he felt an icy chill so fierce that the flame on his hand nearly went out; even the Vermilion Bird energy seemed about to freeze! The Silent Craftsman was smug, gesturing repeatedly to Deaf Elder, who said, "You mean lighting the furnace is itself a trial requiring skill? This touches the mysteries of forging; relying on brute force alone won't start the fire?

" The Silent Craftsman was beaming, when suddenly — poof — the flame burst forth in the furnace. The coal had been forcibly ignited by Shen Mu's savage Vermilion Bird energy, suppressing the chill of the Cold Iron Essence.

Deaf Elder looked at the Silent Craftsman sympathetically. "Silent Craftsman, if brute force can't light the fire, it only means your cultivation in the Spirit Embryo realm isn't up to par. He simply has enough brute force to light it, and needs no skill.

" The Silent Craftsman gestured gloomily, and Deaf Elder chuckled, "Sly. You were holding back the trick that furnace fire of coal can't melt Cold Iron Essence. " Shen Mu had lit the furnace, then surged his vital energy to drive the fire to its extreme, yet the Cold Iron Essence remained unmelted, couldn't even be heated to red.

Shen Mu frowned. Suddenly he thrust both hands into the furnace, grabbed the two pieces of cold iron, and spurred the Profound Body Three Dan Technique. His Spirit Embryo went wild, the vital energy around it like a vast furnace, driving the Vermilion Bird energy to the extreme!

The Cold Iron Essence in his hands gradually turned red-hot, and before long, droplets of molten iron began to fall. Shen Mu directed the molten iron drops into the runner channel.

The two pieces melted faster and faster, and soon all the cold iron dissolved, the molten iron merging together. Deaf Elder looked at the dumbfounded Silent Craftsman and asked, "What exactly were you testing him on?

" The Silent Craftsman was dejected. His intention had been to test Shen Mu's forging skill. To smelt Cold Iron Essence, one first had to light the furnace, but the fire's temperature couldn't melt the essence.

However, with deep cultivation, one could use Vermilion Bird energy to soften it. In his plan, Shen Mu would soften the two pieces, then hammer them together repeatedly, forging them into one, then refine a weapon.

He never expected Shen Mu's vital energy cultivation to be so absurdly deep that he directly melted both pieces with his vital energy! His goal was to test skill, but Shen Mu had used brute force to override skill, still achieving the result, and even more simply—leaving the Silent Craftsman nothing to say.

Clang, clang—the sound of forging came.

Shen Mu swung a great iron hammer, sending sparks flying.

Each blow carried his surging vital energy: he softened with Vermilion Bird energy, then cooled with Black Tortoise energy, repeatedly tempering and striking. He hammered no one knows how many times, and gradually a butcher's knife took shape. The Silent Craftsman inspected it, nodded listlessly—Shen Mu had passed this trial.

Shen Mu finished the knife, tested its sharpness, and was quite pleased. Now he finally had a weapon of his own forging. The Blind Elder smiled: "Shen'er, don't test the knife yet.

There's still my trial. This time, let's compete in composing poetry.

" Shen Mu turned pale, muttering, "Blind Grandpa, I can't possibly beat you. . .

" Deaf Elder pulled out his two iron ears with a pop, indicating he wouldn't listen.

Granny Zhu and the others looked disgusted and said, "Blind Elder, change it!

" The Blind Elder scratched his head. Unable to refuse everyone's insistence, he said, "Then let's compete in spear technique.

Gather vital energy into a spear! " He threw aside his bamboo staff, spread his five fingers, and his Black Tortoise energy turned into flowing water—a Water Dragon Spear appeared in his hand.

Shen Mu erupted with vital energy, and a Fire Dragon Spear appeared.

The two began to move, their long spears continuously quivering, like venomous dragons poised to strike from the abyss. They circled without stopping, yet the Water Dragon Spear and Fire Dragon Spear never touched.

Shen Mu activated his Exalted Sky Eye, fixing his gaze on the Blind Elder, searching for a flaw, but found none. The Blind Elder, though sightless, revealed not the slightest opening.

"No flaw—then create one! " After circling for a long while, Shen Mu suddenly stamped his foot.

The ground sank abruptly, a great pit formed under his foot, and the earth rippled like waves, making the Blind Elder unsteady. Whoosh— He thrust his Fire Dragon Spear, but the Blind Elder smiled slightly.

The Water Dragon Spear moved later but struck first, sweeping toward Shen Mu.

Although Shen Mu had thrust first, the Blind Elder's spear struck Shen Mu's chest a hair before he could! Shen Mu smiled. At his chest, water splashed and a vortex appeared, blocking the spear.

The Water Dragon Spear in the Blind Elder's hand burst apart, and he was knocked flying backward.

Shen Mu's spear suddenly lengthened, turning into a fire dragon that struck the Blind Elder in the chest. The Blind Elder tumbled down, staggered, hastily opened his sealed divine treasury to steady himself, and angrily said, "That's cheating—using two kinds of vital energy at once!

In skill, you've already lost.

You're only relying on your Overlord Body's superior energy to bully me! " Shen Mu muttered, "Blind Grandpa, how about a rematch? " The Blind Elder turned from anger to joy.

"Isn't the Overlord Body meant for bullying? This is your strength. You've passed my trial.

Granny, it's your turn. " Granny Zhu's gaze was complex. She looked at the victorious Shen Mu and said, "Shen'er, in my heart you've already passed my trial. You passed when you opened the three hundred and sixty chambers.

" Shen Mu was startled: "Granny?

" "Which child never leaves home? " Granny Zhu said softly, "When you grow up, you must leave.

I can't keep you forever. All these old folks have let you pass; if I don't, I'd be too selfish. .

.

" She took her basket and went back into her house, closing the door.

Shen Mu stood in a daze. The Village Head coughed to wake him. "Shen'er, if you pass my trial, you can leave the Hidden Remnant Village, leave the Wasteland, and go out into the world to train.

" Shen Mu turned and said, "Village Head, please instruct me.