Chapter 10

Here is the second chapter of today, once again I beg for recommendations and collection support. I promise four updates today. Let's climb the charts, brothers and sisters of the Tang Clan, let's create glory together!

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"Come in," Mang Tian said to Tang Wulin.

"Oh."

Following Mang Tian into the workshop, the hall was cluttered with various metal parts. Tang Wulin could barely recognize that many of these parts belonged to soul conductor mechs.

Mang Tian didn't stop, continuing to walk inside, and Tang Wulin hurriedly followed.

The storefront wasn't large, but the interior space was considerable. After passing through a corridor, Mang Tian led Tang Wulin into a room.

Inside the room was a workbench. At Tang Wulin's current height, he could barely reach it.

Mang Tian stopped, turned to look at Tang Wulin, and said, "Do you know what forging is?"

Tang Wulin shook his head blankly.

Mang Tian said indifferently, "Actually, I didn't want to take you in. You're too young, and it's not suitable for forging. But your father insisted that you try. If you find it too difficult after trying, leave here, but don't cry to me, understand?"

"I won't cry, Uncle Mang Tian," Tang Wulin said firmly.

Mang Tian said, "This is your task for today." He pointed to the side.

On the ground nearby was a metal stand about half a meter high, with a round metal block on top. There was a soul conductor screen below.

Mang Tian picked up two small metal hammers from the side and handed them to Tang Wulin, "See that round metal block? Hit it a thousand times, five hundred on each side. Only with enough force will the counter register. It's about the force you need to lift and strike the hammer. If you complete it, I'll explain what forging is. If you don't, don't come back tomorrow."

After saying that, he shoved the pair of metal hammers into Tang Wulin's hands and turned to leave.

The hammer handles were about a foot long, the hammer heads cylindrical, half a foot long, and about ten centimeters in diameter. Each hammer weighed about ten pounds. For a six-year-old child, this was already a considerable weight, let alone the effort required to swing and strike.

When Tang Wulin saw the hammers, he looked troubled, but when he took them from Mang Tian, he was surprised to find that they weren't as heavy as he had imagined.

Are they hollow? Uncle Mang Tian looks fierce, but he's actually quite nice.

A smile of understanding appeared on Tang Wulin's face. He raised his right hand and struck the round metal block.

"Bang!" The metallic sound startled him. The soul conductor screen below seemed to activate, lighting up and displaying the number one.

He raised his left hand and struck again, "Bang!"

Two.

It doesn't seem too difficult! Tang Wulin swung both arms and began hammering.

"Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!" The continuous hammering made the numbers on the screen jump. The hammers didn't seem too heavy; at least Tang Wulin didn't feel much strain. The iron hammers continued to strike, and the numbers kept increasing.

By the time he reached a hundred strikes, he was already sweating. By three hundred, his arms started to feel sore.

I have to persist; Dad said, persistence is victory!

Enduring the soreness, Tang Wulin continued to swing the hammers.

At five hundred, the soreness turned to pain, but he still persisted, refusing to stop.

The pain grew more intense, and Tang Wulin's arms began to turn slightly red, but he gritted his teeth and continued.

He kept telling himself, I have to work hard to learn forging, to earn money for soul spirits. To make my parents happy and protect Nao.

At seven hundred, his arms were struggling to lift, and the speed of his hammering slowed.

But he still gritted his teeth and persisted. Sweat poured out like a torrent, and the school uniform he was wearing clung to his body, dripping with sweat. At this moment, Tang Wulin suddenly felt a tingling sensation in his coccyx, and his entire body trembled as if electrocuted. The original pain seemed to lessen, and the hammers, which had felt heavy, became lighter.

"Bang, bang, bang!" He continued hammering, and the next three hundred strikes seemed less heavy.

"Thousand!" The number finally reached the position Mang Tian required. Tang Wulin put down the hammers and panted heavily. He could feel the indescribable pain in his palms and the soreness in his arms, but there was also a sense of satisfaction. The tingling sensation from his coccyx spread to his cervical vertebrae, creating an indescribable feeling.

What he couldn't see was that faint golden patterns were accompanying the tingling sensation, lingering along his spine.

It took him a full five minutes to catch his breath.

"Uncle Mang Tian, I've completed it," Tang Wulin found Mang Tian in a room, where he was sitting and fiddling with a part.

Mang Tian was taken aback, glancing at his wristwatch. It had only been half an hour since he gave Tang Wulin the task.

"You finished hammering?"

"Yes!" Tang Wulin nodded.

Seeing his sweat-soaked appearance, Mang Tian didn't question it further. He always preferred to speak with facts. Standing up, he led Tang Wulin back to the previous room.

A thousand, the large number was displayed. The instrument was set by Mang Tian himself, and a six-year-old child couldn't possibly cheat. Yet, it was still hard to believe.

The two iron hammers weren't light for him, and they certainly weren't hollow, each weighing a solid ten pounds. A normal adult male would likely have sore, weak arms after a thousand strikes and would find it difficult to complete the task in half an hour. Let alone a six-year-old child.

The test Mang Tian had given was essentially a polite refusal. He and Tang Ziran had a good relationship, and he couldn't directly refuse, but he really didn't want to teach a six-year-old child who he thought couldn't possibly learn forging well.

But what he saw in front of him...

"Hit it again for me, don't stop until I tell you to," Mang Tian said sternly.

"Okay." Tang Wulin picked up the hammers again. After this rest, the soreness in his arms had lessened.

"Bang, bang, bang..." Each strike fell without any technique, no leverage, just simple, direct hammering on the metal block.

With Mang Tian's forging experience, he only needed a few glances to confirm that the child's strength was sufficient to handle the hammers and complete the hammering.

Could this be the legendary innate talent?

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End of AD

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