Chapter 5

Lin Feng was very smart, but to call him a genius was still a stretch.

However, under the time acceleration and the strict, almost harsh, teaching methods of the First Space, he still made rapid progress.

Another twenty days passed.

During these twenty days, his achievements were remarkable.

His physical strength had improved to another level, now comparable to that of an ordinary young man. This was thanks to the set of exercise techniques passed down by his father, Lin Tao. These simple techniques were not particularly advanced, but their effects were much better than the exercise techniques Lin Feng had come up with on his own. He was neither afraid of fatigue nor hardship, and he persisted in his training, which yielded surprisingly good results.

With the improvement in physical strength, his mental power also had room to grow.

Lin Feng knew the saying, "Sharpening the axe does not delay the cutting of firewood."

He even stopped learning the techniques of forging and focused entirely on studying "Elimination." After two days of effort, he passed the eighth and ninth levels in succession, and his mental power increased to 65P, reaching the standard of a Sixth-Rank Mage Apprentice. The time acceleration in the First Space was also adjusted to 6.5 times, which was a cause for celebration.

However, after passing the ninth level, his mental power reached the limit of his body's endurance, and he had to stop.

With the time acceleration increased from 4.8 times to 6.5 times, Lin Feng had more time to learn the techniques of forging.

And today, the last day of the month, he finally completed the study of the forging techniques extracted by the First Space, mastering a total of 107 techniques, which marked his entry into the initial stage of proficiency. However, to reach the advanced stage, he needed to fully control these 107 techniques, using them effortlessly and knowing exactly when to apply each one.

Forging was a complex and tedious task. Mastering 107 different techniques was just the foundation. Controlling the heat and understanding the materials were also essential. Therefore, Lin Feng still had a long way to go.

He could ensure 100% accuracy when practicing the 107 techniques separately, but once combined, his mind would get confused.

He could manage up to 18 techniques at once without getting mixed up, but any more than that, and he would make mistakes.

However, he was not at all anxious. This was a matter of practice, and rushing would not help. He believed that with enough practice, he would eventually master these 107 techniques as if they were second nature. Others might spend years or even decades to achieve this, but he had only been learning for 20 days. He was already very satisfied with his progress.

Rushing leads to failure; some things require the right mindset.

"I have a feeling that I will definitely break through the 20-technique combination today!" Lin Feng said confidently as he entered the First Space.

His state today was unusually good, even to himself, and he could not find a reason for it.

After more than 70 hours of monotonous practice, it turned out that his intuition was correct.

When he finished practicing, he could hardly believe the results. He managed to handle 30 techniques without getting confused, far exceeding his expected goal. He could now challenge the 31-technique combination.

Winter was the season of heavy snow, and the biting cold wind often visited.

This year's winter was colder than usual.

Lin Feng stepped out of his room, tightening his sleeves and collar, and the breath from his nostrils formed a cloud of white vapor that lingered in front of him.

Early in the morning, he assumed his exercise posture in the backyard, starting a new day of training.

As usual, Lin Tao got up half an hour later and, passing by the backyard, did not acknowledge Lin Feng.

Lin Tao was about to start forging, and Lin Feng stopped his exercise to go to the front yard and open the gate.

The sound of hammering soon came from the blacksmith shop, indicating that Lin Tao had started forging the household items ordered by customers.

However, the first person to arrive today was not a customer but Deng Hai, who could be considered Lin Feng's childhood friend.

"Brother Feng, Brother Feng, there's good news!"

Deng Hai shouted from a distance.

"What good news? Tell me," Lin Feng smiled.

"Phew, phew," Deng Hai panted, his face excited. "It's Brother Xiao Ran. Brother Xiao Ran sent a letter back! My father went to the county yesterday..."

Bang—

At that moment, a loud noise came from the blacksmith shop.

Deng Hai's voice suddenly stopped.

Then, a faint groan of pain, clearly from Lin Tao, came from the blacksmith shop.

Lin Feng, no longer paying attention to Deng Hai, rushed into the house with worry.

As soon as he entered, his face changed dramatically. "Father!"

He saw the hammer on the ground, creating a small pit, with blood all over its bottom. Lin Tao lay on the side, his left hand and wrist mangled, the skin torn and the bones visible. He clutched his left arm with his right hand, beads of cold sweat on his forehead, and his teeth clenched tightly.

Lin Feng knew what had happened at a glance.

"Deng Hai, go to the Dangyang Pharmacy and ask Doctor Yang to prepare. I'll carry Father there right away!" Lin Feng turned to Deng Hai. "Thank you for your help!"

Deng Hai understood the severity of the situation, nodded, and ran out.

Lin Feng carried Lin Tao on his back and ran, his mind blank, wishing he could fly to the Dangyang Pharmacy.

Finally, they reached the Dangyang Pharmacy, and Lin Feng was almost exhausted.

"Help him in," Doctor Yang called to Deng Hai.

After Lin Tao was laid on a soft chair, Lin Feng turned to Doctor Yang and pleaded, "Doctor Yang, please heal my father, no matter what the conditions are!"

Doctor Yang said, "Saving lives is my duty. Rest assured, I will do my best."

"Thank you, Doctor Yang," Lin Feng said gratefully.

Doctor Yang nodded, came over, and carefully examined Lin Tao's injuries. After a moment, he applied some powdered medicine, then crushed some herbs and applied them to Lin Tao's hand, wrapping it in several layers of gauze. During this time, Lin Tao's brows furrowed, his face pale, but he did not make a sound, earning a nod of approval from Doctor Yang. "No wonder he is a well-known good man in Shuanglong Town."

After treating Lin Tao's injuries, Doctor Yang smiled at Lin Feng and Lin Tao. "Fortunately, you came in time. With six months of rest, he should be fine."

"Six months?" Lin Tao's eyes were filled with complex emotions.

The blacksmith shop had only one blacksmith. If he could not forge, the family would lose its source of income. A few days would be manageable, but six months? How would they live? Not to mention, Lin Feng had a younger brother studying at Qingfeng Academy, which was very expensive.

He felt extremely guilty.

"Father," Lin Feng said, "let me try."

Lin Feng had mastered 107 forging techniques and could control 30 techniques in combination. The quality of the household items he forged might not match his father's, but it would not be inferior to those on the market.

Usually, household items were forged by blacksmith apprentices, and blacksmiths rarely forged such items because they mainly focused on weapons. This was why Lin Tao's household items were so popular. The quality of his household items was far superior to those on the market.

Mastering 107 forging techniques and reaching the advanced stage was the realm of a blacksmith, and Lin Tao was at this level.

Lin Feng was not as good as a blacksmith, but among blacksmith apprentices, he was outstanding and could definitely forge household items.

There were seven realms: blacksmith apprentice, blacksmith, master craftsman, forging master, grandmaster, and saint craftsman. Each realm was a significant step.

"You can't do it," Lin Tao rejected his son's suggestion. "Your strength is not enough, and even if you were to forge the simplest household items, you need forging techniques. You haven't learned them, so how can you forge?"

Deng Hai nodded silently but did not speak.

He blamed himself for Lin Tao's injury. If he had not mentioned Xiao Ran, Lin Tao would not have lost control and made a mistake while forging, leading to the accident. He felt responsible and was filled with guilt and self-reproach.

"No, Father, I have learned," Lin Feng finally decided to be honest with his father.

He looked directly at Lin Tao and said seriously, "I have been secretly learning while you were forging. Forging household items should not be difficult for me."

"Nonsense!" Lin Tao's face darkened. "Forging is not as simple as you think. Without systematic training, you cannot forge anything decent!"

Ignoring his injured left hand, he stood up and scolded, "Do you think you can learn just by watching? Arrogant! I tell you, forging is profound and complex. It took our ancestors countless years to establish this system. Without guidance from predecessors, even the greatest genius in the world cannot learn it! Take the simplest example. These days, you have been watching me forge. Do you know how many basic forging techniques there are?"

Doctor Yang advised, "Calm down, Old Lin. Lin Feng is still a child."

"He's 18, already an adult!" Lin Tao, not giving anyone a chance, continued to lecture. "Forging is not a game. I hope you will be more cautious in the future!"

Perhaps in his heart, forging was sacred, and its importance surpassed even his son's place in his heart!

However, under his scolding, Lin Feng did not feel discouraged. Instead, he smiled and looked directly at his father, saying a number: "107."

Doctor Yang and Deng Hai were puzzled. What did Lin Feng mean by suddenly saying a number?

Unlike them, when Lin Feng said this number, Lin Tao was stunned and then fell silent.

PS: Thank you to 'Riding a Mouse Madly', 'Super Simple', 'Low-Key Eternal', 'Barium Lord', 'Leaves in the Sky', 'ILoveIceFi', 'Yeyu Qiu Feng', and 'Ban Xi Yan Yu Qing' for your generous support!

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