Chapter 564: Chapter 554: The Man Whose Body Has Reached the Limit! The Blacksmith!

In front of a gigantic pavilion built from rock lies a massive fireplace, towering at three meters and shaped like a cylinder.

Before the fireplace sits a forge table of an unusually peculiar design.

A tall, slender man stands before the forge, wielding an iron hammer, as he continually pounds the glowing hot iron sheets on the table.

With each strike, the ground shudders slightly, and the recently heard metallic sound turns out to be the sound of metal forging.

The man, dressed in simple cloth shorts and bare-chested, displays an intriguing characteristic—the muscles on his upper body are very "compact," with a bronze-black hue, lacking any exaggerated muscular contours.

With each hammer strike, the firelight casts reflections on the muscles, giving off golden glimmers of light, evoking an intense sense of extreme strength.

The moment Su Mu laid eyes on this man, his gaze instantly fixed upon the man’s physique.

Su Mu could feel that although the man didn’t boast exaggerated muscles, standing at two meters tall with a lean build resembling a "bamboo pole," a careful examination would reveal that each muscle fiber on the man’s body held highly concentrated "extreme strength."

Each flesh particle appeared as if countless flesh and muscle had been compressed to the utmost to form a single point, a single particle.

On his body, every particle of flesh has been compressed to the extreme, achieving a level of "perfection" and "ultimate" extremity!

Furthermore, the man’s body lacked any fluctuation of Spiritual Power; the aura emanating was solely from the energy inherent within his physical form!

This indicates that the iron-pounding man is a purely dedicated body cultivator, an absolute body cultivator!

Unlike Su Mu, who, during his cultivation, refines his physique while also practicing "Qi," making him a dual cultivator of "body" and "origin energy."

In All Heavens and Myriad Realms, the majority of powerful beings are "dual cultivators," and Su Mu is no exception.

But the iron-pounding man before him is purely a "body cultivator," entirely focused on the physical body!

Su Mu has spent many years guarding the Long River, encountering numerous formidable individuals, yet never had he seen such a pure body cultivator! 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

To exaggerate would be to say the man’s physical strength is the strongest Su Mu has witnessed over the years, without exception!

Purely discussing the physical form, excluding everything else, the iron-pounding man unquestionably ranks first.

......

Those who become saints by refining their bodies are truly people of great determination!

They are worthy of admiration.

On the path of cultivation, many tread solely the body cultivation path.

But those who persist are few and far between.

To truly walk this path, to say that one in tens of millions can achieve it would not be an exaggeration.....

Because most pathways of body cultivation are erroneous, requiring the individual to explore themself.

Each person’s physical body differs, and body cultivation is about conquering one’s physical form, achieving transcendence beyond nature, reaching the stage capable of generating "force."

This "force" is akin to Spiritual Power, a form of "strength."

.....

From a certain perspective, mastering the singular path of "body cultivation" bears far greater difficulty compared to simultaneously walking both "body and origin energy" pathways.

Su Mu rarely studies Ancient Texts, but sometimes accompanies Nannan during reading, encountering fragmented legends about body cultivation within Ancient Texts.

In some Ancient Text legends, during the lengthy passage of time, spanning even several epochs, it is said that only then does an extraordinary individual achieving sainthood by flesh emerge.

This illustrates how arduous the path of body cultivation is.

Talent, perseverance, neither can be spared.

To reach the level of sainthood in one’s body, extreme talent, coupled with extreme perseverance, is necessary.

The words "extreme" could encompass the essence of the path of body cultivation.

......

The sky had completely darkened.

Su Mu was in no hurry to return home, nor did he rush to reveal himself; instead, he observed the man who had harnessed his flesh to such an extent, pondering what he intended to forge....

Every hammer blow the man struck upon the iron sheet was executed with identical force, the height of the lift, and the arc of the descent, all matching perfectly.

Even his breathing rhythm, the frequency of his muscle engagement.....matched flawlessly!

The term "flawlessly" might not sound particularly impressive.

But how many have truly achieved such "flawlessness"?

Given Su Mu’s Divine Sense strength, he perceived no disruption in the man’s physique, demonstrating the man’s accomplishment of "extreme" control.

Supreme mastery over one’s physical form!

....

Though Su Mu hadn’t delved into the craft of "smithing" or "iron-forging."

He could perceive that the man before him had not only refined his physique to an extreme level but had elevated his craft of iron-forging to a pinnacle, a peak-traversing state!

Su Mu, with his abundant knowledge of treasures, quickly discerned that the iron sheet being struck was made from a highly remarkable material, undoubtedly possessing extraordinary durability.

Yet the man hammered effortlessly, without strain, naturally.

Under the continuous pounding, the iron sheet gradually took shape.

What struck Su Mu as most peculiar was.

The man consistently struck the same spot, yet the iron sheet automatically formed into a shape.

Su Mu, unfamiliar with smithing, could only feel it was extraordinary.

...

The night was ink-dark, the stone furnace mirrored the silhouette of the iron-forging man, the firelight scattering, creating a painting.

Within this painting, Su Mu felt an unfettered emotion—"pure enjoyment."

Indeed, the man was void of any other emotions; there was no sense of loneliness, nor fatigue emanating from him, only "pure enjoyment."

He was savoring the process, the process of iron-forging.

This was very rare.

Su Mu had interacted with many, each carrying different emotions like "loneliness," "fear," "desire".....

Take Su Mu himself, for instance.

His heart bears numerous emotions, from concern for Nannan to yearning to leave the Long River, and the pursuit of becoming stronger...

But the man before him was different, he radiated not even a desire to become stronger!

Only the focused enjoyment of the current "forge!"

Ask any cultivator, even a body cultivator, isn’t their goal to become stronger?

Among them, the most unique are body cultivators, not aiming for strength, what other purpose would lead them down this arduous cultivation path??

But....the man before him was different.

He imparted the feeling to Su Mu....that he chose body cultivation purely for "iron-forging!"

No other emotions, all pure enjoyment!

For a moment, Su Mu found himself slightly bewildered, encountering such profound interest in a person for the first time!