"I accept."

Chu Qing’s words surprised many of the onlookers. ’Isn’t she courting death?’

Just then, Mo Yan asked, "Sir, what if she gives up halfway? Does that mean her life won’t be in danger?"

Many people looked at Jiang Zuo. In theory, that should be the case. Giving up halfway shouldn’t be life-threatening.

Jiang Zuo looked at Mo Yan and said flatly, "What did you say earlier about this young lady’s temperament?"

"Er," Mo Yan thought for a moment. "She’s the type who won’t give up until she hits a wall, and even then, she’ll try to smash right through it?"

Okay, Mo Yan got it. Once Chu Qing committed to this path, she would never give up. To quit would be to quit blacksmithing itself. She was staking her life on the future of her craft.

Chu Qing picked up the Profound Iron Wood and the Thunder Mark Hammer, then turned to Xiao Xiaomo. "Sister Xiao, I know you’re looking out for me, but if any of you interrupt me, I’ll kill myself right here and now."

Xiao Xiaomo was speechless.

’How unfair!’ She had worked her butt off to get all these people here to help, and not only did she not get a thank you, she got a threat instead.

’Blacksmiths really are a hard-hearted bunch.’

Liuyue Xue, however, wasn’t focused on that. Her attention was on Chu Qing. She took out her phone, typed something out, and showed it to Chi Xue Child beside her.

After reading it, Chi Xue Child asked Chu Qing, "So, does this mean we can get ready to treat you?"

Chu Qing naturally didn’t object. ’With them here to treat me, I’ll recover faster.’

’And the faster and better I recover, the more I’ll be able to hammer. Hehe.’

Then, Chu Qing walked over to the forge. She began to heat the Profound Iron Wood, her Thunder Mark Hammer at the ready. Her gaze grew calm and focused.

This was the true blacksmith, the look of concentration she should have while forging. It was a gaze common to all masters of the craft.

One of the burly men to the side sighed. "This young friend’s talent is extraordinary, but it’s a shame she’s so inflexible. That which is too rigid is easily broken."

Blade Master Hai Bian’s young companion also sighed. "Reckless, indeed."

The others didn’t dare say much. For one, no one could talk Chu Qing out of it. For another, Jiang Zuo was the expert they had brought in. There was no point in saying anything now; it was better to keep quiet and avoid causing trouble.

Jiang Zuo, however, simply watched Chu Qing dispassionately. ’Those people are right,’ he thought. ’There are three thousand paths to the Great Dao; there’s no need to refuse to turn back even at a dead end. Chu Qing is still young. She has many long roads ahead of her. It truly isn’t worth risking her life over her craft.’

’But in this world, people don’t only do things that are "worth it."’

’Especially not for someone like Chu Qing, whose mind was already addled from her craft.’

’Why can’t life spring from a dead end?’

’That which is too rigid may be easily broken, but sometimes, what is ultimately rigid can pierce the very heavens.’

CLANG, CLANG, CLANG.

Chu Qing was now swinging the Thunder Mark Hammer, having already entered her forging trance.

The sounds of her hammering were powerful and rhythmic.

After a long while, the originally one-meter-long piece of Profound Iron Wood had been folded down to a mere ten centimeters. The rough shape of the final product was beginning to emerge.

Seeing this, Jiang Zuo knew. ’She’s about to reach the critical point.’

’It’s time for her to use Thunder Forging.’

Just as he expected, Chu Qing began to use Thunder Forging. She was a little later than the optimal time Jiang Zuo had calculated, but that wasn’t a major issue. After all, he wasn’t here to judge her forging ability.

But just as Chu Qing prepared to use Thunder Forging, she suddenly froze, her Thunder Mark Hammer held aloft. She couldn’t use the technique. She couldn’t continue.

"Once you begin, you cannot stop. Even if you can’t use the technique, you must continue to forge."

"You must remember that every strike is a step toward success on the road of failure."

"Likewise, you can see it as every strike being a struggle along the path to success."

Mo Yan nudged Chi Xue Child and muttered, "That’s a pretty roundabout way of saying ’stop being a wimp and just do it,’ isn’t it?"

Chi Xue Child just kept rolling their eyes at Mo Yan, pointedly ignoring her.

Chu Qing gritted her teeth. It was as if something were blocking her swing, preventing her from bringing the hammer down. But even if it killed her, she had to make this strike land.

The Dharma Gate for wielding the Thunder Mark Hammer was obstructing her. Forcing the technique would not only result in failure, but would also cause her serious injury.

"RAAAGH!" Chu Qing roared, bringing the Thunder Mark Hammer down. CLANG.

The Thunder Mark Hammer fell, but it failed to activate Thunder Forging.

Not only that, but Chu Qing coughed up a mouthful of blood.

In that moment, she began to understand what it meant to forge with one’s life on the line. She understood what it meant to forge until death.

She swung the hammer again. Forged again. And again, she coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Endless repetition. Endless injury. Endlessly she walked the path toward death.

Watching Chu Qing’s condition, everyone grew worried. Blade Master Hai Bian spoke for the first time, "Fellow Daoist Po Xiao, is this really going to be all right?"

Jiang Zuo replied flatly, "She chose this path herself. Whether she lives or dies is her own responsibility."

"But..."

’But she’s still so young. There’s no need for this.’

Everyone understood that, but there was no point in saying it now.

They had all seen the madness in Chu Qing’s eyes. No one could stop her now.

Even if her parents were here, it would be useless.

This was how Chu Qing had always been.

By now, Chu Qing was covered in wounds, but her eyes blazed with a mix of madness, excitement, and a savage glee.

No normal girl would be like this. But then, Chu Qing had never been normal, not even as a child.

CLANG, CLANG, CLANG.

The sound was like a summons from death itself, and Chu Qing was its target.

Everyone believed that if this continued, Chu Qing would surely die.

And yet, at that moment, Chu Qing unexpectedly began to smile.

"Heh, hehehe, hahaha."

Her laughter was unsettling, but her hands moved faster and faster, her hammering growing more and more rhythmic.

Then, Chu Qing broke into a full-throated laugh. "Hahaha, hahahaha, HAHAHAHA! It’s coming! It’s coming! I can feel it! I can feel it! Hahaha!"

At that moment, Chu Qing brought her hammer down. CLANG! CRACKLE!

A flash of lightning sparked to life.

"Did I see that right?" the burly man exclaimed in surprise.

"How is that possible?" Blade Master Hai Bian’s companion was also stunned.

Just as everyone was reeling in confusion, Jiang Zuo spoke. "The moment has arrived. Whether or not she can seize it is up to her own destiny."

His words only left everyone more baffled.

Meanwhile, the lightning arcing from Chu Qing’s hammer blows grew brighter and more dazzling.

Chu Qing’s laughter never ceased.

As her hammer struck in a rapid rhythm, a brilliant light erupted from the Thunder Mark Hammer.

A lock deep within it shattered, and countless motes of light enveloped Chu Qing. At the same time, the Thunder Forging technique she was using transformed completely.

It was a technique none of the blacksmiths present had ever seen before.

At this, Blade Master Hai Bian’s companion was finally floored. "This... is this a Blacksmithing Inheritance? How is that possible?"

Indeed. How could an ordinary Thunder Mark Hammer possibly contain a Blacksmithing Inheritance? It defied all logic.

It might not be logical, but it was very Cultivation.

Anything could be a heaven-sent opportunity, as long as one was able to grasp it. A bead, a bottle, a ring, a necklace—any of these could be a heaven-defying treasure.

Therefore, it wasn’t particularly strange that Chu Qing had bought a Thunder Mark Hammer containing an inheritance from Jiang Zuo.

As far as Jiang Zuo was concerned, it only confirmed his opinion: ’Blacksmiths are all lunatics. They’ll hide an inheritance in just about anything.’