An Apprentice for a Saint Craftsman
"Oh, President, Miss Mu Xi, what brings you here?"
Upon entering the hall, Cen Yue's eyebrows rose in surprise at the sight of the two figures waiting for them. He immediately offered a respectful bow to Mu Chen.
"Yao Xuan, Wulin, this is the President of our East Sea Blacksmith Association, an Eight-Star Saint Craftsman, Master Mu Chen. You should both greet him properly." Cen Yue then turned, gesturing for the boys to step forward.
"Greetings, Master Mu Chen!" Yao Xuan and Tang Wulin chorused, bowing in unison.
"Haha, no need for such formality, you two. Just call me Uncle Mu." Mu Chen's smile was warm and genuine as he looked them over. "And your names are?"
"Uncle Mu, I am Yao Xuan (Tang Wulin)." They answered one after the other.
"Yao Xuan, Tang Wulin... Good, strong names." Mu Chen nodded slightly. "You two came today for your Level 2 Blacksmith assessment, correct?"
"Yes, Uncle Mu," they confirmed together.
"Excellent. And I trust, with your skill, you passed without any trouble?" Mu Chen's smile widened, his eyes twinkling.
"We did, Uncle Mu," Yao Xuan replied for them both.
"Good, good! Truly, heroes emerge from the young!" Mu Chen's praise was hearty. He turned to Cen Yue. "Cen Yue, I truly didn't expect you to have taken on two such outstanding disciples!"
"President, they are not my disciples," Cen Yue corrected with a wave of his hand. "They are the disciples of Master Mang Tian, from Aolai City."
"Mang Tian's disciples... I see." A slight frown creased Mu Chen's brow. If they were Cen Yue's students, taking one as his own disciple would have been a simple matter. But being Mang Tian's disciples added a layer of complication, albeit a minor one.
"President, is something the matter? Have they caught your eye?" Cen Yue asked, noting the Guild Leader's expression.
"Of course they have!" Mu Chen gave Cen Yue a look that said 'isn't it obvious?' "Two nine-year-old Level 2 Blacksmiths, do you have any idea what that means? Not only that..."
His gaze intensified as he subtly released a wisp of his spiritual power, allowing it to brush against Yao Xuan and Tang Wulin, sensing their inherent state.
'How is this possible?!'
The moment his spiritual sense touched Yao Xuan, Mu Chen's eyes widened with sheer, unadulterated shock. Relying on the immense self-control of an Eighth-Star Saint Craftsman, he mastered his expression in an instant. With a subtle pulse of soul power, he enveloped himself and Yao Xuan in a private, sound-proof barrier.
"Yao Xuan, is it?" Mu Chen's gaze was now intensely focused, burning with a mixture of disbelief and excitement. "I have a question for you, and you must answer me truthfully."
"Yes, Uncle Mu," Yao Xuan replied, his own calm demeanor hinting that he had anticipated this line of inquiry.
"Yao Xuan," Mu Chen's voice was low and earnest, "have you already achieved Thousand Refining?" He paused, ensuring his meaning was clear. "Do not worry. I have isolated us with my soul power. No third party can hear our conversation."
After a moment's consideration, Yao Xuan nodded. "Yes, I have. But, Uncle Mu, how could you tell?"
"A trace on your spiritual power," Mu Chen explained, his voice filled with awe. "The scent of reborn metal. Only a blacksmith who has completed Thousand Refining and truly communed with the soul of the metal carries that mark. A nine-year-old... Level 3 Blacksmith. By the heavens..."
He took a steadying breath, his composure returning, though the fire in his eyes remained. "Forgive my moment of astonishment. But I must tell you, a nine-year-old Level 3 Blacksmith is unprecedented in the entire history of the Douluo Continent! You are not just a talent; you are a prodigy among prodigies! So, Yao Xuan, would you be willing... to become my personal disciple?"
He did his best to keep his voice level, but the undercurrent of fervent hope was unmistakable.
"Uncle Mu, you are an Eight-Star Saint Craftsman. Of course, I would be honored to become your apprentice!" Yao Xuan's response was immediate and respectful. "However, I already have a forging master, Teacher Mang Tian. I must seek his permission first."
"Honoring your teacher is a virtue!" Mu Chen's approval was swift and genuine. "Do not worry. I will speak with your Teacher Mang Tian myself. As long as you have no objection, that is all I need." With a wave of his hand, the soul power barrier dissipated, returning the sounds of the hall.
"Yao Xuan, what did Uncle Mu ask you?" Tang Wulin whispered, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"Nothing major," Yao Xuan murmured back. "You'll probably find out soon enough."
"Okay." Trusting his friend, Tang Wulin settled back to wait.
As the two boys conversed quietly, Mu Chen obtained Mang Tian's soul communicator number from Cen Yue. He stepped slightly aside, dialed the number, and once again shrouded himself in a cocoon of soul power for privacy.
"Hello, this is Mang Tian of Mang Tian Forging Studio. Who is this?" Mang Tian's gruff voice came through the communicator, laced with a hint of surprise at the unknown number.
"Hello, Master Mang Tian. This is Mu Chen, President of the Donghai City Blacksmith Association, an Eight-Star Saint Craftsman."
"President Mu! I have long heard of your esteemed name!" Mang Tian's tone instantly became several degrees more respectful. A man of pride he was, but facing a legend of the forging world, he felt only profound reverence. "Your call must be regarding Yao Xuan and Wulin?"
"Indeed." Mu Chen's voice was warm. "Mang Tian, you have been hiding your light under a bushel! A nine-year-old Level 3 Blacksmith... I am in awe. Might I ask how you managed to cultivate such a genius?"
"Level 3 Blacksmith?" Mang Tian's voice sharpened with surprise and a touch of concern. "How did you discover Yao Xuan is a Level 3 Blacksmith? I explicitly instructed him not to reveal that level of skill prematurely."
"Be at ease," Mu Chen reassured him calmly. "Yao Xuan did not reveal it himself. It is simply that after achieving Thousand Refining, a blacksmith's spirit bears certain... imprints. I happened to perceive them. You have my word, aside from myself, his status as a Level 3 Blacksmith remains a secret."
Mu Chen's voice was sincere, his admiration for the boy—and the master who taught him—clear even through the communicator. He was a man who recognized true talent, and in Yao Xuan, he saw a future that could reshape the world of forging. The conversation with Mang Tian was just the first step in securing that future.