As they neared the outskirts of Gengjin City, Lin Xia came to a halt.
He took a deep breath. The metallic scent in the air had grown unmistakably strong—an aroma unique to this place, mixed with Ore dust, the scorching heat of furnaces, and the sharp tang of metal being ground and polished day after day. He glanced down at the Larvitar trotting faithfully beside his feet.
"Larvitar, come back," Lin Xia said softly. His voice carried a trace of apology, but even more caution.
"Lar—vi?"
Larvitar tilted its little head, red eyes full of confusion. They were already so close—why stop now?
"Be good. There are too many people in the city… too many eyes," Lin Xia said as he crouched down, gently rubbing the blunt horn on top of Larvitar's head.
"We need to be careful. Once we find a safe place, I'll let you out for a big meal, alright?"
Though clearly disappointed, Larvitar obediently nodded. Its body dissolved into a gray-green stream of light and merged into Lin Xia, returning to the Spirit Space.
Lin Xia could still feel their connection—and the eager anticipation Larvitar sent back about that promised feast.
Recalling Larvitar wasn't rejection. It was necessity.
Lin Xia knew his situation all too well.
He was just an orphan with no backing—no prestigious lineage like Yu Xiaogang, and certainly no hidden Titled Douluo father like Tang San.
Larvitar's unique form and terrifying potential—once exposed to anyone with ulterior motives, especially forces obsessed with researching rare Spirits or controlling extraordinary talents—could lead to consequences he didn't even want to imagine.
An innocent man is condemned by the treasure he possesses.
Before he had enough strength to protect himself, keeping a low profile was the only law of survival.
Standing beneath the towering city walls, Lin Xia looked up at Gengjin City—and his breath caught.
This so-called City of Metal was even more imposing than he had imagined.
The walls weren't built from ordinary stone or brick, but from enormous metallic boulders, cold and hard, their surfaces gleaming with a dull luster. They were covered in hammer marks, chisel scars, and strange metal patterns, like a colossal, unfinished work of metal art.
Under the sunlight, the walls reflected muted hues of gray-green, dark red, and even purplish bronze. It was obvious that countless rare metal Ores had been fused into their construction, turning the city itself into an indestructible fortress that radiated a suffocating pressure.
It even made Lin Xia feel… a little greedy.
If I could eat this city…
The watchtowers were tall and imposing. Their flying eaves and upturned corners weren't wooden at all, but cast entirely from fine iron, rugged and powerful in design. Hanging above the gates was a massive metal plaque engraved with the three characters Gengjin City, each stroke bold and forceful, as if forged by a thousand hammerings.
At regular intervals along the walls stood enormous metal statues—some depicting muscular blacksmiths wielding giant hammers, others metallic birds poised for flight, and still others roaring metal beasts. They were decorations, but also totems, silently proclaiming the city's reverence for metal and strength.
The city gates stood wide open. Two massive metal doors, thick with rivets and reinforced strips, turned slowly on their hinges with a deep grinding sound—like the breathing of some colossal beast.
The gate passage was long and shadowed, light and darkness alternating as people and carriages passed through, stirring up gusts of wind heavy with metal dust.
Lin Xia's gaze moved inward, taking in the city beyond.
Unlike other cities filled with wooden houses or brick-and-tile buildings, most structures here were built on stone foundations, with metal used extensively in their frames—and even their outer walls.
Roofs were covered in dark metal tiles. Windows were barred with iron grilles. Chimneys were thick metal pipes. Many buildings had metal reliefs or massive gear decorations embedded directly into their walls.
Under the sun, the entire city shimmered with a cold sheen. The air was filled with that faint metallic smell, accompanied by the endless clang-clang of hammering and the thunderous roar of heavy forging from deep within the city.
It was constant—like a heartbeat.
"Truly worthy of being the City of Metal…" Lin Xia murmured, genuinely awed.
The city was like a metallic behemoth lying in wait upon the land. Every brick, every breath of air, was steeped in the will of metal.
But once the awe faded, reality came crashing back.
Which faction should he choose?
The Blacksmith Association?
This was Lin Xia's most desired option.
Its current president, Lou Gao, the world's third-ranked Divine Craftsman, controlled vast reserves of rare Ores—a treasure trove beyond imagination for both Larvitar and himself.
Joining would mean a stable supply of Ore, access to top-tier forging techniques, and perhaps even knowledge of rare metals and Ore veins—critical for finding future "buffets."
But the fatal flaw was just as obvious.
No matter how special its status, the Blacksmith Association was still fragile in the face of the colossal Spirit Hall.
Lou Gao's fate in the original story was already a bloody lesson.
If Lin Xia joined, there was a high chance he'd be dragged into Spirit Hall's sights—and that risk was terrifyingly high.
Spirit Hall itself, on the other hand, was an undeniable behemoth.
With its backing, resources would never be an issue. Spirit Beast knowledge, cultivation materials, protection—everything he needed would be within reach the moment he displayed Larvitar's potential.
But…
Just thinking about falling under the gaze of that woman made a chill run down Lin Xia's spine.
Bibi Dong.
Her mind was unfathomable, her methods ruthless and cold.
Even if Yu Xiaogang didn't publicly announce that Lin Xia had rejected his apprenticeship for over ten consecutive days, with Spirit Hall's intelligence network, there was no guarantee it wouldn't reach her ears.
How would she see him?
As an independent talent worth nurturing?
Or as someone arrogant enough to reject the man she treasured most—and therefore a provocation to authority?
Lin Xia didn't dare gamble. He didn't want to try deciphering that woman's thoughts.
Once she fixed her eyes on him, freedom would likely be the first thing he lost—and he might end up nothing more than a chess piece.
"…Sigh."
Lin Xia let out a helpless sigh, his inner scales swaying violently between irresistible temptation and lethal danger.
The Blacksmith Association's riches were tantalizing but perilous.
Spirit Hall's protection was overwhelming—but like entering a dragon's den or a tiger's lair.
"I'll take it one step at a time…" he finally told himself.
For now, the priority was simple: enter the city, gather information, and then decide.
And, of course, there was one more pressing issue.
Money.
Lin Xia patted his empty pouch. Even the last bit of Ore dust was gone.
Sure, eating dirt on the road had kept him alive—but who didn't want proper food?
Right now, he was completely broke. He couldn't even afford a decent change of clothes.
"I need to find a way to earn some money…"