Watching the old man’s refining process, Chu Fan nodded repeatedly.
Every movement was just right.
Although the fire was not an exceptionally powerful flame, it appeared to be a beast fire stripped from some kind of ferocious beast, and its power was not to be underestimated.
At some point, Chu Lingshuang walked up behind Chu Fan and said softly, “Master… He is Elder Cong Long, the strongest blacksmith in the sect. His blacksmithing rank has already reached the Heaven rank. Please, Master, you must take this seriously…”
“Mhm, I know,” Chu Fan replied, his back still turned to her.
“Good luck, Master. I believe in you; you will definitely win…”
“Mhm, thank you.”
Even if Chu Lingshuang had not said anything, Chu Fan never had the bad habit of underestimating his enemies.
However, he truly had not expected this old man to already be a Heaven-rank blacksmith.
One had to know that there were only seven ranks for blacksmiths.
From lowest to highest, they were Mortal, Spirit, Profound, Earth, Heaven, Saint, and Divine.
To be able to become a Heaven-rank blacksmith in only 100 years, he was a genius by any definition.
After the time it took for one incense stick to burn, Cong Long walked up to Chu Fan with a pair of bright red glasses, looking satisfied.
“Using only a single ingot of Mortal-grade Scarlet Firmament Gold to forge a Profound-rank artifact, you truly live up to your reputation as a senior.”
“Please, do not be so humble. It is your turn to begin.”
“Alright.”
As he spoke, Chu Fan extended both hands, his palms facing the air, and the Heavenly Sun Flame began to burn fiercely in the void.
Cong Long had obviously seen this flame before, but he was more curious about something else.
“Where is your cauldron? Since even your disciple has such a good cauldron, surely you have one as well?”
“Did you not say we should use lower-grade materials to complete higher-grade works?”
Thus, Chu Fan began his cauldron-less refining.
Cong Long had clearly seen cauldron-less refining before, so he did not show much surprise.
However, soon after, he began to feel that something was wrong.
“Young friend? Where are your materials?”
Seeing that Chu Fan had yet to take out any refining materials, Cong Long began to grow a bit anxious.
Even if the rule was that the lower the grade of the material the better, you couldn’t just bring out nothing at all.
“Do not worry, I know what I am doing.”
Gradually, under the dumbfounded gazes of the crowd, the prototype of a pair of glasses actually began to condense within the flames in front of Chu Fan.
“This… How is this possible!? You clearly did not put any materials in!”
Cong Long exclaimed.
“Elder, what I am about to tell you is something that only I know in this world.”
“You… go on…”
….
A dim room, black snakes, venomous scorpions, cold air, and a damp floor.
An old man put down the teacup in his hand and said coldly, “When do you plan to annex the Profound Sky Sect?”
“What is the rush? We have to wait until we bring back your dear daughter—and my goddaughter—Yaoyao, first.”
The man sitting opposite the old man opened his mouth and let out a damp, raspy voice.
“Mhm, that is true.”
“I heard that Yaoyao’s good friend, that Saintess, has ended her secluded cultivation.”
“Hmph. We originally had her get close to that Saintess to lure her into joining the Snake Scorpion Palace, but I did not expect Yaoyao to actually become friends with her. Is this not a bad thing?”
“It does not matter. The act must be played to the fullest; otherwise, how can anyone be convinced?”
“Then how are we going to get the Saintess to join us?”
“When necessary, I will use Yaoyao to threaten her. With the Saintess’s character, she definitely will not stand by and do nothing.”
“You dare!?”
“You old fool, what are you thinking? She is not just your daughter, she is also my goddaughter. I would be even more reluctant to lose her than you are.”
“Then what do you mean?”
“We are going to trick her, of course, you old fool.”
“Heh, that sounds more like it.”
“Tomorrow, I will send people to infiltrate the sect to secretly bring Yaoyao back to the Snake Scorpion Palace, and then we will begin our plan.”
“Good. Here is to our success.”
“Mhm, success.”
The two of them toasted each other with tea as if it were wine.
….
“Therefore, the air is not actually empty. Instead, there are tiny existences called microorganisms. These so-called microorganisms, along with the air itself, can serve as materials for alchemy and blacksmithing. It is just that no blacksmith has ever noticed it.”
As he listened to Chu Fan’s heaven-defying theory, the wrinkles on Cong Long’s face were smoothed out by his gaping jaw.
What did he mean by saying the air could be used as material for alchemy and blacksmithing?
Even theoretically, he had never heard of such a thing.
The most important thing was the Glazed Mirror Chu Fan had produced.
Its entire body was silver-white, and it indeed looked simpler than the bright red glasses Cong Long had forged.
But upon closer inspection, it was not inferior to his work at all.
“A Pro… Profound-rank artifact… It is actually a Profound-rank artifact?”
“What does the Elder think? Shall we call it a draw?”
Chu Fan presented the mirror to Cong Long.
“It is actually a Middle-grade Profound rank, while mine is only a Low-grade Profound rank.”
Cong Long gave a bitter smile and crushed the red glasses in his hand.
“Please do not mock me. This match is your complete victory.”
Cong Long was a good sport and handed the small transparent bottle to Chu Fan.
“Thank you, Elder.”
“No, it is I who should thank you. To actually hear a theory like blacksmithing with air—it is practically creating something from nothing. This old man has benefited greatly.”
Chu Fan cupped his fists in a salute.
“You are too kind.”
“Until we meet again, young friend.”
Cong Long turned and left.
After watching Cong Long depart, Chu Fan turned around and found that almost all the students were looking at him with a different gaze.
Clearly, most of them had been quite dissatisfied with him before, but now, he seemed to have somehow won them over?
On the other side, the three girls all wore proud smiles.
This theory of practically creating something from nothing was a first for them as well; Chu Fan had never told them about it.
‘As expected of Master. He can always make people feel the gap in talent.’
‘Every once in a while, I find new surprises from Master. He is so amazing; as expected of my Master.’
‘Based on that… does that mean meat buns and skewers can also be created out of thin air? Master, I want to learn that too!’
Even in the middle of the crowd, the girl who had argued with him in the last class and fled the classroom right in front of him was now looking at him with glowing eyes.
When their eyes met, she even blushed and looked away.
“……”
Chu Fan sighed and accurately located Lin Anlan in the crowd.
“Anlan, come out for a moment.”
“Ah! Okay…”
Lin Anlan kept her head down and walked slowly toward Chu Fan.
Chu Fan held the Glazed Mirror in front of her.
Lin Anlan blinked a few times, looking at Chu Fan in confusion.
“Take it.”
“Me? For me?”
Lin Anlan pointed at herself in disbelief.
“Mhm.”
Just as Lin Anlan reached out her hand, it stopped in mid-air.
She turned to look at the crowd, her pupils suddenly dilated, and she pulled her hand back in terror, shaking her head vigorously.
“No, I do not want it. I do not want it. Thank you, Teacher, but I do not want it.”
“…Do you have some secret trouble?”
Chu Fan hoped she would say it herself.
Lin Anlan lowered her head, her gaze glancing toward the crowd.
After a moment, she shook her head again.
“No… there is nothing… Thank you for your concern, Teacher…”
“Alright.”
Chu Fan put the Glazed Mirror away and let Lin Anlan return to the group.
At the very back of the crowd, two people were almost fuming with rage.
‘To actually dare to refuse Master. Even if you are being bullied, it is unforgivable.’
‘Truly ungrateful. Master gave you a chance to speak up, but how can someone be so cowardly?’
Su Xiaotang looked at them and asked with concern, “Sisters? Is your eyesight going bad too?”