Though three days had passed since the trial, Ash hadn't forgotten the sneer on Zhao Yiming's face—the noble outer disciple who'd humiliated him upon entry. High bloodline, proud posture, and dozens of admirers.
Ash didn't speak of revenge.
But in his heart, he counted the days.
He knew that strength, not rage, would write the answer.
---
Now, as the morning bell rang in the direct disciple quarters, a mission jade slip arrived for him.
It bore Elder Huo's sigil.
> "Assignment: Travel to Ironroot Town. Neutralize the beast interfering in the Blackhammer Smithy. Return with proof. Reward: 100 contribution points. Time: One day."
---
Ash departed silently.
By noon, he stood at the gates of Ironroot—a small forge-town known for its smiths and ore refiners. Smoke filled the skies. Miners yelled. Sparks flew from great chimneys.
And near the heart of the town, chaos bloomed.
Crowds gathered around a sealed furnace, guarded by local cultivators.
> "It entered three days ago," one blacksmith muttered, sweat pouring. "We thought it was just a fire rat. But it hasn't left. Every time someone gets close, their tools vanish. Even spirit iron went missing!"
Ash stepped closer and examined the spiritual residue near the furnace mouth.
Faint but clear—metal essence. Bone qi. No aggression. No rage.
Shen Mu's voice echoed calmly in his mind.
> "This is no wild beast. This is a Forgespirit. Rare. Born near spiritual mines. Most are low-rank, but… this one's aura is stable. Older. It may be a Humanoid Beast Spirit—the kind that crafts."
Ash's pulse quickened.
> "What's it doing in a furnace?"
> "It's making something," Shen Mu replied. "These spirits are not fighters. But in the hands of a necromancer—they become eternal artisans."
Ash turned to the town chief.
> "I'll enter. Alone. If I fail, seal it off again."
---
Inside the Furnace Hall
Heat shimmered. Ash descended the stairwell into the forge's belly, breathing slowly through his sleeve.
There, beside a massive iron crucible, he saw it.
Small. Hunched. Humanoid. Its limbs were twisted like tongs, its fingers shaped like chisels. Metal flakes hung from its face like a beard.
The creature didn't growl or charge.
It hammered.
With eerie precision.
It was forging something—a broken blade reforged in blue fire.
Ash stepped closer.
> "I mean no harm."
The beast stopped.
It turned. Its eyes glowed faintly like coals.
Shen Mu's voice spoke again.
> "You must bind it now, before it finishes. Spirits like these rarely accept masters… unless they sense deep death intent—and potential use."
Ash knelt.
Whispered the ancient chant Shen Mu had taught him.
He drew a drop of blood. Let it fall onto the hot forge stone.
The beast blinked.
Then, slowly, it placed the half-made blade before him, bowed its head, and pressed its palm to Ash's.
A seal flared—grey, then crimson, then black.
> [Spirit Pact Formed: Forgespirit - Rank: High | Class: Support | Title: Artisan of Flamebone]
---
Ash collapsed backward, gasping.
In his spiritual sea, a new presence appeared—a small forge-like altar beside his Necrotic Throne, glowing gently.
The beast had not only accepted him—it had bound its essence to his cultivation.
---
By the time Ash emerged, the crowd stared in silence.
He carried the forged blade in one hand and a sealed spirit mark in the other.
> "It's done."
The town chief blinked. "You… killed it?"
Ash smiled faintly.
> "Neutralized it. It won't cause trouble again."
---
Back at Holy Saint Sect
Elder Huo received the report without a word.
But the next day, Ash's mission stone glowed gold:
> Mission Complete: Beast Neutralized. Bonus Spirit Report Logged. Reward: 150 Contribution Points. Personal commendation noted.
No one knew what kind of beast it was.
No one knew Ash had claimed it.
But within the shadows of his room, the Forgespirit now shaped its first project under Ash's command:
A mask—lightweight, soul-bound, bone-infused.
A mask fit for a ghost blacksmith.
---
In a rival sect's black market pavilion, a message had already been sent out:
> "New crafter appeared. Anonymous. Delivered a bone-hilt dagger that cuts through spiritual barriers. Disguised Qi. No name. Paid only in corpse refinement powder."