Ray nodded again. "My parents were taken away by a mysterious organization. To this day, I haven't heard anything from them. So I…"

Alfred frowned deeply. "Your parents? Do you have any clues?"

Ray gave a bitter smile. Apart from the one million federal coins his father had left behind, there was nothing. No leads. No traces.

Alfred spoke in a low voice, "If your parents didn't leave voluntarily, then I can be certain it wasn't the organization I mentioned. Regardless, there's no need to rush. You can think it over slowly. If you change your mind, you may take the test at any time. Once you pass, you'll learn the organization's name. I believe that when you do, you'll understand."

He paused, then added calmly, "If you fail the test, then this discussion becomes meaningless anyway."

Ray thought for a moment, then nodded. "If that's the case… then I'll try."

At the very least, taking the test wouldn't bind him to anything. And if Alfred truly belonged to a righteous organization, then perhaps this wasn't something to fear.

Leaving Alfred's office, Ray didn't return to his dorm. Instead, he exited the academy and headed straight for his forging workshop.

Time was precious.

Alfred's words about secondary occupations had reignited Ray's passion for forging like dry wood catching fire. If he wanted battle armor in the future, he had no choice but to persist on this path.

He still needed to break the second seal before turning fifteen. Five years sounded long, but after seeing the list of required spirit items, Ray no longer felt relaxed.

Four items. A complete set.

And each one carried the words thousand years.

The price alone was enough to suffocate him.

Forging was his greatest source of income. First, he had to clear his debt with the Blacksmith's Association. After that, he would pour everything into improving his forging rank to earn more money. Every coin would be saved for those spirit items.

Finding them by chance was unrealistic. Buying them was the only reliable option.

Fortunately, the Golden Dragon King's soul fragment had dramatically enhanced his coordination, strength, speed, and control. All of these changes directly benefited his forging.

Thousand Refinements were no longer difficult.

He began accepting tasks involving a wide range of uncommon metals. Gilbert had visited him once recently and emphasized a crucial point: diversity.

"Thousand Refine different metals," Gilbert had said. "Only when you understand their nature can you truly advance. When you can resonate with them the way you do with Heavy Silver, you'll be ready for the fourth rank."

Thus, Ray accepted tasks involving various metals.

The rewards were astonishing. Even a common metal, once Thousand Refined, was worth at least one hundred thousand federal coins.

Some tasks paid four to five hundred thousand.

Those, however, required spirit infusion. Ray didn't dare attempt them yet.

Even so, with his current speed, he estimated that it would take no more than three months to fully repay his debt.

He now completes two thousand Refinement tasks every week.

On top of that, he forged two to three nights weekly purely for cultivation. Forging circulated his soul power, refined his control, and even subtly sharpened his spiritual power. None of that time was wasted.

Today, he was finishing his last task of the week.

Aluminium purification. Thousand Refinements.

This task looked simple, yet aluminium proved to be deceptive. It possessed the hardness of steel combined with surprising resilience. As Ray refined it, he gradually sensed the subtle transformations hidden within the metal.

After Thousand Refinement, the aluminium's hardness and elasticity surged. It was as though it had undergone a complete rebirth.

Ray recalled Grandmaster Kaelan's words:

"Thousand Refined aluminium is the most commonly used metal for purple battle armor."

That sentence alone fueled Ray's fascination.

Aluminium was cheap.

If he mastered it thoroughly, forging his own battle armor in the future might not be a dream.

Recently, he had accepted many aluminium tasks. With his Heavy Silver hammers and their stacked amplification, his success rate was frighteningly high.

He faintly sensed it.

If he could grasp aluminium's essence, its life and temperament, he would take another step forward on the path of forging.

*

The forging session ended smoothly.

Staring at the gleaming block of Thousand Refined aluminium, Ray smiled quietly.

Gilbert had once told him that with his perception and divine strength alone, he already stood at the threshold of the fourth rank. After all, Ray could already induce simple special effects in uncommon metals.

But the gap between third and fourth rank was vast.

True advancement required accumulation.

A weak foundation at the fourth rank was worse than remaining at the third.

That was why Gilbert insisted that Ray fully understand every uncommon metal before attempting the test.

After more than three years under Gilbert's guidance, Ray's foundation was solid. He was now strengthening his understanding of third- and fourth-rank metals in preparation for Spirit Forging.

Spirit Forging.

What exactly was it?

Understanding a metal's spirit? Or bestowing spirit upon it?

Before he could ponder further, his soul communicator chimed.

"Teacher Gilbert," Ray answered respectfully.

"If you're free, come to the Blacksmith's Association," Gilbert said. His deep voice carried a faint trace of loneliness.

"I was just about to head over," Ray replied, surprised. "Are you there now?"

"Yes. I'm waiting for you in the president's office."

Ray didn't hesitate. He packed up his finished products and rushed out of the workshop.

The association was close. He arrived within minutes and took the elevator to the top floor.

Inside Nigel's office, both Nigel and Gilbert were present.

Nigel sat calmly, his expression serene.

Gilbert sat opposite him, brows slightly furrowed. "Teacher, President."

Ray hurriedly greeted the two the moment he entered the office. He was still wearing his work clothes, faintly dusty and carrying the sharp scent of metal. Gilbert's message had sounded urgent, and he hadn't dared waste even a second changing.

One glance was enough for Nigel and Gilbert to know he had come straight from the workshop.

Nigel shook his head with a helpless sigh. "Ray, I know you're eager to repay the association, but you still need to take care of yourself. You're only nine years old. If you push yourself like this, it'll affect your long-term development. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Ray replied respectfully, though his eyes were fixed on Gilbert. This was the first time he had ever seen his teacher inside the Blacksmith's Association itself.

Gilbert motioned for him to come closer and pointed to the seat beside him.

"Ray," Gilbert said slowly, his voice heavy, "I called you here to talk about something important."

"What is it, Teacher?" Ray asked.

Gilbert lifted his gaze and met Nigel's eyes. What he saw there was not authority, but regret.

After taking a deep breath, Gilbert began, "To be honest, I originally accepted you as a disciple because of your father's request. At the time, I didn't truly want to take in a six-year-old child. But after getting to know you, seeing your innate divine strength, your diligence, and your perseverance, I was moved. I realized you were gifted. These past three years, I've done my best to give you a solid foundation in forging."

Ray nodded repeatedly. Though Gilbert was strict, he had never doubted his teacher's intentions.

Gilbert paused, then let out a long sigh. "All my life, I dreamed of becoming a Divine Craftsman. But I lacked the talent. My martial soul wasn't strong enough, and I took detours in my early cultivation. The greatest achievement I managed was reaching the sixth rank."

He looked at Ray. "You are different. You are already a third-rank blacksmith, and you truly have a chance to become a Divine Craftsman. To be blunt, in the entire association, you are the one most likely to reach that height. But now that you're approaching the fourth rank, you will need deeper guidance. I have only just stepped into Spirit Forging myself. My understanding is incomplete."

His voice lowered. "That's why I hope you're willing to accept the president as your master and continue your studies under him."

For a moment, the room was silent.

Gilbert's hands clenched slightly. Saying those words had not been easy. Who would willingly hand their most promising disciple to someone else?

But Nigel's earlier question echoed in his mind: Do you want him to become even greater?

Gilbert had thought about it long and hard. Ray's talent had already surpassed the limits of what he could teach. Letting Nigel guide him was the best path forward.

"Teacher!"

Ray suddenly stood up and dropped to his knees, his head bowed low. "A teacher for a day is a father for life. That's what my father taught me. Teacher, you can't abandon me!"

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