Yun Chuan exited the cave and burst through the waterfall, looking up to see a clear, starry night had already fallen.
He realized it was now night—he hadn't even noticed the passage of time.
Helping his birth mother regain her human form was a great weight off his heart. He knew he could never fully repay the debt of being born, but this was the best he could do at present.
At most, for the sake of this life's parents, if Tang San (his "discount brother") ever came causing trouble, Yun Chuan vowed not to kill him—just cripple him to live an ordinary life. Letting him return to recognize parents and call "Mom, Dad" was impossible; he simply couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead, he'd compensate his parents in other ways.
"It's been long enough here. It's time to head for the next stop." Yun Chuan hadn't forgotten the core goal of his journey—to expand his horizons and, most importantly, seek treasures to enhance his physique and break through the limits of soul master cultivation. Only by gaining ultimate power could he deal with whatever trouble Tang San might stir up later.
He resolved: "Next stop—let's go there!"
Crackling blue arcs of electricity suddenly surged across his body, gathering at his back into a pair of thunder wings. With a flap, Yun Chuan shot off like a streak of lightning, vanishing into the distance at impossible speed. The Thunder Wings, though not true lightning speed, dramatically boosted his flight—perfect for travel.
——
Gengxin City—headquarters of the continent's Blacksmith Association.
Located within the Star Luo Empire, it's a major city but not a famous one—just mid-tier among the main cities.
In the Douluo Continent, blacksmiths are like ordinary folk, while soul masters reign supreme; hence, the Blacksmith Association's influence is mainly confined to Gengxin City.
Only the Spirit Hall—essentially the Soul Master Association—holds sway across the entire land. The contrast in blacksmiths' and soul masters' status is profound.
With Thunder Wings, Yun Chuan traveled at great speed, though the technique was soul-power-intensive, requiring rest and nourishment between flights. It took him around three days to reach Gengxin's gates.
A flash of lightning struck—
As the electric light faded, Yun Chuan, white-clad and black-haired, appeared.
He noted that Gengxin City's walls were iron-grey, resembling metal. Even before entering, the "metallic aura" was palpable.
"Finally here. Paradise of blacksmiths—the City of Metal!" Yun Chuan breathed out. Three days' travel with Thunder Wings had exhausted him.
After a brief rest, he tidied his travel-worn clothes and entered the city.
At once, the overwhelming smell of metal hit him; now a competent blacksmith himself, he found it rather pleasing.
The city boasted an unrivaled number of smithies, with the clangor of hammers everywhere. Gengxin City is famed for this—over 1,000 smithy shops and tens of thousands of blacksmiths, drawing competitors from afar for the prestigious blacksmith exams. Pass and you could settle here.
Simply put, this was blacksmith-heaven! In this city, smiths held genuine status.
Blacksmiths are ranked in seven divisions:
Novice Blacksmith
Intermediate Blacksmith
Advanced Blacksmith
Blacksmith Master
Blacksmith Grandmaster
Blacksmith Patriarch
Divine Craftsman
To date, only three Divine Craftsmen are known to exist on the continent.
But none of that mattered to Yun Chuan—he had no interest in smithing as a career. He came here after sensing his special "banchingfa gold" (a unique crystal-metal specimen) triggered his forehead's rune. He guessed that rare metals might be crucial for breaking through his own body's restrictions. Soul bones, especially ten-thousand-year ones, were too rare; but precious metals were, by contrast, relatively accessible.
That's why he'd come to the Metal City—Gengxin!
Wandering the bustling streets lined with smith-shops and mineral vendors,
Yun Chuan suddenly felt the rune between his brows vibrate excitedly!
It seemed this really was the right choice—his rune hadn't reacted so strongly in twelve years.
Guided by the rune, Yun Chuan entered a shop called "Exotic Stone House."
It was a large establishment, lined with shelves of odd-shaped and colorful raw ore. Unopened, unrefined mineral rocks—no one could tell what lay inside by looking alone.
Each was neatly priced, often according to its oddness.
A sign on the wall read:
"All prices are as marked. No bargaining!"
It was a "gambling stones" shop: you paid for the raw mineral, which could contain a priceless treasure, or may just hold worthless ore.
(End of Chapter 94)