Chapter 150 — The Weight of Mastery
Forging in the Titan Realm was not measured by grades alone.
It was measured by how much of the world you could force into obedience.
And over the next twelve days, Lin Xuan did exactly that.
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Rowan's Escalating Trials
The first challenge Rowan set was simple in description:
"Forge a weapon that can withstand Void-pressure."
The materials given were already considered excessive for outer court disciples:
Trial Materials — Phase One
Void-Touched Titan Iron (3,000 jin)
→ Naturally resistant to spatial collapse
Starfall Alloy Sand (600 jin)
→ Enhances astral conductivity
Abyss-Tempered Bone Core (1 piece)
→ Grants corrosion resistance and pressure dampening
Lin forged for three full days.
He did not use orthodox Titan fire.
He used micro-scale Black Hole compression.
The result:
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✅ Forged Item #1 — Void-Break Spear (Prototype)
Type: Heavy Spear
Grade: Early Titan-grade
Weight: 9,800 jin
Materials:
Void-Touched Titan Iron (shaft)
Abyss Bone Core (spearhead)
Starfall Alloy (internal energy channels)
Stats & Properties:
+120% Spatial Resistance
+90% Penetration vs. Defensive Barriers
Immune to Void Corrosion (below Void Rupturing Realm)
Converts 12% of enemy spatial pressure into kinetic rebound
Rowan tested it personally.
He drove it into a gravity-collapse field.
It held.
Rowan did not praise.
He simply said:
"Again."
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Forging Level Breakthrough
By the end of the second trial, the Astral Forge's hidden evaluation array updated silently:
> Lin Xuan — Forging Realm:
✅ Titan Apprentice → ✅ Titan Adept
Law Integration Rate: 11% → 29%
World-Pressure Handling: Stable
No announcement was made.
Rowan did not allow it.
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Phase Two — Pressure Forging
Rowan's next challenge was brutal:
"Forge defense against annihilation-level force."
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Trial Materials — Phase Two
Mountain-Soul Titan Stone (2 slabs)
→ Contains dormant Earth Law
Thunder-Condensed Sky Crystal (4 cores)
→ Drives lightning circulation
Voidthread Gold (12 strands)
→ Maintains shape under singularity compression
Lin forged in his inner world this time.
He used:
Jupiter Storm for rotation shaping
Earth Dao for structural binding
Black Hole compression for internal spatial collapse layering
The result was not armor.
It was a defensive core plate.
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✅ Forged Item #2 — Annihilation Guard Plate
Type: Chest Core Armor
Grade: Mid Titan-grade
Weight: 18,400 jin
Materials:
Mountain-Soul Titan Stone (outer shell)
Voidthread Gold (law stitching)
Sky Thunder Crystals (internal circulation)
Stats & Properties:
+210% Physical Defense
+160% Law Shock Absorption
Converts 30% incoming lightning into internal energy circulation
Immune to Gravity Collapse below Ascension Realm
Automatically reinforces defense when user's spiritual pressure spikes
Rowan struck it once.
The recoil shattered the test platform.
The armor did not move.
Rowan stared at it for a long time.
Then:
"Again."
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Phase Three — Weapon Without Limits
For the final trial of the cycle, Rowan gave Lin something dangerous.
A single material.
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Trial Material — Phase Three
Heaven-Crushed Star Core Fragment (1 piece)
→ Remnant of a failed planetary birth
→ Contains unstable primordial gravity
"This kills most forgers," Rowan said calmly.
Lin accepted it anyway.
This time, he forged nothing orthodox.
He forged a condensed battle focus artifact.
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✅ Forged Item #3 — Singularity Focus Ring
Type: Combat Control Artifact
Grade: Late Titan-grade
Weight: Variable (Law-Based)
Materials:
Heaven-Crushed Star Core Fragment
Voidthread Gold lattice
Jovian Storm Condensate
Stats & Properties:
+70% Gravity Law Control
+40% Energy Compression Efficiency
Allows Black Hole to stabilize up to 300 meters
Reduces backlash from singularity-based techniques by 65%
Passively compresses spiritual energy density at all times
This time…
Rowan did not say "again."
He only said:
"You are done for today."
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Forging Level Advancement
That night, the forge array updated again:
> Lin Xuan — Forging Realm:
✅ Titan Adept → ✅ Titan Expert
Law Integration Rate: 45%
World Forging Compatibility: Confirmed
This time, Rowan did not suppress it.
Several inner court elders felt the ripple.
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Tian Feels the Pressure
Tian halted mid-strike in his own training.
The mountain behind his hammer cracked.
He narrowed his eyes toward the forge mountain.
"…So he is climbing."
His grip tightened.
"One month."
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Rowan's Final Silent Acknowledgment
Before Lin left for the night, Rowan finally spoke in pure, unguarded honesty:
"You are no longer learning forging."
"You are defining it."
Lin bowed deeply.
But he said nothing.
Because the abyss still stirred.
Because Tian still waited.
And because his true weapon was still not yet born.
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