I Pick up a Lost Godhood

Chapter 137 - 135: Creation from Nothingness

Meanwhile, Song Zhong and the others finally saw Miss Zhao off. The day’s events had been quite a shock to them as well.

"Senior, this is unusual. Should we report it to the Ancestor Master?" Fang Lufei asked, a little worried.

Aside from Yao Yuan, everyone else clearly realized the extreme gravity of the situation.

Song Zhong was silent for a moment before shaking his head. "Pretend you didn’t see anything that happened today. You all know what Ancestor Master Zhao’s personality is like."

Everyone looked at each other and nodded silently.

Even seeing it was a crime, so the best solution was to feign ignorance and let things take their course.

Ever since Wang Meng and Yang Ying’s relationship became public, Ma Tian’Er had indeed stopped seeking out Wang Meng. She gradually moved on from her sadness, slowly returning to her usual enthusiastic self.

The special training for Zhang Xiaojiang and the others was anything but easy. Among them, Hu Jing was the most serious; no amount of gossip could shake her resolve. She and Zhou Qian both practiced the Holy Hall’s Hundred Talisman Butterfly Stream, but their expressions of it were slightly different. Hu Jing’s style was gentle on the surface but firm underneath, while Zhou Qian’s was firm with an undercurrent of gentleness. The two of them sparred by blasting away at each other.

Although Ma Tian’Er participated in the training, her progress wasn’t as fast as the other two. Zhao Ya, however, found this perfectly normal. She wouldn’t interfere too much with a disciple from the Ma Family; this was an unwritten rule between the great families.

One had to give them the appropriate status and respect, and in terms of cultivation, one was only responsible for providing guidance. As for their progress and specific direction, the elders of their own family would worry about that.

After a round of intense sparring, Zhou Qian was once again left covered in dust and grime. "Senior Sister, it’s just practice! Only practice! Don’t be so serious! Save some energy; we still have to fight later."

Hu Jing smiled faintly. "How can we achieve the effects of cultivation if we hold back? Don’t be polite. You must use your full power next time."

’How helpless can I be?’ Zhou Qian lamented internally. He had his explosive combinations, but Hu Jing had a terrifying water-and-fire combination. ’I just can’t beat her.’

However, what Zhou Qian admired most was Hu Jing’s focus. She was completely undistracted.

In another group, Ma Tian’Er and Liuu Mei fought much more gently. Now *that* was what you’d call a sparring match.

To deal with Zhang Xiaojiang, Elder Wan had to resort to some rather despicable methods, and he even got Liuu Mei to cooperate. For example, if Zhang Xiaojiang failed to complete his training tasks within the allotted time, he would be separated from Liuu Mei for ten days. For the passionately in love Zhang Xiaopang, this was practically a death sentence.

Among the group, Suo Ming had the most freedom. Wang Bodang didn’t need to worry about Suo Ming’s effort at all; on the contrary, it was Suo Ming who requested extra training. Wang Bodang’s main concern was preventing Suo Ming from training himself into ruin. The Holy Light Thorn Stream was simply tailor-made for him. Perhaps his innate talent wasn’t the best, but when he merged with the Holy Light Thorn Stream, he could become the best.

What is the best? What is suitable *is* the best!

Therefore, Wang Bodang would occasionally have Suo Ming go practice forging, partly for him to learn, and partly to calm his mind and get some rest.

Wang Bodang was also holding his breath, determined to prove a point. The stronger Hengshan Hall’s Body Cultivators became, the more face Thunderlight Hall lost. Fortunately, Hengshan Hall had eyes but failed to recognize true talent. He would definitely give them a "surprise" at the grand tournament!

Yang Ying didn’t stay at Thunderlight Hall. After Wang Meng returned, she packed up briefly and went back to Flying Phoenix Hall. There were matters concerning the grand tournament that she definitely needed to oversee.

Meanwhile, Wang Meng acted as if everything was normal, practicing his forging. It had to be said, the effects of using high-quality ore were truly extraordinary, allowing him to freely practice various techniques. Wang Meng’s life became a simple routine, a straight line between the Forging Pavilion and his thatched hut.

Zhou Feng had no time to bother with him recently. The verification of the Five Elements Emergency Pill had reached its busiest stage. Not a single step could be skipped. From theory to practice to promotion, no mistakes were allowed in any phase. And Zhou Feng was a meticulous person; he had to ensure this Pill had absolutely no side effects.

Of course, Wang Meng had completely washed his hands of the matter. It had nothing to do with him. His goal was to comprehend the Five Elements Flame from the process; everything else was just a byproduct.

Continuing his comprehension from the Fire Cloud Cave, he realized that during forging, he couldn’t treat the lump of iron in his hands as a dead object, but as the living Metal of the Five Elements.

As a blacksmith, what was needed was to shape it.

Wang Meng had looked over all the forging Skill Techniques and could use them, but he didn’t truly want to become a Blacksmith. He would try out the techniques, but it was only ever just trying.

Thunderbolt also saw this very clearly. He watched quietly from a distance, not going in to interrupt Wang Meng. Wang Meng himself was so focused he paid no attention to his surroundings.

’Someone genuinely interested in forging shouldn’t be like this,’ Thunderbolt thought. ’The basics, even the most minute details, must be practiced solidly. Otherwise, no amount of talent is useful. But it’s obvious Wang Meng isn’t doing that. He’s constantly trying different methods, striking nonstop, but his intention to simply experience it is far too obvious.’

This made Thunderbolt feel a bit wistful. He truly wanted to pass on his forging techniques to Wang Meng, provided, of course, that Wang Meng was interested. He recalled how, back in the day, he would have given up being a Saint Cultivator to start over from scratch with just a single word from that senior. But that senior had said, ’What is suitable is the best.’

Thunderbolt still remembered those words. He hoped Wang Meng would find what he was looking for, but he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret. Wang Meng truly had a talent for forging.

’Speaking of which, my own forging has been stagnant for a long time. The battles in the Great Yuan Realm are cruel and fierce. The news Kuchan brought back this time wasn’t good. The demand for Pills is going to increase, and the same goes for Magical Artifacts and weapons. In such long-term, brutal battles, relying on Cultivation alone is not enough. The dependence on external items becomes even greater.’

’I’d much rather go to the battlefield myself, but the Holy Hall truly has no Ancestor Master better at forging than I am. What can be done?’

’It’s just as Junior Sister Zhou said. No matter what, Wang Meng has already played a huge role in Alchemy. We should let him continue on his path. Everything for the Holy Hall.’

One was inside, hammering away; the other was outside, watching quietly. Hex Ziyuan didn’t even dare to breathe too loudly. The oppressive silence was nearly suffocating him, yet he couldn’t say a word.

He could see that the Ancestor Master was very disappointed, and he was getting anxious. ’I really wish Wang Meng would be more serious! Forging requires seriousness! Why is he just hammering away so casually, constantly switching techniques? Even I can see he’s not taking it seriously, let alone the Ancestor Master!’

’What’s most important?’

’Attitude!’

Thunderbolt’s expression grew darker and darker, and Hex Ziyuan’s heart sank with it. ’Wang Meng has never treated us like outsiders; all the brothers in the Forging Pavilion know that. Sure, our talent and strength might not be much, but we value loyalty. If Ancestor Master Lei turns and leaves today, Wang Meng will definitely be finished.’

Just then, Thunderbolt turned, sighed, and shook his head. ’A failure is a failure. So be it.’

Just as he was about to leave, Hex Ziyuan gritted his teeth and blocked Thunderbolt’s path.

"Ancestor Master, please give Junior Brother Wang another chance! I think he just doesn’t know the proper way to learn forging! He’s a serious person, I... I can guarantee it!"

Hex Ziyuan, who didn’t even dare to speak loudly in front of Wang Bodang, had just spoken out in front of the Holy Hall’s most short-tempered Ancestor Master. The moment he finished, he felt a chill run through him, and his mind went blank. He didn’t even know what he had just said.

Thunderbolt didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He looked at the pale-faced Hex Ziyuan, who had already dropped to his knees with a THUD.

He sighed softly. ’This kid is quite popular, it seems. What a pity.’

At that exact moment, the speed of Wang Meng’s hammering inside the room grew faster and faster, the strikes as dense as falling raindrops. A faint white light emanated from his body, with hints of gold flickering within it.

Thunderbolt froze, his eyes gradually widening.

At this moment, Wang Meng had entered a state of complete selflessness. The Hinayana Five Elements Technique circulated within him, but in the cycle of the Five Elements, Metal had become dominant.

The piece of Seventh Grade iron ore in his hands was changing shape... but it was lumpy and roundish. No matter how you looked at it, it didn’t resemble a weapon.

Hearing no movement for a long while, Hex Ziyuan looked up and was horrified. ’Wang Meng... has gone mad! He’s using Seventh Grade Refined Ore to forge... this shape... it looks like a basin!’

’Oh, gods. It’s over. It’s completely over.’

The Ancestor Master, his back to him, clenched his fists so tightly they were trembling slightly. ’To make Ancestor Master Lei this angry... there’s no hope left...’

But Wang Meng paid no mind. His entire being had merged with the Forging Hammer in his hands. Most crucially, the Fine Iron felt as if it were alive, connected to him. At this moment, he was creating life.

Gradually, Wang Meng closed his eyes, because at this point, he no longer needed the help of sight. A new life was being born, bit by bit, in his hands.

This, perhaps, was the true meaning of forging: the unity of man and tool, the most complete manifestation of what you desire in that single moment.

And Wang Meng’s comprehension of the Metal of the Five Elements was completely embodied in the object in his hands—a basin.

To be frank, it was a rather ugly basin.

But this basin spoke of a new realm of forging.

When the basin was finally complete, the hammer in Wang Meng’s hand came to a stop. He did not, however, open his eyes. What he had created was not important to him; what mattered was the process and the profound meaning contained within it.

Thunderbolt picked up the basin with trembling hands. Hex Ziyuan followed behind him, not because he was particularly brave, but because his body was moving without conscious thought.

"How is this possible? How... Is this a Magical Artifact?" Hex Ziyuan murmured.

Any forged weapon was just a weapon. Those used by Body Cultivators needed to be hard enough and handle well. Those for Sword Cultivators were slightly more complex, needing to channel Elemental Power, and some even incorporated Array Techniques, essentially making them equivalent to Magical Artifacts.

But for weapons used by Body Cultivators and Power Cultivators, the requirements were all the same: they just needed to be heavy enough and brutal enough.

Yet this basin definitely didn’t have any Array in it; Hex Ziyuan had watched until the very end. But somehow, the basin possessed a powerful offensive nature without needing the support of Spirit Stones or the user’s own Elemental Power.

"Wang Meng, what do you call this?"

Wang Meng opened his eyes, glanced at the basin, and said, "Creation from Nothingness."

"Creation from Nothingness... A fine ’Creation from Nothingness’! HA HA HA!"

Thunderbolt’s wild laughter echoed throughout the entire Forging Pavilion. So this was the true essence of the Laws.

Wang Meng, however, was savoring the mystic profundity of the Five Elements Power. What he was experiencing now was merely the tip of the iceberg, yet he had already benefited immensely.

Hex Ziyuan touched the basin, feeling the power within. As a Body Cultivator, he knew very well what this meant... A powerful attack!

The Metal of the Five Elements, requiring no support from Elemental Power.

The so-called Creation from Nothingness wasn’t truly creation from nothing. When Refined Ore was forged into a weapon, it was just an ordinary weapon; the tyrannical destructive power of Metal inherent in its Five Elements nature was not brought out at all. But Wang Meng’s Creation from Nothingness was a process that, upon the weapon’s completion, permanently fixed this law-bound Metal Attribute onto the weapon itself.

To put it bluntly, a Body Cultivator using this kind of weapon could increase their destructive power by ten percent, or even more. (To be continued...)