Death... and me

Rean passed the next hours with the elders explaining a few things that they always did wrong. Like the fact that submerging equipment in cold water would make it easier to break. So the tempering process had to be done while controlling the temperature. Oil was quite useful for such a thing.

Of course, he didn't say anything that could lead them to find out the process of creating Element Gathering Weapons or Armors. That is his secret, which he will only reveal after becoming strong enough to defend himself.

All the Outer Sect Elders and even the Inner Elder, Odeni Fuker, were enlighted by such reveals. When asked where he learned it, he simply brushed everything to a hidden master that didn't want to be known. Whether it was true or not, there was no way to confirm it. However, considering Rean's age, that could be the only possible explanation. Even an inheritance wouldn't make him so proficient at his age.

After all, usually, inheritances would need one to learn the things inside by themselves. They refuse to believe that a kid would be able to achieve it alone even if he had the full information. The presence of a master was definitely highly necessary.

Thanks to those insights, Rean was rewarded by the Odeni. He gave Rean two choices, Sect Points or forging materials. Due to how much his methods would help the Blacksmith Hall, it would give him at least 10000 points, which would be great. On the other side, he could opt for a lot of High-Level Materials or even a few Peak-Level ones!

But before he could decide, the disciple taking care of his badge appeared.

"Here's your Blacksmith Badge, Junior Rean. As per the demands in your token, you are now an Earth Low-Level Blacksmith."

"Earth Blacksmith?"

Willio, who was also there, understood that Rean didn't have much knowledge about Blacksmith Levels.

"There are several levels of Blacksmith in the world. As far as our Dalamu Sect is concerned, these are the ones we know."

"Mortal Level Blacksmiths; they can forge non-spiritual equipments. Basically, all blacksmiths in the world who can at least forge a weapon are at this level."

"Earth Level Blacksmiths; they can forge Low/High/Peak Earth Level Equipments. Simply put, those are the Spiritual Equipments that most cultivators between Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, and Core and Soul Fusion Realms use."

"Heaven Level Blacksmiths; they can forge Low/High/Peak Level Divine Equipments. Those weapons can only be used by Nascent Soul/Soul Transformation/Saint Realm cultivators."

"As for what comes after it, we don't know since it is a realm far above what we can grasp."

"You can divide each of those levels by the Blacksmith capabilities too. That's why you are considered an Earth Low-Level Blacksmith. Because you can forge Low-Level Spiritual Equipments. After all, you said that you forged yours and your brother's Spiritual Swords."

Willio also added.

"The other side occupations can be separated in the same way. Alchemy, Formations, Talismans, etc., all of them follow this categorization."

Rean nodded. It was the first time he heard such a thing. Still, it was an excellent way to separate them and find the right Blacksmith when you needed some work done. Rean then pinned the badge on his Sect Robe as well. After that, he made his request.

"Instead of Sect Points, I would rather have High-Level materials to practice. I intend to become an Earth High-Level Blacksmith. As for Peak-Level Materials, I don't think my cultivation is high enough to work with them at the moment."

Odeni nodded, satisfied.

"Indeed. To forge Peak-Level ones, the quality of your Spiritual Energy has to improve. Not to mention that the amount of Spiritual Energy necessary increases several times compared to High-Level ones. If you get Peak-Level materials, they will be stuck in your bag for a long time. To be honest, with your cultivation only at the Middle Stage of the Foundation Establishment, I'm not sure if you will succeed forging a High-Level Equipment to start with."

Rean agreed with Odeni. He is very aware of how much Spiritual Energy he needed to for the Low-Level Ones. So it was already within his expectations that he wouldn't be able to touch Peak-Level Materials so soon.

Rean was then brought to the Blacksmith Hall Deposit, where he could select the High-Level Materials he wanted to work with. All in all, he got five times more High-Level Ores than what he got from Folca back in Majorias City. Of course, Folca's Materials would flow in for a very long time. Different from now where he wouldn't get such an opportunity any time soon.

The Blacksmith Hall had several well-known Core Formation and Core and Soul Fusion Realm Blacksmiths. They had their own ways of doing things and their own forging secrets too. That being said, the Blacksmith Hall had long since prepared rooms with Isolation Formations that prevented others from peaking inside.

At this moment, Rean was inside of one of these rooms exactly.

"Sister Orb, did you finish analyzing the formation?"

[Yes. They were not lying. As long as a Soul Transformation Realm doesn't intervene, no one will be able to see what you are doing inside. There are no loopholes.]

Rean also took this chance to ask something else.

"Sister orb, since you can analyze formations, can you also draw them?"

[No. Analyzing is totally different from learning. You can think about it as a person driving a car. You know how to operate it, but can you build a car yourself?]

Rean shook his head. Other than the general concept of explosions that moved the pistons, Rean didn't know anything else.

[That's what I can do basically. I can learn how to use the formations, but I can't draw them. It is far above what the Soul Gem System can do.]

Rean couldn't hide the little bit of disappointment in his face.

"I see. Well, I guess I was being too greedy. Anyway, just the fact that you can learn how to use them can be of big help in the future."

Rean then looked at the pile of materials in front of him and licked his lips as a smile returned to his face.

"Well, time to work."