“You put excessive internal energy into your strike. That doesn’t resemble Luo Clan’s mental cultivation and is more like Kunlun Sect’s Yang Blood True Qi. Always bear in mind that Luo Clan’s style is about profoundness. Even if you want to be more rigid and focused on power, you need to exhibit control and overwhelm. Do not chase power through aggression.”
In addition to Sun Character Worship, blacksmiths of Luo Clan could also be found at their smithing workshop on Whale God Island and had everything they needed underground since they spent so much time there. At Whale God Island, they had fifteen big training rooms. The thirty-two on the smaller side were for nurturing the physical attributes to endure the heat in the smithing workshops and abilities to protect the weapons forged were as important as forging them.
Tang Ye’s swordplay and internal style was similar enough to convince disciples of Luo Clan that Luo Ming had taken in a personal disciple, but similar isn’t synonymous with flawless.
“Your strike was a tad high and slow. Don’t rush your strikes. Flame Emperor Swordplay has ‘Emperor’ in it for a good reason. An Emperor needs to be in control without needing to impose his authority. Think about that.”
“… It resembles Kunlun Swordplay?” Tang Ye questioned in a deep voice.
“No. Not even Kunlun’s Swordplay would be that unbridled.” A-Ji, practically lying in a chair, crossed his legs over nice and high for comfort as he read a book titled “Theory”. Despite his age showing at the corner of his youths, his grin brimmed with youth. “It’s not that you utilised it wrong. Rather, you seem distracted.”
Meeting Tang Ye was a gift that fell in Luo Ming’s laps because the former focused purely on heat, sponged everything up quick and had the avenger’s eyes that Luo Ming almost mistook as his own eyes seen whenever he recollected the nightmare of Nanjiang. If there was someone who knew best how to lead Tang Ye down the “dark” path of an avenger and manipulate him, it was Luo Ming. It didn’t matter that he didn’t know how long Tang Ye had been swimming in hatred; all Luo Ming had to do was take Tang Ye down the same path he had walked for the last decade.
Tang Ye accepted Luo Ming’s terms without hesitation and even consumed Poison King’s binary poison to push past his limits, catching up to Yi Wangyou. In accordance with their agreement, Tang Ye’s advent resurrected the frozen smithing department. Unsurprisingly, it was impossible for him to earn everyone’s acknowledgement.
A-Ji, although a man without a surname, was assigned to assist Tang Ye consolidate himself as the new head of the smithing department for time wasn’t a luxury that Luo Ming could afford. Luo Ming didn’t expect A-Ji, an affable man at heart, to get along so well with the block of ice that is Tang Ye. It was a risky move on Luo Ming’s part since Tang Ye didn’t even hail from Luo Clan – not that he had much of a choice. Luo Ming’s internal style tended to yin – cold – so it would take him ages to make the switch to the other extreme. That is not to say he would’ve made the move even if he could.
Weapons A-Ji forged surpassed the quality of Beihai’s Clear Mirror Palace, but the real testament to his talent for smithing was his status as the youngest blacksmith captain of Luo Clan’s smithing department. Besides Clear Mirror Palace’s leader, Luo Clan’s head blacksmith – Luo Butong – were the only people superior to A-Ji from Tang Ye’s experience.
“The leader of Sun Character Worship has always been from Luo Clan up until now. I bet we’d be quelling a riot right now instead of chatting here if your Scorching Sun Spirit wasn’t pure.” A-Ji was the one who combed through Tang Ye’s swordplay to polish the details.
“I have you to thank. Had you not killed all the leader of the previous blacksmith’s opposition party and everyone taking part, I wouldn’t be here, either.”
“It’s just a job and improvisation. I’m not fond of committing murder.”
“Do you believe Luo Ming will unquestionably win?”
“Don’t tell me you’re still not confident in his abilities.” When A-Ji sat up to get serious, the fake book cover peeled off, revealing the nude woman on the cover of his book. “Hahaha, well, crap, hahaha. Like the girl and mistress in this ‘Forest of Apricots’ book of mine here, everyone on Dragonroot Island has revealed what they’re made of. On the other hand, besides myself, our swordsmen, ‘Wind, Fire, Lightning, Rain’ swordsmen, we also have Nanjiang’s Poison King on our side. You think he’d fail?”
“I don’t know.” Tang Ye whipped out a perfect strike and added, “Some things aren’t just what they appear on the surface.”
“Hmm…” A-Ji studied Tang Ye for a second then lied back down and smiled: “I hope it won’t be too predictable.”
