Spirit Alloy
Spirit alloy is fundamentally different from ordinary alloys. To create spirit alloy, the spiritual properties of two metals must be fused through a process called spiritual forging.
If the spiritual essence of the metals is damaged during this process, subsequent steps like spiritual tempering become impossible.
Moreover, because the spiritual properties of different metals can repel each other, some metal combinations simply cannot be fused through spiritual forging.
The rare metal combinations that can successfully undergo spiritual forging are discovered through relentless experimentation by master blacksmiths.
The amount of rare metals consumed in this process is enormous, which is why these combinations are closely guarded secrets among high-level blacksmiths, passed down only to their disciples.
But what did Zhenhua witness?
Huo Yuhao used a soul guidance inscription array to infuse the metal source into a rare metal, directly completing the spiritual forging process by merging the spiritual essence and core properties of one metal with another!
Yet, in Zhenhua's judgment as a divine blacksmith, the rare metal and the metal source Huo Yuhao used were incompatible for spiritual forging!
Zhenhua took a deep breath and looked at Huo Yuhao, asking solemnly, "May I take a closer look?"
Huo Yuhao gestured for him to proceed.
Zhenhua picked up the alloy and examined it carefully. The more he looked, the more serious his expression became.
Based on his understanding of spirit alloys, the fusion rate of this alloy had reached 100%!
A fusion rate of 60% is considered a successful spiritual forging. Every additional 5% in fusion rate elevates the metal's quality by another level.
But achieving that is no easy feat!
Take his junior brother, Mu Chen, for example. As an eighth-rank saint blacksmith, even he doesn't always achieve a fusion rate above 90%!
Extracting the metal source, fusing it with another metal, and creating a spirit alloy that defies conventional forging theory, this was nothing short of miraculous!
This was the only description Zhenhua could think of.
Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao calmly waited for Zhenhua to collect his thoughts, his expression unreadable.
He had said before that he possessed something that could move Zhenhua.
In a way, this could be considered alchemy.
Using a siphon inscription soul guidance array to extract the metal source, then employing a reverse array to infuse it into a new rare metal, perfectly merging their sources to create a new spirit alloy... Any blacksmith would understand the significance of this technique. It could theoretically produce the most advanced spirit alloys that were previously thought impossible!
Zhenhua took another deep breath, glanced at the quietly seated Snow Empress, suppressed his excitement, and turned to Huo Yuhao, asking thoughtfully:
"Are you perhaps a hundred-thousand-year soul beast in human form?"
Huo Yuhao's actions had proven his ability to extract metal sources and create entirely new spirit alloys.
For a child to possess such skills was something Zhenhua found hard to accept, it would be a blow to the reputation of the Blacksmith Association.
But if Huo Yuhao were a hundred-thousand-year soul beast in human form, Zhenhua could understand.
With the ongoing peace between soul beasts and humans, it wasn't uncommon for hundred-thousand-year soul beasts to take human form and enter human society.
Thanks to the Spirit Pagoda and spirit souls, most people, unless driven by greed or emotion, would accept them amicably.
The person before him carried himself with a calmness unbecoming of a child and had caught the attention of the Snow Empress. Perhaps he was a transformed soul beast from the Extreme North, which would explain his extraordinary abilities.
"Pfft!"
Gu Yuena couldn't help but laugh at Zhenhua's guess. Snow Empress also looked at Huo Yuhao and smiled softly.
Huo Yuhao's smile, however, faded.
He glanced helplessly at Snow Empress and Gu Yuena, then turned to Zhenhua and sighed.
Out of the three of them, the two who were actually soul beasts in human form weren't the ones being suspected. Instead, Zhenhua had guessed him, truly a display of "keen intuition"... Though, in a way, he wasn't entirely wrong.
"Divine Blacksmith Zhenhua, would you like to see my body-type martial soul?"
Seeing the smiles on Snow Empress and Gu Yuena's faces, Zhenhua realized his mistake. When he heard that Huo Yuhao had a body-type martial soul, he coughed awkwardly.
Soul beasts in human form typically had beast-type martial souls, and while some with unique abilities could disguise themselves as tool-type martial souls, body-type martial souls were unheard of.
"No need. It's truly remarkable that someone so young has achieved such feats. It's humbling."
Zhenhua decided not to dwell on Huo Yuhao's background. It wasn't his concern.
Instead, he turned his attention back to the spirit alloy and asked with excitement, "Could you teach me the soul guidance inscription array you just used? In exchange, I can provide all the heavenly-forged metal you need for your four-word battle armor! If that's not enough, name your price, anything within my power!"
This technology could captivate any blacksmith, including him!
"We'll discuss that later," Huo Yuhao shook his head. Seeing Zhenhua's disappointed expression, he asked, "If we use this method to create a spirit alloy by infusing the metal source of Ice Extreme Divine Crystal into the alloy, could you perform the heavenly forging?"
The disappointment faded quickly as Zhenhua began to seriously consider Huo Yuhao's proposal.
Such a valuable technique wouldn't be easily obtained. He'd have to take it slow.
After some thought, Zhenhua confirmed, "If this technique can make the spirit alloy containing Ice Extreme Divine Crystal properties more stable, I can attempt the heavenly forging! This technique could increase my success rate!"
His reluctance to attempt heavenly forging with Ice Extreme Divine Crystal wasn't just due to its rarity.
There was also the issue of its properties.
The Ice Extreme Divine Crystal contained extreme cold energy. Once forging began, it would release extreme cold that even a Title Douluo without battle armor would struggle to withstand.
Of course, if that were the only issue, Zhenhua could find a way around it. But during heavenly forging, the blacksmith faces a heavenly tribulation, and the metal must endure the tribulation to receive the imprint of the laws!
If he attempted heavenly forging with Ice Extreme Divine Crystal, he would have to face both the heavenly tribulation and the intense cold released by the crystal, all while ensuring the tribulation imprinted the laws properly on the metal.
The difficulty would multiply several times over, and one misstep could waste the Ice Extreme Divine Crystal!
For a blacksmith, Ice Extreme Divine Crystal was far from cooperative!
But if the Ice Extreme Divine Crystal were alloyed with metals he was more familiar with, and its properties became more stable, attempting the heavenly forging might be feasible.
Especially since the alloy created by Huo Yuhao's method had a 100% fusion rate, making it exceptionally high-quality and capable of withstanding the tribulation, further boosting the success rate.
Snow Empress, hearing this, looked at Huo Yuhao in surprise, a smile forming on her face.
Even though she trusted Huo Yuhao's abilities, she hadn't expected him to delve so deeply into the art of forging in such a short time since arriving in this era.
A technique that could move Zhenhua and even increase the success rate of heavenly forging...
'Even without reaching your peak, you're still full of surprises, just like ten thousand years ago. It seems I'll be indebted to you again.'
Snow Empress smiled to herself.
At that moment, Huo Yuhao's voice sounded in her ear through a soul transmission, "You can't refuse this gift, can you?"
Snow Empress replied softly, "Of course not. If it's a gift from your heart, how could I refuse? But the idea of giving gifts just to repay favors is unacceptable. You've always disliked being indebted to others, but you've started nitpicking even with me. Don't do that in front of me anymore."
Huo Yuhao: "...Alright."
After some time, once they had finalized the plans for researching the Ice Extreme Divine Crystal alloy and heavenly forging, Zhenhua turned to Gu Yuena with curiosity.
"I can't help but wonder, if the young man's technique has already amazed me, what could your so-called trump card be?"
Huo Yuhao had already given him a pleasant surprise, but what about Gu Yuena, the trump card he mentioned?
Could she possess the qualifications for heavenly forging?
Haha, just a joke.