The afternoon had passed faster than Kyrian expected, the hours flowing like water through his fingers as he devoted himself to forging.
The interior of Sun Luguo's workshop remained filled with the heat of the furnace, a constant presence that seemed to have become part of his very being. The sound of hammering continuously echoed through the stone walls, a hypnotic rhythm that lulled his thoughts.
'Clang!' Kyrian raised the hammer and struck again, his movements precise and confident.
'Clang!' The piece of metal on the workbench had already been heated and cooled several times, each cycle refining its structure, each strike adding a new layer of understanding.
Each strike was accompanied by a small amount of Qi, carefully controlled to penetrate the material at the exact moment, like a seed being planted in fertile soil.
