After a long period of contemplation, Clara said earnestly: "It's persistence. I believe the content of the training isn't important; what's important is whether one can persist through the entire process without missing a single day."
"Only by continuing in this way for a long time can the body subtly break through its limits and reach the peak."
Guinaifen: "Oh oh oh! I see, I see. Note it down, note it down..."
—"Oh? Is that so?"
At that moment, a low and benevolent voice suddenly rang out, and a massive shadow enveloped the two of them—that was a burly (old) man standing at 1.8 meters tall.
Guinaifen turned her head and stared at the elder for a moment, then her beautiful eyes widened, her voice filled with excitement: "Flam-Flam-Flam-Flam, General Huaiyan?!"
The portrait of the person before her eyes was still featured on the promotional posters for the Martial Exhibition, and as a video blogger like Guinaifen, it was impossible for her not to recognize him.
Huaiyan stroked his beard, his expression kind and benevolent, chuckling as he walked forward and said seriously: "This old man has a different view from what this young friend just said. The most important factor in becoming strong lies in constantly challenging the limits of one's body, being reborn from death amid hellish training."
"Therefore, the content of the training itself is extremely important; only by being sufficiently rigorous can one reach the pinnacle."
Guinaifen: "Ah haha... General Huaiyan's words make a lot of sense too. The Martial Exhibition truly lives up to its reputation as a place where dragons hide and tigers lurk— to actually hear words of wisdom from two great experts at the same time..."
"Young friend, this old man sees that you and I are fated. Would you be willing to become my disciple?"
With the conversation reaching this point, Huaiyan simply stopped beating around the bush and stated it directly.
The first moment Huaiyan laid eyes on Clara, he felt that the two of them were fated.
Just like when he had seen Yingxing and Yunli before.
Clara shook her head: "Forget it."
From Guinaifen's form of address just now, she could roughly guess that Huaiyan was among the highest-ranking figures on the Xianzhou, but having grown accustomed to places like the Underworld, her aura showed no sign of weakening.
Moreover... the other party actually wanted to take her as a disciple—this sounded somewhat novel.
"Young friend, this old man has a set of training methods here. As long as you take me as your master, within three months, I guarantee you will be invincible among your peers."
As Huaiyan spoke, he took out a steel pipe, placed his palms on both ends of the pipe respectively, and pressed down with force—
Crack!
A one-meter-long steel pipe instantly became a flat iron pancake.
Guinaifen: !
Such immense strength!
Clara's expression remained impassive as she took the iron pancake from Huaiyan's hand and said indifferently: "Unfortunately, for me, I've long been invincible."
With that, she grabbed both sides of the iron pancake and pulled with force—
Screech—
As a harsh sound rang out, the iron pancake was actually forcibly pulled back into the shape of a steel pipe by Clara.
Guinaifen: !!
This strength is even greater!
"Good, you've got spirit."
Seeing this, Huaiyan appreciated Clara even more and laughed: "Young friend's words just now are exactly like those of one of this old man's former disciples—though he has now become a Stellaron Hunter, this old man still can't forget him."
Guinaifen, standing to the side: Ah? One of General Huaiyan's disciples actually became a Stellaron Hunter? Can this content be broadcast?
Huaiyan let out a long sigh, his thoughts gradually drifting back to the past: "Back in the day, this old man had only achieved some success in the path of craftsmanship. It was at that time that I met the most intelligent disciple of my life. At first, he was just like you, young friend, unwilling to take this old man as his master..."
Hundreds of years ago, on the Xianzhou Zhuming.
Inside the workshop, countless burly men stood at strict attention, surrounding a youth and General Huaiyan in the center.
This was the craftsmen's grand competition held once every few decades on Zhuming. The participants were all master craftsmen who had diligently practiced on Zhuming for hundreds of years. Their purpose in competing was to become disciples under the legendary divine craftsman master, the Candle Abyss General, Huaiyan.
Huaiyan's sect represented the supreme glory of the entire Zhuming. All the masters present had used everything they had learned in their lifetimes, yet in the final round of the competition, they lost to a youth whose name was unknown to all.
Moreover, this youth was even a short-life species, yet the work he forged made everyone present sigh in admiration at their own inferiority.
It was an exquisite cane, seemingly ordinary, but the surface of the cane was engraved with a portrait of General Huaiyan using an extremely meticulous technique.
Under everyone's gaze, the nearly three-meter-tall Huaiyan touched his beard and chuckled: "Yingxing, your forging achievement this time ranks first among all workshops. This old man has seen your work, and it is indeed exquisitely crafted, worthy of this old man's sect."
"How about it? Are you willing?"
In truth, this question of inquiry was normally just a formality, because any normal person would absolutely not say a "no" at this moment.
But...
"Although your skills are indeed superb and exquisite, however..." Yingxing let out a light snort: "I like to say no when others think I'll agree!"
"I don't want to be just a craftsman."
"Oh?" Huaiyan raised an eyebrow and asked: "Why?"
Yingxing said candidly: "I came to the Xianzhou to learn the skills to exterminate Abominations of Abundance. To be a logistics personnel in the rear? Hmph, I think I'll pass."
"The reason I participated in this competition was merely to prove to all of you that the path of craftsmanship is but a minor art. I'm not some armchair critic who talks big without the skills—I'm genuinely not interested."
Whoa—
Hearing this, all the craftsmen present widened their eyes, their gazes toward Yingxing filled with worry and pity: This youth does have some talent, they acknowledged, but has this kid misunderstood something?
Does he think that the craftsmen under General Huaiyan's sect are merely those who hammer iron?
(Of course, Yingxing naturally didn't know at this time.)
If the crowd had guessed correctly, the corners of Huaiyan's mouth suddenly curved into an arc, and his massive frame stepped forward two paces. "Yingxing, boy, this old man admits that you indeed have considerable talent in forging, but have you misunderstood something? This old man's sect doesn't train just a single craft."
"It is also a... combat technique that can be used to kill enemies."
Yingxing remained unmoved: "Kill enemies? Then aren't my current achievements sufficient to join your sect? Does that mean I can now freely slaughter Abominations of Abundance?"
"Of course not." Huaiyan shook his head. "You haven't undergone my training yet, so naturally, you can't."
"Very well, considering you're a short-life species and young and ignorant, this old man will show you what the path of Zhuming's craftsmen truly is!"
Yingxing's inner thoughts: Heh, at most it's just some iron-forging techniques—it's not like I can't learn them...
"Drink up!"
Boom!
Yingxing only felt General Huaiyan roar loudly, and he was nearly swept away by the gust of wind from the sound.
In just an instant, the clothes on Huaiyan's body were shattered into fragments by his powerful internal force, revealing his steel-like muscles.
"Watch closely, Yingxing boy!"
Huaiyan casually picked up an iron ingot from the forging table and said: "I guarantee you'll be interested in joining this old man's sect."