The rhythmic clanging of hammer against anvil paused as Lin Feng approached the reception desk. "We're here to meet Chief Lou Gao," he announced.
The receptionist - a burly man performing what appeared to be practice swings with no actual metal being worked - gave them an appraising look. "Got an appointment?" he asked in a monotone.
Lin Feng offered an apologetic smile. "Not exactly..."
With a shrug, the man resumed his empty-air hammering. "Chief's always at the forge. Hard to catch when he's in the zone." He jerked his thumb toward a side table. "Fill out the visitor form. And don't interrupt my pursuit of smithing truth."
Qian Renxue's eye twitched as she watched the man's mechanical, purposeless hammer swings. Lin Feng had to suppress a laugh at the ridiculous scene - the man might as well have been shadowboxing with a hammer.
After completing the form, Lin Feng asked, "Any estimate how long the wait might be?"
The receptionist didn't miss a beat in his relentless hammer pantomime. "Afternoon, maybe. Forging burns energy. Lunch is sacred. Chief checks requests then." He punctuated each sentence with another empty clang. "You can wait in the hall."
Lin Feng's gaze swept across the unconventional lobby, taking in the multiple active forges and anvils placed haphazardly throughout what should have been a waiting area. "You keep working furnaces in your reception area? Isn't it unbearably hot?"
A derisive snort. "We're smiths. This is our life." Clang. "People use these stations constantly." Clang.
"There's something about how you phrase things-" Lin Feng began.
"What about how I talk?" Clang. "You know-" Clang.
Qian Renxue's patience snapped. She inhaled sharply through her nose. "Enough! We'll wait over there quietly!" She stormed off toward a seating area, leaving Lin Feng and Ling Yuan to exchange sheepish looks before following.
"That certainly explains why he's the only receptionist," Qian Renxue muttered as she settled onto a surprisingly comfortable couch.
Lin Feng chuckled, taking her hand in his. "That single-minded focus actually makes perfect smithing material though," he mused, watching the man continue his relentless, metal-less hammering.
His gaze drifted to the nearest roaring furnace, mind wandering to elemental connections. Earth births metal... With his third soul vein governing gravity and the fourth manifesting golden sword arrays, theoretically he could recreate something akin to the Unlimited Blade Works. Yet in this pre-soul tool era, what practical use were manufactured weapons?
Unless... His thoughts turned eastward. Could we reach the Sun Moon Continent? I wonder what level their soul tool development has reached now?
Their quiet meditation was interrupted when boisterous laughter suddenly filled the hall. "Hah! That Thunderchisel ore put up one hell of a fight!" A bear of a man came into view, waving a glowing blue longsword triumphantly above his head. "But taste this beauty, lads!"
Lin Feng instantly recognized him - Chief Lou Gao, arguably the mightiest Divine Smith of their age. Towering well over two meters with muscles forged by decades at the anvil, his oil-stained work clothes and soot-smudged face couldn't diminish the commanding presence radiating from him. This was unmistakably a true grandmaster of his craft.
After a whispered exchange with the peculiar receptionist, Lou Gao's bushy eyebrows drew together as he studied the trio - his gaze lingering particularly on Ling Yuan, whose aura clearly marked her as someone beyond ordinary. A Titled Douluo? And accompanied by the famous Scholar Lin Feng? He carefully sheathed his newly forged masterpiece before approaching with cautious steps.
"My apologies for keeping you waiting..." he ventured toward Ling Yuan, his tone carefully respectful. "Your Excellency?"
Ling Yuan's slight nod confirmed his suspicions, making his pulse quicken. After ushering them to his private top-floor workshop - a spacious area with panoramic views of the city through massive windows - and serving tea, Lou Gao addressed Lin Feng directly. "Scholar Lin, our last delivery to Spirit Hall met all specifications flawlessly. Might I ask what brings you to our humble association?"
Lin Feng took a measured sip of the surprisingly excellent tea before responding. "We come with a collaborative opportunity, Chief Lou. One I believe you won't be able to refuse."
The master smith's bushy brows drew together. "The Association maintains strict neutrality in any... disagreements between Spirit Hall and the empires."
Lin Feng's enigmatic smile deepened as he produced an exquisite jade case from his belt. The moment its lid cracked open, Lou Gao's breath caught in his throat - his decades of experience screaming at him about the contents' incalculable value even before he saw them properly.
His throat worked soundlessly for several seconds before managing to croak out, "What... what exactly would you want from me in exchange?"
Lin Feng exchanged a knowing look with Ling Yuan before meeting the smith's gaze squarely. "Just a simple partnership between professionals. Though judging by your reaction, I suspect you've already made your decision."
Lou Gao's eyes remained glued to the partially opened box, his fingers twitching with barely restrained desire. "You'll need to explain... everything."