The stillness of early morning blanketed Green River Town. A cool mist lingered over the stone paths, and the clanging of hammers from blacksmith forges had not yet begun. But in a tucked-away corner of the town, the rhythmic pounding of iron echoed steadily—it was the Xi family forge, where Xi Chen was already hard at work.
His hammer came down with precision, shaping a heated strip of iron into a farming blade. Sweat ran down his temples, and steam hissed as drops fell onto the glowing metal. Though the work was ordinary, his heart remained calm and focused. The flames of the forge no longer felt like a threat to him. They were an extension of his will.
But today, there was tension in the air. As he wiped his brow and doused the newly formed blade in water, Xi Chen noticed someone approaching from the street. A boy in his late teens, wearing fine silk robes embroidered with the silver insignia of the Guo Clan, strolled toward the forge.
Xi Chen's gaze sharpened.
"Selling tools again, peasant?" the boy sneered. He was tall, with a practiced arrogance in his walk. "You're wasting decent iron on village trash. You should sell everything to my clan. At least we'd pay you fairly."
"I don't remember asking for your opinion," Xi Chen replied coolly, placing the blade aside.
The young noble stepped closer, clearly trying to provoke him. "You've grown some backbone, haven't you? That's dangerous for someone with no clan, no status, and no martial strength."
Xi Chen's hands tightened slightly around the hammer's handle, but he didn't move. "If your clan really wanted to buy, you'd send someone with better manners."
The noble scoffed. "Remember your place."
Xi Chen watched him leave with calm, but inside, a familiar fury smoldered.
The weak are never left in peace.
That afternoon, Xi Chen found Xi Bing and Xi Xuan near the riverbank. Xi Bing was meditating under a tree, attempting to circulate the faint warmth of qi in his body. His skin still carried a rosy tint from the previous night's training, and though his body ached, his will remained unshaken.
Xi Xuan, on the other hand, was skipping stones, lost in his thoughts. When he saw his elder brother approach, he stopped and ran to him eagerly.
"Brother, will I be ready to train soon?" he asked.
Xi Chen ruffled his hair. "Soon. But for now, focus on eating well and growing strong. You'll need more than eagerness to handle the fire."
Xi Xuan pouted, but nodded obediently.
Xi Chen turned to Xi Bing. "Your breathing rhythm is still uneven. Don't force the qi to move. Guide it gently, like stoking a fire—you can't rush it, or it will burn you from the inside."
Xi Bing nodded, inhaling slowly and adjusting his posture.
After supervising them for a while, Xi Chen stepped away and sat on a nearby rock. His body still carried the faint red glow whenever he activated the Red Ember Tempering Art. But he knew that wasn't enough.
That night, after the brothers had gone to bed, he returned to the forge alone. He lit a small fire, not for work, but for training. Sitting shirtless before the flame, he activated the Red Ember Tempering Art once more. His skin flushed crimson, as if blood ran hotter than usual beneath it. The heat swelled through him—not painful, but deep and consuming.
Suddenly, a pulse echoed in his chest.
[Tempering Panel Active]
🔥 Red Ember Tempering Art (Basic)🔄 Eligible for Evolution
— Evolve? [Yes] / [No]
Xi Chen's eyes opened in surprise. He hadn't seen this notification since his birthday. Taking a deep breath, he whispered, "Yes."
The flame in front of him flickered violently. A rush of heat surged into his body, but instead of burning, it refined. His muscles tensed. His bones felt like they were being sanded down and reforged. And then, silence.
🔥 Red Ember Tempering Art has evolved into: Scarlet Furnace Body (Stage 1)— Strength +1— Heat Resistance increased— Foundation laid for breakthrough to Muscle Tempering Realm
Xi Chen exhaled slowly.
Scarlet Furnace Body.
He could feel it in his core—the fire wasn't just tempering him anymore. It was forging him like a weapon. Stronger. Sharper.
Three days passed.
On the fourth morning, Xi Chen and his brothers were returning from a nearby orchard with supplies when they found a scene outside their home: two burly men in Guo Clan colors were waiting, arms crossed, expressions cold.
Xi Chen stepped in front of his brothers instinctively.
One of the men raised a scroll and unfurled it. "By order of Young Master Guo Ling, the Xi forge is to pay a 'protection tax' of one silver tael each week. Failure to comply will result in confiscation."
Xi Bing clenched his fists. "That's robbery!"
The man smirked. "Call it what you want, boy. This is Green River Town."
Xi Chen stepped forward, voice flat. "Tell Guo Ling this: if he wants money from me, he can come take it himself. But I won't pay a coin to cowards hiding behind clan names."
The men looked stunned. The younger one stepped forward threateningly.
"Say that again, forge rat."
Xi Chen's eyes narrowed. The Scarlet Furnace Body flickered to life inside him. His skin flushed red—not with anger, but power.
With a sudden motion, he struck forward, fist burying into the man's gut with such force that he was lifted off the ground before crashing back to the earth, gasping and curling like a shrimp.
The second guard hesitated. Xi Chen didn't take a second step. He simply stood there—skin faintly glowing, expression calm.
"Leave," he said.
And they did.
That night, Xi Bing approached him quietly. "Brother… you're not just a blacksmith anymore, are you?"
Xi Chen turned to him, his expression unreadable. "No, Bing. I'm not."
Bing asked softly, "Then what are we?"
Xi Chen looked up at the moon above Green River Town. It hung high and bright, distant like the power hoarded by nobles. And yet… he could feel something shifting.
"We're the fire they never saw coming," he said. "And we're only just beginning to burn."