Chương 29: Chapter 29: A Different Path

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Whether it was the memories from his Previous Life or the introduction given by Master Jiang when he first arrived at the Jiang Family Blacksmith Shop last year, Ling Yi was told that the blacksmiths on the Douluo Continent were divided into seven levels, from lowest to highest: Junior Blacksmith, Intermediate Blacksmith, Senior Blacksmith, Blacksmith Master, Grand Blacksmith Master, Blacksmith Grandmaster, and Divine Blacksmith.

Master Jiang, who was Ling Yi's guide in the art of forging, was an Intermediate Blacksmith. In terms of forging skills, he was the best in Beikouhe Town and the surrounding areas.

And the 'Three Great Blacksmith Masters' mentioned by the other party, though they occupied an awkward middle position among the seven levels of blacksmiths, were not to be underestimated.

One must remember, this was a world of Soul Masters, where everything was measured by the power of Soul Masters.

In Ling Yi's memory, in the original timeline, Lou Gao, the president of the [Blacksmith Association] and one of the three Divine Blacksmiths, once spent ten years researching and developing a strange metal alloy, from which he forged two artifacts known as the 'Eight Treasures如意Soft Armor'.

This soft armor was highly elastic, allowing a Beast Soul Master to use their soul power and expand their body size by a factor of two without compromising its defensive capabilities.

Most importantly, its durability could withstand the sixth soul skill of a powerful attack-type Soul Master!

What did this mean?

In the [Waterwood Principality], the vassal state of the [Tian Dou Empire], a Soul Venerable above level thirty could be ennobled as a baron, and a Soul Patriarch at level forty was a viscount!

Although higher ranks required more than just being a Soul King, this still illustrated the status of Soul Masters.

If one were to roughly compare the levels of blacksmiths to Soul Masters, it would be as follows:

Junior Blacksmith —— Soul Scholar

Intermediate Blacksmith —— Soul Master

Senior Blacksmith —— Great Soul Master

Blacksmith Master —— Soul Venerable

Grand Blacksmith Master —— Soul Patriarch

Blacksmith Grandmaster —— Soul King

Divine Blacksmith —— Soul Emperor

Of course, this was just a rough comparison in Ling Yi's mind, and the real situation could not be so simply and crudely measured.

Let's return to the level of Blacksmith Master.

A Blacksmith Master, depending on their specialty, might forge swords, create armor, or develop strange devices. Regardless of their focus, their qualified works could provide significant support in battles involving Soul Venerables!

Moreover, although it might take a Blacksmith Master years to create a qualified piece, the number they could produce in a lifetime was still considerable.

Therefore, in a certain sense, the status of a Blacksmith Master was higher than that of an ordinary Soul Venerable.

In times of need, they could even be compared to a Soul King!

'So, maintaining the identity of a blacksmith as an external label is necessary,' Ling Yi thought to himself.

Master Jiang's letter and his status as a teacher were a pleasant surprise for Ling Yi.

'I wonder if Master Huang has any reliable comrades,' he thought.

Ling Yi suddenly remembered the retired veteran who had taught him weapon skills for a year, and... Yan Bin!

'Yan Bin is easy to deal with,' Ling Yi turned his head, his gaze passing through the gap in the carriage window, looking at the slowly changing scenery outside: 'When we said goodbye yesterday, he also asked me to send greetings to Lu Yi, who works at the Soul Master Main Hall in [Wood Plant City]...'

'Master Jiang... Master Jin... Yan Bin the Steward... They represent the blacksmith community, the military of the [Waterwood Principality], and the [Soul Temple] respectively...'

At this thought, although Ling Yi's face maintained the appropriate sadness and reluctance of parting, as well as the anxiety and anticipation of a long journey, a glimmer of joy flashed in his eyes as he looked out the window:

'Sure enough, the "Six Degrees of Separation Theory" from my Previous Life, even in this foreign world, generally holds true~'

The 'Six Degrees of Separation Theory' states that you are no more than six people away from any stranger, meaning that you can connect with anyone through at most five intermediaries.

For example, Ling Yi could meet the head of the Soul Master Main Hall in [Wood Plant City] through Lu Yi, and from there, get to know a bishop of the [Soul Temple]. Through this bishop, he could eventually meet the [Soul Temple]'s Platinum Bishops and elders...

Regardless of the effort and time required, with proper strategy, even the current Pope, Clem, and his teacher, the current Judgement Elder 'Angel Douluo' Qian Daolou, could be within reach for Ling Yi to greet.

Of course, just like the step-by-step progression from village, town, city, and provincial levels in his Previous Life, this was more of a theoretical concept. In reality, Ling Yi was still very far from the central stage of the Douluo Continent, which included the [Soul Temple], the [Heavenly Sky Sect], and the two empires.

As time passed and the scenery outside the window became unfamiliar, the anxious look on Ling Yi's face gradually faded, replaced by curiosity. He leaned closer to the window, squinting his eyes, and strained to look out through the gap.

Occasionally, he turned back to smile harmlessly at the Ethan family, who looked complex, with a mix of disdain, pride, and reflection.

Even when he turned back to the window, Ling Yi's smile did not fade, but it became more enthusiastic.

His thoughts continued.

Currently, Ling Yi knew little about [Wood Plant City] and the [Green Leaf初级Soul Master Academy]. He had only heard a few scattered pieces of information from Yan Bin.

Unfortunately, Yan Bin was not a graduate of the [Green Leaf初级Soul Master Academy]. He had only learned about it through casual conversations with colleagues and former classmates.

Therefore, Ling Yi's first priority upon entering the academy would be to familiarize himself with the environment, get to know the teachers and classmates, and understand the teaching style and general direction of the academy...

Thinking about this, even though he had arrived at the academy a month and a half early, Ling Yi still felt that time was tight.

After all, he still had Master Jiang's letter in his pocket, and he couldn't wait until after the school started to seek out the elderly Jin.

Ling Yi's current identity was that of a poor village boy who could only attend the [Waterwood Principality] capital's academy through a 'work-study' program. The academy would likely provide him with part-time work to earn a small income to supplement his living expenses.

However, with his decent blacksmithing skills and the opportunity provided by Master Jiang's introduction, entering the workshop of one of the 'Three Great Blacksmith Masters' of the [Waterwood Principality] to learn forging techniques should not be easily set aside.

'...' Ling Yi cast a glance at the Ethan family, observing their attitudes towards returning to the academy through their expressions and actions since the journey began. He analyzed their status and social interactions within the academy.

Ethan Lillian sometimes showed signs of resistance and fear, while Ethan Anno occasionally displayed suppressed indignation...

Ethan Parker, on the other hand, generally appeared calm, almost indifferent, with a hint of self-motivation in his micro-expressions, as if he was about to turn his fortunes around...

'It's clear that these three young masters and misses are not having an easy time in the capital's academy, where the descendants of important figures are everywhere—'

Ling Yi gazed at the green trees and shrubs outside the carriage window, his eyes deep: 'So, I need a new identity in the city, something not too high but decent enough to present to my classmates...'

'I wonder how much weight a disciple who has returned to the countryside will carry in the eyes of the elderly Jin—'

'Fortunately, I only need an opportunity, a chance to meet—'

He, Ling Yi, had spent a year learning, improving his soul power, physique, weapon skills, and refining his meditation techniques, all while advancing his blacksmithing skills to the level of an Intermediate Blacksmith.

Yes, the same level as Master Jiang!

This year, Ling Yi was seven years old, having been in contact with forging for one year. Master Jiang was forty-nine years old, with nearly forty years of experience in forging.

This clearly demonstrated the vast gap in talent between individuals.

That was why Master Jiang had personally written the letter, recommending Ling Yi to his former master.

Thank you to the reader [恰如眉间雪来故] for the monthly vote and support, becoming the first disciple of this book. Also, thank you to the readers [爱幻想者], [书友20211029220526053], and [王侯知命] for their monthly votes. Thank you all for your support and continued reading. (^o^)/~

(End of Chapter)