```
The other party greeted him with a smile, and Xu Sheng naturally couldn't refuse any longer, so he reached out and shook his hand gently, saying with a faint smile, "Teacher at the East Sea Academy Intermediate Division, Xu Sheng."
Upon hearing this, Mo Yu's turbid Beautiful Eyes suddenly revealed a look of astonishment…
Confused, he asked, "A teacher from East Sea Academy?? Young friend, aren't you a Forging Master?"
He had clearly witnessed the piece of metal being forged with every hammer strike…
Yet now he was being told that the other person was not a Forging Master but a teacher at East Sea Academy. How could he accept this!
Xu Sheng shook his head, denying, "No, this time, I just wanted to see what the occupation of a Forging Master is like. Now I have a general understanding."
Yun Xiaoling, standing beside them with a helpless look on her face, said to Mo Yu, "Master Mo, I remember telling you before that it was Mr. Xu's first time forging!"
Hearing the words of the two, Mo Yu felt as if he had been struck hard. Smiling bitterly, he said, "To be able to forge a top-quality metal without impurities on the first attempt…"
In that moment, a feeling arose inside him…
It was that all his years of perseverance and effort had been in vain, and they didn't even compare to someone else's casual effort!
Then, after taking a deep breath, he looked intently at Xu Sheng and asked, "Young friend, I wonder if you have any thoughts on joining the Blacksmith Association?"
"With a terrifying talent like yours, it is unheard of, and there might even be a possibility for you to become a Divine Craftsman in the future!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Sheng raised his eyebrows, "Join the Blacksmith Association? What would that do for me?"
Now, he no longer cared about strength!
Because no matter how strong people from the Lower Realm were or to what extent, they were merely ants in front of him!
He had come here simply to satisfy his curiosity…
Hearing his response, Mo Yu thought there was a chance, saying excitedly, "Of course, by joining the Blacksmith Association, you would receive the protection of the association! Moreover, with your talent, you will surely shine in the future..."
At this moment, he could even imagine the scene of Xu Sheng becoming a Divine Craftsman in the future!!
Watching Mo Yu getting more and more excited, Xu Sheng interrupted him directly, "Sorry, Master Mo, I'm not interested in what you are saying!"
The only things that could now pique his interest were probably seeing Battle Armor and the Spirit Pagoda organization!
Seeing that his earnest efforts had failed to sway Xu Sheng, Mo Yu sighed silently, "Ah, well, to each their own."
"However, if you ever take an interest in forging, you can contact me."
With that, he slowly turned around and left the place...
As for his hasty departure, wasn't it obvious?
Having discovered Xu Sheng's terrifying talent, he naturally had to go and boast about it to other Forging Masters!
It was only after he left that Yun Xiaoling came to her senses...
With amazement, she said, "Mr. Xu, did you really just refuse? Master Mo has quite a bit of say in the Blacksmith Association!"
Xu Sheng's dark Beautiful Eyes glanced at her, and he replied with a light laugh, "Mainly because I am not that interested in forging. Miss Yun, let's go down!"
Yun Xiaoling nodded and said, "Mhm…"
Suddenly, she paused and pointed to the metal on the machine, reminding him, "Mr. Xu, that piece of metal was forged by you, and you can take it away by paying an amount of federation coins equivalent to its value."
The metal that even Master Mo had praised extravagantly would surely be worth a fortune!
Xu Sheng couldn't be bothered to look at it. Dismissively, he said, "It's just a stone. Leave it here."
Such things, he could have as many as he wanted…
With that said, he stepped out of the Amateur Forging Room. Yun Xiaoling glanced at the metal on the machine, then back at Xu Sheng, and still, she bit her lip and followed him out…
```
...
After spending a good two hours on the fifteenth floor, Tang Wulin finally completed the Forging Master test and stepped out of the soul-guided elevator...
Seeing that Xu Sheng had not left, he breathed a sigh of relief in his heart...
He quickly walked over, his face brimming with joy as he said, "Teacher Xu, I did it! I've become a second-level Forging Master, and the association even compensated me with ten thousand federation coins!"
A smile curled at the corners of Xu Sheng's mouth as she softly said, "Not bad!"
Tang Wulin was taken aback. "Is... is that it?"
He had thought Xu Sheng would at least cheer for him, but all the praise he received was a simple "Not bad?"
Hearing this, Xu Sheng replied with a somewhat amused counter-question, "Otherwise? Should I compliment you?"
Tang Wulin's face darkened, and he immediately felt a lot more dejected...
He consoled himself by saying, "No... no need, Teacher Xu probably doesn't know what it means to be a second-level Forging Master anyway..."
Compared to Xu Sheng's calm demeanor, Yun Xiaoling, who was standing beside her with beautiful eyes, suddenly widened them in shock, exclaiming, "A second-level Forging Master?? Even this little brother is a genius!"
Such a young second-level Forging Master was a rare sight even within the Blacksmith Association!
What was most enviable was that the teacher had the talent to become a Divine Craftsman, and even the student she brought with her was a genius!
Indeed, anyone who encountered them would be flabbergasted!
...
Afterward, Xu Sheng and the others returned to East Sea Academy!
Tang Wulin expressed his gratitude, "Teacher Xu, thank you for accompanying me to the Blacksmith Association today!"
Xu Sheng seemed to sense something and teased in a playful tone, "I'm fine! But it looks like you are in trouble."
Hearing this abrupt statement, Tang Wulin's mind conjured a huge question mark, "???"
But before Xu Sheng had a chance to explain, a chilling, bone-piercing voice rang out from behind...
"Tang Wulin, do you know what time it is now?"
At the sound of that familiar tone, Tang Wulin's body involuntarily shuddered...
Slowly turning around, he looked towards Wu Longkong, who was staring at him with a cold gaze not far off...
He forced a laugh and said, "Wu... Teacher Wu, it's so late, and you're still here?"
Seeing that Wu Longkong's chilly face was not in the mood for jokes, he said coldly, "Tang Wulin, returning to the academy this late, don't you know you will be punished?"
Tang Wulin's eyelids twitched, and he hurriedly explained, "Teacher Wu, I had already asked Teacher Xu to accompany me..."
In response to this explanation, Wu Longkong simply swept a cold glance at Xu Sheng, "So, this is the excuse you have for leaving the academy without permission?"
Tang Wulin swallowed hard, frantically signaling to Xu Sheng with his eyes...
As if he were shouting, "Teacher Xu, please save me!"
Feigning ignorance, Xu Sheng stretched leisurely and said nonchalantly, "Teacher Wu is really dedicated, still on duty so late! Then I'll be taking my leave."
But just as she took a step, Wu Longkong shifted his target to her, scolding coldly, "Teacher Xu, as a teacher at East Sea Academy, you should know the academy's rules; yet you even condone a student leaving the campus!"
Hearing this, a trembling Tang Wulin felt as though something terrifying was about to happen...
...
...