Not Hot, Not Warm, The God Deep in the Fire Vein

The scorching waves of fire distorted the sky's light.

Deep within the Forging Hall, the blistering heat made every breath feel like an infernal torment.

"Li Mo's talent with the hammer is beyond doubt."

"Indeed."

Elder Hanhe and Elder Zeng, two old men who often bickered, had for the first time reached swift agreement on a matter.

Every inner disciple who ascended the Divine Arms Peak had to first temper their hammer techniques before entering the Forging Hall to learn the art of smithing.

But the "Little Tyrant of the Divine Hammer" skipped this step entirely.

"A skilled craftsman usually wields the hammer with mastery," Elder Zeng stroked his beard and chuckled. "But not everyone skilled with the hammer can become a grandmaster smith—it requires extraordinary endurance."

Smithing wasn’t just about striking iron.

It involved many intricate techniques, and spending years near the fire veins meant enduring relentless, searing heat.

"Li Mo, I heard you once refined pills with Old Xue?" Elder Hanhe set down his hammer and asked curiously.

Every time he met Xue Jing, the conversation about Li Mo inevitably circled back to the same lament within three sentences:

‘Ah, how foolish I was! Why didn’t I make him my disciple in pill refining back then?’

Elder Hanhe wholeheartedly agreed.

Whether Li Mo had talent in pill refining or not, it was still better than following that troublemaker Shang Wu...

Li Mo thought for a moment and replied, "To be precise, I was the one being refined."

Elder Hanhe: "?"

Elder Zeng: "?"

Why did this kid’s words always carry an inexplicable charm?

"Come with me. Let’s see how much heat you can endure."

Elder Hanhe opened the rear door of the Forging Hall, revealing a downward passage.

"I’ll join as well," Elder Zeng followed.

Li Mo trailed behind them. The moment he stepped into the passage, a wave of scorching air assaulted him, distorting the very atmosphere as if the stone walls themselves glowed a deep crimson.

Was this the fire vein where the hammer treasure had once been placed?

The deeper they descended, the more intense the heat grew.

The rhythmic clang of metal being forged echoed through the passage, growing sparser the further they went.

"To become a smith, the first step is learning to temper iron. The higher the temperature, the better the quality of the refined material," Elder Hanhe explained as they walked.

Elder Zeng added, "If you can’t bear it, speak up immediately. Don’t push yourself—burning your meridians or organs is no small matter."

The two elders exchanged a glance.

After walking for a while longer—

‘How’s Li Mo holding up?’

Elder Hanhe exhaled heavily, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

‘He should be near his limit.’

‘The first time I came here, I only made it a hundred paces into the fire vein.’

Elder Zeng glanced back.

The two old men shared the same thought. They locked eyes, then turned around simultaneously—only to see Li Mo strolling leisurely, looking around with utter ease.

Noticing their pause, Li Mo asked curiously, "Why’d you stop?"

"Heh... I thought you’d reached your limit. Let’s keep going."

"Kid, I’m curious to see just how far you can go," Elder Zeng said.

And so, Li Mo followed them deeper into the earth’s veins.

Ten minutes later.

Li Mo was now leading the way.

Behind him, Elder Hanhe was drenched in sweat, his body trembling faintly.

Elder Zeng’s eyes were glazed over, as if he’d aged several years in moments. He discreetly pulled out a bottle of Frostspring Pills.

"Old Zeng, give me one."

"These are Frostspring Pills! I only take them when forging divine weapons! How can you ask so shamelessly?"

"Just... give me one..."

The two elders whispered and fumbled in the background.

Li Mo, noticing the commotion, turned and asked, puzzled, "Elders, why are you moving so slowly? If it’s too hot, you should tell me."

He was impervious to fire and water.

The two old men immediately straightened up.

"Ah... just an old leg acting up."

"A mere bit of heat means nothing to a forging grandmaster like me. I’m just... invigorated."

"Alright."

Young Li found it odd but didn’t dwell on it.

After all, when he retrieved the hammer treasure, he’d seen a forging platform deep in the fire vein.

He assumed it was Elder Hanhe’s.

Surely the elders had their own ways to withstand the heat...

In truth, that platform belonged to the founder of the Divine Arms Peak.

After walking a while longer, the glow of flames became visible ahead.

"Something’s off... this kid... something’s off..."

Elder Hanhe’s vision blurred, his voice hoarse like a broken bellows.

"Cough! Water... water..."

Elder Zeng seemed to have shriveled, shivering uncontrollably.

But when Li Mo turned back questioningly—

The two elders instantly stood tall, hands clasped behind their backs, feigning serenity as if out for a casual stroll.

"Elders, want some barbecue?"

Li Mo had taken the opportunity to roast some lamb skewers using the fire vein’s heat.

"Ah... seems like it’s mealtime, huh..."

"Mmm, I do love lamb skewers. Smells delicious..."

They accepted the skewers, staring at the fiery red chili flakes coating the meat. Their dry throats convulsed in unison.

If they refused—

Wouldn’t it seem like they were weaker than this junior?

How could they call themselves master smiths afterward?

What face would they have left at the Forging Conclave?

Their pride as lifelong craftsmen steeled their resolve. They took a bite of the spicy lamb skewers.

"Uh... did I add too much chili? It’s already pretty hot here."

"Hiss... not spicy at all."

"Phew... not hot either."

"..."

Watching the two elders turn redder than copper ore, Li Mo finally realized something was wrong.

Hmm.

The two old men now looked like brittle crackers, as if they’d crumble at a touch.

You’re practically dehydrated! And it’s not like the three suns are engaged in a three-body problem!

Just as he considered using his Heavenly Eye to check on them—

Thud—

Two dull thumps. The elders rolled their eyes and collapsed backward, unconscious.

"..."

An indeterminable amount of time later.

Elder Hanhe and Elder Zeng groggily opened their eyes. The lethal heat of the fire vein seemed to have vanished.

Yet the flickering flames before them confirmed they were still deep within its depths.

What happened?

Clang—

A thunderous strike rang out.

The two elders instinctively looked up toward the sound.

"Eh?"

"Huh?"

Clang—

Another explosive impact, like a mountain crumbling or thunder erupting from the earth.

Sparks erupted violently, reflecting in the elders’ widened eyes, illuminating the figure of a hammer-wielding youth.

Amid the flames, beside the flowing magma, he stood bare-chested, breathing in fire and wind. His crimson-glowing divine hammer rose high before crashing down with unwavering determination, strike after strike.

He resembled an ancient deity of fire and forging, hammering out mankind’s first iron tool.

No—that was no god.

It was Li Mo.