Hammer Emperor The Bead Got Hammered

Gu Fenghua, a supreme powerhouse at the peak of the Great Emperor realm, was now trembling with rage at Chen Chang'an's words, yet he dared not lift a finger against him. The agony of wanting to kill but being unable to do so was driving Gu Fenghua to the brink of madness.

What baffled him even more was how someone as extraordinary as Mu Yunyao could have taken such a shameless, despicable, and utterly brazen disciple.

"Come on, everyone, no need to stand on ceremony. Little Gu here is a fine junior—treat this place like your own home. Make yourselves comfortable."

"Sit, everyone, sit."

Chen Chang'an acted as if he owned the place, casually strolling over and plopping himself down with ease. He even beckoned for Gu Xian'er and Gu Fengyao to join him.

Why didn’t he call for Da Huang?

Because the dog had already trotted over and settled in, quicker than anyone else.

Gu Xian'er, being his maidservant, obeyed Chen Chang'an’s command without question. As for Gu Fengyao, her mind had completely blanked out. Like a puppet on strings, she numbly followed his words and sat down in a daze.

"Little Gu, don’t just stand there. What’s with the formality?"

"Come, sit."

"Your elder has something to say to you."

Gu Fenghua took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the fury burning in his chest.

How many years had it been since anyone in the entire Tai Xuan Realm dared speak to him like this?

But there was nothing he could do about Chen Chang'an. First, the brat’s seniority was indeed higher than his. Second, his master was simply too terrifying—what else could Gu Fenghua do?

If he so much as laid a finger on Chen Chang'an, Gu Fenghua had no doubt that by the next day, not a single member of the Gu family would be left alive.

"Fine. You’re the elder."

"Elder, go ahead and ask."

Gu Fenghua reluctantly sat down, his face dark with frustration. Since resistance was futile, what choice did he have but to endure?

"The bead?"

"I’ve been waiting forever. Hand it over."

"Honestly, kid, where’s your sense of awareness? Must your elder spell everything out for you?"

Gu Fenghua shot Chen Chang'an an irritated glare. This brat had the nerve to keep calling him "elder" so casually—had the title just rolled off his tongue now?

"Why the rush? It hasn’t been returned yet."

Huh?

What did he mean, "not returned"? What had they done to his bead?

"What did you do to it?" Chen Chang'an frowned.

"What kind of question is that? What would we do to a bead?"

"It’s just that…"

Gu Fenghua hesitated, and Chen Chang'an immediately sensed trouble.

"Just what?" Chen Chang'an pressed.

"Well, you must already know… this bead is rather extraordinary."

"Even my full-strength attacks couldn’t leave a scratch on it. Naturally, I was… curious."

"So, I…"

"Cut the crap and get to the point!"

When Gu Fengyao saw the awkward smile on her ancestor’s face, her mind went completely blank.

Was this really the same Gu Fenghua she knew?

Had he been replaced?

Or had the version she grew up with been an imposter all along?

To be scolded like this and only respond with an embarrassed grin—this was not the towering figure she had idolized.

Meanwhile, Chen Chang'an’s roguish demeanor struck her as irresistibly dashing.

So dashing!

How could such an exceptional man exist?

And to think he would one day be hers—what an incredible stroke of luck!

Gu Fenghua glanced at Chen Chang'an, then said sheepishly, "Have you heard of the Hammer Emperor?"

Hammer Emperor?

What kind of title was that?

Some kind of blacksmith?

"What, a Great Emperor who swings a hammer?" Chen Chang'an asked curiously.

"Well… more or less. He started as an ordinary blacksmith."

"Then, at the age of fifty, he stumbled upon a fortuitous encounter and began cultivating."

"He took an ordinary iron hammer and refined it into an Emperor-tier weapon."

"His contemporaries had it rough—every single one of them got pummeled by that hammer of his."

"After reaching the Great Emperor realm, people started calling him the Hammer Emperor, and he quite liked the title."

"His combat prowess was unmatched, but his true passion remained blacksmithing. Even after becoming a Great Emperor, he never gave it up."

"He even gathered a bunch of disciples and spent his days hammering away with them."

"And you know what? He actually made some groundbreaking discoveries."

"Blacksmithing and artifact forging are similar but fundamentally different. Yet he carved out a new path, crafting weapons far superior to those made by traditional forgers."

By now, Chen Chang'an understood—his bead had been sent to the Hammer Emperor for some "refinement."

"How long has it been there?"

"Mm… about a hundred years now."

A hundred years!

His fetal bead had been hammered relentlessly for a century.

Chen Chang'an couldn’t help but feel that his bead had suffered far too much since leaving his side.

Just recently, one had been tossed into a furnace by Yao Niming and refined for a thousand years. Now this one had endured a hundred years under the Hammer Emperor’s relentless strikes.

"How soon until it’s returned?" Chen Chang'an asked.

"Very soon. It’ll be back within half a month at most."

"Good. Then I’ll stay here for the next two weeks."

"Little Gu, why aren’t you preparing a room for me?"

"Right, I’ll have someone arrange it immediately."

Wait—

After answering, Gu Fenghua froze.

Had he… had he actually gotten used to being called "Little Gu"?

What the hell was happening?

Gu Fenghua was furious, humiliated, and utterly powerless to do anything about it.

"You—"

"Never mind. I’ll find someone else."

He stood up, ready to vent his frustration on Gu Fengyao, but then thought better of it.

This junior of his… somehow seemed untouchable now too.

"Is there anyone alive here? Get over here, now!"

Gu Fenghua’s roar sent tremors through the entire Gu family estate.

"Oh no, the ancestor’s lost his temper!"

"What’s going on? He hasn’t been this angry in centuries. Is it because of those two visitors today?"

"What do we do? Should we flee for now?"

"Flee? Don’t be ridiculous. There’s no escaping this."

"Uh… who’s going to go?"

"Not me! The ancestor’s furious—whoever goes is doomed."

"Then you go!"

"No, no, I’m swamped with work. Can’t spare the time."

"So who’s going?"

"Well…"

Their gazes all shifted to the Third Elder, who had only just returned.

The Third Elder’s face paled. Why was everyone looking at him?

"I can’t either, I—"

"You can. Weren’t you the one who brought them here? You’re familiar with them. You go."

"Right, Third Brother, it’s your turn."

"Third Elder, we believe in you. Maybe the ancestor will be impressed and reward you handsomely."

Reward?

Who the hell wanted this kind of "fortune"?

In the end, under the collective pressure, the Third Elder had no choice but to trudge toward Gu Fenghua’s residence, resignation written all over his face.

When the Third Elder arrived, his expression immediately changed.

Gu Fenghua stood there with a grim face, while Chen Chang'an and the others lounged leisurely in their chairs.

They could sit if they wanted—but Gu Fengyao, what the hell was she doing?

Her own ancestor was standing, yet she dared to sit? Did she have no sense of propriety?

"Fengyao, what are you doing?"

"Get up now!" the Third Elder urged anxiously.

"Shut your damn mouth."

"Where she sits is none of your business."

"Silence!"

Gu Fenghua’s roar nearly scared the Third Elder into fleeing the scene altogether.

What was going on?

Had he said something wrong?

This was about rules—no rules, no order. Wasn’t that what the ancestor himself always preached?

This…

The Third Elder was utterly baffled, but he didn’t dare argue. He could only stand obediently to the side.

"You’re here just in time. You know them—arrange lodging for them."

"Understood?"

After speaking, Gu Fenghua noticed the Third Elder hadn’t responded and shot him a glare.

The Third Elder met his gaze and nodded repeatedly.

"Nodding like an idiot—I asked if you understood. Did you lose your tongue?"

"And why are you shaking your head now?"

"You… You told me not to speak."

"I—"

"Get out! Get the hell out of here!"

"Right away!"

The Third Elder exhaled in relief, nodded, and vanished from Gu Fenghua’s sight in an instant.

"One after another… not a single one of them gives me peace."

At this moment, Gu Fenghua felt deeply the misfortune of his household—truly, a cursed family.

"Old Gu, calm down."

"You’re not young anymore—what if you keel over from rage?"

"If the kids misbehave, just beat them a few more times. Don’t hold back—go all out."

"Don’t worry, I won’t object. Go ahead, give them a thrashing!"

You won’t object?

What right do you even have to object? These are my Gu family members—who the hell are you?