Chapter Ninety-One: Choosing a Blacksmith or a Bride?

The girl spoke timidly, her voice hoarse, laden with apology. One could sense the effort in her tone: restraint, endurance, and fear. She feared losing her chance. After suffering the verbal bullying of her peers, she had summoned the courage to ask Lin Qiye for help, but now she was deeply insecure.

Lin Qiye’s intuition told him that if the girl were to lift her head, she would be holding back hot tears in her eyes. He examined her carefully. She kept her gaze lowered, nervously clutching the hem of her dress. Though her bangs obscured half her face and her confidence was shattered, her figure was exceptional—almost exaggeratedly so.

But she was unaware of this. Her heart was in chaos; so panicked that even her shoulders trembled. She could easily imagine how Lin Qiye would react: indifference. After all, she was the worthless blacksmith who had ruined over a dozen weapon prototypes. Even her mentor no longer allowed her to forge. How could Lin Qiye possibly agree?

That weapon was precious to him—so much so that he had personally sought out a diamond-ranked blacksmith to handle it. Who would do that unless they adored the weapon? Everyone knew diamond-ranked craftsmen charged prices painful even for diamond practitioners. Yet, despite the cost, he had insisted on involving his mentor. That alone spoke to the weapon’s value. No one would entrust such a beloved item to an unreliable blacksmith, especially a stranger.

With these thoughts, the girl could no longer suppress her sorrow. Two tears slipped from the eyes hidden beneath her bangs. She wiped them away quickly and turned to run.

But to her surprise, Lin Qiye, under Wen Shuhong’s astonished gaze, suddenly grabbed her arm.

At the same time, a warm, magnetic male voice—gentle as jade, soothing as a spring breeze—echoed in her ear.

“You should look at me.”

“Huh?”

The girl trembled, her confidence shattered, peeking at Lin Qiye through her bangs. On her delicate, fair cheeks hung two crystalline tears. Her sorrowful, sobbing appearance was heartbreakingly pitiful.

Lin Qiye was not a lecherous man, but even he felt a pang in his chest. He studied her carefully, then said, “You should push your bangs aside.”

The girl: “……”

Wen Shuhong: “……”

Wen Shuhong’s lips moved as if to speak, but he hesitated. He glanced at Lin Qiye with a strange expression. If he hadn’t known Lin Qiye to possess a pure heart, Wen Shuhong might have suspected he was choosing a bride. Asking someone to lift their head was one thing, but to push their hair aside?

Was this finding a blacksmith, or selecting a consort?

The girl, too, felt as if she’d met a peculiar uncle. Terrified, she tried several times to pull her arm free and escape this sorrowful scene, but Lin Qiye’s grip was firm—he would not let her go easily.

“Come now, stand tall, push aside your bangs, and look at me with confidence!”

Lin Qiye’s calm words made the girl’s heart tremble inexplicably. Some instinct told her she should obey, she must obey. Moreover, his words brooked no refusal.

She took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling, and with trembling hands, slowly brushed her heavy bangs aside. Her posture was shy to the extreme; her blushing cheeks seemed to glow, as if she were shedding white silk stockings.

Wen Shuhong watched, slack-jawed, secretly sweating. Little Qiye, are you trying to tame her? How did you get a young girl to push aside her bangs, looking as bashful as if she were undressing?

Unable to bear it, Wen Shuhong quickly turned away.

Yet Lin Qiye stared intently at the girl.

Now, her eyes, bashful and anxious, shone like stars, filled with autumn water. Her features were already exquisite, but with those eyes, she was breathtaking—beauty enough to inspire fierce protectiveness in any man.

Nearby, the peers who had bullied her were stunned.

“Qi Baishi is this beautiful?”

“How did I never notice before?”

“Oh no, I think I’m in love—I shouldn’t have bullied Qi Baishi before!”

“From now on, Qi Baishi is my goddess!”

The commotion was endless.

Lin Qiye was surprised as well. A thought flashed through his mind:

“This is the blacksmith’s version of Qin Xing Tong!”

“Absolutely!”

He felt a surge of delight. Qin Xing Tong was a superlative genius in science and technology. If he could meet a blacksmith’s counterpart, even with a tenth of her talent, it would be a windfall.

It was precisely this intuition that had prompted Lin Qiye to have the girl stand tall and look him in the eye, like he was taming her.

Absolutely not out of lust! Lin Qiye rejoiced inwardly. “My luck with scientific geniuses seems to be excellent.”

He smiled, his gaze unwavering.

The girl: “……”

She looked at Lin Qiye shyly, her mind filled with nothing but embarrassment. And, of course, a stray thought flickered: the boy before her was far too handsome, his features beautiful and noble, his demeanor resolute and commanding—he exuded an undeniable charisma.

Lin Qiye smiled.

“Repeat your request from earlier—say it with confidence!”

The girl froze.

“Why… why must I say it again?”

“Because I told you to.”

Her cheeks were flushed, blood-red, but she complied.

“Do you… do you have a special weapon prototype with you? Would you like it forged? May… may I try? I think… I feel a connection with it…”

Lin Qiye frowned slightly.

“Louder, more confident. Where’s your spirit?”

“Do you… have a special weapon prototype with you? Would you like it forged? May… may I try? I think… I feel a connection with it…”

“Louder, and with confidence.”

“Do you have a special weapon prototype? Would you like it forged? Let me try, can I? I feel a connection with it!”

Qi Baishi took a deep breath, then spoke out boldly. As she finished, her body tingled and weakened, as if currents flowed through her, making her feel strange. Yet some mental shackles seemed to break. Her gaze grew determined. She looked at Lin Qiye earnestly.

Beside them, Wen Shuhong rubbed his brow.

What kind of humiliating taming play is this? He resolved to test Lin Qiye later—this so-called pure heart was anything but!

And as the perpetrator of this shameful taming, Lin Qiye was finally satisfied.

No, not just a little satisfied—he was thoroughly pleased.

He stared at the girl’s chest. Beneath her clothing’s fullness, a faint glow could be seen, almost undetectable.

A talent was awakening.

Talent!

Lin Qiye raised an eyebrow.

Genesis Simulation, an SSS-grade talent!

His own nearly invincible super cheat.

In all of Li City, only Lin Qiye had awakened a talent, though he wasn’t sure about Star City. His intuition told him that this girl might be one of the rare talented individuals there.

Silently, Lin Qiye activated Genesis Simulation.

[Simulation successful: The girl possesses an A-grade talent called ‘Blade Cushion,’ not yet awakened. You have just stimulated it; once she forges her first diamond-quality weapon, it will fully awaken.]

“An A-grade talent?”

“This is the first time I’ve met someone with a talent.”

“Rare!”

“But compared to my SSS-grade talent, there’s still a gap.”

[Genesis Simulation tip: Your talent is disguised as SSS-grade to hide its true, extraordinary nature. In fact, it should be called a certain divine power (two unmentionable characters)…]

Lin Qiye was shocked.

Waves of astonishment crashed in his heart.

Genesis Simulation rarely offered proactive tips, and now it revealed something unprecedented: his SSS-grade talent, Genesis Simulation, surpassed talent itself, disguised only because its true nature was unspeakable.

Lin Qiye took a deep breath.

“What are those hidden words?”

He was intensely curious.

[Genesis Simulation tip: Don’t be curious for now. When your strength reaches a certain level, you’ll naturally learn.]

Lin Qiye nodded, recovering from his amazement. He looked at the girl, his smile radiant.

“That’s right, say it with confidence.”

“I accept. I’ll entrust my blade to you for forging!”

Upon hearing this, Qi Baishi was utterly stunned. Her cheeks were crimson, her disbelief complete, her hands and voice trembling.

“Really? Brother… do you really believe in me?”

Lin Qiye laughed openly. His smile, in the girl’s eyes, was especially captivating.

“You shouldn’t ask whether I believe in you, but press your hand to your heart and ask yourself: do you believe in yourself?”

She instinctively pressed her hand to her chest, blushing.

“I… I don’t know…”

Lin Qiye’s expression grew stern.

“Hm?!”

Like a frightened deer, she quickly clenched her fists, her chest bouncing with the motion.

“I… I do believe in myself!”

“Louder!”

“I believe in myself!”

After speaking, electricity seemed to flow through her again.

Wen Shuhong covered his forehead.

My god, something’s wrong, really wrong! Little Qiye must be playing some shameful taming game!

But in that instant, Lin Qiye’s expression grew serious.

“I once knew a friend. He had unique ideas, but none were recognized by others.”

“He gathered his courage and came to me, asking for support in his research. It was the bravest moment of his twenty-year life.”

“So I agreed, and supported him unconditionally. In the end, he soared.”

“Remember, when no one believes in you, you’ve often grasped the truth. You might fail ten, a hundred, a thousand times, but with every failure, you step closer to success. Accumulate a thousand steps, and you will reach it.”

Lin Qiye patted Qi Baishi’s shoulder. His voice carried a stirring encouragement.

Her heartstrings were plucked hard; though still shy and timid, tears streamed down her sparkling eyes.

She wiped her cheeks, but her wrists were soon wet as well. She cried uncontrollably.

“Thank you, thank you…”

“I haven’t touched a weapon prototype in a year. I… I let my mentor down. My parents no longer believe in me. I lost all confidence. I didn’t know where to go; I was about to leave, unable to stay with my mentor any longer…”

“I saw no hope…”

“Thank you, thank you, brother.”

She wept, her voice hoarse.

“Thank you for trusting me. I will do everything I can to forge a fine weapon for you!”

Qi Baishi’s eyes were red from crying. All the pent-up emotion from over a year, nearly two years, was released.

Not far away, her peers who had bullied her watched with mocking expressions.

Wen Shuhong, however, was deeply moved. His gaze fell first on Qi Baishi, then shifted to Lin Qiye’s handsome features.

“It seems… Little Qiye’s heart is purer? But whether it’s truly pure… that remains to be seen!”

He sighed quietly.

As for Lin Qiye, he was oblivious to Wen Shuhong’s inner thoughts. His face gentle, he smiled softly at the girl.

“Believe in yourself. The future awaits—you will become a great blacksmith!”

“So now, may I, Lin Qiye, formally invite the future great blacksmith to forge a weapon for me?”

The girl wiped away her tears and smiled, bashful.

“It’s… it’s my honor to forge for you.”

Qi Baishi wiped her cheeks forcefully, her gaze becoming resolute.

“I’m willing! I’ll give my all to forge for you. Even if it kills me, I’ll succeed!”

She swore her oath.

Nearby, the peers who had bullied her whispered and snickered.

“Her? A great blacksmith?”

“It’s a joke. Even her mentor isn’t a great blacksmith, and she’s the one who ruined so many prototypes—how could she possibly be worthy?!”

“Just comforting a kid. Qi Baishi actually believes it.”

“That handsome guy is so persuasive—why doesn’t he join the Light and Shadow Sect?”

“Look at that face, he must be a playboy! Definitely knows how to make girls happy—ugh!”

Of course, it wasn’t just her bullies who doubted. Even Wen Shuhong’s gaze at Lin Qiye grew stranger.

You little rascal! A girl barely in her teens, and you dare? Aren’t you afraid of divine retribution?

Yet Lin Qiye remained unmoved, ignoring Wen Shuhong’s odd looks. Wen Shuhong dragged him aside, his gaze peculiar.

Lin Qiye felt his scalp tingle under Wen Shuhong’s stare.

“Why are you looking at me that way? I’m not interested in men, so don’t get any ideas!”

Wen Shuhong rolled his eyes, glancing at the delicate Qi Baishi.

“I have no interest in you.”

“I wanted to discuss the forging.”

“Are you mad? Or is your brain broken?”

“Do you know how precious a silver-grade weapon with a born soul, unique karma, and killing aura is?”

“If a master forges it, it can become a top-tier diamond weapon, able to absorb killing aura and karma to enhance its power. Such attributes are rare—seven out of ten diamond weapons would pale beside it!”

“With such potential, you actually use it to flirt?”

“Are you blinded by lust?”

Wen Shuhong’s tone was severe, nearly scolding.

…

PS: This chapter feels exceptionally well-written—one word, smooth!