Legend of the Divine Archer

Yan Jin's heart raced, but he forced himself to stay calm. He made a subtle hand signal to Wei Xi, silently instructing him to remain perfectly still. The specter floated closer, looming over them like a dark cloud

Time seemed to stretch out endlessly as they waited, not daring to breathe too loudly. Yan Jin knew they were completely at the mercy of this entity. If it decided to attack, there would be nothing they could do.

For what felt like an eternity, the specter hovered, contemplating their fate. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, it began to retreat, slowly drifting back into the shadows. Yan Jin held his breath, waiting until the last traces of its presence faded before he allowed himself to exhale.

"We need to leave. Now," Yan Jin whispered his voice barely audible over the crackling of the magma. He and Wei Xi exchanged a look of shared relief. They had come too close to something beyond their understanding, and they weren't going to press their luck any further.

Carefully, they backed away from the spot with the strange metal ore now secured. As they made their way back through the narrow passage, the warmth of the cavern began to recede, replaced once again by the biting chill of the winter storm outside.

Wei Xi still shaken by the encounter muttered, "What was that?"

Yan Jin, replied, "Don't ask. The only reason we're still breathing is that it couldn't be bothered with insects like us."

The word "insects" seemed to hit Wei Xi hard. His eyes darkened with resolve, and he clenched his fists. "I want to get stronger," he said with bitterness in his tone.

Yan Jin, understanding his frustration, didn't offer any comforting words. Instead, he shifted his focus back to the task at hand. Wei Xi's attention was drawn to the heavy metal ore they had retrieved. "What do you want to do with this metal ore?" he asked.

Yan Jin simply instructed, "Make yourself useful and dry the food. We'll leave when the storm stops."

As Wei Xi busied himself with the task, Yan Jin took out the hammer he had received from Old Ma, the blacksmith. It had been months since he had last used it, but now, with this peculiar metal ore in front of him, he felt the familiar urge to forge.

He carefully inspected the ore, feeling its weight, running his fingers over its rough surface, and even pressing his ear to it as if listening for its secrets. He examined it like a doctor preparing for a delicate surgery with each of his movements being measured and precise.

A confident smile appeared on his face as he finally said, "Move back a little bit."

As he had suspected, the outer layer of the ore had solidified, but the core was still molten metal. This presented a unique challenge that required him to forge with both his soul energy and the hammer simultaneously.

Without a proper smithy or a fire strong enough to shape the metal conventionally, he had to adapt and forge the molten metal before the cold air could solidify it.

Between the two of them, they had only a few weapons: Yan Jin's black longbow 'omen' and the three celestial arrows, and Wei Xi's wyvern bone spear. These weapons were too conspicuous and easily recognizable to anyone who knew what to look for.

If they were to navigate human territories without drawing unwanted attention, they needed new, more discreet weapons.

The first hammer strike rang out like the toll of a giant bell, reverberating through the cave, and shaking the walls. The initial powerful gong was followed by a series of lesser strikes precise and purposeful. Yan Jin moved around the ore like a cricket, his movements were deliberate, striking it with an expert's precision.

As he worked, the rhythm of his strikes became hypnotic, like the beating of a ceremonial drum. The sound repeated rhythmically, creating a symphony of creation. When Yan Jin was certain he was ready, he released his soul energy, allowing it to envelop the metal ore completely. Enjoy stories on m_v lem|p-yr

A sharp crack appeared on the surface of the ore, quickly followed by several others, spider-webbing across the outer shell. With a final, resounding strike, the outer shell crumbled away entirely, revealing a molten sphere of magma, hovering in the air under the pressure of Yan Jin's soul energy.

Wasting no time, Yan Jin divided the magma into several pieces, each one floating around him like planets orbiting a star. He stood at the center, his focus narrowing as he concentrated even harder, using his soul energy to mold the molten metal into the items he envisioned. Time was of the essence, as the magma began to sizzle in the cold air of the cave.

The hammer, now levitating on its own, began to strike the pieces of magma, shaping it into the desired forms. The process was like a finely tuned machine, each task executed simultaneously and with flawless precision.

The heat from the forging process filled the cave, causing even Wei Xi to stand back in awe, his eyes wide with amazement.

"Woah," Wei Xi murmured, marveling at the spectacle. Not wanting to be outdone, he pressed on with his own task.

Rapidly, the objects began to take shape, the sound of hammer strikes mingling with the sizzling of cooling magma.

Sweat poured from his brow, drenching his clothes, and the area around him was charred from the intense heat. With one final exhale, the last hammer strike rang out, signaling the end of the forging.

Breathing heavily, Yan Jin touched the newly forged items. "I always find myself in situations like this," he muttered, half to himself, half in jest. "I want to be rich and surrounded by a harem, not caught up in these character development arcs." He *rolled his eyes* at the ceiling of the cave, exasperated by his own predicament.

Wei Xi, still in awe, couldn't help but express his admiration. "Woah! You're so strong! I've never heard of a bloodsmith who could forge this many item simultaneously." His eyes were wide with admiration as he pointed at a pair of heavy-looking braces. "What are those?"

Yan Jin's expression turned serious as he assessed Wei Xi. "You rely too much on your weapon," he began, his tone sharp and direct. "You're slow in your movements, rigid, and terrible at dodging. You're a blockhead."

The blunt critique hit Wei Xi's confidence like a barrage of arrows, but before he could protest, Yan Jin continued. "Starting today, you'll be wearing these leg braces," he said, pointing at the heavy, newly forged items. "And you'll be using this," he added, indicating a particularly weighty spear.

The message was clear—