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."
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—