Chapter 429: Master and Apprentice Contest (Part 1)
"Mu Xi, stop right there."
Mu Xi had just run a short distance from Zhenhua's cultivation room when her arm was suddenly grabbed by Mu Chen.
"Let go of me," Mu Xi's eyes were red. She couldn't understand why Mu Chen and Zhenhua were treating Xia Yi this way.
"Alright, you need to understand your Master Uncle's difficulties. Right now, soul beasts are powerful and humans are weak. Your Master Uncle carries the inheritance of the Master Craftsman. If he teaches the Heaven Forging Method to Xia Yi, and Xia Yi continues forging battle armor for soul beasts, then your Master Uncle will become a sinner to all of humanity," Mu Chen tried to persuade her.
"Maybe Master Uncle truly thinks that way, but what about you, Dad? You only care about your student, about Tang Wulin. You've completely forgotten that because of Tang Sect, millions of people in the Mingdu Cangshan region died. You've forgotten that because of Tang Sect, Master Uncle was captured by the Holy Spirit Sect and almost couldn't come back," Mu Xi looked at Mu Chen with red eyes and asked, "I understand that Dad wants to cultivate a Master Craftsman, but in your heart, are these things less important than your student becoming a Master Craftsman?"
"What you're saying has nothing to do with Wulin. You've known him for quite some time, and you should understand his character. He values loyalty and righteousness and would never get involved in this matter," Mu Chen's voice was deep. It was he who had suggested Tang Wulin recognize Yali as his godmother.
Even if Zhenhua had not been saved by Xia Yi, once Tang Wulin finished his military training, Mu Chen would have arranged for him to visit the headquarters of the Master Craftsman Association.
Tang Wulin's reputation wasn't very big. Even those who knew him mostly only knew he was a student of Shrek Academy.
Few knew he was a disciple of Tang Sect.
Making Tang Wulin recognize Yali as his godmother was also an attempt to help the high-level members of the Master Craftsman Association forget that Tang Wulin was a disciple of Tang Sect.
That way, when Tang Wulin came to the headquarters of the Master Craftsman Association, there wouldn't be any objections from other high-level members.
The chances of Zhenhua being rescued from the Holy Spirit Sect were almost nonexistent.
Mu Chen planned for Tang Wulin to go to Zhenhua's private forging room to forge and study the forging notes left by Zhenhua.
He believed that with Tang Wulin's forging talent, even without Zhenhua's direct guidance, there was still more than an 80% chance of him becoming a Master Craftsman if he had access to Zhenhua's notes.
Mu Chen didn't expect Xia Yi to rescue Zhenhua so quickly.
Mu Chen knew Xia Yi's talent. If Zhenhua taught Xia Yi the Heaven Forging Method, then Tang Wulin would have no more chances.
To prevent this, Mu Chen, relying on his understanding of Zhenhua, had easily shattered Zhenhua's thought of teaching the Heaven Forging Method to Xia Yi.
Perhaps Zhenhua wouldn't agree to teach the Heaven Forging Method to Tang Wulin right now.
But as long as it wasn't taught to Xia Yi, Tang Wulin still had a chance.
At this point, Mu Chen's goal had been achieved.
From here on, all he had to do was slowly change Zhenhua's perception of Tang Wulin.
Even if Zhenhua never agreed to teach the Heaven Forging Method to Tang Wulin, Mu Chen could quietly bring Tang Wulin to observe Zhenhua's forging process.
With Mu Chen's guidance, Tang Wulin's forging talent would be enough for him to become a Master Craftsman.
It was just a matter of time.
So, Mu Chen wasn't worried about the next steps at all.
"Yes, I admit that Tang Wulin is indeed loyal and righteous, and he's not an evil person," Mu Xi coldly laughed, looking at Mu Chen and asking, "But isn't he just too loyal and righteous? His loyalty to Tang Sect and Shrek Academy has reached an obsessive level. Even if Master Uncle teaches him the Heaven Forging Method, if he faces the same choice he did before, like with the Heartless Douluo Cao Dezhi, where he had to sacrifice the Master Craftsman Association to save Tang Sect and Shrek Academy, do you think he won't once again sacrifice the Master Craftsman Association?"
Mu Chen fell silent. Mu Xi could see it, and as Tang Wulin's teacher, how could Mu Chen not see it?
Tang Wulin's loyalty to Tang Sect and Shrek Academy had reached an unhealthy obsession.
For the sake of Tang Sect and Shrek Academy, he was willing to sacrifice everything.
Naturally, that included the Master Craftsman Association.
Mu Chen thought for a moment and said, "Xia Yi is the same. If one day, he has to choose between the Heavenly Phoenix Douluo and the Master Craftsman Association, he would choose the Heavenly Phoenix Douluo."
Mu Xi didn't argue. She only coldly replied, "But at least the Heavenly Phoenix Sovereign and the Spirit Pagoda have never harmed the Master Craftsman Association. On the contrary, they have helped the Master Craftsman Association multiple times. But Tang Sect? The Master Craftsman Association has always been kind to them. Over the years, the Master Craftsman Association has provided them with a lot of rare metals. Dad, you know this better than anyone. Yet how has Tang Sect treated the Master Craftsman Association? You've ignored all of this, only thinking about your own desires. Don't you feel ashamed?"
"Forget it, I can't argue with you. Anyway, your Master Uncle's mind is already made up. This Golden Water Harmony, I'm giving it to you. Whether or not you give it to Xia Yi is up to you. If you don't want to, you can give it to your Master Uncle and let him give it to Xia Yi personally," Mu Chen tossed Zhenhua's Golden Water Harmony to Mu Xi, then shook his head and turned to leave.
"Master Uncle..." Looking at Mu Chen's retreating figure, Mu Xi tightly gripped the Golden Water Harmony, tears welling up in her eyes.
She didn't know how to bring this up with Xia Yi.
Moreover, Zhenhua, a respected figure, had just been saved by Xia Yi.
With Xia Yi's talent, he was, both publicly and privately, the rightful candidate to inherit the Heaven Forging Method.
Now, so many people outside believed that Xia Yi would be the next Divine Craftsman.
If Zhenhua were to publicly state that he didn't want to pass on the Heaven Forging Method to Xia Yi, Zhenhua's entire reputation would be ruined.
Mu Xi absolutely didn't want to see Zhenhua's reputation damaged.
But asking her to go to Xia Yi… she truly couldn't bring herself to do it.
Xia Yi had saved her life in East Sea City, and Leng Yaozhu had helped her improve her martial soul's flame quality in Shrek City.
When the Blacksmith Association was challenged by the Star Luo Empire, Xia Yi helped preserve its honor.
This time, Xia Yi had saved Zhenhua, who had been framed by Tang Sect.
Xia Yi himself had more than enough qualifications to inherit the Heaven Forging Method.
Yet now, the Master Craftsman Association was treating Xia Yi this way.
How could she face him?
Mu Xi didn't even know how she ended up outside the living room.
But once she arrived, she couldn't move another step.
Xia Yi and others who had come to see Mu Chen were inside the living room. All she had to do was open the door and she could see Xia Yi.
But what would she do when she saw him? She didn't have the courage.
"Who is it, to make the Blacksmith Association's little princess hide here crying?"
Just as Mu Xi was feeling lost, a bright and cheerful voice suddenly sounded from behind her.
Mu Xi turned around in shock, and a handsome face with a smile appeared in her view.
"Xia... Xia Yi." Mu Xi was startled and instinctively hid the Golden Water Harmony behind her.
(End of Chapter)