"Senior Aotian, did you just say that the God of Forging has agreed to descend and conduct a divine trial?"
"Indeed. The supreme god asked on your behalf, and the God of Forging agreed to descend and conduct a divine trial. However, it's limited to just the trial. Whether the candidate can gain the recognition of the God of Forging and how far they can go will depend entirely on their talent and the God of Forging's approval."
"If the candidate doesn't meet the God of Forging's standards, at most, the deity might conduct a symbolic three-part trial. Beyond that, don't get your hopes up. However, if the candidate can truly catch the God of Forging's eye, even if their cultivation talent is slightly lacking, it's not impossible to ascend to godhood."
"In terms of wealth, within the God Realm, only the Five God Kings are richer than the God of Forging. Even among the Seven Deadly Sins and the other gods, none can compare to the God of Forging in terms of accumulated riches. The God of Forging has numerous methods to enhance one's talent."
"Chen Ming, think carefully about who to entrust with this divine trial. Although the God of Forging is only a second-tier god, their status in the God Realm is no less than that of any first-tier god—perhaps even surpassing them in some ways."
The God of Arrogance gave Chen Ming a stern reminder, but Chen Ming's expression remained unchanged.
"Thank you for the advice, Senior. Please follow me. The subordinate I identified with forging talent happens to be on this continent," Chen Ming said, cupping his hands respectfully toward the God of Arrogance. He then spread his wings and flew into the distance.
The God of Arrogance quickly finished eating the fruit in his hands. Initially, he wanted to casually toss the pit to the ground, but considering that Douluo World was, after all, the lower realm, he hesitated for a moment before storing the pit in his personal space. Without any visible energy flow, he stepped into the air and swiftly caught up with Chen Ming.
Before long, under Chen Ming's guidance, they arrived at Gengxin City. Using the usual secret signals, Chen Ming summoned Lou Gao privately and had him lead them to a secret underground chamber.
Throughout the journey, the God of Arrogance scrutinized Lou Gao from head to toe. Despite his divine power being sealed, his formidable spiritual power allowed him to easily discern Lou Gao's background. However, Lou Gao felt unnerved, as if the piercing gaze was stripping him bare—even down to his underwear. It wasn't until they entered the secret chamber that Lou Gao finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Inside the chamber, the God of Arrogance nodded at Chen Ming, then surged with power. He reached a hand into the void, and under the tense and expectant gazes of Chen Ming and Lou Gao, he retrieved an exquisitely crafted small hammer from an unknown plane.
With a slight mental stimulation, the God of Arrogance activated the divine consciousness of the God of Forging, which was embedded in the hammer. The delicate hammer floated out of his hand, suspended mid-air, radiating golden light.
As he gazed at the floating hammer, Lou Gao inexplicably felt his inspiration bursting forth endlessly. Concepts he had previously overlooked or failed to understand when forging metals or crafting soul tools suddenly became clear in his mind. Each idea unraveled and transformed into a myriad of techniques and solutions in his consciousness.
His forging skills, which he had thought had reached a bottleneck, also seemed to gain a faint trace of new direction under the influence of the golden light. Lou Gao's hands began itching involuntarily, eager to forge.
Meanwhile, Chen Ming, standing nearby, merely felt a slight mental uplift. His mind became clearer, but beyond that, there was no significant change.
The golden light coalesced, forming a humanoid figure. Unlike the handsome, blond-haired appearance of the God of Arrogance, the God of Forging had a rugged and stocky appearance. He was shorter than the average person, standing at only about 1.4 meters, but his broad frame was covered in rock-like muscles. His massive hands were bronze-colored, and his body was riddled with scars.
The most striking feature of the God of Forging was his large, bald head, complemented by a thick, meticulously groomed brown beard. His eyes were as large as bronze bells, and his nose was tinged with a reddish hue, as if from drinking.
His upper body was bare, revealing his muscular frame and numerous scars. He wore brown shorts made of some kind of plant fiber on his lower half, exposing rock-like calves. His feet were clad in metal boots, and a phantom wine jug hung at his waist, while the exquisite hammer rested in his hand.
At first glance, the God of Forging resembled the classic dwarf archetype from Western fantasy novels. Even without speaking or doing anything, his appearance immediately gave off a master blacksmith vibe.
"Arrogance, have you found me a successor?" The God of Forging glanced at the God of Arrogance and casually asked. Without waiting for a reply, he quickly approached Lou Gao with an excited glint in his eyes.
The ethereal figure circled Lou Gao, carefully examining his every feature. He even reached out to touch Lou Gao's calloused hands, testing the development of his forearms and calves.
"Not bad. Solid foundation. This level of physical development comes from decades of forging since childhood. Judging by the muscle structure and density, your forging skills shouldn't be bad."
The God of Forging nodded in satisfaction after a thorough inspection. However, his expression abruptly darkened, and his tone became displeased.
"But... but if you want to inherit the divine trial of the God of Forging, you must at least forge something in a workshop! I need to see the level of your forging skills first!"
"Don't think that just because you have potential, you're automatically qualified for the trial. As the God of Forging, the skill of forging is what I value most—even above cultivation. If your forging abilities fail to meet my standards, I absolutely won't let an outsider tarnish my divine position."
"Compared to cultivation, forging is my greatest pride in life. In the Douluo Continent, I, Lou Gao, am confident that I am the best blacksmith of this generation and the pioneer of future forging techniques. Senior, feel free to test me. If my skills fail to meet your expectations, I, Lou Gao, will end my life on the spot!" Lou Gao declared boldly, thumping his chest.
Hearing Lou Gao's confidence, the God of Forging, true to his dwarf-like demeanor, became even more pleased.