Five years!
Not a single step away from Mount Norton!
Lin Xia's thoughts spun instantly.
After the overwhelming impact, his rational mind began analyzing the pros and cons.
There was no doubt, this was an absolutely crucial opportunity for Lou Gao himself.
The foundational stage of the divine trial had to be solid; otherwise, any subsequent, more difficult trials would be like a castle in the air.
Though the Phoenix God's demands were harsh, there was profound purpose behind them, it was so that his teacher could truly bear the weight of its inheritance.
Yet… the timing of this was incredibly delicate!
Lin Xia's gaze involuntarily swept over the scattered traces in the cavern, marks left from when he and Larvitar had chewed on ores, as well as the various sketches and blueprints they had drawn while discussing Soul Conduits.
Most crucially, Lou Gao had devoted half his life to Soul Conduit research, particularly the design of the theoretical Soul Conduit Mecha that could change the entire landscape. That project was now at a critical juncture of both theoretical breakthrough and practical experimentation.
As one of the world's top Divine Artisans, Lou Gao's experience, vision, understanding of core formations, and forging expertise were the irreplaceable driving force behind the research.
Without him personally overseeing and guiding, progress would inevitably suffer a devastating setback!
Lin Xia's brows knitted tightly, his fingers unconsciously fidgeting.
Even though yesterday, within the Soul Furnace, he had—through a stroke of fortune, forcefully absorbed all of Lou Gao's lifetime insights and memories on forging and the path of artifacts, the vast knowledge of metal textures, control of heat, energy transmission, and the secrets of balance now imprinted deeply in his consciousness, this was undoubtedly an unimaginable treasure.
With these memories and his own forward-thinking insight beyond his era, he was confident he could independently complete many Soul Conduit designs and constructions, perhaps even surpassing Lou Gao in some ways.
However, the Soul Conduit Mecha, the epoch-making construct they envisioned, integrating offense, defense, mobility, and an energy core was an enormous, complex system.
It required massive resource coordination, precision forging and assembly of components, delicate micro-sculpting and adjustment of the core formations, and countless rounds of trial and error.
Lou Gao's on-site guidance, his Divine Artisan hands capable of turning the mundane into the extraordinary, and his unparalleled prestige and resource management within the Blacksmith' Association were all things Lin Xia could not fully replace.
If he attempted to explore alone, efficiency would inevitably plummet, and over five years, progress would likely fall far short of expectations.
Time… yet again, time!
The divine trial demanded five years, and the golden period for Soul Conduit development coincided with these critical years!
Lin Xia's heart was torn with immense conflict.
On one side was his teacher's essential path to divinity and rebirth; on the other was his own grand blueprint to change the world and advance the Soul Conduit revolution.
Both were vitally important, yet at this moment, they collided sharply in a conflict over time.
Lou Gao's eyes stayed fixed on Lin Xia's expression, absorbing every flicker of shock, contemplation, struggle, and the trace of hidden worry.
He knew his disciple too well, understood the weight of Soul Conduit research in Lin Xia's heart, and its significance for the future.
Seeing Lin Xia remain silent, Lou Gao felt even deeper guilt and remorse.
The divine trial was his opportunity, but it would come at the cost of delaying his disciple's grand plan…
"Xiao Xia…"
Lou Gao was about to speak, his voice slightly hoarse.
At that moment, Lin Xia suddenly lifted his head. The brief shadow and struggle on his face seemed to be instantly dispelled by an unyielding force of will.
He drew a deep breath, and the scorching air seemed to ignite a flame in his eyes.
Stepping forward, Lin Xia's face blossomed once more into a bright, determined smile—brighter even than the lingering glow of the divine fire in the cavern.
"Teacher!"
His voice rang out with absolute conviction, filled with unwavering resolve.
"What are you thinking? The divine trial is your path to transcendence, the Phoenix God's recognition of your ironclad craftsmanship! Five years? Don't just say five—ten, twenty years, you must remain here and complete it! This is the destiny you deserve and the path you must walk!"
Lin Xia patted his chest, his eyes blazing with intensity.
"As for the Soul Conduit research? There's absolutely no need for you to worry! Did you forget what happened yesterday?"
He tapped his head, a confident glint in his eyes.
"All the lifetime essence of your artifact mastery, the secrets of forging 'metal tempered by fire,' the countless techniques and insights honed through endless practice—they're all here!"
"Though this disciple may be dull and cannot fully match your miraculous skill in person, inheriting your legacy and continuing our research will be absolutely fine!"
To put Lou Gao completely at ease, Lin Xia even stepped aside, picking up a relatively hard shard of dark ore that had fallen earlier.
He closed his eyes, seeming to channel the immense torrent of forging memories stored in his mind.
Seconds later, he opened his eyes, now blazing with focused intensity, as if a true Divine Artisan had taken over his body.
His twenty-level Soul was not particularly strong, yet the way he channeled it, the precise force in his fingers, even the angles at which he studied the ore's grain, all carried the deep, bone-deep craftsmanship of Lou Gao himself.
With his right hand, his fingers worked like chisels; with his left, subtle force flowed from his palm, Soul power moving in an almost imperceptible way through his fingertips.
No hammer struck, only delicate gestures—scrapes, taps, and presses across the ore's surface.
Amazingly, the hard ore seemed to soften and mold under invisible influence, accompanied by faint "sizzles" and scattered sparks. On its surface, a tiny, miniature but structurally clear and smoothly contoured prototype of a Soul Conduit core formation gear had been "sculpted"!
Though crude and rough compared to Lou Gao's masterpieces, the control over power, understanding of materials, and grasp of core formation structure already bore the unmistakable imprint of Lou Gao's forging spirit!
"Look!"
Lin Xia held up the small, still-warm metallic gear prototype before Lou Gao, his smile radiant.
"Though this disciple is not yet a master, with your true teachings within me, our hard work will not be wasted!"
"I'll also keep visiting the Blacksmith' Association. With Senior Brothers Silong and Siyu there, the basic operation and resource coordination will be fine."
"For critical problems, I'll record them. During your divine trial breaks or when you emerge after five years, we'll tackle them together!"
"Who knows? By then, you, the 'Phoenix Divine Artisan,' might just point a finger, and the toughest problems will be solved effortlessly."
Seeing the rough but promising gear in Lin Xia's hand, sensing the craftsmanship aura he shared with himself, and hearing his disciple's confident, responsible words, Lou Gao finally felt the weighty stone in his heart drop with a resounding thud.
A warm surge of pride and relief swept away all his worries and guilt.
He reached out his massive, dark-gold-infused hand, not to take the gear, but to once more clap it heavily, with deep emotion, onto Lin Xia's shoulder. The force made Lin Xia stagger slightly.
"Good! Good! Good!"
Lou Gao repeated it three times, his voice booming, filled with the release of burden and immense satisfaction, his eyes glinting with the faint shimmer of tears.
"I truly did not misjudge you! Xiao Xia, with this heart and ability, I am completely at ease!"
Lou Gao tilted his head, gazing at the cavern ceiling as if saluting the Phoenix God above, or perhaps declaring it to himself.
"Five years! Just five years! I, Lou Gao, will forge within this crucible this divine bone, this artifact Soul, this reborn Soul, into the true foundation worthy of the Phoenix God's seat!"
"Xiao Xia, the outside world, our dreams, they are temporarily entrusted to you!"
Lou Gao's voice rang with strength, filled with the firmness and resolve of the Phoenix Divine Hammer, echoing deep into the scorching cavern of Mount Norton.
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