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Chapter 132: The King’s Shock
Throughout the history of the Barisan continent, many blacksmithing geniuses have risen to fame, leaving their names etched in the annals of blacksmithing history after creating high-grade artifacts early in their careers. Some were able to forge peak Heaven-grade artifacts within a mere decade of touching a blacksmith’s hammer for the first time, while others crafted Divine-grade artifacts after a century of dedication.
These individuals are truly Heaven’s chosen in the world of blacksmithing—talents so rare that surpassing them through hard work alone seems almost impossible. But now, the question arises: has anyone ever created a Middle Sky-grade artifact just six months after picking up a hammer for the first time? Most would agree that it’s impossible.
To forge a higher-grade artifact, one must comprehend the intricate patterns of that grade, possess sufficient energy, and master the techniques that support it. If any of these requirements are unmet, creating a high-grade artifact or in this case a Sky-grade one—is unachievable. The patterns of Sky-grade artifacts are significantly more complex than those of Earth-grade ones, requiring considerable time for comprehension and practice. For a beginner, mastering such patterns in under a year is unimaginable.
The forging techniques must also be perfected to support the desired grade’s artifact, a process that demands immense resources and years of practice. Even for someone with extraordinary talent and a sharp mind, experience is irreplaceable—experiences is the keys to gaining profound knowledge!
So, when King Douwin heard that the young man who assisted Duke Valiard in creating a Middle Divine-grade artifact was only at the High Earl stage, he assumed the youth had at least a decade of experience in blacksmithing—a prodigy akin to the legendary geniuses of the past.
As for the energy required for such a feat, the king speculated that Duke Valiard had likely compensated with an expensive elixir capable of continuously replenishing energy. Though such an elixir would be incredibly costly and might drain Duke Valiard’s wealth, King Douwin thought it plausible, believing the duke to be desperate to prove his competence to the other nobles and to ease the lingering accusations surrounding his elder brother’s mysterious disappearance.
The dagger Aldrian had forged further convinced the king that this young man must have a genius mind and extensive experience far beyond the norm. So, when King Douwin heard that Aldrian had only been forging for six months since first picking up a hammer, his mind froze. He slumped back onto his throne with a blank expression, it was as though the king’s thoughts had come to a complete halt.
Seeing the king’s lost expression, Aldrian decided to speak to him directly. He sent a voice transmission to King Douwin.
"Your Majesty, do you know how old I am?"
The king, still in a daze, was startled by the sudden question but responded out of instinct. He wondered why the young man had chosen a voice transmission but answered nonetheless.
"I don’t know... perhaps 100 years old or more?" It seemed the most logical guess given Aldrian’s youthful appearance and cultivation level.
"Wrong," Aldrian replied. "I’m still 15 years old."
"What?!" King Douwin leaped from his throne, shouting in disbelief, forgetting to use his voice transmission. The idea of Aldrian being only 15 was just as absurd as the thought of him having only six months of blacksmithing experience! His sudden outburst startled the gathered nobles, who exchanged confused glances, wondering what had caused their king to react so dramatically.
"You can verify my age using an artifact. I’m sure you have something like that," Aldrian calmly suggested.
Without wasting any time, King Douwin ordered one of his guards to fetch an artifact used to check a person’s potential. Shortly after, the guard returned with an orb-shaped artifact, the same type of "Orb of Origin" Aldrian had seen in the Ivory Empire. The nobles were still perplexed, unsure of why the king had asked for this artifact.
"This is an upgraded version of the Orb of Origin," King Douwin explained. "It doesn’t just detect the type of energy a person possesses; it can also reveal their age and potential."
Aldrian, observing the orb, quickly realized it was similar to how the Hall of Origin’s work in the Ivory Empire, but in a much more compact form.
"It’s like the Hall of Origin in the Ivory Empire, but reduced to the size of an orb," Aldrian thought to himself before turning his attention back to King Douwin.
"Is this artifact valuable to the kingdom? Is it produced in large quantities?" Aldrian’s question puzzled the king, but he answered nonetheless.
"Yes, it’s a valuable artifact, and we only produce a limited number of them. Why do you ask?" King Douwin responded, curiosity creeping into his tone.
"It’s nothing, Your Majesty. I just feel bad about what’s going to happen next," Aldrian replied with a bitter smile.
Behind him, Eleine shared a knowing smile, though she couldn’t help but worry about the implications of what was about to unfold. She wasn’t sure if revealing Aldrian’s talent in front of these nobles was the wisest course of action.
King Douwin instructed Aldrian to touch the orb and infuse it with his energy. As soon as Aldrian complied, a blinding golden light burst from the orb, filling the hall and shocking the dwarves present. The brilliant glow lasted only a moment before vanishing, leaving the hall in stunned silence.
The nobles, confused and disoriented, turned their gazes toward the king, but what the nobles saw next was startling—the king stood frozen, his body trembling and his pupils dilated as he stared at the Orb of Origin in disbelief. Confusion spread through the hall, and one noble, Duke Badin, took the opportunity to speak.
"What is wrong, Your Majesty?" Duke Badin asked. He was one of the nobles who harbored jealousy and anger toward Duke Valiard’s sudden fortune. The arrival of this young man had upended all his plans, and Duke Badin saw an opportunity to exploit any potential weakness in the boy to turn the situation to his advantage. If this young man failed in any way, Duke Valiard would also be blamed.
But Duke Badin couldn’t understand why the king had brought out the upgraded Orb of Origin and allowed this boy to use it. Had Aldrian whispered something to sway the king? And judging by the king’s paralyzed expression, something was definitely amiss. Badin didn’t like this uncertainty one bit.
Yet, King Douwin remained silent, as if turned to stone. His unresponsiveness sparked worry among the others. Queen Alsanda, sensing something was wrong, approached her husband and gently tapped him on the back.
"Dear, what’s wrong—?" she began, but her gaze drifted to the Orb of Origin. Her words trailed off, her eyes widening in disbelief at what was written on the orb. She was just as baffled as her husband. The nobles saw her sudden change in expression and knew something significant was happening.
On the Orb of Origin, the following was displayed:
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Age : 15 years old.
Cultivation : High Earl.
Talent : Unmeasurable.
Potential : Unmeasurable.
Conclusion : Can’t Conclude.
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This kind of evaluation had never been heard of before, and Queen Alsanda still couldn’t believe that this young man was only 15 years old! Suddenly, the Orb of Origin began to crack, snapping King Douwin out of his stupor. Moments later, the orb crumbled to pieces, sending a wave of shock through the entire hall. The king stared at the remnants of the orb, then turned his gaze to Aldrian, who wore a bitter smile.
Without hesitation, King Douwin gave a sharp command to the room.
"All of you, except Duke Valiard’s group, get out!" he shouted.
The nobles, desperate to know what had been displayed on the orb and why it had shattered reluctantly obeyed the king’s order and filed out of the throne hall in an orderly manner. The three dukes who had initially planned to confront Aldrian and use this opportunity to attack Duke Valiard were left confused, their plans completely derailed by the king’s strange actions.
"This is bad! We don’t know what that young man did, nor do we know the result from the Orb of Origin that shook the king like this. But one thing’s clear—we can’t pressure Duke Valiard any longer," Duke Calas said, using voice transmission as the three of them walked away from the hall.
"Damn it! Where the hell did that young man come from? He just appeared out of nowhere and ruined everything!" Duke Lorf added, frustration heavy in his tone.
"What do you think, Duke Badin?" Duke Calas asked after noticing Badin had remained silent since leaving the hall. Duke Badin seemed lost in thought, his expression unreadable.
After a moment, Duke Badin responded. "The sudden appearance of that young man was completely unexpected. With Duke Valiard regaining his footing, it will be much harder to pressure him now. Even if we keep using Mardred Valiard’s disappearance to weaken his position, it won’t be nearly as effective anymore—not with him capable of producing a Middle Divine-grade artifact."
Duke Badin’s eyes gleamed as he continued. "It seems we’ll need the help of that ’guy’ to turn this situation around. With a Middle Divine-grade artifact now in play, that ’guy’ will almost certainly take an interest and come to our aid."
The other two dukes exchanged knowing smirks, their previous frustrations fading. The mention of "that guy" filled them with confidence. With his involvement, the problem would resolve itself, and their plans would soon be back on track.
