The forge roared to life.

The flames rose higher than ever before, swirling in a spiral of red and gold. Each strand of heat moved as if guided by thought—his thought. His blood, his spirit, his will—all bled into the molten core of the ore. The Crimsonheart responded in kind, its inner veins glowing brighter, pulsing in rhythm with Tian Lei's heartbeat.

"Good," he muttered, sweat rolling down his temples. "Resist me… fight me. That's how you'll be born."

He lifted his hammer, now blazing faintly with the same crimson hue, and brought it down.

CLANG!

The sound wasn't that of metal meeting metal—it was the collision of intent and creation. Sparks burst outward, each one carrying a sliver of spiritual energy. The flame quivered, the forge floor groaned, and the magma veins beneath the chamber stirred as if acknowledging a superior fire.

CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.

Each strike merged the molten ore with his life essence. Slowly, the Crimsonheart began to change—its surface rippling like living skin, its glow deepening from red to an ancient, molten gold. The weapon was forming, not just through metalwork but through bonding.

Hours turned to night, night into dawn. The air had grown so hot that even the protective runes strained to contain it, their edges flickering from the pressure.

Tian Lei's breath grew ragged, but his focus did not falter. His hammering rhythm had become something beyond mortal skill—each motion deliberate, each strike resonating with an inner pulse that synchronized with the flame and the ore alike.

At last, he raised his hammer one final time, channeling every drop of qi left in his body.

"—Awaken."

The hammer fell.

The forge erupted in light.

A wave of fiery essence exploded outward, shaking the entire Core Sect mountain. Flames burst through the ventilation arrays, shooting into the sky like a beacon. Disciples outside gasped as a column of golden-red fire surged upward, roaring like a dragon's ascension.

Inside the forge, Tian Lei stood unmoving, the storm of heat whirling around him. His robes were torn, his skin scorched in places—but his eyes shone with unyielding brilliance.

When the light finally receded, a single object floated above the anvil.

A blade—half-formed yet undeniably alive. The metal pulsed faintly, breathing in rhythm with him. Lines of golden flame etched themselves across its surface, flowing like veins of molten blood. Its hilt shimmered with embedded runes—no carvings, no inlays—just pure, living resonance.

And then—

SHING—

A whisper echoed in his mind. Not a word, not a thought—but a feeling: acknowledgment.

Tian Lei exhaled sharply, his body trembling. "You heard me… didn't you?"

The blade's glow flickered once—like a nod.

A smile ghosted across his face. "Good. Then you're alive."

He reached out, wrapping his fingers around the hilt. The instant he did, the weapon's qi flowed into him, warm and fluid. His own flame responded, wrapping the weapon in a faint aura of unity. For a moment, it was difficult to tell where his spirit ended and the weapon's began.

It wasn't a finished Heaven-Rank weapon yet—but it had already surpassed the boundaries of normal forging. It was becoming something else—a weapon with consciousness, perhaps even potential for growth.

Tian Lei's voice came out hoarse but steady.

"This is only the first spark. Let's see how bright we can burn."

Outside, far above the forge, a group of Core Elders turned their gazes toward the rising firelight from Tian Lei's terrace. The eldest among them narrowed his eyes.

"…Spirit resonance?" he murmured. "That's no ordinary forging. He's walked into the domain of living weapons."

The others exchanged glances, awe and concern mixing in their expressions.

One of them spoke quietly, "That boy… may truly be the successor the Flame Ancestral Forge has been waiting for."

The heat finally began to fade. The forge quieted—reluctantly, almost reverently—leaving behind the lingering scent of scorched air and sanctified metal. The molten veins beneath the floor pulsed one last time, then settled into a steady, rhythmic thrum, as if the mountain itself was catching its breath after bearing witness.

Tian Lei stood in the stillness, shoulders rising and falling with exhaustion. His spiritual reserves were almost dry, yet his spirit burned brighter than ever. Every nerve in his body sang with a deep, echoing hum—the resonance of something greater than himself.

Before him, the half-forged blade floated, faint wisps of golden qi still drifting from its edge like breath on a cold morning. It was beautiful in a way words couldn't fully capture—alive, raw, proud. And beneath its glow was something unmistakable: trust.

He released a shaky laugh. "So… you chose to be stubborn, huh?"

The blade trembled, a faint ripple of flame running along its edge, as if it were teasing him.

"Figures," Tian Lei muttered, smiling faintly. "Even my weapons have attitudes."

He reached into his robe and drew out a small jade vial filled with shimmering golden liquid—Essence Rebirth Elixir, the kind of recovery medicine Core disciples guarded jealously. Without hesitation, he uncorked it and drank. The liquid burned down his throat, flooding his meridians with revitalizing fire. Slowly, color returned to his face, and the haze of fatigue began to lift.

"Alright," he said, turning toward the forge again. "We're not done yet."

The weapon hovered obediently, as though understanding. Tian Lei's fingers traced a series of seals in the air, activating the Spirit-Blood Forging Method's final phase—the Binding Temper. A crimson sigil flared beneath the anvil, encircling both him and the blade in a sphere of molten light.

A voice suddenly broke through the forge's rumbling silence.

"Core Disciple Tian Lei!"

The door slid open, and a female attendant stepped in—her robes pristine, her expression caught between alarm and awe. Behind her, a faint heat haze shimmered from the corridor where several protective formations had just reignited.

She bowed quickly. "Elder Huo Xian requests your presence at the Upper Flame Pavilion immediately! The forging resonance you triggered has reached the Grand Furnace Arrays—it's causing the entire mountain to fluctuate!"

Tian Lei blinked, glancing at the still-glowing forge. "...Fluctuate?"

The attendant hesitated. "Sir, with respect—half the Sect thought the volcano was about to awaken."

He rubbed the back of his neck, suppressing a sheepish grin. "Ah. That might've been me."

Her lips twitched. "Yes, Core Disciple. We gathered as much."

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