The crowd clamored again shortly after they quieted down. Although nobody dared to make negative remarks in front of Master Jin Shengjie, deep down everyone was agitated because they had a hunch that Ou Yangming seemed to have done something amazing again. Before long, a grim middle-aged man made his way down from the high platform.
Qu Jingming was an Intermediate Blacksmith, but he also had another identity —an Intermediate Appraiser.
Whether it was a blacksmith or an appraiser, they were professions that were desired and envied. Given that he held two positions, though he only had the Intermediate title for both roles, his status was not inferior to an Advanced Blacksmith like Yi Yucheng.
Needless to say, Qu Jingming was still respectful toward Jin Shengjie, and he did not dare to be impolite at all.
Qu Jingming arrived at the casting table and glanced at the pieces of equipment on it. Instead of identifying them one by one, he directly rubbed his hands and released the Appraisal Light.
A luster was shone on the arm guards.
Next, he looked like he came to a sudden realization as though he understood why Jin Shengjie and the two other blacksmith masters behaved so strangely.
Qu Jingming cleared his throat and uttered loudly, “Master Jin, the arm guards are of Fine Grade, and they’re at the peak of Rank Five.”
“The peak of Fine Grade Rank Five…”
“Impossible!” “Oh god, they’re actually at the peak of Rank Five?”
The crowd fell silent the instant Qu Jingming performed appraisal art.
Nonetheless, the instant he announced the equipment’s grade and rank, a volcano seemed to have erupted in the square as countless spectators exclaimed.
What was this place? This was the place for the Blacksmith Assessments, and the previous test was for Intermediate Blacksmiths who wanted to become Advanced Blacksmiths.
The candidates’ goal was simple; they had to smith pieces of Fine Grad equipment.
Nevertheless, they only hoped for Fine Grade because their task would be completed even if the pieces of equipment were of Fine Grade Rank One.
As for the peak of Fine Grade Rank Five…
At this instant, everyone felt like they had an illusion. ‘Were we watching candidates who were attempting to earn the Advanced Rank from the Intermediate Rank, or from the Advanced Rank to the Superior Rank?’
Pieces of equipment at the peak of Fine Grade Rank Five would only appear in the assessment for Advanced Blacksmiths who wanted to become Superior Blacksmiths. Besides, not every equipment would be at that grade and rank.
Jin Shengjie nodded and instructed with a straight face, “Go on.” Qu Jingming was slightly stunned. He initially thought he only needed to appraise a piece of equipment, but judging from Master Jin Shengjie’s expression, it seemed like that was not the case.
Despite that, it was not difficult for an Intermediate Appraiser to perform appraisal art continuously for many times.
He was rather curious, but he nodded while maintaining a cold look on his face. Following that, he released the Appraisal Light and shone it on the helmet according to the order that was followed by Jin Shengjie earlier.
Afterward, Qu Jingming’s eyelids twitched. He turned to glance at Ou Yangming, then he remarked, “This helmet is also at… The peak of Fine Grade Rank Five!”
“Woah…”
The square fell silent for an instant before the crowd became restless and noisy.
Hu Yicheng and his son looked at each other, then they looked at Du Gaoge at the same time. The three of them were in disbelief.
The three of them, no, everyone present suddenly had an unbelievable thought at that moment.
‘Jin Shengjie and the two other blacksmith masters looked so strange earlier not because every piece of equipment smithed by Ou Yangming are at the peak of Fine Grade Rank Five, right?’
Even if only a piece of equipment that was at the peak of Rank Five appeared in this assessment, the crowd would have praised the candidate.
What if all five pieces of the equipment were at the peak of Rank Five?
The crowd recalled a renowned and distinguished person at once.
A middle-aged blacksmith blurted out on the high platform. “Brother Yuan, I suddenly thought about your master.”
His voice immediately drew everyone’s attention, and someone else even echoed, “Yes, there are currently two pieces of equipment at the peak of Fine Grade; it reminds me of that exciting moment!”
Yuan Lexin smiled bitterly. He secretly lamented, but he could not let a word out.
Master Wu Hongxi the Fine Grade King.
In past generations, Master Wu Hongxi was the only person who smithed a full equipment set that comprised pieces of equipment at the peak of Fine Grade Rank Five.
They initially thought his record was unmatched, but it seemed like history could repeat itself.
“Gentlemen, I witnessed that moment when I was younger, so I was determined to become a blacksmith, but…” Another person expressed softly all of a sudden, then he continued after a moment of hesitation, “That was during the assessment when Master Wu Hongxi attempted to become a Superior Blacksmith…”
The other people were dumbfounded, and they began to have odd looks on their faces.
Back when Master Wu Hongxi took the Superior Blacksmith Assessment, he smithed five pieces of equipment that were at the peak of Fine Grade, which was why he was known as the Fine Grade King.
If Ou Yangming achieved the same result in the Advanced Blacksmith Assessment, what would his standard be?
Qu Jingming naturally thought about this matter, but he forced himself to suppress his throbbing heart in front of Master Jin Shengjie, and he continued to appraise the other pieces of equipment.
“This armor is at the peak of Fine Grade Rank Five.”
“This pair of greaves is at the peak of Fine Grade Rank Five.”
As he introduced the remaining items, the people on the high platform eventually stopped talking. Everyone paid full attention to the process as they waited for him to appraise the last weapon.
However, at that point, everyone secretly admitted that Ou Yangming indeed had the skills of an Advanced Blacksmith. Even if the military saber was not up to standard and did not have a Unique Attribute attached, it would not affect the fact.
If a blacksmith could continuously smith four pieces of equipment to be at the peak of Fine Grade Rank Five, he would be given a high rating wherever he went.
Qu Jingming rubbed his hands and steadily shone the last luster on the military saber.
His face twitched, and his heart skipped a beat. Even though the appraiser was mentally prepared, when he confirmed the results, the upsurge of emotions made him lose control.
Qu Jingming was startled because he instantly sensed countless people looking at him.
The invisible pressure was obvious, and he felt that it was unbearable.
He cleared his throat as he dared not delay the matter, then he stated, “This military saber is also at the peak of Fine Grade…”
“They’re all at the peak of Fine Grade?!”
“This is the second time—it’s the second time!”
“He deserves the Superior Blacksmith title, doesn’t he?”
Before Qu Jingming could finish, he was already cut off by the cheers that sounded like waves.
Apart from Yuan Lexin and Yan Yuanhua, the other blacksmiths were in admiration, such that even those who did not speak well of Ou Yangming earlier were finally convinced.
As for the ordinary spectators, they cheered and jumped with joy as if they were celebrating a festival.
They might not be convinced and would make sarcastic remarks to belittle Ou Yangming if he was only slightly better than the others, but the young fellow displayed superb skills that could nearly suppress everyone else.
He smithed five pieces of equipment, all of which were at the peak of Rank Five.
Not to mention the Advanced and Intermediate Blacksmiths, even if all Superior Blacksmiths were asked to do the same, they could not accomplish it.
When Wu Hongxi—the Fine Grade Kingshocked everyone during his assessment, even he admitted that it was very much related to luck. If he had to do it again, he could not guarantee a 100% success rate anymore.
Nobody thought the scene could be reproduced.
Therefore, when someone smithed five pieces of equipment that were at the peak of Fine Grade again, the crowd unleashed their enthusiasm, which they had accumulated for a long time, causing the atmosphere to be pushed to a new height.
On the other hand, Yuan Lexin and Yan Yuanhua, who were Master Wu Hongxi’s disciples, were somewhat embarrassed because they did not know how they should react.
The record was only exclusively Master Wu Hongxi’s but another person had now accomplished the same thing. Yuan Lexin and Yan Yuanhua felt even more helpless because this was not the Superior Assessment, but the Advanced Assessment.
Jin Shengjie smiled and waited until the cheers became softer, then he raised his hands and pushed them down in the air.
The noise eventually disappeared, and everyone fixed their gaze on the blacksmith master as they waited for him to make a statement.
“Qu Jingming, you didn’t finish earlier, so go on,” Jin Shengjie said with a smile.
“Yes. Not only is this military saber at the peak of Fine Grade, but it’s also bound with the Power attribute.” Qu Jingming smiled bitterly, then he took a deep breath and emphasized, “It’s also not the usual attachment because there are layered Power attributes!”
‘Layered Power attributes?’
The crowd was struck dumb at first, then they quickly recalled Ou Yangming’s move during his smithing process.
It turned out that he did not pick up the second Power Ore because he failed to melt the first Power Ore, but because he wanted to layer the attributes.
In a flash, the professionals had a weird look on their faces.
‘It was a crucial moment in the assessment, but instead of fixing only one Power Ore to the saber, he used another one on it.
‘Did he not consider the possibility of failing?” The other candidates were jittery during the assessment, and they would be content if they could achieve the goal, but Ou Yangming behaved differently.
Everyone else had a feeling when they recalled Ou Yangming’s expression throughout the assessment.
“The fella wasn’t taking an assessment; he was enjoying the smithing processes.
‘As for the blacksmith title, which is valued by his peers, it doesn’t seem like he took it to heart at all, did he?’
Jin Shengjie nodded and looked at Ou Yangming as he noted, “Ou Yangming, I hereby announce that you’re the third person to become an Advanced Blacksmith today.”
