Chapter 3692: The Flawless Metal Anvil Appears!
Chapter 3692: The Flawless Metal Anvil Appears!
Time passed.
As before, Lin Mu lost track of it entirely.
Still, the one he sought did not appear.
The Flawless Metal Anvil was nowhere to be seen.
He did not rush.
He allowed the process to continue.
Eventually, the manifestations began to slow.
Then, at last, something changed.
The metallic light gathered in a denser form.
It condensed into a solid structure.
An anvil appeared.
Its surface was smooth, flawless, and perfectly balanced. It radiated a quiet authority, a presence that did not need to assert itself.
Lin Mu’s eyes sharpened.
The Flawless Metal Anvil.
He did not call to it immediately.
He had learned.
Instead, he waited.
More Dao Embryos continued to appear, and among them were some of the strongest he had seen so far.
One manifested as a massive floating fortress made entirely of metal, its walls shifting and reinforcing themselves constantly. This was the Eternal Fortress Alloy Dao Embryo, capable of creating defenses that could adapt to any form of attack.
Another appeared as a cluster of metallic stars, each one rotating around a central core. This was the Stellar Metal Convergence Dao Embryo, which could draw in surrounding metal and condense it into incredibly dense forms.
There was one that resembled a massive blade forged from black metal that absorbed light. The Void Edge Alloy Dao Embryo. It could sever not only matter but also disrupt energy flow itself. An incredibly rare hybrid of Space and Metal Daos.
Another took the shape of a living construct, a humanoid figure made entirely of shifting metal. The Autonomous Metal Construct Dao Embryo. It could create independent entities to fight or assist in forging.
One appeared as a lattice of interconnected lines forming a complex geometric structure. The Gestalt Grid Metal Dao Embryo. It represented absolute balance and stability, ensuring that anything forged would have no structural weaknesses.
Each of these was powerful.
Each of them could rival or surpass the Flawless Metal Anvil in certain aspects.
Lin Mu watched them all.
Then, once he was certain that no more would appear, he focused his will.
He reached out.
And called for the Flawless Metal Anvil.
The moment Lin Mu extended his will toward the Flawless Metal Anvil, the reaction was immediate and violent.
The metallic realm erupted into motion.
Every Dao Embryo that had been calmly suspended in the air surged forward at once, their forms colliding and overlapping as they rushed toward the anvil. The quiet order that had defined their earlier appearances was gone. What replaced it was chaos, dense and suffocating.
Lin Mu’s perception was overwhelmed.
Thousands of metallic forms moved at once, their light clashing, their energies grinding against one another. The Flawless Metal Anvil, which had been so clear and distinct just moments ago, vanished within that storm.
He tried to reach it.
He focused his will, pushing outward, attempting to carve a path through the swarm.
It did not work.
The Dao Embryos closed ranks, their presence forming a barrier that refused to yield. It was like watching an army surround a single helpless peasant, layer upon layer pressing inward, leaving no space for escape.
Lin Mu narrowed his eyes.
He tried again.
He called to the anvil, sending his intent through the chaos, urging it to come forward.
There was a faint response.
A subtle pull.
Then it vanished again as the other Dao Embryos struck it back.
Lin Mu clicked his tongue.
"So it’s the same as before," he muttered.
He attempted the same method he had used with the Fire Dao Embryos.
He spoke.
He reasoned.
He tried to appeal to them.
"You have all shown yourselves," he said. "You have demonstrated your strength. Let the most suitable one come forward."
There was no response.
Not even hesitation.
The Metal Dao Embryos continued their assault, their movements sharp and decisive. They did not waver, did not consider his words.
Lin Mu’s expression hardened.
He changed tactics.
He tried coaxing.
He tried scolding.
He even attempted to provoke them.
Nothing worked.
These Dao Embryos were different.
Where the Fire Dao Embryos had shown a certain emotional volatility, a willingness to listen, these were rigid, unyielding, structured like the very metal they represented.
They did not negotiate.
They acted.
Time passed.
Lin Mu could feel it slipping by, though he still could not measure it. The situation did not improve. The Flawless Metal Anvil remained trapped, buried under an unending tide of opposition.
Frustration began to rise.
He exhaled sharply.
Then, without thinking, he spoke.
"If you want to fight so badly, then fight me!"
The words echoed and for the first time, everything stopped.
The metallic storm froze.
Every Dao Embryo turned.
They faced him.
Lin Mu felt it then.
A pressure.
A challenge.
It was not spoken, yet it was unmistakable.
’Prove it.’
Lin Mu’s eyes sharpened.
So that was it.
These were not like the Fire Dao Embryos that competed for favor.
These demanded worth.
He straightened his posture.
"Fine," he said.
His voice was calm, but firm.
"I will prove it."
The metallic realm grew still, as if waiting.
Lin Mu continued.
"I will show you that the Flawless Metal Anvil is the right choice for me. I will use its power and stand against all of you."
The pressure intensified.
A silent agreement formed.
The Dao Embryos accepted.
The storm parted.
And from within that opening, the Flawless Metal Anvil emerged.
It floated before Lin Mu, its surface pristine, its presence steady. He felt an immediate connection to it, a resonance that aligned perfectly with his understanding. Yet it was not fully his.
Not yet.
It was lending him its strength.
Lin Mu understood instinctively what he needed to do.
The knowledge of its abilities flowed into him.
Hone and Reinforce.
Simple concepts but with endless applications.
He raised his hand.
A chunk of raw iron appeared in front of him.
It was impure, uneven, filled with flaws.
Then with another thought, a hammer formed in his grip, heavy and solid.