Inside the sect leader's room, Ning Liuzhi's faint smile became even brighter the moment he heard the voice in his mind.
The mark of the furnace's divine authority.
Just as I expected.
Ning Liu chuckled inwardly, not surprised at all.
This is not the first time.
The system seems to favor this model, placing a seemingly tangible "relic of the gods" on the table to drive the world mad, while the true core, the invisible "authority," will quietly fall into its own hands through the system's return.
Qian Daoliu thought that he had spent 50 million to buy a booster to pave the way for his granddaughter.
What he actually bought was just a ticket stub...
The real first-class ticket is in your own hands.
"A bucket of 'the sweat of the furnace god'... thankfully it wasn't; just thinking about that image is a bit greasy." Ning
He chuckled to himself and then immersed his thoughts in the system.
[The Mark of the Forge: A materialized certificate of a portion of the authority of the third-tier deity "God of the Forge".]
This mark is not a symbol of divine succession, but rather a symbol of "qualification."
The system's explanation was as concise as ever, but immediately afterward, a thick, epic stream of information flooded into Ning Liu's mind.
That's a story.
In the distant, untraceable ancient times, the realm of gods was first established, and all paths of enlightenment contended.
There was an ordinary person who was not born a favorite, had no illustrious family background, and did not possess a top-tier martial spirit.
His only companion was a hammer, and his only faith was the blazing furnace in his hand.
His name is "Lie," a madman obsessed with forging.
He traveled across mountains and rivers in search of the toughest minerals.
He ventured deep into the earth's fiery core, solely to refine the purest gold.
He dedicated his entire life to the word "creation".
He firmly believes that even iron has a soul, and everything can be molded.
With this almost obsessive belief, he managed to knock on the gates of the divine realm with his mortal body.
He ignited the divine fire, condensed his divine essence, and became the first and only god in the divine realm to achieve godhood through the "forging" method—the God of the Furnace.
However, becoming a god is not the end.
Even gods have varying strengths and weaknesses, and their positions can be high or low.
After advancing to the third-level godhood, the God of the Furnace encountered the biggest bottleneck since becoming a god.
His divine way is "creation," transforming the mundane into the extraordinary.
However, he repeatedly failed when he tried to forge a true "sub-divine artifact".
His divine fire was not strong enough to forge certain chaotic wonders. His divine power was not pure enough to inscribe eternal laws on objects.
He was trapped.
After a failed forging attempt that exhausted all his energy, the near-complete artifact crumbled into cosmic dust before his eyes.
Endless exhaustion, resentment, anger, and doubt about his own path reached their peak at that moment.
He stood atop the furnace of the divine realm, his divine body scorched by the divine fire, a drop of crimson-gold sweat seeping from it.
That wasn't ordinary sweat.
That was the condensation and crystallization of his divine power, understanding of the laws, and indomitable will as the God of the Furnace.
A single drop of sweat nearly drained one-tenth of his original divine power at that time.
At that moment, he understood.
His philosophy is "creation" and "giving value".
So why should the selection process he inherited be confined to traditional battles and trials?
His successor needs not only strength, but also the vision to "turn lead into gold," the wisdom to see through the essence of things and maximize their value.
So he sealed this drop of "divine sweat" that contained part of his origin and will, and cast it into the mortal realm.
It is no longer just a piece of material, but an exam paper.
[System Analysis: The Trial of the Forge God has two levels.]
[The surface-level test is for the recipient of the "Divine Sweat." If the recipient can decipher the true nature of the "Divine Sweat" and use it to temper themselves, rather than simply forging external objects, they will gain an opportunity to become a disciple of the God of the Forge in the divine realm and become a divine craftsman.]
[The inner test is for those who circulate the "Divine Khan." The God of the Forge believes that true "creation" includes the "circulation of value." If someone can recognize the extraordinary nature of this item and maximize its value in the mortal world in the most appropriate way, inspiring desire and yearning for the way of "creation" among people, then that person is a true "soulmate" who understands the essence of his divine way.]
Ning Liu remained silent for a long time after reading this explanation.
He leaned back in his chair and couldn't help but chuckle softly.
What an interesting God of the Forge!
This is no god, he's clearly a top-notch "product manager" and "venture capitalist".
This approach is far more fashionable than those religious traditions that involve fighting and killing, and chanting "either become a god or die trying."
"So, what exactly is the use of this 'divine mark'?" Ning Liu asked in his mind.
[The Forge Divine Authority Mark grants the recipient Skill One: Seed of Divine Fire: A wisp of "Forge Divine Fire" will condense within the host's body. This seed can be activated at the host's will for forging, alchemy, or direct combat. Its power is linked to the host's soul power level and mental strength.]
[Skill Two: Enlightenment Hand: The host can use the "Forge Fire" as a catalyst to "enlighten" a soul tool or weapon. There is a certain chance to improve its quality or give it new characteristics. Each enlightenment will consume a large amount of soul power and mental power.]
Seed of Divine Fire!
A hand of enlightenment!
Either of these abilities alone would be enough to drive all the blacksmiths on the continent crazy.
The "Seed of Divine Fire," though merely a wisp of fire, is far more potent than any earthly flame.
Perhaps, when facing an enemy, a wisp of divine fire could easily ignite even the protective soul power of a Title Douluo!
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