"Choosing the right master… really is that important!"
Lin Xia gently rubbed the leather-textured book cover, gazing at the two tempting "little mountains" inside the storage space, and sighed from the bottom of his heart.
Lou Gao had not only given him resources and protection—he had also handed him the key to a far broader stage in the future.
This was nothing like Yu Xiaogang, who talked about taking him as a disciple yet never produced a single thing, relying on theory all day long to explain everything.
Knock, knock, knock—
Just then, a slightly hurried yet carefully controlled knock sounded on the door, breaking the quiet of the room.
Larvitar immediately lifted its small head in alert, red eyes fixed on the doorway.
Lin Xia also snapped back to attention, quickly set the book down, walked to the door, and pulled it open.
Most of the light outside was instantly blocked by four towering figures standing in front of him.
Four men, all over 1.9 meters tall, stood there like four iron towers forged in fire. Their muscles bulged powerfully, stretching the leather aprons they wore—aprons stained with oil and scorched with sparks—tight against their bodies.
Their skin was a bronze hue, darkened by years of furnace flames. Their arms were as thick as Lin Xia's thighs, their hands covered in thick calluses and countless tiny burn scars. They radiated a strong masculine aura mixed with sweat, metal, and coal dust.
The man at the front was the oldest, around his early thirties, with a square face, thick brows, large eyes, and a steady, dependable gaze.
The one beside him was slightly younger, with a close-cropped buzz cut, sharp eyes, and a bright, straightforward smile at the corner of his mouth.
The third looked the most impatient, standing on his toes and craning his neck, curiosity written plainly across his face.
The last was the most burly of all, standing silently at the back like a small mountain.
Four pairs of eyes—eight gazes—locked onto Lin Xia at the same time, filled with pure curiosity and friendly scrutiny.
After a brief moment of near-frozen silence, the four of them seemed to move in perfect unison. Broad, somewhat simple smiles spread across their faces, and their voices boomed like heavy hammers striking iron as they shouted together:
"You're the junior brother, right?"
The sound echoed down the quiet corridor, leaving Lin Xia's ears ringing slightly.
Seeing the equally bewildered expressions on Lin Xia's face and that of the strange little creature at his feet, the four men immediately realized their abruptness and just how loud they had been.
The square-faced man at the front, steady and reliable, quickly filled his face with apologetic smiles and scratched the back of his head with a fan-sized hand.
"Ah! Look at these big mouths of ours!"
He hurriedly lowered his voice, sounding a little embarrassed.
"We scared you and the little guy, didn't we? Sorry, sorry! We're Master's disciples. According to the order we joined, I'm Si Long the eldest senior brother!" He patted his solid chest as he spoke.
The sharp-eyed man with the buzz cut immediately followed up with a grin.
"I'm the second—Si Di!" He flashed Lin Xia a friendly smile.
The impatient one, already leaning forward, couldn't hold back any longer and spoke rapidly.
"Third is Si Yu! Hehe, Junior Brother, your Martial Soul is really something special!" His eyes were glued to Larvitar, brimming with amazement.
The burliest man at the back simply nodded once, his voice low and concise.
"Fourth. Si Kai."
Once the introductions were done, all four pairs of eyes again focused on Lin Xia and the gray-green little dinosaur at his feet. Their pure curiosity and goodwill were almost overflowing.
Lin Xia steadied himself, suppressing the dizziness left by the "sound-wave attack." He immediately brought Larvitar with him and clasped his fists respectfully, bowing deeply toward the four senior brothers with a proper and courteous gesture.
"Lin Xia greets the four senior brothers!"
His voice was clear and bright, full of youthful vitality.
Sensing its master's seriousness, Larvitar imitated him. It awkwardly pressed its short forepaws together and bowed toward the four men, letting out a small "Larvi!"—both adorable and earnest.
"Oh my—!"
"Heavens above!"
"This little guy… it even knows manners?!"
"Way too… way too cute!"
The four rough, iron-tower–like men were instantly struck right in the softest part of their hearts by Larvitar's gesture!
Si Yu's eyes went perfectly round, Si Di grinned so wide his teeth were fully exposed, and even the usually steady Si Long and taciturn Si Kai revealed rare, almost benevolent smiles. Their hearts were practically melted!
"Junior Brother! From now on, in Gengjin City, in the Blacksmith Association, no matter what happens, just say our names!"
Si Long pounded his chest with a thump thump, his tone bold and heroic.
"Anyone dares bully you, or if you run into any trouble, come find your senior brothers! Leave it to us!"
"That's right!" Si Di nodded vigorously. "If you're missing anything or want to forge something handy to practice your strength, don't stand on ceremony!"
"Exactly! If anyone makes you unhappy, Third Senior Brother will stand up for you!" Si Yu slapped his chest in assurance.
Si Kai didn't speak, but he nodded heavily, his gaze firm.
Feeling the sincerity and protective intent pouring from the four senior brothers, a warm current surged through Lin Xia's heart, and a genuine smile appeared on his face.
"Thank you for your care, Senior Brothers!" Lin Xia stepped aside slightly. "Would you like to come in and sit for a while?"
"No, no, no!"
Si Long hurriedly waved his hand, looking a little embarrassed.
"We took advantage of a gap after Master gave his instructions to slip over and meet our Junior Brother. There are still several crucial alloy furnaces waiting to be poured in the workshop—we can't delay! Another day! Another day we'll sit down and really chat!"
"Right, work comes first!"
Si Di and Si Yu quickly echoed.
As he spoke, Si Long brushed his hand over an unremarkable leather storage pouch at his waist. A flash of light appeared, and a pile of brand-new daily necessities materialized in his broad hands.
A thick, soft quilt, clean bedsheets and pillowcases, a full set of washing basins and towels, and even a large bundle of clothes carrying the fresh scent of soap pods.
"Junior Brother, you must be short on these since you just arrived,"
Si Long said with a smile as he handed them over.
"They're all new and clean! We blacksmiths don't mind getting dirty, but where you live should be comfortable."
At a glance, Lin Xia could tell that whether it was the thickness of the quilt or the quality of the clothing, they were far better than the coarse cloth outfit he was wearing. Clearly, his senior brothers had prepared them with care.
Deeply moved, Lin Xia quickly accepted the weighty kindness with both hands.
"You've gone to so much trouble, Senior Brothers! Lin Xia is extremely grateful!"
"Haha, it's nothing!"
Seeing how polite and well-mannered Lin Xia was, Si Long felt even more satisfied. Looking at the handsome, sensible youth before him and the equally "well-behaved" little dinosaur beside him the smile on his face simply wouldn't fade.
He reached out with his rough, calloused hand, as if wanting to pat Lin Xia on the shoulder, but worried about startling him. In the end, he merely pressed lightly against Lin Xia's arm.
"Alright, then—we'll head back to work! Settle in properly. If anything comes up, come find us anytime!"
"See you, Junior Brother!"
Si Di and Si Yu also waved with cheerful smiles.
Si Kai once again gave a silent nod.
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