The warmth in his body lulled him back into sleep, and he drifted into another deep slumber.
He woke again to hunger.
Intense, all-consuming hunger.
The sky outside had already darkened. He had slept for nearly an entire day.
"Mom! Dad!" Ray shouted as he sat up.
The exhaustion was gone, but his stomach felt like an empty pit. He was so hungry he felt he could eat a whole cow.
The door burst open as Selina rushed in. "Son, you're awake!"
Ray grinned, a trace of pride creeping into his voice. "Mom, I can do the Thousand Refinements now!"
Selina's eyes were red from lack of sleep. She ignored his words entirely and rushed to his side. "Good boy… does anything hurt? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?"
Ray shook his head. "Nope. I'm just starving. Mom, is there anything to eat?"
"Yes, yes!" Selina hurriedly replied. "I bought a fat chicken and made chicken soup. Your teacher said you overexerted yourself and need nourishing food when you wake up."
Fifteen minutes later…
Selina and Wilheim stared in stunned silence.
An entire fat chicken was gone.
So was a full pot of chicken soup.
Five buns and two large plates of vegetables had vanished as well.
And Ray was calmly working on his sixth bun.
"Go… go make some more food," Wilheim muttered, swallowing his saliva. Watching his son eat made even him feel hungry.
Selina immediately rushed back into the kitchen.
After nearly an hour, Ray finally leaned back and let out a satisfied sigh.
"Mom, your cooking is still the best," he said with a bright smile. "I'm full."
Wilheim gently lifted his son's wrist, his eyes narrowing in surprise. The wound from yesterday had already healed, leaving behind only a faint red line.
At that moment, Ray remembered something. "Dad, was I successful with the Thousand Refinements?"
Wilheim smiled and nodded. "Of course you were. Not just successful… extremely so. Your teacher couldn't stop praising you. He said you should go see him as soon as you woke up."
Ray jumped to his feet. "Then I'm going right now!"
Selina frowned. "It's already late. Why not go tomorrow?"
Wilheim stood up as well. "He's been awake for over an hour now. He won't fall asleep soon anyway. I'll take him. We'll be back quickly."
Selina shot him a warning look. "If anything happens to my son, you'll be sleeping in the living room."
Wilheim rubbed his nose awkwardly. "He's my son too, you know…"
Father and son left the house together and headed toward Gilbert's workshop.
"Master, I'm here!" Ray called out excitedly as soon as he stepped inside.
He couldn't wait to see what his first Thousand Refined creation looked like.
Gilbert emerged from within, dressed in his worn work clothes. His expression was usually cold, but tonight, when he saw Ray, he actually smiled. His eyes were filled with unmistakable satisfaction.
He nodded to Wilheim, then beckoned Ray over. "Follow me."
The piece of Heavy Silver remained exactly where it had been left the day before.
Gilbert hadn't moved it at all.
He pointed toward the metal and said quietly, "Go on. Take a look at your work."
Ray hardly needed Gilbert's prompting. The moment his gaze fell upon the metal, his feet had already carried him forward.
Compared to its original form, the Heavy Silver had clearly shrunk by an entire layer. The brilliant silver sheen it once possessed was gone, replaced by a muted gray tone. Yet rather than appearing dull, it gave off a sense of depth and restraint, like something ancient and unassuming that concealed immense strength beneath its surface.
Endless wave-like patterns rippled across the metal, layered upon one another as if frozen mid-motion. They resembled the tides of the sea, carrying a quiet vitality that never ceased. What startled Ray the most was the sensation that arose the moment he focused on it.
A connection.
It was faint, yet unmistakable. As though this piece of metal was no longer just an object, but an extension of himself.
Gilbert's voice sounded from behind him. "To be honest, I never expected you to succeed on your first attempt. Your body and physical strength played a role, yes, but what truly mattered was your comprehension during the refinement process. I didn't choose the wrong disciple. In this regard, you are a genuine genius. Even if your martial soul isn't suited for forging, your understanding and innate divine strength more than compensate for it."
Wilheim stared at Gilbert in disbelief. He knew this man well. Praise of this caliber did not come easily from him.
"Gilbert, don't spoil my son too much," Wilheim joked with a laugh.
Gilbert glanced at him calmly. "I'm already holding back."
Indeed, he had deliberately left unsaid the most shocking truth of all. Ray had just shattered the record for the youngest blacksmith to ever complete the Thousand Refinements. If word of this spread, it would shake the entire blacksmithing world.
"Do you understand what the Thousand Refinements truly are now?" Gilbert asked, turning back to Ray.
Ray nodded slowly. "It felt like the metal gained life. Every time I struck it, it responded. I could hear it… feel it."
Gilbert smiled again. In these past two days, he had smiled more than he had in the entire previous year.
"Well said. The Hundred Refinements purify and remove impurities. The Thousand Refinements give birth to vitality. This technique was originally created so that metal could be imbued with life. Once a metal possesses vitality, it can awaken its innate qualities. That is when it becomes truly precious."
"The Thousand Refinements… give birth to life," Ray murmured, his eyes gradually lighting up with understanding.
Gilbert continued, "This is your first Thousand Refined work. By tradition, it must undergo a Blood Sacrifice, so it may forever belong to you."
"Blood Sacrifice?" Ray asked, curiosity flickering across his face.
Gilbert explained, "If the Thousand Refinements give life to metal, then Blood Sacrifice binds that life to your own blood. It becomes part of you. When combined with a Thousand Refined metal, your blood vessels and body can draw out even greater innate qualities."
Wilheim couldn't help interjecting, "Brother Gilbert, if every Thousand Refinement needs blood, wouldn't blacksmiths bleed themselves dry?"
Gilbert shot him a glance. "If you don't understand, don't speak nonsense. Do you think every Thousand Refined item is worthy of Blood Sacrifice?"
He continued sternly, "Only the first Thousand Refined work must undergo Blood Sacrifice. After that, only items you are truly satisfied with should ever receive it. Once Blood Sacrifice is performed, the metal will recognize only its master. Anyone else who tries to use it will fail. Force it, and it will shatter."
"That is why most Thousand Refined works are never blood-sacrificed. Remember this well. Do not use Blood Sacrifice lightly. It harms your vitality."
"Yes, Master," Ray replied earnestly, nodding again and again. Yet his eyes were already glued to the Heavy Silver.
Gilbert chuckled. "It's yours."
Ray froze. "Master… I can't afford it."