"Finally, they're here," La Diep said. The scorching forge was bathed in the fierce orange glow of a roaring furnace. He was holding a piece of metal he had been forging, his eyes bright with delight. On his face sat a peculiar set of goggles—multiple lenses of round, square, and triangular shapes layered and overlapping—which made Khanh feel a little dizzy just looking at him.
"The design you're holding—start by working on the small detail schematics first. There's a lot to do today!" La Diep added.
Khanh glanced down at the battered packet of drawings and the dense annotations scrawled across the pages.
"Use KIM at a LINH level equivalent to the body's surrounding field." "Completely encapsulate the flow of energy into the tempered metal…" Khanh flipped through the pages; he had already skimmed this draft on his way here, half-dazed.
"Well? Can you read and understand it? Just follow what's written on the page. As for the forging—leave that to me." La Diep watched Khanh's face; the youth's brow was furrowed in concentration as he read.
La Diep chuckled softly. "Don't be in such a hurry. This crafting requires precision and intense focus. No need to rush like the outside world." He spoke with a patient but firm tone.
"Let me tell you plainly: forging these metal bars requires a huge amount of HOA to raise the temperature to monstrous levels. Only then will the metal you're holding begin to melt…" He paused, letting the image sink in. La Diep continued hammering as he spoke. Each strike was powerful and precise to the millimeter, sparks flying like fleeting stars igniting and dying in the darkness.
"Haha, I told you not to rush. You're doing it wrong." La Diep said after seeing Khanh clumsily channel LINH into the metal. "Adjust the LINH so it only hugs and envelops the object's level—slowly now."
Taking the instruction, Khanh calmed himself. He inhaled deeply; his thighs trembled slightly as he steadied his breath and nerves.
"First, surround your body with LINH at a moderate level. Next, gradually move and transfer it into the metal bar." Khanh concentrated on the process and followed the steps. He slowly sensed the flow of LINH within his body. It felt like a strange warmth, coursing through his veins, tingling at his fingertips. He tried to control it, preventing it from gushing out like a flood, instead gently enveloping the metal bar like a warm, soothing liquid seeping into its cold, metallic fibers.
"Not bad, you're learning fast," La Diep said, his eyes narrowing into a pleased smile.
"In communication—between people, or in combat—it's the same. You must observe and judge your opponent's capability to adapt your strategy. Don't think charging headlong is the answer; that seldom works against truly powerful foes later on," he continued.
Hearing this, Khanh asked, "So… what is the right way to communicate?"
La Diep answered immediately, heating the metal and striking it with his hammer as he spoke. "It depends on the purpose of your communication. If you want to befriend someone, find ways to show them you are useful. If you intend to contend, you must weigh your position against your opponent. It's like gauging the density of the metal bar you're imbuing with LINH—apply as much as the situation demands. The key is to know when to harden and when to yield. You understand?"
Khanh was silent for a long moment, seeming to analyze La Diep's words. All of this was new and unfamiliar to him. Previously, his life had been nothing but manual labor. He had never paid attention to facial expressions or the small details of people around him. Having to focus on subtle changes in expression or manipulating an invisible energy within his body made his head feel like it was about to explode.
"Listen to what I say—don't think communication in combat is unimportant. Those you've already seen, like Void Lust or those who contract with spirit beasts, gods, or demons—they are masters of this. Hehe." La Diep raised his voice slightly, emphasizing the point.
After a while, he added teasingly, "What are you still thinking about? Keep channeling LINH—forty more to go if you want to finish today, hehe."