The moment the ore entered his mouth, an indescribable, explosive savory flavor instantly detonated across his taste buds!
It was as if the essence of the earth, the power of the stars, and the pure will of metal had been condensed into a nectar of jade.
The taste surpassed any ore Lin Xia had ever sampled in his life, even beyond all fantasies of food he had ever imagined during hunger!
Sweet with a hint of the sharp edge unique to minerals, rich yet wrapped in an indescribable fragrance, countless kinds of pure metal energy danced and interwove across his taste buds like the finest spices.
Each chew felt like a gateway opening to a new world. The surging energy flowed down his esophagus, instantly igniting every limb and cell in his body, making them sing with jubilant delight!
This was not merely a feast for the taste buds, but a tremor for the soul!
Amidst this peak of flavor and energy impact, Lin Xia forced himself to focus all his mind, comparing the two overwhelming yet distinctly different streams of energy in his mouth.
The ore in his right hand emitted vast, turbulent energy, like a river of molten lava, instantly replenishing the consumption of his Soul power, bringing a sense of pure, scorching strength. His body felt as if infused with molten steel, and his muscle fibers vibrated with raw, eager resonance.
Yet, this energy felt overly singular and fierce, lacking aftertaste, carrying a sense of … outward brilliance but inward emptiness, like a beautifully adorned treasure chest that was hollow inside.
The ore in his left hand, while equally explosive in flavor and surging energy, was followed by a strange depth and lasting aftereffect!
Its energy was not merely a violent force but flowed like living water through his body, gentle yet incredibly efficient, integrating into his bones and muscles, bringing full nourishment and subtle transformation.
Within this energy also lay a trace of elusive, starlight-like spirituality, as if it could touch the soul, bringing an indescribable sense of connection.
Moreover, as this energy flowed through his body, it subtly resonated with the energy of the right-hand ore, creating a kind of … bond and pull?
As if master and companion, as if coexisting!
After a while, Lin Xia stopped chewing, swallowing the paste of ore fragments mixed with the ultimate flavor and pure energy.
"Glug."
A surge of unprecedented warmth exploded from his stomach, ten times stronger than ever before with any ore!
The warmth surged like a roaring river, coursing through his limbs, finally converging in his Dantian Soul Sea.
Lin Xia could clearly feel his Soul power, which had already reached the peak of Level Ten, like a brimming pond ready to overflow, being violently reinforced by this torrent. The thin, fragile bottleneck instantly shattered!
Hum—!
A stronger fluctuation of Soul power rippled uncontrollably through Lin Xia, but he immediately suppressed it with force.
Inside the Dantian, the "pond" of his Soul power had visibly widened and deepened, becoming more condensed and heavy, carrying the steadiness of rock!
His Soul power had increased not yet a breakthrough, but Lin Xia could feel that his total energy had effectively reached Level Eleven!
Not only his Soul power, but he could sense that his bones had become slightly more resilient, and his muscle fibers had been tempered, brimming with explosive strength.
Even his physical body had been enhanced!
Inside, Lin Xia's mind roiled with excitement, yet his expression remained perfectly calm.
Suppressing the thrill of the Soul power surge and the pleasant sensation of physical enhancement, his eyes remained clear and serene.
Lin Xia slowly raised his hand, pointing to the ore he had bitten in his left hand—the one Lou Gao had handed him—his voice firm and decisive, breaking the silence.
"President!"
His gaze met Lou Gao's, filled with inquiry and expectation!
"This ore… is the rare co-existing mineral you spoke of!"
The hall fell utterly silent at Lin Xia's declaration.
Lou Gao immediately stepped forward, his hawk-like eyes locked on the ore Lin Xia indicated, tracing the bite mark with his fingertip, then lifting the other ore to compare the luster and specks. The scholarly scrutiny in his eyes instantly shattered, replaced by volcanic surprise and fervor!
"You… you know what effects these two minerals have?! Tell me!"
Lin Xia paused for a moment, sensing the lingering energy in his mouth. He looked at the ore in his right hand and spoke calmly.
"This one is immense and fierce, like lava poured into the body. It can instantly replenish Soul power consumed in forging, but it's too violent and singular. If forged directly, the internal impurities might remain unresolved, and what's produced… would likely be an empty, hard shell."
Having spoken of the right ore, Lin Xia then carefully examined the left ore and said:
"This one is different! Its flavor explodes upon entry, yet its energy flows like living water, penetrating bones. Most importantly"
He pointed to the bite marks on both ores.
"It carries spirituality, like starlight guiding lava! Perhaps, if added during forging, it can temper the raw force of the main ore, letting its strength seep in along the 'line.'
It's like putting reins on a wild stallion … no, it's the finishing touch! Bringing dead iron to life, pulverizing impurities, tempering the bones, forging a truly spiritual ingot!"
After finishing, Lin Xia added.
"These are just my humble thoughts. I haven't formally studied this field, so there may be errors in what I've said!"
Hearing Lin Xia's precise description, Lou Gao's last trace of doubt completely vanished, replaced by an almost searing light in his eyes.
He slapped his thigh sharply, his voice booming like a great bell, overpowering the roaring forges in the hall.
"Good! Well said! The fact that you, a newcomer with no formal knowledge of ores, can identify this with just your mouth—that's what makes it even more astonishing!"
Lou Gao waved the two radiant ores in his hands, his voice carrying the metallic resonance of the minerals, echoing clearly to every person in the silent hall.
"Do you know what this is? The one in your left hand is the legendary Starry Refined Gold! A true treasure of heaven and earth! Even adding just one gram during forging into a weapon can turn iron into gold, imbuing it with indescribable spirituality and toughness—a miraculous transformation!"
He then pointed to the ore in Lin Xia's right hand, which looked nearly identical, his tone emphasizing the contrast.
"And this one, though it looks the same, is mere Starry Gold—only outwardly magnificent! Though still a treasure, if added during forging, as you said, it will only make the ingot hollow inside, fragile and easy to shatter, a forger's most hated 'failed gold'!"
These words hit like a splash of cold water into a boiling oil pot!
"Wh—!"
"Starry Refined Gold?! Failed Starry Gold?!"
"Good heavens… the legendary Starry Refined Gold? The President actually carries it with him?"
The surrounding blacksmiths instantly erupted in astonishment, gasping and exclaiming in disbelief.
Their eyes toward Lin Xia changed completely; the previous ridicule, doubt, and shock were replaced by absolute awe and reverence.
Even Manager Old Li stood agape, unable to utter a word.
Lou Gao, the master artisan's personal endorsement, combined with Lin Xia's unfathomable "oral identification" ability, erased all prior skepticism.
Young age? Who cares?
With this ability, even just checking ore purity daily would already make one invincible!
Shocking! Absolutely shocking!
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