The underground magma foundries stretched for miles beneath the land-wide plate, lit up by rivers of liquid fire that cast glowing amber patterns against ribbed dark rock vaults. At the center of the cave, the Nine-Flame Celestial Smelting Kiln stood like an ancient bronze giant statue. It roared with restored vigor now that the clogged magma water chutes had been dredged and tuned.
Dawn light filtered faintly through the distant air-flow shafts high in the volcano bowl. It mixed with the white-hot glare of the Ninth-Tier Samadhi True Fire dancing within the void-graphite crucible. Tie Shan stood ready before the central forging platform. His leather smock cinched was tight and his five-hundred-jin meteor-iron hammer resting against his knee. His single artificial arm of living star-iron hummed with eager crimson warmth, timed together to the deep, ringing heartbeat of the kiln.
Su Ling’er stood beside the watching low roof wall, her nine snowy-white tails swaying in gentle fascination. Meanwhile, Gu Qingfeng leaned against a dark rock pillar, uncorking his chipped wine gourd with an appreciative sniff of the rotten-egg air.
“The crucible has reached peak smelting heat, Lord Xiao!” Tie Shan called out, his golden eyes blazing with artisan fervor. “The Ninth-Tier Samadhi flames are hungry! It’s time to bring forth the prize from the ancient vault!”
