The sound of sizzling filled the air. In an instant, Eugene Smithson’s entire hand was scorched. I moved quickly, snuffing out the flames that tried to leap onto him. Eugene looked at me, utterly miserable.
"Sorry about that. Black Moon, think of something."
I hadn’t branded Eugene Smithson with the Hell Imprint, so he was just an ordinary wraith. The power here could kill him in an instant. Black Moon hurried over, while Fiona Blaze jumped into the pool, lounging comfortably with her hands on the edge as if taking a bath.
"Wake me up when it’s done. I’m going to take a nap."
Things were getting complicated. If Eugene couldn’t sense the strength of the power himself, he wouldn’t be able to control the smelting process. Soon, with Black Moon’s help, his burned arm was restored.
Black Moon’s crescent eyes narrowed, deep in thought.
"If it really doesn’t work, you might as well brand him with the Hell Imprint."
Ember Doom suggested, but I shook my head. Eugene Smithson quietly caressed the orange-red stone, and I saw the joy in his eyes.
"This stone is just a defective product from the middle layers of Hell."
Eugene nodded.
"If you start with something too perfect, there’s no point in forging. Tempering is all about progress. If the material is already at its peak, all you need to do is smelt and cast it—there’s no room for improvement. You must’ve tried forging before, right? Let me see what you’ve made."
I felt a bit awkward, but after a moment, I had Ember Doom go to the Forest of Human Faces and release Jade Zeng. I had forged the Infernal Weapon using the purest materials from the very bottom layer of the forest, then fused them with my own power. As a result, Jade Zeng could only stabilize her form with the Hell Imprint, barely able to withstand the weapon’s overwhelming strength.
Soon, I heard the sound of crying. Jade Zeng was released again, and as she approached, she pleaded not to be turned into a tree again. I nodded.
"Fine, a good-for-nothing is still useful for something. At least you have a purpose."
I had Jade Zeng pick up the weapon—a twisted vine sword, its blade as blunt as a club. Once the Infernal Weapon was set on the ground, Eugene Smithson examined it for a while, then shook his head.
"The material is indeed excellent, but as I said, starting with something perfect means there’s no need for tempering. When something reaches its peak, it’s set—there’s no room left for improvement. What’s the point of forging a weapon like this?"
I nodded, understanding what Eugene was getting at. Weapons and souls are alike—if they’re already the strongest, there’s no value in improvement. But if they’re a mix of good and bad, there’s tremendous potential for growth. Most importantly, the true limit of a weapon is always unknown.
"Good thinking. It’s different from when you were human, always choosing the finest materials for forging."
Eugene nodded, patting the orange-red stone and knocking off the black dirt. Now, he wanted Jade Zeng to try breaking the stone.
Jade Zeng quickly picked up her sword and stabbed the stone. Instantly, it exploded into countless fragments. I raised my hand, suspending the shattered pieces in the air. Eugene smiled and told me to stack the fragments by the edge of the Ghostfire Pool.