Elres then told Krune.
"It seems like your level isn't high enough. Anyway, when you are ready for it, you can come back here and ask me again. Of course, you can also have me make the Shields anyway without Divine Imprints. But I believe you know that it won't be as good as a set with them."
Krune nodded and then left. He went back to the counter and took all the materials for the study and the items. Instead of going back to his house, he went straight into a private room from the Blacksmith Hall and started to study and practice there.
Krune spent his nights reinforcing and stabilizing his cultivation while also practicing the Elements Regulation technique at the same time. One good thing about the Elements Regulating technique is that it was bringing his other elements control close to his Lightning one. Of course, his Lightning Element would always be somewhat better so long as he is a Tribulation Lightning user. But still, the rest wasn't going to be so far behind like it had been so far.
During the day, Krune would study and practice Blacksmith. Every day he practiced, his proficiency increased by leaps and bounds. There were two main reasons for that. The first one, of course, was the Divine Path Blacksmith Hall. Krune could, at any time, seek advice from higher-level blacksmiths, and the study materials were who knows how many times better than the ones in Makui Planet. Not to mention how good the facilities were, Marcus's private forging room back in the Makui Planet couldn't even be put together in the same sentence.
The second one is obviously Krune's All-Encompassing Soul Technique. As mentioned before, it is not suited for combat, but is excellent for side professions!
Putting all of this together with Krune's innate IQ and talent, he was improving at a rate that was making even the blacksmiths in the Hall frightened.
Still, he couldn't simply become a Five Silver Stars Blacksmith in a few days. It would take him at least a few months for that. But if someone heard that Krune was going from a Three Bronze Stars Blacksmith to a Five Silver Stars Blacksmith in just a few months, they would stop to consider what they have been doing of their life.
It was to the point that the manager in charge selected three Blacksmiths to be Krune's personal advisers. He told them that whatever Krune did was to be kept in secret, and if someone asked, they were to tell that Krune was already a Silver Star Blacksmith when he came. He also explained the situation to Krune. If the news about his improvement goes out, the other apprentices might have their confidence destroyed, which would do no good for any side.
Krune, of course, couldn't be any happier with such an arrangement. For him, who doesn't like to attract too much attention, this is a heaven's sent request!
"Don't worry, I will absolutely not say a single word!"
Because Krune was spending a lot of time in Blacksmithing, the initial two weeks that he would take to stabilize and reinforce his cultivation turned into one month in the end. Krune couldn't help but wonder if his Master was already expecting that to happen when he said that Krune should spend a month or so on it.
"Considering that I'm talking about that old geezer, it is very possible. Even though he looks like that, he is still the Sect Master."
Somewhere in the Divine Path Sect, a certain Sect Master Sneezed.
Krune spent the whole month before Feifei arrives in the Blacksmith Hall. His shields are directly connected to his strength. At the moment, his strongest attack, the Chain Tribulation Lightning, needs them to work. Besides, there was another new thing he wishes to try out that will need both the Shields and Tribulation Lightning.
By the time that he received the information that the Exchange Program would start the next day, Krune had already achieved the level of an Eight Bronze Stars Blacksmith! Of course, it was much easier to go up in Rank at the Bronze Stars than it would be with Silver Stars. The several months that he had considered before would mostly be spent in the Silver Stars Level.
At the moment, in the Sect, there are only two members of the Makui Planet, Lofa and Tasier. So the few times that Krune stopped to make some food, he would always invite them. Of course, a certain old geezer would also stop by now and then, but Krune got used to that already.
Today, they were just eating again when Krune suddenly said.
"Oh, right! The exchange program starts tomorrow, so the Big Powers are sending 3 cultivators each to go to each one of the other Big Four."
Tasier nodded.
"Yes, it has been the talk of the Outer Sect so far. They are all trying to guess who the other three powers are going to send here. There is even a rumor that a direct descendant of one of them is coming in this exchange program. But the guys don't know which one it is."
Krune nodded.
"It is true. In fact, I know one of them."
Lofa's heart stopped for a second. If Krune knows, then it is probably only one person. Lofa immediately stood up and looked seriously at Krune, which took him aback. Tasier, of course, could already imagine why Lofa turned out like that.
"Who is it?"
Although Krune was puzzled as to why Lofa seemed that much interested, he still answered anyway.
"Oh, it's the person who saved my life all the way back. Her name is Feifei, and she is the direct descendant of the Wang Clan."
Lofa looked at Krune as if she was going through a struggle at the moment. Krune looked at her and couldn't help but ask.
"Could it be that you know her?"
In the past, the ones who told Lofa and Tasier about Feifei was Yusa and Shinja. Krune didn't know that they heard about his past.
Tasier immediately intervened and said.
"Oh, Yusa and Shinja had told us about this Feifei before, that's why Lofa is this surprised."
Only then Krune showed an understanding expression. His past with Feifei isn't exactly a secret to start with. He simply didn't talk about it that much. Still, he didn't mind if the others told Tasier and Lofa about what happened. It was the truth, after all.
"I see, no wonder you are soo surprised then. Indeed, the Feifei that is coming is exactly the same one as back then. The one who saved my life and somehow turned into my fiance. Of course, only you guys and the others know about this."
Suddenly, another voice appeared beside Krune as if coming out from hell.
"Don't forget that I also know about it."
Krune jumped from his chair in fright, and his food almost fell on the ground. But Lucio was faster and used his Spiritual Energy to catch everything and put it back into the plate on the table.
"How could you do this? Are you trying to waste food?"
Krune wanted nothing more than give this guy a beating at the moment. Unfortunately, he is far from being able to do that.
"You old geezer! I swear, one day! One day I will definitely get revenge!"
Lucio, of course, just laughed out loud.
"Haha! By the time you reach my realm, I will be even stronger! Maybe I will have already ascended at that point, so you can forget this impossible dream."
Krune was just about to retort when suddenly, he noticed that his master said something that picked his interest.
"Ascended? What do you mean?"
Lucio noticed that he said too much and brushed the question away.
"That's not something for you to know now. It will have no use for someone as weak as you anyway."
Krune's mouth twitched, but he let it go. If even his Master at his level can't accomplish this 'ascension' thing, then let alone him at his cultivation realm.
"Anyway, can't you just stop appeared behind me like a ghost? Do you find it that funny? Besides, is it okay for the Sect Master to do something like this?"
Lucio showed an evil smile and said.
"Why should I stop? Your reactions are too funny for me to get tired of it. Besides, as long as no one sees it, my Sect Master image will be kept intact."
Krune couldn't help but say.
"Can't you see all Lofa, Tasier, and the Wisps?"
Lucio then laughed out loud.
"I can, but if they go out and tell everyone about it, how many do think will believe them?"
Krune's expression went gloomy. Indeed, no one would believe it even if he recorded and showed it right on their faces.
"Forget it, why did you come for?"
Lucio had heard part of Krune's conversation with Lofa and Tasier and gave a side glance to Lofa. Lofa, on the other hand, was more preoccupied with Feifei's arrival. So she didn't even notice it.
"Oh, I just came here to tell you that the sect already arranged the training program that the geniuses of the other three powers will go through during the year they are staying. I will also add you to this program since I believe that you want to spend some time with her, correct?"
Krune's eyes suddenly lit up!
"Oh, my beloved Master. I have never expected you to be so attentive."
Tasier saw that and almost fainted! What was that? Did Yusa's spirit reincarnate inside you? Sure enough, it was a 'Yusa Effect' that Krune learned with time. Tasier then looked at Lofa, who seemed to get even more downcast now.
Lofa heard that and felt some sense of urgency. But then again, didn't she decide to wait until the things between Feifei and Krune were resolved? Her plan included having Krune hear from her that she didn't care about that promise anymore. So, with Feifei coming here personally, her wish to see what would happen will finally be granted.
Still, Lofa was now afraid. At first, she thought that since it was a promise made by Feifei when she was still a child, she probably would have forgotten or ignored it by now. But if that was really the case, why would Feifei come with this exchange program then? From what Lofa knows, things like Direct Descendants or Heirs coming is something extremely rare to happen.
'Could it be that Feifei didn't forget that promise as I thought? If that is the case, what do I do?'
Lofa looked at Krune, who seemed to be very happy at the moment. Only an idiot wouldn't notice that he was looking forward to this exchange program a lot!
'I... have to make the first move!'