The moment the ore entered his mouth, an indescribable, explosive burst of flavor detonated across Lin Xia's palate!
It was like a divine nectar condensed from the essence of the earth, the power of the stars, and the will of pure metal itself.
This taste surpassed every ore Lin Xia had ever eaten—no, it crushed even the wildest food fantasies born of hunger!
Sweetness carried a sharp mineral edge, richness wrapped around an indescribable fragrance, and countless streams of pure metallic energy danced and fused across his taste buds like the finest blend of spices.
Every bite was like opening the door to a brand-new world.
The condensed energy surged down his throat, instantly igniting his limbs and bones. Every cell in his body seemed to sing with joy!
This wasn't just pleasure for the palate—it was a shock to the soul.
Amid this extreme deliciousness and overwhelming energy impact, Lin Xia forced himself to stay focused, carefully distinguishing the two surging yet distinctly different torrents of power in his mouth.
The ore from his right hand carried vast, domineering energy—like a raging river of molten rock. It instantly replenished spirit power consumption and brought a scorching sense of raw strength. His body felt as though it had been injected with molten steel, his muscles humming with explosive force.
But at the same time, that power felt overly singular and violent, lacking depth or aftertaste.
Strong on the outside, hollow within—like a gorgeous treasure chest with nothing inside.
The ore from his left hand also exploded with flavor and energy upon entry, but what followed was something entirely different.
Its power flowed like living water—gentle yet incredibly efficient—circulating through his body, integrating seamlessly into his flesh and bones. It brought all-encompassing nourishment and a subtle, profound transformation.
Within that energy was a faint, elusive spiritual quality, like scattered starlight, brushing against the soul itself and creating an indescribable sense of connection.
More importantly—
As this energy circulated, it subtly resonated with the violent power from the right-hand ore.
Attraction. Harmony.
Like ruler and subject.
Like mutual birth.
After a moment, Lin Xia stopped chewing. His throat rolled as he swallowed the paste-like mixture of ore, flavor, and pure energy.
Gulp.
A blazing warm current erupted from his stomach—at least ten times stronger than anything he had experienced before!
Like a surging river, it rushed through his limbs and bones before slamming into his dantian.
Lin Xia felt it clearly.
His spirit power—already full and surging at the peak of Rank Ten, like a small pond on the verge of overflowing—had its paper-thin bottleneck shattered by this torrent!
Buzz—!
A powerful spirit fluctuation rippled outward from Lin Xia before he forcefully suppressed it.
Within his dantian, the "pond" of spirit power had expanded, deepened, and grown denser—heavy and steady, like solid rock.
His total spirit power had increased.
Though he hadn't fully broken through, Lin Xia could clearly sense it had reached Rank Eleven!
And it wasn't just his spirit power.
His bones felt tougher, his muscles denser, brimming with restrained explosive strength.
His physical body had also been strengthened.
A storm raged within Lin Xia's heart, but none of it showed on his face.
Suppressing the thrill of the breakthrough and the comfort flooding his body, his gaze remained calm and clear.
Slowly, Lin Xia raised his hand and pointed at the ore in his left hand—the one he had bitten.
His voice cut cleanly through the silence.
"President."
His eyes met those of Lou Gao, filled with expectation and scrutiny.
"This piece is the rare Companion Ore you mentioned."
The entire hall plunged into absolute silence.
Lou Gao stepped forward abruptly, his hawk-like eyes locking onto the bitten ore Lin Xia had indicated.
He seized it, rubbing the edge of the bite mark repeatedly with his thumb, then lifted the other piece for comparison.
The scrutiny in his eyes shattered instantly—replaced by volcanic shock and burning excitement!
"You… do you know the uses of these two ores?! Speak—quickly!"
After a brief pause, Lin Xia felt the lingering energy in his mouth, glanced at the ore in his right hand, and spoke calmly.
"This one has majestic, violent energy—like molten rock flooding the body. It can instantly replenish spirit power consumed during forging."
"But it's too fierce and too singular. If forged directly, its internal impurities won't be fully shaken loose. The final product would be strong on the surface… but brittle inside."
Then Lin Xia turned to the ore in his left hand, his expression serious.
"This one is different. Its energy bursts fresh upon entry, but then flows like living water—soft, pliable, and capable of seeping into the marrow."
"And the key point—"
He pointed at the bite marks on both ores.
"It carries spirituality. Like starlight guiding molten rock. Adding a small amount during forging could harmonize the raw force of the main ore, allowing its power to penetrate deeper along its internal 'lines.'"
"It's like putting reins on a wild horse… no—like dotting the dragon's eye."
"It brings dead iron to life, shatters impurities into powder, refines the structure completely, and forges a true spiritual embryo!"
Lin Xia added modestly at the end,
"These are only my personal impressions. I haven't formally studied ore theory, so there may be inaccuracies."
The final trace of doubt vanished from Lou Gao's eyes.
What remained was an almost scorching brilliance.
He slammed his thigh hard, his booming voice overpowering even the roar of the furnaces.
"Good! Excellent! And precisely because you haven't studied ore theory, yet can discern all this through taste alone, it's even more astonishing!"
Waving the two radiant ores high, Lou Gao's voice rang through the hall like striking metal.
"Do you know what these are?! The one in my left hand is the legendary Star Essence Gold—rarer than ten thousand gold pieces! A true Heaven-and-Earth treasure!"
"Add just one gram during forging, and it can turn iron into gold, granting unparalleled spirituality and resilience. It's a divine material capable of causing a qualitative transformation!"
Then he sharply pointed to the nearly identical ore in his right hand.
"And this one—despite its appearance—is merely Star Gold!"
"It's a treasure as well, but just as you said, adding it directly only creates something outwardly strong but inwardly weak!"
"It shatters with a single strike!"
"It is the cursed material blacksmiths fear most—Spoil Gold!"
The hall erupted instantly.
"Hiss—!"
"Star Essence Gold?! Spoil Gold Star Gold?!"
"Heavens—does the President really carry Star Essence Gold on him?!"
Gasps and cries of disbelief exploded one after another.
Every blacksmith's gaze snapped toward Lin Xia, utterly transformed.
Mockery, doubt, fear—gone.
All that remained was shock, reverence, and awe.
Even Old Li stood frozen, mouth hanging open, unable to utter a word.
With Divine Craftsman Lou Gao's personal confirmation—and Lin Xia's absurdly powerful oral appraisal ability—every last doubt was obliterated.
So what if he was young?
With this ability alone, even if he did nothing but identify ore purity every day—
He would already be irreplaceable.
Shock.
Utter, absolute shock.