Chapter 243: The Stubborn Girl Finally Cries
Damian looked at Vulkara and immediately noticed just how angry she was.
It was not only anger, either.
Humiliation, hatred, pain, and years of buried grievance were all mixed together beneath that fiery temper of hers.
For a proud girl like Vulkara, being falsely accused, humiliated, and chased out of the Great Flame Sect was already painful enough.
Having her destiny stolen by the same bitch who ruined her life made it even worse.
Damian’s expression gradually softened. "Don’t worry, Vulkara."
Vulkara slowly looked up at him.
Damian’s voice remained calm, but his eyes had turned cold. "You’re my disciple. I’m not going to let this matter end like that."
The furnace flames flickered quietly beside them.
Damian continued, "That bitch Fionel will eventually get exactly what she deserves."
The corner of his lips curved slightly, though there was no humor behind it. "She avoided her punishment once."
His gaze hardened. "She won’t avoid it forever."
Vulkara’s fingers trembled faintly.
Damian stepped closer and lowered his voice. "Just endure it a little longer. When the time comes, I’ll personally take you back there."
Vulkara lowered her head.
"I know."
Her voice sounded unusually tight.
Damian stared at her for a few seconds before suddenly opening his arms. "Come here."
Vulkara froze. "What?"
Damian looked at her naturally. "If you want to cry, come here."
Her entire body immediately stiffened. "Who the hell wants to cry?!"
She quickly turned her face away. "I’m not crying."
Damian sighed helplessly. "Vulkara."
She stubbornly refused to look at him. "What?"
Damian glanced at her. "Your eyes are already red."
Vulkara gritted her teeth. "It’s from the heat of the furnace."
Damian glanced toward the furnace, then back at her. "There are only the two of us here. Stop acting tough for once."
Vulkara’s shoulders trembled. For several breaths, she continued trying to endure it.
She clenched her fists, bit down on her lower lip, and forced herself to remain standing straight as though refusing to let even a single crack appear in the pride she had held onto for so long.
Yet in the end, the tears still fell.
One drop rolled down her cheek.
Then another.
Vulkara suddenly stepped forward, grabbed Damian’s already torn robe with both hands, and buried her face against his chest. "Damn it..."
Her fingers tightened around the fabric. "That should have been mine..."
Damian quietly placed one hand on top of her messy red hair.
Vulkara’s restraint finally shattered.
Her shoulders shook as she cried harder, all the pride, anger, humiliation, and stubbornness she had buried for so long finally breaking loose at once.
Damian did not tease her this time.
He simply kept his hand on her head and let her cry until she had gotten everything out.
A faint softness entered his expression.
"Finally... this stubborn girl is opening up to me a little more."
---
A while later, the door to the back room finally opened.
Garron walked out first, followed by [Infernal Forge Tyrant Hammer], which floated beside him with its crimson-black flames burning quietly.
The moment they stepped back into the forging room, both immediately noticed Vulkara’s reddened eyes.
Garron raised an eyebrow slightly. "What were you two doing?"
Vulkara quickly wiped her face with her sleeve and turned away. "Nothing."
Damian coughed lightly and looked in another direction. "Nothing important."
Garron stared between the two of them for several breaths.
Eventually, he nodded as though he understood exactly what had happened but had enough sense not to say it aloud. "Fine, fine."
Vulkara’s ears immediately turned red, but she stubbornly pretended not to notice anything.
Damian quickly changed the subject before things became awkward. "Elder Garron, what did you talk about with the hammer?"
Garron glanced at him suspiciously. "Why do you want to know?"
Damian answered naturally, "Curiosity."
[Infernal Forge Tyrant Hammer] gave a rough snort. "Annoying curiosity."
Damian completely ignored the hammer spirit and continued, "Come on, Elder. Can’t you tell me?"
Garron shook his head. "There’s no point. You couldn’t use the method even if I told you."
Damian frowned. "Why not?"
Garron’s expression became unusually serious. "Because if you tried using this method with your current cultivation, you’d die."
Damian’s mouth twitched. "Damn."
Garron immediately pointed at him. "Exactly. So I’m not telling you."
He waved one hand toward the entrance. "Now get going. You already gave Vulkara the hammer, so your business here is finished."
Damian sighed helplessly. "Fine, fine. I’ll leave."
He had barely taken a step before suddenly remembering something.
Damian turned back toward Garron and quickly added, "Wait. Give me a storage ring first. Or at least something that can mask all these damn weapon auras leaking from me."
Garron stared at him. "You came here to rob me too?"
Damian placed one hand over his chest, looking deeply offended by such an accusation.
"Elder, this isn’t robbery. This is emergency support for a talented junior who has just survived a life-threatening experience."
Garron’s face twitched. "You really have no shame."
Damian nodded calmly. "Shame doesn’t protect me from greedy cultivators."
For several seconds, Garron simply stared at him.
Eventually, the old blacksmith sighed, reached into his storage ring, and pulled out a dark metallic ring before tossing it over. "Fine. Take this."
Damian caught it with one hand and immediately examined it. "What is it?"
Garron answered, "A Top-Rank Noble Grade [Aura Mask Ring]. It can suppress and mask the weapon auras leaking from your storage ring."
He gestured toward Damian’s hand. "It won’t conceal everything perfectly, especially if someone powerful deliberately inspects you, but it should be enough to stop every random bastard you pass from realizing you’re carrying a pile of valuable weapons."
Damian’s eyes immediately brightened. "Good enough."
Without hesitation, he slipped the [Aura Mask Ring] onto his finger.
A faint ripple spread across his body.
Almost immediately, the messy collection of weapon auras clinging to him began to weaken until most of them became difficult to notice.
Damian checked himself for a moment before giving a satisfied nod.
His mood improved considerably. "Much better."
He turned toward the door and casually raised one hand in farewell. "Alright, then. Bye."