He had not expected that the exterior of the legendary Heavenly Forge Bureau would be so ordinary, yet it felt appropriate.

Any craftsman wholly devoted to their research would probably pay no attention to such so-called prosperity and face.

"We have arrived at the Heavenly Forge Bureau, where you will undergo your assessment," the old man said, as though he had remembered something, and he sighed with a sense of leisure.

Just at that moment, a group of artisans walked out of the gate, and upon seeing Liu Ming and the others, they were momentarily taken aback.

"I had actually forgotten that today is the day of the major examination," the man leading the group said with a faint smile, his gaze curiously surveying Liu Ming and his companions.

"Little Chen, where are you planning to go?" the old man asked with a smile, greeting him.

"Old Wang, you forgot that we need to go to the Northern Heavenly Gate today to repair the Treasure Ship."

Words spoken without intent might hold great interest to listeners. Upon hearing the name of the Treasure Ship, everyone pricked up their ears, eager to learn more. After all, this was a Divine weapon that shook the Three Realms, something they had never had the chance to encounter before.

"Oh! I had completely forgotten. As you know, the Heavenly Court has been busy with a lot lately," the old man said with a laugh, shaking his head.

"These are the ones participating in the major exam this time. I wonder how many will join our team. Do your best—here at the bureau we’re short on hands and could really use your help."

Having said this, the man led his artisans towards the Northern Heavenly Gate.

All eyes strained towards the distant, hoping for a glimpse of the true form of the Treasure Ship; however, the distance was too great, and all they could see were the white clouds in abundance.

"No need to strain to see; the Treasure Ship is far away. You won’t be able to see it from here. As long as you pass the major exam, you won’t be able to avoid working on the Treasure Ship. By then, you might be so sick of seeing the Treasure Ship that you’d want to vomit," the old man said with a light chuckle.

After speaking, he led the crowd through the grand entrance of the Heavenly Forge Bureau.

The gates of the Heavenly Forge Bureau might have been small, but the space inside was surprisingly vast. What immediately caught their eyes was an extremely spacious square, with the ground paved in pristine white marble.

Artisans were scattered about, sitting cross-legged on the square, surrounded by their finished works, paying no attention whatsoever to Liu Ming and the others as they entered.

"Don’t mind them; you might have heard that some unfortunate events occurred recently in the Heavenly Court. Many places have suffered damage, so we’ve all been working overtime to rush out materials. Follow me; your examination room is on the right," the old man pointed towards a pathway on the right as he spoke.

After a short while, everyone arrived in a loft, where desks and stools had already been arranged with the door wide open.

A stern-faced middle-aged man stood solemnly at the entrance, his eyes sizing up the newcomers with a scrutinous gaze.

"Immortal Officer Cao, all examinees have arrived," the old man said respectfully.

"In that case, prepare to begin the examination!"

"Aren’t we waiting for the master?" asked the old man, curious. It was known that for each such major exam, that master would find time to take a look, as these youngsters would one day be under his command.

"The master’s old ailment has flared up again. He won’t be coming today," Immortal Officer Cao said with a tinge of concern in his voice.

The master was the Sea-Calming Divine Needle of the Heavenly Forge Bureau; one could rightfully say that without him, the bureau would not have its current status and capability. Immortal Officer Cao could unreservedly say that without the master, the bureau would not be what it was today.

Immortal Officer Cao had not believed in geniuses until he met the master. Only then did he realize that such incredible talent truly existed in the world, with answers that eluded others for a lifetime easily grasped by the master.

Therefore, when it came to the master, he was completely convinced.

"Ah, the master’s illness has been occurring more frequently as of late. The Immortal Medicine Hall is full of incompetents, boasting of being Divine Doctors, yet they can’t even cure a headache," the old man grumbled indignantly.

"Let’s not worry about what’s out of our hands. If it were easy to cure, the Emperor would have probably healed the master long ago, given how much he values him. We should focus on this examination. We’re short-staffed everywhere, so it’s crucial to get them into the Heavenly Forge Bureau as soon as possible."

As the two conversed, Liu Ming and the others had already taken their seats. The old man closed the door, and Immortal Officer Cao solemnly announced the start of the examination.

The initially empty desks suddenly displayed pens, inks, papers, and inkstones, signaling the beginning of the examination at that very moment.

Liu Ming examined the examination paper with curiosity, wondering what kind of method this was. He marveled at the extraordinary ways of the Heavenly Court, truly out of the ordinary.

After closely reviewing the exam content, a slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth; the exam seemed much easier than he imagined. Without the slightest hesitation, Liu Ming picked up the pen and began answering, his swift pace causing several others to look on with puzzled expressions.

They glanced at their own papers, wondering if the questions could truly be so simple.

Meanwhile, Liu Ming was no longer concerned with others’ eyes or doubts, as he was fully absorbed, his focus unshaken as he answered the questions, oblivious to the outside world.

Immortal Officer Cao patrolled the examination room. Although he knew that under these conditions, cheating was impossible, he still carried out his duties.

When he saw Liu Ming writing fervently, curiosity instantly piqued within him, wondering if the young man, faced with such speed, was merely giving up or writing nonsense.

Moving closer to Liu Ming, he carefully observed the examination paper, his face showing an increasingly shocked expression.

The youngster had answered everything correctly, and for some questions, his insights were even more detailed than Immortal Officer Cao’s own thoughts. At this moment, Liu Ming had demonstrated all the abilities expected of a craftsman from the Heavenly Forge Bureau.

A smile appeared on Immortal Officer Cao’s face as he nodded to himself. He hadn’t expected to encounter a genius this time.

Once Liu Ming had finished with his paper, he looked around to see that the others were still diligently working on their exams. Some were even scratching their heads in obvious confusion over the questions.

With a slight smile, in that moment, Liu Ming realized the immense opportunity he had acquired. Without the mysterious loft, he might have been just another confused individual struggling with the exam.

But with the help from the loft, these questions were mere trifles.

Filled with excitement, Liu Ming submitted his examination paper to Immortal Officer Cao.

"Well done. If nothing unexpected happens, you will soon be a member of the Heavenly Forge Bureau. Go back and prepare yourself. In a few days, an Angel will come to take you to the Heavenly Court. After you leave, you’ll have some time to wander around the Heavenly Court until it’s time to return," Immortal Officer Cao advised with a smile, his words filled with appreciation for Liu Ming.

Liu Ming thanked Immortal Officer Cao with a smile and walked out of the examination room, feeling refreshed. He began to wander around the Heavenly Forge Bureau.

Despite the bureau’s small entrance, the grounds were alarmingly expansive, with lofts everywhere. Some areas were even guarded by Heavenly soldiers.