Forging a large blade that meets Zhao Yuan's requirements is undoubtedly a significant undertaking; the sheer weight of three hundred jin is already astonishing. It must undergo countless hammerings and be shaped through the effects of high temperatures and forging to become the appropriate size.
On Chiming Street, in the blacksmith shop run by Li Qing, the sound of metal being hammered has not ceased for several days. He melted down three hundred jin of iron ingots into molten iron, then refined three iron plates weighing around one hundred jin each.
The three one-hundred-jin iron plates were stacked together and then tempered again with high heat while being forged, forming the blade's body.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Under Li Qing's relentless hammering, the rudimentary shape of the blade gradually emerged from the glowing red iron plates. Throughout this process, his movements maintained the stance of the Ancient Hammer Technique, with each strike of the Unmatched Hammer sending numerous sparks flying.
Bang! Bang!
The forging alone took Li Qing three days, during which he lost count of how much sweat he shed. The temperature in the blacksmith shop was scorching, completely devoid of the chill that early spring should bring.
What slight spring chill could compare to the heat by the forging furnace?
“Ha!” Li Qing wiped the sweat from his brow with a towel draped over his shoulder. After becoming damp, it quickly dried again due to the high temperature.
“The blade body is complete; next comes the handle.”
Saying this, Li Qing took several pieces of cow tendon wood from the blacksmith shop. Cow tendon wood is exceptionally tough and is generally used to make the shafts of long spears. It is worth mentioning that many soldiers in military formations use wooden spear shafts; only a few powerful generals wield long spears made of pure iron.
Using wood for spear shafts, cow tendon wood is undoubtedly the best choice. It not only has high toughness but also features a very hard and smooth surface, making it quite difficult to break, suitable for most battles.
Since the blade Zhao Yuan requested weighs three hundred jin, the handle must be crafted with care; otherwise, it would be cumbersome to use and even risk slipping from the hands.
The three one-hundred-jin iron plates were forged into a single piece, and Li Qing gestured towards the blade body, envisioning the shape the handle should take.
Next, Li Qing arranged several pieces of cow tendon wood together and laboriously carved out several sections of suitable size.
For the handle of this giant blade, he planned to mix cow tendon wood with brass, combining the two using a mortise and tenon structure.
The brass part of the handle could be fused with the iron blade body, while the pre-carved cow tendon wood would be embedded on the surface.
This design would not only ensure friction when gripping the blade but also make the handle resistant to damage.
Without delay, Li Qing devoted the entire night to crafting the handle. This was one of the few detailed tasks among the rough work, requiring intense focus.
After a sleepless night, Li Qing, hardly feeling fatigued, finally completed the handle for the giant blade.
Looking at the nearly finished blade, a significant sense of accomplishment welled up within him.
Ding~
Li Qing flicked the blade body with his fingertip, releasing a burst of energy that made the entire blade emit a crisp, resonant hum.
Then, he picked up the long blade with both hands and casually swung it a few times, carefully feeling the experience of using this blade.
“The grip feels fine, but the cutting action still needs a bit more refinement.”
After pondering for a moment, a glint of inspiration flashed in his eyes.
“I can put some thought into the blade surface, carving a few patterns to slightly reduce air resistance; this will definitely make cutting smoother.”
Thus, Li Qing immersed himself in the carving of the patterns once again.
Soon, streaks of patterns appeared on both sides of the blade. These patterns resembled cracks but did not lose their majesty, making the giant blade appear even more formidable.
“Not bad, it has reached its most perfect form!” Li Qing pursed his lips, feeling somewhat reluctant to part with this giant blade.
“Concealed sharpness, great skill without effort; I shall name you Silent Blade. I hope one day you can become a renowned blade—Silent!”
This was undoubtedly the best blade Li Qing had ever forged. Although it took only five days, he poured all his heart and soul into this blade.
Moreover, he was not just an ordinary blacksmith; he was also an external strength martial artist and had achieved a level of mastery in internal martial arts, possessing internal energy!
Given that his foundational martial art was the Hammer Technique, each strike he delivered was immensely powerful, far surpassing that of an ordinary blacksmith!
“The emergence of the Silent Blade owes much to your efforts!” Li Qing smiled as he gently patted the Unmatched Hammer.
In the remaining time, Li Qing conducted a final quenching and sharpening of the blade.
As the cold, icy light of the blade's edge refracted, a prompt appeared before Li Qing's eyes, visible only to him.
[Successfully forged a fine ordinary weapon: Silent Blade! Reward: One year of lifespan!]
“It seems that even using ordinary materials can forge a fine ordinary weapon. When I forged the Unmatched Hammer, my skills were not yet at their peak, but because I used the special material, Ink Gold, it was deemed a fine ordinary weapon!”
Li Qing muttered to himself, his gaze flickering as he looked at the fully completed Silent Blade, his previously tense spirit completely relaxed.
“I shouldn’t have only priced it at fifty taels; had I known it was a fine ordinary weapon, I should have charged him three or four hundred taels!” Li Qing said somewhat reluctantly.
Five days passed in the blink of an eye.
Zhao Yuan, whose figure resembled a small giant, arrived at Li Qing's blacksmith shop to collect the blade as agreed.
When he lifted the curtain and saw the large blade embedded in the ground, his eyes widened and did not blink again, staring intently at Silent, his breathing becoming heavy.
“Is this... my blade?” For a moment, Zhao Yuan found himself at a loss for words.
Just from the texture of this blade, he could tell it was undoubtedly a divine weapon, completely different from the shoddy iron blades on the market!
A very fatigued Li Qing yawned and weakly said, “Well, try it out and see if it suits you.”
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yuan eagerly lifted the large blade with one hand.
He didn’t even need to swing it; just gripping the handle made of cow tendon wood and brass, he could feel how exceptional this blade was.
When he attempted to swing it a couple of times, the blade smoothly sliced through the air without any sense of effort, feeling incredibly fluid!
“Good! Good blade! Does this blade have a name?” Zhao Yuan asked, his chest heaving with excitement.
Seeing Zhao Yuan so satisfied, Li Qing smiled and replied, “Silent!”
“Great name!” Zhao Yuan's eyes lit up, shedding his previous taciturn demeanor and becoming more talkative.
“Master Li, I know this blade is definitely worth more than fifty taels; this is all the silver I have on me, please take it!” Zhao Yuan took out several silver ingots from his pocket, worth about sixty or seventy taels.
However, Li Qing shook his head and said, “No, it should be what it is; the price was agreed upon in advance. If I were to raise the price now, it would tarnish my reputation.”
“Am I, Li Qing, that kind of person?”
As he said this, Li Qing didn’t even glance at the silver Zhao Yuan offered.
“This...” Zhao Yuan was momentarily stunned, then he took it back and said solemnly, “Master Li, you have great integrity! I admire you. If you ever need anything in the future, just let me know; I live on Gufeng Street in the city!”
This time, Li Qing did not refuse but nodded and saw Zhao Yuan out the door.
“Being able to lift the Silent Blade with one hand, even an ordinary external strength expert might not manage it so easily. Having such a person owe me a favor could be quite useful in the future!”
“Next time I go to Xiao Cuiling to hunt tigers, I might consider bringing him along.”
Li Qing stroked his chin, muttering to himself.
(End of Chapter)