Chapter 132: Begin Forging

Is the Luo Zhanglao from the Treasure Weapon Hall?

Facing Facing Cang Luo has certainly heard of him—his name is legendary.

A Martial King Stage 9 expert, a Rank 8 forger, a Grade Earth-level array master—any one of these identities would make him a revered guest anywhere outside.

Maybe Luo Zhanglao is my master?

Facing Facing Cang Luo thought for a moment, then decided against it—Luo Zhanglao's reputation is too great; he'd easily be exposed. If Luo Zhanglao found out he was impersonating him, he'd be dead.

Better to fabricate a nonexistent person—no one can verify it, safer that way.

Even if exposed, I can claim the designs were all mine, and I concealed my identity just to stay low-key.

Having made up his mind, Facing Facing Cang Luo spoke calmly: "My master is not Luo Zhanglao, nor is he from the Profound Heaven Sect..."

Lu Zheng and the other two looked surprised. Facing Facing Cang Luo continued: "My master is just an old hermit who forbids me from revealing his identity. Please forgive me, Master Lu."

The steward He Jiu hurriedly said: "Young brother, we truly mean no harm—we only wish to invite your master... to visit Shen Bing Fang, and perhaps offer some guidance to our masters."

Of course, we will present a modest gift afterward."

He had intended to offer to hire Facing Facing Cang Luo's master as a forger for Shen Bing Fang, but after thinking, he realized that someone whose designs impressed Master Lu so deeply would surely be too great a master for this small temple to contain.

Lu Zheng nodded: "Indeed, young friend. I too wish to discuss these designs with your master—they're utterly astonishing."

Facing Facing Cang Luo shook his head gently: "Master Lu, Steward He, my master won't come. He's long been accustomed to a carefree life—he only wishes for unrestrained freedom..."

He Jiu's face fell with disappointment. He wanted to say more, but Lu Zheng held him back, and he sighed heavily, giving up.

Facing Facing Cang Luo watched He Jiu's expression, then suddenly added: "Though my master won't come, his works can."

He Jiu's eyes lit up, excited: "Are you saying your master can design weapons for Shen Bing Fang?"

Facing Facing Cang Luo nodded: "Exactly!"

He Jiu beamed, glanced at Lu Zheng, saw him give a slight nod, and immediately said: "Then... then shall we appoint your master as an Honorary Forger of Shen Bing Fang?"

Facing Facing Cang Luo was overjoyed—he hadn't expected that coming to Shen Bing Fang to forge armor and weapons would land him a side job as an Honorary Forger.

Honorary Forger—sounds impressive. Does it pay well?

No matter the pay, Facing Facing Cang Luo agreed a thousand times over. It probably wouldn't be little; at least he'd get discounts when forging weapons here.

Though delighted, Facing Facing Cang Luo kept his face humble and calm, even showing a hint of hesitation—as if weighing He Jiu's proposal.

Seeing this, He Jiu quickly said: "Young brother, rest assured—Shen Bing Fang will never shortchange a master. Your master will receive his share of quarterly and year-end bonuses."

Also, there will be a share of profits for every design your master contributes."

Of course, the exact bonus and profit percentages must be decided by the clan lord."

"Naturally."

Facing Facing Cang Luo gave a slight nod and said nothing more—he didn't know how much a weapon design sketch could sell for. Let them decide; anything was profit.

Besides, saying too much would put him at a disadvantage. Saying less preserved the master's aura of mystery, letting them make the offer—perhaps even a higher one.

Seeing Facing Facing Cang Luo so agreeable, He Jiu was overjoyed and immediately went to report the matter to the clan lord himself.

After He Jiu left, Facing Facing Cang Luo pointed to the blueprints and asked: "Master Lu, can these be forged?"

Before Lu Zheng could speak, Wang Zhonghu, still holding tea beside him, blurted: "Of course they can—my master is a Rank 6 forger..."

"Cough! Cough!"

Lu Zheng cleared his throat twice, embarrassed—he shouldn't have boasted about being a master in front of this boy.

"Naturally, no problem."

"How long will it take to forge them all?"

Lu Zheng thought briefly: "Forging is fast—it's the array engraving that takes time. About two days."

"Two days?" Facing Facing Cang Luo was stunned—he hadn't expected it to be so fast.

The armor for the steel war chariot, plus several external weapons, totals over twenty pieces, not to mention the spears and triangular flying daggers—and it's only two days?

Even with molds and direct casting, it wouldn't be this fast.

Facing Facing Cang Luo stared blankly: "Really? Just two days—and by yourself, Master Lu?"

Lu Zheng was puzzled—your master isn't a forging master? Why are you asking this?

Could it be... his master only designs, but doesn't forge?

At that moment, Lu Zheng glanced again at the blueprints and noticed a detail he'd missed earlier.

He realized—none of these blueprints contained any annotations for array engraving...

Suddenly, Lu Zheng made a judgment: this boy refuses to reveal his master's identity because his master isn't a forger or a cultivator at all—he's just a mortal focused solely on design?

Highly likely. Otherwise, if he had a forging master as a master, he wouldn't be just an outer disciple of the Profound Heaven Sect.

Lu Zheng frowned slightly: "I never lie. I said two days—it will take two days."

He didn't ask about the identity of the master Facing Facing Cang Luo mentioned. As long as the designs benefited Shen Bing Fang, that was enough.

Facing Facing Cang Luo nodded. Lu Zheng spoke with such certainty he had no choice but to believe him—though he was intensely curious how it was done.

Does the Yuanwu Continent even have lathes?

Can manual forging be this fast?

After hesitating, Facing Facing Cang Luo said nervously: "Master Lu, may I observe the forging process? Of course, not the array engraving."

He added after thinking: "I've never seen my master forge a weapon before..."

As soon as Facing Facing Cang Luo spoke, Lu Zheng knew his guess was right—this boy's master was indeed not a forger, only a designer.

Could he be a destitute scholar?

Lu Zheng considered—how forgers forge weapons isn't a secret; watching wouldn't teach anything. He nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, Master Lu!" Facing Facing Cang Luo bowed deeply.

Lu Zheng smiled and nodded, pleasantly surprised—he'd assumed the boy's master was a forging master far superior to him, but it turned out to be just a mortal.

"Come, let me show you the forger's craft."

Having said that, Lu Zheng strode toward the backyard forging workshop, and Facing Facing Cang Luo and Wang Zhonghu hurriedly followed.

On the way, Lu Zheng asked about some detailed requirements: what materials to use, and what arrays to inscribe.

Facing Facing Cang Luo repeated what he had previously told Wang Zhonghu, adding a few more points.

Regarding Miss Bai Li's long spear, since it was two-segmented, Facing Facing Cang Luo planned to inscribe two arrays—one for offense and one for defense. Lu Zheng said there was no problem.

Facing Facing Cang Luo added that he wanted arrays inscribed on the triangular flying darts as well, but Lu Zheng said the triangular flying darts were concealed weapons, consumables; inscribing arrays on them was too wasteful, and since they were small, the difficulty was high and the cost very great.

Facing Facing Cang Luo thought this made sense; throwing away one triangular flying dart after another was indeed wasteful, so he let the matter drop.

Upon arriving at the backyard forging workshop of the Divine Weapon Workshop, waves of heat rushed from the furnaces, and Facing Facing Cang Luo immediately felt the temperature rise by at least five degrees.

The layout of the forging workshop was a huge courtyard, but instead of enclosed rooms around the perimeter, there was a circle of pavilions, with the furnaces built inside the pavilions; there were eight furnaces in total.

More than ten, nearly twenty dark-skinned burly men were forging weapons beside the furnaces with hammers of various sizes, sparks flying everywhere, sweat pouring down like rain...

Hmm? The hammers were even condensing a layer of crimson qi?

Facing Facing Cang Luo felt puzzled in his heart; is this how blacksmiths forge?

Condensing qi into the hammer could indeed increase its power and speed up the forging process, but it shouldn't be that fast, could it?

Suddenly, Facing Facing Cang Luo widened his eyes and looked at one burly man; this man was not swinging a hammer, but rather... condensing a ball of crimson qi and directly kneading the red-hot iron block with the qi.

Sometimes kneading it into a flat cake, sometimes into a long strip; after kneading for a while, he used a hammer to strike it.

After repeating this several times, a long sword took shape; it was directly quenched, then finely refined...

Master Lu had gone to prepare the materials. Facing Facing Cang Luo watched for a while and calculated the time: a long sword, from start to finish, took only a little over ten minutes to complete.

So fast! No wonder Master Lu said everything could be forged within two days.

So, blacksmiths use qi to forge weapons; does that mean any martial artist could become a blacksmith?

Facing Facing Cang Luo stepped closer to watch for a while and quickly dismissed this idea.

He noticed that the qi of nearly twenty blacksmiths present was all crimson; in other words, the cultivation techniques they practiced were all fire-attributed, or possibly yang-attributed.

Facing Facing Cang Luo also noticed one thing: their qi was very special, almost burning.

At this moment, Wang Zhonghu, who was assisting Master Lu, called out, and Facing Facing Cang Luo immediately jogged over.

"Master Lu, are we starting the forging?"

Master Lu nodded, erupted a ball of crimson qi from both hands, reached into the furnace to retrieve a red-hot iron block the size of a nightstand, and placed it on the workbench.

He said, "This is black obsidian steel. I shall forge first... armor?"

Facing Facing Cang Luo nodded. Master Lu added, "This armor does not seem to be for a person to wear, does it?"

Facing Facing Cang Luo dared not hide the truth and said it was armor for a mechanical carriage.

Master Lu was stunned: "Mechanical carriage? The Mo School's mechanical carriage?"

Before Facing Facing Cang Luo could speak, he added, "Could it be the mechanical carriage designed by your master?"

Facing Facing Cang Luo quickly nodded to avoid having to fabricate a story.

Master Lu smiled and asked, "Could you show Master Lu the design drawings of the mechanical carriage?"

Facing Facing Cang Luo calmly replied, "The mechanical carriage has not been fully designed yet; currently, only the external armor has been designed, which is what Master just saw."

Master Lu smiled and said no more; in truth, he very much wanted to ask: your master is not even a martial artist and knows nothing about inscribing arrays; how could he design a mechanical carriage?

A mechanical carriage pulled by horses?

He asked no more about the mechanical carriage, and Facing Facing Cang Luo breathed a sigh of relief, watching him forge the armor intently.

He saw Master Lu condense a qi hand-blade, cut a thick iron sheet the size of a chopping board from the large iron block, quickly glanced at the blueprint, and then began using qi to pull, knead, and repeatedly hammer the iron sheet.

He said, "This is called shaping!"

Facing Facing Cang Luo nodded, watching intently; he discovered that shaping was not simply kneading with qi; during the kneading process, one must also use qi that was almost burning to temper it...

Facing Facing Cang Luo guessed that the cultivation techniques practiced by blacksmiths must be very special, having the effect of tempering metal.

A few minutes later, the armor was nearly formed, resembling the armor in the design drawings by ninety percent, except for some differences in size.

Just as Facing Facing Cang Luo was about to ask how to achieve precise dimensions, Master Lu suddenly pulled out a three-foot-long bright silver steel ruler from under the workbench and began measuring the armor.

After a round of comparison, he began shaping again; soon, a piece of armor exactly matching the design drawings was completely formed.

However, this was not yet finished; Master Lu condensed qi once more and carved a shallow groove on the inner surface of the armor, a groove the size of a yuan stone.

Pointing at the groove, Master Lu smiled and said, "This groove is for embedding a yuan stone. Your master did not mark the position of the array's eye, so I took the liberty; will this have any effect on the mechanical carriage?"

Facing Facing Cang Luo was stunned; he had forgotten to tell Academician Yang to leave a groove for the yuan stone.

Was what Master Lu said... revealing that he saw through my 'master's' true capabilities?

What should I do?

Never mind; as long as the designed weapons are awesome, that's what matters.

Without time to think further, Facing Facing Cang Luo quickly nodded and said, "No, no, thank you, Master Lu..."