Chapter 350: Weapon Forging Workshop — Six Types of Forging Magic Materials

After Jier finished shooting an entire quiver of arrows, he was released by the old hunter Tuosite, who told him to come back at noon to shoot another quiver, so Jier bid them farewell.

Arriving at the front courtyard, Jier helped the young hunter he had asked for a favor to clean the stables for his horses, then fed and watered them.

Afterward, Jier took the long sword contaminated by evil power alone, walked out of the Hunter Stronghold, and arrived at the Craftsman District in the adjacent area. Walking into the weapon workshop that had become bustling early in the morning, Jier found the craftsman he had previously agreed with to repair the long sword.

"Made a decision?" Just having arrived at the workshop in the morning, the craftsman's clothes were still relatively clean; he took the long sword from Jier, drew it to take a look, and asked Jier casually.

Jier gave a grunt of acknowledgment, took out a money bag from his bosom, and gave it a shake; the bag, filled with Silver Coins and copper coins, emitted the clinking sound of overflowing coins.

"The money is ready too. Actually, simply heating the long sword and then quenching it wouldn't cost much, but as I told you, the blade of the long sword is thin and tough, and after being eroded by evil power, there will be some loss; a portion of new material needs to be added here to at least ensure the long sword is restored to its original level." This craftsman drew out the Hunting Sword, then used a small wooden stick to poke at the eroded parts on the long sword as he spoke.

"Uh, what do you mean?" Jier asked with a frown.

Glancing at the money bag Jier was gripping tightly, the craftsman laughed heartily. He told Jier to wait a moment, turned and walked into the interior of the workshop, fiddled for a while, and brought out a wooden tray, with something covered by a brightly colored cloth on top.

Walking to the entrance of the workshop, the craftsman asked Jier to sit down, and then he sat down as well. After sitting on the stone table and stone chair used to host guests, the craftsman did not remove the colored cloth from the tray, but instead said to Jier: "Do you know about Magic Material Weapons?"

Jier looked at the things on the tray, then sized up the craftsman sitting opposite him and said: "I know, I heard they are weapons with performance superior to ordinary fine weapons."

"Good that you know. So-called Magic Material Weapons are weapons made using rare and precious magic materials. They are indispensable items for famous Warriors. In terms of performance, compared to fine steel weapons, they often possess various unexpected abilities."

"Various?" Jier noticed this vocabulary.

"Yes, various. You don't think there is only one kind of magic material, do you? In fact, there are countless types of magic materials, but there are actually far fewer that are suitable for adding into weapons. Weapons are also divided into many types, and those suitable for adding into weapons like long swords and Cleavers are even fewer." Speaking to this point, the craftsman pointed at the items on the tray in front of him.

A slight smile appeared at the corner of Jier's mouth; he had already figured out the craftsman's intention. This was an attempt to promote magic materials for weapons to him, and he probably also had the idea of fleecing him.

However, Jier was still quite curious about the magic materials in this craftsman's hands, especially the things suitable for forging into weapons. He had never heard even a shred of such information in the taverns. It seems that either this kind of information is very important and those who know it don't talk about it, or his level was too low before, and there was basically no need for him to know such information.

But why is he being recommended this by the craftsman now? How strange.

"Let me see, what do you have on hand?" Jier asked straightforwardly.

"Of course, please take a look." The craftsman removed the obstructive colored cloth and tucked it into his bosom. On the wooden tray, six small piles of material substances were arranged in order, each with a different appearance, and Jier also looked at them curiously, waiting for the craftsman's introduction.

After coughing twice, the craftsman, seeing that Jier was very interested, pointed at the materials and introduced them to Jier one by one.

He first pointed to the one on the left of the three closest to Jier; this thing was a small pile of fire-red granular metal, the red was very shiny, and the surface looked as if it had been oiled. Each of these granular metals was only two millimeters in size, and Jier looked closely and found that the tiny particles were irregular in shape.

"This is Red Copper. It is a precious mineral material that is associated with Cuikuang. Although it is an associated mineral, it is not mixed with the raw Cuikuang material during mining, and even if it is smelted, it will not fuse with ordinary copper. Its special feature is that weapons with added Red Copper will have extremely high flexibility. The originally very hard steel will also become soft, but its strength will not be reduced."

Jier curiously pinched a Red Copper mineral particle with his finger and found that this thing was not light in weight; he squeezed it, and his fingernail could slightly deform the Red Copper.

After putting it down, Jier signaled for the craftsman to continue the introduction.

Seeming to see that Jier was not satisfied with the Red Copper, this craftsman continued to introduce: "The one in the middle in front of you is the most common type of magic material."

What the craftsman was referring to was a small black block of metal ingot; this metal was pitch black all over and looked very stubborn.

"It is Black Iron, commonly appearing associated with iron ore. Its weight exceeds that of ordinary iron, and its hardness also exceeds it somewhat, but its flexibility is relatively poor."

Jier smiled: "Then if it is combined with Red Copper, wouldn't there be a material that is both hard and flexible?"

Unexpectedly, the craftsman nodded: "That is the case. I have heard that some high-end Knight weapons are made with various performance metal materials mixed together as a base material. This way, it has excellent material performance without having the weaknesses of various materials."

Hearing this, Jier muttered in a low voice: "Is that so, so that's how it is."

Immediately following, the craftsman introduced the material on the right in front of him to Jier.

This material was a white, salt-like fine snowy particle; if he didn't know that the craftsman opposite wouldn't use salt to fool him, Jier would have really thought it was salt.

Seeming to see Jier's thoughts, the craftsman opposite smiled and said: "It is not salt, this is a rare metal extracted from volcanic rock. It is metal, not salt. After melting at high temperature, this thing will become a shiny liquid just like other metals."

"It is called Fire-Absorbing Gold, and it has a magical ability to absorb fire. Of course, it is not infinite absorption; it absorbs a certain amount of high-temperature fire based on its weight, and then slowly releases it over a long period of time afterward."

Jier was very interested in this thing, feeling that it would be very useful for making defensive gear. If Shield and armor were added with it, they could very well resist the scorching of fire.

Thinking of this, Jier asked about the price of this Fire-Absorbing Gold.

Unexpectedly, the price of this thing gave Jier a shock.

"Two Gold Coins for such a small pile? No, what is such a tiny bit good for?" Jier was very surprised; he knew the purchasing power of local Gold Coins, and a fine Steel Longsword only cost about that much.

"I already said this is a material mined from volcanic rock. Where would we have a volcano here? It's all transported in by outside Caravans, it's very rare."

"Hmm, then please continue the introduction, I'll take a look at the other materials." Jier said helplessly. He felt the item was good, it was just that the price was too exaggerated. He also asked about the prices of the other Red Copper and Black Iron, both of which could be bought with Silver Coins; only this Fire-Absorbing Gold was at the price of Gold Coins. Of course, the price difference between the two also represented the difference in the effects of their magical powers.

Next, the craftsman opposite smiled and pointed to a piece of bright yellow wood near his side.

This wood looked unremarkable, but when Jier took a close look, he found that there was a layer of faint green light radiating from the surface of the wood, only because it was daytime and the Tianguang was bright, so it was not very clear. And vaguely, Jier could feel that he seemed to have a faint connection with this wood.

"This wood is the Tree Heart material from the great tree in the center of the Agricultural God Church temple. That great tree was planted after the Agricultural God Church first came to Kendall, and it is already several decades old. Every year, the Agricultural God Church performs many rituals around that great tree, so this wood is filled with a great deal of magical power. You can try holding it, try holding it in your hand." The craftsman smiled and picked up the wood, placing it in Jier's palm.

Jier first took the wood and looked at it in front of his eyes, finding that there was indeed a faint green light shining on the surface of the wood, but it seemed to be shy; after being stared at by Jier, its green light quickly retracted inside.

Jier then held it in his hand as the craftsman said. At first, there was nothing different, and he looked at the person opposite.

The craftsman opposite told him to wait a while.

After a while, Jier felt as if he could sense a steady stream of energy pouring out from the wood he was holding; it was very faint, but he could feel it, and it was continuous.

"Very magical, I felt it." Jier nodded and returned the item to the craftsman.

The craftsman seemed confident, smiling and asking: "How about it? If this thing were installed on a sword hilt, wouldn't it be very powerful?"

Jier was noncommittal, but he had a question: "The item is very powerful, but isn't this thing from the Agricultural God Church? You took it out to sell, aren't you afraid they will come to find you or me for trouble?"

Unexpectedly, this craftsman, whose name Jier still didn't know, reached into his chest and pulled out a badge hanging around his neck. Jier took a look and found it was exactly the same as a metal badge hanging on the wall inside the weapon workshop.

That was the divine symbol badge of the God of Crafts.

Jier raised an eyebrow: "You are a Priest of the Craftsman God Church?"

"Isn't that so? I am a Pastor, but at the same time, I am also a Craftsman." The craftsman smiled and pointed to the badge hanging around his neck as he spoke.

Jier hurriedly stood up and performed a salute: "Disrespectful, Lord Pastor."

After he saluted and sat down, the middle-aged man who was the Pastor and also the Craftsman said to Jier: "Don't worry, these materials are either obtained through trade from traveling merchants or exchanged between churches. We are under the command of the God of Crafts; these materials must be turned into real things to exert their value."

After finishing, he began to introduce the few small, round metal balls in the middle.

These round metal balls were each about the size of a ping-pong ball, smooth all over, and the surface reflected the surrounding scene. Jier picked one up and weighed it in his hand; it still had some weight.

"What material is this?"

Facing Jier's question, the Pastor Craftsman opposite explained: "This is a newly arrived material called Moonlight Iron. It is something recently made according to a ritual by a newly promoted Pastor who received Divine Grace and became a Moon God Pastor a few days ago. I know you will ask what its function is. Moonlight Iron, as soon as it reaches night, it will emit a hazy moonlight; it is said that it can drive away bad luck and evil spirits for the user. Anyway, that is what that Moon God Pastor said."

Jier carefully examined the Moonlight Iron in his hand; the smooth round ball reflected the surrounding scene, and Jier's face also became very large on it, looking as strange as a plate.

"Additionally, I must tell you that regarding this Moonlight Iron, we have not yet mastered the relevant forging techniques here, so if you like it, you will have to buy the whole thing; you cannot break it to install it onto your weapons and equipment. Furthermore, once the shape of the Moonlight Iron is destroyed—that is, destroyed from its spherical form—its power will be far less than before. I am making this clear to you first."

Jier narrowed his eyes and sized up the Moonlight Iron sphere in his hand: "Doesn't that mean it can only be made into a counterweight ball for a sword pommel?"

"I also think that at this stage, using it as a counterweight ball is quite good," the Pastor Craftsman said with a smile.

Jier, however, felt a bit strange. He looked at the Pastor Craftsman opposite him and said: "Red Copper and Black Iron to repair the sword's damage, Fire-Absorbing Gold to reinforce armor, Tree Heart to make the sword handle, and Moonlight Iron to become a counterweight ball. It looks like a whole set of things, so there is one last item; please introduce it, won't you?"

The Pastor Craftsman opposite him clapped his hands a few times and said to Jier with a smile: "You are quite sharp. Actually, this is the intention of the Baron and the Knight. Little warrior Jier, you were very heroic in the process of fighting the Magic Beast earlier; the lords must reward you with something, right?"

Once he said this, Jier understood; so that was it. No wonder these Magic Materials, which were rarely seen before, all appeared in front of him at once. And since the other party told him to come back later yesterday, it seems they went back to discuss and prepare.

Thinking of this, Jier smiled. He beamed and asked quietly: "Since it is a reward from the Baron and the Knight, are these things all free? They are worth quite a lot of money."

The Pastor Craftsman smiled strangely: "How could there be such a good thing? Where would our Kendall City have so many Magic Material reserves? These things cost money, and you have to pay for them. Didn't you just sell some Metal Ingots to me yesterday? If you have money in your hand, please spend it, but of course, act according to your means."

Upon hearing that he still had to spend money to purchase Magic Materials, Jier's face immediately fell. What is this? If it is a reward for me, I still have to pay for it myself. What kind of reward is this?

However, after thinking about it, he felt that he had rarely heard of these things being sold anywhere before. It is likely that these items are rare, so even just granting Jier the permission to purchase them is already considered a reward.

Moreover, the other party also knows he has money in his pocket, so it is impossible that he cannot afford any of them. Besides, at the very least, among the Magic Materials, he can definitely afford the cheaper Red Copper and Black Iron. At the very least, he can restore his Long Sword to a new state and reinforce it a step further after purging the evil power. As for the other good things, that is a matter of how much money Jier still has in his pocket.

"Then you should still introduce the last material first; I will listen before considering it," Jier said listlessly.

"Young man, don't be unhappy; this is a good opportunity. These Magic Materials are all good things, and with me, a technically excellent blacksmith, I guarantee to make your Long Sword look brand new and become a famous sword. Think about it carefully, isn't this the reward the lords gave you?"

Jier raised his eyebrows and looked at the various materials in front of him, gradually becoming excited. That's right; if these things were added, his Long Sword would definitely become very different.

"Then please introduce the last one," Jier said, rubbing his hands impatiently.

The last material was on the right side. Unlike the other materials which were in a semi-raw state, the last material looked like several metal plates, but they were densely engraved with many small characters.

Jier received permission and picked up a metal plate, discovering it was very thin. He tried bending it with a little force, and it was very sturdy. Moreover, when he bent it, the entire metal plate was covered with a layer of white light for protection.

Bringing it before his eyes, Jier discovered that the small characters engraved on this metal plate were all words of praise. Because the characters were too small and dense, Jier could only judge from the divine symbol at the very top that this thing was made by the Sun God Church.

"What is this? It looks like a hymn engraved on a metal plate?" Jier asked in confusion.

Quite amusingly, the Pastor Craftsman opposite him picked up a metal plate with his fingers in disgust and said: "This is a type of Blessing Tool made by the Sun God Church. It can be directly inlaid onto weapons and armor. When used, it can release intense light through the enchanted weapon, causing the enemy to be blinded." As soon as he finished speaking, he put the thing down, seemingly not wanting to touch things from other churches.

Jier, however, did not mind. He held the metal plate in his hand, examining it back and forth, and asked: "You say 'use,' but how do you use it? How many times can it be used in total? Is there a usage limit per day? It won't make me blinded as well, will it?"

"Hold on, hold on, I will answer you one by one. By the way, are these all the questions you have?" said the Pastor Craftsman, who had been bombarded with questions.

"That's about it, I suppose. You can answer these questions for me, right? Don't tell me you don't know either."

"How could that be? The Sun God Church just loves making these flashy things." He said the last sentence in a low voice. Immediately after, he continued: "Regarding how to use it: you can inlay the metal plate or use melted metal to stick it onto the weapon. Afterward, when the owner of the weapon picks it up, they will naturally know how to release it. Additionally, regarding how many times it can be used: as long as the characters on the surface do not suffer major damage, it can replenish its energy by receiving more sunlight."

Hearing this, Jier's expression became strange, and he muttered to himself: "It's solar-powered, huh. Hey, it's even clean energy."

"What are you saying?" The Pastor Craftsman looked at Jier in confusion.

"It's nothing, please continue, I'm listening," Jier said, waving his hand quickly.

"Regarding the blindness when used, of course it won't let the user be attacked as well. You should only feel a glare, but you won't be hurt. As for the blindness, it actually just makes the opponent unable to see things clearly for a short time; it's not particularly powerful." Seeming to not like the Sun God Church very much, the Pastor Craftsman's mouth was full of disdain.

Jier smiled: "Then the last question: is it expensive?"