42: Chapter 42 Sparks Under the Hammer

Morning light filtered through the window lattice, spilling onto the desk.

Lu Zhao sat cross-legged on the couch, slowly withdrawing his Qi. After a night of regulating his breathing, the True Qi within his body had condensed a bit more. The insights he had gained from contemplating the "Hun Yuan Stance" in the stone cave that day had, after a night of settling, gradually merged into his bones and blood.

He opened his eyes and looked at the desk.

More than twenty Low-Grade Spirit Stones were stacked neatly, emitting a faint glow in the sunlight. These were confiscated from Wang Heng and his group—twenty as a deposit, plus the few they had saved themselves, totaling twenty-six.

Lu Zhao picked one up and weighed it in his hand.

He had only seen Spirit Stones before in the markets of Maple Leaf Town. A single Low-Grade Spirit Stone could be exchanged for ten shi of grain, three pigs, or two knives forged from refined iron. For ordinary farmers, that was an amount they could not save up in a lifetime.

But for a Cultivator, this was merely the most basic consumable.

Arrays required Spirit Stones, Artifact Refining required Spirit Stones, drawing Talismans required Spirit Stones, and Cultivating also required Spirit Stones. Although Cultivators without a Spiritual Root could not directly absorb the Spiritual Qi within Spirit Stones, they could use them to exchange for resources, trading for a chance to survive.

Lu Zhao placed the Spirit Stones back on the desk and got up to go outside.

In the courtyard, Shen Qingqiu was squatting by the well, washing her face. The morning light fell upon her face; the dark circles under her eyes had faded slightly, and her expression was much calmer.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Lu Zhao asked.

Shen Qingqiu wiped her face dry with a cloth and nodded: "It was fine."

She paused and looked at the cloth bag in Lu Zhao's hand: "Are those... Spirit Stones?"

Lu Zhao handed it over: "Twenty-six of them. Take them and use them."

Shen Qingqiu was startled: "All for me?"

"Aren't you planning to make Talismans?" Lu Zhao said, "Talisman paper, cinnabar, Yao Beast blood—which of these doesn't cost money? Use these for now, and we'll talk if it's not enough."

Shen Qingqiu took the bag, opened it to take a look, and then looked up at him.

"Aren't you afraid I might take them and run?"

Lu Zhao smiled: "Run where? In this radius of several hundred miles, is there any place more peaceful than Yangjiao Ravine?"

Shen Qingqiu also smiled, her expression carrying a hint of relief.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony." She stood up, "Just as well; I've been pondering a new method for making a Talisman these past few days, and I was lacking Materials to practice."

The secret cave was located behind the village mountain.

Although it was called a secret cave, it was actually just a naturally formed stone cavern. Lu Zhao had had it simply cleaned up and installed a wooden door, which was barely enough to shelter from the wind and rain. Shen Qingqiu lived here, usually researching Formations and Talismans, and also helping Granny Xue process medicinal herbs.

Lu Zhao followed her into the cave.

The cave was kept clean and tidy. A wooden table was placed against the wall, piled with various items—Talisman paper, cinnabar, brushes, small knives, bottles and jars, and a few yellowed old books. A simple stove was built in the corner, with an earthenware pot set on top, simmering something that bubbled and steamed.

Shen Qingqiu took ten Spirit Stones out of the bag, placed them on the table, and examined them for a moment.

"Cloud Pattern Sword Feather Talisman," she said, "I saw my father draw it when I was a child. This Talisman is derived from the Flying Sword message transmission of Sword Cultivators, but it doesn't use a Flying Sword, only Talisman paper. Its advantage is that it is light and swift, but its disadvantage is that its range is short and it is easily intercepted."

She picked up a Spirit Stone and weighed it in her hand.

"The original Cloud Pattern Sword Feather Talisman requires mixing Spirit Stone powder with cinnabar and Yao Beast blood, and then outlining the Talisman runes with Sword Intent. I don't have Sword Intent, so I can only substitute it with the principles of Formations. The effect will be worse, but it has the advantage of stability."

Lu Zhao looked at her: "What are the chances of success?"

Shen Qingqiu thought for a moment: "Thirty percent."

Lu Zhao nodded: "Then let's give it a try."

Shen Qingqiu took a deep breath and began to work.

She first placed a Spirit Stone in a stone mortar and gently crushed it with a small hammer. The texture of the Spirit Stone was brittle and hard; it cracked as soon as it was struck, revealing the crystalline, fibrous structure inside. She picked up the fragments, continued to strike them until they were fine powder, and then ground them with a stone pestle.

After grinding for a full two joss sticks' worth of time, the Spirit Stone powder was finally as fine as flour, emitting tiny, sparkling glimmers in the sunlight.

Shen Qingqiu poured the powder into an earthenware bowl, then took out a small packet of cinnabar and a porcelain bottle of Yao Beast blood—that had been taken from an Underdark River Water Python, and she hadn't been able to bring herself to use it until now.

She poured the cinnabar and Yao Beast blood into the bowl one after another and stirred with a wooden stick. The powder and liquid mixed, gradually turning into a dark red paste, emitting a strange, fishy odor.

"The ink needs to settle," she said, "It will be best to use after half an hour."

Lu Zhao nodded and stepped aside, not disturbing her.

Half an hour passed quickly.

Shen Qingqiu took out the Talisman paper—it was self-made from mulberry paper, thick and tough—and spread it on the table. She picked up the brush, dipped it fully in the ink, and held her wrist steady, focusing her mind.

The tip of the brush landed on the Talisman paper.

One stroke, two strokes, three strokes...

Lu Zhao watched quietly.

He didn't understand Talismans, but he could see that Shen Qingqiu was drawing with great difficulty. The runes were winding and twisting, and every stroke seemed to be struggling against something; the tip of the brush trembled as if it might break at any moment.

When she drew the seventh stroke, the Talisman paper suddenly let out a "hiss," emitted a puff of blue smoke, and turned charred and black.

Shen Qingqiu put down the brush and rubbed her wrist.

"Spiritual Qi conflict," she said, "That Yao Beast blood is too fierce; it doesn't mix well with the Spirit Stone powder."

She tore off the ruined Talisman, spread new paper, and picked up the brush to draw again.

The second one, halfway through, the Talisman paper spontaneously combusted.

The third one, after the last stroke was finished, the runes were complete, but there was no reaction at all, like a piece of ordinary gibberish.

Shen Qingqiu stared at the Talisman for a long time, then suddenly picked it up and walked outside the cave.

She held the Talisman paper between her fingers and injected a thread of True Qi.

The Talisman paper did not move at all.

She sighed and turned back.

"Thirty percent was an overestimate," she said, "Ten percent at most."

Lu Zhao looked at her, said nothing, and only pointed to the Spirit Stones on the table.

"There are seventeen left."

Shen Qingqiu was stunned, then suddenly laughed.

"Are you trying to make me squander all our family assets?"

Lu Zhao said: "If we squander them, we'll just earn more."

When the fourth Talisman paper was spread out, it was already near noon.

The sunlight shone obliquely from the cave entrance, falling on the wooden table and making the dark red ink glisten. Fine beads of sweat appeared on Shen Qingqiu's forehead, and the hand holding the brush trembled slightly—having drawn three in a row, the strain on her wrist was too great.

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes to regulate her breathing for a moment, and when she opened them again, only focus remained in her eyes.

The brush tip landed.

The first stroke, steady.

The second stroke, smooth.

The third stroke, the brush tip turned slightly, bringing out a graceful arc.

Lu Zhao watched, mesmerized.

He suddenly realized that Shen Qingqiu's expression while drawing the Talisman was somewhat similar to Uncle Ya's when he carved wooden plaques—both were completely focused, with no distractions, as if only this one thing remained in the world.

The fourth stroke, the fifth stroke, the sixth stroke...

The Talisman paper remained intact.

The seventh stroke, at the turning point of the runes, the brush tip paused slightly, then slid through smoothly.

The eighth stroke, the ninth stroke...

When the final stroke landed, Shen Qingqiu froze, staring at the Talisman paper, not daring to breathe.

On the Talisman paper, the dark red runes faintly glowed, as if alive, pulsing a few times before returning to calm.

Shen Qingqiu put down the brush and let out a long breath.

"Did it succeed?"

Lu Zhao asked.

Shen Qingqiu shook her head, picked up the Talisman paper, held it between her fingers, and injected True Qi.

"Whoosh—!"

A wisp of blue light shot out from the Talisman paper, transforming into a three-inch-long light sword. It shot out rapidly in the air, flew around the secret cave three times, the sword light trailing a faint trace, and finally collided with the stone wall, shattering with a "pop" into countless points of light, dissipating without a trace.

Shen Qingqiu stared at the dissipating points of light, stunned for a long while, then suddenly laughed.

As she laughed, her eyes turned red.

Lu Zhao walked over and patted her on the shoulder.

"How many miles?"

Shen Qingqiu sniffled and said: "About a hundred miles. Transmitting messages is no problem, but the stability is poor, and it's easily intercepted."

She looked down at the Talisman paper in her hand and muttered: "It's far worse than what my father drew. The Cloud Pattern Sword Feather Talisman he drew could travel eight hundred miles a day, its trajectory erratic, and Cultivators below the Golden Core stage couldn't intercept it."

Lu Zhao said: "You've only just started."

Shen Qingqiu nodded and carefully put the Talisman paper into a wooden box.

"I'll keep this one," she said, "To show my disciples in the future, and tell them, your Master ruined three of these back in the day, and the fourth one was the success."

At dusk, Lu Zhao took the remaining Spirit Stones to the blacksmith shop.

The blacksmith shop was at the east end of the village, consisting of three adobe houses with a thatched shed built outside. An anvil stood under the shed, and piles of iron blocks and charcoal of various sizes were stacked nearby, along with a few forged farm tools.

Zhong Tiegu was busy in front of the furnace, shirtless and covered in sweat. His apprentice was working the bellows nearby, the furnace fire roaring, heating the iron block until it was glowing red.

Seeing Lu Zhao come in, Zhong Tiegu put down his hammer and wiped his sweat.

"Sir, why are you here at this time?"

Lu Zhao handed over the cloth bag: "Ten Spirit Stones. See if you can use them."

Zhong Tiegu took it, opened it, and was stunned, then grinned.

"Good stuff!" he said, "Mixing this into the iron can forge a good blade!"

He walked to the corner and dug out a palm-sized piece of black iron—it had been confiscated from bandit Cultivators and was said to be a fragment of inferior black iron, but because the purity was too low, it had been left there unused.

"This thing would have been waste before," Zhong Tiegu weighed the black iron, "But if paired with Spirit Stones, maybe we can forge 'layered steel'."

"Layered steel?" Lu Zhao asked.

Zhong Tiegu nodded: "It means sandwiching hard material between soft material and repeatedly forging it to make them fuse into one. Knives forged this way have sharp edges, good blade toughness, and won't break easily."

He pointed to a few knives in the corner: "Those are all forged from ordinary iron. They are fine for cutting bones, but if they encounter a Cultivator's protective True Qi, the edge will roll with a single strike. If we can forge a layered steel knife, it can at least break through the defense of the Qi Refinement Stage."

Lu Zhao nodded: "Try it."

The furnace fire was reignited.

Zhong Tiegu first threw the black iron into the furnace, heated it until it was glowing red, took it out, placed it on the anvil, and swung his hammer to begin forging.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The sound of the hammer was dull and powerful, shaking the thatch on the roof so that it showered down. With every hammer blow, a spray of sparks flew from the iron block, exceptionally dazzling in the twilight.

After forging for thirty-some strikes, the iron block gradually thinned. Zhong Tiegu threw it back into the furnace and turned to look at the pile of Spirit Stones.

"Sir, how do we use these Spirit Stones?"

Lu Zhao shook his head: "I don't know either. Where is Uncle Ya?"

As he was speaking, Uncle Ya walked in from outside. He was holding a wooden box, nodded at Lu Zhao, walked to the furnace, squatted down, and stared at the pile of Spirit Stones for a long while.

Then he stood up, walked aside, picked up a piece of scrap iron, weighed it in his hand, pointed at the Spirit Stones, and made a gesture of crushing them.

Zhong Tiegu realized: "Crush them and mix them in?"

Uncle Ya nodded, then shook his head. He pointed to the furnace fire, made a gesture of melting something, then pointed to the iron block and made a gesture of wrapping—meaning, one must melt the Spirit Stone first, then wrap it inside the iron.

Zhong Tiegu scratched his head: "Spirit Stones can be melted?"

Uncle Ya rolled his eyes at him, walked to the furnace, picked up the tongs, clamped a Spirit Stone, and threw it directly into the fire.

The three of them stared at the furnace fire.

The Spirit Stone rolled in the charcoal fire; at first, there was no change. After burning for about the time it takes for a joss stick to burn, the surface began to soften and gradually melted into a small cluster of crystalline liquid, rolling among the charcoal, like a drop of mercury.

Uncle Ya used the tongs to clamp the cluster of liquid and placed it on the anvil.

The liquid trembled slightly but did not disperse, like a cluster of solidified water.

Uncle Ya pointed at the glowing red iron block, then pointed at the cluster of liquid, and made a gesture of sandwiching them together.

Zhong Tiegu understood.

He swung his hammer and smashed it forcefully at the iron block! The moment the iron block was flattened, Uncle Ya used the tongs to clamp the cluster of liquid and stuffed it into the sandwich layer of the iron block.

Zhong Tiegu continued to forge.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The sound of the hammer was rapid, and sparks flew in all directions. The cluster of liquid rolled within the iron block, gradually fusing with the iron. On the originally dark iron surface, fine silver patterns emerged, like blood vessels, like tree roots.

After forging for a full half hour, Zhong Tiegu was drenched in sweat, and his arms were sore.

He finally put down the hammer, clamped the forged iron bar, and brought it under the light to examine it closely.

The iron bar was about a foot long, about three fingers wide, completely dark, but the surface faintly shimmered with silver light. He tapped it with his finger; the sound was crisp, not as dull as ordinary iron.

"Did it succeed?" he muttered, hardly believing it himself.

Uncle Ya leaned over to look, nodded, and pointed to an old knife by the forging table—that was a piece of scrap Zhong Tiegu usually used to test blades.

Zhong Tiegu understood, picked up the old knife, and picked up the newly forged iron bar, clashing them together.

"Clang!"

A grain-sized chip broke off the edge of the old knife.

On the iron bar, only a faint white mark was left.

Zhong Tiegu's eyes lit up.

The next morning, A-Fei was called over to test the knife.

Zhong Tiegu had worked through the night to forge a short knife from that iron bar. The knife was two feet long, the blade slightly curved, and the edge was extremely thin, shimmering with a cold, eerie light in the sunlight.

A-Fei took the knife and weighed it.

"It's lighter than mine," he said.

Zhong Tiegu glared: "Lighter? This is a layered steel knife! It's ten times sharper than that piece of broken iron of yours!"

A-Fei chuckled, walked outside the courtyard, found a locust tree as thick as a bowl, took a deep breath, and swung the knife down.

"Snap—!"

The sword light flashed, and the branch snapped at the sound, the cut smooth and flat, like a knife cutting through tofu.

A-Fei was stunned and looked down at the blade.

The blade was intact, without even a grain-sized chip.

"This..." He looked up at Zhong Tiegu, "Uncle Zhong, have you achieved enlightenment?"

Zhong Tiegu snatched the knife, looked it over repeatedly for a long while, then suddenly grinned and laughed.

"It succeeded! It really freaking succeeded!"

He turned to look at Lu Zhao, his eyes reddening.

"Sir, with this craft, our children won't have to worry about not having handy weapons in the future!"

Lu Zhao nodded and looked at Uncle Ya.

Uncle Ya was squatting in the corner, drawing something on the ground with a twig. Seeing Lu Zhao look over, he raised his head and grinned, revealing a few missing teeth.

In that smile, there was pride and relief.

That night, Lu Zhao returned to his room, took out paper and pen, and recorded the achievements of these two days one by one.

Shen Qingqiu created the prototype of the Cloud Pattern Sword Feather Talisman, capable of transmitting messages a hundred miles; although unstable, it was a Breakthrough from nothing.

Zhong Tiegu forged a layered steel knife, incorporating Spirit Stone powder into the iron; his forging technique had improved, capable of breaking through the defense of the Qi Refinement Stage.

He finished writing the last word, put down the pen, and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

Within his spiritual platform, a sensation emerged.

[Civilization Accumulation: New Talisman prototype added—Cloud Pattern Sword Feather Talisman; Forging process improved—Layered Steel Method.]

[Civilization Points +40.]

[Current Civilization Points: 185.]

Lu Zhao opened his eyes and watched the lines of text slowly dissipate.

Outside the window, the night was deep. In the distant mountains and fields, there was a faint flickering of firelight.

He got up and walked to the window, concentrating as he looked.

The firelight was in the southeast direction, about thirty miles away, flickering on and off. It didn't look like a wildfire, but rather like...

Someone was camping.

Lu Zhao was staring at the firelight, lost in thought, when hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate.

He Shan pushed the door open and entered, his face solemn.

"Sir, there is firelight tonight near that abandoned mine pit in the southeast direction." He paused, "It's not a wild beast; it's people. At least seven or eight of them, carrying torches, looking like they are digging for something."

Lu Zhao frowned.

The abandoned mine pit.

The map Uncle Ya drew, that abandoned mine pit shrouded in mist.

He turned to look at the desk—the fragment of the Canglan Sword Sect token lay quietly in the wooden box, emitting a cold, gloomy light under the lamp.

"Let's go," he said, "Let's go take a look."