19: Firing ceramics

The viewers in the livestream room watched him mold the clay, flooding the screen with comments: "Lu Fan is molding pottery, that's incredible!"

"This pottery looks so delicate, I actually want to buy one."

Wang Tao also spoke excitedly: "Contestant Lu Fan's abilities are truly admirable. Not only can he make tools, but he can also make pottery. He's truly multi-talented."

Zhao Hangjun analyzed: "Pottery making requires a certain level of skill and patience. The fact that Lu Fan can master this craft shows that his quality of life is about to go up another level."

Lu Fan molded several more pieces of pottery in succession, including large bowls, small bowls, several plates, and a clay pot.

He placed the molded pottery beside the fire to let them dry slowly.

These pieces had to be dried thoroughly, otherwise they would easily crack during firing. He turned the pottery from time to time to ensure they were heated evenly.

The next day, Lu Fan woke up very early. As usual, he washed his face with clear water and brushed his teeth with charcoal powder.

Lu Fan checked them; after yesterday's air-drying and roasting, several pieces of pottery were completely dry.

So, Lu Fan began firing the pottery. He gathered some dry firewood and placed the pottery into the furnace.

During the firing process, Lu Fan adjusted the intensity of the fire from time to time to ensure the pottery could be heated evenly.

The viewers in the livestream room watched him fire the pottery, flooding the screen with comments: "Lu Fan is firing pottery, that's incredible."

"Will such a big fire break them?"

"How is that possible? Great God Lu Fan will definitely succeed."

Everyone in the livestream room was looking forward to Lu Fan's results.

Lu Fan squatted by the fire, his eyes focused intently on the flames during the firing.

As time passed, the clay gradually hardened under the baptism of the flames, and its color shifted from a damp reddish-brown to a steady dark brown.

Finally, amidst a burst of crackling from the firewood, the firing was complete.

Once the furnace had completely cooled down, Lu Fan carefully removed the pottery from the ashes.

He gently blew away the ash from the surface, revealing smooth, delicate pottery bowls and jars with flowing lines.

The firing of most of the pottery was very successful, but two pieces still shattered, likely due to uneven heating.

Although these pieces of pottery were simple, they appeared exceptionally rustic and charming under the reflection of the firelight.

Seeing this scene, the viewers in the livestream room began flooding the comments again.

"Wow, the pottery Lu Fan made is so beautiful!"

"This craftsmanship is incredible, I want to learn too!"

"Looking at these pieces of pottery, I feel such a sense of achievement!"

Wang Tao couldn't help but praise: "Lu Fan's pottery is wonderful, it's practically a work of art!"

Zhao Hangjun analyzed from a professional perspective: "These pieces are not only good-looking but also highly practical. It's clear that Lu Fan was very diligent during the production process."

Yu Rui's eyes lit up even more: "The pottery Lu Fan made has such a great feel to it, I actually wanted to buy one."

Looking at the pottery he had fired, Lu Fan's heart was also filled with a sense of achievement.

He knew that these pieces would not only solve his daily needs but were also a beautiful creation of his in the wilderness.

After finishing the pottery, Lu Fan decided to forge some more ironware.

He specifically carried a large back basket and went to the place where he had discovered the iron sand mine.

After arriving, Lu Fan started digging directly. It was very inconvenient without a shovel, and it took a lot of time.

After digging up a large basket of soil, Lu Fan took it to the water's edge to wash it.

A basket of soil could yield a handful of iron sand, and occasionally even egg-sized dark red ore would appear, showing just how rich the iron content was.

"It seems this place is very rich in iron ore. I'll come back to dig once I make a pickaxe," Lu Fan couldn't help but remark.

Sure enough, a prompt jumped out in the next moment.

[Digging down three meters will reveal a mineral vein]

After several trips back and forth, which took nearly four or five hours, Lu Fan finally obtained half a basket of iron sand.

His face was covered in sweat, but his gaze remained resolute.

The viewers in the livestream room couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"Great God Lu Fan has worked so hard."

"It's all for survival, sigh."

"But the effort is worth it. Great God Lu Fan is already far ahead of the other contestants."

Enduring the soreness in his body, Lu Fan carried the iron sand back home.

Lu Fan rested for a while before getting up to prepare for iron smelting.

After starting the fire, he poured the iron sand into a pottery bowl and then placed the bowl into the blast furnace.

The temperature of the furnace fire gradually rose, emitting a dazzling light as the iron sand slowly turned glowing red.

This being his second time smelting iron, Lu Fan had more experience.

Soon, Lu Fan produced an iron pot.

He tapped it with his hand, and it produced the distinct sound of metal.

The livestream room was also filled with positive comments.

"This iron pot looks really sturdy; it should last for several years."

"Lu Fan is just too well-rounded."

"It'll be much more convenient to cook from now on."

A look of longing appeared in Yu Rui's eyes: "Now Great God Lu Fan can make even more delicious food."

After finishing the iron pot, Lu Fan looked at the remaining iron sand and decided to make a few more things.

Following the same steps, Lu Fan made a pickaxe and a large iron shovel.

Although they were a bit smaller than those in real life, they already possessed the necessary functionality.

After finishing everything, Lu Fan decided to use the new clay pot to make some food.

He first washed the clay pot clean, then found some fresh wild vegetables, washed them carefully, and cut them into small pieces.

Next, he used his dagger to scale and gut the small fish he had caught in the morning, cut them into segments, and placed them into the clay pot.

"Today I'll make a wild vegetable and fish soup to taste," Lu Fan muttered to himself, a slight smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.

He then added some clear stream water, just enough to cover the ingredients. Then, he added some wild ginger and Wild Green Onions he had gathered to the clay pot to enhance the soup's aroma.

The viewers in the livestream room watched Lu Fan prepare the ingredients, flooding the screen with comments.

"Lu Fan is making soup, I'm so looking forward to it!"

"This wild vegetable and fish soup sounds delicious."

Wang Tao commentated happily: "Lu Fan is truly a gourmet. He can make such exquisite dishes even with ingredients from the wilderness."

Yu Rui was also full of smiles: "Wow, the soup Lu Fan is making looks so tempting, I really want to try a sip."

Lu Fan placed the clay pot by the fire and heated it slowly. From time to time, he stirred it with a wooden stick to ensure the ingredients were heated evenly. As time passed, the soup in the clay pot began to boil, releasing bursts of fragrance.

Finally, the soup was ready. Lu Fan used a wooden spoon to gently scoop up some soup, blew on the heat, and then carefully took a sip.

The taste of the soup was incredibly fresh. The fragrance of the wild vegetables, the richness of the wild mushrooms, and the freshness of the small fish blended perfectly together, making him nod repeatedly in praise.

He moved the clay pot away from the fire to let it cool slightly, then served some soup and sat in front of the Shelter, enjoying it slowly.