Chapter 667: Forging Weapons (Part 2)

"Lower the quenching temperature?" Luo Qiqi was taken aback.

Isn't quenching done with water? At most, ice water... Besides that, how else could it be lowered?

Moreover, it's not that the greater the temperature difference, the better; the weapon must be able to withstand it. If it's too extreme and can't hold up, once it cracks, it will be like drawing water with a bamboo basket—all for nothing!

Many blacksmiths, in order to upgrade a weapon's grade, deliberately change the quenching medium, only for it to react with the materials in the weapon's core, causing the core, which had been polished for who knows how long, to collapse instantly, wasting countless precious ores.

Forging weapons involves the proportions of various ores, temperature, degree of fusion, quenching medium, timing... all are techniques, no less difficult than alchemy; otherwise, it wouldn't be one of the top special professions.

"Correct!" Zhang Xuan looked up. "Did you bring your alchemy furnace?"

"Alchemy... furnace?" Luo Qiqi thought she had misheard.

Aren't we forging weapons now? What use is an alchemy furnace?

Zhang Xuan glanced over calmly. "I want you to refine a batch of Ice Soul Pills."

"Ice Soul Pills?" Luo Qiqi was stunned, then her eyes widened. "Master, do you mean to... use the cold energy of the Ice Soul Pills for quenching?"

Ice Soul Pills are special medicines condensed from an Ice Soul constitution, containing a unique cold energy. An ordinary person swallowing one would be frozen to death.

"Even if Ice Soul Pills are bitterly cold, the pill is only this big; quenching a longsword..." Luo Qiqi was full of hesitation.

A pill is about the size of a grape, while the shortest longsword is over three feet. How can it be quenched?

Weapon quenching requires 'an instant,' meaning the entire weapon must be quenched in a single moment.

If that timing is missed, not only will the power become uneven, but the uneven force will also cause the forging to fail!

Quenching a longsword with a single pill... how does that not sound like a fairy tale?

"Don't worry about that. Just tell me, do you have the ingredients and furnace for refining Ice Soul Pills?"

Interrupting her doubts, Zhang Xuan said calmly.

"Ice Soul Pills are not common; they are rarely refined, and the ingredients are not complete. However, some time ago, I agreed to help someone refine a Cold Yin Pill, and I prepared three full sets of all the ingredients..."

After a moment's hesitation, Luo Qiqi said.

An Ice Soul constitution is one in ten thousand, so such pills are naturally rarely refined. Not even she, nor the entire Alchemy Academy, could probably gather a single batch of ingredients.

"Cold Yin Pill?"

Zhang Xuan frowned. "Although the effect of this pill is inferior to Ice Soul Pills, if three sets are combined, the effect might barely suffice..."

Cold Yin Pills are healing medicines for injuries caused by fire-attributed techniques. Their main ingredient is Ice Yin Cold Grass, which is a grade lower than the Ice Soul Cold Grass used in Ice Soul Pills. However, with three sets of ingredients combined and properly handled, the difference is not too great.

"Alright, start the furnace and refine the pill now!"

After a moment of thought, reviewing his plan again, Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

"Yes!"

Knowing that the master must have already worked things out, she said no more. With a flick of her wrist, she took out the alchemy furnace and lit it.

She was an alchemist, and this furnace had been used at the Alchemist Guild in Huan Yu Imperial Capital. It had all the necessary coal and such, so preparation was not troublesome.

Before long, the furnace fire blazed, and scorching heat rushed toward them.

"Master..."

Having prepared the ingredients for the Cold Yin Pill one by one and placed them on a nearby table, Luo Qiqi looked over.

Although she didn't know what this Teacher Zhang intended, everything he did was more miraculous than the last, and she had developed a blind faith in him.

Perhaps... he really could use the current power to upgrade this spirit-grade mid-grade weapon to supreme grade!

"The furnace fire isn't hot enough yet; continue to increase the temperature!"

Snapping back from his thoughts, Zhang Xuan glanced and instructed.

"Cold Yin Pill is a cold-attributed medicine; if the furnace is too hot, I'm afraid..."

Hearing about further heating, Luo Qiqi's mouth twitched.

The Cold Yin Pill was a cold-attributed medicine. Even the current flame was already hot enough; any hotter, and before the pill could form, it would completely melt. What effect would there be?

"Continue heating!" Without explaining, Zhang Xuan continued.

"Yes!" Biting her lip, Luo Qiqi said no more and channeled her true energy into the charcoal fire.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The flames shot straight up, resonating with the furnace fire from the forging side, seeming to almost melt the alchemy furnace.

"Place both the Ice Rain Sword and the Cold Cyan Stone into the Red Flame Cauldron!"

"Hmm!"

Knowing to just follow orders now, though curious, she said nothing more. Picking up the longsword and the Cold Cyan Stone, she placed them into the cauldron.

The Ice Rain Sword was an upgradable weapon. Upon contact with the scorching furnace fire, it immediately turned red-hot, losing its previous toughness and elasticity. If taken out now, it would certainly drop in grade.

As for the Cold Cyan Stone, it also began to soften, but the furnace temperature was clearly not enough to melt it.

"In the alchemy furnace, put in three stalks of Red Tail Grass. After three breaths, add one stalk of Ice Yin Cold Grass. Then, using the Seven-Leaf Technique, add half a stalk of Du Xu Grass, three qian of Purple Star Smoke..."

Zhang Xuan spoke rapidly.

Raising her brows, Luo Qiqi's hands moved swiftly, grabbing each herb as he named it.

As a renowned alchemy prodigy in the Alchemy Academy, her talent in alchemy far surpassed that in forging. Although Zhang Xuan's instructions were fast, she could keep up without any disorder.

However, as she added the ingredients, she grew increasingly astonished.

The alchemy techniques he instructed her to use—she actually knew them all. Some she had learned by chance, known to few in the academy, yet he had also mentioned them.

She didn't believe it was because she was so knowledgeable that she knew everything he said. It was more likely that this Teacher Zhang knew what she was capable of and designed the alchemy sequence and techniques based on her abilities.

How profound must one's alchemy mastery be to achieve this?

It could already be described as terrifying!

Even Dean Hu of the Alchemy Academy, that teacher who had taught her many lessons, probably couldn't do it!

"Purple Star Smoke and Du Xu Grass can be added together into the furnace. According to my previous understanding, the two would conflict and cause an explosion, but now there's no discomfort. It must be related to the furnace fire..."

Amid her shock, she was more engaged in thought.

The order in which Teacher Zhang had her add the ingredients was completely different from what she had learned for refining Cold Yin Pills... The speed was too fast, almost dizzying.

Normally, refining this pill would take at least one or two hours, but now, in less than half a minute, half of the three sets of ingredients had already been thrown in.

"No... Could it be that Teacher Zhang intends to refine three batches of ingredients in one furnace? This... this is impossible, right?"

Suddenly realizing something, her pupils contracted.

The other party had prepared three full sets of ingredients precisely to have backups in case one batch failed.

That is, these ingredients were enough for three refinements... But now, under Teacher Zhang's instructions, they were all being thrown into the furnace...

One furnace holding three batches of ingredients... It was like a horse carrying three riders.

How could it be refined?

She quickly turned to look at the teacher, but he remained expressionless, continuing to give instructions.

"Using the Falling Petal Technique, add three stalks of Qian Cao, two pieces of Red Leaf Flower..."

"Listening to the teacher is definitely right!"

Gritting her teeth, Luo Qiqi continued adding ingredients.

Back at the Alchemist Guild, she had been full of worry, thinking the furnace would explode at any moment, but by following the instructions carefully, she not only succeeded but also refined a grade-six liquid, greatly improving her alchemy.

Now, having witnessed so many of Teacher Zhang's astonishing methods, she had even less reason to worry.

As more and more ingredients were added and the pace quickened, the furnace, like last time, was once again on the verge of exploding at any moment.

Last time she had felt nervous and restrained, but now she was already familiar with the process and not too worried.

"Increase the fire for the Cold Cyan Stone and the Ice Rain Sword!"

Just as she was continuing to add ingredients to the alchemy furnace, she heard Teacher Zhang's instruction again.

"Yes!"

She was already somewhat flustered with the alchemy, and now hearing that she also needed to increase the fire for the forging furnace, Luo Qiqi had to circulate her true energy and use her movement technique. With a flip of her left hand, her aura surged over.

Whoosh! The flames immediately blazed fiercely.

Using true energy to control the flame temperature was something every alchemist and blacksmith learned from the start. It wasn't difficult for her; the hard part was managing both at the same time.

Dividing her attention between two tasks slowed her down. Sweat beaded on Luo Qiqi's forehead, and the alchemy furnace in front of her shook unsteadily, on the verge of exploding.

"Master..."

Full of tension, Luo Qiqi quickly looked over.

Although the explosion of the Cold Yin Pill furnace was less powerful than the grade-six liquid she had refined before, if it exploded, the two of them would certainly not be able to withstand it!

Moreover, there was the Red Flame Cauldron, already glowing red-hot, right beside it.

If triggered, it would also explode. With both furnaces exploding simultaneously, even without the puppet making a move, they would die on the spot.

It could be said... this time was even more dangerous than last time!

Last time, the guild leader of the Alchemist Guild was present, and they were inside the guild, so even if an explosion occurred, they could rely on the formation to suppress it and minimize the danger. But now... there was nothing here!

"Don't panic. Add one more He Xiang Flower to the alchemy furnace!"

Zhang Xuan continued instructing.

Seeing both furnaces boiling over, he was actually a bit nervous too, but he knew there was no other choice.

If the Ice Rain Sword wasn't upgraded to spirit-grade supreme, they wouldn't be able to kill that puppet, and even if they found an exit, they would surely not escape!

He had personally experienced that puppet's strength; with just the two of them, they couldn't contend with it.

They had to go all out.

Seeing the teacher's expression unchanged, Luo Qiqi felt somewhat reassured. She nodded, continued to increase the flame of the Red Flame Cauldron with her left hand, and with her right hand, grabbed the He Xiang Flower and gently flicked it.

Rustle!

The He Xiang Flower entered the furnace, and the explosive force immediately subsided. Just as Luo Qiqi breathed a sigh of relief, she suddenly felt her left hand loosen. Turning quickly, her pupils contracted.

"Master, it's bad! The Ice Rain Sword... has melted!"

She saw that the once red-hot Ice Rain Sword had become completely soft, on the verge of turning into liquid and flowing away.