Blacksmith: The Tempering Begins With One’s Flesh - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Match

“The Centi-forge technique…

“How many times did I use it…?”

Andera quietly echoed Lin Feng’s question, his expression turning from confusion to seriousness and then to understanding.

“I see, so you managed to add a flame to your weapon by using Centi-forge a few more times to add a lick of heat to it. Is that right?”

Lin Feng nodded.

He picked up a Grade-1 weapon he had made and said,

“Although we call it Centi-forging, it’s just a matter of speech. When blacksmiths make something, they can strike the iron a hundred times, or they could add two hundred, three hundred, or even a thousand strikes onto the initial hundred.

“After so many strikes of the hammer, even the most basic of ores can eventually undergo a fundamental leap in quality.

“I won’t lie, most of the items in my smithy here are made of common iron ore. In terms of actual skill, haha, Master Andera, I don’t think you are inferior to me in any way.

“The only difference between you and me is patience.”

Lin Feng emphasized that last word.

He placed the sword he was holding gently onto the floor and then took up the Grade-2 Firestreak Sword he had left in the smithy, swinging it slightly.

As his hand moved it through the air, a wisp of flame rose from the blade.

“Take this sword, for instance.

“I struck it a thousand and two hundred times before it was completed.”

A thousand and two hundred times!

The moment he said that number, Andera’s expression shifted spectacularly. He stared at the Grade-2 weapon Lin Feng was holding, dazed.

After a pause, he finally recovered and said,

“In other words… your secret for changing the ordinary to the extraordinary is simply to keep hammering away at it?”

Of course not!

Lin Feng’s lips curled slightly.

There were people who could use the so-called Milli-forging and forge something a thousand times, of course, but that was not the secret behind his own forging.

The real trick to making something extraordinary out of the ordinary was his God-level Forgery Skill and Holy Flame.

Of course, he could never tell Andera that.

“…Lin Feng, do you dare to have a fair match against me, right here in this smithy?”

Andera’s next question took Lin Feng rather by surprise.

He thought that Andera would leave satisfied after hearing his answer, but it seemed that he had underestimated Andera’s stubbornness.

The man was as obstinate as a mule.

“A match?”

“That’s right, just you and me. We’ll use the materials in your smithy and choose a day not too long from now to make a Grade-2 weapon each.

“I want to see just what your so-called Milli-forging can do.”

Lin Feng clicked his tongue secretly.

To be honest, he really did not want to complicate matters further.

He definitely did not want to have any sort of forging match with Andera right now.

As of the moment, he had the Grade-3 blue crystal ore and Grade-3 cat demon claws as a supplement.

Lin Feng had simulated the possibilities with his God-level Forgery. With these materials, he could definitely make a weapon that was upper if not peak Grade-3.

In truth, he was raring to go.

However, Andera seemed dead set on not leaving until Lin Feng agreed to this match.

That exasperated Lin Feng to no end.

After some more hesitation, Lin Feng glanced at Brent next to him and finally nodded.

It was quite rare for two Grade-3 blacksmiths to face off like this.

If Brent could learn a few tricks of the trade from this, that would definitely be a good thing.

“Master Andera, I only have one forge in my smithy. Do you want to go first, or shall I?”

Andera’s curly red hair trembled slightly, and he pursed his lips again before rolling up his sleeves, saying,

“I worked up a good sweat just now. Since I’m warmed up, I’ll go first!”

As soon as Andera said that, he went ahead and picked up a fifteen-pound piece of ore, putting it into the forge.

Red-hot flames immediately rose high.

The temperature in the smithy began to skyrocket as well.

It would take at least six hours to forge a Grade-3 weapon.

Not long after Andera got to work, he soon fell deep into the zone, the state Lin Feng mentioned where nothing else mattered.

He kept swinging his hammer, his entire being focused on the forging process.

Lin Feng patted his apprentice, Brent, and said,

“You can try learning Andera’s technique. As a Grade-3 blacksmith, he’s more than my equal in some areas of forging.

“If you can pick up ten or twenty percent of his skill, you’ll have a bright future as a smith from now on.”

Although Brent seemed to look down on the impatient Andera, even he understood what Lin Feng was getting at now.

“I understand, master. You’ve been out and about all day, so you should go have some rest first. Once Master Andera is done forging his weapon, I’ll come tell you.”

Lin Feng nodded slowly.

His battle with that Grade-3 Shadow Cat Demon in Whitewing earlier that day had caused him a few more internal injuries.

Right now, it was true that he needed some rest and recuperation.

Since Andera had lost himself in his work, Lin Feng patted Brent’s shoulder twice and returned to his own room.

After that long day, Lin Feng fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

The sound of Andera’s hammer striking the iron was loud and sharp. As a smith, this was familiar music to Lin Feng’s ears, and he slept well that night.

When Brent woke him up, it was already the next morning.

Lin Feng stretched and washed up briefly before returning to his smithy.

There was some weariness on Andera’s face, but even that could not hide the light of joy in his eyes.

Lin Feng looked around the smithy as soon as he went in. Soon enough, his gaze fell on a giant greatsword with a pitch-black body leaning against the wall right in front of him.

Even though it was just lying there, he could feel its unnatural strength and sturdiness.

It was definitely a Grade-2 weapon.

“This is my signature weapon, a Warrior’s Broadsword.

“I have to admit, your so-called Milli-forging seems to work.

“Still, I want to see how you use that technique when you’re forging.”

Lin Feng nodded wordlessly. He glanced at Brent, who was already extremely sleepy, and pointed at the bedroom at the back of the smithy.

“Brent, you go ahead and rest. After watching all last night, I’m sure you’ve learned a lot from Master Andera. I’ll give you a detailed lesson about what you saw later.”

Brent nodded.

After the boy went to the bedroom, Lin Feng said with a smile,

“In that case… I’ll begin now.”