There were no new green bronze tools in the newly built forging room, just regular bronze wares.
Since the previous incident, Shao Xuan and the rest of the blacksmiths investigated the reason for the explosion to find that the crystal heart had such a huge reaction due to the new green bronze.
Both materials did not react under regular conditions but tools that contained the green-faced fanged beast blood would cause a huge explosion. The key ingredient was the blood in the green bronze and since these tools were scattered everywhere in the room, the reaction made sense.
Since they could not add beast blood into the weapon when forged using crystal core, the Flaming Horns were worried that the final product would not be as good. To them, green-faced fanged beast blood was essential.
Shao Xuan did not think so. Perhaps it would not be as good but the difference would not be huge.
The discovery of a new material was always exciting news. Although it was disappointing that they could not add the blood in, they were still eager to see the new material.
Most of the workers who were not severely injured from the accident recovered in a few days. Being totemic warriors, they had fast regenerative abilities and could return to the forging room to study the crystal core with Shao Xuan, making tools out of it.
They tried manipulating the size of the fire, changed different types of charcoal etc during their experiments. Although it was troublesome, everyone grew more curious about this material. The crystal core even glowed extraordinarily brightly during the forging process, something they had never encountered before.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of forging tools could constantly be heard.
These were the only sounds heard outside the forging room. While the guards were not sure what went on inside, they knew that this new thing was quite different. The clangs from the hammering differed from the usual and lasted longer.
Every time the material was hammered, the clangs echoed in the medium-sized room, sparks flying in all directions like fireworks in the night sky.
Hot air burned their lungs with every breath but the blacksmiths were already used to conditions like these. Even bystanders would find their clothes drenched in sweat, let alone the blacksmith.
At the moment, the person hammering was Shao Xuan. The crystal core piece was so red it might burst into flames in a second. It changed with every hammer, now much smaller than when they first began.
The hammer was also made from the crystal core, now used to hammer this glowing red material.
Metal tongs held the crystal core to prevent it from flying off during the hammering. It would definitely cook anything it landed on.
Everyone watched with twitching faces as the hammer fell, sparks flying incessantly as if the piece would shatter and explode again. Their hearts shuddered with every clang from the metal.
Hammering was a delicate job, one had to consider the hammering strength, angle and position every time. It was not just blind hitting.
Shao Xuan stared at it.
How long had he been hammering?
Every day felt like a hundred years to him.
He had hammered this piece countless times. While it did not look like much, it did feel sharp.
That was just a feeling but to these experienced blacksmiths, they had an instinct like old hunters in a forest.
Hammering, melting, grinding…
Thirty days later.
The sounds within the forging room stopped.
Shao Xuan’s tightly wound nerves finally relaxed, fatigue flooding over him and threatened to make him collapse in exhaustion.
Ignoring everything on the ground, his knees gave out and he sat on the ground, panting heavily. He looked at the blade in his hand proudly.
This thing was the result of many long days. Was it good enough?
It was a knife about four fingers wide, a little narrower than their usual blades because Flaming Horns preferred broader and heavier weapons. This knife was heavy enough despite being narrower. Other tribesmen might find it inconvenient because it was heavy but it was perfect for Flaming Horns. A larger version of this knife would be even better for hunting.
After a moment of rest, Shao Xuan opened the door, knife in hand.
Sunlight streamed into the room, a blinding ray reflecting off the blade. Everyone closed their eyes instinctively, getting goosebumps. The excitement they felt was like finally taking a cold shower on a hot day.
Perhaps it would turn out to be a good knife after all.
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Shao Xuan took a deep breath. It was cooler outside, relaxing his messy thoughts and clearing his head.
The blade could clearly be seen under natural lighting.
It was a darker colour with patterns resembling flowing water on its surface originating from the material instead of the forging process.
Shao Xuan gestured for someone to toss him a rock as per the usual knife testing process.
The flash of the moving blade was blinding under the hot sun.
With a crisp sound, the rock split cleanly into two.
“Awesome!”
Everyone in the forging room cheered. This was a new material they could use for making weapons. If they ever needed a replacement for green bronze, this was a viable option.
“Another one.” Shao Xuan looked at the blade, which was unscratched and undented.
The first rock was of medium grade, the first step for knife testing.
The next rock was of medium-top grade, also split cleanly in two.
The third rock was of top grade. Although the split was not as clean, the blade was considered almost as good as the new green bronze.
“Amazing!!”
The following cheers were even louder. They initially treated this as just a mediocre replacement for green bronze but it looked to be almost as good. While the forging time was long, that was only due to experiments. They would be much faster with experience.
However, new green bronze was still their primary material for now.
The blacksmiths huddled together in discussion while Shao Xuan studied the blade. It felt different from green bronze- purer, without any impurities mixed inside.
Green bronze felt like it contained a hidden explosive potential, like people fighting in a house. This blade felt like a calm entity existing without conflict.
Shao Xuan’s mind raced but his train of thought was interrupted.
“Grand Elder!”
“Grand Elder, can we… take a look at it?”
The blacksmiths surrounded and looked at the blade in his hand eagerly.
Since he was already interrupted, Shao Xuan handed them the blade.
“It’s heavy!” The person holding the blade looked surprised. They liked weapons with weight and since it was smaller than a green bronze blade of the same weight, this was more agile in action. It all depended on the preference of the user.
“I want to see! Give it to me!”
“Me first! I contributed more than you!”
“Hey! Look! You cut me!”
The person who received the blade from Shao Xuan got cut amidst the scuffle for it.
Fresh blood on the blade flowed down to the tip. The person quickly wiped the blood away.
“Be careful, you almost cut my arm off!”
“You were too slow! It’s because you haven’t been working these few days.”
These people used the blade to cut grass and chop wood instead of chopping rocks because they could not bear to risk damaging it.
They did not notice Shao Xuan staring intently at the drop of blood on the ground, then at the blade they swung around, then at the drop of blood again.
When everyone had had their fun, they gave it unwillingly back to Shao Xuan. It was his knife since he took on a majority of the forging process. He had the final say in who owned the knife.
They planned to ask him a few questions but Shao Xuan sliced his finger on the blade after receiving it, then dropped some blood on the knife. Before the blood drop rolled off, he smeared it up and down the knife with a thumb.