"The 'Wanliang Steel' is far beyond what extraordinary iron can offer, and ordinary furnaces can't do anything to it."

"If you want to make a knife from this steel, you have to use a 'special furnace'."

"Come to Nihonbashi tomorrow morning at six o'clock in the morning, and I will take you to my 'secret workshop'."

In this way, today, as soon as the sky turned white, the master and the apprentice arrived at Nihonbashi on time - Shikizaki Shiyō was already waiting here.

He said lightly, "Come with me," and then led the master and apprentice to the west, plunging into the deep mountains west of Edo.

As early as last night, Aoto asked Boss Kiryu if he had been to Shikizaki Jiyose's "secret workshop".

The old man said:

"According to legend, the Shikisaki family has a large furnace that has been passed down from generation to generation, and is known as the 'Zhurong Furnace'."

"The furnace has unparalleled firepower, and the flames it emits are like a blessing coming to the world, hence its name."

"However, I have never seen this furnace."

"Shikizaki Jiyose's 'secret workshop' should be where this 'Zhurong Furnace' is located."

The large-scale furnace passed down from generation to generation, with firepower as strong as Zhu Rong's birth... These words all aroused Qingdeng's curiosity.

As a lover of swords and very knowledgeable about swords, Boss Kiryu also wanted to see the whole picture of "Zhu Rong Furnace" with his own eyes.

Ever since, both the master and the apprentice had strong expectations for Shikizaki Shiyose's "secret workshop".

This deep mountain is really remote and rarely visited.

Only the small paths on the ground, trampled by countless feet, silently announced that this deep mountain was not an uninhabited land.

While Qingden quietly followed Shikisaki Jiyō, he couldn't help but have doubts in his heart:

——Why would he build his "secret workshop" in a place where birds don't poop?

Climbing up hills, jumping down hillsides, climbing over stone walls, pushing through bushes, occasionally flowing through a few streams... Finally, a few wisps of smoke from outside the woods caught Qingdeng's eyes.

Qingdeng asked in surprise:

"Huh? Is there a village here?"

Shikisaki Jiyō smiled and nodded:

"That's right, welcome to the 'Blacksmith Village'!"

"'Blacksmith Village'?"

Qingteng cast a doubtful look at Shikisaki Jigen.

The other party explained slowly and understandingly:

"The history of this village can be traced back to the Warring States Period."

"In the tenth year of Tensho (1582), Oda Nobunaga attacked and destroyed the Takeda family and annexed the two kingdoms of Kai and Shinano."

"Because they hated Oda Nobunaga and were unwilling to obey the rule of the Oda family, a group of blacksmiths from the Shinano Kingdom fled to the mountains of Kanto, where they took root and reproduced their descendants - their descendants are the descendants of the 'Blacksmith Village'

Villagers."

"Even though time has passed, their blacksmithing skills have not been lost and have been passed down from generation to generation."

"For this reason, the men in the village basically know how to forge iron, and their skills are very good."

“When the farming season is busy, I farm, and during the slack season, I forge sickles, hoes and other simple tools to sell and earn money for my family.”

"Our Shikisaki family has always been on good terms with the Blacksmith Village, and we have a very deep friendship with each other."

"My 'secret workshop' is built in the 'Blacksmith Village'."

"Recasting Vairocana with Ten Thousand Refining Steel is a big job, and I can't handle it on my own."

"Therefore, I need help from the 'Blacksmith Village'."

It just so happened that they walked out of the woods at the same time Shikisaki finished his message.

At this moment, Qingdeng suddenly felt a sense of enlightenment.

In front of you is a flat wilderness with dozens of straw huts arranged neatly and at random intervals.

There is smoke coming from the kitchen here, and there are green waters and green mountains there.

There are women chatting here and children playing there.

The laughter and laughter were interspersed with the sound of "ding-ding" and "ding-dang" of forging iron... It was such a happy, quiet and peaceful scene, it was like a paradise.

At this time, an old woman squatting next to the village entrance, smoking a pipe, spotted Qingdeng and others walking towards them.

"Isn't this Ji Ji? Why are you here? Are they?"

"I took a big job with good pay! These two are my employers! Grandma Tie, I need your help, I want to activate the 'Zhu Rong Furnace'!"

When the old woman who was called "Grandma Iron" heard this, her eyes suddenly lit up:

"Oh? 'Zhu Rong Furnace'? What kind of job do you do? You actually need the help of 'Zhu Rong Furnace'?"

"Yes, this should be the most difficult challenge in my life."

Granny Tie nodded gently, with a cheerful smile on her face:

"That big furnace hasn't burned for a long time. It's really been a long time..."

Qingto, who was listening quietly, subconsciously turned to look at Boss Kiryu next to him - Boss Kiryu was also looking at him.

Looking at each other, the two of them found strong curiosity and expectation in each other's eyes.

——Boss Kiryu really guessed it right, Shikizaki Jiyose really planned to activate the "Zhurong Furnace"!

At this moment, Qingdeng's curiosity about the "Zhurong Furnace" has reached its peak.

After exchanging a few words with Granny Tie, Shikisaki Jiyō led the master and apprentice deep into the village.

Along the way, the villagers cast strange looks at Qingden and Boss Kiryu, mostly confused.

It seems that few foreigners visit this village.

The specific location of "Zhurong Furnace" is more remote than Qingdeng expected.

Led by Shikisaki Shiyō, they walked to the back of the village and finally stopped when there were no more houses around.

"We're here."

As Shikisaki Shiyose spoke, he stood sideways so that the master and apprentice could see clearly what was in front of them.

"This is the pride of our Shijizaki family - the 'Zhu Rong Furnace'!"

In an instant...at the moment when they saw the scene ahead, both Aoto and Boss Kiryu had expressions of astonishment on their faces.

In front of their sight was an extremely huge furnace!

Its foundation is a compacted dry earth mound, on which there is a rectangular bellows furnace made of clay, about 5 meters long, 4 meters wide and 3 meters high.

Next to the foundation bed is the bellows furnace.

There are foot-operated bellows on both sides of the bellows furnace. As long as you step on the thick pedal, you can send air into the furnace and make the fire blazing.

Before this, the largest furnace Qingdeng had ever seen was the size of a refrigerator.

Has he ever seen such a giant furnace measured in meters and covering an area of ​​20 square meters?

Just as the master and the apprentice were carefully looking at the "Zhu Rong Furnace", Shikisaki Jiyoshi on the side said quietly:

"It takes about 1,000 coals to light a furnace like this."

[Note·1 string=3.73 kg, 1000 string≈3.75 tons]

"We will use this furnace to welcome the God of Fire and forge a sword that is unparalleled in the world!"

*******

*******

The new January has begun! Book friends who have monthly tickets on hand, please be sure to vote for this book! (Leopard's Head with Tears.jpg)
Chapter completed!