Free Web NovelChapter 42: Chapter 42: The Hidden Blacksmith of the Qin Family
The blacksmith did not come through the front gate.
At midnight, when most of Heavenly Gate City had quieted and the Qin Estate’s outer courtyards were still, Gu Tianhe opened a hidden side passage beneath the old weapon hall. Through that passage walked a short, broad-shouldered old man with iron-gray hair, a burned left eyebrow, and arms thick as forged pillars.
He carried no servant’s lantern.
He carried a hammer.
The hammer was wrapped in dark cloth, but Qin Yuheng felt pressure from it the moment the old man entered the room.
His hidden panel flickered.
[High-grade forging tool detected.]
[Current authority insufficient for full analysis.]
Qin Yuheng’s gaze sharpened.
The old blacksmith looked at him at the same time.
"So this is the boy?"
Qin Wanshan sat in the weapon hall with a faint smile.
"His name is Qin Yuheng."
The old man snorted. "I know his name. The whole city knows it now. SSS on Floor 1, SS on Floor 2, SS on Floor 3. Your Qin family finally stopped pretending all your young ones are sleepy dogs?"
Qin Mo, who had been forced to attend because of the formation core assessment, whispered, "Some of us are still sleepy."
The old blacksmith looked at him.
"You are Qin Beiyan’s boy?"
"Yes."
"You have his lazy bones."
Qin Mo sighed. "This reputation is hereditary."
Qin Feng laughed loudly and was immediately glared at by Qin Ruyan.
The people present were limited: Qin Wanshan, Qin Zhengyuan, Gu Tianhe, Qin Yuheng, Qin Yuchen, Qin Lian, Qin Mo, Qin Ruyan, and Qin Feng.
Mu Qinglan did not attend, but Qin Yuheng knew she was aware of everything.
Qin Wanshan introduced the old man.
"This is Master Tie Zhenshan. He once forged weapons for the Qin family’s inner guard and fought beside us during the northern ruin years."
Tie Zhenshan waved his hand.
"Old stories. Show me the materials."
Qin Yuheng took out three B Grade Iron Blood Heart Crystals.
Not twelve.
Three.
Tie Zhenshan’s casual expression vanished.
He stepped forward, took one crystal, and held it under the forging lamp. Red-gold light pulsed within the crystal like a heartbeat.
His eyes widened slightly.
"Iron Blood Heart Crystal. Not ordinary Iron Blood Ore. This came from a heart vein."
Qin Wanshan nodded.
"Can it be used?"
Tie Zhenshan glared at him.
"Can it be used? Old Qin, this is the kind of material people kill for before asking what it does."
He turned to Qin Yuheng.
"You obtained this on Floor 3?"
"Yes."
"How many?"
Qin Yuheng did not answer immediately.
Tie Zhenshan laughed.
"Good. You learned from the old fox."
Qin Wanshan pretended not to hear that.
Qin Yuheng then took out the S Grade Iron Blood War Armor Blueprint.
Tie Zhenshan’s expression changed again.
He accepted it carefully.
The moment he opened the blueprint, red lines reflected in his eyes.
The old blacksmith read silently for a long time.
Then he cursed.
"This blueprint is beautiful."
Qin Feng blinked. "Is that a good curse?"
Tie Zhenshan ignored him.
"S Grade armor blueprint. Blood-metal reinforcement, shock absorption, layered formation channels, adaptive weight distribution. Whoever created this knew battlefield armor."
Qin Wanshan asked, "Can you forge it?"
Tie Zhenshan’s pride was clearly provoked.
"Not with ordinary tools, not with ordinary fire, and not with only three crystals."
Qin Yuheng asked, "How many crystals would be needed for one simplified version?"
Tie Zhenshan looked at him.
"Simplified? For your level? One main crystal, ten supporting Iron Blood Ores, beast tendon, armor base, and a formation assistant who does not ruin my work."
Qin Mo raised a hand weakly.
"I prefer not to be involved in anything described as not ruining work."
Tie Zhenshan pointed at him.
"You. You will help."
Qin Mo lowered his hand.
"Of course."
Qin Yuheng then took out the A Grade Earth Pulse Formation Core.
Tie Zhenshan inhaled sharply.
Even Qin Wanshan’s eyes moved.
"You have more?" the blacksmith asked.
"A few suitable items," Qin Yuheng said.
Tie Zhenshan stared at him, then turned to Qin Wanshan.
"You did not call me to make one weapon. You called me because the Qin family is waking up."
The weapon hall fell silent.
Qin Wanshan did not deny it.
"Can you still forge for us?"
Tie Zhenshan’s expression became serious for the first time.
"Old Qin, my hammer never left the Qin side. You simply stopped giving me things worth hitting."
Gu Tianhe smiled faintly at the door.
Qin Wanshan nodded. freeweɓnovel.cѳm
"Then we begin with the younger generation."
Tie Zhenshan inspected each person.
Qin Yuchen: sword foundation, calm movement, prediction style.
Qin Lian: dagger, light armor, stealth and precision.
Qin Mo: formation tools, protective inner vest, escape support.
Qin Ruyan: lightning sword style.
Qin Feng: close-combat gauntlets and body reinforcement.
Qin Yuheng: flexible sword, thunder movement, hidden strength.
Tie Zhenshan looked at Qin Yuheng longest.
"You already have a good sword."
Qin Yuheng’s expression did not change.
Tie Zhenshan snorted. "Do not pretend. I can smell forged quality even if you wrap it in mud. That black sword of yours is hiding."
Qin Feng immediately looked excited. "Really?"
Qin Yuheng smiled helplessly.
"It is suitable for me."
Tie Zhenshan laughed.
"Good answer. Keep it. I will not touch your sword yet. A bad upgrade ruins a good weapon."
That impressed Qin Yuheng.
A lesser blacksmith would have wanted to inspect or modify it immediately.
Tie Zhenshan knew restraint.
The first forging plan was made that night.
For Qin Yuchen: a B+ grade Iron Blood Light Sword, designed for precision and endurance.
For Qin Lian: paired daggers using Black Crystal Fang and Iron Blood Heart Crystal fragments.
For Qin Mo: a protective formation belt and reinforced formation needles.
For Qin Ruyan: repair and strengthen her existing lightning sword with minor Iron Blood integration.
For Qin Feng: Iron Blood Gauntlets based on his close-combat style.
For the wider Qin younger generation, no sudden upgrades yet.
Everything had to be phased.
Qin Yuheng also handed over the B Grade Iron-Claw Gauntlets from Floor 3 as reference material, not for direct use.
Tie Zhenshan examined them and threw them aside.
"Decent for academy brats. Not enough for Qin brats."
Qin Feng grinned.
"I like him."
Tie Zhenshan pointed at him.
"You will not after training with weighted gauntlets."
Qin Feng’s grin widened.
"Even better."
Over the next two days, Qin Estate’s hidden forge awakened.
It was located beneath the old weapon hall, behind three formation doors. The forge fire was not ordinary flame. It burned dark orange with veins of blue, fed by Tower coal and old Qin formation channels.
When Tie Zhenshan struck the first Iron Blood Heart Crystal, the sound did not ring like metal.
It pulsed like a heartbeat.
Qin Mo assisted with formation channels, complaining constantly but working with surprising precision. Qin Yuheng watched whenever academy schedule allowed, learning how materials changed under heat, pressure, and rune carving.
He began to understand something important.
Evolution could create high-grade materials.
But turning materials into usable power required skill.
A treasure in the hands of someone who could not use it was only bait for enemies. freeweɓnovel.cøm
On the third night, Tie Zhenshan completed the first item.
Qin Yuchen’s sword.
It was narrow, dark red-black, and balanced perfectly. No excessive decoration. No flashy aura. But when Qin Yuchen held it, the blade hummed softly.
[B+ Grade Iron Blood Thread Sword]
[Effect: Increased durability, blood-metal energy conduction, improved thrust stability, reduced stamina loss during repeated strikes.]
Qin Yuchen bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Master Tie."
Tie Zhenshan nodded.
"Do not thank me. Train until you deserve it."
Next came Qin Lian’s daggers.
[B+ Grade Black Fang Iron Blood Daggers]
[Effect: Improved armor penetration, silence effect in short movements, enhanced durability.]
Qin Lian’s usually calm eyes brightened when she held them.
Qin Mo received formation needles and a belt.
[B Grade Iron Pulse Formation Belt]
[Effect: Stores small formation components, stabilizes minor earth-metal formations, reduces mana burden during setup.]
Qin Mo stared at it.
"This may actually reduce work."
Tie Zhenshan said, "It will allow you to do more work."
Qin Mo’s joy vanished.
Qin Feng’s gauntlets were heavier and rougher.
[B+ Grade Iron Blood Impact Gauntlets]
[Effect: Strengthens punch impact, protects hand bones, absorbs part of recoil.]
He immediately wanted to test them and was kicked out of the forge.
Qin Ruyan’s sword repair took longer.
When it finished, her lightning sword had gained a thin red-gold vein along the blade.
Tie Zhenshan warned her, "Do not force lightning through the blood-metal channel until you stabilize it."
Qin Ruyan nodded seriously.
Finally, Tie Zhenshan looked at Qin Yuheng.
"You did not request anything for yourself."
Qin Yuheng said, "My current equipment is enough."
"No climber’s equipment is ever enough."
"For now," Qin Yuheng corrected.
Tie Zhenshan grinned.
"Good. You know patience."
Then the old blacksmith tossed him a small black-red ring.
Not a storage ring.
A weapon maintenance ring.
[B Grade Iron Blood Maintenance Ring]
[Effect: Stores weapon oil, sharpening dust, minor repair powder, and metal-energy stabilizing paste.]
Qin Yuheng caught it.
"For me?"
"For that hidden sword of yours," Tie Zhenshan said. "A good blade dies faster in the hands of someone who only swings it."
Qin Yuheng bowed.
"Thank you, Master Tie."
Tie Zhenshan waved him away.
"Bring me better materials next time."
Qin Yuheng smiled faintly.
"I will."
The old blacksmith did not know how true that promise would become.
