Chapter 93 (1/2)
Chapter 93
Impressing Them
The Four Treasure Shop. A prestigious shop made up of masters of various crafts that sells materials for inscriptions, alchemy, and forging. Then there is the section for Martial Artists where all of the finished products made by their craftsmen are sold.
Those who were geniuses in the paths that supported the martial way were highly valued by the shop. The reason for this was naturally profit. By finding and nurturing young geniuses, obviously they would have a loyal crafter later.
Chu Shen was not a stranger to the Four Treasures Shop. As a matter of fact, he bought materials from them when he lived back in the mercenary city. Of course, that was only a branch shop. By coincidence, the main branch was actually located here. It was of course because Wildent was the third largest city.
The master smith and Chu Shen walked into the store. Upon entering a beautiful female attendant immediately approached them, smiling. “h.e.l.lo honored customer. What may I do for you?”
The master smith took out an iron tablet with writing inscribed on it. “I, Huaga Osna, request for this young man to be tested as an artificer using my authority as an iron level smith of the Four Treasure Shop.”
The attendant was stunned for a second before adopting a serious look on her face. Glancing at Chu Shen for a moment, she then turned to face the master smith Huaga Osna.
“As an iron level smith, being above a copper and bronze members, you may request this. I will take the boy to the artificer exam area. Meanwhile, please remain here until the exam is done.”
Osna bowed his head in acknowledgment. Turning to Chu Shen he patted him on the back. “Good luck boy. Try your best on the exam, hold nothing back. The better your weapon, the better your treatment.”
Chu Shen nodded and followed the attendant. She lead him to the back and knocked on a door. “Come in.” They walked into the room. Facing them was a wrinkly old man behind a desk.
The attendant bowed to the old man.“Iron level smith Huaga Osna has request this boy be tested as an artificer. Please allow him to take the test.” The wrinkled old man looked at Chu Shen and nodded his head.
“For one so young requesting to be tested as an artificer, I wonder how far you will go. Come here young one.” Chu Shen approached the old man. When he did, the old man pulsed Qi through his body.
Hmm. Your bone does not lie. You are thirteen, very young to be testing as an artificer. If you pa.s.s it will show your potential and even if you don’t, to be a Martial Pract.i.tioner at such a young age means you are a once in a century genius. Go, take him to the practice arena.”
Bowing, the attendant left and took Chu Shen to another area. Here another attendant took over while the first one left for the shop area. Chu Shen was lead to a forge.
The attendant turned towards Chu Shen“If you have any materials you need to forge, ask me now. You must pay for any materials after the trial but if you can forge a good sword the Four Treasure Shop will buy it, allowing you to pay us back this way.”
Chu Shen nodded. ”Thank you. Can you get me the inscription ink for five tries of the [Channelling Inscription], [Hardening Inscription] and a [Burst Inscription] also get me a…..” Chu Shen started to immediately list different metals he need along with the amounts he needed. Finally Chu Shen needed some special wood for the fuel.
The attendant merely listened while Chu Shen listed these materials but inwardly he was shocked that such a young boy was so professional. Normally only experienced smiths could rattle materials off like that.
“Let me go get the materials for you.” The attendant left but within five minutes he was back. He had none of the materials in his hands. While Chu Shen was a bit confused as to where they were, the attendant took the materials out of a spatial ring he wore.
“I will stay here to a.s.sess your forging process and to a.s.sist you if need be. Please start forging.”
Chu Shen nodded and placed the wood under the forge. Lighting up the wood, he waited until it reached a good temperature. Placing the ores on it, Chu Shen started melting them down. As he waited, Chu Shen took out a crystal. It had a strangely cold aura to it.
The crystal was foggy and gave off a kind of mist around it. Using the hammer that came with the forge, Chu Shen smashed the crystal into dust. Ice formed on the edge of the hammer. Smas.h.i.+ng the ice by pounding the hammer on the edge of the table, Chu Shen put the crystal dust into a jade box.
Continuing with the forging now that the materials were starting to soften, he pounded the metal, driving out the impurities. Chu Shen then brought out the crystal dust and poured it into the liquid metal. Mixing the materials together, Chu Shen ensured an even mixture. He had some problems since the materials started to cool from the dust but placing it back into the forge fixed that real quick.
Next, he poured the blended metal into a cast. He had to wait for it to cool but it did not take long because of the crystal dust. Taking it out of the container, Chu Shen sharpened the sword against a grindstone. Normally he didn’t do this but to ensure the highest quality sword it was a must.
Taking out the inscription bottles, Chu Shen started to inscribe. Normally such normal inscriptions would take less than ten minutes. But these were no ordinary inscriptions. Chu Shen had practiced this before but modifying inscriptions still took longer.
After thirty minutes, the sword was done. Unlike the normal silver look steel swords had, it looked like diamonds had been encrusted on the blade. It glittered with crystalline brilliance. It gave off a cold Qi and the edge flashed, making it seem deadly.
The attendant bowed. “That was a masterful performance. It seems you are no ordinary forger. Let us take the sword to the elder. He will be able to evaluate it.”