Immortality begins with becoming a master weapon refiner

Chapter 2 Hundred Refinements Technique

Lock the door and go out.

Gu Qing walked along the sparsely populated streets, his expression inscrutable.

The chaos may seem to have ended, but the twelve provinces of Yan are still in turmoil, and rebellions are never just a passing fad.

No matter how good a dynasty's system is, it will eventually decay and decline. If the fundamental problems are not solved, chaos will inevitably return sooner or later. This is the fundamental reason why Gu Qing left the Fengming Army and returned to Qishan County to hone his martial arts skills.

Once people have solved the problem of survival, the second challenge is money and status.

They have some money and some status.

Gu Qing is currently pursuing martial prowess! Forging iron seems to allow him to live to his natural lifespan, but it has its limits. How to extend his lifespan is currently unknown, but he reasonably suspects it is related to martial arts.

True martial arts skills are entirely different.

Even martial arts skills are extremely effective. Tiger Might Spear is a military martial art, learned when the Phoenix Cry Army was suppressing bandits.

In this day and age, nothing is more effective than force.

He first went to the herbal medicine shop and bought a month's supply of the herbs he needed for martial arts training.

They arrived at the Xinxiang Army's garrison.

The new army numbered over 500, mostly from Qishan County. They had been trained for less than two years, and most wore leather armor with round shields, wielded broadswords, and had short swords at their waists.

Due to issues such as financial resources and food supplies, archers were not yet available.

Their morale looks good, but their actual combat strength is still questionable.

In chaotic times, defending against soldiers is better than dealing with bandits.

Bandits pass by like combs, soldiers pass by like fine combs—this is not just a saying.

After entering the barracks, Gu Qing headed straight for the armory. Given his prior relationship with the Fengming Army, the Fengming commander had spent a fortune to buy horse bones and used him as a model for propaganda.

This led to his considerable fame in Qishan County.

After the Fengming Army withdrew, it used the Fengming Army's reputation to establish a good cooperative relationship with the Xinxiang Army.

"Master Gu, you're here early today."

"It's getting late, the soldiers are all waiting to use their weapons."

The armory manager, Old Song, is fifty-eight years old and a relative of the current county lieutenant.

After the bandits captured the city, the county officials were either killed or fled.

By the time the Fengming Army recaptured the county town, there were no more people available. The army temporarily ruled for a period of time, and the rule of law was gradually restored only after officials from the Fengming Prefecture arrived.

This new county lieutenant is from Fengming Prefecture, and it's obvious what his relationship with the Fengming Army is.

Gu Qing's defection brought with it the head of the bandit leader.

This significantly boosted the confidence of the people of Qishan County in the government, which is a considerable achievement.

With his former identity as a soldier of the Phoenix Cry Army, he was able to thrive in the world.

"Old Song, send someone to move a thousand catties of iron ingots to the smelting room."

"Okay, I'll be right there."

A thousand catties of processed iron ingots is no small amount. Fortunately, there is an open-pit iron mine next to Qishan County, which is rich in mineral deposits and has a huge output.

This is also the fundamental reason why Gu Qing is reluctant to leave.

With his skill, he could forge a hundred-times-forged weapon from thirty catties of iron ingots. Of course, that's the official statement; in reality, five catties would suffice.

The reason he reported such a high price is not only because of his fire loss.

The county magistrate has them, the county lieutenant has them, and even the warehouse manager, Old Song, will experience losses when they are put into storage. So, a thousand catties of iron ingots may seem like a lot, but in reality, they can only be used to forge thirty hundred-forged weapons, which meets the requirements.

He draws one item every day, which is his monthly output.

Occasionally, he could take a few dozen kilograms of iron ingots from the warehouse without any problem. The gold content of a single fish was enough for him to support his blacksmith shop and even gradually become wealthy.

The smelting room was small, but it could accommodate five blacksmiths at the same time.

In reality, it was only Gu Qing; he was incredibly capable, producing the equivalent of several people's output. His weapons were cheap and effective.

Based on the current situation, the demand for weapons may increase next month. The number of armed troops is already sufficient, and there is only one purpose for continuing to increase production.

This will generate a small amount of private income for the officials in Qishan County.

Having just deduced the Hundred Refinements Technique using his lifespan, Gu Qing urgently needs to replenish his lifespan with artifact points.

This kind of art uses lifespan as fuel, innovating and even transforming itself into a completely different skill.

Just because it's deduced doesn't mean it can be used.

for example.

The hundred-forging process was transformed into the thousand-forging process. Gu Qing's own level of skill was still at the hundred-forging level. The lifespan calculation was like unlocking more formulas and technologies for him.

Learning, mastering, and studying in depth is what he should continue to do.

Such is the skill.

The same applies to cultivation techniques and martial arts skills. Even if more powerful techniques are deduced, it takes time to master them, so he didn't rush to click the "+" sign at the end.

The Hundred Refinements Technique refers to the finished product as a "vessel".

Five refinements are used to make a vessel; what is refinement?

A hundred layers of patterns are forged into one refinement.

The process of forging and refining a hundred times is called the second refining.

The process involves refining and stacking the material a hundred times, resulting in three stages of refinement.

Seven layers and four refinements, nine layers can be called a five-refinement artifact, also known as an "artifact embryo", and ten layers is a thousand refinements. Injecting spiritual power and engraving artifact patterns can create a magical artifact with unique abilities.

This is the foundation of the art of metal and stone artifacts: the Hundred Refinements Technique!

Gu Qing had no spiritual power.

But martial arts can indeed cultivate internal strength. He had witnessed this more than once in the army. The Five Elements Beast Form Technique was a superior martial arts technique that could cultivate internal strength.

As for what level the ninth grade of "Nourishing Strength and Strengthening Bones" displayed on the panel represents, he doesn't know yet; perhaps he'll find out after he breaks through.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, we came to the smelting plant to obtain a batch of raw materials.

It is also to verify the newly acquired Hundred Refinements Technique.

Although he couldn't complete the final step of infusing spiritual power and engraving the artifact's patterns, it didn't stop him from learning the art of Thousand Forging.

The original limit of iron casting was 100 forgings, but now one can continue to improve their skills. The higher the quality of the final product, the more artifact points it will generate.

Should not be missed.

It wasn't until evening, after enjoying a meal cooked in the army camp, that Gu Qing leisurely left. Perhaps it was because the skills he had developed were so easy to master.

It wasn't as difficult as when I first started learning forging.

In just one day, he raised his limit to 110 forgings. At this rate, he could master the 1000-forging technique in 90 days.

That's incredibly fast.

But skills are often more advanced and difficult to master. The rate of improvement may slow down afterward, but it will take at most six months to fully master them.

"The situation has calmed down for the time being, and six months or even a year is acceptable."

"As long as the finished product I forge can provide more weapon points, and I can use the Heavenly Longevity to deduce cultivation techniques, martial arts, and skills, my capital will continue to rise."

As Gu Qing thought this to himself, he came to his senses and had already reached the entrance of the blacksmith's shop.

Looking at the old, mottled gate with various scratches.

He couldn't help but recall the days when he was competing for the apprenticeship. Back then, Qishan County was far more chaotic than it is now, and there were many people selling their children. In that environment, he secretly placed a wild fruit that caused diarrhea in the residences of several of his competitors.

It seems the only consequence is diarrhea.

However, in that situation, with an empty stomach, the dehydration and weakness caused by diarrhea, and the loss of the physical resources to compete with those around them, came at a terrible price.

(End of this chapter)