White Steel

When I thought about what I could make with the lightning horn and the Black Wind Tiger’s fang, it turned out to be a weapon after all. Considering the one-month deadline, I did not have time to develop something like a complex machine.

At first, I considered something that used both the lightning horn and the Black Wind Tiger’s fang, but I reconsidered, thinking that was being too greedy when I had no time. The thing that seemed easiest to make was a weapon using the lightning horn. However, could that be called my finest work? If it was too simple, Elder Min might say I had cut corners.

So I decided to make a weapon using the Black Wind Tiger’s fang. The demonic qi fang the Black Wind Tiger used had enough power to gouge out my side. What should I do to reproduce that?

I began experimenting with the Black Wind Tiger fangs I had recovered. How should I arrange the four fangs, and how should I flow qi through them to generate a demonic qi fang? I could not produce demonic qi, so what I would use was pure qi. When I experimented, I learned that if I used qi, a qi fang would be generated and fly out.

However, the qi fang produced in the experiment did not have much power. After that, I continued experimenting for about half a month and determined the optimal arrangement of the fangs and how to flow qi to produce power. Incidentally, I decided to call the qi fang a qi bullet.

There were two answers derived from the experimental results. The arrangement of the fangs was related to the direction in which the qi bullet was fired. And the power of the qi bullet was determined by the strength of the qi, especially that its power increased when Heavy Yin Qi was used.

To make this weapon, I needed two kinds of metal. One was a metal through which qi flowed easily, and the other was a metal that could be called a qi insulator.

That day, I was thinking while muttering to myself inside the Old Immortal Cave.

“If it is a metal through which qi flows easily, then black steel or spirit-forged steel, I suppose.”

Among the metals I knew, the one through which qi flowed most easily was black steel. In fact, after I replaced the handle of my Serpent-Goat Broadsword with one made of black steel, the power of Yang Fox-Flame and White Flame had increased. Next was the spirit-forged steel used in my Thunder Sting Hammer, but that was steel forged with spiritual power, so I could not make it.

When I sensed someone’s presence and turned my eyes toward the entrance, Haoxuen and Seiran were approaching.

“Senior Brother Kou, good morning.”

“Good morning.”

“Did you come to practice?”

“Yes. We are practicing the Broadsword Fox-Flame Technique.”

Seiran answered energetically. Then they began practicing using wooden staffs. While watching them absentmindedly, I thought about metals.

Haoxuen used Yang Fox-Flame. Weak flames spurted from the tip of his staff. The flames were weak partly because Haoxuen was inexperienced, but it was also related to the wooden staff he was using not having a very high qi conductivity.

“Let’s rest a little.”

Seiran seemed to have gotten tired first. The two of them came over beside me and sat down. The Old Immortal Cave was a cave surrounded by rock, and it had been modified by human hands to make it comfortable to live in. Apparently, there had been tables and chairs here long ago, but now there was almost nothing.

“It’s bleak here.”

Seiran said that. Since Seiran had been born and raised as the third son of a wealthy merchant, an empty environment like this seemed to feel strange to him.

“But it is easier to spend time here because it is not as hot as outside.”

Haoxuen said that. The season was almost at the end of summer, but hot days were still continuing. The Old Immortal Cave was probably cool because it was a cave and blocked the heat from outside.

“Should I gather some tables and chairs?”

Seiran suggested. He was probably intending to ask his father.

“That would make me happy, but are you planning to ask your father?”

“Yes. When I told him about you, Senior Brother Kou, he said he wanted to support you. Please leave it to me.”

I considered refusing, but I decided to leave it to Seiran. Seiran was also a member of the Old Refinement Fellowship, the group that owned the Old Immortal Cave. There was no need for me to manage everything.

“Understood. I will leave that matter to you, Seiran.”

“Yes.”

Seiran looked happy. Seeing that, Haoxuen perhaps thought he wanted to do something too, and asked if there was anything he could help with.

“Let me see. In that case, could you go hunt Blue-Feather Crows? While you are at it, you can also gather black steel for yourself.”

“When you say black steel for myself?”

“It would be better to at least replace the handle of your broadsword with black steel. Black steel is light, so it is not suited for the blade, but it is suited as a handle material.”

“Senior Brother Kou. If I am going to use black steel anyway, I would like to make it a handle that can be separated.”

Haoxuen said that.

“If you prepare the black steel yourselves, I will make it for you when I have time.”

“Thank you very much.”

Seiran looked envious.

“Seiran, if you want one too, prepare black steel.”

“Thank you very much. I will pay the processing fee.”

“I do not need anything like that. You two are my companions in the Old Refinement Fellowship. Do not worry about it.”

Haoxuen smiled.

“We think of ourselves as your disciples, Senior Brother Kou.”

I gave a wry smile when I heard that. Since the two of them had joined the group, they no longer needed to choose a master right away. However, they still had to choose an official master within the next two years. I was only an inner disciple. So they would have to choose a master from among the other elders or high disciples.

“I cannot become your official master. You should start looking for a good master now.”

“Senior Brother Kou, couldn’t you become a high disciple within two years?”

Seiran gave me an unreasonable demand.

“Isn’t telling me to become a high disciple in just two years unreasonable?”

“But the requirements to become a high disciple are having qi at the Fourteenth Tier or above and receiving a recommendation from an elder or high disciple. Senior Brother Kou, you are already at the Twelfth Tier, so you will meet the requirements soon.”

When he said that, I began to feel that I might be able to become a high disciple. I could probably manage the qi level somehow, so the issue was a recommendation from an elder or high disciple, but if I asked Elder Min or Elder Shanshi, I felt it might work out somehow.

“It is not certain. You should still search after all.”

“I understand. It might become pointless, but I will search.”

I explained the method for hunting Blue-Feather Crows to Haoxuen and the others. With this, I could secure black steel. What remained was an insulating metal. It seemed best to ask Elder Min about that.

When I went to Elder Min’s workshop, I saw the elder making something with a serious expression.

“What are you making?”

“A throwing weapon requested by Elder Shanshi.”

Apparently, it was a weapon called a black spindle used in Dragon Qi Throwing Art. It was a spindle-shaped weapon made of black steel, with a sharp tip and a red ribbon attached to its tail.

“I have a question. Is that all right?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Is there a metal that does not conduct qi?”

“There is. Armored Boar tusks contain a metal called white steel, and it does not conduct qi.”

I had not known that. When I asked for details, she said white steel was not as sturdy as black steel and also did not conduct qi, so it was hardly ever used. However, it was apparently about as sturdy as ordinary steel.

“Thank you very much.”

“What are you going to use white steel for? Surely not your test work?”

“That is right.”

When Elder Min heard that, she smiled.

“How interesting. It seems I will be seeing my first treasure tool that uses white steel.”

I asked for a detailed explanation about white steel, thanked her once more, then left the workshop and returned to my room. Then, since I would be hunting Armored Boars starting tomorrow, I began preparing for it.