When Ren Qing arrived at the blacksmith's shop, the doors were tightly shut, and the thunderous sound of Liu Hu's snoring echoed from inside.
Left with no choice, he found a nearby teahouse to pass the time.
But before Liu Hu woke up, a commotion erupted outside the teahouse. The bustling crowd seemed to be discussing something.
Ren Qing walked to the window and looked toward the end of the street.
He saw several constables escorting five Corpse Burners toward the yamen. They appeared to have come from outside the city.
Could they be the Corpse Burners from Hexing Street?
He remembered that nine people had been dispatched to deal with the plague. Only five had survived.
Ren Qing listened carefully to the murmurs of the crowd. Most were worried about the plague spreading to Sanxiang City, so they avoided the Corpse Burners in fear.
But Ren Qing suspected there was more to it. The plague outside the city was likely connected to a Forbidden Zone, but thankfully, the Restraint Officers were handling the risks.
On the surface, Sanxiang City still appeared prosperous. Even though people disappeared or died every day, it didn't seem to affect daily life.
After all, the city had a population of over a hundred thousand, and most commoners lived uneventful lives.
As evening approached, Ren Qing finally entered the blacksmith's shop and thankfully, the trip wasn't in vain.
After not seeing him for several days, he noticed that Liu Hu's exposed chest and abdomen were covered in burn scars, and his eyes were red and swollen from sleepless nights.
Liu Hu yawned. "It's nothing. Once I get busy, my days and nights get flipped around."
"You're pushing yourself too hard."
"The forging process can't be interrupted. Otherwise, the quality of the blade might suffer. Can't afford to be careless."
Ren Qing's gaze fell on the greatsword hanging on the wall.
"Wait a moment."
Liu Hu took down the greatsword and handed it to Ren Qing with both hands. "The greatsword is finished, but it's an unusual weapon and not easy to wield."
When Ren Qing took it, his arm sagged slightly from the weight. He couldn't help but examine the blade closely.
The blade was over three chi long, and the scabbard was made of wood, adorned with brass accents, giving it a rugged yet refined beauty.
"Not bad, right? Took a lot of effort to forge."
Ren Qing praised with genuine delight. "As expected of Sanxiang City's finest blacksmith. Your skill in forging blades is near perfection."
Liu Hu grinned proudly. "To forge such a long blade in one piece, you need patience, hammering it into shape slowly. Otherwise, a blade this long could develop cracks, creating hidden flaws."
Ren Qing said sincerely, "Thank you."
Even without unsheathing it, the weight alone proved it was made of real, solid material.
Watching Ren Qing caress the scabbard with admiration, Liu Hu couldn't help but add, "I was worried the greatsword might be too heavy for you, but it seems your strength is no joke."
"More or less."
For Ren Qing, single-handed swings might be slightly affected, but the greatsword was designed for two-handed use.
In fact, the weight of the blade worked to his advantage.
Unable to resist, Ren Qing drew the greatsword. A cold gleam flashed through the blacksmith's shop.
The blade was mirror-smooth, reflecting his face clearly, and the edge bore wave-like quenching patterns.
"Why isn't it sharpened?"
Liu Hu chuckled. "Since it's your blade, you should sharpen it yourself. It'll help you understand the weapon better."
"Fair enough."
Liu Hu briefly explained the technique for sharpening and handed Ren Qing a palm-sized whetstone.
With Ren Qing's vision, sharpening the blade wouldn't be a problem and he could even do it more precisely than Liu Hu, thanks to his ability to observe minute details.
"For any blade, seven-tenths of its quality comes from forging, and the remaining three-tenths depend on maintenance."
Liu Hu took out a small porcelain bottle filled with blade oil. Applying it daily would prevent rust and extend the weapon's lifespan.
He began explaining the key points.
Ren Qing sat cross-legged on the floor, listening patiently, then picked up the greatsword.
He dampened the whetstone and ran the blade across it. The screech of metal grinding filled the air.
"You-!"
Liu Hu's face twisted in anger. He had just finished saying "no carelessness allowed", and here was Ren Qing sharpening the blade so casually, as if he didn't take his words seriously at all.
Wait…
Liu Hu's expression shifted. He noticed that Ren Qing's sharpening motions were unnaturally steady, without the slightest deviation.
And despite the greatsword being over three chi long, the sound it made while being sharpened remained perfectly consistent from start to finish, that was something nearly impossible.
Liu Hu didn't dare interrupt. He waited silently as Ren Qing finished sharpening the blade, a look of genuine admiration appearing on his face.
Only after the task was complete did he exhale in relief. "Ren Qing, with your talent, you could-"
"Let me test the blade first."
Ren Qing, itching to try it out, gripped the greatsword with both hands. With practiced movements, he demonstrated a series of techniques;, chopping, slashing, lifting, hacking, thrusting, intercepting, pushing, piercing, sliding, twisting, breaking, pointing, and deflecting.
Despite the three-chi-long blade and the cramped space of the blacksmith's shop, cluttered with furniture and tools, Ren Qing executed every move flawlessly, showcasing the greatsword's brutal, overwhelming force.
Clang!
He sheathed the blade and turned to Liu Hu. "What were you about to say, Brother Liu?"
"Uh…"
Liu Hu's lips twitched, and a bead of sweat rolled down his forehead.
He forced a smile. "Nothing. The greatsword won't be wasted in your hands. I hope it stays in good condition even years from now."
"It's getting late. I should head back to the yamen. Brother Liu, if you ever need anything, send word to the Corpse Burners' Hall on Tan Street."
"Then I'll go back to sleep. This job was practically a loss anyway."
Ren Qing strapped the scabbard to his back, allowing him to draw the blade instantly if needed.
As he walked toward the yamen, passersby stared at the greatsword's unusual shape, and some children even gasped in awe.
A few martial artists in the crowd sneered.
"A blade that long? He'll probably cut himself trying to use it."
Once back at the Corpse Burners' Hall, Ren Qing wrapped the greatsword in cloth. Now, when carried, it simply looked like a long, thin rod.
Xiao Wu reached out enviously to touch the blade, but his strength was barely enough to lift it.
"Brother Qing, did you hear? The Corpse Burners from Hexing Street have returned recently?"
"I saw them myself."
The Corpse Burners from Tan Street and Hexing Street shared the same quarters, so Xiao Wu couldn't help but feel uneasy.
"By the way, where are those five now?"
"They say the plague outside the city was severe. After returning, they were locked in the Reflection Chamber. They'll probably be released after some time."
Li Mian, passing by, added, "It was four people, wasn't it?"
Ren Qing frowned, about to argue with him but then he realized something.
His memory of the Corpse Burners had blurred. The figures in his mind shifted from five to four at some point.
One of them had been erased, as if they never existed.
Li Mian continued, "Ask Li Heng if you don't believe me. He was there when those four Corpse Burners entered the yamen."
Li Heng, sweeping dust off the steps, nodded. "Yeah, it was four."
Ren Qing relaxed his brow. In his memories now, there were indeed only four Corpse Burners.
I probably remembered wrong…