I Can See Through Everything Chapter 160: One Hammer, One Refinement – Thousand-Fold Treasure Blank - Novel Cool

Chapter 160: One Hammer, One Refinement – Thousand-Fold Treasure Blank

Lin Lao Jiangshi watched, stunned, as Lu Qing brought down the heavy hammer.

Under the immense force, the red-hot iron bar instantly erupted in sparks, collapsing and flattening into a thick iron disc. Then, without pause, Lu Qing folded it once more and brought the hammer down again—another crushing blow, reshaping it into yet another flat disc.

One hammer after another.

The iron bar, now like dough in Lu Qing’s hands, was effortlessly hammered flat. Yet Lin Lao Jiangshi and his apprentices knew—this wasn’t because the iron was soft. It was because Lu Qing’s strength was terrifyingly beyond comprehension. Each strike flattened the metal with ease.

Even more astonishing was the precision. Lu Qing wasn’t just relying on brute force. Every hammer blow carried subtle, calculated variations—perfectly calibrated to push the iron to its absolute limit, forcing out impurities, yet never so strong as to shatter it.

"One hammer, one refinement... How is this possible?"

Lin Lao Jiangshi’s voice trembled, his eyes wide with disbelief. He could barely speak, overwhelmed by a shock too profound for words.

He had never imagined that forging iron could be done like this—each strike a true refinement. Such a masterful technique… even the legendary forgers he’d once seen in his lifetime could not achieve this.

And yet, here it was—right before his eyes.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

In the courtyard of Zhu Xin Fang, Lu Qing swung the hammer again and again. Each strike sent tremors through the ground, shaking the entire yard.

Everyone watching—stunned by the sheer power and grace of the performance—was lost in silence. Even Wei Da Zong Guan, usually so composed, was entranced.

Higher in cultivation, he could feel the terrifying precision behind every blow. He estimated that even with his Nei Fu Jing at the peak level, he wouldn’t survive more than a few strikes from Lu Qing.

For over an hour, Lu Qing worked without pause—unyielding, tireless.

Then, suddenly, he paused. A subtle shift in awareness. He sensed something—no longer time for folding and hammering. He set aside the repetitive motion and began shaping the iron into a blade.

Slowly, the bar transformed. The form of a sword began to emerge.

Clang!

One final strike. Sparks flew like stars in the night. Lu Qing lifted the finished blade blank and plunged it into cold water.

Hiss!

Steam rose in a thick mist. Lu Qing pulled the blade out and examined it closely.

A deep, pulsing red light glowed from within the metal.

[Thousand-Fold Treasure Blank: A blade blank forged through repeated folding and hammering, now at the thousand-refinement level.]

[Only through thousand-fold refinement can a blade reach true potential. A thousand-refined blank already holds the seed of a true artifact.]

[Limit reached due to material constraints. Further folding and hammering will not improve quality.]

Exactly as expected.

Lu Qing read the information and understood. Earlier, during the forging, he’d already sensed it—the iron had reached its peak. Continuing to hammer would be futile.

So it was true. Ordinary iron could only be refined so far. Even with endless folding, the quality had its limit. The thousand-refinement stage was the absolute peak for this kind of iron.

"Lu Xiao Langjun," Lin Lao Jiangshi’s voice cracked with emotion, his eyes filled with longing. "May the old man be allowed to examine this blade blank?"

"Of course," Lu Qing replied, handing it over casually.

Lin Lao Jiangshi took it with both hands, reverently. His disciples, forgetting all propriety, surged forward, crowding around to inspect the blade.

This time, the blade was slightly smaller than the last—because Lu Qing had completely purged all impurities. But that wasn’t what caught their attention.

Their eyes locked onto the surface—onto the intricate, layered patterns within.

When they saw the fine, fish-scale-like texture, Lin Lao Jiangshi staggered back, his body trembling.

"This… this is the Thousand-Fold Treasure Blank! The blade has truly reached the thousand-refinement level!"

"Master… is it really at the thousand-refinement stage?"

The disciples, having never seen such a blade, were shaken to their core.

"No mistake," Lin Lao Jiangshi declared, voice thick with awe. "The fine, scale-like pattern—this is the unmistakable mark of the Thousand-Fold Treasure Blank!"

Hearing their master’s unwavering certainty, the disciples erupted in excitement. They pressed close, eyes glued to the blade as if they could absorb its essence through sight alone.

For a blacksmith, to witness a thousand-refinement blade—this was a once-in-a-lifetime honor.

Lin Lao Jiangshi held the blade, his lips quivering as he looked at Lu Qing.

He’d suspected the quality, of course—he’d watched every strike, every fold. He hadn’t counted them, but he had a rough sense of how many times it had been hammered and folded.

Yet seeing the mark with his own eyes… that was what truly shattered him.

Because the skill Lu Qing had displayed—one hammer, one refinement—wasn’t just impressive. It was real.

It was a feat so miraculous, so beyond belief, that even the legendary forging masters of old might have hesitated to claim it.

He’d never met a forging Zong Shi, so he couldn’t compare. But he was certain:

Lu Qing’s hammering skill alone—without even considering the rest—was on par with any true forging master.

"Thousand-Fold Treasure Blank?"

Wei Da Zong Guan couldn’t help but gasp, his mouth slightly open.

He hadn’t expected Lu Qing to produce a blade at such a level.

Even the Wei Family Residence, with all its wealth and influence, possessed only a handful of such weapons.

"Lu Xiao Langjun," Lin Lao Jiangshi said, bowing deeply, "thank you for allowing me to witness this treasure."

He stepped forward, offering the blade back with the reverence of a disciple before a master.

"It’s just a blade blank," Lu Qing smiled, not taking it. "No need for such formality. In fact, I do have a favor to ask."

"Please speak, Lu Xiao Langjun," Lin Lao Jiangshi said quickly. "If there’s anything I can do, I’ll give it my all!"

"It’s not a big matter," Lu Qing said. "I’d like you to help me forge this blade blank into a full sword. A friend of mine is getting married soon, and I’d like to gift him this blade as a wedding present. Would that be possible?"

"Of course! But why not do it yourself?" Lin Lao Jiangshi asked, puzzled. "You’ve already shown such mastery in forging."

"I won’t lie, Master," Lu Qing said. "I’ve only a basic understanding of hammering. The rest—mounting, polishing, sharpening—those are beyond my skill. I’m far from your level of experience."

To craft a perfect weapon, forging the blank was only the beginning. The real art lay in the final stages—tempering, polishing, setting the edge. Those were skills Lu Qing had yet to master.

"I see," Lin Lao Jiangshi said, his eyes lighting up. "Don’t worry, Lu Xiao Langjun. I’ll see this sword through to completion—every detail, every step. I won’t let you down."

His heart pounded with excitement. To craft a thousand-refinement sword with his own hands—this was a dream he’d never dared to dream.

But then, a thought struck him.

"Lu Xiao Langjun… you said earlier you came here to borrow the forge to make a weapon for yourself, didn’t you? So this blade… it’s not for you?"

"No," Lu Qing shook his head. "My weapon can wait.

This time, I only wanted to refine my hammering technique. When I gather the materials, I’ll be back to trouble you again."

(End of Chapter)

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