Commanding Wind and Cloud

Chapter 27: The Magical Hot Spring

Translator: Udong Editor: IceTea

Blake opened the tongs and let go of the pig iron. As this piece of pig iron jumped into the air due to the impulse from the strike, Blake grabbed the other piece of red-hot pig iron and placed it on the anvil. At the moment when the pig iron in the air fell down onto this new piece of pig iron, the hammer landed on them.

The two pieces of hot iron bounced as if they wanted to push each other away, but the merciless strike of the hammer pushed them together.

Qian Jin repeatedly blinked as he watched. This new skill looked way harder than the previous skill he learnt yesterday. This time, he had to swing the hammer perfectly and predict where the two pieces of pig iron would meet. In a sense, he had to strike down at the two pieces of pig irons at the very moment that they touch each other.

"This is still a part of blacksmithing?" Qian Jin was blown away. He felt like he was watching a Great Warrior teaching him how to battle and kill the enemy.

The hammer was lifted and struck down at the pig irons after a full circle of swing…

The hammer was lifted and struck down at the pig irons after a full circle of swing…

The hammer was lifted and struck down at the pig irons after a full circle of swing…

The two pieces of iron turned into one piece of iron, and the piece of iron turned into the head of a spear; the heat from this masterpiece bombarded Qian Jin's face, and he couldn't help but to sweat. Just like last time, Blake picked up his work with the tong and dropped it into a bucket of water. The hot metal met the cold water, and a moan like scream sounded as a cloud-like steam began to rise continuously.

After he finished with that, Blake put down his hammer and lit up his pipe again. He pointed at the anvil and the pig irons on the ground with his pipe and commanded, "Do what I just did."

"Wait." Blake said as he took at look at Qian Jin one more time. He then pointed at the backyard and said, "Go take a bath first."

"Take a bath?" Qian-Jin wasn't sure why the old blacksmith wanted him to do that, but he dragged his tired body to the backyard.

He hadn't rested for a whole day. After finishing up the blacksmith work here last time, he washed his stuff at the academy, participated in an arm-wrestle competition, did more blacksmithing as he landed a job, and finally fought with Revolver-Skyblade before coming back to the Endless World; his body didn't get any break.

After getting undressed, he jumped into the steamy hot spring. Immediately, he felt a warm current circling around his body. The tiredness in his body was slowly being washed away as this warm current hit him.

"So comfortable!" Qian Jin closed his eyes and gasped. It wasn't like he had never been to hot springs before, but they never felt this good. The fatigue was cleanly wiped out from his body. "This is magical!"

Qian Jin lifted up his arms and opened his palms. In just a few minutes, the soreness and pain in his muscles were all gone. He looked down at the water, and the water somehow got very cloudy; it wasn't as clean as when he just got in.

"Feeling better?" Blake's hoarse voice sounded in the workshop. "If you are not tired anymore, come out and start working."

Qian Jin jumped out of the hot spring, clumsily wiped himself dry, and dressed himself. He returned to the workshop as he continuously looked back at the magical hot spring.

"That…" Blake broke the silence, "That is the anti-fatigue hot spring. You used it for free three times a day. After the third time, the water will turn green, and it will lose its anti-fatigue effect. If you want to restore its effect, you will have to purchase medical powder from the mystic potion shop and dump it in there.

"So I need money?" Qian Jin passed through the door and stared at the street. There was nothing but stores in this small village; he hadn't even seen any residents so far. Where could he find the opportunity to make money?

"The Endless World is very large." Blake knocked the door with his pipe as he leaned against the wall. "You have three free usages a day, use it wisely. Now, start working…"

After seeing Blake close his eyes and suck on his pipe, Qian Jin knew he wouldn't be able to get any more information out of the old blacksmith. He was focused on the red-hot pig irons that was already in the forge.

"This is will be challenging." Qian-Jin took a deep breath and placed one piece of pig iron on the anvil with a tong. He lifted the three hundred pounds hammer above his head with all of his strength and swung a full circle in the air before striking down at the metal.

Tink! Sparks splashed everywhere; the noise of the metal colliding broke the quietness in this small shop once again.

Blake's closed eyes was opened at some point, and he was squinting at Qian Jin. An appreciative light flashed through his eyes. He had a appreciative smile on his face as he nodded subconsciously.

Qian Jin was no longer paying attention to Blade. The only thing in his eyes were the red-hot pig iron. As if he was facing his biggest enemy, the huge hammer in his hand struck down on the metal continuously.

There were two pieces of pig iron. It wasn't as simple as striking down and swinging the hammer twice at the time. As soon as Qian Jin struck down at the two pieces of metal, he knew that it required way more than twice the amount of effort.

Monotonous, repetitive and ear-piercing noise of metal colliding was the only sound that was resonating in this blacksmith shop. The sweat slided off of Qian-Jin's forehead like a river, and his clothes were wetted by the sweat a long time ago. Sometime, the sweat got into his eyes, but he only subconsciously blinked his eyes; he didn't stop hammering.

His right arm got tired and could no longer swing the hammer.

His left arm took over and started hammering.

Once his left arm got tired, he switched back to his right arm. Fatigue started to build in his right arm again.

Left arm…

"Your forging proficiency improved, your strength increased by one point."

"Your forging proficiency improved, your strength increased by one point."

"Your forging proficiency improved, your strength increased ….."

Last time, Qian Jin took until evening to finish the one thousand strikes. This time, the requirement was three thousand strikes.

After he used all of his Level 4 warrior energy and his body was near exhaustion, the three thousand strikes requirement was finally met.

After he swung the hammer for the last strike, a muffled noise echoed out; it was the sound of metal hitting the ground. It was the hammer; the hammer fell out of Qian Jin's hand and hit the ground. He no longer had the strength to hold that three hundred pounds hammer. He collapsed onto the floor. He laid there with his arms and legs open as he breathed heavily.

This time, Qian Jin felt like it wasn't just the right side of his body that was crying in pain, all of the muscle in his body was crying. Even when he opened his mouth and breathed, he felt the muscle in his mouth and on his face were sore. He didn't even have the strength to move a single finger.

Blake opened his cloudy eyes. He rubbed the dry dirt from the corner of his eyes as he looked out of the door at the sky to tell the time. He finally looked at Qian Jin and said, "Good job today. It seems like there is a bit more time today. There aren't many pieces of pig iron left in the shop. In the east side of the village, there is a mine pit. Go there and get some ore and mine back."

Blake didn't give Qian Jin the chance to say no. He handed over a shovel to Qian Jin and grabbed a few pieces of metal to show him what he was looking for. "Look carefully. The green one is [Bronze Ore] and the black, greyish one is [Iron Ore]. The dark red one is [Wind-fire Copper]; but you are probably unable to dig it out. Ok, you're all set."