Although I don't expect them to reach a very high realm, spending money to push them into an entry-level realm is quite possible.
Once they become cultivators, the allure of eight hundred years is no joke, it's a straight path to heaven...
Alright.
It seems this group of blacksmiths isn't particularly tempted either.
But eventually, I can seize the opportunity to cultivate some low-tier spirit rice resources.
And in this way, without going out to trade with others, I have both major resources for cultivation gathered myself.
At this moment.
Su Yuniang was always reading, while the blacksmiths worked until noon, and the dormitory was initially completed.
"It's done!"
"We have a house now!"
The blacksmiths looked at the fruits of their labor, feeling a sense of accomplishment fill their hearts.
This is the joy of those who love farming; without personally experiencing it, one cannot understand the accomplishment of building something brick by brick.
Next is the much-anticipated lunchtime, where they finish their meal, then head to the dormitory to experience their new home, lie on the iron net for a lunchtime nap, and take the chance to eat lunch in reality.
At noon, Jiucai Rong finally logged in.
He was quite melancholic, not as lively as usual.
Ning Zheng, not knowing what happened to him, worriedly asked a few blacksmiths, who merely said cryptically: Spring has arrived, and greenery is lush.
Ning Zheng was puzzled.
But it ultimately didn't affect the work.
Very soon, they were busy again, starting to build the blacksmith shop above the dormitory.
Though it's called a blacksmith shop, it was really an open stand, just moving various forging furnaces and devices up there, very convenient, it didn't take long to set things up.
At one o'clock, the official work begins!
Jiucai Rong made a big deal out of it with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
He also burned three sticks of incense, and asked a player who makes cakes to mold clay into roast pig, roast chicken, braised pork and other delicacies.
Finally, he lifted the red cloth off the forging furnace, announcing:
"Sword Casting Manor restarts, aiming for strength and greatness, creating more brilliance!"
It wasn't very creative, and Jiucai Rong appeared quite listless, doing it perfunctorily, without enthusiasm.
Mining.
Smelting.
Forging.
The voluntary blacksmiths split into three groups and started working.
Though once they entered the blacksmith shop, they began eating.
They even commented:
The Magic Copper is soft in texture, silky, with a flavor akin to the finest ham, a unique taste with full-bodied richness and distinct layers of flavor.
After eating their fill, they began forging, with everyone exploring, the little toys forged in the shop were all over the place, and the finished products were quite inexplicable.
Some people held the little toys up and down, showing lewd, teasing looks, winking and nudging, with some lolis watching and cursing them as perverted.
Fun and games ensued.
A playful chase happened.
In short, it brimmed with the unique youthfulness of young people.
If it were the previous old manager, he'd whip them right away: Not working, what are you guys playing here? This isn't a place to date!
But Ning Zheng ignored all that, continuing to sit in a distant rocking chair, cultivating, reading, drinking tea, enjoying the lovely afternoon tea time.
Thinking that this is how things should be.
Anyway... they do give quite a bit.
Thinking of making 1500 again from the blacksmith shop today filled his heart with pleasure.
This shop is quite profitable!
Moreover, if they keep at it, I probably won't need to supervise in the future and can safely train down the mountain.
As the sun set.
Ning Zheng, who had been cultivating alone, only ventured to the blacksmith shop when he was ready to leave.
As soon as he entered, a heat wave hit him, and the sound of Duang~Duang~ reached him, full of vibrant energy, their shouting was even more full of life.
This left Ning Zheng somewhat confused, why they were so excited about forging, like going to battle.
After wandering around and looking at their day's work, he found it quite decent.
After all, smithing is easy to learn, hard to master.
Who can't swing a big hammer?
Heat it red, shape it by pounding, and you're done.
Money Child, with great strength, surprisingly suited to smithing unlike these human slaves, who tire quickly after striking for a while.
These players really have put some effort in, probably started learning some blacksmithing basic techniques as soon as they logged off yesterday. They're doing it with precision.
Though the blacksmithing circle in the game is small, there was a particular blacksmithing show abroad that became extremely popular, causing many people to binge-watch several seasons overnight.
Modern forging technology has far surpassed ancient methods; there's no such situation where the older the techniques, the more advanced, or handmade crafting leads to better divine weapons.
Modern individuals, utilizing power hammers, grinders, hydraulic machines and other tools, can complete forging processes that would have taken ancient blacksmiths several tens of days to finish.
There is also a variety of professional Damascus steel, high-carbon steel, etc., which were considered unmatched divine materials in ancient times, and various processes like quenching and tempering have been summarized scientifically over time.
Forging has become an art!
Through techniques like twisting, frequent hammering, folding, etc., the final product can acquire naturally formed stunning patterns, capable of creating spiral weld patterns, feather patterns, water drop patterns, rose patterns... as mesmerizing as a starry night.
Every forging session is like opening a blind box, filled with anticipation for the patterns!
But once inside, they found many modern forging methods couldn't be applied here, forcing many to resort to the most primitive hammer forging.
Within just one afternoon, the blacksmiths became weary and frustrated, and one group of competent tech-savvy individuals began brainstorming ways to be lazy, planning to invent power hammers, grinders, and hydraulic machines.
The plan was to find the blueprints for such machines outside the game and get help from friends specializing in mechanical design to come up with a feasible design.
If these auxiliary tools weren't going to be built now, then when? After all, humans are creatures reliant on their brains; using tools sets them apart from beasts! Modern mechanical blacksmith shops, and even semi-assembly line DIY work, are their future.
Soon, a group was squatting at a distant table, already sketching various parts on blueprints, with densely drawn lines, engaging in frenzied discussion, saliva flying with zeal.
At this moment, Jiucai Rong proudly presented some players' masterpieces.
Copper Hammer, Copper Sword, Copper Saber, Copper Bow...
They look a bit rough.
But Ning Zheng didn't have much expectation; the first step in artifact forging is shaping, creating an embryo.
As for firearms?
They initially thought about making them, but when they got hands-on, they realized the imagination was beautiful, yet the precise parts were daunting to craft by hand.
"Huh??"
Ning Zheng picked up a Copper Sword with a noticeably different style to examine.
What is this thing?
Did these blacksmiths really make it?
On this copper surface, exquisite, feathery patterns softly enmeshed in the ancient bronze sword body, as delicate as silk, with an ethereal and magnificent unique aura as if it belonged to an Immortal. It was heart-breakingly beautiful!
This instantly astonished Ning Zheng, who lacked any real knowledge about blacksmithing.
He then came to senses and said with affirmation while looking at the surrounding players' delighted expressions, "This Copper Sword is unexpectedly good."
He had never seen such exquisite technique, even those demons in the manor wouldn't know it.
Luckily, he was just getting by to deal with them, without showcasing his forging skills personally, otherwise it would have been too embarrassing.
"I made it, my family has four generations of blacksmiths, my father used to be the village's blacksmith, forging farm tools."
A player named "Daojiu" eagerly stepped forward to claim credit:
"This is called the Feather Pattern, not manually carved but folded and hammered in a certain way during forging... Good thing Magic Copper is soft, easy to fold and hammer multiple times, polishing is also simple. Without a pressing machine, if the material was hard, it wouldn't be settled in days."
Evidently, he was truly attracted by the blacksmith game as a real-life iron enthusiast.
This game is quite speechless.
From a bunch of people comes one true iron enthusiast.
But this one is a nerdy science guy, not really eloquent, yet two socially adept players stole his spotlight, even though one inexplicably turned socially awkward.
"Kid, keep it up." Ning Zheng patted Daojiu's shoulder, "I've remembered you."
In the manor from before, this technique would make one a first-class slave, at least able to eat two meals a day and get whipped at most once; if I had this blacksmithing skill before, why would I have run so fast?
"I will." Daojiu looked moved, spirited with enthusiasm.
"Very inspiring, keep it up." Ning Zheng felt gratified, recognising that there are indeed normal people among them; if only there were more diligent working young blacksmiths like him.
"Can a cultivator actually use it just by forging a shape?" Jiucai Rong leaned in, speaking honestly as he was quite clumsy, having spent an afternoon crafting unsightly items.
"Of course, you've seen the data."
Ning Zheng nodded, placing down the Copper Sword, "It benefits from the material; Magic Copper is inherently Spiritual Qi reserve in nature. Even with a Copper Ingot holding Spiritual Qi, during combat, one can use it to strike someone... shape is not important."
Jiucai Rong understood.
A brick-shaped and sword-shaped Magic Copper make no difference.
The coarse embryo in front, storing energy to smash someone, is a waste of nature.
"Then how should we craft them?"
Jiucai Rong was curious,
"I've read books, a magical artifact comes with fireball, protective shield, light body, stone skin, detection... various spells can be activated several times a day. That's the essence of magical artifacts, right?"
Ning Zheng shook his head, somewhat regrettably saying, "That's not accessible now. Even in the previous prime days of the manor, we were exporting batches of magical artifact coarse embryos. Apart from a few Artifact Refiners, no one could craft true magical artifact products."
"Unfortunately, those Artifact Refiners met their demise."
Indeed.
The few Artifact Refiners in the manor were cursed to death by Ning Zheng, but their deaths were no losses.