When Ren Qing arrived at the blacksmith's shop, the main gate was shut tight, and Liu Hu's deafening snores could be heard from inside.
He had no choice but to find a nearby teahouse to pass the time.
Before Liu Hu even woke up, Ren Qing heard a commotion outside the teahouse. A bustling crowd seemed to be discussing something.
Ren Qing walked to the window and gazed toward the end of the street.
He saw several constables escorting five Fireworkers to the Government Office. It looked as though they had come from outside the city.
'Could they be the Fireworkers from Hexing Street?'
'I remember nine people were sent to deal with the plague. To think that five of them survived.'
Ren Qing listened to the public's reaction. Everyone was worried about the plague spreading to Sanxiang City, so they gave those Fireworkers a wide berth.
'It can't be that simple,' he thought. 'The plague outside the city is most likely connected to a forbidden zone. Fortunately, the Forbidden Guards are there to shoulder the risk.'
On the surface, Sanxiang City was still quite prosperous. The daily disappearances and deaths didn't seem to affect it.
After all, with a population in the hundreds of thousands, life for most residents was relatively mundane.
As evening approached, Ren Qing finally entered the blacksmith's shop. Fortunately, his trip had not been in vain.
It had been several days, and the exposed skin on Liu Hu's chest and abdomen was now covered in burns. His eyes were red and swollen from lack of sleep.
Liu Hu yawned. "It's nothing. Once I get busy, my days and nights get all mixed up."
"You're pushing yourself too hard."
"The forging process can't be interrupted. Otherwise, it could affect the blade's quality. There's no room for carelessness."
Ren Qing noticed the Great Miao Blade hanging on the wall.
"Hold on."
Liu Hu took down the Great Miao Blade and presented it to Ren Qing with both hands. "The Great Miao Blade is forged. But it's an unconventional weapon, after all. It won't be easy to wield."
As Ren Qing took it, his arm dipped under the weight. He couldn't help but inspect the Great Miao Blade.
The blade was nearly four feet long. Its wooden scabbard was wrapped in Brass for decoration, giving it a rugged sort of beauty.
"Not bad, right? I poured a lot of blood and sweat into forging this."
A delighted expression on his face, Ren Qing praised him, "You truly live up to your name as Sanxiang City's most famous blacksmith. Your craft is masterful."
Liu Hu explained proudly, "To forge such a long, narrow blade in one piece requires patient, meticulous hammering. Otherwise, the nearly four-foot edge could easily crack, creating a hidden flaw."
Ren Qing said with sincerity, "Thank you."
Even without drawing it, the sheer weight in his hand told him it was made of solid, high-quality material.
Seeing Ren Qing caressing the scabbard, unable to put it down, Liu Hu couldn't help but add, "I was worried the Great Miao Blade would be too heavy for you. I didn't realize you were so strong."
"Just about."
'Wielding it one-handed might be a bit difficult,' Ren Qing thought, 'but the Great Miao Blade is a two-handed weapon.'
That way, its weight would become an asset rather than a hindrance.
Ren Qing eagerly drew the Great Miao Blade. A dazzling, cold light flashed through the blacksmith's shop.
The blade's surface was like a mirror, reflecting his image clearly. Along the edge ran a wavy temper line.
"Why isn't it sharpened?"
Liu Hu smiled. "Since it's your blade, you should be the one to give it its edge. It'll help you get to know the Great Miao Blade better."
"Fair enough."
Liu Hu gave him a quick lesson on sharpening techniques, then presented Ren Qing with a palm-sized Sharpening Stone.
'With my vision, sharpening it won't be a problem,' Ren Qing thought. 'I can probably do it with far more precision than Liu Hu, since I can see every minute detail.'
"No matter the blade, its quality is seventy percent forging and thirty percent maintenance."
Liu Hu took out a porcelain bottle filled with Blade Oil. A daily coat would prevent rust and prolong the blade's life.
He began to explain the important points of blade care.
Ren Qing sat cross-legged on the floor, listening patiently. He then casually picked up the Great Miao Blade.
He dabbed some water on the Sharpening Stone and then drew the blade's edge across it, producing a piercing, metallic screech.
"You..."
'I just told him not to be careless with a blade, and he starts sharpening it so casually! He has no respect for me at all.'
Wait!!!
Liu Hu's expression turned strange. He noticed Ren Qing's sharpening motions were incredibly steady, without the slightest deviation in angle.
What's more, the sound of the stone against the blade was identical along the entire four-foot length, from hilt to tip. It was simply unbelievable.
Liu Hu didn't dare to interrupt. He waited quietly as Ren Qing finished putting an edge on the Great Miao Blade, a look of admiration growing on his face.
He said with a sigh of relief, "Ren Qing, with a talent like yours, you should be..."
"Let me test out the Great Miao Blade first."
His hands itching to try it, Ren Qing swung the blade with both hands. His movements were clumsy at first, but as he engaged his Double Pupils, he grew increasingly proficient.
Despite wielding a four-foot Great Miao Blade in the cramped blacksmith's shop, surrounded by piles of furniture and clutter...
...Ren Qing managed to display the ferocious power of the Great Miao Blade to its fullest extent.
CLANG!!!
He sheathed the blade.
He looked at Liu Hu and asked, "Brother Liu, what were you about to say earlier?"
"Uh..."
The corner of Liu Hu's mouth twitched as a drop of cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
He gave an awkward laugh. "Nothing. The Great Miao Blade won't be wasted in your hands. I just hope it's still in one piece a few years from now."
"It's getting late, so I'm heading back to the Government Office. Brother Liu, if you need anything, you can send a message to the Firework Hall on Tan Street."
"Then I'm going back to sleep. This whole job was a money-losing venture, really."
'The Great Miao Blade is actually better suited for mounted combat,' Ren Qing mused. 'Tied to a saddle, it could be drawn at a moment's notice.'
Wearing it at his waist would cause it to drag on the ground, but drawing it from his back would be difficult. In the end, he fashioned a slipknot to secure it to his back, allowing him to release and draw the entire weapon whenever needed.
He walked straight toward the Government Office. Passersby turned to stare at the unusual Great Miao Blade, and it even drew gasps of wonder from children.
Some of the Jianghu folk among them wore looks of disdain.
'With a blade that long, he's bound to hurt himself trying to wield it.'
After returning to the Firework Hall, Ren Qing wrapped the Great Miao Blade in strips of cloth. That way, when he carried it, others would just assume it was a thin staff.
Xiaowu enviously stroked the Great Miao Blade. He could barely manage to swing it, but his arm quickly grew sore and weak.
"Brother Qing, did you hear? Those Fireworkers from Hexing Street came back today."
"I saw them with my own eyes."
The Fireworkers from Tan Street and Hexing Street both lived in the same Firework Hall, so it was natural for Xiaowu to be a little worried.
"By the way, where are the five of them?"
"I heard the plague outside the city is really bad. They were locked up in Si Bu Hall as soon as they got back. They should be let out after some time."
Li Mian, who was passing by, added, "It was clearly four people."
Ren Qing frowned, about to object, when he suddenly realized his memory of the Fireworkers was becoming hazy. The figures gradually shifted from five people to four.
It was as if one of them had been erased from existence.
Li Mian added, "You can ask Li Heng. He saw those four Fireworkers entering the Government Office, too."
Li Heng, who was sweeping dust off the steps, nodded upon hearing this. "That's right, it was four of them."
Ren Qing's frown eased as he carefully replayed the memory in his mind several times. Indeed, there were only four Fireworkers.
'I must have misremembered just now...'