Chapter 186 Veined Weapon
Gu Dan had no expectations when he forged the blade. He was working with a new type of metal and a new technique.
Yet, he had accomplished something he had not even aimed for!
"The Balance is also good. After all it is a veined Weapon!"
As he inspected various aspects of the blade, the surprise on his face grew. He was truly astounded by the preliminary form of the blade he had produced.
"This blade has exceeded the limits of my ability by far and this is not even the end product!"
Gu Dan thought, as he listed the many steps to go before the sword could be considered complete.
Ikasa saw the amazement of Gu Dan. Since the sun had already set, Ikasa had to take his leave. Before that, he wanted Gu Dan's experience with the manual.
"Where…. How did you get such Manual? This manual is the savior of all the low leveled Blacksmiths like me!"
Gu Dan excitedly grabbed Ikasa's shoulders and expressed his appreciation for the manual. Ikasa combed through his excited words and asked,
"So, can this manual attract other Blacksmiths?"
Gu Dan shook his head and dragged Ikasa to his blade.
"You are not understanding just how good your manual is! See this blade? This is a veined weapon!"
"Veined Weapon?"
Ikasa mumbled to himself, trying to remember why the term sounded familiar. Then suddenly his eyes widened.
The Weapons were divided into Mortal and Spiritual Grades.
Mortal Grade weapons did not have the ability to channel Spiritual Energy of the Cultivator, so they were mostly used by those below the Chakra Sensing Realm.
Their Classification was simply based on their durability and divided into Low, Superior and Supreme.
On the other hand, the Spiritual Grade weapons were in a completely different class!
These weapons were divided into Veined, Energetic and Sentient. The Spiritual Weapons could aid their wielders to channel energy through them.
The most basic requirement for channeling energy was a Vein. And the weapons who possessed a vein were called a Veined Weapon.
"Are you talking about the lowest of the Spiritual Grade Weapons? That Veined Weapon?"
Gu Dan excitedly nodded. Ikasa could definitely understand the reason behind his enthusiasm. He too gazed at the incomplete form of the weapon with longing.
Any Veined Weapon was coveted highly in the Tier 2 Cities of the Holy Wood Empire. They were just that rare!
Ikasa took a few deep breaths to calm his heart. Then he asked Gu Dan about the Veins in the blade.
"So how many Veins have you detected?"
The excitement on his face faded a little, replaced by slight embarrassment.
"There is only one. It is also a bit narrow."
Any Veined Weapon could possess 1 to 7 veins. The more veins, the easier it was to channel the energy. And the vein in the blade before him was the lowest of low!
Excitement in Ikasa's eyes for the weapon cooled a little.
Gu Dan noticed this change. He immediately defended the blade.
"It is because I made a few mistakes or else it definitely would have at least two veins!"
Ikasa looked at him, with his eyes saying don't make excuses. Gu Dan immediately changed the topic.
"Anyways, do you know why I was so excited?"
Gu Dan asked, with a little restraint. Ikasa played along and asked, "Why?"
"A Veined Weapon can only be created by Master Blacksmiths. The fact that I created one with the help of your manual means any other Blacksmith can do the same!"
The 'Master' rank was where the professional hierarchy started. Each Master Blacksmith had to create at least 10 Veined Weapons to be recognized by the populace as one.
This hurdle was the reason why only 1 out of thousands of Blacksmiths could be called Master.
Yet, with the help of the Profession Manual, it was possible for many Blacksmiths to cross this hurdle easily!
Ikasa widened his eyes as soon as he understood the temptation of his manuals to the Blacksmiths. His lips curved into a smirk as he could foresee the GHBG's popularity amidst the people of other professions.
Still, it was in the future. Right now, He had to make preparations for his upcoming trip to Elm City.
Ikasa suddenly had an idea.
'I may not want the Single Veined weapon, but many in Elm City may like it.'
Ikasa quickly made the necessary enquiries.
"Blacksmith Gu, how long will it take you to complete the Sword?"
Gu Dan took his time to answer.
"I thought it might take me a week to experiment with new metal. But with the help of your manual, I think I can complete it within the next two days."
Ikasa nodded and compared it to his itinerary.
'I will need at least two weeks to travel to Elm City. The auction is still 25 days away. I can afford to set off a day later than planned.'
According to his schedule, he was supposed to leave the day after tomorrow. However, he decided to extend his stay in Birch City for another day for the sake of Veined Weapon.
"Blacksmith Gu, finish the weapon as soon as possible. Beautify it a bit. We will auction your first Veined weapon in the Auctions of Tier-2 Elm City!"
Ikasa declared with a grandiose gesture.
The eyes of the blacksmith before him began to shine.
Which craftsman did not want their craft to be recognized by masses? There was no such artisan in this world.
Was there any better way to gain the attention of masses than an auction? Of course, there wasn't!
Gu Dan was injected with a double dose of inspiration and motivation. He bade Ikasa goodbye and slammed the door of his furnace room shut in his face.
Ikasa looked at the closed door and shook his head with a smile.
"You better not ruin that weapon, Old Man!"
Ikasa shouted at Gu Dan from outside the door and exited the shop. As he boarded the carriage, he checked his diary.
"Now I just need to find a suitable shopkeeper to manage the Elm City's store."