strokinit Chapter 36 Intermediate Court Selection: Easily Taking the Top Spot
Chapter 36 Intermediate Court Selection: Easily Taking the Top Spot
The first test is to assess one's martial arts level.
Ten stone locks, each weighing 500 jin (250 kg), were placed on the bluestone square.
The mark of mastering meat processing is having a strength of 500 jin (250 kg).
Thirty-seven apprentices took turns being tested.
Two people were eventually eliminated, leaving thirty-five people.
Chen Yu passed the test with ease and looked around.
The pass rate for this round of assessments is relatively high, and there are still quite a few people left.
Li Mei passed, and Han Feilong also passed.
The second test is to assess forging skills.
The Bluestone Square is lined with fifty furnaces.
There were 35 candidates, each occupying a place.
Chen Yu's furnace is located at number 17, section C.
It's in a corner, and the bellows are old, but it's quiet.
"Clang clang clang!"
Mineral processing, forging, quenching, and shaping.
Having practiced blacksmithing for so many days, Chen Yu was already thoroughly familiar with all the steps involved.
The entire operation was performed flawlessly.
Soon, a standard goose feather saber was forged.
After being inspected by the master craftsman Shen Tiesheng, Chen Yu successfully passed this test.
A total of eighteen people were eliminated in this assessment, leaving seventeen apprentices.
Chen Yu observed the others again.
It's not surprising that Li Mei was able to stay; her forging skills were in no way inferior to mine.
It's a bit strange that Han Feilong was able to stay.
The knife he forged on the spot didn't look very good, judging from its shape.
The cutting edges are not on the same horizontal line, and the two sides of the cutting lines are obviously higher or lower.
The front end curves slightly upwards, while the back end dips downwards, giving the overall shape a tired, curved appearance.
This means that uneven force during cutting will cause it to veer to one side.
There are also continuous chips on the blade edge, which are obviously caused by the hand not being steady enough during grinding.
These notches create a serrated, wavy cut, which can snag ropes and prevent smooth cuts into flesh.
The most fatal flaw was a longitudinal crack.
Extending two inches backward from the tip of the blade, it is as thin as a hair yet reaches a third of the blade's depth.
He forged a knife riddled with flaws, yet still passed the test without incident.
This is clearly a problem.
Chen Yu glanced at Shen Tiesheng, who was inspecting the knife. This experienced master craftsman couldn't possibly be so oblivious.
The only possibility is that he was bribed by Han Feilong.
If you've taken a favor from someone, you should naturally turn a blind eye.
Beside him, Bao Dahai, who was in charge of supervision, didn't even lift his eyelids.
It seems that the so-called inspectors of the Criminal Law Department are just there to go through the motions.
Or perhaps they received bribes and didn't want to uphold justice for Han Feilong.
"Why are there still so many people?"
On the high platform, Zhou Zhengqing, the head of the Intermediate People's Court, frowned slightly.
There are only ten spots available for this selection, and there are currently seventeen apprentices on site.
We need to find a way to eliminate seven more people.
He pondered for a moment, then beckoned the examiner over and gave him a few words of advice.
After listening, the examiner walked to the center of the stage and began to convey the message.
"The apprentices who are still on the field are all elites from the outer academy, and they are all very outstanding."
"Dean Zhou understands everyone's hard work. Regardless of the selection results, each of the seventeen people will receive a reward of three taels of silver!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the audience erupted in cheers.
The examiner paused for a moment, then continued.
"Although everyone is very talented, there are only ten spots available in this selection process, so we will choose the best of the best."
"Now, Dean Zhou has added an extra test. Those who wish to participate, please stay."
"Those who are unwilling may choose to withdraw. If they withdraw, their scores in the first two rounds of assessment will be invalidated, and they will be considered to have failed the selection."
The seventeen apprentices looked at each other in bewilderment upon hearing this.
But in the end, no one chose to quit.
Han Feilong felt uneasy.
Although his master asked Meng Feifan, the steward of Qiankuangtang, to bribe most of the examiners and supervisors.
However, Zhou Zhengqing himself is not someone that Meng Feifan can bribe.
I'm afraid I won't be able to get through this hurdle easily.
He looked up and saw Chen Yu's figure suddenly appear before him.
Han Feilong felt another surge of resentment.
I never expected this kid to get this far, to come and compete with me for a spot.
It's just an extra test; I might not necessarily lose to him!
He's just a newcomer who got this far by sheer luck. Do you really think he'll steal the spot?
Han Feilong stopped thinking about it and silently cheered himself on.
The third test is blind forging.
Zhou Zhengqing believes that the apprentices selected in the past were all at roughly the same level in martial arts, and were basically all at the peak of their physical training.
However, the casting quality varies greatly; some are exceptionally good, while others are exceptionally poor.
Ultimately, the main business of the Sword Forging Manor is still forging weapons.
It doesn't matter if your martial arts skills are lacking; you can take it slow.
The forging level must keep up.
Therefore, he decided to increase the intensity of the training for his apprentices.
Since everyone's martial arts and forging skills are roughly the same, let's use a blind forging test to determine who is better.
Blind forging is the most delicate and sacred technique in the casting industry.
Blindfolded and with their vision blocked, the entire casting process is completed solely through touch, hearing, smell, and intuition.
Legend has it that a thousand years ago, the master craftsman Ban Changkong went blind in his old age, but he used his heart instead of his eyes to forge the "Heart Light Sword".
The day the sword was forged, the world lost its color.
From then on, blind forging became the ultimate test for master-level blacksmiths.
Of course, the rules for blind forging are simpler in comparison.
They wouldn't actually make things difficult for these outer court apprentices by demanding the standards of a grandmaster.
"The blind forging test will now begin."
"Contestants were covered with three layers of black cloth to ensure complete darkness."
"Within 15 minutes, I independently completed the entire forging process of a double-edged dagger."
"Everyone has one incense stick's worth of preparation time to familiarize themselves with the location of the ingredients."
"Cheaters will be immediately eliminated; those who complete the task will be evaluated based on quality!"
After the examiner finished reading, the seventeen apprentices took their places and began to prepare.
One by one, the criminal justice officer Bao Dahai blindfolded them.
When Bao Dahai walked up to Han Feilong, he quickly reversed his wrist and switched the three layers of black cloth on Han Feilong's body.
The replaced black cloth looks no different from the original.
It is actually a translucent cloth, allowing one to vaguely see what is outside.
Han Feilong understood immediately and remained silent, secretly rejoicing.
Luckily, I bribed Bao Dahai, so my performance evaluation is definitely secure now.
Chen Yu's eyes were also covered with three layers of black cloth.
He concentrated his mind and focused his attention on his dantian.
With eyes open, vision remains unobstructed and uninterrupted.
Three layers of black cloth could not hide his keen hearing and sharp eyesight at all!
If it were just a wall, that would be fine; it's just a few tattered pieces of cloth, which would be completely useless against someone with sharp hearing and eyesight.
Although I have a special physique, even if I forge with my eyes open, it cannot be said that I am cheating.
However, Chen Yu still chose to close his eyes and perform blind forging according to the rules.
The reason is simple: with its own skill level, it is capable of forging under any circumstances, and there is no need to rely too much on the senses.
He also wanted to use this blind training session to test his own abilities.
Want to know how far you are from the masters of ancient times in terms of your forging skills?
"I have memorized the locations of the materials."
Chen Yu silently recited this in his heart.
"Three steps directly ahead, an anvil."
"Two steps to the left, high-quality steel."
"Two steps to the right, wrought iron."
"One step behind, the quenching tank..."
He arranged various materials in a specific order to form a muscle memory pathway.
The examiner gave the order: "Blindfolded training! Begin!"
Chen Yu moved lightly and accurately arrived on the left.
Touching the stainless steel with my fingers, I felt a warm yet firm texture, confirming that it was indeed the right material.
Put it into the furnace.
There was someone working the bellows nearby.
This time, he no longer "saw" the colors with his eyes, but "heard" the fire with his heart.
As the bellows are pushed and pulled, the airflow inside the furnace changes, producing different whistling sounds.
The low "whooshing" sound indicates insufficient temperature, requiring acceleration.
The sharp hissing sound indicates that the temperature is too high and needs to be reduced.
A steady "whoosh" indicates a suitable temperature; maintain the rhythm.
"Now!"
Chen Yu sensed the change in the intensity of the heat wave hitting him.
"Yellowish-white!"
The long pincers reached in and pulled out the steel.
When you lightly touch the surface with your finger, it feels hot but not stinging, which is the optimal temperature for forging.
Chen Yu stacked the refined steel and wrought iron, sprinkled borax, and forged them together with a heavy hammer.
"Thump!"
The first hammer blow fell.
The tactile feedback told him that the fusion was 70% complete, with tiny gaps.
"One more blow."
"Thump!"
A perfect blend, without any gaps.
Fold it and put it back into the oven to heat.
This time, he needs to determine the temperature by calculating the time and the intensity of the heat wave.
"one two three……"
Chen Yu counted silently in his mind.
"Fifteen breaths should be enough."
Take it out of the oven, forge it, and then fold it.
During the eighth fold, an accident occurred—
His hammer blow missed by half an inch, landing on the edge of the anvil, the recoil making his hand go numb.
"calm."
Chen Yu took a deep breath and calmed himself down.
"Mistakes are normal; the essence of blind forging lies in tolerance for error and correction."
He gently stroked the surface of the blade blank with his fingers, sensing the uneven texture, and re-determined the center point.
"I see. The deviation just now caused the blade blank to extend to the right by three-tenths of an inch."
"Next strike, compensate to the left."
"Thump!"
Precise landing point, zero error.
Only one step remains: quenching.
Precise temperature judgment and water entry angle are required; the slightest mistake can render the blade unusable or even cause it to shatter.
Chen Yu heated the blade and used his sense of smell to aid his judgment.
"A faint metallic oxidized smell, close to cherry red... Reheat for three more breaths."
Three breaths later, the smell became sweet and refreshing, a unique fragrance of wrought iron.
"Now!"
After the blade was taken out of the furnace, he did not immediately put it into the water, but instead lightly touched the back of the blade with his fingers.
The burning sensation quickly changes from stinging to burning, which is a precise signal of quenching!
Enter the water!
"laugh--!!!"
The sound is clear and crisp, like a dragon's roar or a phoenix's cry—a sure sign of success!
Chen Yu did not relax in the slightest.
The quenching process in blind forging requires listening to the sound to determine the quality.
He heard a "buzzing" sound as the blade trembled slightly in the water, resonating with the quenching liquid.
"It's done."
The black cloth was lifted, revealing a blinding light.
Chen Yu closed his eyes for a moment, and after adjusting, looked at his work.
A bluish-white double-edged dagger.
The blade displays fine, feather-like patterns that appear to flow like life under the glow of the furnace fire.
The examiner picked up the knife and examined it closely.
After a moment of silence, he spoke again, his voice trembling.
"Blind forging... Mind's Eye level?! This quality even surpasses visual forging!"
Upon hearing this, the master craftsman Shen Tiesheng personally got up and came to inspect it.
After carefully examining the short knife, he looked at Chen Yu as if he were seeing a ghost.
"When...when did you cultivate such insight?"
Chen Yu calmly replied, "This disciple has not yet achieved mastery; I have simply diligently forged iron every day, and over time, it has naturally come to fruition."
Zhou Zhengqing, who was in the center, looked around at the apprentices.
None of his works can compare to Chen Yu's.
There was even a good-for-nothing named Han Feilong.
He couldn't even distinguish between refined steel and wrought iron, and he was completely out of place with the other players on the field; he was like a chicken among cranes.
"Get out of here!"
"How did someone with this level of skill manage to get this far?"
Zhou Zhengqing cursed loudly and personally went down to the field to drive Han Feilong out.
Han Feilong left dejectedly.
As he left, he gave Zhou Zhengqing a resentful look.
"Hmph! This old man really looks down on people!"
"Thirty years east of the Yunsong River, thirty years west of the Yunsong River, never underestimate Han Feilong's youthful poverty!"
"One day, I'll show you what I'm capable of!"
After Han Feilong was dismissed, the examiners continued to discuss and give their final assessment.
Chen Yu successfully completed a blind forging exercise, achieving superior quality and directly advancing to the Intermediate Court, where he also won first place in the blind forging competition.
All five examiners had no objections, and Zhou Zhengqing went up on stage to announce the results.