Open the Furnace, Smelt Iron!

Throughout human history, every invention is the culmination of the wisdom of many people. Even if the inventor only had a flash of Spiritual Light, countless people have devoted their efforts and accumulated experience over a long period of evolution to achieve that Spiritual Light.

The invention of the blower was a leap forward in metallurgy in the history of the earth. It was a process with many twists and turns, and the improvement of the blower spanned almost thousands of years.

However, Qiu Yan now understands the principles and functions, and what he lacks is only the specific design, which can save a lot of effort. If it were someone else, it would take a lot of manpower and resources. But the Incense Faith of the deity are equivalent to the thoughts of millions of people thinking together, so it is naturally quick.

Before Hu Qi and Dai Guo returned, several different blower designs had already taken shape in Qiu Yan's mind.

After a while, Hu Qi and Dai Guo returned.

Hu Qi was holding several fur coats, while Dai Guo was carrying several short pieces of wood, the cuts of which were not neat, and handprints could still be vaguely seen, indicating that they had been broken and brought over by him.

After glancing at the timber and estimating the quantity, Qiu Yan nodded and said, "This amount of timber is not enough to make Water-Powered Bellows, but we'll have to see how things go later. Liu Xin's shop might not be by the water." Then, he led the two back to the town.

The commotion in the town had subsided. The old woman, who was quite old, had been crying and making a scene for a while and was almost exhausted, so she was helped back home. Liu Xin, however, remained where he was, looking around anxiously.

Beside Liu Xin stood several burly men, tall and strong. At first glance, they weren't as tall as Hu Qi and Dai Guo, but among ordinary people, they were still considered robust.

Upon seeing Qiu Yan and his two companions approaching, Liu Xin beamed with joy and went to greet them, followed closely by several other burly men, one of whom was still whispering among himself.

Although he deliberately lowered his voice, Qiu Yan and Hu Qi heard him clearly; he caught it perfectly.

"Liu Xin, you need to think this through. This person might be a fraud."

"If we reveal our secret, we might lose our jobs!"

"Be careful when that person goes to your shop; make sure they don't see the offerings."

As Liu Xin walked, he muttered complaints under his breath, "Uncle Li, Uncle Feng, when that man was collecting debts, I went to your door for help, but you wouldn't help. When the Fire Warden Tablet broke, I asked you for help again, but you still blocked me. I've been driven to a dead end. Even if this man is a fraud, I have to give it a try!"

The conversation among these people was filled with distrust of Qiu Yan. This aroused the dissatisfaction of Hu Qi and Dai Guo, who wanted to step forward to argue, but Qiu Yan stopped them.

Following that, Qiu Yan walked over to Liu Xin. The two exchanged a few words, and then Liu Xin led Qiu Yan into the town, with Hu Qi and Dai Guo quickly following behind.

As for the burly men, they followed closely behind, watching Qiu Yan and his companions with wary expressions. This greatly displeased Hu Qi and Dai Guo. Although they had sought refuge in the borderlands, they still retained the arrogance of experts. If Qiu Yan hadn't stopped them, they would have already lashed out.

A group of people walked along the small river in the town, and then left the riverbank and went deep into an alley.

Qiu Yan observed the surroundings and, seeing that they had left the riverbank, frowned slightly, knowing that the plan needed to be changed.

Soon, the group arrived at a shop that was connected to a courtyard. The shop had the name "Liu Family Blacksmith Shop" written on the door, making it easy to see.

At the door, the old woman was talking to an old man. When she saw Liu Xin bringing several people over, she immediately stepped forward to stop them. But then Liu Xin went over and said a few words, and the old woman hesitated.

At this moment, the old man next to him stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting to Qiu Yan, and said, "Sir, this old man greets you."

"I hope the old man is well." Qiu Yan returned the greeting and waited for the other party to continue.

"Sir, you are too kind. I am Yu Qing, the magistrate of Star Platform Township. I heard that you are willing to help the Liu Household family, so I came to witness your actions. Please forgive me if I have offended you."

Qiu Yan smiled and said, "Not at all. It would be abrupt for me to come here so abruptly. The village head is very proper, so it is only right that I come." As he spoke, he looked at the old man in front of him.

This man appeared to be quite old, with white hair and beard, but his complexion was ruddy, and he was dressed in silk, clearly belonging to the gentry.

The local administrative divisions of Great Rui were Dao, Fu, and Xian, in addition to a Jun, all of which were officials and military positions appointed by the imperial court. However, under these, the people were divided into Xiang, Li, She, and Cun according to the system of registering households to maintain the operation of society.

However, this division was not based on administrative institutions, and the imperial court did not appoint officials. The village head and neighborhood head were elected by the residents through mutual recommendation. Generally speaking, they were appointed by first-class and second-class households, that is, rural landlords.

The villages and towns of Great Rui are mostly composed of clans, which are relatively stable and closed off. Therefore, the government actively supports them, but since there is a lack of direct control, there are bound to be drawbacks. For example, the size of these villages and towns varies, and some are too bloated and numerous. If a respected person stirs things up, it could create hidden dangers.

Before Qiu Yan, he had heard from Wen Anguo that the imperial court was planning a "Baojia Law" to use administrative means to divide the number of households, differentiate overly large clans, increase grassroots stability, and reduce the cost of maintaining public order.

Of course, these things were still far removed from his life, so they only flashed through his mind briefly before disappearing from his thoughts.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, he followed Liu Xin into the shop.

"Sir, what do you plan to do?" Liu Xin asked anxiously. He was actually unsure of what to do, but he was just trying his luck. He had noticed what Hu Qi and Dai Guo were carrying, and seeing that the two hadn't followed him in, he couldn't help but feel anxious.

Qiu Yan waved his hand and said, "No need to rush. As the sage said, 'Act first, then speak.' When encountering problems, one must not panic. One must observe first, understand the specific changes, and then prescribe the right remedy." After saying this, he paced around the shop, looking it over.

Upon hearing this, the village head Yu Qing's expression shifted slightly, and he raised his hand to stop the men who were about to follow.

These men were also blacksmiths in town and had a close relationship with Liu Xin's father. They were inevitably worried that Qiu Yan's appearance might reveal something.

Qiu Yan deliberately used the words of Sage to answer, which was exactly the effect he wanted. Even among ordinary people, the words of Sage are still quite useful. They serve as a standard for morality and behavior, and can keep people's minds occupied, giving him time to investigate.

The shop is divided into two parts, an outer room displaying ironware and an inner room at the back, where the blacksmithing takes place. Inside the inner room are two furnaces: a crucible furnace in the center and a blast furnace standing against the wall.

Looking around, Qiu Yan's gaze finally settled on a shrine in the corner of the wall.

The shrine was empty, and there was nothing on the altar in front of it, which was used to place offerings.

This observation took quite some time. While the words of Sage could soothe people's hearts, they could not ultimately eliminate prejudice and hostility. Then, from the outer room, one could hear the discussion of several burly men—

"After looking at it for so long, is it going to work or not?"

"If there's no other way, retreat as soon as possible."

"That's right, every profession has its own secrets. Don't think that just because you've read a few books you know everything."

These people didn't deliberately lower their voices; they were clearly speaking to Qiu Yan.

Even Liu Xin was wavering at this point, wanting to offer a word of advice but unsure how to begin.

"Alright, I think I have an idea." At this moment, Qiu Yan suddenly spoke up. Before Liu Xin could react, he let Hu Qi and Dai Guo come in and gave them instructions.

The two nodded repeatedly, then obeyed the order, placing the wood in their hands on the ground and polishing it with their palms. Liu Xin and the blacksmiths watching nearby had their eyelids twitching, only then realizing how formidable it was.

"I thought these two were just the scholar's attendants or servants, but I didn't expect them to be so skilled."

"Luckily, I didn't say anything too outrageous just now, otherwise, if I had angered those two, things would have been terrible."

Just as the group was secretly rejoicing, Hu Qi and Dai Guo, under Qiu Yan's guidance, had already crafted several items. Meanwhile, Qiu Yan borrowed needles and thread from Liu Xin's house and began sewing fur. His hands moved swiftly and skillfully.

All three were highly skilled cultivators who had reached the Life Cultivation Soul Tempering stage, possessing meticulous control over their strength and limbs. Naturally, they were adept at woodworking and needlework, judging by their proficiency, as if they had been doing it for a long time.

Before long, several items had been made, and then the group busied themselves in the room, working at varying paces.

Seeing this, bystanders, intimidated by the force, dared not say anything, but their expressions showed disapproval, clearly indicating they were not optimistic. At this time, a number of curious onlookers had also gathered outside the shop, peering inside.

In no time, a makeshift blower was set up.

Four rods are suspended from the roof beams to support and secure the bladder; a horizontal beam is attached to the bladder, fixed in the middle and extending to the left and right walls at both ends; there is a damper and a pull rod at the back of the bladder, and a hole at the front of the bladder.

Its appearance left onlookers puzzled, unsure of its purpose. Even Hu Qi and Dai Guo, who made it themselves, were completely baffled.

However, Qiu Yan did not offer an explanation, but instead asked Liu Xin for a copper pipe.

Holding the tube, Qiu Yan twisted it a few times, then went to the crucible furnace in the center of the room.

The furnace was not lit. Qiu Yan bent down, released his senses, and instantly figured out the structure of the furnace platform. Then he raised his hand and pushed the copper pipe forward, inserting it into the bottom of the furnace base amidst many exclamations!

"What are you doing, sir?"

Even Liu Xin couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, his voice carrying a hint of reproach.

Qiu Yan waved his hand without answering. He raised his hand and rubbed it a few times at the spout, his fingers burning hot. He then pinched the stove platform to seal the gap between the copper pipe and the soil. Then he pulled on the copper pipe, his hand surging with strength, and bent the copper pipe, connecting the other end to the hole at the front of the leather bag.

The blower was thus connected to the crucible furnace.

After finishing these tasks, Qiu Yan glanced at Liu Xin and said, "Open the furnace and start smelting iron!"

At the same time, he calmed his mind and became vigilant, slowly expanding his senses, his eyes narrowing, and thoughts racing through his mind—

"Whether the mysteries of Heavenly Court and the Divine Path can be gradually unveiled depends on this test." (To be continued...)