An Undisclosed Secret, a Favor Tantamount to Giving a New Lease on Life

"It's useless even if you beg me," Zhou Shu said with a bitter smile. "I've already broken up the secret forging formula of the Huben Saber. If you can't learn it, what can I do?"

"It's not that we can't learn it. It's just that the time the superintendent gave is too short," Zhang Yibei said bitterly.

In three months, not only did they have to master the forging method of the Huben Saber, but they also had to hand over 3,000 sabers. This was an impossible mission.

"Superintendent Xiao probably didn't expect that a standard weapon would be able to stump everyone," Zhou Shu said casually.

The expressions of Zhang Yibei and the others were unsightly. Yes, it was just a standard weapon. Who would have thought that they would be helpless against it?

Zhang Yibei had always thought that the reason why he couldn't become a Forging Master was that he didn't have the secret forging formula for a ranked weapon. He had always believed that his forging skills were not inferior to those of ordinary Forging Masters.

Only now did he realize that even if the secret forging formula of a ranked weapon was placed before him, he might not necessarily be able to grasp it.

If Zhou Shu hadn't helped them dissect it, they wouldn't even understand the secret forging formula.

Furthermore, even with Zhou Shu's help, they still couldn't forge the saber!

This was just a standard weapon.

How difficult would it be to forge a ranked weapon?

At the thought of this, Zhang Yibei felt disheartened. It turned out that he was still far away from becoming a Forging Master.

Zhou Shu looked at Zhang Yibei strangely. He didn't know why, but this person's vitality seemed to have withered suddenly, and he completely lost his previous vigor.

"It's not entirely impossible," Zhou Shu said.

"Brother Zhou, what idea do you have? Do you need us to pay any price?" An apprentice shouted, "No problem! Any price is fine! I'll give you all the rewards!"

Everyone no longer wished to earn money. They would be satisfied with just completing the mission and not being punished.

"Who do you think I am?" Zhou Shu said. "Do you think I taught you how to forge weapons for silver? Or could you all feel that silver is capable of buying forging techniques?"

"Sixth Brother Wu, shut up!" Zhang Yibei reprimanded the person who had just spoken. "Brother Zhou has already fulfilled his duty by explaining the secret forging formula to us. He has no obligation to teach us forging techniques! We can't forge a Huben Saber because we are useless. It has nothing to do with Brother Zhou!"

"That's not what I meant." Sixth Brother Wu weakly defended himself. "If we can't complete Superintendent Xiao's mission, we'll all be punished. No one can avoid it…"

"Enough! Stop talking!" Zhang Yibei berated him. Sixth Brother Wu was being increasingly outrageous.

"I understand what everyone means." Zhou Shu motioned with his hand for Zhang Yibei not to be angry.

These Forging Apprentices were all poor people who fought to stay alive. It was understandable for them to be like this.

In addition, Zhou Shu truly didn't want to be punished for failing the mission.

If he really couldn't complete the mission, who knew what Xiao Zongshui might do to him.

Zhou Shu felt that Xiao Zongshui was digging a hole for him.

I'll deal with you one day! Zhou Shu thought.

"Although the forging process of the Huben Saber is complicated, as long as you grasp certain techniques, it is not difficult," Zhou Shu said in a low voice. "For all of you, the difficulty of forging the Huben Saber is that you can't remember the sequence and amount of strength required of the hammer strikes. Second, it's easy to lose control of your strength when you strike.

"You have to work hard on remembering the sequence of the hammer strikes. I can't help you with this," Zhou Shu continued. "You can wait until we complete this mission before you put in effort for this. Now, I have a quick fix. Let's all gather together to forge weapons. I will shout out the sequence and amount of strength required for the hammer strikes. Everyone, just do as I say."

Zhou Shu's words made everyone's eyes light up.

They couldn't remember so many sequences. But if someone shouted them out, they just had to do as they were told.

"The problem of the sequence and strength has been resolved. What about the other problem?" Zhang Yibei was a veteran. He asked in a deep voice, "How can I not mess up my strength? Just like in the thirty-six consecutive strikes in the middle, each strike requires the same amount of strength. Even I can't guarantee that I can do it perfectly."

This was the hardest part.

Even experienced martial artists might not be able to strike with the same amount of force repeatedly.

Most Forging Apprentices were ordinary people who didn't know any martial arts. Those who could control their strength were rare.

Even a veteran like Zhang Yibei, who was proficient in martial arts and had immersed himself in forging for decades, didn't dare to say that he could definitely do it.

"This is indeed a bit difficult." Zhou Shu nodded.

In fact, this technique was already infinitely close to that of Forging Masters.

Sequence and amount of strength, this was the basic ability of Forging Masters.

Only by doing so could one truly become a Forging Master.

Zhou Shu didn't know how other Forging Masters did it, but he had his own method.

Before he obtained the Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique, he was already able to forge Huben Sabers. At that time, he was still an ordinary person.

This meant that this method didn't have any requirements for people's skills. It was merely a simple forging technique.

"Brother Wu is right," Zhou Shu continued. "I have indeed grasped some forging techniques. They were developed by my three generations of ancestors. Because of this, I am able to forge Huben Sabers."

Zhou Shu was also looking for an excuse to prevent others from suspecting his forging ability.

"Brother Zhou, you don't have to say anymore," Zhang Yibei interrupted. "Forging techniques and secret forging formulas are secrets only passed down within a family. We've gone overboard. If we're not capable enough, we will at most not be able to complete the mission. We can still endure a whipping."

Everyone wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, they all sighed. At this point, who would still have the cheek to ask Zhou Shu to teach them?

"Brother Zhang, you're wrong. I'm the person in charge of this mission. If anything goes wrong, it won't be just a whipping. What's the point of keeping secrets when your life is gone?" Zhou Shu said. "Only passed down within a family… I don't even have a wife. Who would I pass on the techniques to? From my perspective, forging techniques are meant to be used. I'll teach everyone now. As for how much you can comprehend, that will depend on you."

Zhou Shu waved his hand and stopped Zhang Yibei from speaking. He immediately said, "Actually, forging is a delicate task. The reason why everyone is unable to achieve consistency is that you have overlooked one point—the coordination of breathing and movements. What I want to tell everyone is the importance of breathing."

When Zhou Shu obtained the secret forging formula for the Huben Saber from the Legendary Armament Canon, it included a method of breathing during the forging process.

What Zhou Shu didn't know was that his breathing method was the basic expiration method of Forging Masters.

Only by mastering the coordination of breathing, expiration, and forging could one progress to Forging Master.

This was practically impossible for one to figure out without a master.

It was also because of this that advancing to Forging Master was so difficult.

Zhou Shu didn't know this. Even if he did, he would still pass it on.

Forging Masters had to master a breathing and expiration method, but this didn't mean that mastering it would guarantee that one would become a Forging Master.

Moreover, his breathing method was extremely superficial. At most, it would allow people to see a little of the secrets of Forging Masters. To truly become a Forging Master would depend on one's ability and luck.

Most importantly, this breathing method was not worth mentioning to Zhou Shu. Just like the Huben Saber's secret forging formula, he didn't think much of it.

With the Legendary Armament Canon, Zhou Shu's goal was definitely not just to become a Forging Master. Advancing to become a Grand Craftsman, or even a Divine Craftsman, might not be impossible.

To Zhou Shu, paying such an acceptable price for his current stable life was extremely worth it.

As for Zhang Yibei and the others, they could only be considered lucky.

Xiao Zongshui was scheming against Zhou Shu, but Zhou Shu didn't care. In the end, he had benefited them.

If not for this, they might not have been able to come into contact with truly profound forging techniques in their entire lives.

Although Zhang Yibei and the others didn't know the relationship between breathing methods and Forging Masters, they knew very well the value of the information Zhou Shu was going to impart to them.

Thus, everyone focused their attention, not even daring to blink as they listened to Zhou Shu's words for fear of missing a single word.

"Remember this. It's actually very simple. When you lift the hammer, take a long breath and hold your stomach. When you strike, breathe like this…" Zhou Shu explained while demonstrating.

It took more than two hours for everyone to grasp this simple information.

During this process, Zhou Shu had suffered another blow from poor students.

Even without the Legendary Armament Canon, Zhou Shu felt that he could quickly grasp this simple information.

Yet these people took so long!

However, they all finally grasped it. There should be no problem completing the forging mission of the Huben Sabers after they practiced coordinating breathing with commands.

After he gave the Huben Sabers to the Huben Troops, he would be able to sit back and wait for his harvest. At that time, if Xiao Zongshui still dared to cause trouble for him, he would definitely let him know that karma was a bitch!

"Brother Zhou, I can't thank you enough for granting me this undisclosed secret. From now on, you are my great benefactor. As long as my Zhang family doesn't go extinct, as long as you have any instructions, the Zhang family will do anything for you!" Zhang Yibei was the first to realize the importance of this breathing method. His originally extinguished hope was reignited.

All of this was thanks to Zhou Shu.

This man in his thirties or forties no longer held back. He knelt in front of Zhou Shu and kowtowed in thanks. "Thank you, benefactor, for a favor tantamount to giving me a new lease on life!"

The other apprentices also reacted. Some cupped their hands and bowed, while others knelt and kowtowed like Zhang Yibei.

The situation was out of control.

Everyone's reactions were far beyond Zhou Shu's expectations.

"All of you, get up! If you want to thank me, then work together and complete the mission first!" Zhou Shu shouted.

"Everyone, listen to Brother Zhou. Get up and get to work!" Zhang Yibei shouted.

"Get to work!" the group of Forging Apprentices shouted, full of vigor.