Zombie Bodyguard-Chapter 1498 - 1495: Sword Casting Technique

The sudden change caught Lin Tian off guard, but he understood Tang Banqing’s intention. This elderly person wanted to teach sword casting techniques.

This kind of iron forging, whether in the secular world or the Ancient Martial World, rarely has anyone willing to learn it. To master it, one needs to invest a lot of time, which significantly delays cultivation. Even if one eventually becomes a master of "iron forging," it doesn’t benefit oneself much, as sword casting is essentially serving others.

Thinking about it, those who choose to practice sword casting techniques truly have a passion for sword casting and deserve respect. Lin Tian held Tang Banqing in high regard and solemnly bowed.

"Alright, this sword casting might be my last masterpiece, as I may not have the opportunity to find such high-quality materials again," Tang Banqing mused appreciatively.

Her sentiment was not without reason. The heart of the meteorite and the shapeshifting stone are rare treasures. To find materials of such matching quality and grade, Lin Tian himself couldn’t guarantee he could find them.

"Old Tang, when shall we start?" Lin Tian asked.

"No rush, I’ll check the date and weather," Tang Banqing said leisurely, turning and walking toward the bookshelf.

Lin Tian was bewildered, thinking they weren’t preparing for a wedding but rather forging iron. Why check the date? While still puzzled, Tang Banqing returned with an old book in hand, the cover of which looked somewhat yellowed.

Tang Banqing held the old book and walked into the courtyard. Lin Tian didn’t know what she intended to do, so he just followed her out. Their bizarre actions drew the attention of other Ancient Martial Artists, many of whom came to watch.

"Brother Lin, what is this old lady doing?" an Ancient Martial Artist approached Lin Tian, curiously asking.

Lin Tian also watched Tang Banqing, who was holding the old book in one hand and pinching her fingers with the other, sometimes looking up at the sky, sometimes flipping through the book pages, and then pinching her fingers again, muttering like a magician from the Jianghu, calculating something.

"Could Old Tang be calculating the weather conditions?" Remembering when Wang Wanxi chose the weather for meditation, Lin Tian speculated.

Tang Banqing didn’t lift her head, only muttering, "Let me see if there’s any thunderstorm weather soon."

Lin Tian smiled inwardly, took out his phone, checked it for a while, then said, "Old Tang, there’s a thunderstorm in Tang City in three days."

"In three days?" Tang Banqing, half-believing, flipped several pages of the book, calculated with her fingers, then exclaimed, "It really is in three days. Who taught you the Celestial Phenomenon Calculation Skill to calculate so fast?"

The surrounding Ancient Martial Artists burst into laughter because they all realized Lin Tian wasn’t using any Celestial Phenomenon Calculation Skill; he had just checked the weather forecast on his phone!

"Ahem, Old Tang, I was looking at the weather forecast on my phone," Lin Tian awkwardly replied, fearing to hurt the old lady’s pride.

"Weather forecast, I know, but when did domestic weather forecasts become so accurate? Many people dried grains based on the weather forecast and ended up having them soaked in rain," Tang Banqing was quite surprised, full of disbelief, making Lin Tian unsure whether to laugh or cry.

"Old Tang, you’re talking about a few years back. Nowadays, with the use of meteorological satellites, weather forecasts are quite accurate," Lin Tian helplessly explained, realizing how long it had been since the old lady had been exposed to modern technology.

Thinking about her secluded small building, without a TV, no phone, let alone having a mobile phone or tablet, Lin Tian had observed that the most advanced electrical appliance there was a lighting lamp.

Lin Tian thought Tang Banqing would marvel at the advances in technology, but unexpectedly, she retorted, "At such a young age, depending on a phone to check the weather. If you were in seclusion for a year or several years, cutting off all electronic devices and even all contact, how would you check the weather? Do you know how to observe celestial phenomena?"

These words were spoken with such confidence that Lin Tian had no response. The Ancient Martial Artists who had laughed earlier were now ashamed because Tang Banqing was stating the truth.

Most Ancient Martial Artists had experienced seclusion, during which they cut off all contact except for receiving minimal food and water from the outside. Some advanced Ancient Martial Artists even reached the fasting level, needing only water and not even food.

Tang Banqing ignored the Ancient Martial Artists, turned around, and walked back into her secluded small building. Lin Tian had no choice but to follow. As soon as he entered, Tang Banqing tossed something over, which Lin Tian quickly caught.

Upon catching it, he realized it was the old book from earlier. Although the pages were slightly yellowed, they felt resilient and smooth, as delicate as silk.

"This is top-quality rice paper," Lin Tian said in surprise.

"Young man, you do have some discernment. I dare say nowadays, out of a hundred people, ninety-nine wouldn’t recognize rice paper," Tang Banqing looked at Lin Tian with considerable admiration.

Lin Tian felt ashamed, as he only knew a bit about it from reading ancient books at the Xiao Family, where he learned what real rice paper was. Those precious ancient books were made of rice paper, more durable than silk.

Nowadays, the rice paper obtainable through ordinary channels on the market is mostly fake. The true rice paper manufacturing process is a state secret, and the enterprises producing rice paper require multiple identity verifications for outsiders to enter.

Real rice paper is flexible, smooth, and fine, resilient, does not rot or get eaten by insects, and has a lifespan of a thousand years. High-quality rice paper is even more durable, used for diplomatic documents, high-level archives, and valuable books.

"Lin Tian, if you want to learn sword casting techniques, study this book well. This book records the Celestial Phenomenon Calculation Skill; it’s not a fortune-telling book but one for calculating weather conditions. It’s as good as a weather forecast. Mastering it will also benefit your cultivation. However, if you don’t like it, you can return it to me. After all, nowadays, no young people seem to be interested in these ancient knowledge anymore."

Tang Banqing looked at Lin Tian and said calmly, yet there seemed to be a bit of expectation in her eyes.

"Old Tang, do you have more books?" Lin Tian asked directly. When it comes to these precious ancient books, he’s always ready to take them all, like how he read through the entire collection of ancient books at the Xiao Family’s small building.

The previously serious Old Tang suddenly laughed, but to Lin Tian, this smile seemed a bit teasing, leaving him puzzled as to why the old lady was laughing like this.

Tang Banqing turned to the desk, then retrieved a book from under it and tossed it to Lin Tian. Lin Tian caught it and saw the cover read: The General Principles of Artifact Refining!

"The General Principles of Artifact Refining?" Lin Tian’s expression was exaggerated, full of surprise: "Is this perhaps the secret manual of sword casting techniques?"

"Hehe, you’re overthinking," Tang Banqing smiled mysteriously, then went to the bookshelf, pressed a brick on the wall, and suddenly a clicking sound occurred.

Then the bookshelf moved, and when it shifted, revealing what lay behind, Lin Tian’s mouth dropped open in astonishment.