The sword pool of Longquan Creek in Yanzhou Prefecture shimmered with a pale green light as Shen Xitang’s black boots crushed the charred scrolls of the *Ouyezi Sword Casting Manual*. Xiao Heng’s Xiuchun Saber cleaved through the bellows of a disguised sword forge, and stacks of blade blanks suddenly ignited upon contact with subterranean fire—beside the Chinese characters for "15th Year of Chongzhen," there sat a label in Ottoman script reading "Iznik Steel Quenching Technique," concealing forging diagrams from the Topkapi Palace armory.
"Lord Thousand-Householder, inspect this quenching pool." Her fingertips traced the ice-crack patterns on the celadon basin wall. "This 'Nine-Turn Cold Spring' sword-quenching method was created by Ouyezi during the Spring and Autumn period. How is it that it bears traces of forged iron marked with the Ottoman crescent?"
A metallic ringing suddenly echoed from the sword forge. Thirty Turkish ordnance experts disguised as blacksmiths leaped from the chimneys; the snowflake patterns on their iron hammers were identical to the armor-piercing hammers used by Qi Jiguang during the Jiajing-era campaign against the Japanese pirates. Shen Xitang’s Silver Silk shredded a Longyuan sword, revealing a fallen page from the *Bosphorus Secret Ledger*—next to an official document stating "falsely reported tribute of a thousand treasure swords," there was a notation in Greek: "Resold to the Knights Hospitaller of Rhodes as Crusader blade blanks!"
Chapter 186