Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 918

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 918
After the blast furnace construction was completed.
We finally began its operation.
I activated the formation and applied heat. The moment the temperature soared to a point where the very air seemed ready to ignite, the craftsmen erupted in cheers.
Normally, one would have to pump the bellows with their feet while circulating air to raise the temperature.
However, this newly constructed blast furnace uses a water wheel descending from above to blow air.
In simple terms, think of it as a water wheel doing the work that people once did by treading the bellows.
Of course, that’s a very simplified explanation.
‘According to records from the Song Dynasty, they created a water wheel that rotated sideways, and with machinery driven by that wheel, they would open and close ventilation gates attached to the furnace to blow air.’
Looking at Earth’s history, even martial artists could use such methods, yet this approach remains unused in the martial world.
‘Or perhaps they simply don’t know about it.’
Major sects like the Sichuan Tang Family or the Namgung Family may use such methods, but since it’s kept secret, we cannot know.
What is certain is that looking at the price of pig iron circulating in the market—it’s expensive.
If they had fully inherited the Song Dynasty techniques, the price couldn’t possibly be this high.
‘It’s fair to say that the nature of the martial world is hindering technological advancement.’
The law of non-transmission of skills is truly terrifying.
In any case, I applied European-style modifications to enable stronger air blowing, and combined it with formation techniques to concentrate the heat.
Iron ore, limestone, coal—coke.
Limestone removes impurities from the iron ore.
Coal removes oxygen from the iron ore, performing the reduction process.
Coke.
When world history mentions iron-age civilization, coke is a regular guest—and it’s made from this very coal.
‘Though it only began being used in earnest from the seventeenth century onward.’
Finding quality coal in the Central Plains isn’t easy, but the North Sea Ice Palace region has it in abundance.
Thanks to that, we were able to procure it cheaply and in large quantities.
You simply heat the imported coal at high temperatures for extended periods to produce it.
Around 1,200 degrees?
That’s achievable with the technology here.
The principle is similar to making charcoal from wood.
Once we began using the water wheel to blow hot air consistently, the temperature started rising.
‘Ohhh, all those world history lessons I enjoyed as a child are finally paying off.’
With formation techniques added on top, the interior of the blast furnace became an absolute inferno!
The slag—impurities from the iron ore—and pure molten metal began separating.
“Ohhhhh! Pig iron! It’s pig iron!”
The experienced craftsmen recognized pig iron simply by watching the molten metal flow from the furnace.
I wasn’t finished yet.
“The slag… no, those gray residues—we’ll use them as cement… or rather, as building materials.”
With proper processing, they can even be used as fertilizer.
This silicate-based fertilizer supplies iron to the soil and can prevent plant diseases.
‘But I’ll need to research the slag composition coming out now before moving forward with that.’
While fertilizer seems beneficial when spread, careless use could contaminate the soil and harm the people who consume plants grown from it.
After all, humans eat the plants that grow from that land.
Just as with nitrogen fertilizer, I needed to conduct lengthy experiments before implementing it.
“Soggakju, the furnace smoke is gathering in one place!”
In the modern era, furnace smoke is also recycled.
The gases are filtered once and then reused as a power source for the furnace.
But in this world that runs on people, water, and qi rather than electricity, I planned to use it to maintain the formation continuously.
‘I cannot waste such precious fire qi.’
Though the principles differ, formations are not infinite either.
Unlike formations for cultivation and qi circulation like those at Mudang Mountain, gathering heat to run the furnace at high temperatures inevitably consumes the earth’s meridians.
The reason I could operate this in the first place was because Baekrin Medical Guild was located in a dormant volcanic region where fire qi gathered easily.
Yet if I used it too much, I couldn’t predict how nature might react, so I had to be ‘moderate.’
That moderation was precisely this furnace smoke recycling to replenish the fire qi.
The smoke flowed along the formation and entered a large iron container.
Inside, dust would settle while only gas remained, and as it was purified, the fire qi would be recovered back into the earth’s meridians.
‘What exactly is qi?’
Amusingly, I had no idea why qi flowed naturally whenever I created a formation.
It was like a computer.
I knew nothing about quantum mechanics in semiconductors, but I could still use it because I understood programming languages.
‘Phew, so I’ve somehow managed recycling too?’
The greatest problem with furnaces was environmental pollution.
Humanity had suffered under environmental pollution ever since creating massive furnaces.
Back then, people didn’t even know what environmental pollution was, so blacksmiths often died from their work.
That was all there was to it.
People thought the high death rate wasn’t unique to iron workers—neighbors in front, beside, and behind also died similarly.
Environmental pollution only grew worse.
Many people died, and only after countless deaths did humanity realize something was terribly wrong.
The techniques I was using applied methods that humanity had discovered through such reflection.
Of course, compared to massive furnaces like POSCO on Earth, this was minuscule.
Still, I wanted to prevent pollution from spreading.
‘Besides, if black smoke keeps rising, other sects will discover the furnace’s location and my techniques will leak out.’
This gentleman who complained that the non-transmission rule ruined Gangho’s development was thorough about protecting his own techniques.
A true hypocrite with a brass face!
And for good reason.
‘Honestly, no matter how I think about it, even if I were righteous, I’d probably just build the furnace without worrying about environmental pollution.’
One could easily end up putting the cart before the horse just to extract some pig iron.
And strategically, there would be crazy dark faction members who might attack this place.
While sects maintain secrecy with only sect members coming and going, this was Baekrin Medical Guild where patients also gathered.
Even though I built it far away, if smoke kept rising from the same spot in the distance, martial artists would wonder what it was.
And right now.
All the blacksmiths cheered upon realizing that wrought iron could be extracted so easily.
“Excellent! This is all money. Money!”
“We could even forge divine weapons with this!”
“Did Soggakju design this?”
I spoke while observing the jubilant craftsmen.
“This solves our iron shortage problem.”
“….”
“Muyue?”
Muyue snapped back to attention.
Something he’d thought impossible was actually happening.
“Is all of that truly wrought iron?”
“Yes! The quality of the iron will be incomparable to anywhere else.”
He never imagined that what he’d deemed impossible could become reality so effortlessly.
‘How does Soggakju possess such knowledge? Could other sects be using this secretly?’
Though the Sichuan Tang Family extracted considerable wrought iron, he doubted it reached this scale.
Even if the Sichuan Tang Family had been manufacturing weapons this way, was there any method to uncover such secrets?
Information that couldn’t be obtained even by bringing mountains of gold to Gaebang or Hao-mun.
‘Heavens. That such a thing were possible…!’
Muyue’s heart raced.
Yet he deliberately feigned composure as he spoke.
“Hmm, the iron shortage problem is indeed resolved, but…. Soggakju, how do you intend to fashion these into farming implements?”
“We’ll need to educate blacksmiths in large numbers. We won’t be making divine weapons—the skill required to forge farming tools is sufficient.”
Even I didn’t possess knowledge advanced enough to pour molten iron from trays into molds and complete the entire process in one go.
‘Then it comes down to manpower.’
There were plenty of people, and no shortage of unemployed martial artists either.
I’d simply recruit them all and put them to work!
Besides.
While working as blacksmiths, I planned to teach them an inner cultivation method that accumulated fire-attributed internal energy through labor.
It was extremely easy to learn, and since they’d develop both strength and heat resistance, wandering martial artists would be eager to join.
‘Moreover, martial artists rarely suffer cartilage damage no matter how much labor they do.’
From age five, they carry water buckets up three thousand steps daily, yet develop broad shoulders on eight-foot frames—such was the nature of martial artists.
Even third-rate warriors smashed boulders with their bare bodies, making them perfectly suited for this work.
‘I should blend in some techniques extracted from the imperial archives.’
Interestingly, this was actually easier than the Kyeong Divine Protection Method.
Using the earth-running technique with fire-rich spiritual veins, cultivation would only occur within this smithy where the formation arrays were installed.
This naturally prevented information leaks.
Besides, those people knew best that formation arrays weren’t something anyone could perceive unless they were from the Jegallim Family.
‘Employing martial artists to do blacksmith work…. Insane… no, that’s Cheonhailgwang for you.’
Muyue, who served under Cheonhailgwang, nodded in agreement.
If Ilgwang was doing what Ilgwang did, what was the problem?
If Eun Gong had been a normal person, he would have already hit a wall in the delivery business.
“Excellent, Soggakju!”
Muyue clenched his fist tightly.
“Let’s not just dominate agriculture, but become the greatest in productive economic power throughout the Hua Empire!”
“Ou! I like that. In that spirit, today’s lunch will be spicy stir-fried noodles.”
“…Is it very spicy?”
“I’ll top it with dried scallops and serve it with sweet rice punch floating with shaved ice.”
“…”
“Oh, and let’s prepare soy sauce chicken noodle soup for those who can’t handle spice.”
Muyue finally nodded in agreement.
Everything is fine, but Soggakju makes spicy dishes far too well.
They’re so delicious that people keep eating them, but they’re definitely spicy.
He insists it’s not that spicy, asking what’s so hot about it, but most people end up reaching for the sweet rice punch while eating.
Those fellows from Sichuan eat it enthusiastically though.
“Come to think of it, some of the craftsmen who came today might never have tasted Soggakju’s cooking before.”
“Ah, that’s true. The housekeepers of Baekrin Uiseon have been preparing meals for a while now.”
‘More cooking addicts will emerge.’
The most terrifying aspect of Ilgwang isn’t creating restrictions through martial techniques.
It’s conditioning people through food.
The finest delicacy under heaven!
He brings out culinary treasures even the Emperor cannot taste as a simple lunch side dish.
“Oh, that’s right. I need to make egg soup too. I almost forgot.”
* * *
The blacksmith Wang Pan.
He had lived in that place even before Baekrin County and Baekrin Gun were established.
Back then, the region was called by a different name instead of Baekrin County, yet he was still a blacksmith.
And he remains a blacksmith even now.
His career spans twenty years.
The village calls him the master of masters among blacksmiths, and he takes considerable pride in his skill.
Today too, he struck his hammer while lost in thought.
What he was making were agricultural tools.
Just the common plows, hoes, and sickles one typically sees.
He lacked the skill to forge divine weapons, but thanks to the hereditary smelting techniques passed down through his family, he produced reasonably fine iron and crafted with it.
On iron-smelting days, all family members gathered to forge iron ingots.
They either sold these iron ingots to other blacksmiths.
Or they crafted and sold agricultural tools directly.
‘So Cheonhailgwang’s Soggakju is producing iron ingots now?’
The agricultural tools he was currently making were forged from those Baekrin Uiseon iron ingots.
Not only was the price cheaper than his own smithy, but after using them directly to craft, the iron’s purity was incomparable.
‘To sell iron of this quality so cheaply…this will definitely hurt my business.’
My worries deepened.
That was when it happened.
“Grandfather, someone from Baekrin Uiseon has arrived!”
My grandson gazed up at me with bright, sparkling eyes.
His chubby cheeks were so adorable I wanted to pinch them.
When I stepped outside, a person in Baekrin Uiseon robes was waiting at the gate.
‘Tsk, should I just throw salt at them?’
They’d become my business rival now, hadn’t they?
I wanted to curse them out, but my grandson owed Baekrin Uiseon a great debt.
‘Besides, when I injured my knee, they treated me at an absurdly low price.’
And my taxes had lowered, and I no longer needed to fetch water from far away.
So this great benefactor had become a competitor threatening my livelihood.
I stared at them with conflicted feelings.
Yet the Baekrin Uiseon administrator was grinning widely outside the gate.
‘What on earth are they thinking?’
My hesitation didn’t last long.
“Come inside!”
‘Let’s see what scheme they’re up to.’
Behind me hung a fox-shaped clay figurine.
An ugly one my grandson had bought from somewhere.
I glared hard at that figurine.
‘Anyway, if this is a strange proposal, I’m smashing this figurine to pieces.’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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