The sword forging was in full swing. Eugene Smithson could no longer suppress his inner unease, so he took his wife and Grant, and together they headed to Smithfather Mountain—a place rich in minerals, refined over generations of swordsmiths, now the perfect site for forging swords.
Louis Hidden hired a large number of workers. Upon arrival, he began repairing houses for food and lodging, excavating the mountain walls, diverting water, and venturing deep into the mountains to search for ore.
After Eugene Smithson arrived with his family, he immediately started helping. His wife, Lucy Hidden, cared for their three-year-old Grant.
Louis Hidden led a group into the mountains to search for ore and was gone for a month. When he returned, he found that Eugene Smithson had already organized the construction of sword-forging pools, furnaces, and water channels at the foot of Smithfather Mountain.
With no other choice, Louis Hidden agreed to let Eugene Smithson stay.
To forge a truly peerless sword, the materials had to be repeatedly smelted to eliminate all impurities—a process that took a long time. Most disciples left after their work was done, as the nations were constantly clashing and the demand for weapons was enormous. Few were willing to stay and help Louis Hidden forge swords.
Only Eugene Smithson remained. He knew that his master was forging the best sword of his life. The entire process was overseen by Louis Hidden himself, while Eugene helped by adding water, tending the furnace, and cooking.
The constant clanging echoed through the mountains every day. A year passed, and the King of Yue sent messengers several times to urge them on, but Louis Hidden always sent them away, insisting that he needed more time to craft the finest sword.
The sword forging ran into difficulties, and only the four of them remained. Eugene Smithson often had to personally return to Forge City to replenish supplies and arrange for their delivery to the mountain.
Watching his master grow thinner by the day, Eugene Smithson wished he could be of more help. He studied the ores relentlessly; since all swords were currently made of bronze, Eugene began to wonder: why not use iron to make weapons?