Our mission finished, we reported news about Baghatur to Temurel at the Camp. Then he said, "He might be plotting something behind his father's back. we must prepare for the upcoming incident."
"Father, he might have lied to us about the mushrooms, but it looks like he doesn't really care about us at all. Someone else is his target and it will happen soon, maybe next spring or summer. Should we consult with Mother and Auntie about the poison?" Aycecek said to her father.
"Of course, we will. But right now we have to stock more wood to make more weapons and arrows for upcoming events. Temurcin, ready our messengers and their horses. Sent the fastest to tell the Guardians of the Sacred Mountain to stock up and prepare all the furnaces for me, and sent other scouts to tell this news to others clan of our tribes," Temurel made his decisive decision.
"Now, Kirisen, your way of fighting is different, and we still don't have a weapon that well suits you. What kind of weapon do you need, my son-in-law?" The Iron Hand asked me.
"Father-in-law, how long can you make iron swords? I need a double-edged blade as long as my arm's reach and a handle three hand-lengths long. But if you can't make it that long, I need an iron rod as long as you can forge, maybe with a triangular or square cross-section, and a normal sword handle. And could you build them by wrapping steel around a soft iron core?" I said it while show my arm length then make a two hand katana handle pose.
"That way of binding iron, isn't that a techniques of the Wall People? It sounds like you know the Way of the iron and fire. Right now, I can only forge about six-tenths of your needed length. Is that acceptable to you? We have kept some hardened iron separately, but those advanced techniques might be too difficult for me with our current methods," Temurel explained.
"That length will suffice, but could you try to forge it using both that hardened iron and the regular iron? And could we increase the overall length by using a hollow hard wooden cylinder handle that's both glued and secured to the tang with pins? For the handle's shape, could you taper it slightly in the middle, then make it thicker towards the guard and the pommel? Finally, for the pommel, could you make it a round metal knob of a certain size with a tang, so we can glue and pin it to the other end of the handle to balance the weight?" I described in detail, perhaps too much.
"That sounds interesting and might be possible, but it's too specific for me to remember all of it. Ride with me, we will go to the Sacred Mountain together," he answered me, then talked to Aycecek. "Little Flower, ask your auntie for a cure for those poison mushrooms or other poisons made from them. We have to prepare that as well."
What I really need as a weapon is basically a double-edged sword of the Han dynasty, or a Han Jian as they will later perfect it with a differential hardening technique to bind a sharp steel edge with a softer inner spine, and a personalized custom-designed handle that looks like a baseball bat handle, because I'm very familiar with it as a sword training tool. A little more weight on the end tip makes the bat slightly harder to control than a real live sword, which is suitable for a training tool. And for the other weapon I asked for, it's some kind of simple iron rod intended to imitate a Chinese weapon called the Iron Whip or the closely related Sword Breaker, which as its name suggests, can brutally break lesser blades.
My sword style is quite unique by itself, based on Northern Thai styles which use a single-edged blade, fused with some Chinese double-edged sword techniques, mostly from double-hand longsword styles like a modern longsword set from Shandong Mantis style (likely credited to Mr. Yu Chenghui) and the Eight Trigrams Flying Dragon, a sword set from the modern Wudang sect, mixed with some long staff handling techniques, then internalizing all the movements. The custom handle is for the varied sword grips that I use for several reasons, such as slightly adjustments to the sword's reach distance, reversing or spinning the cutting edge around. The guard and pommel protect the hand not by defending it but by preventing it from sliding off, sometimes I hold and control the sword from that round pommel or use it as a striking hammer.
While I normally use a big spear as one of my basic internal training to develop internal strength. With internal methods, it becomes quite useful. Using deflect, control, and thrust as core movements along with some long staff techniques makes controlling feel like sticking, disarming harder to resist, and basic thrusting become lethal. Combining all of this with its range makes it feel like an impenetrable wall.
But all of this skills might not really be useful for a upcoming war. Cavalry warfare seem so far away from my current abilities, I've been thinking about this even while we're galloping the horses to the Sacred Mountain. My riding skills might be better, but handling weapons and bows on horseback is still challenging. Perhaps I shall also ask for some kind of throwing weapons, what I have in mind is something like a large needle of iron in a size of tiny pencil with one piercing pointy end. You might think of Chinese swordsmen as chivalrous eastern knights. But in reality, they use every means to survive, every dirty way to hurt and kill. They even use hidden or throwing weapons as range options.
There's nothing heroic in their way of fighting, but what gives them a noble image are the righteous values they uphold, though few truly fight for those values. What I'm going to do in this war is also far from righteous, it's only a way to survive in this cruel world, a way to protect someone closed to me. I It strikes me that not just Aycecek and I face the crucible trial of fate, life itself is a trial for us all. Will this tribe endure the snow storms ahead?
We arrive at the Sacred Mountain as the sun dips below the horizon. Temurel wastes no time, immediately directing the blacksmiths to begin work on arrowheads, spear tips, and single-edged blades. He then discusses about the details with me, and I request that he should fold and reforge the hardened iron repeatedly, hoping to reduce impurities and achieve a harder metal, perhaps even steel. After several folds, Temurel begins to observe a noticeable increase in the iron's hardness. I used to watch a lot of katana-making documentaries, with little understanding of the Jian forging techniques, precise temperatures, clay application methods, or optimal quenching procedures. However, I point out our fortunate access to clay and cold water for quenching. I caution him that this is largely a gamble, as my experience is purely observational. Temurel believes it's a worthwhile risk, so we will give it a try.
The following day, Temurel instructed the blacksmiths to produce more hardened iron. We then used this material to craft a few daggers initially, to assess the metal's properties. After several unsuccessful attempts, we tried quenching the blade in freezing winter water and then letting it cool down in warm hot-spring water. We finally forged a blade that exhibited the desired characteristics, a harder edge with a resilient spine. Temurel believed that with further experience and experimentation, we could replicate this result more consistently. He then began working on an iron whip for me. At my request, he shaped a simple iron rod into a crude, unfinished-looking metal with a rough square cross-section, which noticeably tapered from a tang towards a roughly worked tip that lacked any smooth finish, presenting an uneven metal end, slightly shorter than their sword counterparts, and fashioned a handle with a design similar to my sword handle. Surprisingly, their success rate with the Iron Whip was quite high, so I asked for a pair. It's a shame that the Iron Whip might not be particularly practical for our inexperienced warriors yet. However, this hardened iron represents a crucial resource for our weapon-making process, I considered suggesting they employ twist techniques in the future to create pattern-welded metal for our weaponry. But it's still a long way to go before we can really produce real steel.
Others finally arrive not long before the first snowfall. I had completely forgotten about the Winter Trials. My hunting skills might not be sufficient for wolf hunting, perhaps I should consider using some kind of trap? After speaking with Aycecek about the wolves hunting trial, she generously offered to lend me her reflex bow and took me to Aykuz. There, I also hoped to borrow some of her falcons, which she brought from her clan in case of war. They assured me that using falcons to indicate the location of wolves is acceptable. Aykuz's falcons are a local breed of this mountain range, and unlike larger golden eagles, they won't alarm the wolves. These falcons are trained to signal the location of hunting targets by flying in large circles. While they typically use for hunt small mammals like hares, rodents or birds, but adults are also capable of hunting foxes.
Local falconers sometimes keep these falcons in male-female pairs for breeding, and while wild pairs may hunt cooperatively, it is less common for falconers to routinely train and hunt with pairs of falcons. However, Aykuz's ancestors were particularly fond of using paired falcons, so they established a system of duo falcon hunting within their clan. This involves two hunters controlling a mated pair, allowing the birds to cooperate by marking or driving groups of animals, with one falcon potentially distracting the prey while the other dives in for the kill. This practice eventually evolved into their scouting falconry tradition, as the coordinated flights could also signal the movements of herds or groups of men across a larger scouting area. I think they named this tradition something like "Flying Eyes."
Aykuz and her apprentice will accompany me, acting as my eyes in the sky, while Aylaqun tests the girls on their knowledge of herbs. This makes me curious about the cure for the mushrooms, so I asked Aykuz, "Wise Aykuz, how do we cure mushroom poisoning?"
"You remember the Dream Weaver, right Master? We also use it as a doorway to the Spirit Realm. While the poison from the sleeping mushrooms or berserk herbs can lead you to the dream realm, but to intentionally reach the Spirit Realm, we mix them together. However, this concoction can become too potent, so we rely on a healing remedy to balance thing out. We blend mind-calming herbs like chamomile, liver-supporting herbs like dandelion, with anti-swelling herbs and charcoal powder to absorb any remaining toxins. This careful mixture ensures a safer journey to the Spirit Realm with just enough Dream Weaver. If a larger dose is used to incapacitate, this blend might also help calm them while dying. It could even aid in curing those who haven't received a fatal amount of poison or haven't been poisoned for too long, though some might survive weakened." She answered in detail and told me to keep her clan's secret.
Which means Aylaqun already knows about the cure. Aykuz also gave me a hunting version of the Dream Weaver that includes the healing remedy, so the wolves won't go berserk on me. Then I tried to make two types of throwing weapons on my own: one is a flying needle, about the size of a tiny pencil with a sharpened point, and the other is just a small metal bead. Simple and unrefined, but with the force-generating system of Internal Art, making them dangerous or even deadly weapons. Now I can also apply the Dream Weaver to the flying needle too. I might have to request a small pouch for the metal beads and a leather needle case with multiple separate pockets for the poisoned flying needles. This trial may be their ritual, but this is how I fight. So I will prepare with all that I can.
The tribe gathered on the cliff overlooking the frosted peaks. The air, thin and sharp, carried the scent of pine and the distant echo of glacial melt. Before them, the Altai Mountains stretched in a majestic panorama, their snow-dusted summits piercing the azure sky like the pillar of ancient gods. This was the morning observance of the Mountain Offering.
Aylaqun raised her hands towards the rising sun. Her voice, clear and steady, carried across the silent gathering as she began the morning prayers. These were words of deep gratitude for the mountain's enduring presence, for the shelter it provided, and for the continued flow of life-giving streams. She acknowledged the spirits dwelling within the peaks, asking for their guidance and blessing for the day ahead.
Following Aylaqun, the tribe offered their own silent devotions. Heads were bowed, eyes were closed in contemplation, and some held small, personal talismans towards the illuminated summits. The prayers were individual yet united in their focus on the well-being of the tribe, the safety of the herds, and the wisdom to navigate the day's challenges. The children, nestled amongst their families, learned through observation the quiet reverence for their sacred land.
The morning prayers were a subtle communion, a daily reaffirmation of their connection to the mountain's spirit. As the sun ascended, bathing the landscape in its golden light, Aylaqun lowered her hands, a sense of peaceful resolve settling over the tribe as they dispersed to begin their day, carrying the mountain's silent blessing within them.
As twilight deepened, painting the western sky in hues of amethyst and silver, the full moon ascended in the east, casting its ethereal glow over the peaks. Its soft, luminous light bathed the gathering tribe as Aylaqun and Aykuz stood side-by-side by the crackling fire pit, their figures bathed in the flickering flames and the moon's serene radiance. Tonight, under the watchful eye of the full moon, they would jointly lead the offering to the Sacred Mountain and its wild kin.
Aylaqun's voice, grounded and resonant, began the chant, weaving tales of the day's passage, while Aykuz's, lighter and more melodic, intertwined with hers, adding layers of ancient invocations. Their voices rose and fell in harmonious cadence, acknowledging the mountain's enduring presence and their tribe's deep reliance upon it.
Together, they turned towards the flickering flames. Aylaqun cast pinches of fragrant cedar needles into the heart of the fire, their aromatic smoke spiraling upwards as a cleansing offering to the Sacred Mountain. Simultaneously, Aykuz poured libations of fresh milk onto the dancing flames, a nourishing tribute to the spirit that dwelled within the peaks, seeking blessings for purity and the well-being of their pastures. Strands of horsehair, representing the vitality of their herds, were then tossed into the fire by both shamans, their burning a silent prayer for strength and safe journeys. Finally, small pats of rich butter followed, melting into the flames as an offering for abundance and the fertility of the land.
Turning from the fire, Aylaqun and Aykuz moved with deliberate steps to a designated stone altar facing the towering peaks. There, they together placed portions of carefully selected raw meat, a direct offering to the spirit of the Sacred Mountain, acknowledging its power and seeking its continued protection over the tribe and their domain. Then, with a shared understanding, they moved to the edge of the encampment, their faces turned towards the shadowed expanse where the wolves roamed. On a cleared space, they laid out further portions of raw meat. As they did so, Aykuz offered quiet words, acknowledging the wolves as vital spirits of the mountain, while Aylaqun chanted ancient blessings for their health and for a balanced coexistence between the wild and their tribe.
As the flames in the fire pit began to subside, casting long, dancing shadows of the two shamans against the starlit backdrop, a sense of profound connection permeated the gathering. The joint offering of Aylaqun and Aykuz was a powerful communion, a unified plea for the continued harmony and prosperity of the Ergene and Tagh Boru tribes within the embrace of the Sacred Mountain and its wild inhabitants.
With this sense of thorough preparation both my equipment, body and mind feel honed and ready for whatever lies ahead. A quiet certainty settles within me, pushing back any lingering doubts. Confidence, once a flickering ember, now burns with a steady, reassuring flame in the core of my being. A sense of anticipation mingles with this growing assurance, a feeling of being grounded and capable as I face the coming challenges. The weight of uncertainty lifts, replaced by a flourishing belief in my ability to meet what awaits.