While Tomo can move his library's anchor point along the leylines the process was not instantaneous. As such, Lin Liqiu was the first of the disciples to depart given Japan's proximity to Duihaiguo. Her destination is the town of Kerakawa[1], known for its blacksmiths specializing in farming tools.
The nearest leyline intersection was a few hours walk outside Kerakawa. Lin Liqiu hadn't been conscious the first time she'd passed through the door to Tomo's library. It was an interesting experience traveling between such different locations with a single step. She watched with a hint of curiosity as the door resembling a starry night sky slowly faded from existence.
Instead of heading off for Kerakawa immediately Lin Liqiu took in her surroundings. She had arrived in a forest at the north-eastern end of the Shimane Prefecture. At a glance the forest resembled the one her and Lin Liqin had called home back on Duihaiguo, but something about it felt foreign to her. She reached down and pushed the light covering of snow aside. Grabbing a handful of dirt, she let it pass through her fingers. -No wonder they are known for their steel. This ground is rich with iron sand,- she thought to herself.
A plan began to take shape, she would need to prove herself if she wanted a local smith to take her seriously. She knew how stubborn smiths could be, she herself was no exception, so the first impression would be the deciding factor. Quickly, she wrote on her Encyclopedia page and then she started gathering pine wood and stones while she waited. After a brief moment a reply came back, prompting her to pull out her cosmo bag as she began retrieving items Tomo had placed in the cosmo trunk at her request. Soon she had a shovel and several buckets.
Using the shovel and some stones she made a fire pit. She placed a few logs in the pit, they were wet from the snow, but she mobilized her chi and lit them ablaze. She made her way down to a nearby stream with a couple buckets. One was filled with water while the other was filled with clay from the bank. After returning to the fire pit she lightly coated the inside of another bucket with some of the clay to protect it from the charcoal she started shoveling into it from the pit.
After placing a few more logs on the fire she pulled out the cosmo bag once more. Her hand, covered in ki aura, reached into the sack and returned with a set of foot operated bellows. Setting them on the ground, she began to construct a box using rocks and clay. Throughout the process she continued to harvest coal and refresh the fire. Once the box was set the clay needed to dry, so she moved on to shoveling iron sand into the last empty bucket.
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Night was here and the moon was high. Lin Liqiu was taking a moment to rest while enjoying a large dinner made from rations she'd brought with her. She knew that once the furnace was lit there wouldn't be any time for rest until it was done. Sitting on a rocky out cropping she looked out over the valley below. Kerakawa's furnaces bathed the hills in gold and red light. It looked like a river of molten metal was spilling forth, giving the town its name.
As she sipped her wine she couldn't help but recall the valleys of Duihaiguo at sunset that her and her brother used to enjoy. Lin Liqiu shook her head, -It's only been a few months since we last took in a sunset, but it feels like a lifetime ago. Oh well, time to get to work.- She polished off the wine bottle before returning to the fire pit.
Lin Liqiu inspected the box furnace she'd created. Finding that the clay had sufficiently dried, she began adding a layer of pine charcoal. Once again she mobilized her chi to start the fire. After thirty minutes she started adding a layer of iron sand. She continued to use her chi to maintain the heat while working the bellows at the base of the furnace with her feet to provide the fire with a steady supply of oxygen. Every thirty minutes she added a new layer, alternating between the charcoal and the sand.
This continued for three days. Lin Liqiu was used to long hours at the forge and thought little of it, but this feat was only possible because her chi cultivation provided her with the mental fortitude to focus on her task without breaks or sleep while her ki refinement had bolstered her stamina to allow her to work continuously. Lin Liqiu was oblivious to this synergy, but Tomo was taking note of it as he monitored the situation through her Encyclopedia page.
Just as Lin Liqiu had been able to see the lights cast by Kerakawa, so too could they see the light of her furnace shining deep in the forest. On the second night a group of curious teenagers decided to go investigate the lights. They peeked through the trees into the clearing, even at this distance the temperature was intense. They saw a giant bronze woman feeding a roaring fire, a hazy golden glow protected her from the ravenous flames. Every time she stomped her feet a torrent of fire would rise as a pillar from the furnace, the subsequent heatwave forcing the teens to recoil. As the flames settled down they finally got a look at her face, the furnace caused deep shadows to play across her scars, twisting her visage into a cruel smile.
The teens couldn't take any more and were finally spooked off. As they turned to run back down the mountain they heard a hoarse voice call out, “If you return... bring wine.”
And thus a new chapter was added to the Demoness of the Forest Forge's legend.
Author's Notes:
[1] Kera is crude steel and Kawa is river in Japanese, so Kerakawa is the town where steal flows