Of course.

If you really calculate, it cannot be done this way, but the final numbers probably won't deviate much.

After all, historical records of logistics aren't scarce, and around a thousand years ago, on average, it took three or four major battles to destroy a weapon.

From this, one can see.

Before the enhancement of steel and iron technology during the Yuan Dynasty, how significant the weapon attrition was in wars.

And if it were only about high weapon attrition, that wouldn't be the end of it.

You break, I break too, it's just a comparison of material reserves.

The fear is that on the battlefield, other people's weapons are better than yours. After one strike, your blade breaks while theirs remain intact, becoming quite the spectacle for Meledi watching a movie.

Thus, the moment assurance was secured from Xu Yun's mouth.

Old Zhong and Wang Hou, the two senior generals with the highest ranks in the army (Tong Guan is no longer even the Governor of Xixia, He, Lan, and Huang), immediately thought of the possibilities of weapon application.

Imagine.

When two armies engage.

The enemy ferociously swings a large blade at you, yet clad in heavy armor, you remain unmoved, allowing the opponent to strike at will.

Your health bar merely shows '-1' '-1' continuously, and when you grow impatient, you raise your knife hand, striking to decapitate both their weapon and head.....

Slip.

Old Zhong wiped away non-existent drool, anxiously inquiring:

"Xiaowang, could you impart this skill to the Artifact Bureau... no, to the Military Equipment Supervision?

"Old Zhong and Commander Wang can assure you here that the Court will certainly grant you a great reward!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Hou nodded vigorously in agreement:

"Chengxuan Envoy speaks the truth. If you truly offer this skill, the two of us will surely commend you before Your Majesty!"

Your Majesty?

Emperor Huizong of Song?

Xu Yun shook his head slightly in his heart, but outwardly he feigned hesitation, saying:

"Offering this skill isn't difficult, if I intended to hide my talent, I wouldn't have sought Master Qi for assistance. The main issue is still one thing...."

Old Zhong glanced at him, asking:

"What is it? Is it that only that donkey knows how to operate the bellows? This is simple, just feed it more fodder."

"If iron is poured every half an hour, letting it rest one hour daily, over 20 cauldrons of molten iron can be produced, which is sufficient."

Xu Yun shook his head:

"No... Sigh, let me be straightforward, based on the technique passed down from Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sect, if certain materials are added during the iron casting process, the product can be enhanced two or three dozen times....."

Clang——

Upon hearing Xu Yun's words.

Old Zhong, who never thought he would lose composure today, failed to contain his emotions once again, inadvertently loosening the knife handle in his hand.

With a clang, it fell to the ground, meeting the knife blade again.

He just stared blankly at Xu Yun, mouth twitching slightly, looking nothing like the high and mighty War God he was earlier:

"Xiaowang, are you saying adding certain materials can enhance the horseshoe base two, three, four times?"

"To the Chengxuan Envoy, it's two, three dozen times."

Xu Yun corrected Old Zhong and continued:

"Two, three dozen times is just the base, if the conditions of the materials are right, enhancing four to five dozen times is not difficult...."

Gulp——

In the silence, Wang Yue, who had just recovered, swallowed his saliva.

If that kind of blade hits the body, even allicin won't save it, right?

Old Zhong opened his mouth, instinctively wanting to refute with "nonsense".

But his peripheral vision caught the broken blade and handle on the ground, and he involuntarily stopped the retort at his throat:

"Xiaowang, do you have proof of what you say?"

"Of course."

Xu Yun nodded, retrieving another dagger from his person, and handed it to Old Zhong:

"Try this."

Old Zhong took the dagger, weighing it in his hand a few times.

How to put it.....

There wasn't a discernible difference in quality, and the feel wasn't distinguishable either.

He glanced at Xu Yun, without needing further explanation, he swung the blade toward the horse iron hoof.

Clang——

A crisp collision sound rang out.

Where Old Zhong's dagger had cracked earlier, leaving only a small mark on the horseshoe, an exceptionally deep cut appeared this time!

If Old Zhong struck a few more times, he could undoubtedly sever it completely!

Old Zhong exhaled heavily through his nose.

I must admit.

Xu Yun brought him far too many surprises today.

Wang Hou, standing nearby, stepped forward quickly, feeling the crack on the horseshoe, then focusing on the dagger in Old Zhong's hand.

Turning around, with gaze fixed on Xu Yun, he asked:

"Xiaowang, is this dagger the product containing those materials?"

Xu Yun nodded:

"Correct."

As the two conversed, Old Zhong also snapped back to reality, asking urgently:

"Xiaowang, what exactly is the material you mentioned?"

Xu Yun raised his eyelids, glanced at him, and said slowly:

"This material is called nickel, derived from an extracted mineral material."

Old Zhong was no fool and immediately realized from Xu Yun's words another implication, guessing:

"Xiaowang, is such mineral difficult to mine, hence its rarity?"

Xu Yun shook his head, saying:

"The mining difficulty of nickel ore isn't high, but its distribution is somewhat unique....."

"How unique?"

"Its deposits are not in the Central Plains but in Yilu."

As is well known.

Nickel can expand the γ-phase region in steel, forming an unlimited solid solution, with a maximum solubility in α-iron of about 10%.

Moreover, it will not form carbides, increasing the product's corrosion resistance.

It is an excellent hardening material.

Iron products with and without nickel are like fried rice with or without Laoganma, completely different in nature.