CHAPTER 10
Quietly, I sat at the bench of the mud house I currently stayed in with Henley and his family.
I used a twig to etch numbers into the damp sand, the rain having just stopped. The air was thick with the earthy scent of wet ground, and the usual hum of insects was absent.
I calculated my earnings from the last four months. In these parts, most peasants couldn’t read or write, but I had no intention of staying in the mud forever. If scratching numbers into the dirt could get me ahead, I’d carve the whole town square if I had to." So, I paid Healer Kim—one of the few literate souls in this part of the city—to teach me the basics. She’d even shared the bits of arithmetic she knew with me."
"It was strange, how quickly time had passed. The once-overwhelming city was now familiar, and my progress—though slow—was unmistakable.
In just four months, I’d earned nearly 28,000 coppers—almost as much as a farmer’s annual income of 35,000 to 40,000 coppers. The realization brought a rare smile to my face. From starting with nothing but a knife and sheer luck, this progress was nothing short of remarkable.
I’d earned nearly the same amount in just a quarter of the time—280 silvers in total! This didn’t account for the things that I had paid for out of that money, like paying for Healer Kim to teach me to read and write, getting a better outfit, buying little snacks for the girls, and paying Henley rent.
Yes, rent! I, Khan the Blood Conqueror, was paying an ordinary mortal for a roof over my head. At least I no longer had to do the chores I used to—though that would change once I found better lodging."
Considering all the expenses I had, there was only 200 silver left. "I set aside 150 silver for savings. The rest of it—what I could afford to spend—went into a small wooden chest with a sturdy lock, the kind that would keep prying eyes away. After all, I couldn't afford to take any chances with my hard-earned coins."
That left me with just fifty silvers for discretionary spending.
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Khan remained eager to invest his wealth wisely, with the aim of multiplying his silver further.
Today, I planned to meet with a blacksmith in need of funds to purchase more iron ingots for his trade. He was introduced by one of the farmers who frequented them. It seemed that offering free meals to the farmers and commoners who visited daily had been a smart move.
The meeting with the blacksmith was scheduled late in the afternoon today, Khan would have to leave the barbecuing and grilling of his catch to the farmers.
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Excitement stirred in me as I approached the smithy, though I worked to lower my expectations. I focused on the task ahead, exchanging polite nods and greetings with the workers along the way. This was the kind of opportunity I’d been hoping for—one that could make all my efforts in the last four months worthwhile. I would do my best to make the most of it.
The smithy stood at the heart of town, its rhythmic clang of hammers a steady pulse that bound the fragile community together beneath the Awoken Moon sect’s shadow."
It was situated near the central square, making it easily accessible to local residents. The blacksmith's workshop exuded an atmosphere of tradition, craftsmanship, and history.
The closer I drew, the more details of the smithy came into focus. Nestled near the town’s central square, it was a rugged structure of timber and stone. The clang of hammers and the faint tang of burning metal filled the air as I neared.
I approached the entrance of the smithy and reached the massive wooden door designed for moving raw materials and finished goods.
It even had an ironwork display hanging above the entrance. It was a big black hammer banging against an anvil. Not even a few months ago, my jaw would have dropped to the floor at the little intricacies and quirks needed to make the ironwork. I could tell that it needed a lot of skill to be made like that
The heavy wooden door resisted as I pushed, but my growing strength over the past months made the effort manageable. All the exercises I’d been doing were clearly paying off.
Big Randy was a mountain of a man in a compact frame, his soot-streaked skin glinting like tempered steel. White hair clung to the sides of his balding head, defying age with the energy of a seasoned craftsman. His every move echoed decades spent forging both iron and character.
The old bald man turned around with the creaking of the door to see me standing there looking at him.
He walked over and said, “You must be the lad Ronny told me about. You here to help get me some iron?”
“That’s what I came to find out sir.”
“Ha! Hes already started feeling me out.” He shouted, although this time, to no one in particular. "Alright, kid, back here. Name’s Big Randy. You’re the one they call Khan?"
Big Randy kept talking to me as he led me to the back of the shop. When we finally got there, there was an old woman cutting some pieces out of cloth and an equally old but fat man looking at the diagram of a longsword.
Big Randy introduced them one by one, That’s Michelle, my wife. And Igor’s the brains behind the hammer." Randy grinned. "Now, let’s get to business. Igor nodded curtly, while Big Randy’s wife offered a warm, grandmotherly smile as she set down a tray of tea and biscuits.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Her smile was warm, like a grandmother welcoming family home. It surprised me how such a simple gesture could stir something inside me. For a moment, I felt like I’d stepped into a place that truly cared for its guests.
Big Randy led me to a sturdy, well-worn table where he gestured for me to sit. The chairs, though simple, were surprisingly comfortable—likely a luxury for someone who spent most of his time surrounded by steel and fire.
“Alright, kid, here’s the deal. I’ve been at this for fifty years, not counting my apprentice days. Got word the Awoken Moon sect is gearing up for a big order—iron, talismans, training equipment, the works.” Obviously, for a place like the awoken moon sect, their demand will be incredibly high, we will barely be able to handle 5 percent, even with your investment. But, since it's such a large order, we still stand to make a lot of money.”
My ears immediately perked up, this was a chance to find out more about the sect and I wasn’t about to let it go by, “Why mundane materials like iron, isn't it a cultivation sect? I thought they would use exotic materials that can’t be found in the mortal world.”
Igor chuckled as the blacksmith spoke. 'If they wanted rare materials, do you think we’d be the ones supplying them? Be glad you’re young, or I’d have kicked you out for that kind of ignorance. The sect can’t rely solely on exotic resources like flying swords or enchanted carriages—it’s too costly, even for the Awoken Moon sect.' Also, kid, don’t go thinking every sect member gets a flying sword or glowing armor. Most of them start with basic iron gear—just enough ‘energy’ to look impressive. It’s for the newer cultivators, nothing more. That’s where we come in.. Did you really think that it was the actual powerful cultivators who would be using this?”
I honestly didn't know, for me back then, every cultivator was powerful.
After thinking on it for a while, I finally thought of something, “Well then how do you know they’ll buy from you instead of somebody else?”
“Good question, kid. I know a couple of spirit forge apprentices in the sect—they tipped me off. I double-checked with others before bringing this to you. Worst-case? The sect doesn’t bite. But iron’s always in demand. The city, merchants—there’s no shortage of buyers."
“Hmm, that seems like a good idea. Alright, how much do you need and when do you need it?”
“We need 300 silver in total in addition to our own money which is 100 silver. The more you add, the higher your percent of the profits of course. If you're feeling generous you can even add more than 300.” The old blacksmith laughed, and the rest of the people behind him exploded into laughter along with him. Igor a low rumbling, and the old lady, a light beautiful sound that should have come from the beak of a melody bird.
At some point during our conversation, she must have slipped away, for now she returned, moving slowly behind the blacksmith with a tray of tea and biscuits cradled in her mitted hands. “Here you go boys, be careful though, its hot.”
I quickly thanked her, but as I sipped the tea, my thoughts wandered back to the deal at hand. This was just a brief respite before the real business began."
“The old blacksmith continued, “ The latest we need the money for is 3 months from now. How much do you think you'll be able to contribute?”
Khan thought carefully through the pros and cons. ‘It’s risky, but the blacksmith doesn’t seem like a scammer—his shop, apprentices, and reputation speak for themselves. And scamming a sect? That’d be suicide. "This was the best opportunity I’d had in months, but was it worth the risk? One misstep, and I’d be back to nothing—or worse. But what choice did I have? Playing it safe had never gotten anyone anywhere, least of all me. If I wanted to rise, I had to gamble." with how things are going in the city so far, I don't think opportunities like this are a regular occurrence. Stuff like this probably doesn't happen often. I am not able to afford to wait however long it may take for another chance like this to come by. Maybe I might be too old to cultivate to any meaningful degree by then. That's even if I get the chance. I promised myself and my dad that I would become something. I chose to become a cultivator. This was the best opportunity I’d had in months. Rejecting it might mean rejecting my future. Playing it safe had never gotten anyone anywhere, least of all me. If I wanted to rise, I had to take the gamble. "Even if this deal didn’t pan out, the connection alone would be invaluable. I couldn’t let this opportunity slip away—not when it might be the doorway to my future."
The blacksmith’s words were direct, and I could hear the underlying promise of a lucrative deal beneath his casual tone. But even as I smiled and accepted his offer, I couldn’t ignore the weight of what was at stake." Even if the Awoken Moon sect didn’t pan out, iron would always be in demand. My mind worked through the possibilities—this was a rare opportunity.
“I’ll give you 100 silver upfront and another installment at the end of each month for the next three months. That should cover my share.”
Khan did this to allow for any hidden expenses he might have in his daily life. He didn't expect his hunting to go well all the time.
The blacksmith's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He’d heard rumors—mostly from his wife, the town’s chief gossip—that Khan was earning well. Still, he hadn’t expected the boy to have more than 20 silvers to his name. He had heard about how much money Khan was making, especially since the town had a lot of gossip mongers, namely his wife, and he never expected Khan to have that much money.
He immediately agreed, “Deal. When can I expect the 100 silver.”
“I can bring it later today.”
"Alright, would you like a tour of my shop before you leave? She's the most beautiful thing you'll ever see." His wife's expression soured at his comment, but I politely declined, explaining that I'd prefer to take the tour later, once I had the money in hand to pay him.
As I left the smithy, silver jingling in my pouch, a weight settled on my shoulders. This wasn’t just an investment—it was a promise to myself. If I failed here, I’d have no one to blame but me. Failure wasn’t an option.
As the meeting concluded, Big Randy rose from his seat, ‘Alright, let me see you off then.’ I shook his hand firmly, knowing that this was more than just a business deal. It was an opportunity—one that could change everything. I just hoped I wasn’t making a mistake.
His wife promptly joined, carrying an even larger tray filled with piping hot biscuits. I took one, but my mind was already turning over the details of the deal. A few warm biscuits wouldn’t calm the tingly feelings in my gut.". "I noticed you loved the first batch, so I've prepared a couple more for your journey home."
"Thank you, ma'am."
"If you're truly grateful, promise me you'll share your thoughts on them when you return, alright?"
"Of course, ma'am."
I left the smithy with a mix of excitement and uncertainty swirling in my mind. I had the money, but was this the right move? It felt like a gamble, but I couldn’t shake the sense that this could be the break I’d been waiting for.”
I took the cookies with me, and later returned with the money.
Little did I know, this seemingly simple choice would shape my future in ways I would never have hoped to imagine.