Kairos became Edgar’s disciple the same day. Technically, he is a student instead of a disciple, although the two terms are often used interchangeably, a student is there to learn and will leave afterwards, while a disciple is permanent relationship.

The prior normally is established upon a fair exchange, where the teacher only teaches someone who paid for the knowledge.

For Edgar Silverforge, he does not charge a standard price but goes according to his mood.

Siegfried, on the other hand, is family to Kairos as a disciple. However, Kairos could tell that Edgar treats him truly. Seeing that he has talent, the old dwarf wrote letters to his four buddies and sent them out.

Seeing his excitement, Kairos couldn’t help but ask, “Just what are the background of those four scrolls?”

The master dwarf looked at him carefully, then explained, “Normally this is a secret that must not be repeated, but you’ll definitely know it sooner or later.

While Erichthonius focused on making weapons and armours, the Master Sculptor make living things with his scalpel, the Metalwork Emperor can bend any metallic object to his will and control a thousand blades in battle, the Doll Master crafts living beings with endless potential and are nigh indestructible called the homunculus, and the Gemstone Dictator can store the energy of a sun in a single crystal, the accessories and jewelleries he forged can make a regular human as powerful of a battle stronghold.

These five scrolls are a complete set, handed down from father to son in the four dwarven clans. Only the most talented child may inherit.”

“Four clans? But isn’t there five scrolls?”

“There were five clans, the Bluebeard received the Doll Master’s inheritance, the Scarlethammer kept the Master Sculptor’s, the Goldplate clan protected the Metalwork Emperor’s belongings, and my clan is the Silverforge. The last clan was called Brightgem, and they took care of the Gemstone Dictator’s treasures, but they lived in gemstone caves away from the other dwarves. Inevitably their clan were found and destroyed by the greed of men.

The few that survived escaped with the Gemstone Dictator’s scroll.”

Kairos nodded understandably. To own a treasure, one must have equal force of arm to keep it, otherwise not just a clan – even a country can disappear. Kairos’ thoughts turned gloomy all-of-a-sudden, the same thing had happened to Edward’s family causing his sworn brother to turn into an orphan overnight because of a pill recipe.

The dwarf seemingly oblivious to Kairos’ mood changes, continued excitedly, “While the Brightgem clan no longer exist, the scroll: Gemstone Dictator’s Secret was inherited by a true genius. My best buddy, Lulu Brightgem.

I have studied my scroll for two hundred years and only learnt less than a quarter but she could master half of her scroll in the same time.”

“Is that teacher’s girlfriend?” Kairos suddenly asked, only to see Edgar’s face turn bright red.

“You little rascal, is that how you talk to your teacher? A… anyway… she is only my peer. A respectable blacksmith. Remember to be polite when she arrive.”

“Heh heh. Your student will remember teacher’s words by hard,” Kairos said cheekily, “By the way teacher Edgar, I have been curious…”

“Hmm?”

“Just how long does dwarves live?”

To spend two hundred years studying a single scroll is unthinkable for a human’s lifespan. Of course, cultivators can live longer because of their powerful vitality, but there should be none here. Humans live around fifty to a hundred and twenty normally whereas Orcs can survive as much as seventy years without cultivation.

Edgar was surprised by the question but he answered, “We can live seven hundred and fifty years, give and take a couple of decades.”

Kairos sucked in a breath of cold air in surprise. To have that much longevity… the dwarves are really made of rocks, steel, and fires as rumoured.

Legends depict how each race were born, the humans from dirt, dwarves sprung forth from an ancient mountain, and Orcs from the wind and flames as a divine forest burned. As for the elves, where they come from are steeped in all kinds of legends and no one can tell which tale is true for certain. Of course, these are only the common races, there are still many others out there.

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Edgar continued without waiting, “I’ve sent out word to the other masters. They are old friends of mine and should respond soon enough. Boy, you’ll only have a week to quickly brush up on your knowledge and not make of fool of yourself. We’ll start immediately when you’re ready.”

“I can start anytime teacher,” Kairos said confidently.

Only for Edgar to shake his head and say, “You better go visit your friends who had been waiting for you all this time.”

Kairos embarrassedly smiled. He really ought to meet with Relestia and the rest. Once he get into a craft, he simply lost focus on all other things. Thinking about it he felt sorry to have forgotten those who cared for him.

Kairos quickly thanked the master smith and left the compound. Afterwards, declaring that he is busy, Edgar retreated into his study to read the scroll that Kairos fixed. The real reason he had directed Kairos away was because he can wait no longer.

When Kairos found his group, Linda was the most excited of them all, followed by Relestia.

“Big brother! You’re finally back. I missed your cooking!”

The little girl flung herself into Kairos who easily caught her.

Carrying the little imp in his hands, he was certain that Leo had been feeding her well for the last month. The man’s effort to cook for his daughter had paid off, and for whatever talent he was lacking, he followed strictly by the recipe.

Of course, as Laksa’s direct disciple, Kairos is still the better chef, at least in terms of recipes and experience. But given Leo’s performance thus far, Kairos has to admit that the man is even more talented than himself as a chef.

In ten or twenty years, Leo will no doubt be a name that is known across the Axis.

He secretly looked forward to the future.

Relestia also wanted to fling herself into Kairos, but while she is around eleven in her mind, her body is already fifteen.

Not only is she a beautiful young lady, she is a little too tall to let Kairos catch her like Linda.

However, that didn’t stop the little princess from running right into an embrace.

“I missed you!” Relestia said loudly, as if the volume of her voice could emphasise her feelings.

“I missed you as well,” Kairos smiled as he brushed his hand over the princess’ long smooth hair.

Only to see the princess puff up her cheeks and said, “I missed your food more!”

On the side Linda rapidly bobbed her head up and down.

Leo looked at the two ladies and smiled without saying a word. He is also glad that Kairos had returned, but as an old man, of course he can’t act inappropriately.

Instead, he came closer and asked, “Did you get accepted by Master Edgar?”

Only then did the two girls realise they had forgotten the most important question and chirped in.

Kairos happily nodded.

“I knew it. It will be stranger for a person as talented as you to fail.”

Kairos laughed then said, “Since it is still early for dinner, shall we go splurge a little to celebrate?”

Kairos’ conversation with Edgar was short and swift and he had left the blacksmith’s place around six in the evening.

The others are of course thrilled to go around town before a late dinner.

Blacken Soot City is separated into multiple sections like living quarters, shopping alley, rare magical creatures’ emporium, the black market, guild halls, blacksmiths lane, entertainment street, the diners, farms, barracks, and four more sections for each of the dwarven clans.

If one travels up by the floating platforms, they will reach the gnome city: Royal Garden City, situated in the same mountain.

Few know that this is the gnomes’ way of symbolizing that they are above their dwarven cousins, and those that do dare not speak it out.

The past month while Kairos had been receiving his tests, their little group had been going around exploring the city. Although they also intended to visit the gnome garden, they were told that entry is by invitation only.

The inns are located in the entertainment street, right besides the shopping alley, the black market, and magical creatures’ emporium.

As they went off together, Kairos was glad to find out that the other group, the burly merchant and his family, have already settled down.

At this time, Leo had an uneasy wrinkle on his face as he considered should he tell Kairos about something. Looking at his indecisiveness, Kairos urged him to speak.

With a sigh, Leo said, “It’s the girlie, she had been going around boasting about you.”

“The merchant’s girl?”

Leo nodded, “The girlie already joined a group of young and rich kids as one of them. But none of them are dwarves and it worries me.”

The dwarven race are known to be down-to-earth, straightforward, and honest. Moreover, this is a dwarven city. For a social group to be without a single dwarf seemed odd, even dangerous.

Kairos quickly noted it and promised to keep an eye out on the girl, but before anything happened, he did not have a reason to pull her away. The girl is not his ward; besides she had been using his name.

As the group walked towards the shopping alley, Kairos fell back a little. In his palm a small red dragon curled up on itself, slowly lifted its head and looked at him.

“I’ll leave it to you.”

The dragon roared fiercely, portraying its bestial might and majesty.

“You little thing wants to tell me you’re all grown now? Well, make sure no one dies, alright?”

The dragon, obviously brightened up, yelped happily and flew away. Not forgetting to do a little swiggly squiggly dance in the air first.

The fire dragonling had been the first of its kind to appear by Kairos’ side, along with its frost dragonling twin.

They are born from Kairos’ Dantian, after he directed a strand of dragon-shaped Ki into a weapon craft, they gain sentience.

When the weapon breaks, the dragonling will seek its creator.