Chapter 72: A Legend Passed Down Through Time
Zhu Rong never fully understood why Old Han had left his family,
a family just as prestigious as his own, one that had specialized in the art of forging for generations.
He was certain that, with Old Han’s talent, if he had remained with his family, he could’ve eventually reached the level of Master Blacksmith.
Still, he left everything behind and moved to another province, starting from scratch,
setting up his own forge, earning a reputation and clients over time, and eventually settling down after getting married.
Back then, Zhu Rong didn’t get what had pushed him to make that choice, especially when it was clear how much the man loved the art of forging,
you could see it in every item he made.
No matter the quality or value, each piece was forged with great care and dedication.
As of now, Old Han stood at the peak of the Expert rank in smithing, and truthfully, just one more step would take him into the realm of Master Blacksmith.
And yet there he was, still running a small forge.
Throughout the years of traveling across the continent and refining his own forging skills, Zhu Rong often found himself wondering what had led the old man to make that decision.
At one point, he started digging into the past of the Han family, hoping to better understand what kind of people they were.
And only then did he think he had finally found the answer.
He was currently in Old Han’s office, seated and staring at the steaming cup of tea that Auntie Lin had brought in.
In the small office of the Old Iron Shop, only the two of them were present. Old Han looked at him with a thoughtful expression.
Zhu Rong had thought about this moment long ago, and today, he had finally come with a business proposal.
The silence between them didn’t last long.
Soon enough, Old Han, who had remained quiet after hearing the young man’s words, finally spoke:
"So if I understood correctly... you want me to become the head blacksmith of your business?
Hahaha, kid, you only just joined the forge and you’re already saying you’ve started your own activity?
Aren’t you moving a bit too fast?" he asked, giving him a curious look.
Zhu Rong had been with the forge for less than a month, and yet he was already ready to start his own business, and even wanted him as his chief blacksmith?
It was understandable that Han Tiezhang found it amusing, but that didn’t mean he took the boy’s words lightly.
Even if they hadn’t known each other long, he had seen his forging skills, and considering his background, he didn’t dare underestimate him.
"Moving too fast? Not at all.
If it were up to me, I would’ve done this a long time ago.
But some circumstances kept making me postpone things for far too long.
Now the time has come, and I’d really like you to join me in this initiative of mine," said Zhu Rong, not at all offended by his tone.
He, too, wouldn’t have taken seriously the words of someone who, until recently, was still looking for work, saying now that he had a business and even wanted to recruit him?
Knowing himself, he’d probably give them a good spanking to knock some sense into them.
But this was different.
He had his own plans for the future, and he wasn’t about to let anything stop him from making them real.
"I don’t doubt your skills, hell, I’m not even sure I can keep up with you in terms of smithing anymore.
I’m sure you’ve got what it takes to succeed in this project of yours.
But as for your offer... I think I’ll have to decline," he said, his tone less playful now.
Zhu Rong didn’t flinch at those words.
"Old Han, don’t be so quick to refuse. At least take a look at what I’m offering," he said, as he pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it over.
It was basically a contract, a work agreement listing the benefits he was offering in return.
Among them, a 50% share of monthly profits,
All smithing resources provided free of charge,
Complete freedom in managing both materials and products.
There were other minor benefits scattered throughout, but even on its own, the contract was already incredibly generous.
So generous, in fact, that if any other blacksmith saw it, they wouldn’t think twice before accepting.
But this was not just any blacksmith, this was Old Han.
And even if he was clearly surprised at how good the terms were, he shook his head, ready to turn it down.
"These are just the base benefits," Zhu Rong said, knowing full well that money and resources had never been a priority for the man sitting across from him.
At those words, a faint flicker of interest appeared in Han Tiezhang’s eyes.
He wondered what else the boy had to offer, after all, the contract alone was already impressive.
What more could he possibly add?
’Well, guess I’ll hear him out,’ he thought, deciding to wait before giving his final answer.
In his mind, he had already made his decision.
So he wasn’t worried, he just waited calmly to hear what else the boy had to say.
But what Zhu Rong said next caught him completely off guard.
"Join me, and I promise that within three years, I’ll take you to the level of Grandmaster."
During his research into the Han family’s past, Zhu Rong had uncovered many interesting things.
They were, in many ways, like his own, an ancient and deeply rooted lineage.
So much so that their influence in their province ran far deeper than it appeared on the surface.
There was a legend, passed down through countless generations, that claimed that hundreds of thousands of years ago, in order to stop a disaster that had engulfed the entire Hanxu continent, the greatest experts from every empire came together.
For the first time in all of history, they united their powers to face the calamity.
The legend said that they had turned to the strength of several divine artifacts,
objects of immense power said to have descended from the heavens,
a gift from the gods above, sent to help defend the land from destruction.
These were artifacts so powerful that merely activating one could split the sky and shake the earth.
Many lives were lost in the effort to contain that disaster.
And along with them, most of those artifacts were lost as well, damaged beyond repair, never to be seen again.
During his travels, Zhu Rong discovered that one of those artifacts had shattered, leaving behind only its consciousness,
which, having remained isolated for centuries, eventually ended up in the hands of a certain family,
The Han family.