The middle-aged man placed the package he had brought on a round table. He unknotted the cloth, and the items in the dusty package were exposed to the afternoon sun.
Inside was an ingot of gold the size of two fingers and a dark metal block the size of an arm.
This bit of gold is half a year's savings of Kanoda's family.
Gold may be expensive, but for blacksmiths, this metal nugget is even rarer.
This metal block is one of the magic materials necessary for making enchanted equipment, blackwater refined steel.
This piece of blackwater refined steel was accidentally obtained by Kanoda's grandfather when he was reclaiming wasteland. At that time, many blacksmiths and businessmen wanted to buy this piece of steel at a high price, but this shrewd old man refused.
This large piece of blackwater refined steel can not only forge an enchanted weapon worth thousands of gold. As long as it is placed in the hands of a skilled forger, this piece of blackwater refined steel is enough to forge a whole range of weapons including armor and swords.
A complete set of enchanted equipment.
An enchantment set with excellent attributes is enough to exchange for a real estate in the center of a big town. The old man who understood its value left this item as a family heirloom to the next generation, hoping that one of his descendants would be a forging master who could make the most of it.
The true value of blackwater refined steel.
For a blacksmith, the value of the precious forging material Blackwater Refined Steel far exceeds the equivalent amount of gold. Using this as a gift is undoubtedly a generous gift.
Although this piece of material has little value in the hands of ordinary people, he would not have taken out this object if he had not understood that the strange blacksmith was not an ordinary person and that Kanoda was eager to "hope that his son would succeed."
However, the "apprenticeship ceremony" carefully prepared by Kanoda did not have the effect he wanted.
The old blacksmith casually took a look at the small piece of shining gold and the strange object that looked like an ordinary iron block but had the element of water in it.
Unlike those blacksmiths in the village who had shining eyes, his only reaction was to sneer, either intentionally or unintentionally, and then shook his head to reject Kanoda's request.
Although Kanoda was a little unhappy, he still said respectfully: "Master, my son is indeed quite talented in forging. Why don't you refuse in a hurry and let my son show off his skills?"
"oh?"
The old blacksmith opened his eyes wide and blew out a smoke ring, seeming to be somewhat interested in Canoda's proposal.
The man felt secretly happy and immediately motioned to the rural boy to go work on the forging furnace that was still working.
"There is no need to waste my material, he is not qualified."
But just as the young man picked up the handle of the blower, the old blacksmith stood up from his chair and stopped him.
The rural boy could only return to his father with a look of shock and disappointment. Kanoda stepped forward angrily and said, "But he hasn't done anything yet? How can you say he is unqualified?"
The old blacksmith really wasn't trying to make things difficult for the father and son. He just looked at the boy's walking posture and detailed expressions and discovered the problem.
"This child's steps are sloppy, his energy is weak, and his eyes are blurred. Your son has been a blacksmith for three months, breathed smoke for three months, and watched sparks for three months. His body is already like this. He
Not a blacksmith."
After speaking, the old blacksmith with vicious eyes coughed twice and sat back on his armchair again.
It's really strange. How did the old blacksmith know that his son had been learning blacksmithing for three months?
Kanoda was very puzzled, but he didn't know that the old blacksmith's perceptual ability was far beyond comparison. He could see through this young man's background with just a casual glance. It can even be said that the old blacksmith's understanding of this young man he met for the first time was in some aspects.
It's deeper than Canoda, the father.
But even if the old blacksmith told these reasons, Kanoda still didn't want his son to miss the opportunity like this, so he continued to persuade:
"My child is born to endure hardship. He is willing to work hard. He has endured all the hardships of learning forging. He has not complained to me these days. Master, please accept him!"
Not only was the old blacksmith completely unmoved, he actually sneered and said: "If you want him to suffer from blindness and swollen hands and feet after he turns thirty, then let him suffer like this."
"This, how could this happen..."
Kanoda was stunned by the old blacksmith's words, and his intuition told him that this was not alarmist. His son had indeed told him that the flames of the forging furnace were so intense that his eyes were red, swollen and bloodshot after practicing for an hour.
Kanoda didn't take it seriously before. After all, the blacksmiths said this was normal.
But the problems raised by the experienced old blacksmith made Kanoda a little scared.
"Let's all go back. There's no need to waste time on an old man like me."
The old blacksmith looked up at the father and son, his eyes filled with helplessness.
"You are not the first person to come up to the mountain and talk to me about this these days. I just want to say: young people, if you want to learn anything, don't come to me. I have nothing to teach you."
"Well, then, let's say goodbye."
Kanoda is not an ignorant person. Since the old blacksmith really has no intention of recruiting apprentices, it is useless for him to stick his hot face to his cold butt.
And because of what the old blacksmith said, Kanoda began to consider whether to plan a future for his son.
Kanoda took the boy's hand and walked out of the dull blacksmith shop. As soon as he stepped outside, he felt that the air outside was really pure and fresh.
The old blacksmith chose this place to retire, and he really found a good place.
"Eh? Dad, who are these people?"
The rural boy pulled his father's arm and pointed at the five people standing at the door of the shop.
Kanoda only noticed the existence of these five people after being reminded by his son, which shocked Kanoda.
You must know that it was just at the beginning, but he didn't hear anyone else's footsteps. The five people who appeared at the door were as silent as if they suddenly jumped out.
If it weren't for his son's reminder, Kanoda might just ignore them and simply go down the mountain.
Kanoda stopped, turned around and looked at the five people.
These five people were all wearing white hooded robes and looked like they were members of a certain group.
Since the large robe covered the whole body, Kanoda couldn't tell the difference between men and women just by looking at their backs. However, looking at the shape of the robes being held up, it seemed that they were all wearing armor under the robes.
"Is he an adventurer? It doesn't look like him."
Kanoda murmured in his mouth that he could not understand the identities of these five people.
"Hey! Brothers, you are..."
Out of curiosity, Canoda walked over to these people.
However, he had just taken two steps when the man in white robe closest to him, standing in the lower left corner of the line, suddenly turned around and stopped him.
To be precise, he was restrained.
At this time, the left hand of the man in white robe stopped half an inch from the man's throat, and his right hand held the hilt of the sword at his waist. The exposed half of the sword's blade was giving off a chill in the afternoon sun.
The whole set of movements was as smooth as lightning, and in the blink of an eye, the man's life was in the opponent's control.
"Hello? Uh!!"
Kanoda, who was still unclear about the situation, raised his head and looked into the eyes of the tall man in white robes, and an awe-inspiring killing intent suddenly locked his heart.
No need for extra words, if he dares to take another step forward... it will be death!