Becoming a Blacksmith

Alvin hesitated for a moment, then approached Grizzle tentatively. "Um, hi there! Auntie Rui said you might need some help cleaning the forge?"

Grizzle looked up, his face initially stern, but he broke into a toothy grin. "Aha! So you're the new recruit, eh? Well, about time! The forge won't clean itself!"

He pointed at a broom in the corner, not bothering to ask Alvin's name. Auntie Rui, who was initially smiling, suddenly became angry and berated Grizzle.

"You darn old fogey! I brought an assistant for you, and you didn't even ask his name before putting him to work. Do you have no manners, or are you looking down on me?" she scolded.

Only then did Grizzle notice Rui standing in the doorway. He swiftly changed his demeanor, putting on a fawning expression. "Ah, little girl, you also came! I thought it was this little fellow only who showed up."

Hearing Grizzle call Auntie Rui "little girl," Alvin couldn't help but give her a strange look. Rui, a plump middle-aged lady, was clearly not a little girl from any angle. But before he could voice his thoughts, Auntie Rui shot him a glare that could have melted steel. Feeling embarrassed, she scolded Alvin, "What are you looking at?"

Alvin replied, "Nothing, Auntie. I'm just checking the sky for any black clouds hiding among the white ones, you know, to see if it'll rain today."

Rui and Grizzle were left speechless.

"I'm convinced," Grizzle chuckled, gesturing toward the scorching sun hanging high in the morning sky, "you can even spot signs of rain in this weather." "Seriously, can't you find a better excuse?"

Alvin scratched his head in embarrassment. Ignoring Alvin, Rui turned to Grizzle angrily.

"You old man, I've told you a thousand times not to call me 'little girl.' I'm forty years old for heaven's sake!" she huffed.

Grizzle, with his innocent demeanor, replied, "But I am 405 years old."

Rui was rendered speechless once more. "Fine, call me anything," she grumbled. She was truly tired of this old man's antics.

Meanwhile, Alvin's jaw nearly hit the floor. "405..." he stammered.

Grizzle, with a calm expression, explained, "When you become a cultivator, it's normal to live beyond the age barriers of common humans."

Alvin nodded dumbly, trying to process this new information. Grizzle then put on a stern face again and asked, "Very well, young man, introduce yourself to this old man."

"Alvin Everhart, I am 17 years old..." Alvin began, but before he could finish, Grizzle cut him off, "You can call me Old Man Grizzle. Now take the broom and start cleaning. I'm a little busy here, don't disturb me."

Alvin nodded obediently. As for the old man interrupting him, Alvin wasn't bothered. He had often been beaten and scolded by his employers, even when he had done his work properly. Compared to them, this was nothing. Alvin very well understood that only the capable would be respected from a very young age due to the circumstances he lived in.

"Kid, I will be going. Take care," Rui also walked out after speaking to Alvin. Alvin just nodded in response.

After Rui left, Alvin started cleaning while Grizzle began hammering the sword. There wasn't much to clean there. Alvin dusted the weapons arranged on the racks and then collected the scrap metals in the corner of the forge. Within 3 to 4 hours, Alvin finished all his work.

"Not bad, kid," Grizzle nodded approvingly. "You can take some rest; I'll tell you when there's more work."

Alvin hesitated, then asked, "Sir, can I watch from the side when you forge?"

Grizzle looked surprised, "Young man, have you learned forging before?" Alvin shook his head, "No, sir. I'm interested in forging, but I haven't studied it before."

Grizzle looked at Alvin silently. Thinking his request was refused, Alvin hastily apologized, "Sorry for the rude request, sir. I'll wait outside." But before he could leave, Grizzle stopped him with a grin, "First, stop calling me sir. You can call me Old Man. Second, there's no problem with you watching, just don't disturb me."

Alvin became excited, "Thank you, Old Man." Grizzle ignored him, focusing on his work, while Alvin sat by the side, hoping to learn something.

As time passed, Grizzle reached the finishing point of the blade he was forging. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Alvin still observing him with keen interest, though it was clear he didn't understand a thing about forging.

Grizzle shook his head, "Hey, kid, I'm a grandmaster-level forger. If you can learn something just by watching me, you might be the reincarnation of some forging saint."

Alvin scratched his head in embarrassment, thinking, 'Darn, does this old man have to expose me like that?'

Grizzle observed Alvin for a while and asked, "Do you want to learn how to forge?" Alvin first nodded, then hesitated and shook his head.

Grizzle was left speechless, "If you don't want to learn, why the heck have you been staring at me for hours like an idiot?"

Alvin, with some hesitation, said, "Old Man, I want to study, but I don't have money."

Grizzle suddenly understood. "Kid, I'm a grandmaster-level forger. Even if you sell yourself, you won't be able to afford a single class from me." Grizzle burst into laughter, realizing Alvin's concern.

Grizzle looked at Alvin one more time, and suddenly he thought about his master who took him as a disciple when he was little. Grizzle was an orphan, and it was his master who felt pity for him and took him as a disciple. Thinking of that kind old man, Grizzle became somewhat emotional.

Grizzle took a deep breath and said, "Consider it fate, kid. Whether you have talent or not, this old man has decided to take you as my disciple."

Looking at Alvin's blank expression, Grizzle felt helpless. "You don't have to pay, kid. It's completely free..." Before Grizzle could finish, as soon as the word "free" left his mouth, Alvin suddenly greeted him, "Disciple greets Master."

Grizzle was dumbfounded, although he looked calm, his mind was in turmoil. "I...," he struggled to find words.

Alvin's premature greeting left him screaming internally, 'Darn kid, at least let me finish what I'm saying. Am I a joke to you? I'm a dignified 9-star grandmaster, and you'll accept my classes only if they're free? You're looking down on me.'

Muttering to himself, Grizzle walked into a small room.

After a few minutes, when he returned, he was holding a hammer in his hands. he handed to Alvin the hammer with a solum expression.

"This is the hammer, my master gave me when he first took me as his disciple" Grizzle said with a solum expression.". so for your first class you will also use this hammer as a form of respect to my master"

Alvin nodded.

Grizzle cleared his throat, adjusting his stance to face Alvin, he began speaking. "Alright, kid, listen up. Forging isn't just about hitting metal with a hammer. There are a lot of things you must know in order to bring the best out of everything you forge"

Alvin hurriedly asked, "How do I do that, Master?".

Grizzle said while caressing his beard. "How to forge correctly, that's a million-gold question, isn't it? But the answer is very simple. It's all about finding your own rhythm in every strike your hammer makes, more like conducting an orchestra. Each strike is a note in the symphony of your creation."

Alvin's brow furrowed in confusion. "I don't seem to understand."

Grizzle smiled. "No worries, you will understand slowly. Now, watch closely."

With that, Grizzle picked up a piece of metal and began to demonstrate the process of forging.