How to build a Sect?

[Pind_Ala]

... i uh... dont think asking about what changes he could bring really applies much if this is an original story without 'source material'?

Click to shrink...

Thank you for reply.

You see, these little harmless questions I post under most of my chapters are to increase engagement with audience.
A way for me, Author to talk to readers.
But nobody talks to me here....

Anyway, this is to all my readers.
I do judge what you answer and if I can gain some inspiration from it, it's good. Else we can simply pass on a light remark between each other.
I can answer any of your doubts if you have. answering with text - spoiler if it's answered in the story later.
Or answer directly, if it's already explained.

So you replying to my silly questions I write at the end, is just us getting to know each other.
where other part of us is the whole reader base, not a single person.

 

[Pind_Ala]

"Master Kitae, I have deeply admired your work since I was a child. Can... can you please give me some pointers on my hammer technique?" Lady Fe asked softly, finally letting out all the pent-up anxiety she had been holding back since taking her seat next to the legendary figures.

"Youngster Fe, let us revisit this topic during the intermission break, or perhaps after the tournament concludes," Master Kitae replied with a dismissive, albeit polite, wave of his hand.

"O-Okay..."

After that brief, awkward exchange, the judges completely stopped talking. Once again, the only sound echoing throughout the massive venue was the deafening rhythm of metal striking metal.

CLANG!

CLANG!

Well, it looks like I need to lead them again, Zani thought bitterly, observing the silent experts. These esteemed masters might be gods of the forge, but they are terrible at public speaking or engaging a crowd.

"Then let me step into your field," Zani muttered under his breath. Picking up his voice-enhancing artifact, he addressed the stadium.

"I do not possess much personal knowledge about the art of forging. Like many of you in the audience, I will only be able to pass my judgment after seeing the finished product. To the untrained eye, the people on this stage are merely swinging hammers."

Zani's magically amplified voice washed over the crowd, instantly grabbing their attention.

"But fear not, people! The reason you are here today, and the reason we have invited these legendary masters to sit on this panel, is not just to judge the participants. It is to help you understand what true forging is. It is to help you realize that every single strike from a blacksmith matters! So please, enjoy the process. Perhaps today, you will gain the valuable knowledge needed to judge whether you are purchasing a well-crafted iron blade in the future, or just an overpriced piece of junk decorated with shiny stones!"

Speaking these words, Zani paused slightly, making deliberate eye contact with the others sitting near him.

Meanwhile, the crowd immediately erupted into excited cheers. Who would have thought that coming here merely to fulfill their passing curiosity would end up being so highly educational and beneficial for their future purchases?

"Masters, please. Could you walk the audience through the process a bit?" Zani asked, turning to the panel. Before the older hermit could grunt in annoyance, he smoothly deflected the burden. "Actually, let us not burden the esteemed grandmasters with such basic explanations. Let the talented prodigy, Lady Fe, handle the introductions. If she is wrong anywhere, I hope the masters can step in to correct her."

Lady Fe's eyes widened, completely caught off guard, but a thrill of excitement quickly replaced her nerves. This was a phenomenally rare chance to test her knowledge aloud in front of her idols, and perhaps she might even learn something new if they corrected her.

Taking a deep breath, she picked up her artifact and started speaking. She meticulously detailed everything, from how the raw iron is properly melted to remove impurities, down to how the final quenching process is completed.

Zani's brows immediately furrowed into a tight knot.

Is she teaching a literal classroom right now? This is not what I meant by walking us through the process! I wanted you to casually comment on the participants' current progress, and instead, you are sitting here explaining the fundamental chemistry of metal like you are reading from an ancient textbook! And the audience... wait, they are actually quietly listening to this?!

Zani stared at the silent, utterly captivated crowd in sheer disbelief. This world really is completely messed up in the entertainment department!

Despite his internal complaints about the lack of jokes or witty banter, he did not hurry to intervene. If the people were happy with a dry lecture, he would gladly let them have it.

Meanwhile, the participants from Group 1 finally started turning in their finished results. The massive hourglass signaled that the time was up, but only six people had actually managed to finish forging a Bodkin Point. This brutal completion rate clearly demonstrates just how overwhelmingly harsh the screening task is.

"From my perspective, all of you fail. The only one in this group who actually possesses a tiny bit of talent did not even finish his arrowhead on time. What a massive disappointment," Master Waheed, the hermit smith, declared bluntly. He was the very first to pass judgment.

Zani's eyes widened in genuine surprise. He could accurately tell their talent levels before the products were even finished? Now this is genuinely surprising. Can the other two also do this?

"If we must pick a winner from this batch, nonetheless," Master Kitae added, his tone just as unapologetically harsh as his friend's. "Then these three are of roughly equal, passable quality. The other two are just pure junk."

Seeing the crushed, devastated expressions on the sweaty participants' faces, Zani quickly realized he had to step in and do some rapid damage control. If he did not soothe things over, he might watch these hardened men completely break down in front of thousands of people.

"First of all, I would like to sincerely thank everybody for stepping onto this stage today," Zani announced warmly. "For those who did not finish on time, it can simply be because of the pressure and nervousness. It absolutely does not mean you lack the necessary skills. But now that your work is being seen by such renowned masters, you must give it your hundred percent! Do not be disheartened by a loss; take this golden opportunity to learn and improve!"

Then, he side-eyed the young female smith. Looks like it's going to be up to you again. "Now, Lady Fe, if you may give some specific pointers to the juniors and help us finalize the two contestants who will be moving forward today."

The entire first day smoothly passed in this exact rhythm of educational commentary, harsh expert judgments, and Zani's diplomatic cheering.

The Next Day

Contrary to Zani's predictions, the line outside the venue the following morning was vastly larger than before. More than ninety percent of the crowd were eager returnees, utterly fascinated by the profound forging knowledge they had acquired the previous day. The rest were new spectators who had originally decided to wait until the second day to attend.

For the second day of the tournament, the rules are significantly stricter. The remaining competitors are divided into groups of five, with two groups only having four people. In the end, only the best blacksmith from each group will advance, finalizing a Top 8 roster by sunset.

This time, however, instead of just handing the exact same gear to everyone, the participants must first successfully evaluate and choose a piece of raw scrap metal from a massive pile. Using only that scrap, they must forge a functional knife. Along with raw toughness and sharpness, the beauty and aesthetic balance of the final result will also be heavily judged.

There are eight groups in total, each given exactly one hour to perform.

Up in the crowded spectator stands, three figures completely shrouded in dark cloaks sat tightly together, whispering amongst themselves.

"Dear, I still do not see her."

"Did sister leave this rural dojo too, and start wandering the empire again?"

"No, she is definitely still here. I predicted her fate just a day ago to make sure she is safe."

"Keep quiet, please!"

Kai, the water-forging blacksmith sitting directly beside them, could not help but snap at the weird family of three. These damn, uncivilized peasants keep murmuring! Do they not know my goddess, Lady Fe, is currently delivering profound commentary on the stage?!

Ignoring the annoyed young man entirely, one of the cloaked figure suddenly pointed a finger toward the gates.

"Oh, look at the towering security man. I think it's her."

"Yes, Father, it resembles something from Aunt's private artifact collection."

"Huh... oh, my heavens!" The mother's voice melted with absolute adoration. "My sweet baby is playing security guard! So cute. Let your mother help see if anybody dares to ruin your fun."

The three cloaked figures happily started murmuring again. Thankfully, Kai was far too busy admiring the beautiful Lady Fe to pay any attention to them again. Otherwise, the art of Water Forging might have truly gone extinct from the empire today.

The second day eventually came to a highly successful end. Next would be the final day of the grand tournament.

Backstage

"Ohhh... my aching back. I really am forcing myself to sit up there on those chairs," Master Kitae groaned, stretching his spine as they walked out through the venue's back gates.

"You think you are the only one suffering, Kitae? Age really is taking a heavy toll on us," Master Waheed agreed, massaging his shoulders.

As the two legends walked under the starry night sky, making their way toward the accommodations Zani had prepared for them at the Iron Core Dojo, the atmosphere between them turned slightly serious.

"Hey, Waheed."

"Huh?"

"I am going to take that kid as my personal apprentice," Master Kitae stated firmly, his eyes flashing with a rare, satisfied light. "Yes... after fully passing on my lifelong knowledge, I think I will finally retire."

"Well..." Master Waheed chuckled softly, stroking his long beard. "I have also been thinking of doing the exact same thing for a while now..."

The two old friends talked lightly, their hearts filled with newfound purpose as they walked toward their temporary home.

______________________________

[Question: Let's see if anyone can guess exactly who they are talking about? ]

[Spoiler: It's going to begin from next chapter, I hope you are ready to see the dark side of your Author-san. hehehehe] (This tag will be used by me, to leak some spoilers to you from Author-san side. remember me, I am Patham, the clumsy) (- * -)

[Author Note: I am remove two free chapter feature from patreon. Although you can always read 10+ chapters on the early access. PLEASE DO NOT READ SPOILER NOTES]

 

[Pind_Ala]

"So, this is where you are hiding. My love..."

The tournament moved into its final, highly anticipated phase.

On the stage, all eight final participants were performing together simultaneously. From the final products they will produce, the definitive first, second, and third-place winners will be selected.

This final round lasts eight hours, during which candidates can freely create any weapon they desire. In the end, their creations will be stringently judged with various physical tests and evaluating metrics such as raw strength, slicing, and piercing capabilities, etc.

Although the professional judges were a little confused as to why the weapons must go through destructive testing, believing they could judge better through their vast experience alone, Zani strictly insisted that it was to better stimulate the audience.

That is exactly why the testing criteria were publicly announced a day prior, leading to many more people desperately struggling to enter the packed venue today.

As everything was going smoothly, Master Kitae was calmly explaining to the crowd how timing is far more crucial than raw strength when hammering hot iron.

SWISH.

SWISH.

A heavy wind suddenly started blowing, as if a violent tornado had appeared out of nowhere. This created instant panic among the crowd.

"Please, do not panic!"

Seeing that the spectator stands were rapidly plunging into chaos, Zani hurriedly gripped his voice-enhancing artifact and started shouting strict instructions to maintain order.

Meanwhile, Exactly Two Minutes Earlier...

A lady draped in pure white silk silently appeared high above the newly created venue.

She looked utterly breathtaking in her revealing clothes, naturally capable of making any man feel weak in the knees with just a single glance at her.

However, just as she was about to descend, two figures abruptly appeared not far away, both completely covered in heavy black cloaks.

"Leave, you are not welcome here," the cloaked woman spoke coldly. "We maintain a peace treaty among all five sects. What are your intentions by crossing our borders without informing us?"

The woman in white stopped her descent and looked at the two cloaked figures. She did not know the female, but the male... she recognized his voice easily.

"If it isn't Elder Cuby from the Earth Sect. Why are you covered in a dirty cloak?"

Having been recognized, both figures removed their hoods.

"The female next to you, is she your wife? How about leaving her and coming with me instead?" Saying this with a playful wink, the woman in white intentionally let her hand slide alluringly along her body, better revealing her pale leg through the high slit of the skirt she wore.

"How dare you! You witches from the Water Sect are all despicable. Do you really think my husband will fall for-" Lady Cuby roared. But as she side-eyed her husband to validate her anger, she was utterly dumbfounded to see a dazed, almost drooling smile plastered across his face.

"YOU PIG!"

Her fury soared to the heavens, and violent winds immediately started blowing around them in response to her rising aura.

"Do not misunderstand, darling! It is a hypnosis technique!" Elder Cuby frantically explained while aggressively wiping the drool from his face, meanwhile taking a serious stance.

"Hehehe. How about we resolve this peacefully? I am here only to take my beloved back with me." The woman in white spoke completely normally while clicking the blue necklace she was wearing twice. This instantly calmed the violent air currents that were rising. "There is no need for us to clash and escalate the situation."

To carry a 7th-Grade artifact so openly... And you intruded into our territory first. Hehehe, "how about we take this somewhere else?"

Although Elder Cuby was initially happy to resolve the situation peacefully,after all, his children were down there, but seeing such an artifact caused visible greed to flash in his eyes, leading him to quickly alter his decision.

"No, we do not"

But his wife quickly interrupted him before addressing the Water Sect expert coldly. "You from the Water Sect, just leave. We will not pursue this matter further."

She would definitely teach a brutal lesson to her pig of a husband later, but first, she had to handle the critical situation at hand.

"Oh~ how ABOUT I... I... I..." The woman suddenly started stuttering, looking down at something. "Why?!" she whispered, with her delicate expression twisting.

"AAAHHHHAAA! MEN REALLY ARE USELESS! MASTER WAS RIGHT!" she shrieked, her charming demeanor shattering entirely. "They are nothing but filthy playthings! Beings that should be disregarded immediately after use! I will kill every single one of them someday!"

Lady Cuby watched in sheer bewilderment as the beautiful woman before her started suffering a mental breakdown. Shouting random, hateful things, before raising her hand to her necklace again, this time not to press any button, but to violently crush the gemstone within it.

However, at the final moment, she stopped, and turned with faint tears visible in her eyes. Leaving before saying a few words.

"I will come back to kill you someday, Julian."

In the Venue Below...

(Just before the wind started rising)

All the off-duty disciples, partnered hunters, and Iron Core Dojo staff occupied a single corner in the elevated spectator seating area.

"Peanuts! Does anybody want to purchase roasted peanuts?!"

It is the third day now, and people walking through the spectator area selling snacks and other goods are a highly common sight. This thriving commerce is exactly what Zani used to persuade the merchants to invest in the venue's creation.

"Here." A man raised his hand to attract the seller and bought a small bag for a few copper coins.

"Would you like some, Lady Tassy?"

"Thank you, Julian."

Lady Tassy smiled sweetly before extending her hand to take some. But suddenly, an incredibly strong wind flew past, a gale fierce enough to violently blow the small packet Julian was lightly holding right out of his hand.

"What the..."

After a short while, the massive commotion started, and all the disciples and hunters sitting with them hurriedly stood up and left to manage the panicked crowd.

"Look! There is someone in the sky!"

There were only five people left in their quiet corner now, all were staff members including the calligraphy teacher and the pig pen overseers.

Looking up through the gale, they could barely make out three figures standing unsupported in the air. Immortals?

"AAAHHHHAAA!" Julian suddenly screamed, violently clutching his head.

"Julian! Julian, are you alright?!" Lady Tassy panicked.

"No! Get away from me! I... I am Cookheart Julian..."

"Julian..."

The deafening noise of the panicked stadium and Tassy completely faded away as he found himself falling into a strange, dream-like state.

Wake up, my Julian.

Opening his eyes, he was lying on a soft bed inside an unfamiliar room bathed entirely in pale blue light.

"Darling...?" he spoke, entirely without realizing it. Then, his head turned on its own. It was as if he had no control over his actions. Or is this truly my body?

Then, she came into view. His beautiful wife.

In this profound state, time ceased to exist for him. He lived a whole lifetime like that. He was always happy; he even learned the culinary arts exclusively to cook for her, preparing new, magnificent dishes for her every single day.

Slowly, under her patient help, he also ascended to immortality, or as it is called, becoming a Cultivator.

Then, the Great War came. A catastrophic war initiated by some terrifying, unknown faction named the Iron Core Sect to seize control of the whole continent. This heaven-shaking threat inevitably led to the desperate unification of all the other sects.

He fought viciously side by side with his beloved. To fight these ruthless intruders, they gave their absolute all.

However, they never got to see the final results of the bloodshed.

They were betrayed.

By the very person who proudly proclaimed to be their savior. Their own Ancestor.

And then he found out the crushing truth. It was him.

He was the weak link. The being that not only held his peerless wife back but was ultimately used as a cruel bargaining chip.

"A perfectly fair exchange," the Ancestor spoke. A life for a life.

His wife's life... traded in exchange for his.

_____________________________________

[Author Note: Thank you all for reading and supporting me. Today I am uploading chapter 50 public. Which is a great occasion for me

So, here: AB703 use this code to gain discount on my Patreon. It's only affective for 24 hours and as per trend. Next code will be given on chapter 100.

https://www.patreon.com/c/unpaid13]

 

[Pind_Ala]

Tears streamed down Julian's face as he slowly woke from his dream-like state.

Having just lived through the excruciating, centuries-long memories of an entire life, the sudden influx of information was incredibly hard to process. Fortunately, his overall mental fortitude has significantly improved after absorbing the sheer weight of those experiences.

As he sat up, the chaotic voices of the stadium slowly filtered back into his ears.

Currently, hardly a few minutes have passed in reality. Although the unnatural, violent wind has stopped blowing, the massive audience is still in an uproar.

"Julian, are you alright?"

Looking to his side, he saw his colleague gently helping him sit up. Lady Tassy.

So, the strange dreams and splitting headaches I have suffered up until now were actually sealed memories. I somehow returned to the past, huh, Julian thought, his hollow eyes drifting toward the empty sky where his love is standing. Well, since history has already changed due to my fragmented dreams leading me to join the Iron Core, I might as well go all in. Perhaps we will only be able to meet again in the future.

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, he forcefully collected his splintered emotions and made his decision, turning toward the woman standing beside him.

"I am so sorry, Lady Tassy... please, just endure this for a minute."

"What do you..."

Before she could even ask what he meant, Julian lunged forward, hugging her incredibly tightly.

No! You scoundrel, now is not the time for this! Tassy panicked, struggling desperately against his embrace. Although their physical strength as martial artists is logically equal, she was entirely unable to break free from the desperate, vice-like grip he held her in.

A full minute later, after confirming the figure in the air had left, he finally let go.

SLAP.

"You pervert! I am a married woman who loves her husband! How dare you?!" she shouted, furiously slapping his shoulder and kicking his shins.

But strangely, Julian was not even looking at her. He simply turned away, completely ignoring her righteous fury, and started walking out of the venue, leaving a few words in the air. "Yes... we will definitely meet again someday."

High above the stadium, a minute after the woman from the Water Sect flew away, another figure arrived from a different direction.

"Sect Master."

Both Elder Cuby and his wife respectfully bowed their heads upon the newcomer's arrival.

"At ease. What happened here?" the man asked.

The Sect Master is the oldest living cultivator in the Earth Dragon Empire, and his most favorite part-time hobby is gossip, a quirk that causes constant headaches for the elder council of the Earth Sect.

"It was a woman from the Water Sect," Lady Cuby explained bitterly. "She claimed to have come to fetch her husband, but it appears he had different plans. She left in a fit of anger."

"I see," the Sect Master nodded thoughtfully, slowly stroking his exceptionally long white beard.

"And what were you two doing hovering here? It looks like your youngest son is down there as well," the old man spoke while looking down at the bustling venue, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Oh? Is he here chasing after a mortal girl? Were you two spying on him before you were interrupted? Yes, yes! You haven't even told me the identity of the man that Water Sect witch was after!"

"Sect Master, please..." Elder Cuby sighed, his face turning pale at the old man's rapid inquiries.

Inside the venue, it took a half-hour after the figures in the sky disappeared for the panicked crowd to finally settle down.

For many ordinary people, it was their very first time seeing Immortals. This experience vastly increases both their worship and deep-seated fear of them.

Strangely, after spotting the people floating in the sky, many spontaneously dropped to their knees in prayer, which actually helped immensely with crowd control.

However, the grand finals could not continue as originally planned.

When the violent winds blew through the arena, the forge fires were completely extinguished, ruining the carefully tempered metals and leading to an unavoidable mass failure. Therefore, Zani had to quickly adapt, and the rules were changed.

Currently, the remaining participants must now forge a brand-new weapon from scratch in merely three hours. Since this is a tight window, the weapon will only account for half of their total score. The rest of the points will depend on a face-to-face interview with the judges. This interview will assess their forging fundamentals, specifically judging whether they possess the patience and clarity to pass their skills down to an apprentice.

The tournament smoothly continued under the new regulations.

Meanwhile, Julian returned to his private quarters in the Iron Core Dojo.

He sat heavily on his wooden bed, staring at the floor while thinking to himself. Currently, Iron Core is merely a dojo, not a sect. And unlike what we were told, it does not seem to be a faction of evil intruders either.

Then he started arranging the knowledge in his mind I became a Cultivator and lived for... I cannot even remember the exact years. It was definitely more than two centuries. Can I use anything from my past life to my immediate advantage? I do not think so. In my past life, I also practiced the high-grade Breathing Manuals. As for the rest of my techniques, they are all tied to the Water Sect's heritage, and I need to be a Cultivator to even utilize them.

He rubbed his aching temples, the crushing memories of the Great War resurfacing.

Haaa... I was but a stay-at-home husband whose only real job was to meticulously cook and keep my wife happy. And when the great war came, and the Ancestor betrayed us... when I found out I was nothing but a heavy burden holding her back, being used as a bargaining chip, I willingly traded my life for hers. I killed myself so she could live. I do not even know how or why the Heavens sent me back.

He looked down at his calloused hands. So, cooking and knife skills are my only true assets right now.

After brainstorming his entire existence, a heavy wave of mental exhaustion hit him. Will I be able to save my wife in this new life? Will she be sad right now? I must start training seriously starting tomorrow. As for the Iron Core and Master Zani... let's just silently observe for now.

With his mind completely cluttered by random, heavy thoughts, Julian fell into a deep slumber.

"Head Chef Julian?"

"Sir Julian, please wake up."

"Huh. Just bring in the cold water. I doubt he will wake up otherwise."

"But..."

"Just do exactly as I say."

SPLASH.

A bucket of freezing water hit Julian directly in the face.

"AAAHHHHAAA! ANCESTOR, YOU MOTHERF-"

Julian woke up screaming, pure terror flashing in his eyes. He thrashed violently on the wet bed, loudly cursing the treacherous Ancestor for a full minute before the reality of his current surroundings finally started to sink in.

Looking toward the open doorway, Lady Tassy stood rigidly in a defensive martial pose. All the junior disciples currently learning the culinary arts under him were cowardly hiding behind her.

"I... I am so sorry," Julian stammered, wiping the freezing water from his eyes.

"Are you really alright?" Lady Tassy asked warily, keeping her distance.

"Yes. I just need a minute to collect myself."

"Okay. Report to the kitchen immediately after that," she instructed firmly. "The tournament is finished. After the reward ceremony concludes, Master Zani said we are hosting a grand feast to celebrate."

"Okay..."

After receiving his confirmation, Julian sat in a wet daze, quietly watching as all of them hurriedly filed out, leaving his door wide open.

Out in the courtyard.

"Auntie Tassy, we forgot to grab the bucket," one of the young disciples pointed out.

"Go retrieve it then."

"No way! I am not going back in there alone!" the boy shivered, remembering the murderous look in the Head Chef's eyes.

Master Zani had warned everybody not to talk about relationships or romance in front of Julian. Knowing how weird he acted during the tournament earlier, I knew something crazy would happen, Lady Tassy thought, shaking her head.

Having no interest in going back inside to retrieve the wooden bucket herself, she simply turned and led the young disciples away.


_____________________________

[Question: So how are you liking the story till now?

A. Average sect builder.

B. Something different from others.

C. I like till now, waiting for more.

D. You need to work harder.

E. Just increase Chapter count. Start updating faster.]

 

[Beto]

C. No doubt about it.

 

[Pind_Ala]

"Drink up! Nobody is leaving sober today!"

"Drink! Drink! Drink! Hahahaha!"

Despite the massive disturbance caused by the violent winds during the final day, everything finished beautifully. With both the audience and the participants leaving deeply satisfied with the outcome, Zani counted this as a success.

Currently, he is hosting a lavish banquet for all the partnered hunters, letting them eat premium meat and drink high-quality spiritual wine to their hearts' content.

Before this celebration, he had already bid a respectful farewell to the esteemed judges, who did not wish to extend their stay in the rural village. He also made the disciples leave early, making a firm promise to host them properly once he was free from his busy schedule.

Now, he could finally let loose...

The Next Day

"Earning this time is not even enough to cover the massive expenses. Thankfully, I do not need to pay the sponsored money back to the investors," Zani muttered, aggressively rubbing his eyes. "As a fair exchange, I sold the merchants the permanent, exclusive right to sell snacks inside the venue. And as for the Mayor, he finally got the grand, uninterrupted speech time he desperately wanted. Let's just hope he can actually win the upcoming election."

Zani sighed heavily, leaning over his wooden desk.

"However, I have to pay for many lingering things. Such as the cash rewards for the winners, the massive amount of forging equipment and raw materials used during the event, the partnered hunters, etc."

He picked up a small pouch. "All in all, I have twenty gold coins left. The same amount that I started with."

Zani's eyes were still heavy due to a severe lack of sleep as he meticulously counted his ledger. Although he desperately wanted to sleep some more, he had an important meeting scheduled with the blacksmiths in a short while, which would determine if the next phase of his plan could be initiated right away.

Nodding to himself in determination, he stood up and made his way outside the room.

"One, two!"

"One, two!"

"Keep going! I do not feel any pain!"

Outside in the courtyard, the disciples were rigorously practicing and shouting loudly, completely full of youthful vigor.

As Zani made his way toward the kitchen, many disciples stopped to respectfully greet him. Some even deliberately struck flashy poses, desperately showing off their strength in hopes of catching his eye and being promoted to inner disciple status.

"Julian, is everything ready?" Zani asked, stepping inside.

"Master Zani, yes. The arrangements are all completed," Julian replied, wiping his hands on an apron.

"Good. Here, take these extra funds for tonight's feast."

"Yes, Master."

It was already approaching late evening when the blacksmiths started arriving at the dojo. They are all highly skilled artisans who had formally agreed to partner with the Iron Core Dojo after proving themselves during the tournament.

Although they numbered merely twelve, Zani placed high importance on this upcoming meeting.

"Please tell us, Master Zani, why exactly do you want this partnership with us?"

After taking their respective seats in the dining hall, because the dojo does not have anywhere else large enough to hold such a meeting, the man who was supposedly selected as the leader among the smiths asked the main question right away.

Seeing the other party being so straightforward, Zani decided to lay his cards on the table as well.

"I plan to open a Pavilion."

"A Pavilion?" the leader repeated, his thick eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

"Yes," Zani nodded smoothly, his eyes flashing with sharp business acumen. "Here is the arrangement for your part. You will exclusively sell everything you create through my Pavilion. Furthermore, teach a few selected disciples from my dojo the arts of forging."

Zani leaned forward, resting his hands on the table. "In return, I will fully fund and construct personal, high-end forging rooms for each of you. I will freely provide all the raw materials you will ever need, only expecting a seventy percent success rate on your crafting."

"Finally, you will receive thirty percent of the final gross sale price for every single product we sell. The base market price for each item will be mutually agreed upon before it ever touches the shelves, ensuring your hard labor is never undervalued."

A heavy silence fell over the dining hall.

"I..." The supposed leader among the bunch stuttered a little, entirely unable to admit that he did not fully understand the complex terms that were just casually thrown at him.

"I think this is a good offer, Master," a young disciple sitting directly across from him whispered, eagerly nodding his head.

The two of them were actually traveling smiths. To refine their forging skills, they had roamed the empire for years, never settling down in one place. Even attending this meeting today, they were simply planning to show face and politely decline any permanent offers. But the sheer generosity of this deal had entirely shattered their resolve.

"Huh, huh," Zani chuckled softly, sensing their hesitation. "I am trying to create a type of organization here. An elite faction where you twelve people will be the founding members. Everyone who wishes to join the Pavilion in the future as a smith will have to gain your approval first."

Zani leaned back in his chair. "So, how about it?"

Seeing that the youngest and the most ambitious smith among the guests was already nodding in eager agreement, Zani pushed a little bit more, hoping they would all collectively accept.

"Master Zani... please give us some time to discuss this amongst ourselves," the leader requested, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead.

"No problem at all."

Saying so, Zani graciously excused himself and walked outside, casually leaving them to talk and debate all they want.

After a short while, all twelve smiths unanimously agreed to this highly lucrative partnership. Further, deep discussions immediately started regarding mundane logistics, such as their living accommodations, the quality of the supplied materials, and the exact number of dojo disciples they needed to train.

This successful meeting was naturally followed by a grand feast to celebrate the foundation of the Iron Core Pavilion.

The Next Day

Zani's schedule was finally free, allowing him to properly celebrate the tournament's success with his own disciples. And so, the third grand feast commenced in the dining hall.

"We finally get to eat with you, huh? Such a mean Master," Elisi grumbled while aggressively chewing a massive piece of meat. Her eyes were completely full of complaints.

She, along with her fellow good disciples, had been pestering him to host the feast from the very first day the tournament ended. But no, his excuse was always, 'I am too busy.'

So, we can just eat by ourselves? Hmph! Who needs you to hand-feed us anyway?! Elisi thought bitterly over the two days she cannot attend the banquet.

"Elisi... are you thinking something rude again?"

"No!" she instantly denied the claim.

She quickly looked toward the kitchen door before aggressively starting to eat again. How can Auntie Tassy always find me out so easily?! She was genuinely horrified as she thought that, because if Master Zani somehow came to know what she was currently thinking, there would definitely be a harsh punishment later.

Picking up a steaming dumpling, she wisely decided to forget everything else and just focus on the food for now.

The sweet tranquility of daily life finally returned, and the days started passing smoothly again.

Waking up, Zani's first priority is still to take a full tour of his domain. This tour now includes inspecting the Pavilion currently under construction. Zani is purposefully building the massive storefront directly opposite the tournament venue, ensuring that all his properties stay clustered in the same corner of the village.

After the morning inspection comes practicing martial techniques with a few selected inner disciples.

The daily meetings with the partnered hunters was passed upon to Elisi a long time ago, and Zani does not look into that affair any longer.

Next comes his own brutal Skin Tempering session at noon, alongside his core disciple, Leo.

This is followed by reading books and meticulously planning the faction's future directions in the quiet evening while sipping hot tea. Although previously this quiet time was mostly devoted to managing the dojo's finances, after handing the ledgers over to Mahi and Ethan a day ago, he is now completely free from that heavy burden too. He simply needs to casually check the records once a week to ensure everything is fine.

As for the fleeting time right before dinner, it is either used to fill in things he might have skipped during the day due to sudden emergency, or simply used for practicing his combat forms further.

From observing this routine, one can confidently say that the Iron Core Dojo is becoming entirely self-sufficient, slowly and steadily.

A day will inevitably come when it will completely stop accepting outer disciples who merely pay money to enter its gates, and start building its own force.



__________________________

[Question: good disciples. Elisi said these words. Who are good disciples here according to her:

A. inner disciples

B. Her friends

C. Disciples who share the same eating passion with her.

D. She herself is good. None Equal.]

[Author Note: Come to my patreon to read ahead and support me. https://www.patreon.com/c/unpaid13]

 

[Pind_Ala]

The first day of the first summer month.

Due to a few days of consecutive rainfall, the construction of the Iron Core Pavilion is severely delayed and will realistically take another full month to complete. In the meantime, Zani allocated the five old houses that were intentionally spared from demolition to be used as forges.

Early in the morning, Zani decided to visit them during his daily tour to check on the specific task he had assigned them.

"How is the learning going?" Zani asked, stepping into the sweltering heat of the forge.

"Although they do not have much talent in this field, they are genuinely trying their best to learn," the lead blacksmith replied, wiping soot from his brow. "But I still think this is a waste of time."

The three inner disciples who were sent here to learn the foundational arts of forging were sweating nearby. It was glaringly obvious that the lead smith was entirely dissatisfied with their talent and desperately wanted to send them back.

However, for the sake of fulfilling the System's quest, Zani could only pretend he did not hear the complaint. Looking at the lead smith's own highly skilled young apprentice working the bellows, Zani could only sigh inwardly.

If only this talented youngster was willing to officially join my dojo!

"Okay, continue the good work. I am off," Zani nodded encouragingly before stepping back out into the cool morning air.

Next, he visited the village carpenter's workshop.

"How is the work coming along?" Zani asked.

"Master Zani, it will take one more day," the carpenter replied respectfully, gesturing to the massive constructs nearby. "Can you arrange the transport for them?"

"Yes, I will bring a cart to pick them up tomorrow evening."

Zani smiled warmly as he continued walking back toward his dojo, occasionally nodding to the local villagers who respectfully greeted him on the dirt road.

Looks like the twenty bathtubs quest will officially be completed tomorrow. Although, to efficiently utilize them, I might eventually need to build a separate bathhouse. But that is a problem for later, especially since I still do not fully understand the underlying reason for creating them.

After all, the System constantly hands out seemingly random quests with no immediate logical connection.

After returning from his morning walk, Zani learned that Mayor Salam had arrived for a private visit.

Inside Zani's master quarters.

"Why have you not built a proper office or meeting hall by now?" Mayor Salam grumbled, looking around the bedroom. "Haa... is your personal sleeping quarters truly the best place to discuss important matters?"

"I will build one in the future," Zani replied smoothly, pouring a cup of tea. "The dining hall is completely packed right now, so yes, this is the best, most private place we currently have."

The Mayor shook his head, desperately trying to dispel the headache he always got when conversing with this youth. This young man truly can be utterly shameless when it comes to saving money.

"So, how are the gubernatorial elections coming along?" Zani asked, shifting the topic.

"Everything is proceeding fine for now. I am gaining significant political support from many influential locals. Well, the ultimate deciding day is in half a month. We will see how it goes."

After speaking, Salam reached into his robes and pulled out a heavy parchment scroll, unrolling it across the bed.

"So, you need a waterfall?" Salam asked.

"Yes."

"Here. Look at this," Salam pointed to the map. "This is the entire territory of Grains City. There indeed is a waterfall under my jurisdiction, but it is located deep inside the mountains."

Looking at the detailed map, everything was exactly as Zani had imagined, except for one glaring detail.

"Why do this map cover only half of the mountain?" Zani asked, tracing the edge.

"Oh, you see, the Brown Earth Mountain is a massive range containing nine distinct hills, both small and large. From this entire range, only three fall under Grains City's control. The rest are all part of Slaughter City's territory."

"Oh."

"Yes," Salam continued, tapping a specific location. "The waterfall you want is exactly one kilometer deep inside the mountains. You can officially own it. I can easily gift the land deed to you. However, you absolutely cannot pollute or permanently stop the water flow."

"Do we have a specific rule regarding..."

"Yes, we possess strict imperial rules regarding this," Salam interrupted smoothly. "Since waterfalls are heavily utilized during the Blood Exchange stage of body tempering, the empire has laws governing them. It is only because I am a benevolent ruler that it is freely accessible here. Over in Slaughter City, even ordinary hunters are forced to pay entry fees just to set foot in the mountains."

Zani furrowed his brows deeply upon hearing this. First, I learned that the entire empire is strictly controlled by a single royal family, and now this?

"But why exactly are there such tyrannical rules over natural resources?"

"To strictly control the martial path and limit rogue experts," Salam stated matter-of-factly. "Well, that is my personal speculation, because these specific rules have existed since the very foundation of the empire, which happened who knows how many centuries ago."

The Mayor tapped the parchment again. "Anyway, sign here. And here."

After carefully reviewing the documents, which clearly outlined the transfer of ownership, Zani was mildly surprised again. Perhaps all the land in the vast empire was systematically sold off at the very beginning of its history, considering they use such highly regulated bureaucratic formalities for basic nature.

As soon as he signed his name, the crisp voice of the System immediately rang in his ears.

However, Zani decided to ignore the blue interface for now, politely continuing to chat with the Mayor about other minor political developments.

【Quest: Have a waterfall as sect property】

【Status: Completed】

【Reward: Top-grade Martial technique manual】

【Martial technique: Hand Blade】

【Summary: A technique to use the bare hand as a lethal blade. A profound art created by the Sword Saint himself in his early years. It is only learnable after reaching the 3rd stage of the Body Tempering realm.】

Only after bidding a respectful farewell to Mayor Salam did Zani finally check the notifications. He had to admit, obtaining a Top-Grade technique out of nowhere felt completely unreal.

A martial art that is supposedly only possible to execute after reaching 3rd stage of Body Forging is contained within this manual. It can definitely be utilized as a trump card in the future, kept strictly exclusive to only his most trustworthy people.

However, all this intense future planning is practically useless right now because the fundamental physical conditions simply cannot be fulfilled. Not yet.

Even the monstrous Leo is still some ways away from reaching the peak of the Skin Tempering stage, let alone Zani and the other ordinary disciples in the dojo. Unlike standard, low-grade manuals, these Top-Grade arts require vastly more time and resources to cultivate.

Moving outside into the courtyard, it was finally time to oversee the martial technique training.

The Iron Core Dojo currently possesses two martial arts: the Beast-Tendon Step and the Eight-Point Vajra Art. Zani has been rigorously training these arts alongside a few selected inner disciples for the past four months.

Every single martial art is strictly divided into four mastery stages: Enter, Small Success, Large Success, and Proficient.

It is widely known that only geniuses possess the raw potential to become 'Proficient' in martial techniques, aside from the original creators themselves. Therefore, for most ordinary martial artists, the peak of any technique is merely 'Large Success.' But even achieving that requires years of relentless, blood-sweat practice.

Although the Beast-Tendon Step is easier to grasp, both Zani and his disciples have barely managed to cross into the 'Small Success' stage after all this time.

Even Zani cannot afford to wait years for mastery. So, starting from next month, after ensuring the two inner disciples who followed him the furthest are fully ready to teach, these martial techniques will be actively taught to the outer disciples. This naturally gives Zani the perfect justification to increase the dojo's monthly tuition fees.

Current Life

Out of the total inner disciples, four are currently working in the main kitchen, learning the culinary arts from Julian. Three were sent to learn the complex art of forging. This leaves only two disciples directly under Zani's martial tutelage who have learned the techniques well enough to teach others.

As for the rest of the group, Leo remains focused on her daily training, desperately hoping to win the bet she made with her parents.

Elisi is now completely responsible for handling all financial dealings and trade negotiations with the partnered hunters. she sometime ventures into the mountains to hunt from time to time.

The twins, Pedi and Peda, after successfully learning from their mother, are now responsible for preparing the Medicinal Cauldrons for all the disciples, (a service Zani naturally charges the outer disciples extra silver for.)

Lady Tassy has returned to her cooking duties. Because Zani had officially registered both her and Julian as inner disciples simply to fulfill a past System quest, he never bothered to revert their official status.

Ethan and Mahi are now responsible for managing the finances and ledgers of the entire dojo. Zani only keeps a small pool of emergency funds on his person; the vast majority of the dojo's flowing wealth stays under their strict supervision. Oddly enough, the two of them have somehow ended up becoming a romantic couple. (Another mystery added.)

Mahi is also responsible for teaching calligraphy to the other inner disciples, as Zani officially retired the hired calligraphy teacher right after the tournament concluded.

Finally, the dedicated mother-and-son staff meticulously manage the pig pens. Everything operates flawlessly there. Although the total number of Mud Boars has increased considerably, forcing them to hire external helpers for sourcing food, they are incredibly happy with their positions, as their monthly salary naturally increased alongside the expanding herd.

_________________________

[Question: Now anything you don't understand till now in story. please ask.]

 

[winternights]

So he brought a place that he has no knowledge that can bring income.
Sold a farm.
His house.
For a training grounds.
I hope for this novels sake he don't starve to death.
Cause.if this novel gives Mythical shit for stupid decisions than this will be another dumb asian story that only survives cause he has a legendary devine system cause even a normal system can not save these dumb ass.mcs of late

 

[Pind_Ala]

So he brought a place that he has no knowledge that can bring income.
Sold a farm.
His house.
For a training grounds.
I hope for this novels sake he don't starve to death.
Cause.if this novel gives Mythical shit for stupid decisions than this will be another dumb asian story that only survives cause he has a legendary devine system cause even a normal system can not save these dumb ass.mcs of late

Click to shrink...

I can see you have not read my work before commenting.

 

[Pind_Ala]

It was currently late afternoon. Barely an hour had passed since the lunch period concluded.

Inside the kitchen, hiding quietly underneath a large wooden prep table, Elisi was secretly munching on sweet buns. She eagerly reached out to pick a new one immediately after finishing the bun already in her hand.

As she extended her hand to pick up the fourth one, she was finally caught.

"Elisi. Come out."

Hearing the stern voice, she sheepishly poked her head out from under the table to cautiously see if the person who caught her was angry or not.

"Come out now, Elisi. I am not angry."

"Hehe... Auntie Tassy!" Elisi giggled nervously, slowly crawling out. "I was just helping you check if these buns are well-baked or not!"

Lady Tassy could only shake her head helplessly upon seeing little Elisi. Small, sticky crumbs were still visibly plastered across the girl's chubby cheeks, yet she was still shamelessly trying to deceive her.

This girl... she can barely eat half the portion my kids ate during lunchtime, yet she simply cannot seem to stop her mouth at all, Tassy thought, sighing softly.

"Get out of my kitchen. Do not come back until dinner is served."

"Okay..."

Elisi slowly retreated out the door with a thoroughly defeated posture after hearing that. Although she was not actually scolded or punished, simply being denied from eating more food is more than enough to make her deeply sad.

After wandering out, she bumped into some junior disciples practicing in the main hall and decided to 'help' them train, fully exerting her supreme authority as the Eldest Disciple to pass the time.

It was during this training that she overheard them gossiping. Today is the first day of the first summer month.

Which reminds me... a merchant caravan is scheduled to visit Grains City today. They must have brought exotic, mouth-watering food from all across the vast empire.

Thinking about this, Elisi immediately decided to make a quick trip to the city. Also, I think it is about time I have a serious talk with the Mayor. A shockingly sharp light flashed through her eyes when she considered the latter part of her plan.

Normally, it takes a mortal an entire hour to travel from Big Wheat Village to Grains City via horse carriage. But as a martial artist in the Skin Tempering stage, this journey took a mere twenty minutes for Elisi, who happily sprinted the entire way.

WEEEEE!

It was only after three hours that she finally exited the city gates. The secret, private talk with Mayor Salam took vastly more time than she had initially calculated, a whole ten minutes extra from the intended fifteen-minute meeting.

Hmph. That annoying politician entirely wasted my precious snack time, Elisi grumbled, munching slowly on roasted beans.

she was just about to start her return journey when she suddenly spotted a familiar face near.

A young man carrying a hammer strapped to his back was arguing with three of the blacksmiths Master Zani had recently hired for the Pavilion.

"You only say that because you cannot defeat me fair and square at the forge!" the lone hammer-wielding man yelled, fiercely arguing with the three men, refusing to back down.

"We have already wasted too much time humoring you, kid."

"Move out of the way."

"We are getting late."

While the three older smiths were desperately trying to let the situation slide and leave, one could easily see their growing frustration boiling over.

"No! I will definitively prove to everyone today that my family's Water Forging art is supreme!" Kai shouted, blocking their path.

The heated argument was just about to escalate into a brawl when Elisi casually decided to intervene.

"What is happening here?" she asked, stepping smoothly between the angry men.

After listening to the three smiths explain the situation, she nodded profoundly, perfectly mimicking her Master's authoritative posture. "I completely understand everything. You three gentlemen may go your way."

"What?! You little girl..." Before Kai could complain about her interference, Elisi aggressively raised a hand, gesturing for him to stop talking immediately.

"Walk with me."

This little girl is acting like she is in control here! the surrounding spectators thought, utterly bewildered as she seamlessly led the furious young blacksmith down the main dirt road leading back to Big Wheat Village.

"So, you claim to be a master of Water Forging?" Elisi asked, kicking a pebble.

"Yes, I am!" Kai puffed out his chest.

"I doubt your bold claim of being a master. After all, you lost to those smiths in a private competition, did you not? And then arguing in the middle of the street like a spoiled child is simply lame."

"Who are you calling a child?! You are just a little girl!" Kai snapped.

"Humph," Elisi scoffed, crossing her arms arrogantly. "I, as the Eldest Disciple of the Iron Core Dojo, was actually going to put in a highly favorable word on your behalf to Master Zani. You might have even become a direct Inner Disciple. But your awful attitude has completely sullied my good mood. Begone from before me."

"You... wait, you are from the Iron Core Dojo?!" Kai's eyes widened in sheer shock.

Ever since the first day of the tournament, Kai has been desperately trying his best to somehow gain entry into the Iron Core Dojo. He deeply wants to secure a private meeting with the grandmasters, who from his estimate were living in the dojo during the event.

But the establishment, being a dojo, is always packed with martial artists and he is not allowed entry without a valid reason. That becomes a barrier that he, a relatively normal person, simply cannot pass.

After the tournament, although he heard of his idols' departure, he still hopes that the Master of the dojo can help him gain an audience with them, which is not possible for him otherwise.

So, he discreetly researched the place a bit in the local taverns. He found out that the dojo only takes a strictly limited number of disciples with a hefty two-silver monthly fee. And even if he could pay, there is a massively long waiting list.

This closed his entry point, leading him to try and gain an audience with existing disciples. But everyone refused; to them, talking with outsiders about the dojo could lead to expulsion. Since there are many vultures watching their position, they always remain cautious even with friends.

During all his desperate digging around, he eventually found out that Dojo Master Zani has a habit of taking a solitary tour every morning, so he decided to stalk him. Planning to wait for Zani in the shadows and beg for an opportunity.

He could do anything to meet his goddess Fe.

It was then that he was captured by masked individuals, blindfolded, and locked inside a cold prison somewhere deep in Grains City, just for acting 'suspiciously' near the dojo grounds.

"Hehehe. You finally get it now. But it's far too late," Elisi giggled cruelly.

Saying so, the young lady, who currently represents his only opportunity, casually started walking away.

"Young lady! Please, wait up! I was joking just now!" Kai panicked, hurriedly chasing after her.

Inside the Mayor's Manor

Mayor Salam was aggressively rubbing his aching temples inside his private office, still not calm enough to properly address the anxious men standing before him.

After his secret meeting with the girl, he knew with certainty that he had monumentally messed up. He completely failed to consider the brutal political consequences of openly using the Iron Core Dojo's grand tournament to debut his gubernatorial election campaign.

After finally settling his rampaging, panicked thoughts, he started addressing his inner circle.

"The political opposition is targeting the Iron Core Dojo."

"What?! How dare they!" Chaao could not help but shout in genuine worry upon hearing that.

If something fatal happened to Master Zani because of their political games, Chaao could not even begin to fathom the dread that would await the Mayor's Manor. His extreme worry and anxiety after hearing the news are not wrong. Mayor Salam understands his proxy's fear perfectly. Indeed, after that fateful event months ago, he himself has started being incredibly polite when interacting with Zani.

Today was the third time that lady had a private talk with him. But unlike the previous two times, where she had simply ordered Salam to establish a Shadow Guard squad or handle other minor things, this time was a direct warning.

"'Deal with your mess, or there will be severe consequences.' This is exactly what she said to me," Salam muttered, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

"Wha... what should we do, Mayor?" Chaao stammered.

"No, do not panic. We can still handle this," Salam stated, his eyes hardening with resolve. "We will immediately increase the number of elite Shadow Guards stationed around Master Zani. Furthermore, actively deploy some more hidden spies to the opposition's side. If we can track their precise movements, it would be ideal."

"But, Mayor..." the Chief Advisor standing on the side was just about to suggest something cautious. The elite men the Mayor wants to recklessly deploy would have to be pulled directly from his own personal bodyguard.

Although the Advisor only knows the superficial surface of the current situation, he is intelligent enough to quickly connect the dots and realize that this little girl, or perhaps the Dojo Master himself, might be manipulating the Mayor.

However, as the Advisor was quickly cut off from talking, he became horrifyingly aware that the Mayor was already beyond salvation. But the Mayor's next words made the Advisor pause and deeply consider if perhaps he was actually the fool here.

"She promised me the win in the upcoming election."

"She did?!" Chaao gasped.

"Hmm," Mayor Salam nodded his head, a highly ambitious smile slowly appearing on his face.

Salam has long ago understood the hierarchy of the dojo better than anybody else. He firmly believes that the little girl, Elisi, is the true representative of the hidden Immortal pulling the strings behind the scenes, not Zani.

In Salam's view, Zani is someone the Immortal is protecting and helping for whatever unfathomable reason. He has already subtly probed Zani several times after his initial suspicion arose, and it proved that indeed, that man genuinely knows nothing about the Immortal.

But does he, the Mayor of Grains City, care about that? Absolutely not.

He has only ever cared about elevating himself. After all, if he plays his cards well and serves this hidden Immortal well, he too might actually earn the chance to hope for Immortality in this life.



_____________________________

[Question: I am confused what is going on here?

A. Zani, being a smart transmigrator is manipulating everything.

B. There really is an immortal

C. Elisi is sus

D. It's the system doing]

[Have you Noticed: News about inner disciple system, it is known in dojo but never made public. Although some people know this like parents of the inner disciples. But it never spread.

In reality Zani never cared about it much, even inviting Mahi he has described it. But he also never told the whole truth to anybody except Bai(Leo).]

[Author Note: Hope this chapter solve many of your doubts. Like why it is always peaceful near dojo, why the mayor is always supportive. etc.]

 

[Pind_Ala]

Zani was in an exceptionally good mood today. Even during dinner, an unshakeable smile remained plastered across his face.

He was not the only one; Elisi could be seen grinning right alongside him, her chest puffed out with immense pride as she practically vibrated in her seat.

However, this joyous display only deeply worried the kitchen staff. Just a moment ago, Zani had strutted into the kitchen and handed down a new instruction: "From now on, let our Elisi eat anything she wants, at any time."

Hearing about this privilege, all the gathered disciples wondered just what kind of secret deal the eldest senior sister had struck with the Master, or if she had completed some hidden task.

"Eldest Senior Sister is so lucky..." Pedi grumbled, aggressively stabbing a piece of roasted meat with her chopsticks.

"It is not fair," Peda agreed, both twins were stuffing their mouths with food in sheer envy.

It was only after dinner concluded, and Zani retreated to his private quarters, that the truth finally leaked out. Everyone came to know that Elisi had successfully recommended an excellent disciple to the dojo, a blacksmith named Kai, thus gaining the Master's favor.

"Brother, we should also keep an eye out for talents," Pedi whispered, her eyes shining with ambition.

"Hmm. We will definitely find someone better," Peda nodded firmly.

The twins were utterly determined to gain the same prestige, while the other inner disciples at the table began plotting along the same lines.

Meanwhile, inside Zani's room.

[Ding~]

[Quest: Train a disciple to be a blacksmith]

[Requirement: Disciple must be able to forge a weapon]

[Status: Completed]

[Rewards: 10 Exp and book titled 'All metal encyclopedia of Mortal realm']

[Exp: 50/100]

['All metal encyclopedia of Mortal realm' available. Click to retrieve.]

Zani sat comfortably on his bed, the translucent blue interface glowing in his vision. With a mere thought, a heavy book materialized in his hands. It was just as thick and imposing as the herb encyclopedia he had received previously.

I am only halfway through reading the herb encyclopedia, and now I have one more massive thing to read. Haa. At this rate, I will need to build a library soon, Zani thought, letting out a sarcastic chuckle before setting the heavy tome aside. It seems almost every reward the System hands out comes in the form of a book.

Perhaps I should let Ethan read it first. He did memorize the previous one, and this knowledge will definitely help him deal with the partnered smiths in the future. I am going to put him in charge of the Pavilion, after all.

Thinking about the soon-to-be-completed Pavilion, Zani realized he still needed to adjust his strategy...

The Next Day.

After smoothly completing the blacksmith quest through the official admission of Kai into the faction, Zani became relentless in his drive to finish his other pending task. He personally visited the village carpenter twice before noon to rush the order.

THUD.

By midday, Zani alongside a few laborers transported the last of the heavy firebrick bathtubs, carefully settling them in an isolated corner inside the main hall of the dojo.

[Ding~]

[Quest: Build 20 bathtubs with Firebricks]

[Status: Completed]

[Rewards: 10 EXP and a book on 'How to build a fortress']

[Exp: 60/100]

['How to build a fortress' available. Click to retrieve.]

Sweet. One more quest knocked out, Zani thought, a satisfied smile blooming on his face as he walked out to order a few extra dishes for lunch to celebrate.

Although behind his back, many of the disciples were curious about the sudden appearance of twenty heavy bathtubs, Zani simply ignored their whispers. The truth is, even he does not fully understand their exact purpose yet, though he heavily suspects they are directly tied to the medicinal cauldrons required for the next major cultivation stage.

After a hearty lunch, Zani summoned his newest logistics manager.

"Ethan, take this. Memorize its contents just like you did the last one," Zani said smoothly, handing the second massive encyclopedia over to the boy.

"Yes, Master," Ethan replied with a stiff, highly forced smile, respectfully taking the heavy book.

Another one?! I did not come here to become a glorified scholar for a rural dojo! Deol cursed fiercely in his mind, his hands trembling slightly under the sheer weight of the text.

Watching the boy's retreating back, Zani could not help but lament his own pragmatic decisions.

Ethan possesses a talent for Strength, and here I am forcefully making him study instead of pushing him toward brutal training. Haa... am I becoming too engrossed in completing these System quests?

The rest of his evening passed in such muddled, slightly guilty thoughts. Unable to focus properly on anything, Zani decided to simply enjoy the rest of the day and take a breather.

Night eventually fell. Zani sat alone on the high roof of the main hall, quietly drinking a jug of cheap wine.

Looking down into the dimly lit courtyard, his gaze drifted toward Julian. The head chef was utilizing the tiny fraction of free time he had between his kitchen duties and teaching the juniors to rigorously practice. His movements were desperate, sharp, and dripping with an intense, unspoken purpose.

I really am too damn selfish, Zani sighed softly, taking another swig of wine. He was exploiting these talents purely to build his own foundation, yet they all worked so tirelessly under him.

Suddenly, the blue interface flickered to life in the darkness.

[Ding~]

[New Quest: Build an underground cave big enough to accommodate 10 people]

[Blueprint is provided, click to retrieve]

[Rewards: 20 Exp and Blood Exchange Realm Breathing Manual]

[New Quest: Hunt an Earth Sword Elk]

[Rewards: 20 Exp and 'Blood Boiling - Medicinal Cauldron Recipe' booklet]

[Hidden condition: Capture and domesticate the Earth Sword Elk]

[Hidden Reward: 10 pre-made Blood Boiling - Medicinal Cauldrons]

I suppose these are the last quests before the System's Level 3 update, Zani thought, his drunken haze clearing instantly as he read the information carefully. The math lined up perfectly to hit 100 Exp.

"Thankfully, there is a dedicated breathing manual for the 2nd stage in the rewards." Zani smiled in relief. Although he himself can easily wait another year, because breaking through the Jade Skin stage naturally takes that much time for an ordinary person, the same could not be said for Little Leo. She might need it soon.

With a thought, he retrieved the architectural blueprints for the cave and unrolled them under the moonlight.

"This is way too deep." Zani frowned. Excavating a specialized cave system of this exact scale, deep enough to accommodate ten people safely, will be no small matter.

"Is this directly related to the next stage of training? So we do not need to continue getting beaten with iron rods anymore?"

After reading them thoroughly, he secured them in his robes "I have the funds to start the excavation tomorrow."

Zani said while tapping his chin thoughtfully. Originally, these funds were supposed to elevate the new Pavilion, as he was going to spend a hefty sum on grand decorations to attract wealthy merchants.

"Looks like the decorations will have to wait. Moreover, I might not need to worry about the cost if I can successfully execute what I am planning... a business partnership."

Then his eyes shifted to the second quest. Capturing a live Earth Sword Elk.

"That will be troublesome."

The Earth Dragon Empire is vast, and specific beasts are very territorial. The Earth Sword Elk is only native to the Nut Forest, a perilous zone which is situated inside Warrior City's borders.

"How will I transport a massive, aggressive beast all the way back here? "Zani rubbed his temples. I will definitely need to think on this and have a serious talk with Mayor Salam about the logistics.

However, he quickly realized it was unwise to pursue this specific quest right now. At least, not until the current gubernatorial elections are concluded and the political unrest brewing within Warrior City finally settles down. Salam is walking on a political knife's edge, and drawing attention from a neighboring major city could spell disaster.

Whatever.

Having thought things through to a dead end, Zani decided to let it be. He grabbed his jug and started drinking again. A short while later, one of the disciples quietly delivered his dinner directly to the roof. Zani ate in silence, continuously numbing his racing mind with wine until he eventually drifted off to sleep right there on the chair.

The Next Day.

Zani slowly blinked his eyes open as the first warm ray of the morning sun hit his face. He was still lying on the roof, but he quickly noticed a thick, woven blanket carefully draped over his shoulders.

Someone actually came up here and covered me, Zani thought, a warm, genuine feeling blooming in his chest.

Tossing the blanket aside, he stretched his stiff limbs and took a deep breath of the crisp morning air.

"Oh well. Let's start the day early today."



_______________________________

[Question: Which power of Skin tempering expert you want

A. Strength, let me reign over all with might

B. Stamina, I can stay wake for three days

C. Defense, Mosquitos can do nothing to me]

________________________________

Hello everyone,

First off, I want to thank you guys.

Thank you for believing in my story and supporting me despite me being a newer author. We have finally crossed the milestone of Volume 1, hitting 65 chapters and over 90,000 words!

Going forward, the release of new chapters will be slowed down just a little bit. You will barely feel the difference, but it will give me the necessary time to refine the first volume.

I will post the polished Volume 1 on Patreon first for you to read. Taking it to Kindle will only happen when we are more than halfway into Volume 2.

As for the polishing, there will be no changes to the story itself. I am simply improving the narration, fixing typos, and re-phrasing paragraphs where needed

Review

As I begin editing, please help me by sharing what you would like to see improved. Specifically, I would love your thoughts on:

The Narration: Are there too many time skips? Is there a lack of detail in certain scenes?

The Tenses: Unlike standard novels that are written strictly in one tense, I experimented in this novel by changing tenses based on the situation. Did you like this approach, or did it pull you out of the story?

General Critiques: Was there anything you disliked, or anything you feel could elevate the quality of the story?

Please leave a review or a comment below!

 

[Pind_Ala]

A full month passed in the blink of an eye.

Today marked the grand opening of the Iron Core Pavilion.

In front of the tournament venue, a massive two-story building now stands. Its imposing presence can be seen from far away, and with its gorgeous coloring of sky blue and pristine white, the architecture looks incredibly novel.

In front of its large, beautifully carved wooden main doors, a massive crowd was already gathered. The dojo disciples were trying their best to maintain the chaotic public, who were more than eager to look inside.

"Make way for Master Zani!"

A commotion arose as soon as Zani entered the scene. Walking proudly alongside him were Chaao, the newly appointed Mayor of Grains City, and Salam, who had successfully won his gubernatorial election to become a Governor of Warrior city.

"Brother Zani, Mayor Chaao, and Governor Salam. Please, right this way," a loud, joyful voice called out.

In front of the closed gates, a thick red ribbon was tied. Master Roasty, the owner of the legendary Roast Board Restaurant in Slaughter City and Zani's official business partner for this Pavilion, was standing there with a broad smile to welcome them.

"Brother Roasty, you have truly worked hard," Zani praised smoothly, stepping forward to give the man a hearty hug.

Following their partnership agreement, Roasty took it entirely upon himself to oversee the construction, even investing a massive amount of his own funds to ensure the Pavilion's perfection.

In this lucrative partnership, the profits are split fifty-fifty. With Roasty handling all the commercial management and aesthetics, Zani is only required to provide the finished products from his blacksmiths, which will primarily be displayed on the second floor, and the raw ingredient supply chain through his partnered hunters.

The actual forging location will be entirely separate, situated in a building next door that is currently still under construction. Ethan is already being rigorously trained to manage that facility.

Originally, Zani's vision was to build everything combined into one massive complex. However, Roasty strictly refused the idea, arguing that wealthy customers do not want to hear the deafening clang of heavy hammers while they eat. Building the forges underground was also fiercely rejected by the blacksmiths themselves due to the stifling heat. Thus, Zani was forced to adjust his grand designs.

But since Roasty is fully taking over the culinary side of the Pavilion, Julian and Lady Tassy can safely remain at the Iron Core Dojo. Moreover, the dojo has been receiving countless requests from hunters in neighboring regions who want to join their partnered network. Previously, Zani rejected them because the dojo did not require such a massive influx of meat and herbs. Now, those excess connections can be perfectly utilized to supply the Pavilion.

"Come, Governor Salam, please do us the honor of cutting this ribbon," Roasty invited respectfully.

"Of course, of course! Hahaha!" Salam laughed heartily. He stepped forward and smoothly sliced the red ribbon.

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

The audience erupted into thunderous applause. The heavy wooden doors were pushed open, and the massive crowd was finally allowed entry. With every single item priced at a generous thirty percent discount for the grand opening, people were prepared to spend a mountain of silver today.

Inside the luxurious office on the second floor.

"Everything looks spectacular. You really outdid yourself, Brother Roasty," Governor Salam praised highly, settling comfortably into a plush leather chair.

"But, Master Zani, please do not take offense. This is a rural area. A mere village," Chaao interjected. Being a straightforward man, he voiced his practical doubts. "Will you truly be able to earn a profit here? Would it not be better to open this establishment inside Grains City?"

Hearing this, Salam could only shake his head. Although his son-in-law has officially inherited the title of Mayor, the young man still severely lacks political vision and worldly exposure.

"Hahaha! Mayor Chaao, that is exactly what I said to him when he first came to me proposing this partnership," Roasty laughed from the side, remembering how he too had once possessed the exact same limited vision.

"Then... why build it here?" Chaao asked, genuinely confused.

"It is quite simple," Salam explained patiently. "Thanks to the previous grand tournament, the baseline population of this village has already increased tremendously. Now, almost half the empire knows about Big Wheat Village and the Iron Core Dojo. At this rate, if they host a different tournament each year, it will only take four to five years for this village to naturally evolve into a city."

The Governor stated the obvious. He too is actively using this early period to secretly purchase more land in the vicinity. "In fact, if Zani keeps adding massive commercial structures like his partnered hunter network and Forging Union, it might even develop into a Major City one day."

"Really?!" Chaao gasped, completely stunned by the sheer scale of the projection.

"You exaggerate things too much, Governor Salam," Zani chuckled, humbly shooting the topic down.

I just want to earn money to invest in the System's ridiculous quests and develop my own dojo, Zani thought inwardly. I never intended to gentrify my surroundings, that's just after effect!

Even the title 'Forging Union' was merely a catchy name Ethan had come up with for the in-construction building next door.

Thinking about it, his funds are almost depleted. Apart from investing into the Pavilion and Union, he is also building the underground cave and a place to keep Elks when he captures them.

From a wealth standpoint, everything currently depends on the financial success of this Pavilion.

After half an hour of joyous celebration, Zani finally decided to bring up the true purpose of this meeting.

"Governor Salam, I need your help again," Zani requested politely, smoothly pouring a cup of wine for the man.

"There is no need to be so polite, Brother Zani. Just tell me what you need," Salam replied frankly.

Inwardly, however, the Governor is dead serious. He is more than ready to exhaust all his power to accomplish whatever Zani asks. After all, his chances of winning the gubernatorial election were not good but he still won.

If I have gained this much power just by following this man for a single year... what kind of glorious future awaits me? Salam often woke up in the middle of the night laughing at his own fortune.

"I want to capture an Earth Sword Elk alive," Zani stated calmly.

"An Earth Sword Elk?!"

All three men in the office shouted in surprise.

"What? Is it not possible?" Zani asked, slightly taken aback by their violent reaction.

"Far from it, Master Zani," Roasty was the first to speak, frantically waving his hands. "Unlike normal beasts, the Earth Sword Elk is a highly aggressive and ruthlessly territorial monster. There is a very good reason why there are no other large animals left living inside the Nut Forest!"

As an elite restaurateur, Roasty knows better than anyone that the meat of an Earth Sword Elk is infinitely superior to that of a Mud Boar, and their horns are some of the most premium forging materials in the empire. But hunting them is considered a near-suicidal endeavor, much less attempting to capture and domesticate one alive!

"Governor Salam, can a martial artist not contend with them?" Zani asked directly, completely ignoring Roasty's warnings. He has to complete this System quest by hook or by crook.

"A martial artist can, of course, fight it," Salam answered, his thick brows furrowing deeply. "But doing so requires a genuine 3rd Stage Body Tempering strength. Moreover, the Elks of the Nut Forest are classified as strategic resources of the Empire. Unlike common Mud Boars, they cannot be hunted or captured lightly."

The Governor poured more water on Zani's desire first before lightly shifting his tone. "However... since Master Zani desires one, I will definitely find a way. I recall that a previous Governor of Warrior City once successfully captured and gifted a live Elk to the Royal Princess. I will mobilize my forces to dig up those old records, and we can discuss the exact logistics soon."


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[Question: Why is Roasty willing to do 50-50 with Zani

A. He desperately wants to showcase equipment.

B. He is thinking of overtaking Zani's partnered hunter supply line.

C. It's brotherly love.

D. It's a matter of security from martial artists.

E. Zani negotiation skills are just too good.]

[I will post it's answer in next chapter...]

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[Author Note: read next 10 chapters right now on my patreon. https://www.patreon.com/c/unpaid13]