Chapter 280: Treasure Artisan

"Noble knight, do you think his Lordship the Viscount would be willing to receive me?"

Outside the modest castle of Red Mountain Town, Vance waited with an anxious heart.

He did not hail from Red Mountain Town, but his formidable craftsmanship and the superior quality of the weapons and armor he forged had earned him the acquaintance and patronage of numerous lords and knights.

Sir Hahn was one among them.

Over the years, the two had collaborated hundreds, if not thousands, of times.

Vance had earned many a gold coin from Hahn's purse.

His journey to Red Mountain Town this time was precisely to deliver a batch of goods to Hahn and to call upon other knights to see if he could expand his business.

Vance had imagined this trip would be as pleasant as the many before it, never dreaming that the Voland Bandits would launch an assault upon Red Mountain Town.

Not only did Sir Hahn fall in battle, but all the merchants, travelers, and strangers lingering in the town were rounded up by the outlaw band.

He fared passably well; owing to his status as a master blacksmith, the Voland Bandits did not mistreat him, choosing instead to keep him forging weapons day and night without respite.

His son, however, who had been out walking about, was unfortunately dragged away to the mines to toil as a common laborer.

By the time Vance found his boy, Paul had been beaten so severely that his body was covered in wounds, and he hovered on the brink of death.

For the past few days, they had huddled within the cramped blacksmith shop, finally enduring until the allied noble army of Wushan Castle drove the brigands away, but Paul's injuries showed no improvement; instead, they worsened steadily, and it seemed the boy's life was slipping away.

Driven to despair, Vance, as a father, could only come to the Viscount of North Wuling, who now resided in the castle, to plead his case, gripping onto a desperate hope.

"Rest easy, Master Vance. His Lordship the Viscount has always held capable men like yourself in high regard; he will surely see you."

Tom had followed Ronin for a long time and had come to understand much of the lord's disposition and preferences; he knew well Ronin's fondness for craftsmen of every stripe.

If nothing else, his own mother, Lia, had won the lord's favor precisely through her excellent tailoring skills.

The Vance before him, much like the carpenter Darn of North Wuling, was of the master rank and would bound to be well-received.

Before long, David returned. "You are truly fortunate, Master Vance. His Lordship happens to have some leisure. Come with me to meet him at once."

"The Seven Gods be praised! This is wonderful indeed!"

In the castle hall, Ronin set eyes upon this middle-aged man with short red hair and sun-blackened skin.

After a brief inquiry, he understood the purpose of the man's visit.

"So, you wish for me to save your son?"

Vance nodded instantly, bowing low as he spoke. "My Lord Viscount, I was blessed with him late in life, and he is my only son. I cannot bear to watch him die before my very eyes!"

He lifted his head, his words ringing with profound sincerity.

"My Lord, if you can restore him to life, I am willing to surrender every piece of my fortune!"

If a commoner desired a noble to exert himself, it required coin.

"I have a light-attribute mage under my command; if he were to intervene, he should be able to save your son."

Ronin smiled faintly and said, "However, you may not be aware that for a dying man, only a potent healing spell will suffice. A magic scroll for such a spell commands a price of six thousand gold coins on the market. I wonder if you possess such a sum?"

How much?

Vance was struck dumb. He had imagined that offering two or three thousand gold coins would be more than enough, never expecting Ronin to demand six thousand at the opening of his mouth.

"My Lord... I do not possess so many gold coins..."

His entire demeanor withered instantly, yet with hope dangling just before him, he was loath to abandon it.

He could not help but fall to his knees, tears streaming down his face. "I beg the noble Lord Viscount to save my son! If only you are willing to act, I will do anything for you!"

Ronin nodded slowly.

Vance belonged to Wushan City. When Ronin had been recruiting craftsmen previously, the man must have known of it, and his failure to go to Shanlin Town was purely because he looked down upon North Wuling; after all, with such a craft, he could live well anywhere.

Now, if Ronin wanted the man to labor for him willingly, he would have to employ a little strategy.

"I hear you are a blacksmith of the master rank?"

Sensing a softening in the lord's posture, Vance replied with eager excitement, "Yes, my Lord! I am confident that I can become a grandmaster within two years!"

A blacksmith of the grandmaster rank was an existence capable of manipulating extraordinary materials and forging extraordinary weapons—a walking treasure.

Ronin's dragon-scale armor would require a blacksmith of at least this level to even attempt its creation.

At this, the more he looked at Vance, the more pleasing the man appeared.

"In my domain, there is a master carpenter who believes he will never become a grandmaster in this lifetime. Why are you so confident?"

"My Lord, I have a premonition that I can break through to become an advanced knight within six months."

"You are a mid-level knight as well?"

Perhaps due to some preconceived notion, Ronin had subconsciously assumed that anyone who became a professional knight would join the ranks of those who live by the sword, but upon reflection, some were simply not suited for slaughter—such was the case with Sir Horn in his own territory.

Yet, hearing that breaking through to an advanced knight could allow him to become a grandmaster made Ronin exceedingly curious.

"Does becoming a grandmaster bear a relation to one's martial strength?"

"Naturally."

Vance explained, "An advanced knight of the fire attribute possesses a more precise control over battle aura. When forging a weapon, one can utilize one's own battle aura to subtly alter the materials, enhancing their affinity for battle aura.

At that stage, by using ordinary wrought iron infused with a certain measure of mithril, coupled with the forging breathing technique I created myself, I am confident I can forge an extraordinary weapon."

"A forging breathing technique?"

Ronin keenly caught onto something extraordinary.

"It is similar to a battle aura secret codex, serving to aid one's cultivation. It is just that when practiced in tandem with this breathing technique during forging, one can cultivate while better controlling the battle aura to augment the weapon's might."

Ronin was inwardly astonished.

A battle aura secret codex was something easily within Ronin's grasp, but for a commoner, it was something money could hardly buy, with the nobility monopolizing the vast majority of them.

That Vance could invent one himself proved he was nothing short of a genius!

"Master Vance, please rise."

Ronin stepped forward and helped the man to his feet. "Your attainments in smithing command my admiration, and your ability to devise a forging breathing technique leaves me utterly amazed!"

"I thank you for your validation, my Lord!"

The reason Vance had disclosed so much was precisely to display his worth before Ronin, so that the latter would save his son.

"Lord Viscount, if you will but extend a helping hand, I am willing to offer this forging breathing technique to you without reservation!"

Ronin, however, shook his head slowly.

Vance lost his composure for a fleeting moment. Even this was not enough?

Were nobles truly so insatiable?

"I have no need of your gold, nor do I require your forging breathing technique. I need you to do only one thing for me."

Vance's eyes widened. The hope that had just perished flared anew in his heart, and the words tumbled out of him: "My Lord, speak it, and I shall do my utmost!"

"I need you to serve me from this day forward, as the dedicated master craftsman to the Viscount of North Wuling."

Ronin stated his terms. "Of course, I do not mean to make a slave of you. On the contrary, I shall pay you additional compensation commensurate with your abilities, and I shall bestow arable land in North Wuling upon you and your kin."

"It shall be done!"

Feng Si agreed without the slightest hesitation.

Luoning had not taken away the savings he had amassed over decades; instead, he had granted him land. Under such circumstances, even if Luoning had demanded Feng Si work for free, the latter would have accepted.

“Then, Master Feng Si, welcome to the Ubei Domain!”

Luoning’s face beamed with delight.

His space ring happened to contain a chest of mithril acquired from the Coastal City—he had been at a loss for a master smith to serve him, and now Feng Si had come to him as if summoned.

“My lord, what of my son?” Feng Si asked anxiously.

“Rest assured,” Luoning said, glancing at Elron beside him.

“Come along, Master Feng Si.”

Elron’s voice was unusually gentle, easing Feng Si’s tension.

“The Light shall guard your son.” (End of chapter)