They passed a sentry guard at the foot of the mountain who waved them in, clearly expecting the arrival of goods today. Hoon Lee, a long-time merchant, had earned his trust and wasn’t inspected as he urged the horses forward. They climbed the mountain for another twenty minutes on well-crafted roads until he pulled into a yard where Quan heard the familiar sounds of a blacksmith’s yard at work.

“They have their own blacksmith?” Quan inquired, “Why do they order from us then?”

“Master Chiro is a spiritual blacksmith. He works on equipment for the sect using his arts and Ki to produce works I could only dream of.” Hoon Lee gestured at the back of the wagon, “However, many mortal crafts are still needed, yet aren’t worth his time to make. So, he commissions things the sect needs to free his time for perfecting their art.” Hoon Lee pulled up alongside the back of the forge where a young girl was leading them since they pulled into the yard.

The sound of hammer on anvil stopped, and Master Chiro came out of the forge a moment later, a thick leather apron around his muscular body. He stood a powerful six foot four inches and was built like he had been born with a hammer in his hand. He had a strong jaw, dark close shaved hair as sweat beaded on his clean-shaven face from the work and heat of the forge. “You made good time today, Hoon Lee. No problems on the road then?” He inquired.

“None, Master Chiro.” Hoon Lee bowed. The sect is patrolling the roads with renewed vigour, and their presence has sent any criminals into hiding.

“Good, come inside while my boys unload your wagon. There is something I’d like you to see.” The forge was well ordered, with tools hanging on walls and workbenches clean and tidy. The three-walled building was about 15 meters to a side, leaving plenty of room for several people to work on projects, a huge furnace burned at the far end, and what looked to be a smaller furnace or kiln was set in each wall. The main house was set off to the side of the forge and was a rare double floor building showing some prosperity of the owner. Chiro began working the metal in front of him while talking to his father about the technique he was using and the benefits it offered. While interested, his eyes wandered as he looked around, three men were unloading the wagon, looking to range from late twenties early twenties. Simultaneously, the little girl who led them ordered them about, which was studiously ignored by the, presumably, older brothers.

“Quan, work the bellows to the forge, keep it going.” Chiro barked an order as he plunged a stick of metal in the coals and took another one out. Quan jumped over to forge, and after a quick look, started the careful process of maintaining the forge’s heat. After about 30 minutes, Chiro finished what he was showing his father and called him over.

“Son, this is Master Chiro I told you about. You will pay him all respect.”

Quan bowed toward the Master and said, “it is an honour to meet you, Master.”

“You know why your father brought you here today?” Chiro asked him.

“Yes, Master. I am here to begin the path of a cultivator in the Wild Rose Sect.” Quan said.

“You are old to begin training, but your father assures me he has taught you well, and his work and word have always been good. I can help you catch up in the art of cultivation, and if you work hard, we can make a spiritual blacksmith out of you.” Chiro informed him.

“A spiritual blacksmith?” Quan questioned.

“A mortal blacksmith, like your father, works with common metals and provides the many daily things needed, even here amongst those that learn the sacred arts. A spiritual cultivator learns to take their Ki and work it into the metal, to work with metals that are already imbued with energy, along with other more exotic materials to produce works of wonder. It is a most exciting craft, to pull your creations from the heat of the forge to wield the powers of the world.”

Quan considered and imagined the things he might learn and create. He truly had come to love the time in the forge, even though he had thought it would be short-lived. The process of bending iron to his will and pounding what he imagined into being was a joy he had never experienced in his past life. His father had only just begun teaching him the more complicated aspects, and the prospect of doing more was appealing to him, yet it was not what he’d expected.

“I can see the questions in your eyes,” Chiro said, “better to ask them now and start in understanding.”

“No disrespect Master, I thought cultivators were all taught to fight, that I was coming to be trained in the martial arts.” Quan said.

“Son, do not question the opportunity you have been given!” Hoon Lee said quickly.

Chiro smiled, “Do not worry, Hoon Lee, two of my own sons would rather follow the path of the warrior than the blacksmith. Is that your wish to be a fighter instead of a builder? I suppose I should expect no less with your display at the temple. You have a warrior's spirit. But there are many professions open to a cultivator that does not involve fighting. They often mirror mortal ones, only with the added aspect of working with Ki in various forms."

Quan thought for a moment, “Can I learn both? I love working at the forge, but I feel that learning to fight is vital in this world."

“Ambitious!” Chiro laughed. “In truth, if you wished to be a fighter, you should have tried to join years ago. The masters of the fighting paths all choose their students much younger. I am only allowing this trial because your father's blacksmith training will mostly match what I would have taught you to this point had I accepted you at a proper age." Chiro paused as a thought occurred to him. "Still, there is one who might be willing to take you on. If you are serious about learning both paths, you will be a boy with two masters. You will be working until you curse the day you made this choice and beg one of your masters to set you free.”

The boy nodded dubiously, deciding it was like an army sergeant trying to scare recruits on the first day. Just go with it and learn.

“We must see your father off if he is to make it back home before dark, then we shall go see if you will have two masters or one.” Chiro walked out of the forge into the cool spring air. He looked to his oldest son, who nodded to his father as he went into the forge. “Lin Le, go tell Asha we are coming to visit shortly.” The young girl nodded and ran off down the road.

“All appears to be in order,” Chiro pulled out a pouch of coins and handed it to Hoon Lee, “for your services as agreed, as well as the cultivator’s compensation.” The youngest of the men who had been loading the wagon dropped a bag into the back of it and got up on it beside Hoon Lee, “Now, as for my son, he will help you run the forge until you heal, but you are still the master, don’t let his head grow too big. He has reached a bottleneck in his training and must decide if he will put in the effort to break through or choose another path. So treat him fairly, but honestly, so he can choose wisely.”

Hoon Lee took the pouch and secured it inside his robes. Walking over to Quan, he said, “Make your parents proud, work hard and learn all there is. Remember, your parents love you.” With a final hug, he got on his wagon and urged the horses out of the yard.

Chiro waited until Hoon Lee’s cart turned a corner and was out of view before he spoke. “Come then, let us go see Asha.” Quan noticed he had set aside his thick apron already and was gesturing for him to follow. “I do not know if she will take you in, but I know that the others will not. She will likely test you, so be prepared to accept whatever she does or answer whatever she asks.” Quan nodded silently, somewhat regretting his decision to hide his ability and stay with the family longer. He did not think 15 years was so old of age, but he realized he had been letting Earth’s view of age cloud his vision. Back home, he would only be starting high school, years away from making college decisions. But here, 15 was well past the time for choosing a vocation.