"Well..." Gan Jing considered for a moment, deciding against holding back too much, and stated, "Though I can work iron, I'm hardly a Second-Tier Blacksmith. I only know how to forge Refined Iron, nothing else. I can't even craft the simplest hoe."

Silence descended once more upon the whispering backyard of the forge. The apprentice blacksmiths exchanged stunned glances, unable to believe their ears. A person capable of producing Second-Tier Refined Iron in such a short time actually couldn't forge something as basic as a hoe? Were they joking? Even apprentices who had just started out knew how to do that.

Franklin felt as though his extended neck was being held fast by a steel spike. Was this a joke? No! His eyes were earnest; he wasn't kidding. But how could a blacksmith who could pound out Second-Tier Refined Iron so quickly know nothing about crafting tools?

"This... this..."

In all his years as a blacksmith, Franklin had never encountered anything so bizarre. After stammering for a while, he managed to say, "I have a method. How about you consider this? I'll lend you the tools and the space here. For every piece of Second-Tier Refined Iron you forge, I'll pay you at the rate of one Gold Coin."

One Gold Coin. Gan Jing's eyes suddenly widened. Working a full month elsewhere barely earned one Gold Coin. Here, he’d just be swinging a hammer around randomly and earn a Gold Coin? While the resulting Second-Tier Refined Iron would undoubtedly sell for more than a single Gold Coin, one still had to let others make a profit, right?

"One is too little? Then how about this!"

Franklin gritted his teeth, thinking fiercely that he absolutely could not let this man leave. Refined Iron of this quality wasn't sold in any regular smithy. With this Second-Tier Refined Iron, the weapons and armor processed from it would surely elevate the forge to a whole new level.

"For every one-jin piece of Second-Tier Refined Iron you produce, I guarantee a minimum price of one Gold Coin. Once the resulting weapons are sold, after deducting all costs, we split the profits fifty-fifty. How does that sound?"

The worry in Franklin's eyes was unconcealed. This arrangement was quite fair for a Second-Tier Blacksmith who only knew how to forge Refined Iron. After all, they provided the storefront, the labor, and the sales network. But if other shops learned about such a treasure, they might maliciously compete by driving up prices to poach him.

Gan Jing was delighted. So sometimes, choosing silence brought unexpected benefits? One Gold Coin was already a significant income, and now there was a profit split, a full half! If things went well, he might not have to worry about making a living anymore. If he was lucky and accumulated more Gold Coins, he could eventually buy an expensive Dou Stone at the auction house, which would be immensely beneficial for entering the Great Dou Spirit Array later on.

"Deal." Gan Jing happily extended his palm. "Give me that one Gold Coin first."

Franklin paused for a beat, then quickly turned and shouted, "Get a Gold Coin over here! Hurry!"

Watching Franklin fuss, clearly afraid he might bolt, Gan Jing suddenly recalled something and asked, "Right, Boss. I have one question."

"Ask away," Franklin replied with utmost courtesy, making Gan Jing deeply feel that in this world, as long as you possessed ability—in any field—you would always receive respect within that industry.

Gan Jing scratched his damp hair. "I was wondering, if one day I manage to strike Third-Tier Refined Iron, what price would you offer me then?"

"Third-Tier Refined Iron?"

Franklin stared blankly at Gan Jing, momentarily unsure how to answer. Third-Tier Refined Iron was the basic skill of a Third-Tier Blacksmith! But Third-Tier Blacksmiths weren't like weeds on the street that you could crush with one step; in Aucklan City alone, there wasn't a single Third-Tier Blacksmith.

In Franklin's view, skill advancement for blacksmiths was far more arduous than for Warriors. At least if a Warrior or Mage had slightly inferior aptitude, their families could compensate by purchasing Dou Stones or Magic Stones.

There were no shortcuts or supplementary methods for a blacksmith's advancement; it relied solely on innate talent and dedicated study.

Third-Tier Blacksmith? Franklin sighed. This young man’s talent was indeed excellent, being able to forge Second-Tier Refined Iron at such a young age. But wanting to forge Third-Tier Refined Iron meant he didn't understand the depth of the blacksmithing trade. Advancing from Second-Tier to Third-Tier wasn't something achieved easily.

"Yes, what about Third-Tier Refined Iron?" Gan Jing pressed again, unwilling to give up, while secretly calculating: He had only spent sixteen hours in the [Endless World] and transformed from a complete novice who couldn't work iron into someone capable of forging Second-Tier Refined Iron. If he spent more time in there later, couldn't he produce Third-Tier, or even Fourth-Tier Refined Iron?

"Well..." Franklin smiled. "If you manage to forge Third-Tier Refined Iron, then for the weapons and armor our little shop crafts from it, after deducting costs, we would only take a one-tenth profit share. The remaining ninety percent profit would all be yours."

Frances, standing nearby, nodded subtly. This price was considered very equitable. Second-Tier Refined Iron was incomparable to Third-Tier. Using Third-Tier Refined Iron for inlays on weapons, or as the crucial component for a heart-guard mirror, its value could easily exceed five times that of Second-Tier Refined Iron, providing immense publicity value for the shop!

Ninety percent? Gan Jing clicked his tongue twice, took the delivered Gold Coin, tossed it into the air, then snatched it mid-flight, grinning as he strode toward the front counter. He looked back and said, "Boss, I'll be back tomorrow. I have a few things to sort out today."

Franklin leaned slightly forward and bowed. "You are welcome anytime. You don't need to adhere to our work schedule; you can come and go as you please."

"Very well, I’m off then."

Gan Jing trotted out of the smithy, his target locked onto the Aucklan Academy of Magic and Warriors, sprinting with all his might. His mind was completely consumed by that hat that had struck him into being a 'walking crime against aesthetics'! This thing was infinitely better than he had imagined! Not only had his strength inexplicably surged, but he had also learned blacksmithing skills he never possessed before. Previously, he couldn't earn two Gold Coins in a month of hard labor; now, a little casual hammering brought in one Gold Coin, with potential future profit sharing!

With such a hat, how could Gan Jing spare time to wander around outside? His heart was already soaring back to the blacksmith shop in the [Endless World]—a place where he could train, learn blacksmithing, and earn money! Where else could one find such a good deal?

Wait! Besides blacksmithing, there was also forging. That meant he could potentially learn to forge all sorts of tools and weapons in there? He could save money on buying weapons in the future? He could even sell weapons? Oh, right! And Magic Arrays! If he learned carving and runes, he could even become a Magic Artificer!