From a young age, Nash was extremely talented. He started his education and martial practice, simultaneously at the age of nine. His family has its traditional martial arts; twin axe fury. He was trained in it. He was also trained in Orgin martial arts, which is considered a foundational martial art, with diverse application.
Within three years of practicing both martial arts, he reached major accomplishment in them and became a peak level marital artist. At the age of twelve, he reached proficient level mastery in them and became a martial master.
The royal family of Raihan, has two duke families assisting them, in running the state and also maintaining order. They were the Rivera family and Oliver family. All three families; the Raihans, the Riveras and the Olivers, were originally immortal families.
In the long river of time, they were diluted and absorbed into an immortal sect, becoming its vassals. When there was a change in a dynasty, and heavy wars waging on. The sect used its own methods and influence, and helped the three families in becoming the ruling party of the state. So, they can provide a steady supply of resources to them.
Though the immortal sects don't directly intervene in the mortal domain, they maintain a subtle control over them. This is beneficial to both, as the sects provide protection, and the ruling class of the state provides tribute to them.
Gold has high value in the immortal domain. It's considered a pure metal and has high conductivity of spiritual qi, hence they are used in arrays, artifact creation, alchemy and even construction. The exchange ratio of gold in immortal domain is; ten gold coins equal, one low grade spirit stone.
Even silver, black iron and mithril are considered as resources for tribute. Even some food resources and herbs are provided by the mortal domain. Though they were not very high level, but they are valuable and commonly used in the immortal circle.
Hence the sect, which has subtle control over the dynasties and kingdoms, will have rich mortal resources for their use. When the three families were selected, each family split into two branches. One stayed in the immortal domain and the other moved to the mortal domain.
In the mortal domain, it's strictly forbidden to practice immortal cultivation. If a mortal wanted to practice cultivation, they have to move outside the protected mortal domain. If a person is found out practicing cultivation, he would be kicked out of the mortal domain and into the wild. He would then have to fend for himself. If a person commits crime, using their cultivation prowess, they would be severely punished based on the crime.
It's easy to monitor the mortal domain, as it completely covered in arrays and formations, as a shield; for protection purposes. Without these arrays, most of the mortal domain would be overrun by spiritual and demon beasts, and also rouge cultivators.
The Rivera family specialized in blacksmithing and the Olivers specialize in alchemy. At the age of twelve, after reaching the martial master realm; Nash started to practice blacksmithing and alchemy, along with his martial practice and education. Due to his high talent and a keen insight, he became proficient in both occupations, very quickly.
At the age of thirteen, his martial practice reached mastery stage, and he became the youngest grandmaster on the state of Leonora. At the age of fourteen, his martial practice reached the stage of excellence. Even from a young age, he was extremely disciplined. His schedule was tightly packed, alternating between, his two martial arts practice, to his education, to his smithing and alchemy training. He maintained this pace regularly.
At the age of sixteen, he reached the peak of martial arts. So he reduced the training pace and started to focus on family affairs and business. With the help of his family, and using the resources they provided, he started his own merchant group. By leveraging his connections to the royal family, and also using his own family's influence, he rapidly bought new lands, opened a chain of restaurants and inns. He also started his own brand of clothing style, while opening many branches across the state.
In due time, he was involved in many business; from agriculture and farming to weapon shops and jewelries, across the state. He mostly opened very few businesses, the rest; he acquired them from, failing merchant groups and lords and other nobles of the state.
He was able to achieve all this due to his business knowledge of his previous life and his keen insight and intuition. He was able to predict the flow of the market and study the consumers and the ruling party mindset. And mainly, his status and connections helped him a lot. Without it, he won't have expanded to this large a scale.
Though he run his own merchant group, he was only responsible for the top ten percent of the important decision making of the group. The rest he delegated them to his trusted and key employers. They were bound to him by contracts, which cannot be broken.
At the age of seventeen, he reached transcendence, in both his martial arts, and also reached the pinnacle of alchemy and smithing occupation, in the mortal domain. He also completed his studies and royal exams at the age of seventeen and became a top scholar recognized by the court.
He spent a year, handling his personal and business affairs. He joined the royal court; as an official, at the age of eighteen. He served three years in the court, growing his influence and also making new connections. He used these connections to grow his business further.
At the age of twenty; he revealed, he has reached the realm of grandmaster and formally requested the king, to let him join the army. He never revealed his martial realm at the young age, as to avoid sticking out, while also blending with the peers of his age. Only a few from his family, knew of his genius.
Though he was revealed as reaching the grandmaster realm at the age of twenty, he was still considered, one of the top rare genius of his time, as very few reached that realm at the young age of twenty. A normal genius would reach that realm, between the ages of fifty to hundred. Averagely; most people reach that realm, between the ages of hundred to two hundred.
When the king heard of this news, and was requested by Nash to join the army. He was immensely happy and made him a commander in training. Nash served in the army for five years. He went from commander in training, to a commander and then after a war, he was promoted to a General.
He participated in two wars during his stay in the army. Though they lost the first war, he was promoted to a general, due to his excellent command and military prowess. The army won the second war, while he served as the commanding general, and he gained great fame because of it. He also used his time in the army, to increase his connections and contacts, and further develop his social circle. He then, leveraged these connections, to further expand and develop his business circle.