I am just dropping in to the thread and can’t read 15 pages right now, but I’ll just say this is not the best grind run. Get the key from the blacksmith and open the gate right beside the bonfire in the forest.
There are three npc (same area right before the sword wielding dog) that together are worth 7k, I think, and the run is super fast. You can provoke them and run back to the door and just drop down by the cliff, they will run of the ledge. It’s a 30 second run. Just you tube forest dark souls grind and you should find it.