He Became the Genius Blacksmith of the Namgung Family - Chapter 108
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 108
Episode 108
-Screeeeech!!!
A terrible wailing echoes through the night.
“…!!?”
Outside the 3-jang perimeter, Yaggang, Yahwel, Yamu, and Jobuza who were standing guard were startled for only a moment.
In an instant, they closed the 9-jang distance and entered the blacksmith’s forge.
Namgung Cheon-gang had collapsed.
Baekseol was glowing and clinging to him, crying.
“Younger Brother!!”
Yahwel, who immediately realized what had happened, screamed at the top of his lungs.
Yamu urgently sensed the life force disappearing and returning repeatedly, and hurriedly ran over to sit him upright.
Then, placing his hand on his back, he transmitted his internal energy through remote energy transfer.
‘Please, please!’
He prayed for him to live.
The Yasung County Chief floating in the air.
The repair was an unqualified success.
The powerful energy felt from within.
The king’s roar that had spread earlier.
It was mightier than Yaggang’s, so how could it not be a success.
But who could have known he would stake his life on that success.
‘He absolutely must not die. I cannot let our benefactor’s life end like this!’
A great blacksmith?
What does that matter!
None of it is needed.
I cannot let this youth who sacrificed his life to remove Namman’s resentment go like this.
No, even if it weren’t their debt, it would be fine.
Wasn’t this young blacksmith the one who erased the 30-year wound carved into Namman?
The grace received is great and overflowing, so for this alone he must be saved, and that grace must be repaid.
‘It was greed.’
Yes, it was greed.
At those words that it could be fixed, that the family’s resentment, his own grudge could be removed….
To think that greed would endanger the life of Namman’s benefactor.
I have no face to show my ancestors in death.
I have nothing to say to Namgung while living.
Therefore, he must be saved.
To repay the grace received, and to beg forgiveness for this wrong of endangering his life!
‘Even if I give half my life, I will save him!’
However, whether time is cruel, or because the power gathered in his dantian scattered due to his aging body.
His energy is insufficient.
‘Then, I will offer my remaining life.’
Just as he was about to draw up his innate energy and transmit all that life force.
A powerful, warm energy overflowing with life was felt from behind his back.
The power of the Yasung Jingyeong Water God Technique that he had possessed in his youth, overflowing like the Yangtze River.
He seemed to know who the owner of that power rushing in like a tidal wave was.
His son, and his grandson.
They too had the same heart.
The combined power of the three generations thus filled the dantian of the dying man with energy.
However, there was a problem.
The pulse was faint.
If they were to save him through remote energy transfer, the pulse they felt now should be strong.
It was faint, as if it would soon crumble.
It must be because his innate power had weakened.
If they poured internal energy like this, it would be fine for now, but it would place a great burden on his gradually stopping body later.
In the end, the answer was that power to fill his innate energy.
When the thought that only the previous generation had possessed, of wanting to transmit his own innate power, arose in their minds across generations.
When the three generations began to pour in that innate energy.
A mysterious energy with more vitality than any other life form was felt.
At the same time.
Thump.
“…!?”
Thump!
Their benefactor’s pulse beats.
As if to say not to worry.
Thank goodness. Thank goodness!
The first given life force breathed life into his pulse.
Who could it be.
He seemed to know.
It was Baekseol.
That mysterious being was breathing its own life force into him to save its master.
How could they waste the opportunity it created to save its master.
Like snatching a fish caught on a hook, the three generations poured their life force along with internal energy into Namgung Cheon-gang.
How much time had passed.
The dark night retreated, and red light rippled beyond the jungle forest.
The three generations’ bodies were completely soaked with sweat, and Sinchung’s light gradually faded.
A little more, just a little more.
Please—
Thump!
The pulse that had been saved but was fading like a lamp before the wind.
That heartbeat surged.
Thump, thump!
The heartbeat that began to race once.
Thump, thump, thump!
Began to burst like the rushing waves of the Yangtze River.
The emptied dantian accepted the internal energy, and the stopped blood vessels moved without rest.
Warmth rose in the body that had been growing cold.
Life force returned to the skin that had been turning pale.
At that sight showing he had come back to life, relief colored everyone’s faces.
But it wasn’t over yet.
They had barely managed to keep him breathing.
What remained now was follow-up measures to make that attached life force burn bright.
“Yahwel! Bring the physician! I will carry our benefactor!”
As if he had recovered the strength of his prime.
The tiger that had been eroded by time became king again, commanding the two young tigers.
“Yes!”
“Yaggang, bring the Mansu Hwangheul Dan and Cheong-an Okro-gwa from the palace!”
“Yes, Father!”
“I will carry our benefactor, so do not delay!”
Then, just as Yamu carefully lifted Namgung Cheon-gang and was about to run.
Baekseol, who had saved her master, came to mind.
I can’t just leave him like that.
Since he used the power of life force, he definitely won’t be fine.
I need to take him with me, keep him by my side, and treat him.
“Baekseol, you did well. Now, with this old man…”
So I try to take him along.
But Baekseol’s condition doesn’t look good.
Glowing pure white, curled up in a ball.
It feels like she’s crumbling away, having exhausted all her energy.
“Baekseol!”
Startled, I rush over while carrying Namgung Cheon-gang on my back!
Paaaaat!
A massive light bursts forth through Baekseol.
Such a powerful light that it temporarily pushes back the red glow that had begun to taint the jungle…
* * *
Namgung Cheon-gang had a dream.
‘…A dream?’
Is that right?
A beach.
A sandbar.
Draft beer placed on an outdoor table.
People coming and going in colorful outfits.
Distinct chocolate abs.
Eye-catching bikinis.
‘Wow!’
He becomes certain.
‘It really is a dream.’
Wasn’t the scenery from ancient Chinese history books or Hong X movies his current life?
The scenery he’s seeing now is civilization that can only be enjoyed in his previous life, so what else could it be but a dream?
“Zhuangzi said that he became a butterfly in a dream and flew around joyfully, then woke up to find he was Zhuangzi, which is called the Butterfly Dream.”
Hmph.
Someone recites those words and sits down at the table where Namgung Cheon-gang is sitting.
It was a young man with striking chocolate abs.
His long straight hair, enviable even to women, flutters in the wind.
Sunglasses perched on his head.
Red Hawaiian shorts.
A combination that shouldn’t work together fits like art.
Namgung Cheon-gang stares intently, then opens his mouth in admiration.
“Wow. He’s really handsome.”
So handsome that even celebrities would turn to look.
“I guess the completion of fashion really is the face.”
“What? Hahaha! Thanks. You’re pretty refreshingly handsome yourself.”
Even his refreshing laugh is so cool.
Being complimented by a handsome person makes it seem true, so he feels good for no reason.
“Pant pant pant.”
“Wow. So neat and clean.”
Behind the familiar words being exchanged, a Golden Retriever comes running over and acts cute toward the handsome young man.
They seem to know each other, or perhaps he’s the owner.
The relationship between them is truly heartwarming.
Before he knows it, there’s another beer on the table.
The handsome young man, who had been playing with the Golden Retriever for a moment, picks up his beer and drinks while looking at the beach.
Many men and women playing around, couples, families.
And bikinis.
“Wow.”
“Wow.”
Exclamations bursting from both men’s mouths simultaneously.
They’re the same.
“You really lived in an amazing world.”
“It’s a good world. It has many flaws here and there, but having experienced it, there’s no better place for people to live.”
“Certainly, only someone who has lived in both worlds would know this.”
“Right?”
“A drink?”
“Yes!”
Namgung Cheon-gang and the man clinked their beer glasses.
Clink.
A clear bell-like sound.
After that, the beer with white foam like waves goes down refreshingly.
“Ahh. The taste of alcohol is amazing too.”
“Ugh. Even if it’s really just a dream, it’s great!”
“Hey, it might be a dream, or it might not be.”
“Since it’s called the Butterfly Dream, the opposite could be true too.”
“Of course. There’s no law saying a butterfly can’t become Zhuangzi, and no law saying Zhuangzi can’t become a butterfly. How about it, want to try becoming a butterfly?”
The young man suggests with a gentle smile.
With a smile that seems like he should naturally nod and agree, Namgung Cheon-gang smiles and responds.
“No.”
* * *
“Why not?”
“Because real life is better than dreams.”
“But it might not be?”
“My 18 years of Central Plains Martial Arts World life is too vivid for that?”
“Haven’t you ever thought that might be the butterfly?”
“Then I’ll be a butterfly, so what.”
“You don’t want to go back?”
“Oh, why wouldn’t I want to go back?”
The beach, sandbar, cool beer, bikinis, and countless benefits of civilization.
After living and enjoying all that, he fell into the martial arts world where civilization’s conveniences are centuries behind.
It’s fortunate that he’s a person within the huge fence of the Namgung Family, like some major conglomerate.
If he had been just an ordinary person in the martial arts world, he might have lived trembling in fear of when he’d get stabbed and die.
Thinking about this, how desperate would he be to return to his previous life?
Of course he wants to go back.
“But I’ve come too far for that, haven’t I?”
There are connections made here, things accomplished, things that need to be done, and dreams too.
“I can’t abandon everything and leave because it would haunt my dreams. So, since I’m doing this anyway, I want to enjoy everything there is to enjoy in the martial arts world, achieve everything there is to achieve, and live well before I go. Then, if I can go to my previous life, I’ll bow down without a second thought and go.”
“Isn’t that too greedy?”
“Of course! How can you live without greed? I’m not a saint or gentleman. Since I’m a blacksmith, I have the greed to become the best, and because I have that greed, I’m also full of greed to live well.”
“Is it because of that greed that you’ve helped everyone so far?”
“Should I say it’s because of the moral sense I built up in my previous life? When someone asks for help right in front of me, it’s really hard to turn away. If I hadn’t seen it, that might be different?”
“Whether it’s selfish or altruistic.”
“The Central Plains Martial Arts World is hard to live in alone. You could say I want to build connections to live well, wanting to make good guanxi brothers and sisters, right? Hahaha!”
“What? Hahahaha! Right, right. Make lots of good guanxi connections, live well all around – that’s good greed. You’re right! Hahaha!”
Haven’t you ever thought about it in a bad way?
Don’t you want to form better family ties with the power you have?
Don’t you want to conquer the martial arts world with that power?
The thoughts that had entered my head.
All flew away.
What’s the point of saying that to someone who says he has the desire to become the world’s greatest blacksmith, yet talks about guanxi where everyone lives well together?
What more is there to say when that smile is full of sincerity, proving it’s not a lie?
“No, even if I talked about it, hey, what a bother, why go on like that. He’d probably say let’s just live fun, live well, and live happily.”
“Huh?”
“I’m saying if I spoke this way and that, you’d probably respond this way and that.”
“Ah. Of course. Naturally. Let’s all live well together, the New Village New Mind movement is really good.”
“Since that movement helped the country you lived in achieve prosperity and strength, I can’t say it’s wrong. This is what we should learn.”
“It’ll happen someday.”
“Right. You’re correct. Anyway, it’s good. That you’re the one who inherited my will. Well, since the connections were well made, coincidence became destiny and led you here.”
“It all started well with our Master Mak Noya. Hahaha.”
“That’s also right.”
When beautiful people come near, virtuous neighbors surely gather.
When good fortune flows well and continues, blessed connections never cease.
“Beautiful people are always surrounded by virtuous neighbors, and when good flows continue well, blessed connections never end – seeing Mak and you, this is bound to happen.”
“Isn’t the beginning always important?”
“That’s also right. The beginning is always important. Anyway, thank you for fixing this guy. He was really heartbroken.”
“Pant pant pant!”
The handsome young man petted the Golden Retriever’s head.
The Golden Retriever seemed happy and smiled broadly.
“There’s much to say, but the time dwelling in this space is short. You’ll know the rest of the story when you wake from the dream.”
The young man, who smiled gently once more seeing that smile, soon extended his hand to Namgung Cheon-gang.
“Please take care of things from now on.”
“I should be the one asking that. Big brother!”
“Big brother?”
“If you’re the ‘predecessor,’ you’re much senior to me, so wouldn’t you be big brother?”
“Not grand master?”
“Oh my, looking at you like this, you’re more like big brother than grand master.”
“Uhahahaha! You’re really an interesting guy. Alright, call me big brother. Thank you for properly inheriting my legacy. Uhahaha! Please take care of me, younger brother!”
“Please take care of me, big brother!”
Namgung Cheon-gang bowed and respectfully grasped the hand extended with both hands.
“You’ll have quite a lot of hardships ahead, a whole lot. But I’ve made some arrangements, so it should be fine. See you next time.”
“Huh?”
“I told you just now, right? You’ll know when you wake from the dream. Well then, farewell.”
Tap.
The predecessor flicked his forehead with two fingers.
“…Huh?”
I woke from the dream.
I could see the faded ceiling.
And an enormous amount of message windows appeared.
“Ga, gaga! You’re awake!”
What are you saying?
Gaga?
What a terrible thing to say to an unmarried person, I thought as I quickly turned around, and saw a familiar face.
A sturdy build like an Amazon otter with a cute face like a Eurasian otter.
“Miss Yamimi?”
“Yes! It’s me! You finally woke up! You don’t know how worried this girl was, gaga!”
Yamimi rushed over and hugged me.
Squeeze!
I could feel tremendous strength.
Like my waist would break.
I couldn’t even breathe properly, and a scream of “Gyeeeek” echoed in my mind.
As air was cut off to my brain, my consciousness grew distant.
At the same time, Namgung Cheon-gang thought.
‘Ah. I’ve awakened as Namgung Cheon-gang of the multiverse Central Plains martial arts world.’
The multiverse where I became the husband of the daughter of the Lord of the Southern Barbarian Palace.
Of course, realizing that wasn’t the case
“Gaga? Gaga?! Gaga!!!”
was a story for the day after I fainted again.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————