He Became the Genius Blacksmith of the Namgung Family - Chapter 135

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 135

Episode 135

“Hehe, I’m proud of you, iron cauldron.”

Namgung Cheon-gang smiled contentedly as he looked at the cauldron he had made.

Its enormous size, large enough to fit an adult with room to spare, naturally filled his heart with abundance.

“Put chicken in there, add medicinal herbs, pour in Baekseol’s Purification Water, and simmer it well—it would be nothing short of an elixir.”

The nutritious dish Namgung Cheon-gang planned to make was none other than ‘chicken soup.’

Just smelling it would provide summer nourishment.

Of course, even if it wasn’t chicken, he planned to put anything in and simmer it well.

‘I’ll make whatever I can catch.’

Whether it’s pork, deer, or carp.

For now, he planned to add medicinal herbs to anything and simmer it well.

If he simmered bones to extract the broth, wouldn’t that alone already be a nutritious dish?

“For simmering meat and bones with medicinal herbs, nothing beats a cauldron.”

Aluminum pots won’t do.

Other iron pots won’t do either.

Only a cauldron!

Why?

In his past life and present life.

All the nutritious dishes Namgung Cheon-gang had seen were only those cooked in cauldrons.

This naturally created the formula ‘nutritious food equals cauldron.’

“A cauldron is an excellent tool for making nutritious food. Hehehe.”

Is it only the cauldron that’s special?

What about the cauldron lid?

It’s a tool that creates heavenly cuisine beyond nutritious food.

“If I put pork belly on here and grill it…”

He pictured dozens of servings of pork belly lined up and grilling in his mind.

Sizzle.

The mouth-watering sound of grilling meat struck his ears.

The savory and rich aroma tickled his nostrils.

The grease from the grilled meat flowed down and gathered in one place, creating a golden glow.

Seeing this, kimchi seemed to ask to be placed on top.

As if enchanted, he gently placed well-aged kimchi onto the meat grease…

“Gahhh!”

Namgung Cheon-gang screamed and collapsed to the ground.

“Master!”

Hearing Namgung Cheon-gang’s scream, Cheonying dropped down from the ceiling.

Seeing the collapsed Namgung Cheon-gang, she prepared for enemies.

“Th-that was close. I almost got lost in a fantasy without realizing it…”

‘Huh?’

Muttering came from the collapsed Namgung Cheon-gang.

Cheonying, who had been scanning the surroundings with sharp eyes, was momentarily puzzled.

Caught in a fantasy?

Did the enemy deploy an illusion formation then?

‘If there’s no one detected by my senses, that could certainly be possible.’

What kind of formidable enemy had appeared to deploy an illusion formation!

“Good thing I twisted my own energy flow, phew. I got in trouble because I wanted to eat it so badly.”

“…??”

What is he talking about.

What does he want to eat so badly.

For someone struggling in a fantasy caused by an enemy’s illusion formation, his words seemed strange.

Only then did Cheonying examine Namgung Cheon-gang closely.

He was drooling uncontrollably.

‘Huh?’

Why?

“It was too deadly, the cauldron lid aged kimchi pork belly fantasy.”

‘…??’

Cauldron lid aged kimchi pork belly?

What is that.

“I wanted to eat it so badly that I made myself fall into a fantasy. I almost got trapped in the fantasy forever if I wasn’t careful. Indeed, the power of cauldron lid aged kimchi pork belly is tremendous!”

“…”

“But it’s not like I can’t make it, right? I should get some meat soon and grill it.”

The cauldron lid pork belly from his past life.

“This is no different from a grown adult still dreaming of pirate treasure from unbelievable stories heard by chance in childhood. Yes, exactly.”

Pat pat.

Namgung Cheon-gang muttered to himself while dusting off his knees and standing up.

“It’s a shame I don’t have aged kimchi right now. Oh, right. Eating it wrapped in freshly seasoned cabbage kimchi is also excellent, right? Like eating it wrapped. Since I thought of it…”

“…”

“…Huh?”

He made eye contact with Cheonying.

“…”

“…”

The two remained silent for a moment.

“…How much did you hear?”

Namgung Cheon-gang asked carefully.

“Everything…”

“…When do you think a person dies?”

When they can’t eat cauldron lid pork belly? Or when they make eye contact with a Bodyguard whose blue eyes have grown cold?

No.

“When they’re embarrassed.”

That would be now.

“…How about returning to the Village Chief’s House, Master.”

Cheonying left those words and soared toward the ceiling again.

Watching Namgung Cheon-gang with sunken eyes.

“…Sob.”

Namgung Cheon-gang buried his face in both hands to hide his embarrassment-flushed face and the tears that escaped.

* * *

Dawn broke.

Namgung Cheon-gang’s group, who had separated to handle their respective tasks, gathered again at Samgo’s House, the Village Chief of Sammi Village.

Amazingly, all the group members met exactly at the entrance.

“Wow. I didn’t know we’d all return to the Village Chief’s House at the same time.”

“It’s truly a fateful coincidence.”

“Right? Anyone would think we made an appointment. By the way, what’s that thing on Younger Brother’s back? I thought a giant turtle was walking over here.”

“Oh, this? It’s the cauldron I mentioned. Since it’s so big, I had no choice but to carry it on my back, so I became a giant turtle. Hahaha!”

“Ah, so that was the vessel cauldron you mentioned yesterday, Master.”

“Yes! That’s right. It was made just perfectly.”

Clang, clang.

Namgung Cheon-gang spoke confidently while tapping the cauldron.

Cheonying, standing beside him with a bundle of swords, watched him with narrowed eyes.

It seemed the sight of him falling into his own cauldron lid pork belly illusion was still vivid in her eyes.

Namgung Cheon-gang deliberately pretended not to notice and quickly changed the subject.

“Oh, come to think of it, Lady Sohye and the Jeonggeom Dan brothers and sisters also have just one bundle of luggage each?”

“This is the game we hunted as you requested yesterday. After catching, cooking, and testing it, we found it was edible.”

“Though it’s a bit tough.”

“The Princess did cook it for us, but the muscles seem quite firm.”

“The taste was similar to chicken.”

Following Namgung Sohye, the Namgung Jeonggeom Dan members each added a comment.

If it tastes like chicken, I wonder if it’s actually chicken.

For something like that, the luggage the six people are carrying is as big as my cauldron.

‘What is it? Some kind of eagle that tastes like chicken?’

Curious, I stared quietly, and Namgung Sohye unwrapped the bundle to show me.

The game that had been folded and stuffed into a huge cloth was revealed.

A giant chicken with its tongue hanging out, dead.

No, something like a chicken.

“…What is this? Since when are chickens this big? Wait, is it even a chicken?”

“It has the appearance of a chicken and the meat tastes similar to chicken, but we’re not sure exactly what it is.”

“Hmm. It looks interesting. Well, as long as we can eat it, isn’t that what matters?”

“That’s true, Sister. Looking at its size and how tough the meat is, it seems to have firm muscles, so if we stew it well, it should be good for recovering strength.”

“Oh my, Masters and Princesses!”

While the three were chatting away.

Village Chief Samgo came running out of the house in his socks.

Samgo had heard the commotion from the discussion about the identity of the caught game and came running out.

“This old man has been waiting eagerly, wondering when you would come. I lit the fireplace thinking you might come in the morning, and I also lit a bonfire in the center of the wooden floor.”

“Oh my, Elder! We could have done it ourselves. Sorry for troubling you so early in the morning.”

“Not at all, Master. It’s just adding a little more to what I always do. But why are you all standing here instead of coming inside?”

“Ah, it’s nothing special. We were just discussing what kind of game Lady Namgung Sohye caught yesterday because we were curious.”

“Game? The earth veins around here are contaminated, so there shouldn’t be much to catch…”

“I went a bit away from the village. I happened to find a great forest and was able to catch a giant bird there.”

“You mean a giant bird from the great forest around here? By any chance, was it a mountain range with forests spread out like wings?”

“Exactly, Elder. Do you happen to know that place?”

“Yes. I know it well. People from our village often go there to hunt. If it’s a bird worth catching from that place…”

Samgo, who had paused his words for a moment, stuck his head out to look at the bird they had hunted.

“Ah, as expected, it’s a Daesan chicken.”

“Ah. So this chicken-like bird’s name was Daesan chicken, Elder?”

“Yes, Princess. It’s called Daesan chicken because it’s a giant chicken that grows on Daegye Mountain. Originally, Daegye Mountain got its name because of this creature.”

“I heard you hunt them, but have you caught any in the past few days?”

Samgo shook his head.

“No. It’s been over three months since we caught a Daesan chicken. Though not as much as this area, these creatures were also slightly contaminated with blood energy and couldn’t be eaten.”

“That’s fortunate. When we caught it, it was definitely contaminated with blood energy, so it looked dangerous to eat carelessly.”

“Huh? But you said you ate it. Are Lady Namgung Sohye and the Jeonggeom Dan brothers and sisters okay?”

Namgung Cheon-gang clearly remembered Namgung Sohye and the Jeonggeom Dan talking about the taste of the Daesan chicken.

They ate it knowing it was contaminated with blood energy, so I wonder if they’re okay.

‘Seeing that they’re fine, it seems Lady Namgung Sohye and the Jeonggeom Dan brothers and sisters have enough skill to purify it completely.’

But Namgung Sohye and the Jeonggeom Dan are warriors.

And they’re masters of peak intermediate level or higher.

The people who will eat this stew are the people of Sammi Village.

They’re very ordinary people who haven’t learned martial arts to purify blood energy, so feeding it to them would actually be poison.

They’re already suffering from earth veins contaminated with blood energy, and now you want to feed them food contaminated with blood energy too?

Isn’t this like holding a ritual to see if they still won’t die even with this?

“It’s fine. Though there was blood energy, it was completely purified thanks to Baekseol.”

Stroke stroke.

Namgung Sohye petted Baekseol’s head beside her, mentioning that Baekseol’s power was significant.

“Pii!”

When mentioned and petted on the head as if being praised, Baekseol puffed out her chest proudly.

“When Baekseol spat out silk threads to wrap the Daesan chicken, the blood energy was purified. She’s definitely an excellent divine bird. Our Baekseol is.”

“Aha! I sent her along just in case, and it seems she worked perfectly well together. As expected, our Baekseol. Oh my, you did so well.”

Namgung Cheon-gang also patted her.

“Piit, piit.”

Baekseol’s chest rose even higher toward the sky.

“…”

Namgung Sohye looked at Namgung Cheon-gang petting Baekseol’s head with meaningful eyes.

Eyes full of worry, as if she had something to say but couldn’t, not knowing what to do.

“Hm? Lady Namgung Sohye. Do you perhaps have something to tell me?”

“Ah, no. I was just, well… ah, I was curious about what kind of dish this Daesan chicken will become. And also, the swords we entrusted to you, ah, yes, I was curious about how wonderfully the swords have changed…”

“Ah right! That’s right! Look at my mind. I almost forgot because of the Daegye Mountain. I’ll give you the swords you entrusted to me. Ch, Lady Cheonying, could you give me the swords you’re carrying?”

After calling her while barely making eye contact with Cheonying.

He carefully received the swords she handed over.

Cheonying looked at Namgung Cheon-gang for a moment.

Then, as if her business was done, she disappeared with a whoosh.

“Hmm.”

Namgung Jia narrowed her eyes and watched.

Namgung Cheon-gang hurriedly distributed the swords in a flustered manner.

“Here, h-here they are. Sister Jia’s sword, Lady Sohye’s sword, and the Jeonggeom Dan brothers’ and sisters’ swords, please take them… Did everyone receive theirs?”

“Yes.”

“Mm~”

“Well then, let’s go eat some delicious meat now. You too, Elder!”

“Yes, yes? Yes!”

Shouting that, he grabbed Samgo’s hand and hurried into the house.

“R-right. Meat. I’m really curious what kind of dish it will become.”

Namgung Sohye wrapped up the meat tightly again, slung it over her shoulder, and hurried after them.

“Pi?”

When both Namgung Cheon-gang, who had been petting her head well, and Namgung Sohye suddenly hurried into the house, Baekseol tilted her head and waddled after them.

The Namgung Jeonggeom Dan shrugged their shoulders and followed behind.

“Hmm.”

The sight of the two hurrying inside.

Namgung Jia wore a meaningful smile on her face.

‘Something seems to have happened with each of the three people?’

I wonder what it could be~

Oh, how curious.

* * *

I escorted Elder Samgo into the room.

Then Namgung Cheon-gang hurried into the kitchen.

Before starting to prepare the cooking, he patted his chest.

“Phew. If they find out about the embarrassing story involving the pot lid, I’ll die of shame.”

Sister Namgung Jia had a meaningful look in her eyes.

From our conversations so far, she seems to be a sister with extraordinary intuition.

I need to be careful.

“Pi?”

“No, Baekseol-a. There are secrets in this world that must not be revealed, so even if you know them, you must pretend not to know.”

“Pi.”

Baekseol nodded her head, indicating she understood.

“Oh my, such a good child. Now, shall we try making some nutritious food?”

The first nutritious dish to be made isn’t for recovering the stamina of the Sammi Village people.

Just like how the court lady tastes the food first before it goes up to the king’s royal table.

He would first let his companions taste the samgyetang made with Daesan chicken.

To make sure it was truly nourishing and really safe to eat.

“The kitchen is too small to use the purified iron cauldron, but if even basic samgyetang passes with Elder Brother, Sister, and Lady Sohye, that would already be a passing grade.”

Moreover, among the ingredients going in, wasn’t there one that was as good as the purified cauldron he had made?

Precisely, Baekseol’s water cannon.

That pure water created with internal energy.

“Baekseol-a, water cannon into that cauldron placed on the fireplace!”

“Pii! Puuuuuk!”

The water cannon poured out, filling the ordinary cauldron on the fireplace to the brim.

“Well done, Baekseol-a.”

Swoosh swoosh.

Pii pii.

“It’s already excellent to use as is. But it wouldn’t hurt to add a little more skill.”

“Pii?”

“Since we’re doing it anyway, I’ll make it into even more delicious and definitely nourishing food, that’s what I mean, Baekseol-a.”

It’s not like he was going to dump in more seasonings.

When boiled anyway, it becomes the taste of hometown Da○da, so what more would be needed?

Nutritious food isn’t about seasoning flavor to begin with.

Then, what was he going to do?

“Breath infusion.”

Breath infusion.

One of the cheat-like special skills that only Namgung Cheon-gang possessed.

What was the breath infusion for enhancement?

Regeneration and stamina.

“There’s no ability more suitable for nutritious food than this. But you know…”

The cauldron was already heated with fire rising from the fireplace.

Baekseol-brand pure water was already producing steam.

Piercing through that steam, Namgung Cheon-gang quietly looked down at the pure water.

“Will this work for breath infusion?”

He said he would do breath infusion, but it was ambiguous.

How does one do breath infusion?

Put your hand on it and shout ‘Breath infusion!’?

No.

Breath infusion must be done by holding a hammer and striking down like refining.

That’s how it had always been done.

“So, to do breath infusion on this pure water, I need to strike it down with a hammer…”

Hammering liquid like refining it would work?

Breath infusion?

Does that make sense?

“Pii.”

Arms crossed, head tilted as if lost in thought.

Baekseol mimicking Namgung Cheon-gang beside him.

Namgung Cheon-gang, who had been looking at Baekseol-brand pure water, turned his head toward such Baekseol.

Soon he chuckled.

“That’s right, our Baekseol was also repaired.”

During Sinchung Baekjeop’s cocoon days.

Wasn’t Baekseol the one who was fixed and brought back to life through repair?

If even a living being could be repaired and fixed(?), what’s the big deal about not being able to hammer water?

“You know by trying! Alright, let’s go for it!”

“Piiiik!”

Namgung Cheon-gang drew the blacksmith hammer from his side, raised it high, and struck down toward the pure water.

“Breath infusion activate!”

Would it work?

The moment the hammer’s broad surface met the pure water.

Flash!

Light rippled.

“Oh!”

It works?

He was dumbfounded because he really didn’t expect it to work.

“But it working is great! Let’s go!”

“Piiii!”

“Breath infusion, regeneration, stamina!”

Flash.

“Ooooh!”

“Piiiik!”

He was excited.

So he failed to notice.

No, aside from being excited about breath infusion activating, if Namgung Cheon-gang had any presence of mind even before breath infusion activated, he would have noticed.

‘That the Daesan chicken was clean as if washed with water.’

And the clear, beautiful black eyes watching him through the slightly opened kitchen door!

“Ehehe! Good, let’s add the medicinal herbs like this, slice the Daesan chicken well, and stew it thoroughly, Baekseol-a!”

“Piiiik!”

‘Ah, ah… Master really…’

The forbidden door had opened wide at last.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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