He Became the Genius Blacksmith of the Namgung Family - Chapter 21

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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 21

Episode 21

There was a change in the exam content.

Namgung Cheon-gang held onto a glimmer of hope that this might be some kind of prank, like a chain letter sent by someone jealous of his abilities…

But the notice posted boldly on the bulletin board erected in Anhui Province’s central square crushed even that hope.

Posted on the central square bulletin board?

This was like a moderator posting an announcement on a gallery’s general board.

Well, anyone living in Anhui Province couldn’t help but know about it.

“Oh my, there’s been a change to the Cheongeumjeong direct lineage promotion exam?”

“It’s not just about crafting weapons anymore, but competing in martial arts with those weapons.”

“Well now. This direct lineage promotion exam seems like it’ll have plenty to see, how wonderful.”

Everywhere you went, people were buzzing about the changes to the direct lineage promotion exam.

“Young master! Young master! I heard and saw it this time! There are changes to the direct lineage promotion exam, and you’re participating too!”

“Yes. It has changed. But how did you find out I’m participating?”

It was truly astounding that the Jingyuelou girl knew about his exam participation when he hadn’t told anyone outside his family.

“Sigh… I came out for a brief outing to soothe this sad heart facing an unexpected reality, only for things to become even more difficult.”

Feeling like he might get indigestion, he ate just one bowl of fried rice and returned to the blacksmith’s forge.

With notices bearing not only Mak Noya’s seal but even the family head’s official seal posted everywhere.

The change in the direct lineage promotion exam was a perfect fait accompli.

Using martial arts to compete as stated in the notice wouldn’t be a problem.

Right, it wouldn’t be a problem, but…

“I’m the problem.”

Since there might be accidents during martial arts competition, he could end up having to use direct lineage martial arts.

“Like Namgung Iron Wall Sword, or Vast Sky Unhindered Sword Technique, or Vast Sky Unhindered Fist Technique, or Lightning Sword.”

Ah, there were so many things that could be used against him.

Of course, if he stubbornly used only the Namgung Twelve Swords, his martial arts wouldn’t be discovered, but his ‘divine art’ was different.

The Cheonggang Heart Method he originally learned had disappeared, and the Heavenly Thunder Emperor Divine Art was fully registered in his body.

Since the direct lineage promotion exam had changed from ‘submission’ to ‘competition’, there was a high possibility that direct lineage members with expertise in martial arts would come to judge.

Even if not as judges, they could watch as spectators, so if he used internal energy to display martial arts, it would be obvious he couldn’t escape.

Then his limbs wouldn’t remain intact.

This was enough to drive him crazy and make him jump around.

“Phew…”

Deep worry brought only sighs.

Not taking the exam meant severed limbs and confirmed death.

Even taking the exam meant severed limbs and confirmed death.

Alas.

A dilemma with no way forward or back, surrounded on all sides, isolated and helpless!

“…There’s no choice. If I’m discovered, I’ll stubbornly deny it like I did with the family head.”

No matter how much he thought about it, this was the only answer.

The only way to survive for now was to insist that his innate true energy was filled with fire energy not from divine arts, but from Cheongeumjeong’s harsh labor.

He had fooled the family head with a soul-filled lie, so why couldn’t he fool others?

“But you know…”

Thinking about it now, he wondered if he had really been fooled.

Who was at the Transformation level, one of the Five Great Heavenly Kings of the Martial World, and had reached the pinnacle with the sword?

The head of the Namgung Family, Sword King Namgung Cheon.

Could such a person fail to verify the authenticity of someone who was merely at the third-rate level as a martial artist?

That didn’t make sense, did it?

“Hmm…”

Since nothing particular had happened after meeting the family head, it seemed better for his mental health not to think too deeply about it.

Rather, he could use this as an excuse, saying “The family head knows about this situation” if his divine art was discovered by other direct lineage members.

Wasn’t there a saying about pointing at a deer and calling it a horse when there’s no choice?

He would use the family head’s authority as backing and stubbornly argue until there was no way to deal with him, keeping it as his secret weapon for his life.

“Now there are about two problems left?”

One was whether his martial arts would work against other Cheongeumjeong craftsmen.

Blacksmiths belonging to Cheongeumjeong learned martial arts to directly verify the quality of the weapons they crafted.

Well, it was a common martial art for Namgung Family branch members.

The older they were, the more internal energy they had, and their experience differed, so even with the same martial arts, the power was different.

Unless there were some who were extremely lazy.

‘They all have diligent temperaments, so they can’t be underestimated.’

Well, blacksmithing itself was work that couldn’t be done without diligence.

“In other words, shallow tricks won’t work.”

There were a total of 10 master-level or higher blacksmiths belonging to Cheongeumjeong challenging the direct lineage promotion exam.

From what he heard, their average level was between second-rate and first-rate.

Since it was a level achieved through effort, it wouldn’t be strange to consider them substantial martial artists.

Could he, who had just reached upper third-rate level, really guarantee victory against them?

Of course he could!

If he were an ordinary 18-year-old Cheongeumjeong craftsman, it might be difficult.

But was this body an ordinary blacksmith?

Even if his level was low, he had combat experience from his previous life that was no less than the Cheongeumjeong craftsmen, and he had awakened for unknown reasons and opened his status window.

If he lost even with this, he would humbly accept having his limbs severed.

“Of course, complacency is forbidden.”

Don’t even lions give their all when they go hunting?

He would diligently train during the remaining time, raising his already high win rate even higher for a certain victory.

His motto for competition was: if you’re prepared to die, you’ll live; if you’re determined to live, you’ll die!

Oh, General, please give me strength!

“Come to think of it, what about the crafting commissions?”

He wanted to invest everything in training.

“But I can’t give up since I gave my word.”

As a man of the martial world, and moreover as a blacksmith of Cheongeumjeong, he had to keep his word to the end.

“If I reduce my sleeping time, I’ll have enough time for training. Thanks to the Heavenly Thunder Emperor Divine Art, my fatigue recovery has gotten faster, so I’ve been sleeping much less lately anyway.”

Should he say that while he used to need 6 hours before, now he maintained peak condition with just 4 hours of sleep?

Well, sleeping 1 hour less wouldn’t make much difference, so he had enough training time.

“Then the final remaining problem is…”

Only the ‘weapon’ to use remained.

In some ways, this was the most important problem.

The changed exam content was not a competition between ‘martial artists’, but a competition where ‘blacksmiths’ competed in martial arts.

Just looking at the official document announcing the change in the direct lineage promotion exam, it indicated this was an exam for blacksmiths, not martial artists.

In other words, he had to show how excellent the weapon he made was, and how efficient it was when displaying martial arts…

In some ways, this was a more demanding condition than a competition between martial artists.

“Seeing that weapon type doesn’t matter, it doesn’t have to be a sword.”

While the Namgung Family did have martial arts that applied broadly to the eighteen types of weapons, Namgung Family martial arts were still most specialized for swords.

Then surely most master blacksmiths would likely come out with excellent ‘swords’ that suited them.

If you wanted to win in competition, naturally using weapons most specialized for the family’s martial arts would have higher win rates.

“Hmm. But using a sword doesn’t appeal to me…”

There was a reason.

‘It’s uncomfortable.’

Like former lovers meeting again at a hunting bar after breaking up yesterday.

The Namgung Iron Wall Sword he had gained after first awakening and opening his status window.

The reason he felt awkwardness when displaying it was exactly this.

“Well, it’s not just the Namgung Iron Wall Sword. Even when I was at Baekryeon-dang, swords didn’t suit me.”

But does that mean other weapons are suitable?

‘That’s not it either.’

Most of the eighteen types of weapons were the same as ‘swords’.

To think there are 18 awkward relationships after breaking up.

What a playboy.

If I had to pick former lovers with whom things were relatively okay, there would be about two.

“I think it was the mace and staff.”

So I’m close with blunt weapons.

It seems I quite like bold and straightforward types more than I thought.

Miss Murong also had bold and striking features, didn’t she?

…If I told Miss Murong she resembled a mace and staff, my shoulders would probably feel quite cool that very day, so I’d better watch my mouth.

“Then I suppose it would be better to make a mace and staff that fit my hands and try practicing martial arts.”

The weapons to make and use were decided.

Now only the crafting remained.

I lit the fire in the forge and brought over a piece of Baekryeonjeonggang to place on the anvil.

I grabbed the hammer, but wait?

Hold on?

Namgung Cheon-gang looked down at the hammer he held in his right hand.

“…”

His soul weapon was right there.

* * *

For a blacksmith, the hammer is the soul’s companion.

Namgung Cheon-gang didn’t deny this.

However, that was when thinking of it as a ‘tool’, not as a ‘weapon’.

But come to think of it, wouldn’t a hammer also belong to short weapons among the eighteen types of weapons?

Looking at its shape, isn’t it a small staff with a heavy mace attached?

“It’s a sudden thought, but this soul resonance I feel in my hand is telling me it can become a ‘weapon’.”

Even in my previous life, hammer-related weapons already existed.

And that’s not all.

The status window says my companion is the hammer.

‘No wonder when I threw the chisel at that assassin, the accuracy bonus from my epithet activated. There was a reason for everything.’

In other words, its suitability for use as a weapon has already been proven.

Still, as they say, even a stone bridge should be tested before crossing.

Test even a stone bridge before crossing it – I should check once more.

Namgung Cheon-gang hurriedly grabbed the hammer and ran out to the training hall.

Standing in the center, he regulated his breathing, raised his internal energy, and performed the Namgung Twelve Swords.

After finishing the Namgung Twelve Swords, he also performed the Namgung Iron Wall Sword technique.

The awkwardness he felt at Baekryeon-dang, the discomfort he felt after opening the status window – none of it was there.

There was only a natural smoothness like flowing water.

Ah.

Is this the flow and form contained in martial arts techniques?

Just as Zhang has the Dragon Slaying Saber, Zhu has the Heaven Relying Sword, Sun Wukong has the Ruyi Jingu Bang, and Lu Bu has the Sky Piercing Halberd, the blacksmith has the hammer!

The soul’s companion was always the soul’s companion, no matter what one did.

“Hahaha! Come with me, hammer!”

Namgung Cheon-gang raised the hammer high and shouted majestically.

That sight had the majesty of the thunder god from Norse mythology wielding the lightning hammer!

Of course, in reality it was a martial world blacksmith in soot-covered blacksmith clothes holding a worn short hammer…

“…”

Feeling somewhat shabby, Namgung Cheon-gang sheepishly lowered his raised hand.

I should at least give it a cool name.

What kind of name is ‘hammer’, really…

“First, I’ll name it later. Let’s start with making the hammer.”

The hammer I’m holding now is for crafting, not suitable for use as a weapon in terms of length or mace size.

It was the same when performing martial arts.

There was just no discomfort or awkwardness with the weapon.

But to display majesty as a technique, I felt its length and width were insufficient.

Therefore, I must immediately craft a hammer that has the proper form as a weapon.

The fire was already lit in the forge, and I was in the middle of smelting ingots, so I just needed to start working.

Namgung Cheon-gang immediately began work.

Clang! Clang!

“First, how big should the mace be? About the size of Mjolnir that Thor carried around?”

Clang! Clang!

“No. This looks too weak. It doesn’t need worthiness qualifications either. Let’s make it a bit bigger.”

Clang! Clang!

“Medium axe size? Hmm. No, this is weak too. If I’m going to do it, should I go for large axe size to overwhelm with presence?”

Clang! Clang!

And so the size of the hammer’s mace being made.

It became so massive it looked like it could break down castle gates.

“Great. Magnificent! Yes, if it’s a weapon for a blacksmith man to wield, it should be this size! The mace is complete, so let’s make the handle to support it.”

Clang! Clang!

“If the mace is large axe size, the supporting handle should also be thick, large, and sturdy, right? I’ll make the length a bit shorter than a spear shaft. Baekryeonjeonggang would be perfect for the handle material.”

He was already hammering the Baekryeonjeonggang.

Clang clang!

And so he hammered the hammer, put it in the furnace to melt the Baekryeonjeonggang, and repeated hammering again.

The endless hammering sounds continued for one day, then two days, and ended when it passed into the third day.

Simultaneously, the door of Namgung Cheon-gang’s blacksmith workshop burst open.

And Namgung Cheon-gang came rushing out.

Having forgotten sleep for three days while crafting.

Dark circles had formed heavily under Namgung Cheon-gang’s eyes.

Then, were his steps heading toward the bed for sleep?

No.

He headed straight to the training hall.

In Namgung Cheon-gang’s hands as he ran there was an enormously huge hammer, so large it made one wonder if this was right.

Soon, Namgung Cheon-gang stood in the center of his designated training hall.

He immediately performed martial arts.

Namgung Twelve Swords.

Crash!! Crash!!! Craaash!!! Crack-crack-clang!!!

Namgung Iron Wall Sword!

Bang! Craaash! Craaaaaash!! Crack-crack-crack-crack-craaaaaash!!!!!

“Kuhahahaha! Yes! This is it! This hand feel! This exhilaration! This is my weapon! Kuhahahaha!”

If Zhang Fei of Changban had laughed while watching enemies retreat in fear of him, it might have been like this.

Truly incomparably exhilarating laughter burst forth.

With this much, couldn’t I make a mark not as a blacksmith but as a martial artist?

“Eh, that’s going too far…”

In my exhilaration, I was thinking dreams beyond my station and was about to chuckle.

Namgung Cheon-gang saw the training hall turned upside down and completely ruined.

It looked like a giant had appeared and struck down with all its might with its fist.

Who had done this.

Namgung Cheon-gang knew immediately.

The giant hammer he was holding.

Namgung Cheon-gang’s eyes shook violently as he stared at that massive hammer.

“…Come to think of it, was I always this strong? No, that’s one thing, but if I use this as is….”

Spain’s tomato festival would unfold in the Martial Arts World.

Except with human bodies….

“…What the hell did I just make?”

Namgung Cheon-gang’s face turned deathly pale.

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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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