He Became the Genius Blacksmith of the Namgung Family - Chapter 5

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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 5

Episode 5

I had somehow learned the Changgung Muae Sword Technique and fist technique that I’d never been taught.

“I could somehow make excuses for the Namgung Iron Wall Sword technique…”

Since I had the father card to play.

But there was no father card for the Changgung Muae Sword Technique and Changgung Muae Fist Technique.

Those martial arts were reserved for direct descendants, not permitted to branch family members.

Of course, it wasn’t that branch family members couldn’t learn the Changgung Muae Sword Technique at all.

If they achieved enough accomplishments and reached a sufficient level, they could certainly learn it.

‘That’s how father learned it.’

But that story was limited to ‘warriors.’

‘I’m not a blacksmith, am I?’

Besides, father would never teach direct lineage martial arts.

That required permission from higher up.

Father, who followed family rules like bamboo, would never break them.

This was the problem.

At this rate, the Assassination Squad would really come for me.

“Ha, damn.”

The Namgung Family’s Assassination Squad.

They were truly vicious.

Even three-year-olds knew the rumor about them chasing and killing a wandering warrior for 10 years who had stolen and fled with Namgung Family martial arts techniques.

A group more tenacious than whale sinew.

Especially since the martial art that wandering warrior had learned was supposedly one given to branch family members.

‘That shows how serious they are about preventing martial arts techniques from leaking out.’

The worry I’d had when I first learned the Namgung Iron Wall Sword seemed about to become reality.

The severing of limbs and meridians flickered before my eyes.

Oh damn, shit.

Namgung Cheon-gang’s face turned deathly pale.

I could just not use the martial arts I’d learned…

But in this martial arts world, was that something I could control?

“Ha, damn. This is driving me crazy. Why did I suddenly learn martial arts!”

Why?

How?

Why!!

“Damn it all!”

My head hurt so much.

Such ridiculous nonsense came out naturally.

I knew the reason well enough.

It was because of Resonance.

Resonance – that unprecedented cheat ability that made me learn the martial arts of warriors who felt extreme satisfaction using weapons I’d made.

“But wait, I didn’t even make it myself!”

It was just accomplished through the Cheongeumjeong craftsmen painstakingly forging famous swords using the White Lotus Refined Steel I had made.

But who would have known that would be recognized as something Namgung Cheon-gang had made!

“Ha, damn, really…”

Ah, ‘Resonance’ was terrifying.

The versatility of that ability!

“I can’t even casually make ingots anymore, really.”

If I didn’t make ingots or weapons, these worries would disappear.

But wasn’t that like telling a blacksmith to starve to death?

Yet I couldn’t just recklessly make weapons or ingots either.

Poorly made weapons at Cheongeumjeong threatened a blacksmith’s livelihood.

Of course, even aside from that, Namgung Cheon-gang had absolutely no intention of doing blacksmith work carelessly.

Doing blacksmith work carelessly was blasphemy against iron and hammer!

Previous life, current life – I had the pride of a master blacksmith!

I’d rather be chased by the Assassination Squad!

I am a blacksmith, and a blacksmith is me!

“…Come to think of it, being chased by the Assassination Squad isn’t great either. Anyway, there’s no answer, none.”

What could I do.

I’d have to hide it as much as possible, just as I’d originally thought.

Sigh.

The worry that had resurfaced due to learning the Changgung Muae Sword Technique.

Namgung Cheon-gang sighed once and suppressed it again.

Then, a sudden thought occurred.

“Come to think of it, do I have no limits on learning martial arts? It does seem that way.”

No, not just martial arts.

Seeing that I’d also acquired the talent called ‘Basic Cooking,’ it seemed I learned other talents too.

“Somehow I feel like I might learn internal cultivation methods too?”

Hmm.

“Nah, no way. That can’t be.”

Internal cultivation methods were mental training done while sitting cross-legged and maintaining tranquility.

Therefore, there was no need to hold weapons and act up.

Holding weapons and acting up while learning internal cultivation methods?

That made no sense.

That would lead to qi deviation, wouldn’t it?

What was qi deviation?

It was something about heart demons that ultimately caused blood vessels to burst and kill you – a very terrible thing.

Ugh.

Unless they were insane, no warrior would try to get qi deviation.

In other words, I definitely wouldn’t learn internal cultivation methods!

Namgung Cheon-gang thought so and was certain of it.

And sometimes.

Confident certainties tend to betray you.

“…”

God was dead.

* * *

It was confirmed that I could learn internal cultivation methods.

I confirmed that Resonance’s versatility was more insane than I’d thought.

Thanks to that, I could now properly get marked by the Assassination Squad.

“If members of the Heterodox Faction or demons use items I made, I’ll learn heterodox martial arts and demonic arts too! Kehehehe!”

This absurd situation was driving me insane.

I could tell because such excited nonsense was coming out naturally.

Soon I slumped down with a gloomy face and worried.

But that didn’t change my daily routine immediately.

Time flowed like water, enough that those worries had already become past concerns.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Namgung Cheon-gang was still diligently smelting with hammer in hand today.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

More vigorously than before.

As if trying to hammer away all the worries filling his heart.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The item being refined is Baengnyeon Steel.

Baengnyeon Steel made by Namgung Cheon-gang?

It’s not ordinary Baengnyeon Steel.

Very hard and beautiful Baengnyeon Steel with durability 1.5 times superior to any Baengnyeon Steel produced so far.

If you make weapons with this ‘Divine Baengnyeon Steel’, 5 out of 10 times you get a superior product!

Very occasionally, one in a hundred would produce a masterpiece.

This is why he had to handle almost all the Baengnyeon Steel refining produced at Cheongeumjeong alone.

Of course, it wasn’t voluntary.

It was Mak Noya’s order.

“Is it okay to work an 18-year-old youth this hard!?”

Namgung Cheon-gang burst out with complaints toward Mak Noya who had entrusted him with Baengnyeon Steel refining—

“—but the monthly salary was far too generous.”

By making this Divine Baengnyeon Steel alone, he could afford to eat 5 Cheonghongju per day.

Mak Noya had promised that.

Hammering becomes art.

“Is it because I’ve made so much Baengnyeon Steel? Now I can make 7 pieces in half a day.”

Excellent Baengnyeon Steel being produced in abundance?

Superior weapons had no choice but to pour out from Cheongeumjeong.

Learning unlearned direct martial arts as a result was a bonus.

Even this alone seemed like it would make his breath catch.

Just recently, he had even learned the ‘Secret Divine Art’ among the Namgung Family’s direct lineage that only those permitted by the family head could learn!

‘It hurts.’

His stomach hurt terribly from stress over his shortening lifeline.

‘Rather than dying caught by the Assassination Squad, I’ll die from stomach disease caused by stress. Sigh.’

Dying from stomach disease at the young age of 18 would be the most unfair thing.

What was amazing was that even when he felt frustrated, his mind quickly became peaceful due to the Heavenly Thunder Emperor Divine Art.

The Blue River Mental Method wasn’t bad either.

However, compared to the Heavenly Thunder Emperor Divine Art, how should he put it?

‘Should I say it’s like riding an Avante and then switching to a Bugatti?’

The difference in class was seriously noticeable.

The efficiency was so high it truly deserved to be called a divine art.

Adding his awakened ability to this gave him the insane efficiency of making 7 Baengnyeon Steel pieces in half a day.

‘Even with such meager internal energy.’

Honestly, he hadn’t even used it properly.

If he put his mind to it, 20 Baengnyeon Steel pieces per day was possible.

‘However, if I did that, suspicion would arise, and if suspicion arose and it was revealed I learned the secret divine art, then what?’

The Assassination Squad would come, and eventually his limbs and meridians would be severed.

‘…For the safety of my limbs and meridians, I should keep my mouth shut and rely only on my experience as much as possible.’

That was currently the way to live long before becoming an absolute master.

“Sigh, let me cast aside distracting thoughts and keep making them. I’ll make just one more and finish.”

Then I’ll rest and soothe my aching heart.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Namgung Cheon-gang didn’t just acquire martial arts.

His internal energy also increased when refining.

Internal energy increasing?

That was at least okay.

Internal energy could increase through fortuitous encounters, and also through training.

What kind of warrior would be suspicious just because internal energy increased?

“Still, it increases much better than others think, so I should be a bit careful. But exactly how much has it increased?”

A curiosity that came to mind while hammering.

Let me check while I’m at it.

“Wow. It increased by 5 years’ worth?”

Internal energy that had only increased by 5 years’ worth in his entire 18-year life.

Even that had increased after eating low-grade Jeongcheong Pills his father had personally obtained.

He thought it would take decades to reach the next level.

After awakening, at the point approaching nearly two months, those decades would be compressed into just a few months.

‘Calculating it, it’s increasing by about 2.5 years’ worth per month, right? Metal Breathing is really an overpowered ability like Resonance.’

At this rate, I’ll become rich in internal energy in a few years.

Or maybe I’ll become the best in the world with internal energy alone.

Then he couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

‘Even if I become rich in internal energy, even if I become the best in the world, I’ll probably still be holding a hammer then too.’

My dream is to become the best in the world as a blacksmith, not just the best in the world.

By then, I should believe I can survive the Assassination Squad even if I learn martial arts.

I don’t want to live in constant fear, chased by the Assassination Squad when I’m old.

Clang! Clang!

* * *

Cheonpung Biaoju.

A biaoju directly operated by the Namgung Family.

The time for transportation and the skills of the biaoshi protecting the goods were truly first-rate.

It had to be.

All the biaoshi belonging to the biaoju were warriors of the Namgung Family.

Therefore, just entering Cheonpung Biaoju meant a smooth path in life.

A banner with my name written elegantly hung at the village entrance.

The neighbor’s friend’s son that gets talked about.

Of course, the discipline was equally strict, and training was daily routine.

“Training is combat! Nam! Gung! Family!”

Cheonpung Biaoju was transporting goods from Anhui to Henan.

1 Head Captain, 2 Vice Captains, and 50 biaoshi.

Plus 30 Jeangja-su.

A large-scale force totaling 83 people.

There were 4 carriages loaded with goods alone.

The goods transported by such an enormous force.

The quantity was naturally enormous as well.

Therefore, they couldn’t relax their vigilance during the escort.

They had to be ready to draw their swords and catch bandits rushing at the goods at any time.

“Your voices are too quiet!”

“Training is combat! Nam! Gung! Family!!”

Therefore, the Vice Captains conducted formation training and strictly controlled the biaoshi to raise their alertness.

Especially, those in charge of Cheonpung Biaoju this time were the newly formed Namgung Jeonggeomdan from the Namgung Family.

“Straighten your posture! Those whose hands and feet aren’t coordinated will be excluded for night demon training!”

“If you want to tarnish the Namgung Family’s name, draw your sword and stick it in your throat!”

“Training is!”

“Combat! Nam! Gung! Family!”

The Namgung Jeonggeomdan had splendidly completed their launch ceremony previously and were put in charge of Cheonpung Biaoju.

In a way, this escort journey could be seen as the Namgung Jeonggeomdan’s official mission.

This made them even stricter, controlling everything meticulously.

Therefore, perhaps it was thanks to this.

They were able to sense strong hostility on the slope of Daesan mountain while entering Henan from Anhui.

“Enemies!!!”

A Namgung Family warrior standing guard at the front of the escort shouted.

Simultaneously, arrows flying toward the cargo.

Swooooosh!

Arrows filled the entire sky.

However, none of them reached the cargo or the people.

“Hmph!”

Swoosh!

The Head Captain and leader of the Namgung Jeonggeomdan, Namgung Cheonggi, flew like the wind and split all the arrows in half with his drawn sword.

A flash of light like lightning streaking across the blue sky.

The essence of the Changgung Muae Sword Technique that had reached the 7-star realm.

However, this was no time to feel relieved.

“Kraaaah!”

Behind the rain of arrows, enemies descended while screaming like banshees.

The distance between the enemies and Cheonpung Biaoju was about a hundred jang (300m).

Though it was quite a distance, to Namgung Cheonggi’s eyes, having reached the pinnacle realm, their forms were clearly visible.

‘Bandits? No, they’re too strange to be called bandits.’

The enemies were wearing clothing made from various beasts.

Looking at this alone, one might consider them bandits.

However, the enemies’ eyes were dyed red, and their faces were hideous as if afflicted with leprosy.

“Kraaaah!”

“Aaaaah!”

Red breath continuously poured from the mouths of the enemies who shrieked strangely as if they had lost human language.

The hideous appearance of the enemies drawing closer.

The aura felt from those approaching closer.

This made him even more certain they were beings difficult to consider as bandits.

Now it wasn’t just their mouths.

He could see the red aura rising from their entire bodies, and he clearly felt what it was.

Blood qi .

‘Blood qi? Blood qi!?’

Namgung Cheonggi was startled in shock.

What was blood qi?

Wasn’t it that evil energy possessed by the Blood Cult, which had once driven the martial arts world into terror?

To feel that aura from not just one or two people, but from dozens of enemies who appeared to be bandits!

In other words, all the enemies currently charging were Blood Cult Followers!

Just seeing them attack a convoy bearing the Changgung flag representing the Namgung Family, he had thought they weren’t ordinary people!

‘Why on earth have Blood Cult Followers appeared here!?’

How long has it been since the Blood Cult went into hiding!

No, thinking comes later!

“Everyone deploy the Changgung Sword Formation!! The enemies are Blood Cult Followers! Raise your vigilance to the extreme and resist to avoid being poisoned by blood qi!!”

Namgung Cheonggi’s shout struck the warriors’ ears like lightning.

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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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