Heaven-Defying Hero - Chapter 112
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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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#112
The Nokrim Supreme Command Token .
It was a jade token that proved one’s position as the leader of Nokrim.
The hexagonal jade token also served as the key to Chui-san Hyeol-gung.
What treasures might Nokrim, with its history spanning over five hundred years, possess?
The answer lay within Chui-san Hyeol-gung.
Some said the history of the martial arts world was kept there, while others claimed it contained merely a few symbolic items of Nokrim.
The Nokrim Supreme Command Token that could open this Chui-san Hyeol-gung was also an identification token, so naturally the Chongpyopalja carried it on his person.
However, when the previous Chongpyopalja died on Gwigokdo, it wasn’t passed down to the next generation.
-It’s a mark showing one is a bandit leader. Perfect for skipping stones.
What was remarkable was that despite being jade, it was as hard as stone. That mysterious object was now in Ja-gang-cheon’s inner pocket.
“How dare you mock me!”
As he looked ready to strike at any moment, Chae Geonra stepped forward.
“Deungmyeong Jangju. How can you say such things?”
“I’ll discuss the specific method with the Chongpyopalja separately later. For now, please decide whether you’ll take the bet.”
Ja-gang-cheon looked at Beom Ja-yang and asked.
“What will you do if I open Chui-san Hyeol-gung for you?”
“If that happens, I’ll give you not only the Nokrim Friendship Flag but also the Chui-san Alliance Flag. The East Sea Merchant Guild will receive Nokrim’s protection everywhere, not to mention exemption from passage fees.”
The Nokrim Friendship Flag was a banner signifying friendship with Nokrim, while the Chui-san Alliance Flag meant not simply a friend but an ally who would fight together.
Opening Chui-san Hyeol-gung was worth that much. They had actually attempted it several times but couldn’t open the firmly sealed iron door.
Moreover, since it was built inside a natural cave, if the mountain collapsed while trying to break through, the treasures could be completely buried. In the end, unable to do this or that, they had left it alone for five years now.
‘These are treasures collected for over five hundred years. The East Sea Merchant Guild’s passage fees are substantial, but they don’t compare to the value of Chui-san Hyeol-gung.’
Though he finished calculating in his head, he didn’t actually think it would be possible.
‘I’ve tried every possible method.’
He had already tried everything he could.
‘I’ll make him pay the price for showing off to me.’
Beom Ja-yang calmed his excitement because he thought of a way to gain even more profit.
“What will you do if you fail?”
If this was a bet, he could demand something greater in case of failure.
“Tell me what you want.”
“Pay tribute of one hundred thousand taels of silver annually as passage fees to the East Sea Merchant Guild.”
It was such an outrageous condition that even Chae Geonra, who was listening, sighed. But Ja-gang-cheon’s reaction was even more shocking.
“Will that be enough? If I lose the bet, I’ll give you the manufacturing method for Deungmyeong Pills.”
“What?”
“Excluding the Deungmyeong Divine Pill. That’s not something I created.”
The manufacturing methods for the three types of Deungmyeong Pills could be worth a million taels depending on how they were used.
“But for a bet, the conditions should be similar, right? Since I’ve wagered annual tribute of one hundred thousand taels of silver plus the Deungmyeong Pill manufacturing methods, shouldn’t the Chongpyopalja wager something similar?”
Since it wasn’t wrong, Beom Ja-yang asked back.
“What do you want?”
“Give me the secret manuals of the Phantom Shadow Sect that Nokrim destroyed a hundred years ago. I heard they’re in Chui-san Hyeol-gung.”
This was already a famous story in the martial arts world.
The once-renowned Phantom Shadow Sect had gotten into a dispute with Nokrim and was ultimately destroyed.
As spoils of war, Nokrim obtained five secret manuals from the Phantom Shadow Sect and said they would store them in Chui-san Hyeol-gung as historical evidence.
“Why do you need those?”
“Do I have to explain that too? They’re probably useless items for Nokrim anyway.”
It wasn’t wrong. If they had value, someone would be learning those martial arts. Since that wasn’t the case, it meant the manuals’ value was just about that much.
“Fine. I’ll wager the Nokrim Friendship Flag, the Chui-san Alliance Flag, and the Phantom Shadow Sect’s secret manuals.”
“Will the Chosan Association Leader serve as witness?”
Chae Geonra sent a look asking if this was really okay.
“Please.”
In the end, Chae Geonra had no choice but to trust Ja-gang-cheon.
‘He showed a miracle last time too.’
Chae Geonra ordered his subordinate to bring paper, brush, and ink, then wrote down the bet’s contents on paper.
“How long will the time period be?”
“I’ll open it within three months.”
Chae Geonra carefully wrote down all the details of the bet.
“It’s done. Now both of you please make your handprints.”
Chae Geonra kept the paper after both had dipped their palms in ink and made their handprints.
“This certificate will be kept by someone from Chosuhoe, not me. When the bet is over, I’ll dispose of it myself.”
This was a method to prevent the losing side from attempting murder to silence witnesses.
“With this, the bet is established.”
Even as Chae Geonra said this, it didn’t feel real.
A meeting he had gone to with a light heart had led to this.
‘Deungmyeong Manor has wagered too much.’
The manufacturing method for Deungmyeong Pills alone was absurd, but the tribute of one hundred thousand taels was an even bigger problem.
The amount wasn’t the issue—tribute was the problem.
‘Did he understand and accept it?’
Though Beom Ja-yang had mentioned it in passing, tribute was clearly written in the bet contract, and Ja-gang-cheon hadn’t objected to it.
‘Paying tribute means acknowledging a subordinate relationship.’
Whatever the truth, it would look like Deungmyeong Manor was acknowledging Nokrim as its superior.
“Then I’ll come find you in three months.”
“You must not be even a day late.”
“Don’t worry. And don’t touch our merchant guild until then either.”
Ja-gang-cheon showed confidence until the very last moment.
***
Ja-gang-cheon headed toward Deungmyeong Manor along the main road.
Using lightness skills in the forest would be much faster, but there was a reason he deliberately followed the main road.
“Cheon-gu!”
“Huh? Gangcheon!”
It was because Cheon-gu was coming by carriage.
Since he was carrying various gifts to meet military officials, he had no choice but to use the main road.
Ja-gang-cheon had come out to meet him knowing this.
“Why are you alone? What happened?”
“Haha. It seems I don’t need to meet the military people after all.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you see…”
Ja-gang-cheon told him everything that had happened yesterday with an apologetic expression.
“I’m sorry. Your plan failed.”
“It’s not your fault. I didn’t expect the Chongpyopalja to come in person either. But the bet was too reckless. What are you going to do?”
“Well, I have the Nokrim Supreme Command Token with me.”
“The problem is that if you open it for them, it’ll reveal where you came from.”
It was a well-known fact that the previous Chongpyopalja had boarded a ship to Gwigokdo. His subordinates had even waved goodbye to the departing Chongpyopalja.
“Couldn’t I say I need to be alone to open the door?”
The Nokrim Supreme Command Token was the key to open the door. To open the door, it would definitely have to be revealed.
“Leave an outsider alone to open the treasure vault?”
Hearing it put that way, it didn’t make sense.
That’s why Cheon-gu had opposed it even knowing about the Nokrim Supreme Command Token.
“Then what should we do?”
Cheon-gu answered without much deliberation.
“We’ll have to make a fake one.”
“A fake?”
“A fake that opens the door. Let’s analyze the structure of the sect seal and make an identical one.”
“Oh? That could work!”
Ja-gang-cheon’s expression brightened. This was why he thought of Cheon-gu whenever he faced difficulties.
“Did you know I would do this?”
He asked because it was strange how quickly the answer came.
“I’m always thinking of various possibilities. However, I’m not confident we can make a fake. That’s why it’s not a good plan.”
“I see.”
“Still, since we’ve come this far, we have to try somehow. But why did you ask for Hwan-yeong-mun’s secret manual?”
Cheon-gu didn’t think it would have great value compared to what they were giving up.
“We absolutely need that manual.”
Ja-gang-cheon said ‘we,’ not just himself.
“Bicheon Shinbo. Its origin is Hwanyeong Shinbo.”
“Was Sinto a person from Hwan-yeong-mun?”
“He’s a descendant of the destroyed Hwan-yeong-mun. He lost all other martial arts and developed Hwanyeong Shinbo into Bicheon Shinbo. That’s why there are crude parts in the footwork technique. You felt it too, right?”
“I knew it forcibly increased speed. That’s why internal energy consumption was severe. I just thought it was weakness compensation.”
“Weakness compensation is correct. Since he couldn’t solve the fundamental problem, he compensated with speed. If we see the original source, I think we can develop Bicheon Shinbo further.”
Since his sense for martial arts was beyond doubt, Cheon-gu didn’t question it further.
“Then it would be sufficiently valuable.”
“Right?”
“Let’s return to the manor first. We need to hurry.”
They retraced the path they had taken together.
***
The two craftsmen who ate and played every day, and the one craftsman who was busy daily raising disciples, only had fair time when night came.
They were the stonemason, carpenter, and blacksmith at Deungmyeong Manor.
“You’re no different from idle men!”
“That’s right, why did you become a metalworker? You should have become a stonemason or carpenter like us.”
“If stonemasons and carpenters in the world heard this, they’d wail in grief.”
“Let’s have a drink.”
“What did you do to deserve drinking so much?”
“Don’t be so harsh. I think work will come up soon.”
“What work?”
“People keep increasing at the manor, so we’ll need to build new guest quarters. Actually, at this rate, we should consider expansion too.”
“Hmm. That’s true.”
The two didn’t miss the moment when the blacksmith nodded.
“Come, come. Sit down quickly.”
Pretending to be defeated, the blacksmith was taking his seat when.
“Hello, men.”
“Oh? Lord!”
“Lord. Please come in. We heard you went to Nokrim.”
Ja-gang-cheon greeted them with a smile and went to their side.
“I have something special to ask of you three. If this goes wrong, our manor could get caught up in bloodshed.”
At those words, the three men’s expressions hardened.
“What on earth is it?”
Their voices naturally lowered.
“Please analyze the structure of the object I’m about to show you. And we need to make an object with the same function.”
The craftsmen who had been tense now showed curiosity.
“Oh ho. That sounds interesting.”
“Show us quickly.”
Ja-gang-cheon revealed the Green Forest Sect Seal to them.
It was jade with a faintly visible interior, and the three craftsmen brought their eyes close to it.
They approached so close it seemed they would enter inside the sect seal, then soon began their analysis, even shining light on it.
“Ho ho. This was made by creating the mechanism first and putting it inside the jade.”
“It’s incredibly precise, isn’t it?”
“It’s a structure where pressing the center makes hidden rings inside extend outward. That’s why they deliberately created cracks in the jade.”
“With this kind of structure? Is it a key?”
Even without special explanation, they deduced its purpose. And they looked at Ja-gang-cheon as if asking for confirmation of their answer.
“Yes. That’s right. It’s a key that opens a door.”
“As expected.”
“I knew it.”
They patted each other’s forearms and rejoiced.
“Can you make an identical one? However, the color or shape can be different.”
“If the Lord wishes it, we must do it. We’ll keep trying until it’s done.”
“Please leave this kind of work to us anytime.”
The three showed confidence.
‘Anyway, if these three can’t make it, no one else can either.’
They were craftsmen recognized as the best in skill.
“Then I’m counting on you. It must be completed within two months at the latest.”
Ja-gang-cheon didn’t forget his final request.
“This work is absolutely secret. Besides you three, even the disciples mustn’t know. Same goes for the manor family.”
“Yes, Lord.”
“We’ll have to quit drinking for a while.”
The three craftsmen began their work.
Ja-gang-cheon returned to his bedroom. And through the hidden stairs, he went down to the treasure vault.
What he sought today was not a weapon but a single book.
Records of the Divine Thief (Sinto Birok).
It was Sinto’s diary.
Ja-gang-cheon had already read it enough to memorize it all, but today he examined its contents once more.
-The treasures I obtained are placed in a pit where once you enter, you can never escape again. Those who covet my treasures will sleep there eternally.
-Only the completion of Bicheon Shinbo is the sole method to retrieve my treasures with my own hands. I must complete Bicheon Shinbo for myself.
This passage showed how obsessed Sinto was with Bicheon Shinbo.
The diary also contained the reason for this.
-The completion of Bicheon Shinbo means the revival of Hwan-yeong-mun. Its profound principles will dominate Gangho.
He was a man who called his own diary ‘birok’ (records). The expression about dominating Gangho wasn’t very believable either. Moreover, throughout the diary contents were tremendous exaggerations and pretensions.
“Still, Bicheon Shinbo is real. I want to see its end.”
Ja-gang-cheon closed the Sinto Birok and put it back in the wooden chest.
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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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