The Fortunate Sword God of the Zhuge Clan - Chapter 45

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 45.
Mu Hoon thought for a moment that he’d misheard something.
But that couldn’t be right. Unless he’d lived a past life, his ears—still sharp at eighteen—wouldn’t have failed him now.
So he asked carefully.
“Ten-Thousand Year Cold Iron? You mean the legendary mineral I’ve heard of?”
“What else would there be?”
Jegal Cheon Seong smiled faintly and nodded.
“Yes, the very legendary mineral that has held its chill for ten thousand years.”
“…I see.”
Mu Hoon couldn’t suppress his astonishment.
Fundamentally, Cold Iron itself was a metal infused with icy essence, boasting a strength incomparable to any ordinary steel.
Even among Cold Iron, there were grades, determined by how many years it had been tempered by that chill—ten-year Cold Iron, hundred-year Cold Iron, and so forth.
But ten thousand years?
The treasure blade of Jegal Cheon Ju that Mu Hoon had recovered from Yang Mu Jin had been forged from five-hundred-year-old Cold Iron.
Even the weapons wielded by the patriarchs of the Five Great Families rarely exceeded a thousand years old.
The oldest Cold Iron Mu Hoon had ever encountered was the legendary Cang Long Jian, the treasure blade passed down through tradition to the Martial Arts Alliance Master—five thousand years old.
So while he knew Ten-Thousand Year Cold Iron could theoretically exist, no one had ever seen one, and it lived only in legend.
“Does such a thing truly exist? Then how could the Ice Palace allow your mother to bring such a treasure to the Central Plains?”
“It cannot be found in the Central Plains. But the Northern Sea Ice Palace has more Ten-Thousand Year Cold Iron besides what your mother carried—it is not unique.”
“If that were to be stolen by others, or if knowledge of it spread, wouldn’t there be people who would covet the Ice Palace itself?”
Mu Hoon suspected that the Imperial Palace might have attacked the Northern Sea Ice Palace precisely because they coveted this Ten-Thousand Year Cold Iron.
“No, that cannot be. Even if such a thing happened, the power of Ten-Thousand Year Cold Iron could never leak outward.”
But Jegal Cheon Seong rejected Mu Hoon’s theory.
“Ten-Thousand Year Cold Iron contains, quite literally, ten thousand years of chill. One must be born with an affinity for Negative Energy, like the blood of the Ice Palace Master, or spend countless hours directing that Negative Energy outward.”
“Countless hours, you say…?”
“Well, I cannot say the exact time, but it is said that when the Martial Arts Alliance Master first forged the Cang Long Jian, it took five years to fully purge the Negative Energy from that five-thousand-year-old Cold Iron.”
If that was the case, then even by simple calculation, Ten-Thousand Year Cold Iron would require ten years.
“Of course, once it is purged, one can use it continuously—and Namgung Cheon is using his conveniently enough—but even accounting for that, how many martial masters exist who would grapple with a blade they cannot use for ten years?”
Moreover, even this calculation held true only by the standard of someone of the Martial Arts Alliance Master’s caliber.
For greedy heterodox sects, there was even the possibility that they would be consumed by the Negative Energy itself and fall into Demonic Possession Through Obsession.
“Besides, the Cold Iron your mother brought was meant to become her blade from the start. So the Ice Palace could never reclaim it. Yet for reasons unknown to us, she chose not to wield it herself and instead wished to pass it to you two.”
Jegal Cheon Seong gazed at Mu Hoon with a pleased expression.
“It would have been meaningless if neither of you carried the Ice Palace bloodline—but as it stands, it comes to you. A mysterious providence, as if she knew it would.”
Mu Hoon accepted this and nodded in understanding.
“It is truly something to be grateful for.”
“It is indeed.”
Jegal Cheon Seong gazed upward at the sky, his expression filled with longing.
“So it is.”
He seemed lost in memory, so Mu Hoon chose not to disturb him, and a brief silence fell between them.
Jegal Cheon Seong gathered his emotions and spoke again, turning to Mu Hoon once more.
“So do not resent Mu Young for taking another treasure.”
“Of course not. How could I complain when I am to receive a treasure such as Ten-Thousand Year Cold Iron?”
Mu Hoon himself had considered finding a blade of his own, one not merely for general use, but Ten-Thousand Year Cold Iron had never crossed his mind.
Even for him, who had wielded many weapons, Ten-Thousand Year Cold Iron was nothing less than legend itself.
“Rather, I worry that my brother might be disappointed.”
“Hah. Mu Young is not the sort of man to feel that way. And as I said, handling Ten-Thousand Year Cold Iron is difficult, so it would not be easy for him in the first place. Besides…”
Jegal Cheon Seong’s gaze fell upon his own blade resting beside him.
“The Eight Trigram Sword, the family’s treasure blade, will eventually pass to Mu Young. What would he lack?”
True enough—while Ten-Thousand Year Cold Iron was superior, lack of it did not mean inferiority.
In fact, for families with histories as deep as the Jegal Clan, the blade passed down to the patriarch was often the finest of all.
“Furthermore, while the Cold Iron is indeed given to you, you cannot use it immediately. To avoid rumor, even if others could not wield it, your mother had it placed in a separate location she prepared, not in the family compound.”
Having already anticipated this, Mu Hoon nodded.
It was the natural decision from the Jegal Clan’s perspective—and besides, if Ten-Thousand Year Cold Iron had been here, Ki Yeon Bi would surely have mentioned it.
“A mineral of such quality must be rare indeed for anyone to refine it.”
“That is so. But you need not worry. I have already prepared who will undertake the refinement. When you go to him with the Ten-Thousand Year Cold Iron, he will forge the blade you desire without a word.”
Mu Hoon had a faint idea of who this person might be, but he could not reveal it, so he held his tongue.
“Besides, we cannot begin now. The Dragon Phoenix Gathering is only half a month away—there is far too much to prepare before then. You are busy enough, but I am busier still.”
“It shall be as you say. Once you return from the Dragon Phoenix Gathering, I will tell you all that you need to know about the Ten-Thousand Year Cold Iron. Until then, simply keep this knowledge to yourself.”
“I will do so.”
At Mu Hoon’s prompt reply, Jegal Cheon Seong nodded and added a final word of counsel.
“And remember this always: a fine weapon matters, certainly. But far more important than the weapon itself is the caliber of the martial artist who wields it. A sword forged from Ten-Thousand Year Cold Iron means little if a master can fell you with a branch. Such is the nature of the Martial Arts World.”
Mu Hoon’s lips curved upward at Jegal Cheon Seong’s words.
“Of course. I will strive to become a martial artist worthy of your legacy.”
***
For the next ten days, Mu Hoon found himself consumed by work from dawn to dusk.
Each morning, after waking early and finishing his meal, he would begin sparring with Mu Young.
“Brother, you’re growing so fast you’re making this inadequate elder feel envious.”
“That’s too cunning a thing to say after throwing your younger brother to the ground. Sir.”
“It’s no deception. I grow because of you. That’s the truly terrifying part of your talent.”
As Mu Young said, Mu Hoon’s skill increased with each passing day.
Yet sharing the same blood, Mu Young refused to lag behind, maintaining the gap between their abilities with equal progress.
And when Mu Hoon taught Mu Young the method of transmitting Inner Energy through the full-body meridians used in the Tianshan Continuous Technique, the two of them entered a steep upward trajectory of growth.
And the result was this:
“From this moment, I, the clan head, shall transmit the mysteries of the Great Heavenly Saint Divine Technique to Jegal Mu Young, the young master of this house.”
Mu Young had at last succeeded in entering the Great Heavenly Saint Divine Technique, the superior art that lay beyond the Lesser Heavenly Saint Technique.
“Brother, you wouldn’t use the Great Heavenly Saint Sword Technique in a sparring match with your younger brother, would you?”
“What are you saying? Of course I’ll use it. Who else would I test it against? Some passing commoner? Ha, I never realized you were such a fearsome opponent.”
“….”
As a result, Mu Hoon had to endure even greater hardship when facing Mu Young.
Mu Young was not the only one changed by Mu Hoon.
“Vice Commander! Vice Commander! Did you come to fight with Commander Yang again today?”
“Today’s our chance! I saw the Commander this morning and he looked under the weather!”
“You brats! After all I’ve done to raise you, you’re rooting for Mu Hoon?”
After finishing his sparring with Mu Young, Mu Hoon would visit Yang Mu Jin in the afternoon for another match.
In the process, he had grown quite close to the orphans under Yang Mu Jin’s protection.
There is no living creature more susceptible to beauty and charm than children.
Mu Hoon’s appearance and the composure and humor that came from fifty-eight years of living captured the children’s hearts in an instant.
The children, who had formerly called Yang Mu Jin “mister,” now called him “Commander” following Mu Hoon’s lead, while Mu Hoon, being younger, naturally became their “Vice Commander.”
“Heh-heh, Commander. It seems I’ve won the hearts of the common folk, so revolution may be closer than we think.”
“Well, well. Dismissed from command after ten days? You should have never taken the position in the first place.”
“I jest. More importantly, how are the children who entered the private academy doing? Do they seem to be adjusting well?”
At Mu Hoon’s request, all the children over ten years old that Yang Mu Jin had been caring for were able to enter the private academy with the backing of the Jegal Clan.
“Heh-heh. At first those brats were intimidated being around the wealthy, but once they learned how vast the place backing them was in Huyang Province, they started to loosen up. Some of them even seem to have a knack for studying. It’s worked out well.”
Yang Mu Jin took the Fist Salute as he bowed to Mu Hoon.
“It’s all thanks to you. I’m grateful.”
Mu Hoon returned the Fist Salute with a smile.
“This is only the beginning, Commander. It’s too early to say we’ve accomplished anything yet.”
Then, Mu Hoon placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
“Everything—my martial arts, all of it—is still a work in progress.”
At that, Yang Mu Jin chuckled softly and hefted his spear.
“How about today? Do you feel like your martial art is nearing completion?”
Mu Hoon’s lips curled upward slightly at Yang Mu Jin’s words.
“The footwork of the Yang Family Spear Technique—I think I’ve grasped something of how to blend it with my Ten-Thousand Star Heavenly Blade Sword.”
One of Yang Mu Jin’s eyebrows arched.
“Mixing spear footwork into sword technique… so you’ve grasped something of it.”
The One Step Never Retreat, the footwork technique from the Yang Family Spear Technique that Mu Hoon sought to reference, was perfectly suited to the spear above all else.
It maintained distance and drove the opponent back—a footwork of no retreat.
For spear arts, it was a matchless technique, but swords were a different matter.
Unlike the spear, which generally held superiority in distance fighting, the sword did not.
Therefore, sword footwork must be fluid, capable of moving in any direction as needed.
What inspiration had Mu Hoon drawn from here?
As if answering that question, Mu Hoon traced the forms of One Step Never Retreat with his fingers.
A large circle was drawn, with a thrust piercing through the gap in its center.
“The technique of One Step Never Retreat, which fixes both feet firmly to the ground for this purpose, is indeed remarkable even among footwork techniques that carry the same principle.”
“True. And?”
“At first glance, One Step Never Retreat appears to be nothing but a stubborn technique, but its true essence lies in explosive power.”
Yang Mu Jin’s eyes widened.
As Mu Hoon said, the essence of One Step Never Retreat was not merely fixing the feet to the ground, but rather the explosive power of using that fixed foundation to instantly push off the earth and drive into the space created by the spear’s momentum.
“…You grasped that having only seen two forms, and not even mastered them properly?”
“It was precisely because I’ve seen two forms that I could understand it.”
Mu Hoon’s face brightened with satisfaction.
“Thus, when this movement is applied to swordplay, it looks like this.”
Mu Hoon stepped forward with the essence of One Step Never Retreat flowing through him, pressing off the ground as if to thrust it away.
Then, sliding into the gap created by the attack just as he’d described, he moved seamlessly through it.
Up to that point, it was indistinguishable from One Step Never Retreat, but in the next instant, Yang Mu Jin’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“…!!”
Mu Hoon’s footwork was not designed for spear technique.
The sword’s range is short, but within that distance it permits freer movement than any other weapon.
For this reason, one could say that One Step Never Retreat’s footwork—rigid as it is—could not be applied before seizing an opening, since openings arose without respite. But gaps in themselves never paused.
Yet Mu Hoon’s footwork flowed as if responding instantaneously to the countless variables created by the blade.
“How is this even possible?”
Yang Mu Jin stared with his mouth agape, scarcely believing what he witnessed.
Mu Hoon finished his demonstration and continued his explanation.
“It was possible to achieve this result precisely because I did not rely solely on One Step Never Retreat.”
When first creating the Ten-Thousand Star Heavenly Blade Sword, Mu Hoon had intended to build his footwork on the foundation of the Jegal Clan’s Eight Trigram Footwork, which consisted of one hundred and eight steps.
However, while the Eight Trigram Footwork’s abundance of forms made it effective at countering the variables the sword produced, it lacked the explosive power needed to fully manifest the Ten-Thousand Star Heavenly Blade Sword’s essence.
By blending it with the explosive force of One Step Never Retreat, he had succeeded in creating an exquisite footwork capable of responding appropriately to every conceivable situation.
Yang Mu Jin caught his breath at the sheer talent that had birthed this remarkable footwork.
“That footwork… cannot be called One Step Never Retreat.”
Then, before he quite realized it, he asked a question.
“Have you named it?”
At Yang Mu Jin’s question, Mu Hoon smiled lightly.
“It’s true—martial masters do seem fond of naming new arts as they emerge.”
“Of course. It’s different from what came before. A new name is inevitable. Having clear distinction like that actually aids cultivation as well.”
“Yes. I understand that thinking now too. So I’ve already settled on a name.”
Mu Hoon nodded slowly and recited the principles he had composed.
The Way of Heaven has no fixed form; each step follows the heart’s turning.
To advance is a path, to retreat is also a way.
Wherever the foot treads, all becomes my Way.
“I’ve decided to call it the Heavenly Way Without Fixed Form.”
“The Heavenly Way Without Fixed Form….”
Yang Mu Jin repeated the name of the footwork, as if committing it to memory.
“It’s a good name.”
“Thank you.”
Yang Mu Jin spun his spear in lazy circles, lifting the corners of his mouth into a smirk.
“But looking good and having a good name doesn’t mean everything’s good.”
His words carried an oddly forced, contrived edge to them, though there was reason enough for it.
Watching Mu Hoon create the Heavenly Way Without Fixed Form had stirred something in him—the stimulation of a true martial artist.
It had been so long since Yang Mu Jin last felt this kind of sensation that he could scarcely remember when.
And the warrior who had awakened it in him was a genius of a lower realm than his own.
How could he not be curious?
“Let me see how it performs in real combat.”
At this, Mu Hoon’s lips curved upward in a light smile.
“I was just thinking the same thing myself.”

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