The Great Heavenly Sword Emperor - Chapter 47

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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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#047. Questions and Answers Behind the Mist (1)

Was it the rumors that made the difference?
As he drew nearer, Cheon Mujgyeol could feel the qi of Gyeong Seok San more distinctly and powerfully than he’d expected.
‘This is no ordinary mountain.’
From a distance, Gyeong Seok San didn’t appear particularly impressive.
Only when one approached it—or better still, when one actually set foot within it—could one truly grasp its magnificence.
The moment they entered the mountain’s foothills, its qi pressed down upon them palpably.
While Cheon Mujgyeol climbed with measured calm, Buk Goong Dan Ya, following behind, was visibly taut with tension.
How long had they been walking?
Clang! Clang!
“What—”
The sound of metal striking metal began to ring out, and Buk Goong Dan Ya drew a sharp breath.
Cheon Mujgyeol halted for a moment.
Clang! Crash!
The hammer blows on metal continued unabated.
But there was something odd about it.
‘I can’t pinpoint the direction.’
Normally, when sound rings out, one can discern where it’s coming from.
That sense of direction often becomes one’s guide.
Yet the hammer blows echoing across Gyeong Seok San defied such localization.
When he thought it came from one side, it seemed to emanate from another; it seemed to ring from all quarters at once.
If someone weren’t simply wandering in all directions hammering away, there had to be a deliberate reason for this.
“There’s something eerie about this place.”
Buk Goong Dan Ya spoke in a trembling voice.
He too had noticed that the sound’s source couldn’t be pinpointed.
Cheon Mujgyeol scanned his surroundings silently for a while longer.
After observing carefully for some time, he resumed his ascent, and Buk Goong Dan Ya quickly followed suit.
As they climbed higher, the mist began to thicken, just as Buk Goong Dan Ya had warned.
At first, the gossamer fog seemed mystical and beautiful, but within moments it grew oppressively dense.
The mist was indeed so thick, as the rumors had claimed, that one could scarcely see more than a hand’s breadth ahead.
“Should we turn back? In fog this thick, there’s little chance of accomplishing anything.”
At Buk Goong Dan Ya’s suggestion, Cheon Mujgyeol remained silent.
After observing the mist carefully for a long moment, Cheon Mujgyeol finally spoke.
“It’s a Formation Array.”
“Pardon?”
Buk Goong Dan Ya started at Cheon Mujgyeol’s words.
Even as he steadied his racing heart, he found himself nodding in agreement.
Indeed, it was hard to attribute such perpetual, unbroken mist to anything natural.
It seemed plausible that Cheon Mujgyeol might be right—that this was a Formation Array.
“If it’s a Formation Array, shouldn’t we leave all the more? We don’t know what kind of array this is. We could stumble into real danger.”
“From now on, stay very close to me. Don’t fall more than half a zhang behind.”
“Yes, understood.”
Having acknowledged the instruction, Buk Goong Dan Ya swallowed hard, tension gripping him.
In the meantime, Cheon Mujgyeol activated the Cheon Ram Hae Jin Gyeol.
Then, before his eyes, the flow of qi transformed into thousands upon thousands of glowing threads.
The nature of the qi’s flow was different from anything natural—the Formation Array was undeniable.
Cheon Mujgyeol studied the Formation Array carefully while maintaining the Cheon Ram Hae Jin Gyeol.
Soon he discerned the pattern in which qi flowed through the array, and within that pattern, he found the single path by which one could traverse it.
“Let’s go.”
Cheon Mujgyeol spoke briefly and began to move forward.
Buk Goong Dan Ya pressed closer to him than half a zhang, staying almost directly at his heels.
The mist was so thick that he feared he might lose sight of Cheon Mujgyeol if he didn’t.
Cheon Mujgyeol moved slowly but with absolute certainty, checking his path at each step.
Buk Goong Dan Ya followed calmly in his wake.
‘Is this truly how one navigates through a Formation Array?’
The Formation Array was unfamiliar to Buk Goong Dan Ya as well.
Though they said he was inside the Formation Array, he couldn’t quite believe they truly were—not really.
The only difference was the slower pace; advancing forward looked exactly like an ordinary climb up a mountain.
Besides, being inside the Formation Array didn’t make him feel anything particularly strange.
Curiosity getting the better of him, Buk Goong Dan Ya glanced briefly at his surroundings before turning his attention back to Cheon Mujgyeol’s back.
“Oh!”
In that instant, Cheon Mujgyeol’s back had become hazy.
Though still near, the gap between them had grown just enough for mist to settle in.
“Uh!”
Buk Goong Dan Ya lurched forward to catch up, but suddenly lost his footing and staggered.
Just as he was scrambling to regain his balance and about to step sideways—
Cheon Mujgyeol’s hand shot out and seized Buk Goong Dan Ya by the collar.
“Concentrate.”
At Cheon Mujgyeol’s words, Buk Goong Dan Ya nodded, still bewildered.
He wondered if it was really necessary to react so drastically to simply losing his balance and nearly taking a step sideways.
Everything around him was nothing but white, and with no sense of direction, he couldn’t understand what was happening or how.
Seeing his expression, Cheon Mujgyeol steadied him properly on his feet, then picked up a stone lying just ahead.
He looked at Buk Goong Dan Ya and casually tossed the stone to the side.
Crack!
The stone that flew to the side instantly shattered into dust and vanished.
Buk Goong Dan Ya’s eyes went wide, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
If he’d stepped even slightly to the side just now, he would have suffered the same fate as that rock.
“The space surrounding the path we walk on is dangerous. The density of Qi here is so extreme that nothing can survive it.”
“Ah, yes. I understand. I’ll keep my mind sharp.”
Buk Goong Dan Ya snapped to attention.
Cheon Mujgyeol began walking again, and Buk Goong Dan Ya followed close behind.
They pressed through the pristine white mist for a long while.
He began to wonder if there was even an end to it; the thick fog showed no signs of clearing.
And more time passed than had elapsed before.
“Huh?”
As if it had never existed in the first place, the mist suddenly vanished.
Startled, Buk Goong Dan Ya turned to look back.
The mist that should have been there was nowhere to be seen.
Bewildered and turning his gaze forward again, Buk Goong Dan Ya’s eyes fell upon a Blacksmith Shop.
“Ah…”
Even as they passed through the Formation Array, the sound of hammering had echoed faintly here and there.
Now Buk Goong Dan Ya realized this was the source of that sound.
Cheon Mujgyeol stood quietly, gazing at the Blacksmith Shop.
‘Do you remember?’
[Yes. I remember now. This is where I was born.]
Cheon Shin Geom answered as if the memory had only just returned.
‘The place where Cheon Shin Geom was forged.’
As Cheon Mujgyeol muttered this to himself, an old man emerged from the Blacksmith Shop.
Though calling him old might not be quite right.
He was a person of remarkable stature, his body entirely composed of muscle.
Were it not for the white hair, snowy beard, and wrinkles on his face, his robust frame would have seemed impossible to attribute to old age.
“A descendant of Cheon Geom Dae Je in such a state—how unusual.”
At the old man’s words, Cheon Mujgyeol’s expression remained composed, while Buk Goong Dan Ya’s widened in surprise.
“How did you know?”
“Hehehehe! How could I not? The one who set this Formation Array was Cheon Geom Dae Je himself.”
“Is that truly so?”
Buk Goong Dan Ya asked in astonishment.
The old man then turned his gaze toward Cheon Mujgyeol.
“He said that only the Cheon Ram Hae Jin Gyeol could pass through this Formation Array. The fact that you’ve come this far means you know the Cheon Ram Hae Jin Gyeol, and that can only mean you are his descendant.”
The old man smiled and spoke. Then he bowed his head toward Cheon Mujgyeol.
“This old bones is called Cheol No. I am a descendant of the one who forged Cheon Shin Geom.”
At Cheol No’s words, Buk Goong Dan Ya was so shocked his gaping mouth wouldn’t close.
Had Cheon Mujgyeol come here knowing that Cheon Shin Geom was forged in this place?
“I am Cheon Mujgyeol.”
“A fine name indeed. Cheon Geom Dae Je was likewise a man of perfect integrity. It is only fitting that his martial mastery should be inherited by a descendant bearing the name Mujgyeol.”
Cheol No smiled as he spoke.
“Did the Cheon Geom Dae Je personally ask you to forge the Cheon Shin Geom?”
Cheol No held his smile and opened his mouth in response to Cheon Mujgyeol’s question.
“Let’s talk about that in a moment. Looking at your appearance, it seems you’ve endured quite a hardship. How about you wash up and have a meal first, then we can speak?”
At Cheol No’s words, Cheon Mujgyeol nodded quietly.
“Whew…….”
Beside him, Buk Goong Dan Ya exhaled a long breath.
The thought that after all the suffering, he might finally rest properly in this place eased his mind.

* * *

After washing for the first time in ages and eating the meal Cheol No had prepared, Buk Goong Dan Ya wore an expression of someone coming back to life.
Unlike Buk Goong Dan Ya, Cheon Mujgyeol left the room the moment the meal was finished.
Upon stepping outside, he made straight for the blacksmith shop.
Cheol No stood before a roaring furnace, beads of sweat running down his face.
“Have you finished your meal? I’m sorry it wasn’t more impressive—I wasn’t expecting you to arrive.”
“It was delicious. Thank you.”
Cheol No smiled at Cheon Mujgyeol’s courtesy.
“You seem to have many questions.”
“I do.”
As they spoke, Buk Goong Dan Ya also emerged and watched the two converse.
“You said the Cheon Shin Geom was forged here.”
“That’s correct. Long ago, the Cheon Geom Dae Je himself came here and asked me to forge the Cheon Shin Geom. To be precise…….”
Cheol No paused, his gaze fixed on the Cheon Shin Geom that Cheon Mujgyeol held as he continued.
“He asked me to forge a vessel.”
“A vessel?”
“Yes. The Cheon Shin Geom was originally not meant to serve as a sword at all—it was a vessel to hold something.”
“Is such a thing possible?”
Buk Goong Dan Ya asked as if he couldn’t believe it, and Cheol No nodded.
“Since the Cheon Shin Geom exists, it must be possible.”
At Cheol No’s answer, Buk Goong Dan Ya looked toward Cheon Mujgyeol.
“Do you remember when I said I learned from the sword?”
“Ah, yes.”
“The Cheon Shin Geom has a consciousness. To be precise, the spirit of the Cheon Geom Dae Je dwells within it.”
“What!”
Buk Goong Dan Ya, learning this fact for the first time, gasped sharply in shock.
That meant he had been walking alongside not only Cheon Mujgyeol, the descendant of the Cheon Geom Dae Je, but also the Cheon Geom Dae Je himself all this while.
“Ah, I see. So the Cheon Geom Dae Je chose to enter the vessel himself.”
Cheol No nodded as if he had guessed as much.
“But be warned.”
“Warned of what?”
“Nature exists in harmony through all things possessing their own distinct properties. A blade is the result of tempered steel pushed to its extreme—a material with a sharp and cold nature intensely refined.”
At Cheol No’s words, Cheon Mujgyeol gazed upon the Cheon Shin Geom.
“No matter how pure and clear the spirit of the Cheon Geom Dae Je may be, after dwelling so long within a blade possessing such properties, it would be only natural for the spirit to gradually merge with and transform according to the blade’s inherent nature.”
[An interesting point indeed.]
The Cheon Shin Geom responded immediately to Cheol No’s words.
But Cheon Mujgyeol did not reply to the sword’s reaction and instead regarded Cheol No.
“At first, the Cheon Shin Geom could not remember this place, Gyeong Seok San. It only recognized it as something familiar.”
“That’s understandable. So much time has passed, after all.”
Cheol No’s answer did not fully resolve Cheon Mujgyeol’s doubt.
The Cheon Shin Geom was forged here, yet the Cheon Geom Dae Je came seeking it out in person.
He asked for it to be forged, and it would be much later that he himself merged with the blade.
The place where the Cheon Shin Geom was made.
It was an absolutely unforgettable place and moment in the life of the Cheon Geom Dae Je—a matter of utmost importance—and yet it seemed difficult to believe it had been forgotten simply because so much time had passed.
By that logic, it would also be strange if the Cheon Geom Dae Je could recall all of his martial techniques.
In that moment, Cheol No offered Cheon Mujgyeol a suggestion.
“In the past, my ancestor was asked by the Cheon Geom Dae Je to forge the Cheon Shin Geom. How would you feel about it? I was thinking of crafting a scabbard for you.”
At Cheol No’s proposal, Cheon Mujgyeol regarded him quietly.

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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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