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It wasn’t uncommon for martial artists to rent such a place. Unlike typical sword-wielding folk, I politely paid the full price without haggling, so the owner provided me with the best workspace.

In the space of about three or four pyeong[1], everything was set up around a furnace – bellows, anvil, hammers, chisels, tongs, and more. I asked the owner to bring all the materials used for making swords here.

I’ve lived my entire life with swords. I’ve seen the Martial Righteous Alliance’s swordsmith make and repair swords several times.

Of course, I had never personally forged a sword, so no matter how well I imitated, I couldn’t match the craftsmanship of the masters.

With a slightly nervous heart, I drew the Heavenly Creation Sword.

An incredibly sharp blade. Ultimately, this blade is what I needed.

To be honest, the excessively ornate scabbard of this Heavenly Creation Sword isn’t to my taste at all. But I couldn’t walk around without a scabbard, and finding another perfectly fitting one wasn’t easy.

So I started working on the scabbard first.

I began by removing the jewels embedded in the scabbard. They were such tiny jewels that the moment they came off the scabbard, they became meaningless pebbles.

After removing the jewels, I used the Heavenly Creation Sword to scrape the surface of the scabbard. The blade was so sharp that it cut the scabbard’s surface incredibly smoothly.

From the traces where the jewels had been set to the patterns engraved on the scabbard, everything was cleanly erased. It looked as if there had never been anything on the scabbard to begin with.

I didn’t stop there.

I painted a new color on the scabbard. It was black, the most common color seen in the martial world. After repainting it, it looked like a completely different scabbard.

Isn’t it a shame to damage the scabbard?

Not at all.

I even felt a strange satisfaction. As I mentioned before, I don’t like such flashy decorations. The reason I hadn’t used the Heavenly Creation Sword for long was because it was too gaudy.

The Asura Bright King Sword I mainly used also looked very ordinary on the outside.

“It’s done.”

I smiled with satisfaction. It was my first time doing this kind of work, but I had managed quite well. I suppose my exceptional dexterity in handling swords came into play.

Now, it was time for the most important part – changing the sword itself.

The problem was the sword’s hilt. Not only was it as flashy as the scabbard, but the shape of the handle was unique.

Someone who knew would recognize it at a glance, and this wasn’t a problem that could be solved just by removing jewels and changing colors.

After a moment’s deliberation, I decided to change the handle entirely.

The moment I do this work, the Heavenly Creation Sword will no longer be the Heavenly Creation Sword. The craftsman who made this sword had perfectly considered even the length and weight of the handle.

I’m giving up that advantage and only keeping this sharp blade.

I held the blade with one hand and the handle with the other. Then I injected my internal energy and pulled in opposite directions. It was set so firmly that it wouldn’t normally come off, but it couldn’t withstand the force empowered by my inner energy.

Swooosh.

The sword came out of the handle.

“I’m sorry.”

I fitted an appropriately sized handle from among the various sword handles made in this ironworks. I used the materials and tools here to secure it. Where my skills fell short, I compensated with internal energy.

What I had learned from the swordsmith in the past was a great help. Of course, it would be rougher and cruder than if he had made it himself, but that actually made this special sword less conspicuous.

Shik, shik, shik.

I swung the sword a few times. Not bad. I’ll just have to think of it as a sword that was like this from the beginning and get used to it.

As a final step, I applied a chemical used in the ironworks to reduce the blade’s luster. Usually, people try to make it look sharper, but I did the opposite. Of course, the blade itself wasn’t actually dulled. It was just a visual change.

I could guarantee it. No one would ever think of the Heavenly Creation Sword when they saw this blade.

Even I wouldn’t be able to recognize that this was once the Heavenly Creation Sword.

I swung the sword quickly again.

Swish.

Compared to the sword I had before, the feeling of cutting through the air was completely different.

I was greatly satisfied with the newly born Heavenly Creation Sword.

“I’m counting on you until we find your brother.”

Of course, that brother referred to the Asura Bright King Sword.

I cleaned up thoroughly after the work. I completely burned the traces of the original handle and scabbard shavings in the furnace.

However, I kept a few small jewels that had been decorating the Heavenly Creation Sword. Seeing the jewels separated from the scabbard, an idea came to mind that was worth trying.

I said goodbye to the owner and left the ironworks.

Then I went to a secluded place, took off my human skin mask, and burned it.

Now, the man who bought the elixir in black market, stayed at the inn, and rented the ironworks had disappeared from this world forever.

***

“Please rewrite and submit the report again.”

Yang Pyeong, a military officer of Righteous Thought Pavilion, was very careful even as he returned the report.

“Alright, I’ll rewrite it.”

The person who immediately took the report was Gal Sa-ryang.

This was because the person who Yang Pyeong once served as the Commander-in-Chief, had now become his colleague. Moreover, his former superior had become someone who took on the most work and had to rewrite reports repeatedly.

Not only Yang Pyeong but all the Righteous Thought Pavilion military officers knew that this was the new Commander-in-Chief Sima Cheon’s petty revenge.

But they couldn’t say a word of comfort. They had to be wary of both Sima Cheon and Gal Sa-ryang.

“Please bring it directly when it’s done.”

“Alright. I’ll do that.”

“Then, I’ll take my leave.”

Yang Pyeong, who left Gal Sa-ryang’s office, let out a light sigh.

‘No flower blooms for a hundred days.’

It was a moment when he felt the cruelty and futility of power.

He wanted to say a word of comfort. He also wanted to help with Gal Sa-ryang’s work.

But that was impossible. If he stepped in unnecessarily, he might be kicked out of Righteous Thought Pavilion and end up as a gate guard in some rural branch.

Gal Sa-ryang rewrote the report and went to see Sima Cheon.

There was a guest who had arrived earlier in the room.

It was someone he wished he hadn’t encountered in a place like this – Ju Cheol-ryong, the leader of Bright Moon Regiment. Thanks to his leading efforts, Ma Bong-gi had been able to become the Alliance Leader. Currently, Ju Cheol-ryong was the person Gal Sa-ryang found most uncomfortable.

“I didn’t know you had a guest. I’ll come back later.”

Sima Cheon gestured for him to sit down.

“Sit down. The leader will be leaving soon.”

“Yes.”

Gal Sa-ryang sat down next to Ju Cheol-ryong.

Sima Cheon smiled with a sadistic pleasure. Knowing the relationship between the two, he was enjoying this situation.

“It’s been a while since you’ve seen each other, why don’t you greet each other?”

Gal Sa-ryang politely greeted Ju Cheol-ryong.

“It’s been a long time.”

Ju Cheol-ryong merely nodded once. It was unclear whether it was out of guilt or if he had decided not to exchange greetings with a mere military officer anymore.

Gal Sa-ryang didn’t show any signs of feeling hurt or offended. He remained equally calm.

Sima Cheon thoroughly enjoyed this awkward moment.

He was intentionally tormenting Gal Sa-ryang. He assigned him far more work than other military officers and repeatedly sent back the reports he submitted.

It was to subjugate Gal Sa-ryang. To do that, he first aimed to break his spirit.

Sima Cheon believed. He firmly believed that if you torment and torment again, humans will eventually break down. Only the time difference would vary depending on their willpower.

‘Indomitable will?’

Sima Cheon snorted. He knew one person who had possessed that.

Cheon Hajin.

Yes, he was a man with an indomitable will, both in martial arts and in governing the martial world. But now he was no longer in this world. Along with him, the indomitable will had died.

Ju Cheol-ryong bid farewell.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

“Thank you for coming despite your busy schedule.”

Even as he left, Ju Cheol-ryong didn’t give Gal Sa-ryang a glance.

Gal Sa-ryang handed the report to Sima Cheon.

“Here’s the rewritten report.”

“Put it over there.”

Gal Sa-ryang placed the report on the desk. On one side, his submitted reports were piled up. It was clear at a glance that they hadn’t been opened.

Gal Sa-ryang calmly placed the report he brought on top of them.

“Then I’ll take my leave as well.”

As he was about to leave, Sima Cheon asked.

“By the way, let me ask you one thing.”

“Yes. Please speak.”

“I checked and found that one of the former Alliance Leader’s swords is missing?”

“Which sword are you referring to?”

“The Asura Bright King Sword.”

“Wasn’t it in the Martial Righteous Alliance’s report?”

“It wasn’t.”

“Then I don’t know either. In his later years, the Alliance Leader didn’t carry a sword. So I naturally thought it was stored in the Martial Righteous Alliance’s archives. If it’s not there, then the Alliance Leader must have disposed of it.”

“I see. Alright, you may go now.”

“Yes.”

Sima Cheon watched Gal Sa-ryang leave with a cynical gaze and then asked the empty air.

“Are you keeping a close watch on his every move?”

A low voice answered from the ceiling.

“Yes.”

“Just in case, find places where he might have hidden the sword.”

“Understood.”

Sima Cheon, who had given the order, leaned back and sank into his chair.

“If he doesn’t know, where on earth could that sword have gone?”

***

“Bring us some alcohol here.”

A middle-aged standard-bearer and a young flag-bearer sat down at one of the tables in the Wind Tavern.

Baek Pyo greeted them warmly.

“It’s been a while since you’ve come.”

They were the standard-bearer and flag-bearer from a nearby flag office who had come to drink a couple of times before.

“We just returned from Gansu this time.”

“I see. You must have had a hard time. I’ll prepare the usual side dishes.”

Baek Pyo brought the alcohol first and then started preparing the food.

The conversation between the two men could be heard.

“I felt something during this trip… there’s a strange atmosphere in Gansu’s upper circles.”

“What kind of atmosphere?”

“I heard a rumor…”

Although there were no other guests, the standard-bearer lowered his voice. It was clearly a sensitive topic.

“I heard a rumor that Ma Song-in[2] of Heavenly Blade Sect has taken over a merchant group in Shaanxi.”

“Isn’t Ma Song-in one of the potential successors of Heavenly Blade Sect?”

“That’s right. That very Ma Song-in. He’s one of the six most likely successors.”

“What could this mean?”

The standard-bearer seemed to have some idea but didn’t say anything more and just drank his alcohol.

Baek Pyo pretended not to hear, but he had been hearing rumors about Heavenly Blade Sect quite often.

It wasn’t just Shaanxi. There were news of Heavenly Blade Sect’s bloodline expanding into various regions and stirring up all sorts of activities.

This was unimaginable when serving under the former Alliance Leader. Cheon Hajin really hated it when Martial Righteous Alliance personnel influenced local martial arts communities. Although Cheon Hajin had no family, if he did, he would have restricted them even more strictly.

The standard-bearer looked at Baek Pyo and said,

“By the way, has that always been there?”

The man was looking up at the wall. Above the entrance to the kitchen, there was a wooden decoration attached. It was a decoration of a round shield with a sword and a saber attached in a tilted cross shape. It looked like a stuffed animal trophy in a hunter’s house.

“No, I made it when I took over this place. The wall looked empty.”

“You made it yourself?”

“Yes, I made it to pass the time.”

“You’re very skilled with your hands.”

“You’re too kind.”

Baek Pyo followed the man’s gaze to look at the wooden decoration on the wall.

Naturally, he recalled a past event.

Gal Sa-ryang, who had given him an opening gift, had secretly visited again a few days later. This was even before Ma Bong-gi or Sima Cheon had taken office.

Gal Sa-ryang had presented a sword. Surprisingly, it was the Asura Bright King Sword, the unique weapon of the former Alliance Leader.

“I want you to keep this sword.”

“It’s too great a responsibility for me to handle.”

“You’re the only one I trust to keep this sword. When the new Alliance Leader comes, I’ll be under surveillance. I probably won’t be able to visit you anymore.”

“Officer Gal.”

“Please, I beg you to keep it.”

“What do you plan to do with this sword?”

“I’m not sure yet. But even if I have to give up everything else, I don’t want to hand this over to them.”

Baek Pyo understood Gal Sa-ryang’s feelings in entrusting this to him. He probably thought of Cheon Hajin when he saw the Asura Bright King Sword, just like Baek Pyo did.

Baek Pyo nodded.

“Alright. I’ll keep it safe.”

“Thank you.”

Baek Pyo snapped out of his reminiscence when the standard-bearer asked for more alcohol.

“You’re drinking a lot today.”

“It’s been a while since we’ve returned, so we should drink until our noses go crooked, shouldn’t we?”

“Haha, I don’t mind. To add to your enjoyment, I won’t charge for this dish.”

“Great! This is why I love the Wind Tavern. Hahaha.”

Like all the guests who had asked about it before, the standard-bearer no longer paid attention to the decoration on the wall.