Chapter 142
Chapter 142
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 142
Chapter Title: The Blade King's Sword
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Peng Yeonhwa glanced away upon seeing Nangong Hyeok's gentle smile.
Tak Hyeokdong lay twitching on the floor, his face drained of color.
The Thunder Dragon Squad members watched awkwardly before furtively averting their gazes.
Peng Yeonhwa snapped back to her senses and spoke.
"......I came because I was worried about how things turned out. I'm truly sorry that my father caused you trouble."
"Hahaha! Sorry for what!"
It had even let him catch a sucker—why apologize?
But Peng Yeonhwa, unaware of that, still looked apologetic.
"I had no idea Father would act so aggressively. This is clearly our family's fault."
"Aw, come on, it's nothing."
"It was undoubtedly too much for a guest attending the banquet. Let me apologize once more."
"Ah, I said it's fine? Isn't the Peng Clan of Hebei practically family? We're friends' kin, after all—friends' kin!"
Of course they were good friends.
Nangong Hyeok spoke nonchalantly, beaming innocently.
"The Peng Family Head is quite the bold fellow. His spending is on another level—truly deserving of being the foremost among the Five Great Clans!"
Peng Yeonhwa stared at Nangong Hyeok with wide, stunned eyes.
......To hear such words from the second young master of the Nangong Clan!
A sense of fulfillment settled over Nangong Hyeok's benevolent face.
One might doubt if this was the same man who had just been choking Tak Hyeokdong.
It felt like he had a split personality.
Twitch twitch.
Tak Hyeokdong convulsed even more violently than before.
"Should we call a physician......"
"Ah, don't worry about it. He'll stop eventually."
As Nangong Hyeok waved it off dismissively, Peng Yeonhwa looked at Tak Hyeokdong with disbelief.
Anyone could see something was wrong......
Nangong Hyeok sat down naturally.
With a flick of his fingers, the Thunder Dragon Squad—who had been staring tensely in his direction—hurriedly turned away.
They resumed their interrupted meal.
Crunch crunch!
Peng Yeonhwa's mouth fell slightly open at the sight.
Nangong Hyeok lifted his wine cup and asked,
"But what's this about? You didn't come just to say that, did you?"
Peng Yeonhwa quickly composed her expression.
She cleared her throat lightly before continuing.
"Well...... actually, I came to ask a favor. It's not difficult. Just something simple......"
"A favor?"
"Yes."
"Is there such a thing as a simple favor in this world? If it's not a hassle, it's hard."
"No, it's really not that difficult."
"Not doing it."
Peng Yeonhwa blinked in stupefaction as Nangong Hyeok cut her off flatly without even hearing her out.
She was at a loss for words.
Even Nangong Ryong, beside him, stared at Nangong Hyeok with rounded eyes.
Geum Cheomsang had long since shaken his head and retreated.
Nangong Hyeok sipped his wine and munched on his side dish.
Peng Yeonhwa blinked.
Having never encountered such a situation, she pondered how to broach the topic.
She rolled her eyes briefly before speaking.
"It's my birthday today! And I seem to recall helping you out before."
Peng Yeonhwa looked at Nangong Hyeok with regained confidence.
"Am I wrong?"
"So you're asking for a birthday gift?"
"......"
Nangong Hyeok shrugged as Peng Yeonhwa's face flushed red.
She had indeed been helpful.
No, quite significantly so.
Just the information that the current Heavenly Void Mountain differed from the past had allowed him to quickly locate the secret vault.
Without that from her, he might still be digging through the fake Heavenly Void Mountain.
The mere thought sent chills down his spine.
It would have been a perfect display of futile effort.
And while he hadn't cared much about what happened at the banquet, she had at least warned him about Peng Cheonwi and Peng Jung-hyeok's schemes.
"What is it."
Peng Yeonhwa's face lit up at Nangong Hyeok's permission.
She cleared her throat, organized her words, and spoke calmly.
"I've obtained some darksteel this time. I want to use it to forge my sword. Please help."
"A sword?"
"Yes!"
"Doesn't the Peng Clan have swords?"
"Of course not! Would a blade house ever lack blades?"
Peng Yeonhwa laughed merrily.
"You can't just use darksteel carelessly. It has to become a famed blade!"
Her face brightened with excitement.
A fine sword brought a thrilling anticipation to any warrior.
Imagining one made from top-quality darksteel was pure joy.
"It takes at least an Iron God Sect artisan to properly handle this darksteel, and since you happen to have one of their swords, Young Master, I'm shamelessly asking you. It's hard even to commission them."
Peng Yeonhwa eyed Nangong Hyeok—or rather, his sword—with envy.
Nangong Hyeok glanced at the sword at his waist, then side-eyed Nangong Ryong.
He cocked his head watching Nangong Ryong chew his meat.
'How did this guy snag a rich heiress who even moneybags can't buy?'
And in bundles, no less.
'The more I look, the more he reeks of Sword King.'
He seemed like he could dash to Heavenly Mountain without a word of complaint.
Reevaluating Nangong Ryong's talents anew, Nangong Hyeok swallowed a hollow chuckle and turned back to Peng Yeonhwa.
That was that, and this was this.
Nangong Hyeok replied indifferently.
"Nope. Go home."
"What?"
"You'll just pester me to tag along or something."
"No, I just......"
"Whatever. If you need a sword, I'll give you one. Call it even."
Peng Yeonhwa stared blankly at Nangong Hyeok.
She asked for help commissioning the Iron God Sect, and he suddenly offers a sword?
She had turned to them because even the Peng Clan's blades weren't good enough, and now he offers one just like that?
Nangong Hyeok crooked a finger at Geon Cheon-hwi.
Geon Cheon-hwi shot to his feet and dashed to a corner. Moments later, he dragged in a massive sack.
The sack scraped the floor with protruding lumps, clanging noisily.
Clatter clank! Grind! Thud!
A puzzled look crossed Peng Yeonhwa's face.
'What is that?'
Nangong Hyeok plunged his hand into the sack and rummaged.
Clatter clank! Slash slash!
After digging for a while, his eyes lit up.
"Found it!"
Flash!
He pulled out his hand, gripping a massive blade.
Nangong Hyeok slammed the sword into the floor.
"Here."
Peng Yeonhwa eyed Nangong Hyeok and the upright blade dubiously.
Red rust covered it entirely, obscuring its original color, with chipped edges reminiscent of a beggar’s blade.
Even scrap iron from a forge would look cleaner.
Surely not this?
With faint hope, Peng Yeonhwa asked Nangong Hyeok.
"......What is this?"
"Take it."
Nangong Hyeok smiled faintly and nodded at the embedded sword.
Peng Yeonhwa looked troubled.
"Who uses a rusted blade like this? Young Master, as my apology, I'll share some darksteel with you, so let's go to the Iron God Sect together and......"
"It's the Blade King's sword."
"Pardon?"
"I said it's the sword the Blade King used."
"Ah......"
Peng Yeonhwa sighed softly.
'How much must he dislike me to lie like that......'
And about this rusted junk being the Blade King Peng Cheon's sword.
'At least make it believable.'
Where did he even get such a rusted blade?
The Blade King's sword was said to be pure darksteel, weighing fifty catties, with a dark sheen.
It bore the inscription "Heavenly Blade" on the flat, yet this one was obviously......
"......Why does it say 'Heavenly Blade' here?"
Peng Yeonhwa's eyes widened as she inspected the blade closely.
"Darksteel...... It is darksteel? Weighs about fifty catties......"
She gripped and lifted it from the floor, feeling its hefty weight.
The hilt featured a tiger emblem symbolizing the Peng Clan......
"For a fake, they put a lot of effort in...... When light hits this engraving, a unique pattern should appear...... Oh my heavens! Why is it glowing?!"
Thud!
Startled by the reflecting tiger engraving, Peng Yeonhwa dropped the sword in shock.
Riiiing!
A clear ring echoed through the annex, and her eyes grew as wide as saucers.
"Ah, ah!"
She hastily caught the fallen sword and scrutinized its surface, her lips trembling.
"Th-this, this is the r-real Bl-Blade King's s-sword?! This one?! For real?!"
Heavens, heavens......
The blade used by the greatest expert the Peng Clan of Hebei ever produced, one of the Three Great Wanderers of past and present!
"No wonder, no wonder...... Even the rust felt unusual."
Didn't she just call it fake?
Ignoring Nangong Hyeok's incredulous stare, Peng Yeonhwa couldn't tear her eyes from the Blade King's cherished blade, Heavenly Blade.
She gazed at it with eyes brimming with emotion.
"It truly is a work of art."
"......Yeah, sure."
"It's one of our clan's priceless treasures."
"I suppose so."
"Truly...... I don't know how to thank you...... This is a grace that would take a lifetime to repay."
"Mutual aid. Think of it as a small gift for a guest."
"You're the guest, Young Master. And how is this small?"
How could the Blade King's sword be a mere trinket?
It was the Peng Clan's heirloom and one of the famed blades counted among the world's finest at the time.
Its material value alone was thousands of silver taels, not to mention its symbolic weight.
How could one compare the blade left by the Peng Clan's greatest master to petty coin!
Lost in感动, Peng Yeonhwa suddenly glanced at the sack before Nangong Hyeok.
'......N-no way, all of that's......?'
What on earth was in that bundle where he had jammed the Heavenly Blade like scrap?!
Nangong Hyeok met her shocked gaze with indifference.
'Pfft, pocket change.'
Mere drops compared to a million gold taels. Ahem.
As he thought that inwardly, Peng Yeonhwa glanced around briefly before speaking.
"Please wait just a moment. Just a sec!"
She then whisked away with the over-fifty-catty sword as if it were a wooden chopstick.
Nangong Hyeok grinned at the sight.
"Two birds with one stone."
Offloaded Peng Yeonhwa and disposed of the useless Blade King sword.
As Nangong Hyeok nodded to himself,
Grind grind grind!
The floor suddenly began to rumble lowly.
"Hm?"
Nangong Hyeok tilted his head and peered outside.
The Thunder Dragon Squad, stuffing food and drink into their mouths, naturally glanced out at the unfamiliar vibration.
"......Huh?"
"Hm?"
Through the open door crack, a small hill came bounding in.
Peng Yeonhwa entered the annex, dragging a massive bundle.
"Whoa......"
"Hyeokdong, think you could carry that?"
"Uh...... well, that's......"
"......The Peng bloodline is insane."
As Geon Cheon-hwi and Tak Hyeokdong gaped, Peng Yeonhwa set the bundle down.
Boom!
A heavy thud shook the table.
All eyes converged on the bundle.
Nangong Hyeok asked with puzzled eyes.
"What's this?"
Peng Yeonhwa beamed proudly as she began pulling items from the bundle one by one.
"It'd be no better than a thug not to reciprocate such a gift. This is for you, Young Master, and these are for the Thunder Dragon Squad warriors."
The emerging items were all extraordinary.
From precious darksteel to blades, axes, silk robes emblazoned with the Peng emblem, even shields rarely used by martial artists.
"This for you, warrior, this for that warrior, and this one......"
Peng Yeonhwa kindly replaced the Thunder Dragon Squad's weapons with ones suited to each man.
The squad stared at her in bewilderment, clutching their gleaming new arms.
Sensing their gazes, Peng Yeonhwa smiled warmly.
"Don't feel burdened. Compared to the Blade King's sword, these are nothing."
Nothing?
These weapons made Iron Cloud Merchant House gear look like toys with their ferocious auras—how could they be nothing!
"They're better than what you're using now. All handmade by master artisans."
Someone recognized the mark on a weapon and gasped.
"Th-this is from Flame Spirit Ironworks! They say you need at least five hundred silver taels each!"
"Gasp!"
"Crazy?!"
"No wonder!"
The Thunder Dragon Squad exclaimed, staring at their new weapons.
Excitement lit their faces upon hearing they were from a famed ironworks.
Peng Yeonhwa turned to Nangong Hyeok and Nangong Ryong.
"Our clan has received a great favor. I'll properly report today's events to Father and repay you. This is just a personal token of my gratitude."
......Uh, you really don't have to......
Peng Cheonwi would foam at the mouth.
As Nangong Hyeok chuckled wryly, Peng Yeonhwa smiled brightly.
"Then rest well! See you again."
"Uh, sure."
"Bye!"
Peng Yeonhwa left with a cheerful laugh.
Nangong Hyeok snickered to himself.
"Really hooked a sucker? Should I just stay here forever?"
He figured the Peng Clan might be halved in three months.