Chapter 351
Chapter 351
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 360
Chapter Title: The Heirs Arrive at Iron Heart Gate
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ban Ho-jung and the master smiths arrived at the gates of the Iron Heart Sect.
Since the Iron Heart Sect had made its home in the Yungzhong Mountains, it was situated at a pass along a moderately steep incline.
Their gazes turned outside the gate.
In the distance, a group was slowly making its way up the slope.
Ban Ho-jung and the sect members stared at the group.
Amid the travelers on the path, all eyes were drawn to Nangong Ryong, handsome enough to make anyone glance back.
"Thunder Jade Sword!"
"It's the Nangong family's Sword Dragon!"
"Whoa... he looks like a walking statue."
"They say the Nangong family's warriors are all good-looking, but this one's a cut above."
"What poise!"
As the murmurs of admiration continued, their eyes shifted behind him.
A massive man, every bit as eye-catching as Nangong Ryong.
His bold features matched his enormous build, and he wore a robe of green silk...
"The Peng clan!"
"It's the Earth Dragon!"
"No way, the rumors about him hanging around with the Sword Dragon are true!"
"But aren't they still hanging around together?"
"Man, just looking at him is intimidating..."
The crowd's surprise didn't end there.
"The Tang clan?!"
"Why are the Tang here?"
"What in the world..."
Three of the Five Great Clans—no, three families at the peak of their power—their young successors heading to the Iron Heart Sect!
"Hang on. What's that?"
"Hm?"
"Huh?"
Eyes that had been fixed on the leaders widened one by one.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
A delicate woman, slender as a flower petal, was walking briskly while carrying a load four or five times her own size.
She looked like she was out for a casual stroll, but up close, the bundle in her arms was solid iron.
She was bounding along with what had to be hundreds of catties of iron.
What the...
What kind of monstrous strength...
"They say martial artists can fly through the sky and split mountains, but..."
Even so, that was too much.
Then it happened.
Rumble rumble rumble!
The ground shook.
Something appeared right behind Peng Yeon-hwa.
A round, massive something was rolling in.
No—it was being dragged.
Climbing the slope, it looked like a small hill on the move.
Creak creak creak...
And then the people saw the source of the tremors.
"A... cart...?"
A man with a face swollen like it might burst and veins bulging like wallpaper was pulling the cart like an ox.
Each step forward with the cloth-covered load made the earth quake, and the cargo on the cart sloshed heavily.
The crowd gasped.
"Why is a man pulling a cart meant for oxen or horses..."
"Uh..."
"Behind him!"
"...Isn't that the Huangbo clan?"
Four of the Five Great Clans' young successors gathered in one place?
Didn't they say only the Nangong family was coming?!
The master smiths' eyes turned to Ban Ho-jung.
But his eyes were bulging like ping-pong balls too.
As they panicked,
The guests from the Nangong family arrived at the Iron Heart Sect gates.
Beside Nangong Ryong, Nangong Hyeok—looking full of mischief—strolled up casually.
He flashed a grin and bowed politely.
"Oh my, what a welcome! Nice to meet you. We've come from the Nangong family!"
The crowd was shocked again.
'Is that guy the Radiant Dragon Nangong Hyeok?'
'He doesn't match the rumors at all.'
'Whoa, so polite. Why the bad rep?'
'Hmm! A true prestigious clan.'
So polite, unlike the rumors.
As the people wondered,
Thud! Boom!
Huangbo Chung, who had been pulling the cart like an ox, finally dropped it and collapsed.
"Uwaaaaugh!"
What a flashy entrance.
"Don't mind him. Haha, the kid's a bit frail."
Nangong Hyeok smiled warmly.
"You're the sect leader, right?"
"...Y-Yes."
"Oh, no need to be so formal. The mountain's awfully steep. Why don't we head inside for a drink—er, a cup of tea and chat."
"Y-Yes, let's do that."
Ban Ho-jung, the Iron Artisan, looked at Nangong Hyeok with bewildered eyes.
'...Something's off about him.'
The others had flashy looks, but this Radiant Dragon had a different vibe.
'I'll figure it out once we talk.'
* * *
Ban Ho-jung surveyed the group with deeply sunken eyes.
The master smiths had been tense for a while now.
'This isn't just young successors visiting...'
The lineup was anything but ordinary.
Nangong family, North Hebei Peng clan, Sichuan Tang clan, Huangbo family.
And even the Little Sword Marquess.
The Iron Heart Sect's master smiths, ever sensitive to rivers-and-lakes rumors, knew them well.
Weren't they the central figures of the eastern martial world gale, including Anhui Province?
'Have the Five Great Clans come to open trade with the Iron Heart Sect?'
'Four of the Five Great Clans at once!'
'Hmm! This is...'
Even an elder from the Wudang Sect wouldn't cause this much trouble.
They hadn't thought it would be so tricky when they heard a second-generation scion from the Nangong family was coming.
For a sect that had to watch the Nine Great Sects' moods, this was as uncomfortable as it got.
Ban Ho-jung spoke softly.
"You must be tired from the journey."
Nangong Hyeok shook his head.
"It's just the next town over. No trouble at all."
...But not the Huangbo kid panting behind him?
Huangbo Chung was still heaving, mouth half-open, drool dripping. It painted a clear picture.
Ban Ho-jung gave Nangong Hyeok a strange look.
'Hmm, this kid's the leader of the group.'
Odd.
People that age from prestigious clans were usually hypersensitive to age, status, and hierarchy, yet Nangong Hyeok stood naturally at the center.
No wonder he's called the world's top young successor.
Ban Ho-jung smiled faintly.
"I replied because I was curious about Second Young Master Nangong's request."
Eyes sparkled around the room.
Especially Peng Zhong-hyeok and Peng Yeon-hwa's gazes sharpened.
'What exactly did he write?'
The Iron Heart Sect hadn't budged when Peng Yeon-hwa sent a letter, but now they replied with interest?
'Did he contact them personally, not as a clan?'
What did he send?
What...
Knowing the Radiant Dragon's personality, he'd bulldoze whatever he set his mind to...
Peng Zhong-hyeok muttered.
"Did he say something about wiping you out?"
Huh?
Peng Yeon-hwa asked gravely.
"Blackmail, right? Like, 'reply or we'll come wipe you out'..."
What?
Ban Ho-jung and the master smiths looked at the Peng siblings with shaky eyes, then back at Nangong Hyeok.
Nangong Hyeok laughed heartily.
"Hahaha! These kids love their jokes, love their jokes."
Grind!
Crunch crunch!
As Nangong Hyeok glared with gritted teeth, Peng Zhong-hyeok and Peng Yeon-hwa made awkward faces.
"H-Ha... We were just curious."
"It was a joke. Haha!"
"Hahaha."
Ban Ho-jung and the master smiths chuckled lightly.
Kids, after all?
So carefree with their teasing.
Ban Ho-jung said.
"In all my years as a master smith, this is the first request to dull a sword's edge, so I was curious."
Ah!
Sighs—or something like them—rose from all sides.
Nangong Hyeok replied.
"I never imagined making such a request either. But this isn't your average sword. No artisan in Anhui Province could handle it, so we came all the way here."
The Iron Heart Sect's master smiths nodded in agreement.
"When it comes to working iron, we're the best!"
"What kind of sword is it?"
"You came to the right place. There's no iron we can't handle!"
The master smiths beamed with pride.
For them, recognition from the sword-famed Nangong family was pure joy.
Ban Ho-jung calmed the artisans lightly and spoke.
"Could you show it to us?"
"No problem!"
Nangong Hyeok drew the demon sword from his waist and placed it on the table.
"Ooh!"
The master smiths exclaimed.
Even just the writhing dragon pattern made it look extraordinary.
The smiths knew from the pattern and hilt alone that this was no ordinary blade.
Which only raised questions.
Ban Ho-jung tilted his head.
"...You really want us to dull this sword's edge?"
He hadn't even drawn it yet, but Ban Ho-jung could tell it was at least a masterpiece.
Nangong Hyeok tapped the sword.
"It's less about the edge... Just take a look."
"Hm?"
Ban Ho-jung tilted his head and carefully gripped the demon sword.
In that instant.
Fwoosh!
"Hup!"
Ban Ho-jung recoiled at the intense chill surging through his hand.
"W-What's wrong?"
"Sect Leader?"
Barely keeping hold, Ban Ho-jung looked gravely between Nangong Hyeok and the demon sword.
His pupils twitched faintly.
"Draw it."
As Nangong Hyeok grinned, Ban Ho-jung pondered briefly before slowly unsheathing the demon sword.
Shing!
A clear ring accompanied the blade's reveal.
A faint red sword glow flowed along the transparently flawless blade, illuminating the surroundings.
"Huh, hup!"
"Wh-What?!"
"Urgh!"
As the red glow spread like eerie flames, the master smiths groaned stifledly, eyes bulging.
'What kind of sword is this...'
'Wh-What in the world?'
'Whoa!'
Even these smiths, who breathed life into iron blades daily, couldn't handle the aura.
"S-Se-Sect Leader!"
"What is this...?!"
"Hmm!"
They couldn't close their mouths.
The aura pouring from the demon sword was something they'd never encountered.
A dizzying sensation.
The watching Nangong family members nodded quietly.
'Not surprising they're shocked.'
'We were too.'
'They'd freak more if they knew its history.'
This reaction was tame.
Huangbo Chung, seeing the demon sword for the first time, gaped.
"Cr-Crazy, wh-what is this?! Even the sword takes after its owner—Guh!"
Peng Zhong-hyeok swiftly sealed Huangbo Chung's pressure points and yanked his arm.
Huangbo Chung's eyes trembled.
'The sword's a bastard too! Damn lunatic!'
A brief commotion, but the Iron Heart Sect smiths' eyes remained locked on the demon sword.
Ban Ho-jung looked at Nangong Hyeok with a drained face.
"Th-This..."
Nangong Hyeok grinned as Ban Ho-jung held the shaking demon sword.
"Yes. Too strong, right?"
"Hmm!"
"Don't keep it drawn. Seems tough on everyone else."
Nangong Hyeok gently pushed the demon sword back, resealing it.
Ban Ho-jung wiped sweat from his brow.
The sword's sensation lingered in his hand.
'In all my life, I've never seen a sword like this.'
Smiths often say they breathe soul into iron.
Hammering life into it.
Such living swords were called divine blades.
But this demon sword was different.
No spiritual energy or vitality like a divine sword.
Instead, it reeked of death...
Blood on a sword wasn't unusual, but this was excessive.
Far too much.
'A sword made of ghostly qi. This is a ghost sword... no, a demon sword!'
Ban Ho-jung looked at Nangong Hyeok in shock.
"A-Are you alright?"
"Yeah, sure. I've seen worse."
"Worse?"
"That's not the point."
Nangong Hyeok plunked the demon sword back on the table.
The master smiths flinched, but he continued unperturbed.
"Can you tame its energy?"
"..."
"Dull the energy, and the edge too... that's fine."
Ban Ho-jung realized Nangong Hyeok's dilemma.
He stared at the demon sword with sunken eyes.
The master smiths, brimming with confidence at first, hesitated after seeing it.
How to handle such a ghostly sword...
Ban Ho-jung steadied his breath and spoke cautiously.
"I'll give it a try!"
Nangong Hyeok's eyes lit up.
"Really?"
"We once handled divine swords. A sword's a sword, no? If we can't, no one can!"
Ban Ho-jung put force into his voice.
"Yes, then I'll trust you."
"Alright..."
"First, let's repair the demon sword, then talk step by step."
The words flipped host and guest, but Ban Ho-jung and the master smiths' eyes stayed glued to the demon sword.