The World's Greatest Famous Sword
Cheol Jin-gi, the young lord of Iron Blood Manor, cried out in shock.
"Iron Blood Invincible Dragon Armor!"
"Pardon?"
Jeong Gwang was the one truly stunned.
What kind of corny name was that!
"It's just lizard undergarments."
"What do you mean 'lame name'? It's Iron Blood Invincible Dragon Armor! My father and I poured our hearts into crafting this masterpiece!"
"So that's why you slapped 'Iron Blood' on the front?"
"Of course!"
Only then did Jeong Gwang understand.
Guess all that hammering steel dulled their naming sense.
It made sense, now that he thought about it. If not Iron Blood Manor, who else could handle the scales of a fangless dragon?
"Still, 'Iron Blood' whatever sounds kinda... lame."
"...It's already named! It's engraved right on the chest inside: Iron Blood Invincible Dragon Armor. Why keep nitpicking?"
"Oh. I didn't check that far."
"...You didn't even properly inspect such a treasure?"
"It seemed fine, so I just threw it on."
"..."
Cheol Jin-gi's jaw dropped.
What kind of guy is this?
To treat a masterpiece forged with his clan's full might like some street vendor's cheap underwear!
One of only two such treasures in the world!
Wait. Could he be...?
Cheol Jin-gi shook his head inwardly.
No way this flippant punk was that person.
Baek Merchant Group's lord said one set went to the man who slew the twin fangless dragons. That tracks better.
It made more sense, but it was still astonishing.
To wield such arts at his age?
Meanwhile, Jeong Gwang was thinking something else.
Auntie and Uncle must've shelled out a fortune.
From Qinghai Province, where Baek Merchant Group was based, to here was a seriously long haul.
Factoring in round-trip time and crafting, they'd finished it shockingly fast.
"How much did you get paid?"
"...What?"
"For making the lizard undies."
"Iron Blood Invincible Dragon Armor!"
"Yeah, yeah, that."
Cheol Jin-gi glared at Jeong Gwang before sighing.
He could handle it, having put up with his nephew Hu Wei-jin.
"Not money. Something else."
"Land? How many pyeong?"
"..."
Cheol Jin-gi pressed a spot on the wall, revealing a hidden compartment.
Among the boxes, he pulled one out to reveal a sheet of fangless dragon hide about a ja in radius.
He stroked the densely packed scales atop it, murmuring.
"The leftovers. No metal matches this toughness and elasticity. We're researching a new alloy based on it."
Jeong Gwang was genuinely impressed.
Cheol Jin-gi was his type of guy.
"Whoa. A real innovator."
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"Not just polishing handed-down knowledge, but forging new paths."
Cheol Jin-gi's eyes wavered.
Jeong Gwang counted on his fingers.
"Money, time, manpower—it'll cost a ton. Impressive."
"...Well, opening new roads demands that much."
"That much? How many in the world could shoulder it?"
"...True enough."
"Iron Blood this, Iron Blood that—makes sense now. Good call coming here."
A spring breeze now blew across Cheol Jin-gi's face.
Jeong Gwang scattered petals on that breeze.
"What sword would you two craft together? Can't wait to see."
Cheol Jin-gi tried to harden his expression.
But he couldn't stop his eyes from smiling.
Not your average martial artist.
Those who trained in martial arts often looked down on other trades.
Power bred arrogance, and it ran deep.
Plenty visit the manor seeking fine weapons, but...
Polite on the surface, their subtle disdain seeped through.
Iron Blood Manor trained martial arts to work iron, yet they scorned them as mere smiths.
That Sima Lian punk earlier? Same vibe. Compared to him, this kid...
Maybe even more arrogant and rude, but his character was different.
He admired without prejudice for trade.
Years hammering steel and dealing with people let Cheol Jin-gi spot the sincerity in Jeong Gwang's words and face.
Worth sweating for.
He had to grant a favor anyway to reclaim Hu Wei-jin's mess.
Jeong Gwang's decent vibe softened his resolve.
"What sword do you need? I'll help."
Jeong Gwang's request was simple.
"One that suits me."
Anyone else would've snapped it was wordplay, but Cheol Jin-gi nodded.
"If you'd demanded the world's greatest famous sword, I'd have lost it. You really know swords."
The best weapon fit its owner.
Body, arts, temperament—tailored perfectly.
Jeong Gwang nodded too.
"If it suits me, it's worthy of being the world's greatest famous sword."
"..."
"Take long?"
Cheol Jin-gi wanted to smash the table over his head.
But he was a man of his word.
"Sigh... Follow me."
He led the junior brothers to another hall.
Sword Pavilion, the plaque read—and it brimmed with swords.
"Swords vary wildly in length, form, weight. Every type here's gathered. Pick the best fit."
"Got it."
Jeong Gwang casually scanned them. So many, even sorting by length and shape took time.
Baek Seung-mu watched enviously.
Cheol Jin-gi smirked.
"You pick too."
"Me? Really?"
"Yeah."
"...Is that okay...?"
Cheol Jin-gi's gaze turned serious.
His voice shifted to transmission.
-I saw you suffering for that friend. You smoothed his arrogance earlier.
-...
-If you died easy, it'd trouble many. Pick without worry.
-...Thank you.
Baek Seung-mu bowed deeply.
Not for the sword, but the understanding.
But soon enough.
Cheol Jin-gi chuckled dryly at Baek Seung-mu eagerly browsing.
Funny pair. Wait—which sect?
Then he spotted Jeong Gwang swinging a blade.
Pure profound mystery flowed—undeniably famed Taoist swordsmanship.
Cheol Jin-gi felt hammered in the skull.
Taoist disciple? This guy?
He'd pegged him for unorthodox or gray-area!
Iron Blood Manor dealt with murim, officials, commoners.
Rubbing shoulders everywhere blurred lines. Little bias against orthodox or evil.
But this was too much!
No. Hypocrites in robes abound.
Reality: Taoists and monks squeezing the masses.
Compared, Jeong Gwang was just cocky and rude.
A bit extreme, but better than two-faced.
And he has the chops for it.
Casual swings oozed profound energy.
Flashy, even stylish.
Cheol Jin-gi was a master himself.
He gauged the swordplay's caliber.
Taoist youth with elite arts. Flawed character? Ah!
Elegant, profound style...
"...Kunlun Sect?"
The youth whose fame—and infamy—pierced the heavens!
"No way..."
The rumor mill's star slipped from his lips.
"...Jade Jade Dragon!"
Jeong Gwang turned.
"Huh? My rep reached here?"
"...Yeah."
"What're they saying?"
"...Better not know."
Jeong Gwang looked baffled, but Cheol Jin-gi was more so.
"One difference from the rumors."
"...?"
"You're handsome, sure—but not the world's fairest."
"Oh, my bad."
Jeong Gwang released Thousand Transformations Disguise Bone Shrink Demonic Art.
His face and build snapped to original in an instant.
"Not hiding on purpose. Too much hassle otherwise."
"..."
"For real."
"...Got it. Rumors were true."
True form: Unquestioned world's fairest.
"That disguise and bone shrink—what is it? Never heard of such wonders."
Jeong Gwang opened his mouth, but Baek Seung-mu shouted.
"This one!"
They turned: Baek Seung-mu caressed a longsword, beaming.
"Junior brother. Like that one?"
"Yes! Senior brother!"
"Lemme see."
Jeong Gwang gripped it, then shook his head.
"Can't settle for this."
"...Pardon?"
"This is Iron Blood Manor. How can you pick trash?"
"...T-trash? Isn't this a famed sword?"
Jeong Gwang looked incredulous, then apologized to Cheol Jin-gi.
"Young lord. My junior insulted Iron Blood Manor. Sorry on his behalf."
"...Not really an insult."
"So magnanimous. You'll give him a true Iron Blood famed sword, right?"
"...Naturally."
Jeong Gwang grinned at Baek Seung-mu.
"Use this as reference for something great."
Baek Seung-mu, raised pure in merchant halls, had changed in their short time together.
He clasped fists, apologizing to Cheol Jin-gi.
"My iron lack and shallow sight caused grave offense. Forgive me."
"...It's fine, really."
"No. You're crafting my lifelong companion sword—yet I was rude. Please forgive."
"..."
"Name it 'Iron Blood Divine Sword'. I'll boast it world-wide, washing today's sin..."
Baek Seung-mu's words spun dazzlingly long.
Short version: 'Make a sword fit for the world.' Cheol Jin-gi couldn't argue.
"...Fine, enough. I'll do my best."
"...Thus slightly mending the stain on Iron Blood Manor's fame..."
"Junior brother, stop. He said he'll do it."
"Ah! Thank you, young lord!"
Cheol Jin-gi shook his head with a sigh.
Sticking by Jade Jade Dragon, he might harm the world more.
Overthinking.
No matter Baek Seung-mu's mischief, could it top Jeong Gwang's?
"Young lord. This one's perfect."
Jeong Gwang offered a sword; Cheol Jin-gi asked wearily.
"...What more does it need?"
"Weight."
"...?"
"Ten times heavier."
Cheol Jin-gi snorted.
"Nonsense. You don't know smithing."
"Why?"
"That size and shape, tenfold weight? Whole xuan-iron blade."
Xuan-iron: Meteoric iron, sky-fallen.
Rare despite wealth; smelting time and toil immense.
And a full sword of it?
Impossible.
No wielder in millennia of murim history!
Wait. One rumor.
Past True Heavenly Demon of Heavenly Demon Divine Cult allegedly did it.
Rumor only—surely not.
"Get it?"
"Yeah. Make it ten times heavier with pure xuan-iron."
Tragic for Cheol Jin-gi.
Jeong Gwang was past-life True Heavenly Demon.
And wielder of full-xuan-iron blade.
"Exactly. Pure xuan-iron sword."