With Virtue as Neighbor
Iron Blood Manor was a clan of artisans who handled iron like ghosts.
The Iron Blood Manor Lord stood at the pinnacle of that clan.
And now someone was asking him about smelting?
It was blatant provocation.
Cheol Jin-gi's eyebrows shot up.
"Are you testing my father right now?"
"No. I just thought you might know."
"Isn't that the same thing!"
"Huh? It's confirmation, not a test."
Cheol Jin-gi was about to roar when his father tapped his arm.
"My apologies, Father. Please, speak."
Jeong Gwang's eyes gleamed with curiosity.
Am I finally going to hear the Iron Blood Manor Lord's voice?
No.
The Iron Blood Manor Lord simply raised two fingers in silence.
Damn.
A deep disappointment welled up in Jeong Gwang's heart.
Not because he didn't hear the voice, but because the answer was wrong.
Jeong Gwang muttered with a deflated expression.
"It's not two. It's three."
"……!"
He'd expected the Iron Blood Manor Lord to know at least this much.
When those expectations crumbled, a hollow laugh escaped him.
As expected, no smith in the world matches up to Yeokcheon Ma-jang.
In a way, it was only natural.
That man was one of the precious few Jeong Gwang had acknowledged.
I thought I'd get some proper weapons in this life.
In his previous life, Jeong Gwang had wielded countless weapons.
They were naturally befitting his status as the young leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
But.
His enemies were too many and too strong.
Famed swords snapped like twigs, and iron rods alloyed with Xuan-iron bent as a matter of course.
Jeong Gwang had always felt a thirst.
If only I'd had proper weapons back then.
Things would have been much easier, no doubt.
But what could he do when they didn't exist?
In the end, the path Jeong Gwang chose was to forgo weapons altogether and just grow stronger faster.
Of course, even that wasn't easy.
Still, he advanced step by step.
And finally, he became strong.
Strong enough that whatever he held in his hand, he had no complaints.
It took a long time, but he achieved it.
Once he reached that realm, no one dared challenge him.
All the clans under the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult bowed to him.
With some leisure at last, Jeong Gwang decided to craft a proper weapon.
For that, he'd need the world's greatest smith.
Jeong Gwang commanded the young head of the Im Clan of Inyeong—one of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's Seven Great Clans, famed for their ironwork—who had resisted to the end before kneeling.
I hear you're the best. Make me the supreme sword under heaven.
Jeong Gwang promised full support and kept his word, even granting one extra boon.
But he'd overlooked something.
The Im Clan young head wasn't right in the head.
Told to make the supreme sword under heaven, he threw a fit demanding a whole slab of Xuan-iron.
Jeong Gwang permitted it, impressed by the man's audacity.
I must have been crazy for a moment. Should've just told him to do it properly.
It took an enormous amount of time.
So much that the middle-aged man hobbled in on a cane to present the sword.
By then, Jeong Gwang had reached a realm where weapons were irrelevant.
He'd finally obtained the supreme sword under heaven, but it was useless.
I named it Mahon and never even used it properly. Wonder who's wielding it now?
Whoever it was, they were blessed.
That sword had been further refined by Jeong Gwang's own hand.
No, what's the point? Even if they figured that out, no one could wield it.
Jeong Gwang shook his head, brushing off the past.
Guess I won't get to try one quickly in this life either. Still faster than last time, though.
He let go of his lingering regrets.
With his mind cleared, his words came out politely.
"Manor Lord. Come back in about twenty years?"
"……?"
"By then, I believe you'll figure out the last one."
"……!"
There was no miracle of the eternally silent Iron Blood Manor Lord's mouth opening.
He merely raised two fingers again.
Seeing it, Cheol Jin-gi said gravely.
"Father says two is enough."
"It's not."
"……How much do you know about iron to keep insisting! The third one's unnecessary! Tell us what those two are first!"
"Let's write them down and compare."
"……Real cheeky, aren't you!"
As Cheol Jin-gi was about to explode, the Iron Blood Manor Lord nodded.
Then he gripped one corner of the table.
Crunch!
He tore off a chunk and carved letters with his finger.
"Ooh, manly."
Jeong Gwang used a refined method.
A light chop with his hand, and the table corner sliced off neatly.
"There. All written. Let's see."
Jeong Gwang and the Iron Blood Manor Lord extended their table scraps simultaneously.
Red Soft Iron (Jeok-yeon-cheol), and Cobalt Stone (Go-seok).
The exact same two words were engraved.
Cheol Jin-gi gaped, alternating between them.
The Iron Blood Manor Lord's eyes were wide too.
"You got the two right."
Jeong Gwang nodded and rose.
"I'll leave the last one to you. See you next time."
He bowed politely and headed for the door when a voice like scraping metal sounded.
"Wait a fortnight."
"……!"
Jeong Gwang turned slowly.
The Iron Blood Manor Lord radiated fierce heat.
"Did you say that, Manor Lord?"
"……."
"You can gather the Xuan-iron and figure out what it is within a fortnight?"
The lord glared silently, but his blazing aura screamed affirmation.
Jeong Gwang inwardly clicked his tongue.
Tough ask.
But if the man was determined to try, who was he to stop him?
He had the spirit of a fighter; Jeong Gwang felt compelled to watch.
Jeong Gwang bowed again.
More deeply this time.
"Understood. I'll look forward to it."
On his way back to the lodgings, Jeong Gwang ran into Baek Seung-mu.
"Junior brother. Done already today?"
"Yeah. Wrapping up now. How'd it go with you, senior brother? Will he make it?"
"Kinda. Not sure."
Baek Seung-mu looked puzzled, so Jeong Gwang explained.
The more he heard, the more incredulous Baek Seung-mu became before finally asking.
"……How do you know all that, senior brother?"
"Because it's me."
"……Right you are."
Shaking his head despite his words, Baek Seung-mu added.
"That third one. Why not just tell him? Would've made things easier."
"I don't know it either."
"……Huh?"
"I don't know what it is."
"……W-what kind of nonsense……."
Jeong Gwang was telling the truth.
In his previous life, after swinging the Xuan-iron sword and liking it, he'd asked the Inyeong Im Clan young head—no, by then the supreme elder—
Not bad. What'd you mix in to make the Xuan-iron sword so resilient?
A man who prided himself as the world's greatest smith wouldn't reveal his secret techniques.
But when Jeong Gwang moved to use divide tendons and shatter bones, he quickly spat out Red Soft Iron and Cobalt Stone.
And as Jeong Gwang lightly twisted his joints, he confessed there was one more.
What is it?
……Just kill me instead!
Not empty words—his face showed he was prepared to die.
To Jeong Gwang's satisfaction.
Good. From now on, you're Yeokcheon Ma-jang. Well done.
Looking back, it was a beautiful memory.
Such heartwarming resolutions were rare for him.
But now, Jeong Gwang regretted it.
Should've just beaten it out of him.
What could he do? It was in the past.
Jeong Gwang decided to trust the Iron Blood Manor Lord's skills.
"It'll work out somehow. Let's go, junior brother."
"……Yes, senior brother."
Back at the lodgings, Jao was diligently cultivating.
Even at a glance, he was fully absorbing the spirit medicine's effects.
"Jao. Time to contact that pig?"
"Yes."
"Show me what you've written."
"One moment, please."
Jao fetched a paper from his room.
He started to hand it over, then hesitated.
"Ah, sorry. I forgot it's in code."
"It's fine. Give it here."
"……Pardon?"
Jeong Gwang scanned the paper.
A furrow formed between his brows.
"Pretty complex."
"It's the cipher used for Sima Lian high command…… I'll decode it for you."
"No need."
"……Pardon?"
After studying the paper, Jeong Gwang spoke.
"Third line. Jin Ok-ryong requests the young master to have a weapon made. Change it to the truth: to the manor lord. It'll spread after time anyway. Better to be straightforward."
"……!"
"Hold on. Skip the jade plaque? Poor Ok Gi-rin would suffer. Nah, none of my business. Do as you like."
"……."
"And seventh line. Unsure how long at Iron Blood Manor. Too vague—change to two months. Though I'll probably leave way earlier."
Jao, mouth agape, finally stammered.
"……W-were you with Sima Lian……? Sorry, impossible. But how do you know the cipher?"
Jeong Gwang replied simply.
"I just decoded it."
"……Pardon?"
Jao's jaw nearly hit the floor.
What kind of monster was this!
But soon he had another shock.
He collapsed, writhing on the floor, screaming in agony.
"Aaaargh! Guuuuh!"
Jeong Gwang scratched his head and muttered.
"Oh. Forgot the antidote."
Bloodshot, Jao glared.
Oh? Forgot the antidote?
Forget something else!
Jeong Gwang had said antidote every three days.
But today was the fourth day since the chronic poison.
An extra day—should be a blessing, but it wasn't.
Genius at everything else like a monster, but forgets this!
Though Jao had forgotten too, lost in his new technique.
Cursing his own stupidity, he kept rolling.
Jeong Gwang sealed his pressure points and said to Baek Seung-mu.
"Junior brother. Nothing else today?"
"N-no."
"Then go buy some herbs. Need to make antidote."
"Y-yes. But what now?"
Jeong Gwang gave a look like why ask the obvious.
"What else? He toughs it out this time."
Jao's eyes shook violently from his rigid position.
Baek Seung-mu's did too.
"R-right. Tell me what to get. I'll hurry."
The antidote finished only after Jao passed out and soiled himself again.
Jeong Gwang woke him.
"Kraaaagh!"
"Huh? Just a light prick. Drink up. Skip it, and it'll hurt again in about an hour. First, purification."
After another purification, Jao chewed the antidote, thinking.
No way it's not on purpose. A genius like him doesn't forget.
Pain, then supreme technique.
Spirit medicine, then pain again.
Fear gripped Jao.
He couldn't fathom Jeong Gwang's depths.
Did I seem too lax?
Cold sweat trickled down his back.
He couldn't endure this again.
Be vigilant! Quick and sharp! Earn his trust!
Jao sprang into action.
"Fixed the cipher! Please check!"
"Good. Send it."
"Thank you! Delivering to the local branch now!"
"Whoa, rest first."
"No need! I'm fine!"
Jao bowed sharply and vanished like a bird.
Jeong Gwang smiled warmly at the sight.
With Virtue as Neighbor. If you treat with virtue, all become close. Treating with virtue works wonders.
A life utterly different from his previous one.
It felt like forcing on ill-fitting clothes, but it was manageable.
While here, I should teach them more carefully.
Thanks to Jeong Gwang's resolve, Baek Seung-mu and Jao crossed the three paths of hell daily.
Two weeks later.
A visitor came to Jeong Gwang.
"Jin Ok-ryong, the Manor Lord summons you."