The Finest Blade (1)
The Golden Young Master, Seok Geum-ryong, had crushed and eradicated everything that had oppressed Na Cheon-lip, the Heaven-Earth Scholar.
"Then... I will guide you to Bukcheon-won at Seokga Manor."
Seok Geum-ryong had succeeded in bringing down Hoho-gak and the Cold Blood Sect in the blink of an eye, and now he led Na Cheon-lip away, intending to escort him back to Seokga Manor.
"With pleasure, I will take shelter under Seokga Manor."
Na Cheon-lip had once thrown his own life away without a second thought.
But there was no need for that now. Seok Geum-ryong was his friend, his master, and beyond that, he felt almost like a son and a disciple. With that in mind, he meant to spend the rest of his life at Seokga Manor.
At last! I’ve officially invited the Heaven-Earth Scholar, Na Cheon-lip, the greatest man of talent in the Central Plains!
The Heaven-Earth Scholar, Na Cheon-lip, was adept at everything from tanning hides and blacksmithing to making medicinal pills and handling all manner of handiwork.
His fame had waned significantly by now, but there had been a time when he was the kind of talent sought by the imperial court, the Murim Alliance, and even the Dark Heaven Alliance of the unorthodox sects.
To possess an exceptional artisan and master craftsman was to gain a specialty others did not have, and with that came competitiveness. Who would not covet such a person?
In particular, Na Cheon-lip was the sort of talent merchant caravans and escort bureaus like Seokga Manor prized above all else.
"Thank you. I will do my utmost to ensure I do not fall short in serving you."
Knowing just how precious he was, Seok Geum-ryong spoke with even more sincerity.
It was not only because of Na Cheon-lip’s abilities. He also wanted to show him the courtesy that had gone unfulfilled in his previous life.
"Young Master, then I shall return!"
Now that everything had been settled, a cheerful declaration from Shadowless One Shin Dan-woo marked the start of their journey back to Bukcheon-won at Seokga Manor.
As soon as Seok Geum-ryong arrived at Bukcheon-won, he treated the Heaven-Earth Scholar Na Cheon-lip as one of the estate’s most important honored guests.
And that was not all.
"Scholar Na. Here... are the bones, hide, scales, and other parts of the Thousand-Year Python."
Seok Geum-ryong had devoured books on medicine and rare beasts, so he knew exactly how to preserve the remains of a slain spirit beast for the long term.
As a result, the Thousand-Year Python’s remains were in perfect condition.
"My, heavens!"
Confronted with those precious materials, unlike anything else in the world, Na Cheon-lip was visibly shocked, his heart racing with all the reckless excitement of a boy in the throes of adolescence all over again.
Just as a top martial artist’s heart would pound at the sight of a martial manual or a famous sword, so too did a master craftsman’s heart race when he saw rare materials.
Even at my peak, I never had the experience of working with materials from a spirit beast that had lived a thousand years.
Na Cheon-lip, the Heaven-Earth Scholar, was now regarded as having passed his prime.
The thought even surfaced in his mind: could he truly do it on his own?
But that hesitation lasted only a moment.
"What exactly did you want made from these?" he asked in a calm voice.
"A sword and a suit of armor are enough for me, for life."
He was using the temporary support of a short sword called the Silver-Shadow Sword for now, so above all else he needed a proper longsword.
And though he would one day achieve the indestructible body of Vajra, if there were a peerless full-body armor that could protect him entirely and, better yet, steady him in battle, he wanted that as well.
"There’s more than enough bone, hide, and scale from the Thousand-Year Python to make those and still have material left over. Anything else you need?"
"Hmm."
Seok Geum-ryong had cleanly finished off the massive Thousand-Year Python and then gone so far as to dry its remains properly; the process could be called perfect without exaggeration.
Because of that, every part and every material remained in flawless condition, and the quantity was enormous.
In fact, there was so much that even after making a longsword and a suit of full-body armor for Seok Geum-ryong, less than a tenth of it would be used.
"I haven't thought of anything else, so..."
"Then I shall make whatever I see fit."
A martial artist’s eyes should shine when learning and practicing martial arts, and a craftsman’s should gleam when shaping materials into a peerless object the world has never seen before.
That was exactly the look now in Na Cheon-lip’s eyes.
His gaze sparkled as he already imagined all sorts of things from the Thousand-Year Python’s materials.
"Then I leave it to you!"
* * *
After his meeting with Seok Geum-ryong, Na Cheon-lip finally headed for the workshop the manor had prepared for him, carrying the materials of the Thousand-Year Python.
He looked more solemn than he ever had before.
"I will never again disappoint myself."
Na Cheon-lip knew this was truly his last chance, the final chance granted to him by heaven.
So he threw every last thing he had secretly kept before into the stove and burned it all away: the liquor and cups he had been hoarding, the dice he had rolled alone when bored, and everything else tied to drinking and gambling.
Whoosh!
It would be a lie to say it did not hurt.
Na Cheon-lip stared quietly at the blazing flames, then closed his eyes and made up his mind.
"As a craftsman and master smith... I will pour in every ounce of my life."
With that lofty resolve, Na Cheon-lip finally began work with the rare materials of the Thousand-Year Python in hand.
The very first thing he handled was the most troublesome of all the beast’s parts: the bone.
It has a hardness not inferior to the legendary Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron, and its flexibility is like that of a supple whip.
That meant quenching it in flame as if it were ordinary steel was nonsense.
To forge bone into a weapon, the first priority was to carve it with exacting precision.
Na Cheon-lip devoted himself to the task for three full days, forgetting both meals and sleep.
This sword will be wielded by the descendant of the person who saved me, and by the heir of Chilseonggun Je Seong-cheon.
What did that mean?
It meant that, not only for the present Seok Geum-ryong, but for descendants who would inherit the secret teachings and martial arts of the Northern Dipper for generations to come, it would become a legendary weapon passed down through the line.
He was not making it for some stranger unconnected to the Northern Dipper arts. It was for the friend he treasured and loved most dearly, the very heir himself. How, then, could he make it carelessly?
Whoosh!
At the heat of the furnace, Heaven-Earth Scholar Na Cheon-lip sweated as he carved at the Thousand-Year Python’s bone with the desperation of a man cutting away his own flesh and bone.
The work was so grueling that before even seven days and nights had passed, his body weight had been cut in half, causing Seok Geum-ryong and the others considerable worry.
"Don't worry about me. Only think about whether the sword is being made well."
Whenever Seok Geum-ryong and the others fretted over him, Na Cheon-lip would shake his head.
The way he worked on the weapon and armor was no longer that of a mere craftsman; it carried the air of a pilgrim, someone walking a sacred road with an iron resolve.
Perhaps this harsh, uncompromising effort was also his way of repenting for the debauchery of his past.
Scholar...
And Seok Geum-ryong, who witnessed that wretched, miserable figure up close and more vividly than anyone else, was deeply moved.
To be honest, he had wondered whether Na Cheon-lip could really change, remembering the old saying that a man consumed by drink and gambling never changes. But Na Cheon-lip showed a completely different side of himself.
"Young Hero Seok. Give me your hand."
After a long stretch of time, as he worked furiously over the project, Na Cheon-lip suddenly called for Seok Geum-ryong.
"Yes!"
Seok Geum-ryong had already been waiting for that moment.
There had been rumors that a peerless sword turned out better if one mixed in a part of the wielder’s body, such as blood or hair.
But that was not what Na Cheon-lip wanted.
"Here, grasp this tailbone of the Thousand-Year Python once."
"Pardon? Yes."
Seok Geum-ryong did not know why, but at Na Cheon-lip’s urging he seized the Thousand-Year Python’s tailbone, which had been refined far beyond its earlier state and now radiated such sharp menace that it seemed ready to split the air just from being touched.
Grip.
It still felt closer to bone than weapon, but the sensation of it fitting neatly in one hand was not unpleasant.
"That will do."
"Pardon?"
"Weapons are another face of a martial artist. Since it must suit your hand best, I shaped it so it would feel most comfortable when you hold it."
"Ah!"
Seok Geum-ryong was once again astonished by Na Cheon-lip’s deep intent and waited. Then, after another full day had passed.
Staggering!
Na Cheon-lip, who had spent nearly a month beside the furnace’s searing heat, tried to rise and suddenly swayed from dizziness.
"Scholar!"
Shin Dan-woo, who had been helping him the whole time by his side, was startled by his precarious state.
For a moment, he even wondered whether they needed to call for acupuncture immediately.
"Huff, huff... I am fine."
"Still..."
"As a craftsman and master smith, I have a duty to see the finished work delivered to its rightful owner."
"Yes, sir."
Though exhausted, Na Cheon-lip’s eyes were still bright and alive.
Seok Geum-ryong, catching that in an instant, decided to accept the man’s will.
Hssssssht.
And then, before long, through the hot, misty steam beside the furnace, a peerless blade was completed, glowing pure white like an elephant’s ivory.
More astonishing still, though the hilt and decorative fittings were rugged, the blade and edge themselves gave off an extraordinary brilliance that stunned Seok Geum-ryong.
"This is..."
The Golden Young Master, Seok Geum-ryong, stood a few steps away and finally discovered the sword completed for him.
Thump-thump.
Was it because he had met a companion he would have to carry with him for the rest of his life?
His heart pounded just as it would upon meeting a destined bride or groom.
"Try taking it in hand."
As if he understood that feeling, Na Cheon-lip grinned and finally drew the sword free, handing it over to Seok Geum-ryong.
The light emanating from that sword was so bright and lively that merely looking at it made Seok Geum-ryong feel as though there was nothing he could not do.
Swish.
At last, he received the sword, gripped it with all his strength, and felt a fresh shiver run through him.
To think it would close around my hand so perfectly!
The sensation was so complete, so perfectly born for him, that even the sword he had lost in his previous life seemed to fade from memory.
In particular, the instant he grasped the sword, he was seized by an urge to dance with it. That was proof that sword and swordsman were drawing close to becoming one, body and blade united, and it showed just how well they matched.
"May I try swinging it?"
"By all means!"
No sooner had Na Cheon-lip given permission than Seok Geum-ryong swung the blade horizontally at first, then vertically.
The more he swung it, the more vivid his exhilaration and astonishment became.
Ah, ahhh!
Seok Geum-ryong felt complete happiness and became certain that this sword had been born for him, Seok Geum-ryong, the Golden Young Master.
"So... do you like it?"
Na Cheon-lip already knew the answer, but asked anyway, just in case.
To be honest, he was no longer confident he could do any better than this.
For it was even finer than anything the Heaven-Earth Scholar had made in his prime.
"Completely! I love it absolutely, utterly!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Seok Geum-ryong shouted his answer, looking every bit the fool who adored his treasure.
And with good reason. He had always longed for an exceptional sword.
But now that this one clung to his hand so perfectly it seemed to pour out his own will as naturally as a single brushstroke, it felt less like a weapon and more like a part of his body.
"What shall we name the sword? What sounds good to you?"
At the question of what to name the peerless blade, Seok Geum-ryong pondered and pondered in an instant.
In his head floated many grand names: Heavenly Dragon Sword, Golden Seok Family Sword, Golden Dragon Sword, and more.
Then, suddenly, two characters came to mind.
"Calming, as in Calming Sword."