Chapter 120
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: Tch
Millennial Ink-Gold Iron.
The rarest metal in the world.
Black iron with a faint golden sheen.
Its hardness unmatched anywhere under heaven.
Yet it was also the most difficult metal to work with in the world.
Its rarity was unrivaled—even master smiths might never lay eyes on it before they died.
That was why the Myriad Alliance kept such Millennial Ink-Gold Iron in its secret vault.
"What I'm saying is, you're using too much of it. Just one nyang mixed in is enough to forge a treasured saber. Are you really planning to craft the world's greatest saber with that much?"
Deputy Alliance Leader Deung Gun-hyeon was right.
Mixing even a dot of Millennial Ink-Gold Iron into an ordinary sword elevated it to the ranks of famed blades.
The saber primarily used by Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader So Hwi-woong was in the form of a great saber, weighing roughly six geun—about 3.6 kilograms.
Yet Gung Do-hyeok planned to use nearly two geun—three-tenths of that great saber's weight.
One geun equaled sixteen nyang.
Gung Do-hyeok intended to use a total of thirty-two nyang, or three hundred twenty don, of Millennial Ink-Gold Iron.
That amount was half of the Myriad Alliance's current stockpile—a staggering quantity.
"This is a commission to forge the finest saber for the Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader to wield. With the Myriad Alliance's reputation on the line, I believe we must craft a saber worthy of being called the world's greatest."
Deung Gun-hyeon furrowed his brow.
He had unwittingly asked at first if they were forging the entire blade from Millennial Ink-Gold Iron, but honestly, he thought even one nyang would suffice.
How much hardship had he endured in his youth just to obtain that single nyang?
It was something irreplaceable by mere money, no matter how much was offered.
The honor of crafting a saber for the Alliance Leader could be fully achieved using even just Millennial Cold Iron.
The man wielded more than one or two sabers, after all.
Gung Do-hyeok felt a twinge of doubt about whether they truly needed to present the world's greatest saber.
And amid those thoughts, a fact came to mind.
"Deputy Leader. Even as acting Alliance Leader, you need the Alliance Leader's approval to withdraw more than one geun of Millennial Ink-Gold Iron. In truth, attempting to drill a hole into the secret vault's chamber door violates alliance rules and warrants punishment."
In reality, how much Millennial Ink-Gold Iron they mixed into the Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader's saber was irrelevant.
He had brought it up solely to justify drilling the hole into the secret vault's chamber.
Yet he had argued over the quantity precisely so it would seem like the drilling was necessary because of the Millennial Ink-Gold Iron.
But Deung Gun-hyeon's latest words...
They struck at Gung Do-hyeok's heart.
The Alliance Leader's approval.
Rage boiled within him.
As expected, this was the limit as mere deputy—even for him.
After all his contributions to the Myriad Alliance, he couldn't even decide the withdrawal amount himself?
No matter how precious it was, it was just ore in the end.
Wasn't it a paltry amount compared to his contributions as deputy?
"Understood. Then we'll mix in just one nyang."
Gung Do-hyeok suppressed his surging fury and forced a calm reply.
"Ahem. Yes, do that. I'll leave it to you, then."
With those words, Deung Gun-hyeon departed.
Now, no one would pry or complain about whatever he did inside the vault.
Who could object when it was for the Alliance Leader's sixtieth birthday gift?
"That clueless blacksmith bastard."
The curse slipped from Gung Do-hyeok's lips after Elder Council Leader Deung Gun-hyeon left.
It perfectly captured his current mood.
Two days later, Gung Do-hyeok finally drilled a hole into the chamber door without triggering any mechanisms.
It was a small hole, barely wide enough to wriggle through on his belly.
Upon entering the chamber, joy lit up Gung Do-hyeok's eyes.
Five of them.
There were fully five units of Myriad Heaven Golden Chain Exploding Thunder.
Gung Do-hyeok took them all.
He also took one nyang-unit of refined Millennial Ink-Gold Iron—for the pretext, after all.
As he tried to exit through the hole...
Another problem arose.
How to seal the hole.
Leaving it open meant anyone who could access the vault could enter the chamber freely.
Gung Do-hyeok paused and scanned the chamber.
Nothing seemed particularly important... No, there was.
The blueprint for the Myriad Heaven Golden Chain Exploding Thunder...!
He hadn't expected even one to be stored here.
Of course, he pocketed it.
Beyond that, nothing special.
True to the Myriad Alliance, most were ores, metals, and materials.
And hidden weapons.
Anything but the Myriad Heaven Golden Chain Exploding Thunder held no interest.
"Whatever happens, does it matter?"
The chamber itself was unimportant.
What happened to the rare ores, metals, and materials inside didn't concern him.
What mattered was obtaining the Myriad Heaven Golden Chain Exploding Thunder—and using it to deal with his brother and Ha Mu-baek. Otherwise, he was finished anyway.
Gung Do-hyeok exited the hole and left the vault.
Leaving the hole as is.
The Elder Council would seal it if needed.
With that, Gung Do-hyeok holed up in his office.
To prepare for his brother and Ha Mu-baek, who could arrive anytime.
He researched relentlessly: how to deploy the Myriad Heaven Golden Chain Exploding Thunder for maximum power.
His foes had already survived its assault once.
It was early dawn.
Beom Il-so finally returned to the Dragon Training Pavilion, reeking of alcohol.
Mok Cheong-san spotted him and scowled.
He disapproved of such dissolute behavior. There was no time for it when training demanded full dedication.
"Junior Brother. If you keep carrying on like this, I'll have no choice but to report you to the sect."
Mok Cheong-san warned softly as he passed by.
Beom Il-so gave no reply.
Mok Cheong-san shook his head at his junior brother's attitude and headed to the twentieth squad's training ground.
Then, he spotted someone approaching from afar.
Not in pavilion uniform.
A Fierce Dragon Corps cadet.
"You."
Even beside his senior brother, Beom Il-so's tightly shut lips twitched.
Because the approaching figure was heading straight for him.
Dan Mok Un-roe.
The guy who rarely left Fierce Dragon Corps territory—what brought him all the way to Wa Dragon Corps?
Just then, Dan Mok Un-roe extended his hand toward him.
In it, a single nyang of silver.
"The debt Un-hye owed from yesterday. Thanks again for yesterday."
Beom Il-so smirked at Dan Mok Un-roe's words.
"Your sister owes me nothing. I covered it as my apology."
"Even so, it's too much for her."
Beom Il-so's smile deepened.
"I'll decide that. It's my apology. Not for you to judge if it's too much."
A cold voice.
Utterly at odds with his smile.
"Still..."
One willing to give, one refusing to take.
They faced each other.
"Guess I'll go crash. Pushed too hard partying last night."
Beom Il-so turned away.
"Wash up first. You stink of sweat."
Beom Il-so halted abruptly at Dan Mok Un-roe's words.
"What'd you say?"
"Cheap liquor stench masking vibrating sweat. Only someone who's smelled it knows—rotten cheap booze or sweat?"
Dan Mok Un-roe smirked as he spoke.
Indeed.
Senior Brother Mok Cheong-san didn't know.
Did he even realize this alcohol smell was from cheap grain wine?
Born to a prestigious family, Mok Cheong-san probably just thought it was cheap booze.
Including the sweat from post-training.
"Plenty like that where I come from. Folks who work till soaked in sweat, drowning fatigue in grain wine. They smell just like you do now. Training's great, but manage your hygiene too. And thanks again."
With that, Dan Mok Un-roe turned and left.
No sense forcing repayment on someone refusing.
He'd gratefully accept Beom Il-so's kindness.
"Tch."
Beom Il-so clicked his tongue briefly and resumed walking.
He thought no one would notice, but this guy sniffed out the sweat beneath the cheap grain wine.
Well, he'd lived at the bottom too, after all.
"Gotta at least rinse off next time."
Face slightly flushed, Beom Il-so muttered.
Spritzing booze to save time on washing had been a mistake.
Ha Mu-baek stepped out of the Dragon Training Pavilion.
Still some time before training began.
He headed to the inn where Gung So-yu and Gung Mu-hyeok were staying.
He hadn't visited lately, focusing on honing his senses.
Treating blocked meridians required exquisitely precise inner energy control—risky with sensory errors.
Now at the final stages, he couldn't afford mishaps.
His master had tended to them instead. The treatment was one he'd learned from his master anyway.
Early morning visit, since it had been so long.
With senses restored, he wanted to treat them as quickly as possible.
"What brings you so early?"
Gong Son Mu-wai welcomed Ha Mu-baek warmly.
"Time to continue the treatments."
"Oh? You've fully consolidated your breakthrough. Congratulations."
Gong Son Mu-wai beamed as if it were his own achievement.
"Congratulations."
Gong Son Bi-yeon, attending her grandfather, smiled brightly and bowed.
"Thank you."
The treatments went smoothly.
Gung So-yu's condition was excellent.
Nearly eighty percent healed.
Thanks to Wi Ji-gun's steady care.
Almost on par with Dan Mok Un-hye's progress.
"Good."
Gung So-yu smiled warmly at Ha Mu-baek's words.
"Thank you so much."
Then Ha Mu-baek moved to Gung Mu-hyeok. His turn now.
He was about fifty percent healed.
Poison akin to blocked meridians, but distinct—thus slower than Gung So-yu's.
Even his master, facing it for the first time, couldn't help the pace.
But today was different.
Ha Mu-baek's wall-breaking insight applied to treatment.
No major change for near-complete Gung So-yu, but Gung Mu-hyeok saw massive progress.
The remaining thirty percent poison vanished in an instant.
"Thank you. You're truly remarkable."
Ha Mu-baek shook his head calmly at Gung Mu-hyeok's words.
"No need. I had a hunch about the poison and tested it—pure luck it worked."
The Alliance Leader's brother colluded with the Demonic Cult to assassinate him.
Thus, the Alliance Leader's poisoning was their doing.
The brother couldn't source such poison alone—likely Demonic Cult origin.
And if he circulated energy antithetical to demonic qi?
Before, he couldn't alter inner energy properties amid such delicate control.
Only masters like Ha Mu-baek or Wi Ji-gun could manage blocked meridian treatments' precision.
They hadn't sought him from Seon Yu Valley for nothing.
Treatment methods aside, energy control was key.
Now, post-wall-breaking, he could even shift inner energy properties.
Hadn't he blocked and countered his master's final technique using two distinct qi natures simultaneously?
Sword aura and protective qi—different arts entirely.
The effect was astounding.
Proof: Gung Mu-hyeok's healthy flush before him.
"No, truly, thank you. Thanks to your grace, I can return to the alliance sooner. I must go untangle this mess."
Determination gleamed in Gung Mu-hyeok's eyes.
No hesitation there.
"Made your decision?"
"What is there to deliberate? The alliance has its laws."
Ha Mu-baek nodded at the resolute words.
"So, if I may impose despite the impropriety—could you come with me?"
"What request?"
"Accompany me. Who knows what that bastard's prepared."
"I'm an outsider. Is that alright?"
"The Demonic Cult's outsiders too."
Fair point.
"And above all, don't you, Instructor Ha, have a debt to settle with my brother too?"
Ha Mu-baek grinned at Gung Mu-hyeok's words.