Chapter 136 : Chapter 136

Chapter 136. Restoration (4)

It was a laughable matter.

I could tell just by his movements, the precision with which he handled his qi, and so on.

This man was one of the top masters I had ever faced, including that Hyeok Ilso bastard.

But he had learned a martial art that was the absolute worst match for my eyes.

Since his feints were meaningless, mixing in the principle of illusion had turned out to be a bad move.

It would have been better to focus on speed instead of putting on a show of scattering afterimages.

After a few instances of completely dismantling his martial art, his face contorted as if his pride was hurt.

Soon, a massive amount of qi skeins surged from his dantian and rushed through the acupoints of his entire body.

“Die!!”

With a shout, he swung his blade, and this time, six arms flew in at once.

A spectacle of blade qi, closing in and occupying the six directions.

A grin spread across my face.

“Hehehe.”

Watching it, the fifth form of the Sun Moon Infinite Sword, which I had been reading recently, came to mind.

The form written in the secret manual felt similar to that.

Of course, comparing the Sun Moon Infinite Sword to that man’s martial art was nothing short of an insult to the old Sun Moon Divine Sword.

But it was worth imitating, considering it a derivative work.

With that mindset, I observed his technique and swung my sword wide in the air.

The five streams of blade qi and the blade he swung himself.

I drew a large circle that encompassed all six trajectories embroidered in the air.

A wide screen of qi was scattered in the air, and soon, the six trajectories touched that screen.

There was no sound of collision.

The Moonlight Coiling Sword gently wrapped around the six trajectories, deflecting all their force.

Although there was no sound of collision, something did shatter.

Perhaps it was his ultimate move, but the expression of Sura Blood Blade, Wi Hak, shattered completely.

“How can this be……”

I swung my sword at his contorted face.

“Keuk……”

A faint groan and a spray of blood.

Blood flowed from the neck of the man who had hastily twisted his upper body.

Sura Blood Blade stepped back and touched his neck with his left hand.

The moment I took a step to chase the man who was staunching the bleeding on his neck, fwoosh!, he kicked the ground, and dirt and gravel flew toward my face.

Getting hit by gravel kicked with internal energy would likely break a bone, so I took a step to the right to dodge it.

And just as I was about to lunge at him again, a strange sight came into view.

Although he was pretending to look at me, his focus was strangely scattered.

He was surveying his surroundings.

Soon, he took a surprise step toward the front left.

It was the direction where Junior Sister Baek Hyang was dealing with the Underworld bastards.

Now that even his ultimate move had been blocked, he was undoubtedly trying to take a hostage.

Matching his movement, I used my footwork at full power and chased him.

Boom!

The ground exploded, and the distance closed in an instant.

Although my stability was lacking because I hadn’t yet trained in the Absorption Art, my speed was now at a level that wouldn't be outmatched anywhere.

His path blocked, the man hastily swung his blade.

I also swung my sword to meet that single strike and block it.

CLANG!!

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Parrying his blade, I swung a second strike.

Swish!

“Keuk……”

This time, blood spurted from his left forearm.

I didn’t cut off his arm in one go, but it was a wound deep enough to expose the bone.

The Sura Blood Blade bastard created six afterimages again and swung his blade repeatedly like a madman.

Fwoosh!

After looking for an opportunity, this time he launched himself toward the Tang Clan bastard on the right.

But his attempt did not work.

When I blocked his path once again, Sura Blood Blade made a surprised expression.

“H-how?”

His gaze, and above all, the flow of his qi was clearly visible, so there was no reason I couldn't chase him.

Of course, there was no reason to explain such things to a piece of trash about to die.

“If you’re curious, go to hell and ask King Yama.”

Clang!

The moment the sword and blade clashed, he suddenly spat in my eyes.

Even in his surprise, he resorted to such a cheap trick. Trash was trash, after all.

Soon after, a chilling cutting sound rang out.

Swish!

The Azure Heaven’s Hidden Smile, which I had stealthily shot while twisting my upper body to avoid the spit.

That stealthy sword qi slashed through his right thigh.

Blood gushed from the deep cut on his right thigh, and for the first time, Sura Blood Blade let out a scream of pain.

“Kuaaaak!”

Even in that state, he used the Lazy Donkey Rolls on the Ground to roll on the floor and dodge my second strike.

And the man who had rolled on the floor did not get up.

Having already rolled on the floor, he just lay flat on the ground and said.

“Please spare me, my lord!”

He only lifted his head slightly.

Perhaps due to the pain, his eyes were bloodshot.

“M-my lord, you are not one of those hypocrites from the righteous path, are you? Ha-hahaha. Wh-what do you need? J-just tell me. I-I will give you anything I have!”

“Anything you have, you say?”

“Y-yes, my lord!”

I nodded at his cry and said.

“That’s great.”

And I swung my sword at his neck.

“Your life is all I need.”

He tried to do something at the last moment, but…

Swish!

With a cutting sound, his head separated from his body.

I had dealt with a man who would have terrorized the Zhejiang area for over a decade in advance.

I felt a little relief in my congested chest.

But there was still a lot of trash to clean up.

I turned my gaze from Sura Blood Blade and surveyed the surroundings.

“Well now.”

Had I fought with Sura Blood Blade for too long?

Or were the people here just weak?

My companions had already finished cleaning up all the Underworld bastards of the Cheonsu Gang.

“For once, you’re not injured.”

A chuckle escaped my lips at the Tang Clan bastard’s words.

Looking at my companions, not a single one of them was injured.

Now that I looked at it, it seemed my companions’ skills had improved by leaps and bounds.

After cleaning up the Cheonsu Gang, we headed back to Yeo’s Forge to return the sword.

As we got closer to Yeo’s Forge, the sound of iron clashing could be heard as expected.

Had they been waiting for our news with bated breath?

Beyond the door that Sura Blood Blade had broken, my eyes met with the woman who was watching outside.

Soon, she turned her body and shouted.

“Father! They’re back!!”

But even at that cry, the sound of iron continued.

Soon, we entered Yeo’s Forge.

As expected, the blacksmith Yeo was still hammering away.

“Stopping in the middle is worse than not starting at all.”

He said so unemotionally and continued to hammer.

I glanced over and saw that he was hammering the red-hot Restoring Name Sword.

After watching for a moment, I held out the sword to Blacksmith Yeo’s daughter.

“I’ve wiped off the blood.”

She took the sword I handed her, went outside the forge, and examined the blade and surface in the sunlight.

Then she nodded and muttered.

“The edge is slightly damaged, but for this, just sharpening it should be enough.”

There was something puzzling in her words, so I asked.

“Have you also learned metallurgy?”

“I’m still far behind my father, but I have learned a thing or two over his shoulder.”

The woman, who had answered as if embarrassed, belatedly realized something and let out an ‘Ah!’

“Come to think of it, I didn’t introduce myself either. My name is Yeo Yun. Thank you so much for helping us, Great Hero Jin.”

“It’s something I wanted to do, so there’s no need to thank me. And I am not a Great Hero.”

At my firm reply, Yeo Yun made an awkward expression.

At this, the Tang Clan bastard, who had been listening quietly, interjected.

“That man always talks like that, so there’s no need to mind him. More importantly, it’s truly amazing for a woman to learn metallurgy.”

At the Tang Clan bastard’s words, Yeo Yun made an even more awkward expression.

Yeo Yun, who was smiling with a somewhat troubled expression, quickly changed the subject.

“It seems it will take some time for my father’s work to finish. Would you like to look at some swords in the meantime?”

If I had free time, it was more to my taste to swing a sword one more time.

But Junior Sister Baek Hyang’s eyes were sparkling.

Come to think of it, Junior Sister Baek Hyang had been using whatever sword was available.

When her sword got damaged during training or fighting, she would just get a new one as needed.

Sometimes she would buy one at a forge in a village we happened to stop by, and sometimes she would take one from Underworld bastards.

In that case, I thought it might be a good idea to buy a sword here.

A sword forged by Blacksmith Yeo would be something she could use for a long time.

“Please lead the way.”

Following Yeo Yun’s guidance, we walked around the inside of the forge and looked at the swords.

After examining a few with my eyes and holding them in my hand, I found myself nodding.

They were all sharply honed, and their center of gravity was also well-balanced.

When I flicked one with a little internal energy in my finger, a clear metallic sound rang out.

I turned my head and said to Junior Sister Baek Hyang and Junior Sister Choyeon.

“See if there’s a sword that fits your hand.”

“Thank you, Senior Brother!”

“Understood.”

The Tang Clan bastard also chimed in.

“I have also learned swordsmanship.”

“Then you should take a look too.”

“I was just about to.”

Junior Sister Baek Hyang and Junior Sister Choyeon walked around the forge, picking up swords they liked one by one.

Each time, Yeo Yun would stand by and briefly explain the sword.

“It’s alright to swing it once.”

With Yeo Yun’s permission, while the junior sisters were swinging the swords, the Tang Clan bastard also wandered around the forge and found a few silver needles in a corner, letting out exclamations of admiration.

Just like a physician, I told him to find a sword, but he found needles first.

“Heoeo. What truly magnificent craftsmanship.”

At his exclamation, for some reason, Yeo Yun smiled awkwardly and opened her mouth.

“You praise me too much, Young Master Tang.”

It was somewhat strange to say ‘you praise me too much’ for a compliment directed at her father.

The Tang Clan bastard also seemed to notice this and asked with wide eyes.

“By any chance, were these needles forged by you, Miss Yeo?”

“Yes. I tried my best with my lacking skills.”

“Hahaha. Lacking? What do you mean by that? The Sichuan Sword……. No. I have never seen needles of such perfection anywhere I have been.”

Listening to the Tang Clan bastard’s excessive praise, I suddenly recalled what he had said in the past.

Hadn’t he said that the one who claims to have no interest in wealth is the one most obsessed with it, and the one who claims to have no interest in sex is the one most obsessed with it?

Ever since he was with the prodigies, he kept talking to me about women. It seemed he was the one most obsessed with women.

And he was acting like a libertine right in front of her father, who was working in the back.

I opened my mouth to stop the Tang Clan bastard, who seemed to be going crazy for women.

“Too much praise is no different from an insult, so keep it moderate.”

“Hmph. What do you know about needles? Look at this smooth surface. It’s not rough, so it’s perfect for inserting needles into small acupoints without injuring other areas. The center of gravity is also……”

He really shouted, spitting as he praised the perfection of the needles.

When I got closer and took a look, it was certainly excellent craftsmanship.

Even to me, an amateur in metallurgy, it seemed difficult to hammer that thin needle to make its surface so smooth.

But regardless of the truth, Yeo Yun, as if burdened by the excessive praise, blushed slightly and smiled awkwardly.

“Y-you praise me too much.”

Whether he noticed her discomfort or not, the Tang Clan bastard fumbled in his sleeve and took out the iron needles he used.

“Miss Yeo. Could you take a look at these?”

Needles made of iron, unlike the silver needles the Tang Clan bastard had been looking at.

When placed side by side, the difference was clear.

The surface was rough in places, and the center of gravity was also all over the place.

Yeo Yun, who was examining the iron needles the Tang Clan bastard had taken out, asked back.

“If it’s a needle forged from iron……. is it, by any chance, used as a hidden weapon?”

“You guessed right. Ah, of course, I also have separate silver needles for medical use.”

The Tang Clan bastard then fumbled around and showed her his silver needles.

Those silver needles were even items he had brought with him since leaving the Sichuan Sword Clan.

Yet, when compared to the needles forged by Miss Yeo, there was a sense of disappointment.

“As you can see, they are no match for yours, Miss Yeo. So, could you craft silver needles for medical use and iron needles for use as hidden weapons? I would really like to request this of you, Miss Yeo.”

Just as Miss Yeo was about to answer the Tang Clan bastard’s request, a dry cough was heard from behind.

“Ahem.”

When I turned my head, Blacksmith Yeo was getting up.

“Is the repair finished?”

For something that was supposed to take a full day, it seemed to have finished quite early.

Blacksmith Yeo shook his head.

“The sword has cooled, so I plan to heat it again.”

Saying so, Blacksmith Yeo approached and said.

“Also, as I said before, I have closed up the forge. Therefore, I cannot accept Young Master Tang’s request for crafting needles or anything else.”

At this, the Tang Clan bastard asked back.

“Sura Blood Blade is dead. The Cheonsu Gang has also been dealt with. Is there any reason to close up shop?”

“I’ve just grown tired of hammering. So please leave and come back tomorrow morning. After I repair that sword, I will not lift a hammer again.”

It was a puzzling statement.

Judging by the attitude of the man who was repairing the Restoring Name Sword, he seemed to be sincere about metallurgy.