Chapter 406: The Loafer Investigates (1)

«It’s too dark.»

Wei Yanho looked around.

It wasn’t that Wei Yanho was affected by the darkness. He could see even in the deepest darkness.

Wei Yanho was complaining not about the visibility, but about the atmosphere.

Everyone who goes down this dark staircase would think the same. Besides the darkness, the atmosphere is very gloomy.

«Wait a moment.»

As if understanding what Wei Yanho was saying, the old man lit the torches on the staircase.

Whoosh.

When he lit the fuses on the wall, the torches on the wall lit up.

«Wow? How did you do that?»

«The Tang Family has a habit of installing unnecessary mechanisms.»

The old man looked at the torches on the wall with a subtle expression:

«If you think they are useless, why don’t you remove them?»

«Because I don’t have the ability to judge that. Even if they seem useless, the repetition of these attempts leads to progress. If I remove something that seems useless to me, someone who could create something wonderful might be afraid to do so.»

«Wow…»

Wei Yanho blinked and looked at the old man.

Definitely, this man was different from the ones he had met. Especially…

‘He would be completely opposite to my master.’

If his master, who seems open-minded but is actually a conservative old man, and this old man, who seems conservative but is actually open-minded, were to meet, there would be lightning and a storm.

«This way.»

The old man walked inside, and Wei Yanho followed him silently.

At the end of the narrow path, an open space appeared.

«Wow…»

Wei Yanho’s eyes widened.

It was similar to the armory he had seen before. The walls were full of weapons.

But Wei Yanho could feel…

A chilling sensation from the strange weapons on the wall.

‘This is real.’

Wei Yanho’s eyes sharpened.

The weapons on the wall were different from those in the armory. If only one of these weapons were to leak into the world, there would be a big problem.

«You seem to recognize it.»

«You are creating amazing things.»

«Do you understand the principle?»

«I feel… murderous energy.»

«Hmm…»

The old man smiled slightly, as if he was satisfied:

«Aren’t weapons created to kill efficiently?»

«True.»

«If they are not used to hunt animals, it is better that they are more efficient. We are just practicing that.»

Wei Yanho nodded:

‘I agree with my master on that.’

His master also emphasized that. He said that the concept of a living sword was hindering the progress of martial arts.

«Monks use their knives, and Taoists use swords, that’s why the world is like this. What is the use of martial knowledge for Buddhism or Taoism? Those monks and Taoists talk about life and talk about saving lives, deceiving people. They can’t say anything in front of me.»

He could ignore the last words, but his master’s way of thinking was practical.

«Are these forbidden weapons?»

«Not all of them.»

The old man said firmly:

«Originally, only forbidden weapons should be kept here. But sometimes, things are also created that cannot be shown to the world, even if they are not forbidden weapons. For example…»

The old man reached out, took a long sword from the wall, and gave it to Wei Yanho.

Wei Yanho took the sword and drew it without saying anything.

«Hmm…»

Wei Yanho frowned as he examined the sword. His hand tingled. The sword seemed to threaten him.

«It’s an evil sword.»

«Yes.»

The old man looked at Wei Yanho with satisfaction.

A common warrior would have been bewitched upon touching it. But Wei Yanho…

«Should I break it? Won’t you stay still?»

He had no choice.

The old man stopped Wei Yanho, who raised his leg with the tip of the sword on the ground:

«Calm down.»

«No, it keeps moving. It’s alive.»

Wei Yanho waved the sword as if he was forgiving it.

He seemed to see sweat on the sword, but it was probably an illusion. The old man rubbed his eyes. He kept seeing things.

Wei Yanho sheathed the sword and gave it to the old man:

«You shouldn’t create things like this.»

«We don’t create it on purpose. If we could create this sword at will, we wouldn’t use poison. It appears accidentally, and it cannot be broken easily.»

«Hmm.»

Wei Yanho looked around him with concern.

If all the weapons on the wall were like that, this could be the most dangerous place in the world. If those weapons were to leak into the world, there would be a bloodbath.

«I thought poison was the most dangerous thing about the Tang Family, but it isn’t.»

The old man smiled:

«Poison is useless if it doesn’t reach the enemy. Poison without weapons is useless.»

«Yes, true.»

Wei Yanho imagined the warriors of the Tang Family attacking with those weapons. What would happen if the poison of the Tang Family was on the blades of the weapons?

«Terrible.»

He trembled.

Although the poison and hidden weapons of the Tang Family could not threaten Wei Yanho, others would not be able to defend themselves. If you just touch them, you get poisoned, how can you defend yourself from those weapons?

«I understand why people fear the Tang Family.»

«Heh heh.»

«I underestimated them.»

Wei Yanho scratched his head:

‘I thought they were just famous.’

No one, except Wei Yanho, could underestimate the Tang Family.

Wei Yanho was able to survive the Poison King’s poison with only a stomach upset, but for others, the poison of the Tang Family is unbearable.

That is why the Tang Family of Sichuan remains the most famous clan in the world.

«I must apologize to the old Poison King.»

«You’ll only anger him.»

«But I learned that I must apologize when I do something wrong.»

«Do what you want.»

The old man smiled and pointed inside:

«See?»

Wei Yanho saw a large furnace:

«That’s Baekro.»

«…It doesn’t look white.»

«It’s just called that. Can a furnace be white? Maybe it was white when it was created.»

That could no longer be known.

The enormous furnace was so blackened that it was impossible to know its original color.

«Hmm.»

Even Wei Yanho, who knew nothing about furnaces, could tell that this furnace was not common. But he couldn’t explain why.

«Is this furnace special?»

«It’s nothing special.»

«Huh?»

The old man said indifferently:

«There is no secret. It’s simply the hottest furnace in the Tang Family. Some metals can only be refined in this furnace.»

«And those metals are used to create forbidden weapons?»

«You know it well.»

«Hmm…»

Wei Yanho drew the sword from his waist:

«So, this sword can also only be refined here.»

«You’re smart.»

The old man praised Wei Yanho with a dry voice. Wei Yanho, who always longed for praise, was happy.

«I’ve heard that many times.»

When he was five years old.

After that, he only remembers people scolding him, so his best time was probably when he was five years old.

«Decide.»

«What?»

«Will you let me refine your sword?»

Wei Yanho tilted his head:

«Is that something I should consider?»

«Of course. Refining your sword means it will be reborn. No one wants to change a sword they are used to.»

«I don’t understand. How much will it change?»

«It will change completely.»

The old man declared:

«It won’t just be sharper. It will be reborn. The feel of the sword will change. That’s what refinement is. A sword changes completely with a small change in its center of gravity. Don’t think the sword will be the same after going through the furnace.»

«Yes.»

Wei Yanho gave the sword to the old man indifferently:

«…Did you understand what I said?»

«It doesn’t matter. I haven’t used it much.»

«Huh?»

«My master appreciated it very much, so he said it was a pity to give it to me. So I used a stone sword when I trained.»

«…….»

«And then, when he was about to ascend, he gave it to me, saying that he couldn’t leave it like that. Even though he gave it to me and took it away for three days… ouch.»

«R… really?»

Wei Yanho said with his chest puffed out:

«So it doesn’t matter. Refine it completely.»

«You said it was a relic…»

«I just need to have it. What does the appearance matter?»

«…….»

The old man shook his head:

‘I don’t understand young people today.’

The old man asked again:

«I’m asking you one last time. Are you sure?»

«Yes, I’m sure.»

Wei Yanho’s eyes looked at the old man without any doubt:

«I think I can trust you. If you thought you would ruin the sword, you wouldn’t have said it.»

«You’re cheeky.»

The old man smiled:

«Alright. I, Tang Sangwon, blacksmith of the Tang Family of Sichuan, will create a sword that will be with you all your life. And I will maintain the style of your master.»

«That would be great.»

«Give me the sword.»

Tang Sangwon took the sword from Wei Yanho.

Wuuung.

The sword, which had been silent, began to shine. Wei Yanho was a little surprised, but Tang Sangwon silently touched the blade.

«Hehehehe.»

A strange heat began to appear on the old man’s face:

«Finding someone like this at the end of my life… is a blessing or a curse. Or both.»

Wei Yanho slowly backed away as he watched the old man turn into an artisan. From experience, it was better not to get involved in that situation.

‘There are no normal people in the martial world.’

Said the most abnormal person in the martial world.