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Chapter 42
Chapter 42: Heartless(1)
Translator: hwarang
Editor: Klaurem
I paid the blacksmith some money and borrowed a small workshop. There were many occasions where Kang Ho-In borrowed a workshop. Since these Kang Ho-in asked respectfully without ripping them off, the owners usually allowed them to use the best workshop.
These workshops usually are usually three to four pyung with a furnace in the center. It had everything that a blacksmith workshop had from an anvil to hammer, tongs, casts and other materials that are found in a workshop. Upon request, the owner brought me the materials needed to forge a sword.
Since I was a person who lived by the sword there were many times where I saw the Murim Alliance’s master artisan make and repair a sword. Unfortunately since I never actually used a hammer myself before, even though I may be able to imitate them, I will never be as good as them.
With a nervous heart, I took out the Heavenly Origin Sword. The blade of the sword was very sharp. All I needed was this blade. In actuality, the heavily decorated scabbard of the Heavenly Origin Sword was not to my liking. However I couldn’t just walk around without a scabbard and it wasn’t easy finding a scabbard that fits perfectly.
So I started with the scabbard. There were many small gems attached the sword and once they were removed from the sword they would lose their value. After removing all the gems using the Heavenly Origin Sword I started carving out the scabbard. Since the blade was so sharp the scabbard was being carved easily. I was able to cleanly remove any formal signs of the gems and other carvings. It now looked like a new scabbard that never been decorated. I didn’t stop here; I painted the scabbard black. Black was the color that was most often seen in Kang Ho. After painting, it looked like a completely different scabbard.
Isn’t it a waste to damage the scabbard?
Never. Rather I felt good about it. As I said before I didn’t like fancy decorations. Another reason why I didn’t use the Heavenly Origin Sword for long was that it was too heavily decorated.
My personal sword that I used the most, the Divine Sword of King Shura, looked like a plain regular sword.
“Good”
I was very satisfied with my work. Even though this was my first work I was able to achieve a good result. I think I developed a knack for dealing with swords since I used them for so long.
Now, came the most important part. To change the sword itself.
The problem lay within the hilt of the sword. Just like the scabbard, not only was it heavily decorated, the hilt itself was very unique. If someone who knew the sword saw it, even without the decorations and different color they would still recognize it. So it wasn’t just an issue of redecorating it.
After giving it some thought I decided to change the hilt. The moment I start this process this sword will cease to be Heavenly Origin Sword. This was becausehe master artisan who made this took into consideration the length and the weight of the hilt while creating this sword so the balance will be perfect. So I decided to trade off its balance for its sharp blade.
I grabbed the blade with one hand and the hilt with the other. After infusing my energy onto my hand, I gave it a strong yank. It was made so well that it would never come off unless you apply enough force to it, but it couldn’t withstand my energy-infused strength.
Swooop!
The blade came out of the hilt.
“I am sorry.”
I replaced it with a decently sized premade hilt that I found lying around the workshop. To fix it in place I used the tools and supplies that they had. Anything else that was lacking I supplemented it with my energy.
Observing the master artisans in my previous life came in handy. Although it was lacking in comparison that would be exactly why this  sword would not stand out.
Swoosh, Swoosh , Swoosh
I swung the sword couple of times. It didn’t feel bad. If I think of it as a different blade, eventually I would get used to it.
For the final step of the process I applied some chemicals that were found within the workshop to reduce the glow of the sword. Although I wanted to make it look sharper, I was creating a masterpiece disguise. So I made the sword look duller than it was. This was just the start of the change.
I was certain, after seeing this sword no one could never believe that this was formerly the Heavenly Origin Sword. Even I couldn’t believe that this was formerly the Heavenly Origin Sword.
Then I swung the sword a couple of more times.
Swoosh Swoosh
Compared to before it felt completely different. I was deeply satisfied by my work.
“Until I find your elder brother serve me well”
His elder brother as in the Divine Sword of King Shura.
After I was satisfied, I cleaned up after myself flawlessly. I tossed the original hilt and the wood carvings in the furnace and picked up all the gems that fell off the hilt and scabbard since I thought of some uses for them.
After thanking the owner, I left the blacksmith, and took off my face-mask burned it where no one was around. The male youth who bought profound medicine and went into a blacksmith no longer existed.
******
“He said to rewrite the report before turning it in.” Yang Pyung, one of the advisors of True Heart sect, said while carefully returning the report.
“Alright, I will write it again.”
Since the person who received the report was Kal Sa Ryang. The person who he once worked for was now his colleague. Kal Sa Ryang had the most work while being forced to rewrite the report multiple times.
This was all due to the new chancellor Sa Ma Chun taking his revenge on Kal Sa Ryang. This was known not only to him but to everyone at the True Heart sect. Unfortunately  there was nothing he could do since it would be untactful.
“He said to bring it yourself after you are done.”
“Alright, I will do so.”
“Then, I will excuse myself”
As he left Kal Sa Ryang’s desk, Yang Pyung took a deep sigh.
‘A flower doesn’t blossom forever’
(Translator Note: Chinese proverb that says nothing lasts forever especially when dealing with youth and power)
He was feeling the inhumanity and vanity of power. He really wanted to say some words of comfort and help Kal Sa Ryang in any way. But he couldn’t since he could be kicked out of the True Heart sect if he made a wrong move or said something wrong.
After finishing up the report Kal Sa Ryang went to find Sa Ma Chun.
There were a guest inside of Sa Ma Chun’s room. It were figures that he didn’t want to meet, it was Ju Cheol Ryong, the leader of the Moonlight Sect. Since he spearheaded the betrayal,  Ma Bong Gi was able to become the Mengju. It was the person that Kal Sa Ryung least wanted to see.
“I didn’t know you had a visitor. I will come back later.”
Then Sa Ma Chung signaled with his hand to take a seat, “Take a seat. He will be leaving pretty soon.”
“Yes”
Kal Sa Ryang took the seat next to Ju Cheol Ryong.
Sa Ma Chun intentionally put them together since he knew about their relationship while he was enjoying this.
“Since you haven’t seen each other, why don’t you take some time to greet each other?”
Kal Sa Ryang respectfully greeted Ju Cheol Ryong, “It’s been a while”
Ju Cheol Ryong only nodded. No one knew except for him whether he felt apologetic toward him or whether he didn’t want to talk to him since he was no longer the Chancellor.
But Kal Sa Ryang didn’t show any sign of being upset. He too was very headstrong.
Sa Ma Chun was enjoying this from his chair since his intention was to disturb Kal Sa Ryang the best he could. He gave Kal Sa Ryang the most amount of work and he returned most of Kal Sa Ryang’s reports. If he wanted to bring down Kal Sa Ryang the first thing he had to do was to break him mentally. Sa Ma Chun believed that if he kept pestering him he would eventually break down. No matter how strong one may be they would eventually give in.
‘Undaunted Spirit?’
Sa Ma Chun was laughing aloud. There was only one person that he knew who had this and it was Chun Ha Jin.
Yes, whether it be in martial arts or in ruling the Kang Ho with an iron fist he had an undaunted spirit. However, he was no longer in this world. With him the undaunted spirit also died.
Ju Cheol Ryong said his greeting, “I will be off now.”
“Thank you for coming here in your busy time”
As he was leaving he didn’t give Kal Sa Ryang a single glance.
Kal Sa Ryang turned his attention to Sa Ma Chun and handed in the report.
“Here is the report that I rewrote.”
“Place it over there”
And Kal Sa Ryang placed it on top of the desk. Beside it there were other reports that he had sent up. One could tell that they weren’t even opened, but Kal Sa Ryang simply placed it on top of that stack.
“Then, I will excuse myself.”
As he was about to leave Sa Ma Chun asked, “Ah, I have something to ask you.”
“Yes, please tell me”
“I checked it personally but one of the previous Mengju’s swords’ is missing.”
“Which sword are you talking about?”
“The Divine Sword of King Shura.”
“And it wasn’t inside the Weapon Hall of the Alliance?”
“No it wasn’t.”
“Then I do not know. During his last years the Mengju-nim never touched a sword. So I believe it should be somewhere in the Weapon Hall. If it is not in there then Mengju-nim probably put it somewhere else.”
“I see. Alright. you can leave now”
“Yes”
After bowing Kal Sa Ryang left the room. With a cold stare he was staring at Kal Sa Ryang.
Then he said to the air, “You are observing every move that he makes right?”
Then a shadow from the ceiling replied, “Yes”
“Just in case he might have hidden the sword. Find the place where he might have hidden it.”
“Yes.”
After giving the order Sa Ma Chun sat down on a chair, “If even you don’t know then where did that sword go?”
*****
“Give me a drink here”
There was a middle aged man and a younger man sitting down at one of the table.
Baek Pyo greeted them.
“Welcome back.”
These two group of travelers came here two or three times to get drink some wine.
“This time I went all the from Gamsu.”
“Oh really, It must have been a long trip. I will prepare the appetizers that you always get”
After giving them the alcohol Baek Pyo started cooking.
And the two people started talking.
“This is what I felt from my recent travel to Gamsu. But there is a weird wind blowing from in the city.”
“What weird wind”
“This is what I heard
”
Although there was no other customer the man lowered his voice. This showed how dangerous this news might have been.
“They said Ma Song In of the Heavenly Dao gate bought one the merchant guilds of Gamsu.”
“Isnt Ma Song In one of the successors of the Heavenly Dao Gate?
“Yeah. The Ma Song In. One of the SIx successor.”
“I wonder what this about?”
It looked as if he had something else he knew about but he didn’t say it. Although Baek Pyo pretended he didn’t hear there were many rumors about the Heavenly Dao Gate these days.
Not only in Gamsu but in other areas the descendants of the Heavenly Dao Gates were also spreading their influences.
This was something that he could never think about when he was serving the previous Mengju. Chun Ha Jin really hated the foreign powers influencing the different areas of Kang Ho. Although Chun Ha Jin didn’t have a family, if he did he would have regulated them.
Then the man asked while looking at the wall,“But was that always there?”
On top of the kitchen entrance there was a wooden decoration. The wooden decoration was a round shield with an axe and a sword making a cross. It looked as if it was from a hunter’s shop.
“No, after I took over I put it there since the walls looked empty.”
“So you carved it yourself?”
“Yes, I do it to waste time.”
“You have a very good handicraft.”
“I am still lacking.”
Baek Pyo looked at the decoration on the wall.
He naturally remembered. After giving him an opening present Kal Sa Ryang secretly came back a few days later. This was even before Ma Bong Gi or Sa Ma Chun were appointed. Kal Sa Ryang gave him a sword. Surprisingly this was the personal sword of the previous Mengju, the Divine Sword of King Shura.
“I am entrusting this sword with you”
“I don’t think I will be able to guard it for you”
“You are the only person I trust. I will be under watchful eyes after the new Mengju gets appointed. So I will not have much opportunity to visit you.
“Chancellor Kal”
“Please take care of this sword”
“What do you plan to do with this sword?”
“I don’t know yet. I could give everything else but I will never give them this.”
Baek Pyo understood how he felt. He would remember Chun Ha Jin just by looking at this sword.
Baek Pyo nodded, “Alright. I will safeguard it.”
“Thank you”
Hearing the words of his customer Baek Pyo woke up from his thoughts.
“You are drinking a lot today.”
“I will drink till I drop dead”
“Hahaha. That’s good for me. If you drink till you drop dead then I can make more money.”
“Good! This is why I like this restaurant. Ha Ha Ha”
The two traveler took their attention off the decoration on the wall.
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