Grandfather laughed with an excited face and asked me,
“What else are you good at? Spill everything to your grandpa today.”
“Empty-handed?”
“What did you say?”
“You said you’d teach me how to drink. I’ve been holding back because I wanted to drink.”
“Hahaha! Fine! Tonight we’ll drink all night! How long are you planning to stay? It’d be even better if you just stayed. Just stay here and inherit my seat. Hm?”
Geum Hwangryeok stared at Jeok Mugun with a shocked expression.
Wasn’t this the same man who never compromised—who insisted he’d never hand the Lord of the Castle’s seat to someone he didn’t personally acknowledge?
But now he was offering it up like it was nothing.
Jeok Mugun glanced at Geum Hwangryeok standing there with a dazed face and said,
“You look like you’ve got a lot you want to ask?”
“Y-yes.”
“If I told you this kid is stronger than me, would you believe it?”
“Th-that’s impossible!”
“That impossible thing is exactly what this kid is. Heh heh heh. I can’t even compare to him. In all my life, I’ve never seen someone this strong. And that strong bastard is my grandson. My real grandson. Hahahaha!”
Jeok Mugun looked so excited he might burst.
Geum Hwangryeok couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
It was the first time he’d ever seen Jeok Mugun brag about someone with that kind of bright, thrilled face—and the first time he’d ever seen that proud man admit someone was stronger than him so easily.
And he wasn’t even annoyed about it.
He was happy.
“Alright, enough standing around—let’s go drink. Today’s a feast. A feast.”
Jeok Mugun slung an arm over my shoulders and tried to march me out, grinning like a child.
“Grandfather. People will see.”
“So what if they see?”
“I don’t want my identity to be known yet.”
At that, Jeok Mugun’s face drooped.
“Are /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ you ashamed of being this grandpa’s grandson?”
“No. It’s not that. If people know I’m your grandson, I don’t think I’ll be able to travel the Central Plains freely. You know. I came out to experience the Central Plains.”
“Is that really the reason?”
“Of course. Once my trip’s over, even if you tell me not to, I’ll be running around telling everyone.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Alright. Then what do we do?”
He thought for a moment—then clapped his hands.
“Then we eat here. Nobody can come in here anyway except that guy. It’s a restricted area.”
“Sounds good.”
“Good. Then I’ll have my people bring in a proper spread.”
*****
When word got out that a liquor table was being set inside Geum Hwangryeok’s furnace, people were stunned.
Geum Hwangryeok treated his furnace like something sacred—he couldn’t stand letting anything unrelated inside.
And now it wasn’t just anything.
It was a full drinking spread.
But when they heard the reason, everyone understood immediately.
He was drinking with the Heavenly Martial Emperor.
That was more than enough.
Meanwhile, inside Geum Hwangryeok’s furnace, a drinking bout began.
“I drank nothing but tea because of this kid. You have no idea how thirsty I’ve been for liquor.”
“Drink as much as you want. Hahaha!”
“Today I’m going to empty every liquor jar in Heavenly Martial Castle.”
“Do it! On a day this happy, you’re allowed.”
Jeok Mugun and Geum Hwangryeok tossed cups back and forth, both of them excited—and I was in the middle of it.
“Hey. Is it really your first time drinking?”
“Yes.”
“Heh heh heh. You can hold your liquor too. You’ve been drinking like that—how is your face not changing at all?”
Jeok Mugun’s face was already red.
He wasn’t using his internal energy to burn the alcohol off.
He was drinking purely, for real.
“Good! It’s been so long since I’ve gotten drunk like this.”
He looked genuinely happy.
Geum Hwangryeok—thoroughly buzzed—muttered,
“People without grandsons can’t live. It’s too miserable.”
“If you’re jealous, get married, you bastard. What—want this big brother to set you up even now?”
“Ahem! Well... if big brother insists that strongly... ahem!”
I couldn’t tell if his face was red from liquor or from embarrassment.
“Pwahaha! Fine! Trust your big brother. I’ll find you a great match.”
Then Jeok Mugun turned to me.
“You too.”
“Go where.”
“Where do you think, you little bastard. You’ve got to get married.”
I snorted.
“I’m not thinking about that yet.”
“This grandpa will pick out a great match for you and keep it ready. If you ever feel like it, tell me anytime.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
“But you really aren’t drunk at all?”
“No. This liquor is good.”
“Huh...”
Jeok Mugun and Geum Hwangryeok turned their heads in the same direction, staring.
Beside me, empty liquor jars were rolling everywhere.
“Big brother. That kid drank at least twice as much as us.”
“I know. Then why is he fine? My grandson’s strong, good at smithing, good at formations, good at drinking—damn, there’s nothing he can’t do. Hahaha!”
The more he talked, the more excited he got, and he started laughing again.
“Did you send Father a letter?”
“Ah! Right. I completely forgot.”
“So you didn’t keep your promise with me?”
“Huh? N-no, it’s not that.”
“I’m leaving.”
“N-no! I’ll send it tomorrow—no, I’ll send it right away! I’ll send the letter and pile on gifts too.”
“Really?”
“Of course!”
“Then when you send it, include the sword I made too.”
“Alright.”
Jeok Mugun sobered up so fast it was almost funny—and he even looked a little sulky.
I held something out to him.
“This is what I prepared to give you, Grandfather.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a sword, but Geum Hwangryeok is the one who made it.”
Jeok Mugun looked at Geum Hwangryeok, and Geum Hwangryeok shook his head.
“I made it, but it was a failed piece. This kid brought it back to life and made it the most perfect sword in the world. In truth, that sword might as well be his.”
“A failed piece? You too—there are times you make failures?”
Geum Hwangryeok told him everything that had happened.
After hearing it all, Jeok Mugun looked at me with open admiration.
I hadn’t understood what people meant when they said, The more you look at him, the more you want to die from how cute he is.
Now I understood.
He really did look like he’d want to die from it.
If he followed his heart, he’d hand me the Lord of the Castle’s seat right now, sit me here, and look at me every day.
But he had to endure.
Didn’t I say I wanted to travel the Central Plains?
He had to let me go.
No reason to make me dislike him.
For now, he needed to let me do what I wanted as much as possible.
“Since the name Soul-Azure felt wrong when it was a demonic sword, I engraved a new name: Sacred Radiance.”
“A sacred sword... good. My child has been purified into a holy sword, so I’m satisfied. And since you brought it back to life, it’s only right you give it a new name. You don’t have to worry about me.”
Geum Hwangryeok smiled like he liked it.
“And this Master Smith Cheon’s name is Geum Hwangryeok. He and I are sworn brothers, so from now on, call him Grandfather Geum.”
“Yes. Grandfather Geum.”
Jeok Mugun formally introduced him.
At the way I addressed him, Geum Hwangryeok beamed, clearly pleased.
Jeok Mugun, looking satisfied, drew Sacred Radiance.
“Ohh!”
Just touching it, it felt like a limb I’d carried for years.
When he poured his internal energy into the sword, the feeling became even clearer.
It didn’t feel like a sword.
It felt like part of his body.
“Huh... truly incredible.”
“Swing it once.”
“Should I?”
Jeok Mugun’s expression turned serious.
He burned the alcohol out of his body with internal energy and stood.
“Let’s go to my drill yard.”
“Yes. Should we spar too, Grandfather? It’s been a while.”
“Ugh. I don’t want that.”
Jeok Mugun—who never avoided a fight, who always complained he was bored because he had no equals—was avoiding a spar.
Geum Hwangryeok looked like he couldn’t even trust his own eyes.
Just how strong was I, that he was acting like that?
He wanted to know.
Geum Hwangryeok hurried after us.
*****
WHOOOM-WHOOOM-WHOOOM—.
Jeok Mugun swung Sacred Radiance this way and that.
“There’s no weight at all, and there’s zero discomfort in the swing.”
“That sword can only be used by you now, Grandfather. If someone else tries to use it, they have to be acknowledged by the sword.”
“Huh. It chooses its master? Then is this a divine sword?”
“Yes. It’s a divine sword.”
When I grinned, Jeok Mugun shook his head.
“You make a divine sword and talk like you made some random street trash. I can’t get used to it.”
“The level of swords he’s been making lately are all famous blades. Every single one of them top-grade, big brother.”
“What? Top-grade famous blades? How many did you make?”
At Jeok Mugun’s question, I counted on my fingers and answered.
“About... fifty?”
“What are you planning to do with them?”
“I sent them all to True Martial Sect.”
“What?”
Fifty top-grade famous blades.
There’s a saying that a craftsman doesn’t pick his tools.
That’s all bullshit.
No one is more serious about tools than a craftsman.
And the people who use weapons are the same.
They’re serious about the weapon they use.
A divine sword is the realm of legend—something you can’t obtain at all.
The best grade anyone can realistically acquire is a famous blade.
A top-grade famous blade is the top of that.
Jeok Mugun glared at me.
“Why are you looking at me like that? I gave you the best sword, didn’t I? And Heavenly Martial Castle has Grandfather Geum—the greatest artisan in the Central Plains. Don’t tell me you don’t trust Grandfather Geum’s skill?”
“Ugh...”
If he said the wrong thing here, Geum Hwangryeok would definitely get up and leave Heavenly Martial Castle on the spot.
“N-no. Grandfather Geum’s skill is the best under heaven...”
At that, Geum Hwangryeok gave a small snort.
It was obvious he was forcing the answer.
But he wasn’t offended.
If Jeok Mugun acted like that because of someone weaker than him, he’d be offended.
But Jeok Mugun had chosen him over someone far more skilled than him.
“Thank you, big brother. I’ll make as many top-grade famous blades as I can.”
“Yeah. Thanks. I’m counting on you.”
“You’re still happy, right? That the artisan who surpasses me is your grandson.”
“I’m happy! If there’s anyone happier than me in this world, let him come out and say it!”
Watching Jeok Mugun laugh like he truly meant it, I smiled warmly.
This was happiness.
If anyone tried to break this happiness, I’d erase them from the world.
“Alright. Then let’s see how much our grandpa’s gotten better.”
“Huh?”
Jeok Mugun froze.
“What? We came to spar.”
“No. We came to see what the sword is like.”
“Come on. If you want to see what it’s like, you check it in real combat. You know that. You can attack as hard as you want.”
“No... I’m not in the mood to attack as hard as I want today...”
“I’m going first.”
“Hey! You little bastard! I’m your grandpa!”
“Yes! Grandfather! Here comes a fist packed full of a grandson’s love!”
“This little bastard’s going to kill his grandpa!”
WHOOSH—.
“EEEK!”
Jeok Mugun flinched and dodged my fist.
KRA-KA-KABOOM—!
The ground shook, and the backlash came roaring in.
“Wow! You dodged that easily.”
“Does that look like I dodged it easily to you?”
He knew.
I was serious.
If he’d been even a little slower just now, it would’ve been trouble.
Jeok Mugun turned his head.
The middle of the mountain had been punched into a deep crater.
“Come on. Still, you’re my grandfather, so you’re controlling your strength.”
“Hey, you little punk! That was controlling your strength? If that hits, you die!”
“You won’t die. Do I not know you, Grandfather?”
“You unfilial bastard!”