Book 18 Chapter 9

The Girl Who Fell in Love with Swords

—A Sword Named Feitian

"Yuran, it seems like Empress Bai Wu is in a very bad mood today."

"She is. It's unusual for her to be like this in broad daylight. I wonder what's happening?"

At the words of her fellow disciple Chaeyeon, whose body trembled slightly at the thunderous roar that shook the entire mountain, Yuran stopped packing her belongings and turned her head towards the direction of the sound. Not just the disciples of the Emei Sect, but everyone within the shadow of Mount Emei knew that sound.

"How could ordinary people like us possibly know what's happening in the mountains? We can only pray that she doesn't lash out at us in a fit of rage. Are we leaving now?"

"Yes."

"I'm so envious that you're accompanying Senior Sister Jin. But where is Senior Sister Jin?"

"She said she had some business to attend to and went down to the village first. I also plan to visit a place before we leave."

"Where?"

"Cheolhwajang!"

"You really love swords, don't you?"

"I love swords! Because they are the most beautiful things in this world. Well then, I'll see you later. I'll be your senior then, won't I?"

"Say that only after you win."

"Look forward to it. I'm off now."

"Have a good trip!"

Yuran loved swords so much. After practicing with crude wooden swords every day, she received her first real sword at the age of ten. When she drew the sword from its scabbard, the brilliant, dazzling, and alluring sword light completely captivated the young girl's heart. She polished her sword every single day without fail. Among her peers, her oil for sword maintenance was always used up the fastest. She was even told to stop polishing so much. The sword oil was a supply of the sect, and even as a consumable, it wasn't cheap. However, she paid no mind to the complaints of Senior Sister Hyejeong, who was in charge of the sect's finances, and polished her sword day after day. She loved the hardness of the metal compressed under immense pressure amidst the flashing sparks between the anvil and the hammer. She loved the cool, bluish chill that flowed along the blade. It was her first love, and even now, as she was nearly nineteen, that love had not cooled.

Her respect for her master was also related to swords. Her master was like a well-forged, renowned sword. No, a renowned sword was not enough. A precious sword, no, a divine sword would be a more fitting description. To become one with a sword while still alive… there were more than a few times when she felt like she was sinking into a sea of ecstasy, consumed by an indescribable burning desire just from the thought alone.

She also liked sword techniques because they allowed her to use swords instead of just leaving them as ornaments. Being able to wield a sword. She felt an infinite pleasure in being able to control it as if it were a part of her own body. The path to becoming one with a sword. She resolved that she too would someday reach that level. It was clearly an obsession. She had been told she was unfeminine. But it didn't matter. It was the path she had chosen.

Her master was also not one of those conventional, tradition-bound women. She was a strong person who could stand tall on her own without the help of others—including men and women alike. That was why she, a woman, was able to secure one of the Ten Great Swordsmen positions, which had been exclusively held by men. She had more young followers than the Sword Empress, who had already become an elusive legend and felt so distant despite being alive. Perhaps because of this, she didn't take disciples carelessly. The fact that she had been able to become a disciple, breaking through such careful selection, filled her with delight. It was truly a stroke of luck to be able to learn from such a person. And now, before leaving for the Cheonmu Academy with her revered master, she had finally decided to obtain something she had long yearned for.

* * *

The chilling beauty [美] emanating from sword blades had seduced countless swordsmen since ancient times. How many swordsmen had perished due to the irresistible urge to acquire a good sword? A sword was a swordsman's life. The moment a sword broke, the swordsman's life also vanished. Therefore, a sword was another life for a swordsman, and a strong, sharp sword was always a guarantee of longevity.

Because of this, the obsession of the martial world with swords was beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. How could those who staked their lives on swords be the same as those who didn't? The story of a swordsman who emptied his entire fortune to buy just one sword was not uncommon in this martial world. They judged that a sword was worth that much.

Of course, there was nothing better than obtaining legendary divine swords like Eojang or Magsa, but such tales, which usually came from the mouths of the extravagant, typically only happened in books. Therefore, spending one's entire life trying to acquire such a sword was not a wise course of action. Hence, most people bought swords from sword smiths.

Upon obtaining one sword, one inevitably desires a better one. The girl realized the endless nature of human greed for the first time when she bought her fifth sword. It was at that time that she heard rumors of a young sword smith. She couldn't be sure if he was truly young. However, rumors abounded that he was in his teens. Yet, he had become the youngest sword smith at 'Cheolhwajang', the most renowned forge in Huieum Prefecture. This was a place she knew well, as it regularly traded with the Emei Sect. There were only a few 'artisans' there who could forge a sword bearing her name.

She heard stories among her fellow disciples from one of her senior sisters who had acquired one of his swords and praised it endlessly. She even slept with it by her side. Bizarre rumors circulated that she would sometimes let out a disembodied laugh while gazing at the sword's gleam. Everyone whispered that she was mesmerized by the sword's light. The more she heard such stories, the more she desired that sword.

'Being mesmerized by the sword's light means one is still unskilled. I could wield that sword much more skillfully.'

From then on, she wanted that sword. But the opportunity never came again. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't obtain it. Apparently, he wasn't an official smith at that place, and the swords he made were extremely rare. At that time, it was beyond her means. She didn't have enough money either. But she didn't give up and diligently saved the money sent by her family. And finally, the time had come. An opportunity to finally obtain that sword had arrived.

The head of Cheolhwajang, the sword smith, was a man named Wol-san. There was a rumor that the swords he forged could even cleave the moon. As such, the swords he forged were exorbitantly expensive. However, they were always unavailable. And they would remain so for the foreseeable future. This was because there were so many backlogged reservations, she had lost count of how many. Sometimes, bloody incidents even occurred over the order of these reservations.

Despite this, sword forges earned a lot of money in the martial world. And like many businesses, location was important. Such sword forges made more profit the closer they were to major sects. The number of sects that forged swords themselves was surprisingly small. To forge a proper sword, there were dozens of processes, and mastering all of them required extensive training. Therefore, even mastering one martial art was difficult, let alone forging swords themselves. This was especially true for making swords of superior quality. Perhaps the most famous martial arts group with its own forge was the Sichen Dangga, known for its concealed weapons and poisons. Even then, it was a necessary choice for maintaining secrecy. Thus, those who learned assassination techniques and poisons were separated from those who manufactured them. It was a form of division of labor.

Therefore, even major sects entered into contracts with nearby sword forges to receive regular supplies of swords and entrust them for repairs. Swords were surprisingly delicate objects, and their edges dulled frequently, requiring continuous maintenance. Moreover, many people think that swordsmiths hammer metal, shape it, and sharpen the blades… but they don't do everything. Of course, a swordsmith can do that work (sharpening the blade), but it was wiser to entrust it to someone who specialized in it. The sharpness of the blade was different. Specialists used dozens of whetstones of various types to grind swords. And they imparted the utmost sharpness to the sword's form. Only then was a sword completed. People with such professions were called 'Grinders' (硏磨師) in the martial world. In that regard, the location of Cheolhwajang was prime, and Cheolhwajang possessed commensurate skill.

"Why can't you sell it?"

Yuran shot back with a sharp voice.

"Well, that's…"

The man, Song Hae, the manager of Cheolhwajang, trailed off hesitantly.

"I don't care how much it costs. I absolutely need that sword!"

"My, my, I don't know where you heard that rumor, but we have many swords far superior to that at Cheolhwajang. Why don't you give up on it and consider another sword?"

"No, I absolutely want to obtain that sword, no matter what. The sword's name is 'Feitian', a legendary renowned sword created by a genius swordsmith, of which only about ten were ever released to the world. The identity of that swordsmith is still shrouded in mystery. Some even say that swordsmith is a boy. I don't believe that story, though."

'I'd be grateful if you thought so…'

It wasn't unreasonable for Song Hae to think that. Of course. No matter how good the product, if a minor made it, the price would plummet, and it was questionable whether anyone would even buy it. People tended to blindly believe age, and in such experienced crafts, experience was a very important and reliable measure. The problem was that sometimes exceptions occurred, and in those cases, it was better to hide one's identity.

"Surely, you don't think I'm unworthy of wielding that sword?"

No blacksmith would carelessly sell a sword of a certain level, no matter how much money was offered. They believed that such swords had worthy true owners.

"How could we possibly be so rude to the distinguished Miss Yuran of the Emei Sect, who is our greatest customer? It's widely known in the industry that Miss Yu has an exceptional eye for swords. However, Miss Yu, there's nothing we can do about this. We can't sell what we don't have!"

Manager Song pleaded, clasping his hands.

"Please, choose something else. We have many other excellent swords. Trust Cheolhwajang and make a purchase. As a disciple of Emei Sect, we'll offer a 20% discount from the regular price and a 12-month interest-free installment plan. Furthermore, we'll even provide free maintenance for one year, no, for two years under exceptional conditions."

"I'm not interested. I want that sword. That's why I've been holding back from buying other swords!"

"Why do you want that sword so badly?"

Such obsession couldn't be explained by mere hearsay. The woman replied, "It's because the person I admire and aspire to be possesses one of those swords. And…"

"…?"

"…It's also because that sword has cut down several of my swords. I know there's one kept hidden. I've heard that swordsmiths offer their first created swords to the heavens in sacrifice?"

"Th-that alone…"

"So it was there! Sell me that sword. I heard that once a price is set, there's nothing that can't be sold. Why can't you sell that sword? The reason I came here is because I heard a rumor that it was put up for sale."

"Actually… it's very difficult to say this, but that sword is already reserved."

Yuran's eyes flashed open. It was indeed intended for sale. It was just that the buyer wasn't her.

"Was the full payment made?"

"Ah, no. Only a deposit has been made. The customer said they would pay the rest later."

"Who reserved it? If you tell me, I'll negotiate with that person directly."

"That… is a bit difficult. I cannot carelessly disclose customer information…"

"Not even to me?"

They were two people who had known each other for a long time.

"Well, I have no choice. It's Young Master Yu Yun-bi of the Plum Blossom Sect."

"I've heard of him. But I won't let that man have that sword. I will obtain it with my own hands. When is that man scheduled to arrive?"

"He is scheduled to arrive around the Mi Shi hour today (around 3 PM). It is currently Oshi exactly, so there is one hour remaining."

"Alright. I must go see my master as planned now, so I will definitely return then. So, do not sell that sword until I arrive. Do you understand?"

"I understand, Miss Yu. I will wait until you arrive."

* * *

The wine cup, about to enter the mouth of an old man with a magnificent white beard, stopped abruptly at his lips. It was because of a commotion from beyond the wall.

"Heh, what energy that young woman has! Such spirit! Her voice penetrates through three layers of walls to reach here. Even for a blacksmith accustomed to the thunderous sounds of the anvil and hammer, it would be grating on the ears?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the wine sloshing in the cup flowed into the old man's mouth.

"Hahaha, she is a bit of a shrew, but her heart towards swords is purer than anyone else's. However, her voice is acknowledged by everyone here. That's why her nickname is 'Seolbaeryeon' (沈百鍊), meaning the hammer of Baeryeon is silenced by her, a name given for that reason. Well, it's just something we say among ourselves. She also has a more impressive and respectable appellation."

Wol-san, the owner of this Cheolhwajang, who sat opposite him at the wine table, said with a laugh. His skin shone a bronze color, like a warrior who had fought flames his entire life, and his rough hands bore thick calluses and numerous small burn scars from hammering.

"A name… I have no connection with such things, but it seems like a good name that expresses that girl's characteristics without embellishment."

"Everyone agrees, old man."

Wol-san replied respectfully.

"On that note, do you know where that naughty fellow has gone?"

The old man asked. The reason for his visit after so long was precisely that matter.

"Actually, I don't know either. Since that fellow disappeared without a word, our shop's sales have dropped significantly. Everything he made was well-crafted and durable, so there were many people looking for them. But then he suddenly disappeared without a word, causing quite a stir. Orders are flooding in, but the person who makes them is gone. As you can see from this girl's case, the losses are immense."

"Then shouldn't you look for him even more? He's a source of income!"

Wol-san nodded and replied.

"He is a source of income, indeed. That's why I've done some investigation. I haven't been idle. And I've identified one suspicious place."

"Is that where that naughty fellow is?"

"No, but if you go there, you might find a clue to his whereabouts."

The old man with the white beard gazed at Wol-san's eyes and face for a moment. Then, after a pause, his mouth slowly opened.

"…Your words are the absolute truth. Your mouth seems to reflect your heart honestly."

"Of course, it's the truth. How could I dare lie to you, old man? It wouldn't work anyway, would it? I guarantee that not a single word I say is false. Besides, wouldn't it be to our benefit if that fellow returned? We wouldn't obstruct him, even if we don't actively cooperate?"

Wol-san wiped the cold sweat that had gathered on his forehead and replied.

"I trust my own eyes more than other people's words. By the way, what is the name of that place?"

"Yes, it's Jungyang Agency… It's an agency that's been doing very well in this area lately. I've heard they have quite sound finances."

"Hmm, Jungyang Agency… I suppose I should go there first. If I follow the clues, something will turn up."

"Please, old man! Please, catch and bring back that fellow, Bi Ruyeon! I implore you!"

"I understand. Don't worry and wait. It won't take long."

However, as if intending to finish all the arranged drinks, the old man lingered, appearing as if he would leave but not. It was long after all the items on the table had been cleared that the old man finally stood up.