The moment External Chief Administrator Go Il-pyeong appeared, the three escort guards hurriedly cupped their fists in surprise.
No wonder they were startled, since I hadn’t told them the External Chief Administrator would be visiting.
I smiled faintly and said,
“Since the External Chief Administrator is here, don’t hold back. Forget about what comes after and go all out.”
All three escorts turned their eyes to me.
This prickling sensation… it’s probably just my imagination.
And so, the spar between the three began.
.
.
.
About an hour later, Escort Guards Yeo Eung-am and Lee Pil wore looks of utter shock.
“This… this can’t be…”
“Unbelievable…”
Standing confidently in front of them was Jin Yu.
The only sign of strain was his slightly disturbed breathing.
Jin Yu had defeated both of them with ease.
Watching this, External Chief Administrator Go Il-pyeong chuckled and said,
“Did you say your name was Jin Yu?”
“Yes.”
“Impressive. To be so perfectly stable at Peak rank at your age…”
Jin Yu said he didn’t know his exact age but estimated himself to be in his late twenties.
Reaching a mature Peak rank at that age meant his talent was extraordinary.
Or it meant… he’d endured brutal training.
Frankly, I’d expected this outcome.
He was the one who’d sliced the sleeve of the Sect Leader of the Thorn Gate Sect.
Yeo Eung-am and Lee Pil were nothing to scoff at. They were highly capable.
But they were still sitting at the First-rate level.
At that moment, Yeo Eung-am turned to me and cupped his fists.
“Master, I have a request.”
“A request? What is it?”
“Please grant me time for personal training.”
Hearing that, Lee Pil also cupped his fists.
“I ask the same.”
Right now, all three escorts were guarding me together.
But realistically, that was inefficient.
“Then let’s do this.”
I organized my thoughts for a moment, then continued.
“While escorts are necessary, my usual movements are limited to my residence, the office, and the marketplace unless something special happens.”
They nodded at my words.
“The only time I truly need escort protection is when I go to the marketplace.”
I kept going.
“So let’s divide the day into three shifts. Each of you will take turns escorting me. The rest of the time is yours for personal training. How does that sound?”
The three looked at each other, then nodded.
“Thank you for your consideration.”
“Not at all. This benefits me as well.”
I continued.
“The stronger you become, the safer I’ll be.”
And… the more useful you’ll be for other things…
Anyway, that’s how the day wrapped up.
The next day.
Master’s expression was as calm as ever.
It made me wonder if what I saw yesterday had just been my imagination.
After finishing training, I caught my breath.
Training was rough today too… but thanks to what I gained back when I visited the Thorn Gate Sect, I couldn’t complain.
“Well done. That’s all for today.”
“Thank you for your guidance.”
At my bow, Master nodded. Then, as if he were discussing the weather, he said,
“Thank you for saving Jin Yu and giving him a second chance.”
“You knew each other?”
I asked, and Master nodded.
“We were connected… a very long time ago.”
“I see.”
For some reason… I hesitated to ask more.
But Master spoke again.
“I’ll be leaving for an escort mission starting tomorrow.”
“What? You didn’t mention that yesterday.”
“It came up suddenly.”
“I see. Then… you won’t be attending Jin-ho’s Deputy Merchant Lord inauguration?”
“That’s right. Please give him my congratulations on my behalf.”
“Understood.”
I didn’t know exactly why Master suddenly had to leave.
But I had a feeling… it was related to his conversation with Jin Yu yesterday.
Should I ask…?
“Ah, and one more thing.”
“Yes?”
“Please don’t bother Jin Yu unnecessarily. When the time’s right… I’ll explain it myself.”
It felt like Master saw right through me.
All I could do was let out an awkward laugh and nod.
.
.
.
That afternoon.
I had some free time, so I decided to head to the marketplace to get Jin-ho’s gift.
It was currently Jin Yu’s turn to escort me.
“Let’s step out for a bit.”
“As you wish. Should I call Palgap as well?”
“If we don’t… he’ll sulk, won’t he?”
“Definitely.”
A moment later, Palgap arrived at my office after receiving a message.
“You called, young master!”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
The place that had what I needed for Jin-ho wasn’t a general store in the west market.
My destination… was a blacksmith.
It was located midway between the east market, known for affordable goods, and the west market, famous for entertainment.
The forge was run by the Yeom family, who’d been blacksmiths for generations.
So people simply called it the Yeom Forge.
Most of their business came from farming tools like hoes and sickles.
But truthfully… their specialty was weapons.
Especially spears.
That’s exactly why I was here.
To commission a spear as Jin-ho’s gift.
Every person has a weapon that fits them best.
And in my opinion… the weapon that suited Jin-ho most was the spear.
External Chief Administrator Go had taught us how to use every weapon as a precaution.
That’s why both Jeong-ho and Jin-ho could handle most weapons.
But once someone became Deputy Merchant Lord… they would choose a weapon that fit them best and begin formal training with it.
Jeong-ho chose the sword.
External Chief Administrator Go had personally recommended the spear to Jin-ho, which showed how sharp his insight was.
But at first, Jin-ho picked the sword.
Probably because it looked cooler.
External Chief Administrator Go was disappointed… but didn’t force the spear on him.
Later, after spending a lot of time with Squad Leader Jeong Chung… Jin-ho naturally started using the spear again.
About five years later… Jin-ho realized how well the spear suited him.
From that point on, he devoted himself to it… and displayed incredible talent.
The reason Jin-ho was later called the Cloud General in Hubei wasn’t just because of his righteous character.
It was because of his exceptional skill with the spear.
Even his horse was coincidentally red.
Jin-ho, riding a red horse and wielding a spear, truly looked like the Cloud General.
“Oh? Young master, isn’t this the Yeom Forge?”
We arrived at the forge, and Palgap tilted his head.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
I stepped into the forge, the loud clanging of metal filling the air. A woman greeted me.
It was the mistress of the forge.
“Oh, Deputy Merchant Lord, welcome!”
“Hello.”
Thanks to all my outside activities, she recognized me right away.
“What brings you to this humble place, Deputy Merchant Lord? You could’ve just sent for me.”
“I wouldn’t dare trouble busy people to come and go. And this isn’t a humble place. This is where items that benefit people are born.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
I smiled and continued.
“I’d like to meet the master.”
“He’s working right now… You’ll probably have to wait about half an incense stick.”
She glanced at me, reading my reaction.
I nodded.
“Disturbing a focused master is unacceptable. I’ll wait.”
I walked over to a tree nearby and sat under its shade.
“Is it not too hot?”
Jin Yu asked, and I nodded.
“The heat’s incredible, isn’t it?”
Even though it was tenth month and the wind carried a chill, the blazing heat from the forge was intense.
I didn’t feel the heat at all, but it was probably tough for Palgap and Jin Yu, which was why I chose this spot.
After a short wait, an elderly man with silver hair walked out from the forge and approached us.
“I heard someone was looking for this old Yeom.”
I quickly straightened my posture and cupped my fists.
“I’m Eun Seo-ho of the Eunhae Merchant Group. It’s an honor to meet you, sir.”
“No need for such respect from a noble young master like yourself.”
“Respect is only natural for someone who’s achieved mastery through skill.”
The old master Yeom smiled with satisfaction.
I always believed that respect should be shown to those who deserved it.
Master Yeom was definitely someone worthy of my respect.
He was the type whose attitude shifted depending on how others treated him.
To the polite, he was polite. To the rude, he was blunt. And to the violent, he was even more so.
A lifetime spent forging fire and steel had shaped his character the same way.
In truth, this old man had some serious backing.
Even without it… if someone crossed the line, he wouldn’t hesitate to smash their head in.
In my previous life… by the time I learned someone like him was here, it was already too late.
“Thank you for your words. This old man’s humbled. So, what brings you here?”
“I heard you forge excellent spears.”
“Spears… you say?”
“Yes.”
“Is it for you, Deputy Merchant Lord?”
“No. My second brother is becoming a Deputy Merchant Lord. It’s a gift for him.”
“I see.”
I pulled out a paper from my sleeve and handed it over.
“I’d like it made like this.”
Master Yeom examined the spear design and nodded.
“This won’t be difficult.”
The spear drawn on the paper was the one Jin-ho had custom-made for himself in my previous life.
It was one of my biggest regrets.
Had Jin-ho started training with the spear just five years earlier… I was certain he would’ve reached the Transcendent rank.
So I wasn’t gifting him just a spear.
I was gifting him the path to the Transcendent rank.
If Jin-ho had been Transcendent when I died… he wouldn’t have died so meaninglessly.
“Understood. What material should I use for this? As you know… the higher the quality, the higher the cost…”
I pulled out the pouch I’d prepared in advance.
“Here’s the payment.”
Master Yeom opened the pouch and immediately recoiled in shock.
“Th-this is…”
“Is it not enough?”
“Are you joking? How could this be not enough? Hah!”
His real personality slipped out from how shocked he was.
“With this much, I could forge a spear worthy of the heavens, and you ask if it’s not enough…”
“Then forge it. A spear worthy of the heavens.”
And just like that… I commissioned Jin-ho’s gift.
On the way back to the Eunhae Merchant Group.
I thought about what would happen during Jin-ho’s inauguration.
Jin-ho was not only the External Chief Administrator’s top disciple but also practically his adopted son.
Naturally, the invited guests were a bit different from usual.
A lot of martial artists who had connections with Jin-ho were invited.
And that… was the problem.
If no martial artists were invited, this wouldn’t have happened.
But Jin-ho wasn’t someone who fit the mold of a merchant.
He preferred talking martial arts with warriors over discussing profits with merchants.
I didn’t want to be the terrible younger brother who robbed him of that joy.
So it was up to me.
This time… unlike my previous life, Jin-ho’s inauguration would go off without a hitch.
Time passed.
The entire merchant group was busy.
Tomorrow was Jin-ho’s Deputy Merchant Lord inauguration.
I headed to the Yeom Forge with Escort Guard Lee Pil.
When we arrived, Master Yeom himself greeted me.
“You knew I’d come?”
“I figured you would.”
“Is the spear finished?”
At my question, Master Yeom grinned proudly.
“Hehehe. Wait right here.”
He brought out a long box and placed it on the table.
Thud.
The weight said everything.
When he opened the lid… the spear revealed itself, shimmering in a soft blue glow like moonlight.
It might not be a word usually used for weapons… but the first thought that came to mind was beautiful.
Then I noticed there were characters engraved on the shaft.
青龍舞 — Azure Dragon Dance?
“Sir, what’s this engraving? It wasn’t in the drawing I gave you.”
“Oh, that? That’s the name of this spear.”
“Pardon?”
“The night before I finished this… I had a strange dream. I saw an azure dragon dancing. Then… it shot down like a bolt of lightning and pierced into a rock. When I got closer… the dragon was gone, and this spear was embedded there.”
Master Yeom continued.
“People say such things are heaven’s will. So I named it after that.”
“I… see.”
I was dumbfounded.
Because in my previous life… the spear Jin-ho used was also called Azure Dragon Dance.
Is this really… heaven’s will?
–TL Notes–
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