Episode 37: The Celestial Armory

“I’m coming in.”

As expected, it was Namgung Jincheon and Namgung Myung who entered the room.

Namgung Jincheon wore his usual icy expression, but Namgung Myung seemed even more tense than when they had met at the banquet.

‘Why does he look so scared?’

Namgung Jincheon, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, took control of the atmosphere and began to speak.

“First, I must apologize. My foolish son has committed a grave mistake.”

He didn’t even glance at Namgung Myung, keeping his gaze fixed straight ahead.

Though he likely didn’t intend to intimidate, Tang Mujin felt the tension rise. Those with overwhelming power often exert pressure without meaning to.

“When I first heard the story, I thought this boy had just been lucky enough to get his hands on a sword. But after pressing him, he confessed the truth. He ran off with the sword.”

Tang Mujin had two reasons for not recounting Namgung Myung’s actions in full detail.

First, to avoid tarnishing the Namgung family’s honor and incurring their wrath. Second, to ensure Namgung Myung wouldn’t face excessive punishment.

The first goal was achieved, but the second was not. Of course, it wasn’t Tang Mujin’s fault. Namgung Myung had confessed to Namgung Jincheon himself.

Still, Tang Mujin couldn’t help but understand Namgung Myung’s predicament.

He glanced at Namgung Jincheon. Even just meeting his gaze sent a shiver down his spine.

Imagining being interrogated by such a person, Tang Mujin doubted he could keep any secrets.

“First, we must repay the debt for his sticky fingers. Myung, tell me, what punishment did the maid who stole the silver ring two years ago receive?”

”…Her wrist was cut off.”

Namgung Myung’s voice trembled. Wait, could it be?

Namgung Jincheon’s shoulder moved slightly.

Tang Mujin quickly extended his sheathed sword in front of Namgung Myung’s wrist. There was no time to draw the blade.

Clang—

Namgung Jincheon’s sword, aimed at Namgung Myung’s wrist, was blocked by Tang Mujin’s sheath.

It wasn’t because Tang Mujin had reached a level of enlightenment to block the sword of the Sword Demon, Namgung Jincheon. It was simply that the force and speed of Namgung Jincheon’s swing were within Tang Mujin’s ability to handle.

However, the strike was no mere bluff. Tang Mujin was certain Namgung Jincheon had been ready to sever Namgung Myung’s wrist.

In essence, Namgung Jincheon had left the decision in Tang Mujin’s hands. As proof, the old man stood with his arms crossed, silently observing the situation.

“Why did you block the sword? Shouldn’t a hand repay the wrongs of a hand?”

Had this conversation occurred when the sword first disappeared, he might have agreed. But now was not the right time.

“Stealing the sword was indeed wrong. But punishing him now, after the matter has been settled, would only reopen old wounds. Besides, I haven’t suffered any significant harm, so I believe he deserves another chance.”

“By showing mercy and saving the heir’s wrist, I suppose this is the first favor you’ve done for the Namgung family.”

Namgung Jincheon smoothly continued the conversation. It seemed this was the resolution he had hoped for.

Namgung Myung’s shoulders relaxed slightly, the tension easing a bit.

“By not exposing our flaws in front of others, you’ve spared the Namgung name from disgrace, which is the second favor. And by gifting us a precious sword even in such circumstances, that’s the third favor. Now, tell me, how should I repay these three favors?”

“Hmm.”

Tang Mujin hesitated, unable to answer immediately.

He had thought that handling the situation well might earn him some favor from the Namgung family in the future, but he hadn’t expected such a direct offer.

Moreover, Tang Mujin wasn’t sure what he could or should ask for from the Namgung family.

At that moment, a voice whispered in his ear.

-Ask for a share as a business partner.

Was this some kind of telepathic communication?

He had heard of such techniques but had never experienced it firsthand.

Of course, in any conversation, the content is more important than the method. Tang Mujin had no intention of listening to the old man’s nonsense.

When Tang Mujin shook his head slightly, the voice came again.

-You don’t even know what to ask for, do you? Instead of making a ridiculous request, you might as well take my advice. Besides, didn’t I help set the stage for you? It’s not like you have nothing to gain.

“Hmm…”

-It’ll be beneficial for you too, so don’t worry.

In the end, Tang Mujin nodded.

Namgung Jincheon watched the two with an intrigued expression.

“Tang Gongja can’t use telepathy, so why not just speak freely?”

“That’s true. But there’s no harm in being cautious.”

“You’re not wrong. What do you need?”

“First, I’d like access to the Celestial Armory.”

“I’ll allow it. But you’ll have to enter with a member of the Namgung family, and you can only read one book. I assume you weren’t expecting more.”

“Of course.”

From the start, Tang Mujin had no idea what the Celestial Armory was. He nudged the old man beside him.

“Why?”

“What is the Celestial Armory?”

“Think of it as a library where the Namgung family collects martial arts manuals from all over the central plains.”

”…Is it really okay to enter such a place?”

Tang Mujin had some common sense. Martial families guard their martial arts as if they were their very lives.

That’s why disputes over someone stealing a glance at another’s training can lead to life-and-death duels.

“That’s why a family member accompanies you. Besides, the family’s secret techniques probably aren’t even in the Celestial Armory. They might not even be recorded in manuals.”

After finishing his explanation, the old man stated the second condition.

“Secondly, I want some spiritual herbs.”

“Are you asking for elixirs? We don’t have much. The Namgung family doesn’t rely heavily on elixirs.”

“No, not elixirs. I need herbs and poisons. The Namgung family may not be an apothecary, but you must have gathered some from here and there.”

“We do have some. Since we don’t have much use for them, I’ll give them all to you. What’s the last thing you want?”

“I want a sparring match with the head of the family.”

“A sparring match? It would be difficult for Tang Gongja to gain anything from sparring with me.”

Tang Mujin was startled by the conversation. What nonsense was the old man spouting?

Calling it a sparring match was just a polite way of saying Tang Mujin would be knocked out in an instant.

He had no intention of wasting this precious opportunity on such a futile endeavor.

Before Tang Mujin could protest, the old man spoke up.

“Of course, not with him. I want to spar with you myself.”

This time, Tang Mujin was surprised for a different reason.

The old man had been coaxing him, only to reveal his true intentions. Well, since he had asked for a share, it made sense.

But Namgung Jincheon understood the old man’s true intent.

“You want to show the sparring match to Tang Gongja. I don’t see why not, but will he be able to learn anything from watching?”

“That’s for him to figure out. If he can’t grasp anything, it’s his own limitation.”

“I see. I’ll send someone to guide you to the Celestial Armory tomorrow morning. Stay and rest for a few more days.”

Namgung Jincheon stood up and left the room.

Namgung Myung, about to follow him out, turned back to face Tang Mujin.

Tang Mujin wondered if he was about to say something, but instead, Namgung Myung acted.

Despite being the heir of the Namgung family, he knelt down and bowed deeply, his forehead touching the ground.

The old man watched with more interest than he had shown for the three rewards Namgung Jincheon had offered, and Tang Mujin was taken aback.

In the martial world, and even among the people of the central plains, it’s rare for someone to bow so deeply. Even when grateful, a slight bow or nod is usually sufficient.

Bowing like this is extremely rare, even between parents and children.

‘Is Namgung Jincheon forcing him to do this?’

Tang Mujin’s concern quickly dissipated.

When Namgung Myung lifted his head, there was no trace of resentment or wounded pride. His face was filled only with pure gratitude and goodwill.

“I will repay this kindness someday.”

With those words, Namgung Myung slowly rose, closed the door, and left the room.

The next morning, Namgung Hwan, the head of the Entrance Hall, arrived to guide the two.

It was a somewhat trivial task for someone of his rank, but Namgung Jincheon had instructed them to show the utmost sincerity, so at least someone of the rank of a hall leader or higher had to accompany them.

Namgung Hwan had volunteered to guide them.

“Shall we head to the Celestial Armory now?”

“Let’s.”

As they made their way to the Celestial Armory, Namgung Hwan kept glancing at Tang Mujin. When his gaze became noticeable, he finally spoke.

“I couldn’t believe it. Did you really forge a sword in just five days?”

As Tang Mujin pondered how to respond, Namgung Hwan burst into laughter.

“You can be honest with us. The head of the family has settled the matter, so no one will speak ill of it. There won’t be any rumors.”

Tang Mujin nodded and asked in return.

“How did you know?”

“Since you spent several days in the forge, it was the first thing that came to mind. The real question is whether a young man could forge two fine swords in just five days.”

Namgung Hwan shook his head in disbelief and continued the conversation.

“Like everyone else, I naturally thought it was impossible. But the sight of your hands, red and torn, with rust clinging to your nails, and the faint smell of wood smoke tell a different story. They say the world is vast and full of extraordinary people.”

Extraordinary people. The phrase felt unfamiliar.

Just a few months ago, he was the one intrigued by tales of such people, eavesdropping on street gossip.

Yet now, he had become one of those extraordinary individuals, performing feats that defied belief. If someone had told him this story not long ago, would he have believed it?

“There are a few skeptics who doubt your skills, you know. But those folks clearly know nothing about metalwork.”

“Is that so?”

“Forgive my meddling, but Shaolin might be eagerly waiting for someone like you. If you get the chance, you should visit.”

“Shaolin, you say?”

“Yes. Since I was a child, Shaolin has been searching all over the land for someone with exceptional skills. They say there’s a mechanism that no one can fix.”

“A mechanism?”

The answer came from Gwai.

“They must be talking about the Wooden Men Alley.”

“And what’s that?”

“It’s a peculiar mechanism… I’ve only heard stories about it, so I can’t say for sure. Shaolin is on the way to Luoyang, so if you have the chance, you should check it out.”

As the three of them chatted, they arrived at Cheonmugo.

Cheonmugo was a single-story pavilion, showing signs of age unlike the other buildings. A guard stood watch at the entrance, but upon seeing Namgung Hwan, he stepped aside.

Inside, the shelves were crammed with yellowed books, a thin layer of dust settled between them. Namgung Hwan spoke with a hint of embarrassment.

“Not many people come to Cheonmugo. When they’re young, they visit out of curiosity, but eventually, they get too busy mastering the Namgung family’s martial arts to return.”

“I see.”

“But for outsiders like you, there might be something useful here. We don’t keep worthless street martial arts books in Cheonmugo.”

“Understood.”

Tang Mujin glanced at Gwai.

It was Gwai who had requested access to Cheonmugo, so he must be looking for something specific.

Gwai moved confidently between the shelves.

The first shelf was filled with martial arts books on handling various weapons.

The most mentioned were swords and sabers, followed by spears and axes. Then there were books on more unusual weapons like the guandao and the meteor hammer, and even some on weapons Tang Mujin had never seen, like iron pens and clawed knives. Gwai didn’t spare any of them a glance.

The second shelf was about internal energy cultivation, the third about footwork and movement techniques. The fourth contained books on grappling and ground techniques. Gwai showed no interest in any of these.

“Isn’t everything out here already?”

After a while, Gwai stopped in front of the innermost shelf.

It didn’t seem to hold the most precious martial arts, given the thick layer of dust covering it.

Gwai blew the dust off the side of the shelf.

As the dust settled, the word “Miscellaneous Techniques” appeared.