Chapter 429 – What Are Friends For! (4)

“Plum Blossom Sword Saint?”

At those words, Baek Cheon looked at the old man with a questioning look.

No, what did that old man just…

“Who is he looking at and saying that?”

“Chung Myung.”

“Uh?”

Baek Cheon tilted his head and looked at Chung Myung.

‘But why is this guy breaking out into a cold sweat?’

This was nothing like the normal expressions Chung Myung would make. Wasn’t Chung Myung the only human who could even perform a scam in front of the King of the Underworld?

‘What is this?’

Baek Cheon looked back at Tang Jo Pyung with confused eyes.

“Plum Blossom…”

Passion raged in the eyes of the old man who had seemed lost. Tears welled up in those wrinkled eyes.

“Sword Saint Elder…”

In the end, the old man who had been tearing up stopped and frowned.

“Uh?”

“…”

“…maybe not?”

“…”

The atmosphere calmed down.

“Ha, Haha. Hahaha….”

When Chung Myung let out an awkward chuckle, Tang Jo Pyung tilted his head.

“Am I right?”

“…”

“Maybe not?”

Chung Myung flinched at his every word.

‘Which tune should I be dancing to now?’

Dealing with someone whose mind wasn’t in a proper state rendered Chung Myung unable to handle this. Once this elder’s words started to make sense, he could try something.

“Plum Blossom… Huh? Who was I talking about?”

Eventually, Tang Gunak, who was beside the elder, sighed and said,

“Great Uncle. The Plum Blossom Sword Saint passed away a hundred years ago.”

“… is that so?”

At those words, the tears in the eyes of the old man dried up in an instant.

“Right, I see. No, well, that man didn’t look this handsome. He was a Taoist but looked like a con artist…”

No, who was he?

“Still, when you get to know him, he is a man of mystery. A strong and noble mystery.”

“Hehehe. Right.”

“…his character was bad… no, completely bad, very bad.”

“…”

Chung Myung began to get angry.

“…well. The Sword Saint Elder stroking my head seems like just yesterday, but many years have passed by.”

Tang Jo Pyung looked lonely as he mumbled this. Everyone felt a bit confused at the sudden sad look,

Except for one person…

‘Who is he?’

Chung Myung was deeply troubled and smiled.

‘I really don’t remember.’

What was this? How did this elder remember something that happened a hundred years ago?

Because of Tang Bo, Chung Myung was brought to the Tang family a couple of times for class, so he must have bumped into this kid a couple of times.

Judging by the comment about stroking his head, he must have been a child. But to think that he had turned into a gray-haired man…

Something hurts…

“So, who are you?”

…do not lose.

Tang Gunak let out a low sigh and brought up the main topic,

“Great Uncle. That doesn’t matter right now. It looks like you will have to make some swords out of cold steel. And I need you to make additional assassin weapons.”

“It is good for a sword…”

Tang Jo Pyung blankly mumbled a reply.

Soon, the old man’s eyes, which had been blurred, started to shine.

“The Lord is asking an unreasonable favor of an old man who is dying.”

“I know this is a difficult request, Great Uncle. I don’t know how to do it, but I am anxious about leaving it in the hands of another. Of course, I appreciate their skills too, but how can they compete with my Great Uncle’s hands?”

At his sincere words, Tang Jo Pyung looked at the workshop behind him without a word.

“Cold steel?”

“Yes.”

Tang Jo Pyung shook his head.

“I thought I would never have to hold another hammer in my life…well, I am a member of the family. If the head of the house requests it, I cannot help but listen to them.”

“Thank you, thank you so much, Great Uncle.”

Tang Jo Pyung shook his head,

“But apart from the assassin weapons, what are you trying to make a sword for? It isn’t like the Tang Family has decided to learn sword techniques.”

“The Tang Family has formed a friendship with Mount Hua. The people who brought this iron are also from the Mount Hua Sect, and they asked me for some swords.”

“What?”

His calm dull eyes began to spark up once again,

“Who are you giving the cold steel sword to?”

“Mount Hua…”

“You want to make a sword using the skills of the Tang Family and give it to another sect? Do those words even make any sense? The weapons made by the Tang Family can only be used by the members of the Tang Family! Only the Tang Family! How dare you say something so blasphemous!”

Tang Jo Pyung pointed at Gunak and shouted,

“Not until I lose my eyes! You can have assassin weapons but no swords! No!”

“Great Uncle! The Tang Family has already made an alliance with Mount Hua…”

“That doesn’t concern me, stop and go back!”

Tang Gunak sighed and stepped back.

The old man was enraged, and the qi rising from him was too much, his great nephew’s stance regarding a foreign sect was too shocking.

‘This is quite a bit of trouble…’

At that moment, Chung Myung sneaked up to him as if he was immersed in problems. And briefly gestured something, to which Tang Gunak bowed his head.

“Great Uncle, for a moment…”

“But, who are you?”

“…”

Tang Gunak looked at the old man with stern eyes, and after having Tang Pae attend to his great uncle, he moved outside.

Following him, Chung Myung and the Mount Hua disciples talked,

“What just happened?”

“Um. It seems like my Great Uncle doesn’t want to make the swords.”

At the obvious words from Tang Gunak, Chung Myung replied,

“It isn’t that he doesn’t want to make the swords, more like he doesn’t have the brains to get it done.”

“Still, his mind is clear at one point in a day.”

“…you say that now!”

The eyes of Chung Myung were enraged.

He didn’t know that Tang Gunak would bring him to a senile man who couldn’t even understand the conversation.

“Then ask someone else to make it. It isn’t like the old man is the only one here.”

But Tang Gunak shook his head,

“The metal you brought is not something that can be handled so easily. Moreover, it is a task that requires the highest level of skills to make and grind such a thin sword.”

“Hmm…”

“Of course, as you said, others will be able to make a sword from the cold steel. But if we are going to use such a precious metal, shouldn’t we make a sword of the greatest quality?”

“Correct… right?”

“We just have to convince him. If Great Uncle can be convinced…”

“No, that makes no sense at all. How can you convince an old man who you cannot even communicate with?! Looking at that old man, even Confucius would throw stones in anger at his communication skills!”

“…aren’t you a Taoist?”

“I swear if Confucius saw this, he wouldn’t leave the man alone! He wouldn’t!”

Chung Myung gnashed his teeth. Watching the old man just stare into empty space made him feel irritated. This was the kind of person Chung Myung had no experience dealing with.

If words didn’t work, he could always choose to beat some sense in place of talking. But what good would come from beating an old man with an unstable mind? It was better to read sutras into the ears of a cow.

Just then, Baek Cheon sighed and said,

“Chung Myung. This doesn’t seem easily remedied. Seeing that you were called the Plum Blossom Sword Saint earlier, the man is clearly not in good condition. He cannot distinguish people.”

Yoon Jong chimed in,

“It is fine if he cannot recognize people, but it seems like he has lost the concept of time. Things from the past and the present are all fumbled within his mind, and we cannot even convince the man.”

“…I am going insane…”

Chung Myung, who was grumbling, shut his mouth.

“Uh?”

When Chung Myung suddenly stopped, Baek Cheon felt something ominous happen.

‘This is the face he has when he thinks of something bad.’

Chung Myung began to think out loud,

“He doesn’t recognize people… the past and present mixed…”

And he smiled,

“Right. Right. He isn’t in a stable state of mind, right?”

Baek Cheon was startled by that evil, evil smile and asked,

“…you, what are you up to?”

Chung Myung just shrugged and smiled.

“Are you trying to cheat the man?”

“Cheat?”

Chung Myung thought for a second and smiled, ‘The fun is just about to start.’

“Well, from Sasuk’s mind, it might seem like it…”

“…what does that mean?”

Please realize that this is not a scam.

Hehehehe.

Chung Myung smiled, glancing at the old man looking at the sky.

“So who, who are you?”

“…Tang Pae.”

“Where did Myung go?”

“…”

Tang Pae gulped and looked into the distant sky.

‘This is hell.’

He hoped this time would quickly pass.

‘Uh?’

That was when the Mount Hua disciples, along with Tang Gunak, returned.

‘Uh?’

It felt odd for some reason. Everyone had this awkward expression. Like… they were up to something bad.

“Lord, what is…”

“Shh.”

Tang Gunak covered his lips like he was asking him to stay silent.

“…”

That moment…

“Kehehehe!”

With the loud sound of a laugh mixed with a cough, Chung Myung boldly walked out from the back of the forge with his hands behind his back.

‘Uh?’

Chung Myung walked confidently and stood in the middle of the yard as he shouted,

“Kid Pyung! Where is Kid Pyung!”

‘Kid Pyung?’

This was how one cutely called a child. But where was such a kid…

“Huk!”

Tang Pae turned…

As if the brain fog disappeared, Tang Jo Pyung jumped up in surprise and looked at Chung Myung.

“W-Who are…?”

Chung Myung looked at Tang Jo Pyung and nodded,

“There you are!”

“Who?”

Tang Jo Pyung looked at Chung Myung, frowning. And Chung Myung grabbed the plum blossom pattern on his chest and shouted,

“This brat! Are you saying that you do not even recognize me anymore?! It is me, the Sword Saint!”

“Plum Blossom Sword Saint…?”

Tang Jo Pyung blinked his eyes as if checking Chung Myung. As if playing along, Chung Myung took a bold step forward…

“E-Elder!”

Tang Jo Pyung jumped up and ran to Chung Myung. His hands trembled, and tears fell.

“Elder… Elder, where did you go? Just how long have… Oh my…”

The Mount Hua disciples and Tang Gunak were shocked by this.

‘Wow, this works?’

‘I need to check my own morals now.’

‘It is the first time I have seen a man cheat an old man who is on the verge of death.’

At that time, Yoon Jong looked at Jo Gul and whispered,

“But wasn’t that guy a bad actor?”

“I could never watch him act… such an embarrassment.”

“But why does he look so natural now?”

“How can you even know that?”

The two sighed.

And…

‘G-Great Uncle…’

Tang Gunak looked at the scene with a complicated expression. There was nothing to feel about this, so he simply accepted it… but seeing a Taoist mess around with the mind of his family’s elder made his stomach ache.

“I have nothing to say! Where is Tang Bo!”

“Grand Dad is… well? He is…”

“Eh! Useless brat!”

Tang Gunak’s cheeks trembled.

‘That brat!’

Wasn’t he crossing the line?

When Chung Myung said he would act, they thought it would be done moderately, but this was just too much. It was to the point that it was like the Sword Saint had come back alive.

“I hear you have some skills, and we do not have enough swords to fight the Demonic Sect. Since I brought some cold steel, will you make a sword?”

“Eh, Elder! Why would I disobey your words?! If I disobeyed your words and my grandfather found out, he would strike me.”

“Then there is nothing to talk about, go and make it!”

“Yes~ Yes! I will start right now…”

But Tang Jo Pyung, who was about to stand up with a quick nod, tilted his head.

“But… you got taller?”

“…my m-martial arts increased, and so did my appearance.”

“Ah, yes. I have heard also heard about that. You are quite handsome too. So much better than before.”

“…”

You…

It was a compliment, but it really didn’t feel like it.

“I will start the furnace right now, wait a second!”

“…yes.”

Tang Jo Pyung turned, and Tang Gunak was asked,

“Who are you?”

“You…”

Tang Gunak opened his mouth to answer, but Tang Jo Pyung took the lead,

“Don’t care. First of all, if you know how to handle metals, then come into the forge. Twenty men are needed to beat and change the furnace. Call the elders too! We need heat in the forge!”

“Yes! I will do that right now.”

Tang Jo Pyung straightened his hunched back.

His bent back straightened, and the spirit of a craftsman that they had never seen roared into existence.

“Light the forge! Melt the cold steel!”

“Yes!”

When he walked into the forge, Chung Myung grinned.

“Nice, right?”

“…”

Tang Gunak looked at Chung Myung with an annoyed face.

“You seem excited?”

“Hehe. This is a piece of cake.”

“…anyone who sees this will think you are the real Sword Saint.”

“Hahaha. Too much praise.”

“Ugh.”

Tang Gunak shook his head,

“Anyway, I am glad this was resolved. I will help my great uncle with you pretending to be the Plum Blossom Sword Saint in the meantime.”

“Yes.”

Hehe….

Chung Myung smiled.

As Tang Gunak headed to the forge, Mount Hua’s disciples clicked their tongues and looked at Chung Myung.

“That! You savage bastard who pretends to be an ancestor to fool an old man.”

“At this point, he is a habitual cheater.”

“Trash.”

In the midst of this rain of curses, Chung Myung looked to the sky.

‘Sahyung!’

I am being criticized for being me…

Does this make sense?

-What? You cheater!

“Uh, seriously!”

What do you know?! What!

Ehh!