CLANG! CLANG!
The sound of hammering steel echoed powerfully before the sun had even risen. Not even the cold, early winter wind could penetrate the Wiji Smithy. The heat radiating from within was simply too intense.
Although it was only the third day since the smithy reopened, Wiji Yeol was already drenched in sweat as he hammered away relentlessly, a sharp glint in his focused eyes.
FWOOSH!
The furnace blazed ferociously. Each time the workers beside Wiji Yeol pumped the bellows, the heat intensified.
"This isn't nearly enough! Did you all skip breakfast?"
Stirred by the old master's stern urging, determination filled the faces of the newly hired workers. They were all eager young men drawn to the Wiji Smithy by the old master's fame.
Do I have to compete with the Five Great Clans to adopt you?
Only after they pumped the bellows with all their might did Wiji Yeol finally nod and resume hammering.
CLANG! CLANG!
On the anvil, the red-hot steel screamed under the hammer's continuous blows. Wiji Yeol worked as if possessed, lost in memories of a certain martial artist, the Fire King Sama Ryang.
Sama Ryang was an old man who had become a flame himself, burning away the remnants of his life. As a martial artist, the man had reached heights that he could not dare aspire to. However, having both trained in extreme yang martial arts, witnessing the Fire King's final moments had given him great inspiration. One might call it an enlightenment.
Wiji Yeol felt as if the flame master's will had been imbued into his Flaming Soul Divine Art. A fiery energy gathered on the hammer that relentlessly pounded on the anvil.
CLAAAANG!
After the final blow, Wiji Yeol picked up the completed weapon with tongs and plunged it into water.
SIZZLE...
The steel cooled rapidly, revealing its true color.
Seeing his reflection on the clean, sharp silver blade, Wiji Yeol nodded approvingly. "...Not bad."
By his standards, this could not be considered a divine weapon. Creating a masterpiece of that caliber was a once-in-a-lifetime accomplishment, and his body had not yet fully recovered. Still, this was enough for now. The weapon he had crafted would not break easily, no matter what opponent it faced.
"I'm going to take a short break."
"Yes, Elder!"
Wiji Yeol stepped outside and cooled off in the crisp breeze. Despite the arduous work, a faint smile graced his lips.
Until recently, he had worked as a blacksmith for the Blood Cult, albeit not of his own volition. The thought that the weapons he made might one day harm innocent people prevented him from putting his heart into his work.
Therefore, as soon as he recovered from his injuries, he reopened his smithy. He could not stand being idle. He was a born blacksmith.
"Hmm?"
As he was resting, he spotted a familiar young man walking toward the smithy.
Right on time.
Wiji Yeol smiled with satisfaction and greeted his guest. "Welcome, Mr. Yeonho."
Wiji Yeol watched him approvingly.
Yeonho looked at the sweat-drenched Wiji Yeol concernedly. "Elder! Aren't you pushing yourself too hard? Your internal injuries haven't fully healed yet, have they?"
Wiji Yeol showed off his sturdy forearms and laughed heartily. "Moving around like this helps me heal faster. I'm just warming up, so don't worry."
If the workers inside had heard him, their faces would have turned pale.
"Come in. I just finished your custom order a moment ago."
"Okay!"
The two walked side by side into the smithy.
"The Azure Dragon Divine Spear sounds a bit excessive..." Yeonho stroked the dragon engraved on the shaft, then grinned playfully.
"How are things at the Azure Dragon Academy these days?"
"Everyone's busy preparing for the Heavenly Martial Festival, though honestly, I can't tell if we're preparing for a festival or a war."
The two did not bring up the topic again.
Yeonho shook his head. The students' morale was as high as soldiers' before a battle. It was hard to find an empty training ground, day or night.
The Student Council, led by Dokgo Jun, further stoked their fighting spirit. Anyone returning to the academy right now would see a banner fluttering in the wind that read, 'Down with the Heavenly Martial Academy!'
"...At the very least, I'm relieved that their spirits are high."
The students had not forgotten the instructors who had died at the Ak Clan. They had simply decided to honor the deceased by fighting rather than grieving. Winning the Heavenly Martial Festival was no longer just Baek Suryong's or a few students' goal; it was the entire academy's shared objective.
"That's truly a relief." Wiji Yeol nodded in understanding. He had witnessed the battle, too. Although he could not fight alongside the warriors, he had stood on the sidelines and sympathized deeply with the survivors' anguish.
Wiji Yeol told his workers to bring the weapon he had just completed, then turned back to Yeonho. "It seems our Cheon is very busy, too. I've barely seen his face these past few days."
"Well, Cheon is a top contender for the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament. You're going to attend the festival, right, Elder?"
"Of course. I have to see my grandson compete. I'm even thinking of hiring a painter to capture the moment, but I'll have to keep it a secret from Cheon. He might get embarrassed and hide his true abilities."
And now, the master blacksmith had created a divine weapon far superior to anything he could have imagined.
"...Won't he fight his best as long as you give him a good sword?"
"True. My grandson takes after me. His concentration is exceptional."
Wiji Yeol laughed heartily as he boasted about his only grandson. Meanwhile, his workers brought over a long spear wrapped in cloth.
"Here, see it for yourself," he said.
Yeonho nervously unwrapped the cloth from the spear. A black dragon was engraved on the shaft, which had a subtle inky sheen. The silver spearhead radiated a murderous aura. Clearly, this was no ordinary weapon.
"I made the shaft a while ago, and I just finished the spearhead today. It hasn't even been two hours since I attached it."
Yeonho stared at the spear as if mesmerized, before turning to Wiji Yeol in a fluster. "T-This weapon... is way too extravagant for me!"
"What are you talking about?"
"It seems like a divine weapon that would suit one of the Hyung-nims..."
To Yeonho, the spear seemed like too great a treasure. Only someone like Baek Suryong or Namgung Su was worthy of such a weapon.