Martial Artist Lee Gwak novel - chapter 325

The Invisible Enemy, The Emerging Threat (4)

Lee Gwak caressed the blade gently.

It was a straight, double-edged blade.

Among the numerous blades Lee Gwak had used, he favored this type the most.

He flicked the blade with his fingertip, and it rang out with a clear, resonant tone. The sound was so pure and crystal-like that it brought a smile to Lee Gwak’s lips.

This was the Blade that Eun Gwang Ho had given him to use temporarily. Yet it surpassed any other Blade Lee Gwak had wielded before.

Such a blade would be acclaimed anywhere in the Jianghu. Despite this, Eun Gwang Ho seemed dissatisfied.

“When I made this blade, I had too many distractions. Despite using the finest steel, it did not fully meet my expectations. But it will serve you well for now.”

Eun Gwang Ho had opened his own workshop here, striving to create weapons with soul rather than mass-produced items.

Previously bound by contracts with the Myriad Merchant Troupe and  Eun Family Forge, he was now free to pursue his own path.

He even fixed up Lee Cheong’s Blade while he was at it.

Simply by Eun Gwang Ho’s touch, Lee Cheong’s blade was practically reborn.

Excited, Lee Cheong ran to the practice yard behind the workshop to train with it.

After carefully observing the shape of Lee Gwak’s hands and muscles just moments earlier, Eun Gwang Ho also disappeared into the workshop.

Thanks to that, Lee Gwak was able to take his time admiring the new Blade he’d acquired.

Even though it wasn’t crafted specifically for him, it fit in his hand perfectly.

A satisfied smile was forming on Lee Gwak’s face when—

“Old man! Come out!”

Still holding his Blade, Lee Gwak stepped outside.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“And who are you?” the stranger retorted.

When Lee Gwak opened the door, he saw a young man glaring fiercely at the workshop. The young man wore fine robes embroidered with lavish designs and was accompanied by a dozen or so bodyguards.

“What business do you have?”

“I asked, who are you?”

“I’m a customer here at this workshop.”

“A customer?”

The young man’s eyes narrowed in an ominous way.

He turned his gaze to the Blade in Lee Gwak’s hand.

“That Blade—the old man made it for you, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“That old man!”

The man bellowed.

He stared at the sky and snapped, seemingly unable to control his anger.

“He refused to sell to me, saying I wasn’t worthy, but he went and sold a Blade to some nobody like you? Is he treating me like a joke…?”

The young man’s name was Yoon Moo-hwan.

He was the young master of Yoon Family Manor, famous in Gaiyang for their wealth.  Although he wasn’t particularly talented in martial arts, he had a fierce desire for rare weapons – so he spent a lot of money buying and collecting famous swords and blades.

Rumors said his private warehouse was filled with collected weapons.

Several days ago, news reached him that a remarkable craftsman had opened a workshop in Gaiyang.

Brimming with confidence, Yoon Moo-hwan went straight there and demanded Eun Gwang Ho forge a sword solely for him. But Eun Gwang Ho merely scoffed and threw him out.

Eun Gwang Ho’s pride as a craftsman wouldn’t allow him to take an order from someone who, in his eyes, was nothing but an empty show-off. Even forging a weapon for a famed Martial Artist was something he might refuse, let alone for someone who only cared about appearances. So he had driven him out, but now the young man had returned, bearing a grudge and bringing a host of martial artists with him.

Eun Gwang Ho’s skills were genuine.

Yoon Moo-hwan had once met a Martial Artist who owned a sword crafted by Eun Gwang Ho.  The sword was no less impressive than any weapon stored in his warehouse. In fact, its balance and strength were far superior.

Since then, he had coveted such a weapon. But Eun Gwang Ho had not only refused to make him a weapon but had also barred him from even entering the workshop and had driven him away with insults.

No matter how he thought about it, Yoon Moo-hwan couldn’t see why he deserved such disgrace, so Yoon Moo-hwan brought his family’s bodyguards with him.

Today, he intended to coerce Eun Gwang Ho into making a weapon for him.

“He refused to sell me a sword, yet he sold that Blade to you?”

Yoon Moo-hwan gritted his teeth.

The more he thought about it, the more furious he became.

He gave an order to his guards.

“Drag out that old man!”

“Yes, sir!”

At his command, his personal guards moved toward the workshop entrance. But Lee Gwak blocked their way.

“No one may enter without the elder’s permission.”

“How insolent!”

The captain of the guards glowered at him.

He had once been a celebrated martial artist in the Jianghu, In his prime, he had served as part of the Martial Sword Alliance —one of the Ten Sects. His pride in his abilities was immense.

Though he was now in the employ of the Yoon Family Manor, his nasty temper remained.

He drew his sword and held it to Lee Gwak’s throat.

“If you don’t step aside, I’ll cut you down.”

Lee Gwak furrowed his brow.

The aura emanating from his opponent was sharp—a testament to his high cultivation.

Considering the training required to reach such a level, it was hard to understand how someone could lack such spiritual cultivation.

Then Yoon Moo-hwan shouted.

“Cut down anyone who blocks you, and drag out the old man.”

“Yes!”

Then Yoon Moo-hwan yelled.

“Cut down anyone who interferes, and bring out the old man.”

“Yes!”

As the head guard swung his sword, it suddenly wouldn’t budge.

His face turned red with effort.

Despite applying all his strength, the sword aimed at Lee Gwak’s neck wouldn’t move. The head bodyguard then realized that Lee Gwak was holding the blade between two fingers.

“What?”

The guard captain poured his internal energy into forcing the blade forward, but it didn’t budge, as if locked in iron pincers.

That was the moment he finally sensed that something was wrong.

The seemingly ordinary man in front of him was no ordinary person.

The smart move would have been to retreat, but the head guard chose otherwise.

“Attack him, everyone.”

“Charge!”

“Kill!”

His men didn’t hesitate, swinging their swords at Lee Gwak.

At that moment, Lee Gwak released his grip.

“Argh!”

Caught off guard, the head guard stumbled.

Lee Gwak’s hand struck his throat.

The head guard was sent flying backward without even a chance to scream.

That was only the beginning.

Puh-puh-puh-bang!

Lee Gwak’s rapid strikes slammed into the Martial Artists.

The dozen or so men scattered like rotten leaves.

Not one of them screamed, which made the scene seem unreal.

“What?”

Yoon Moo-hwan mouth dropped open, speechless.

He realised that the ordinary man in front of him was actually an extraordinary master.

Even though he was used to acting like a tyrant, he wasn’t completely oblivious.

“Wh-who are you?”

“Lee Gwak.”

“Le… Lee Gwak?”

As Yoon Moo-hwan repeated the name, his face soured.

“The Sura Blade?”

“Yes.”

“Impossible! What are you doing here?”

Yoon Moo-hwan trembled, his face pale.

He had heard of Lee Gwak, even admired him.

Lee Gwak had built his reputation without any significant backing, surpassing the Eight Great Martial Artists on his own merits.

This had inspired many young martial artists who saw in his path a hope for themselves.

Yoon Moo-hwan might not have been that ambitious, but he knew well enough how formidable Lee Gwak was.

Lee Gwak approached him and said.

“The person here is like a family elder to me.”

“That can’t be!”

“If you disturb the elder again, I will personally visit the Yoon Family Manor. Next time, it won’t go over as smoothly as today.”

Yoon Moo-hwan nodded frantically.

If the man standing before him was truly Lee Gwak, he could obliterate Yoon Family Manor in half a day.

The Yoon Family Manor held sway only within Gaiyang, while Lee Gwak’s fame resounded throughout the entire Jianghu.

And Yoon Moo-hwan was nowhere near bold enough to challenge him.

His shaking body was proof enough.

Lee Gwak nodded, and Yoon Moo-hwan hurriedly woke his guards.

“Ouch!”

“What happened?”

The guards, just coming to their senses, looked at Lee Gwak with fear. Having felt his strength firsthand, they knew well the danger they had escaped.

“We are very sorry. It will not happen again.”

Yoon Moo-hwan and his guards fled without looking back.

Then, from behind Lee Gwak, Eun Gwang Ho’s voice rang out.

“You shouldn’t have bothered. There was no need for you to step in.”

He turned to find Eun Gwang Ho emerging from the workshop with Lee Cheong

Lee Gwak smiled.

“I must repay your kindness somehow.”

“Kindness, eh…?”

Eun Gwang Ho grumbled, but he didn’t look displeased.

Although he had walked the path of a craftsman, Eun Gwang Ho had some martial skills. Yoon Moo-hwan and his guards could not have harmed him even if they tried.

Still, Lee Gwak had deliberately revealed his identity because he didn’t want trouble for Eun Gwang Ho in the future. Once word got out that Lee Gwak was close to him, no one in Gaiyang would dare bother the old craftsman again.

“Hmph! I guess I’ll head back inside.”

Shaking his head, Eun Gwang Ho was just about to re-enter the workshop when—

“Lee Gwak!”

As Eun Gwang Ho was about to re-enter the workshop, someone called out.

“Grandmaster Lee!”

It was the Hao Clan’s Gaiyang branch manager running towards them.

Lee Gwak frowned, sensing the urgent atmosphere.

“What’s wrong?”

“Sir, it’s Red Water.”

“What?”

“Your wife and daughter are there, I believe.”

“Is that true?”

Lee Gwak’s voice rose with concern.

The branch manager paused to catch his breath.

“Yes! The Red Water branch is in chaos. Your wife and daughter sought help there, but some unknown assailant broke in, killed the branch head, and destroyed the place.”

“How are So-cheon and Soo-ah?”

“We don’t know. The survivors were too shaken up; by the time they regained their composure, the three had vanished.”

“When did this happen?”

“Last night.”

Lee Gwak bit his lip in frustration.

A day had already passed.

Survivors from the Red Water branch had rushed to report to the nearest branch, but precious time had been lost.

Lee Cheong asked the branch head.

“Did my mother and sister meet with the Red Water branch head?”

“That’s what I understand, Young Master.”

Lee Cheong’s eyes lit up as he turned to Lee Gwak.

“They might be on their way here.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Every Hao Clan branch knows we’re looking for them. I bet the Red Water branch head told them immediately that we’re here. So, they must be heading this way.”

“Hmm!”

Lee Cheong knew his mother, Han So-cheon, and sister, Lee Soo-ah, better than anyone.