WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
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◈ The Occult World’s Coveted Blacksmith ◈
Chapter 99: Huh... You Don't Know That?
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What?
It really was the Tianshan Sect?
What were they doing here...?
Step. Step.
Then, at that moment, the group crossing the middle of the hall changed direction.
The people following looked confused as they hurried after them, so the elder had clearly changed course on their own.
...Why were they coming toward me?
The elder stopped in front of me.
"..."
The surroundings went quiet.
The elder said nothing.
They simply looked at me in silence.
I could feel countless eyes turning toward us.
"What's going on...?"
"Is that the Tianshan Sect?"
"What?! The Tianshan Sect is here?"
"What?! The Tianshan Sect?!"
"No way..."
'...'
Hmm.
I should at least say hello, right?
No, but what was I supposed to say in a situation like this?
A cupped-fist salute? That felt a little over the top.
Ni hao? I was wearing an Interpreter Implement, so that seemed strange too...
Ah, whatever.
"Hello?"
In the end, an awkward Korean-style greeting slipped out.
"Ho ho ho. Yes, nice to meet you."
Deep wrinkles formed around the elder's eyes.
"I never thought we would meet here."
The elder lightly brought both hands together in a cupped-fist salute.
"I am Wei Ja-gang of the Tianshan Sect."
Let's see.
Wei Ja-gang... If it was Wei Ja-gang...
Ms. Ji-an had once given me a special lecture on the Tianshan Sect's genealogy.
She said it would be good to learn it in case I ever needed it.
That was when I had claimed to be from the Tianshan Sect.
If I didn't even know the sect's structure or the names of its important figures, people would naturally be suspicious.
'If it's Wei Ja-gang, I think they're the head of Hosan Hall.'
The Tianshan Sect was divided between its main mountain in Northern Tianshan and its branch in Southern Tianshan.
Southern Tianshan was where my name had been registered.
A Hall Head was directly below a Mountain Lord.
That meant Wei Ja-gang was quite high-ranking even within the Tianshan Sect.
"I'm Master Do from Korea."
"I know."
Wei Ja-gang slowly stroked their white beard.
"You caused quite a commotion for a while."
"..."
"The Four Great Houses of Korea, Noh Jin-hyeok... They kept stirring things up, demanding that we produce someone who didn't even exist. What a headache that was."
Ouch...!
"..."
"Ha ha, there's no need to be so wary. I didn't come to complain."
Wei Ja-gang smiled kindly and waved a hand.
"I couldn't withstand the main sect's pressure to issue that statement. Don't take it too much to heart."
"Not at all. I'm only grateful that you've been accommodating me."
Whew...
Thankfully, this elder seemed friendly.
Not everyone in the Tianshan Sect would look kindly on me.
Actually, there might be more people who disliked me.
"Ho ho."
Wei Ja-gang leisurely looked around the bustling hall.
"So, since you've come all this way, are you here to exhibit something as well?"
"Yes, that's right."
I was actually here to look around, though.
"And what about you, Elder?"
"I'm merely an old one who came along to watch the luggage."
Wei Ja-gang looked behind them.
Among the disciples, two long sword cases tightly wrapped in luxurious silk were being carried with great care.
"The Yin-Yang Taiji Twin Swords. You've heard of them, haven't you?"
They were national treasure-class Chinese Ritual Implements passed down through the Tianshan Sect.
I had heard about them in passing during Ms. Ji-an's lecture.
"They are swords passed down through our mountain gate. The expo asked us to lend them out."
Ah-ha.
Come to think of it, Ms. Nadia had mentioned something like that in the car yesterday.
Famous old Ritual Implements were often exhibited on loan from wherever they were kept.
And in such cases, a high-ranking sorcerer from the organization would personally accompany them to manage and guard them.
Thinking about it, that was only natural.
It could take years to make a single high-quality Ritual Implement.
And something of that caliber would usually have already been sold or made on commission.
Even the craftsman who made it would need to borrow it from its new owner to display it.
That went double for a centuries-old national treasure.
Gulp.
Still, a Chinese national treasure...
It was bound to have incredible Spell Formulas engraved on it, right?
Hmm. I wanted to take them apart and inspect them.
As I stared at the sword cases, I felt a prickling gaze.
The woman carrying them.
'...?'
It almost looked like she was glaring at me...
'Is it just my imagination?'
Then one of the disciples hurried over.
"Hall Head. The exhibit registration is complete."
"Good."
In the distance, I could see Ms. Nadia waiting with something like a name tag in her hand.
"Then I should get going..."
"Wait, Master Do."
Wei Ja-gang stopped me.
"Would you have a cup of tea with me?"
* * *
Wei Ja-gang led me to a VIP lounge on the expo's upper floor.
The disciples who served tea quietly withdrew, and the door closed.
Three people remained in the room.
Me, Wei Ja-gang, and the woman standing behind Wei Ja-gang.
She was the woman who had been carrying the sword cases earlier.
...She was still glaring at me.
"There are no listening ears here. Speak freely."
Wei Ja-gang slid a teacup filled with fragrant tea toward me.
"Thank you."
Warm steam and a pleasant scent rose from it.
Just in case, I watched Wei Ja-gang drink first before taking a sip myself.
Oh...
Warmth...
A pleasant warmth spread through my body, and heavy Spiritual Power flowed outward from my stomach.
It felt as if all my fatigue had vanished.
"It's Ten-Ingredient Tonic made with medicinal herbs grown on our Tianshan. It greatly helps restore Spiritual Power."
No wonder it tasted expensive.
"I'm glad you like it. Now, let's get to the point. I know our side has already made our intentions clear several times, but let me ask again."
Wei Ja-gang set down their teacup.
"Do you truly have no intention of joining the Tianshan Sect?"
"I don't."
I answered without a second of hesitation.
Well, I had expected this.
"Shouldn't you at least hear the terms first?"
"I'm already affiliated with someone."
"Ho ho... Well, I expected as much."
Wei Ja-gang took a sip of tea, looking not especially disappointed.
"Then grant this old one a favor."
'A favor?'
"Would you make a Ritual Implement for us?"
"...Excuse me?"
"You know that the Cursed Spirit Extermination Campaign will begin after this expo ends, correct?"
The Cursed Spirit Extermination Campaign.
It was a large-scale occult event held right after the expo.
Workshops from each country lent their latest Ritual Implements from the expo to participating players, gaining tremendous publicity.
Meanwhile, the sorcerers borrowed the power of those top-grade Ritual Implements to break through an Isolation Zone, make their names known, and raise their market value.
It was a so-called win-win showcase.
After the World Ritual Implement Expo ended, they would exterminate a large Isolation Zone that had formed nearby and broadcast it to the entire Occult World.
"The Tianshan Sect intends to participate in that campaign as well."
Hmm...
I had vaguely heard from Ms. Ji-an that something like this would happen.
But it was surprising that the Tianshan Sect would participate.
The Tianshan Sect was one of China's largest sects.
Yet, despite its power, it hardly engaged in outside activities.
It was the kind of sect surrounded by rumors.
'They're directly participating in such a major event with so much attention on it?'
At a gesture from Wei Ja-gang, the woman behind them placed a laptop on the table and turned on the screen.
It showed a desolate desert landscape.
They were reconnaissance photos of the large Isolation Zone that had recently formed in the middle of Egypt's Sahara Desert.
The images showed grotesque aberrations.
A chimera-like monster with the body of a camel and several snake heads.
Dozens of enormous mummies wrapped head to toe in bandages, crawling out of the sand.
So, to sum it up.
An Isolation Zone had recently appeared in this desert, and a broadcast event to exterminate it had been scheduled for after the expo.
For some reason, the Tianshan Sect, which didn't engage in outside activities, would be participating too.
And they wanted me to make a Ritual Implement to use there?
"That's right. And the one who will participate there is..."
Wei Ja-gang pointed at the woman standing behind them.
"This is Lin. My unworthy grand-disciple."
I looked at Lin.
She was still shooting me a wary glare.
"I would like you to make a Ritual Implement for her to use."
When our eyes met, Lin gave a brief cupped-fist salute.
Her expression was still sullen.
"What kind of Ritual Implement do you want?"
"You may decide that however you wish. However, I hope this child and the Tianshan Sect can leave a strong impression at the event."
Leave it entirely up to me...
"It will be a good opportunity for you as well. You can properly make No Corp and your own name known to the whole world."
That was true.
A live broadcast watched by sorcerers from around the world.
If my Ritual Implement shone there, the publicity wouldn't even compare to a broadcast from the Octagon or Goblin Fire.
After all, my current reputation was limited to Korea.
To register as a sorcerer in Korea, you had to swear an oath with the Management Bureau.
There were some exceptions, but apparently it included a clause saying that you wouldn't casually bring the internal affairs of the domestic Occult World outside.
If you tried to speak in violation of it, your tongue would stiffen.
Writing it down, recording a video, or using any other method had the same result.
They said this was also sorcery cast by Heaven Beyond Heaven.
Anyway, no matter how famous I became in Korea, I would ultimately only be known within Korea.
Besides, I had been thinking that I should repay the Tianshan Sect someday.
They had helped me a great deal when I had no support at all.
But one thing bothered me.
'Why are they asking me for this?'
Ms. Ji-an had vaguely told me that the Tianshan Sect had many highly skilled craftsmen.
They even had a separate Production Hall in Southern Tianshan that they managed specially.
I didn't know the reason, but if the Tianshan Sect wanted to make a name for itself from now on...
Wouldn't this be a good opportunity for them to make their name known as well?
"But why me? I heard the Tianshan Sect has many outstanding craftsmen."
"Ho... The Tianshan Sect's craftsmen?"
"...?"
Wei Ja-gang leisurely stroked their white beard.
"Ho..."
For some reason, their gaze seemed fixed on somewhere very far away.
"Well, that is... We have some very deep, complicated, and embarrassing internal circumstances."
"Embarrassing?"
"It's our sect's secret history, difficult to speak of carelessly elsewhere."
Wei Ja-gang subtly leaned forward and lowered their voice.
"Are you curious?"
"Not really..."
I wasn't especially curious.
Even at my lukewarm response, Wei Ja-gang smiled kindly.
"If you wish to hear it, why not join the Tianshan Sect first?"
...?
'What kind of logic is that?'
"...No, thank you."
"Come now. If you join the Tianshan Sect, this old one will share a drink with you and tell you the whole story in great detail. How about it?"
"I refuse."
Again, I answered without a second of hesitation.
"Ho ho, goodness. A young person with no curiosity. Very commendable indeed."
Even after being rejected, Wei Ja-gang didn't look embarrassed at all and laughed heartily.
"Well, it can't be helped. So? Will you make the Ritual Implement?"
"Yes, I will."
I nodded readily.
Either way, I needed to repay my debt, and it was a deal where I had nothing to lose.
"Good. You're as decisive as ever."
Wei Ja-gang smiled in satisfaction and set down their teacup.
"Discuss the details with Lin in due course."
Was that the end of the conversation?
I was about to get up when Wei Ja-gang added casually.
"Ah, and one more thing."
"Do you happen to know?"
"Know what?"
"Why the Tianshan Sect broke with its long tradition, descended from the mountain gate, and began engaging so openly with the outside world?"
Wei Ja-gang smiled kindly with eyes that seemed neither open nor closed.
Why was it?
I had a strong feeling that the real point was only beginning now.
Goosebumps rose all over my body.
Gulp.
"I'm not sure. I don't know."
"Yes, that's what I thought."
Wei Ja-gang slowly rose from their seat.
"You don't know... How troubling."
"Ho... So you truly don't know yet?"
"...?"
"That's a serious problem. To have remained unaware of something so important until now."
Wei Ja-gang clicked their tongue, crossed their arms, and put on a grave expression.
Then they narrowed their eyes and studied my face.
"...Would you like to know?"
I was just about to nod without thinking when...
"I'll tell you if you join the Tianshan Sect."
"..."
"Just joking. Ho ho ho."
This elder, seriously.
"All right, I'll tell you."
Wei Ja-gang sat down again.
"I'm telling you only because it's you."
The smile vanished from Wei Ja-gang's face in an instant.
Soon, the air around us turned cold.
"Before long, there will come a day when this world can no longer remain hidden."
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