Final Product and New Knowledge

One week within the other world has passed since Myeol Mang began to learn his blacksmithing techniques.

Tink!

Within that narrow timespan, Myeol Mang left the Forge only twice.

Tink!

Over and over, day in and day out the sound of metal being struck echoed throughout Jin Tang's palace.

Tink!

Every strike compressing the metal more and more until it can be folded, only to be compressed and folded again after reheating.

Tink!

The length of the sword itself, the length of its tang, the thickness of both, the evenness of both and the sharpness of the point were all thoughts running throughout Myeol Mang's mind with every strike.

Tink!

'Only a few more strikes and the sword will be complete.'

Tink!

'I still need to attach the handle to the tang, and sharpen the edges too.'

Tink!

'Though all of that should be relatively quick to complete, the sharpening might take a little bit, but thank god I made most of the handle while waiting between the folds.'

Standing up after striking the sword for a final time, Myeol Mang then walked over to a large rectangular casket filled with a dark liquid.

Tsssssssss!

Myeol Mang left his recently forged sword in the casket of liquid and walked towards a table next to the basket of iron.

'Well, now that I'm done forging the sword itself, I just need to attach the handle and handle guard and my sword will be complete.'

Myeol Mang grabbed the light brown oak handle wrapped tightly with a mint green thread and the greyish silver handle guard off the table and set them on the anvil.

'Now, let's hope the quenching process didn't warp the blade.' Myeol Mang thought as he walked back to the casket of dark liquid.

Pulling his sword out of the casket of dark liquid, Myeol Mang then grabbed a cloth with his spare hand and began to clean the oil off the sword while walking towards the anvil.

'I need to get this done fast, I haven't slept for two days just to make this sword perfect.'

Myeol Mang then slid the handle guard onto the tang after applying homemade glue made from flour and cold water.

'Thank god Master allowed me to wake up in Texas for a few moments, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to make this glue.'

Myeol Mang then applied the glue to the rest of the tang and on the inside of the handle before sliding the handle onto the tang.

"Master, I've finished making my sword."

As his master began to materialize within the Forge, Myeol Mang stood up and grabbed his sword's sheath off the table near the basket of iron.

"So, Myeol Mang. You've finished forging your sword within a week, will you let me see your sword?"

"Yes Master, here it is." Myeol Mang replied as he showed his master the sword on the anvil.

After walking up to the anvil and inspecting the sword, the original Myeol Mang cleared his throat.

"It's rather well constructed considering the fact that it was built in a week. Though the only reason you were able to forge this sword in such a short amount of time is because you didn't sleep for two days."

"Well, I want to learn how to absorb the energy within Fallen Star, so I was going to do whatever I could to guarantee I would get to learn how to."

"Well, besides your lack of sleep. There are no cracks or imperfections within the metal, your color choice for the handle could be better, and the sword still needs to be sharpened and polished. But overall you've constructed a decent sword, so I will teach you how to absorb the qi within Fallen Star after you get home from school on Monday."

"Phew! I was super worried I messed up at some point during the forging process and botched my chances of getting to absorb the qi in Fallen Star."

"You needn't worry about that now, Myeol Mang. But what you should worry about now is getting some rest, you only have two more days in this world before you return to your body in Texas. So you should get some sleep today, so you can begin your swordsmanship training with Mi Yeon."

"What about polishing and sharpening my sword?"

"I will take care of that for you while you sleep. So don't worry and just rest."

"Well, okay Master. I'll see you when I wake up again."

"Have a good rest, Myeol Mang." The original Myeol Mang replied as Myeol Mang walked out of the Forge.

'He did far better than I thought, to forge an above average sword on his first attempt is a difficult feat. So his reward is definitely worth it.'

---

Squinting his eyes as he walked out of the Forge into the early day sunlight, Myeol Mang raised his arm to block the sunlight until he adjusted to the outdoors again.

"It's been a week since I've seen sunlight, my skin must be pale as hell."

"MYEOL MANG! You left the Forge!"

Myeol Mang looked around for the person who called his name, yet was confused when he saw nobody around him.

"Are you blind Myeol Mang? I'm up here!"

"Sung Ho? How have you been?" Myeol Mang asked after spotting Sung Ho atop the Forge.

"I've been great! I got to eat the Shaolin Temple Pill yesterday and my body has felt so light since I took it!"

"That's great! Though can we have this conversation later, Sung Ho? I haven't slept in two days and I just got done with forging my sword."

"Oh, my bad. Go get some rest, Myeol Mang. I'll inform Master Tang that you've come out and that you went to sleep."

"Thank you, later Sung Ho."

Myeol Mang began to walk back to his room as Sung Ho leapt from roof to roof towards the main hall.

'He seems to be a lot livelier after undergoing internal energy training, and I don't blame him for being a lot livelier either. Having internal energy gives you that feeling of lightness that comes with a day of absolutely no work at all…'

"Hey Myeol Mang! You finally came out of the Forge after locking yourself in there for a week?"

"Oh hey Seok Hwan. Yeah, I just completed my sword a few minutes ago, but I haven't slept in the past two days so I'm going to go take a nice long rest for now."

"Ah okay, well have a good rest! I'll pass the message on to Mi Yeon and Seo Jun so they can get ready to teach you sword techniques."

"Thank you Seok Hwan, and have a good rest of the day."

"No problem, and I will." Seok Hwan responded as Myeol Mang walked into his room.

Myeol Mang then flopped onto his bed within seconds of entering his room.

'This sleep is going to be amazing…' Myeol Mang thought as he drifted into sleep.

---

"Just a little bit further." Ri Seung-Heon said to himself as he dashed along the final stretch of a path leading to a lavish palace over a hundred meters in length and width.

Yet as Ri Seung-Heon arrived at the lavish palace's gates, he was stopped by several masked guards with luxurious weapons.

"Halt! Who dares approach the Heavenly Demon's palace!?"

"My name is Ri Seung-Heon, I have an important report that must make it to our lord!"

"Show us your plaque."

Ri Seung-Heon then pulled a golden plaque out from his robes, engraved upon which was his name and rank within the cult.

"Ri Seung-Heon, Illusion Fist Squad member, everything checks out. Our lord is waiting for you, now go." Replied one of the masked guards before signaling for the gates to be opened.

After waiting for the gates to open enough for him to squeeze through, Ri Seung-Heon dashed past the group of guards and through the palace gates.

'This isn't my first time within the walls of the Heavenly Demon's palace, yet every time I step foot within them I start feeling queasy.' Ri Seung-Heon thought as he continued dashing towards the massive building at the center of the palace.

As Ri Seung-Heon arrived at the massive building's doors, two servants opened the doors for him.

"Our lord is waiting for you, Ri Seung-Heon." Both servants said in unison.

Ri Seung-Heon then entered the massive building and walked towards the Heavenly Demon's chambers.

Yet as Ri Seung-Heon arrived at the Heavenly Demon's room and raised his arm to knock on the door, a voice came from inside the room.

"Ri Seung-Heon. You may enter."

"Thank you, my lord." Ri Seung-Heon replied as he entered the room.

"It's no big deal. Now, tell me everything you learned at the Vanishing Demon's palace."

"Yes my lord. I have come across four things within my time at the Vanishing Demon's palace. First, there are two boys currently under his tutelage, both are survivors from the raid that took place three years ago. Second, one of the boys, I believe his name was Myeol Mang, has reached the Realm of Attainment. Third, the Vanishing Demon attempted to extract info from all spies that were sent to gain info on the boys, but failed. And fourth, the second boy, he seems to be guarding something, as before he goes to bed he removes a book from his outer robes and places it under his bed."

THUD!

"You said he removes a book from his outer robes every night before he sleeps and places it under his bed?!"

"That is correct my lord."

"Ri Seung-Heon. As you have not only brought me this great piece of information but also the location of the stolen artifact from three years ago, I will give you a Pure Demon Pill, a weapon made partially from Cold Iron, and your own squad in the near future."