After news of my return spread, the first person to come find me wasn’t Mo Yong Baek, nor anyone I’d expected. It was someone I’d actually forgotten about.

While glancing over at the sparring match between the Sword Demon and the Drunk in front of the Ja-Ha Guest House’s clearing, Vice-Master Yong Gae of Dragon Head Forge approached me with a darker expression than usual.

“Young Master.”

“Vice-Master, you’re here. What about Uncle Geum?”

Vice-Master Yong Gae nodded, then said,

“Let’s talk while walking.”

It was a sign he wanted a private conversation, so I went for a stroll with him. As we walked around Ilyang County for the first time in a while, the Vice-Master began to speak.

“I told Big Brother that you’ve returned. But he’s bedridden right now, so he couldn’t come.”

I guessed casually without thinking much of it.

“He caught a case of fire sickness?”

Vice-Master Yong Gae tilted his head.

“Fire sickness? Yeah, probably fire sickness.”

“Let’s hear it then. What kind of fire sickness? That’s strange. Dragon Head Forge is under Haomun’s protection—there shouldn’t be any factions nearby bold enough to touch you.”

“Young Master, do you know the Woonhyang Sect?”

“The Woonhyang Sect? That tiny sect?”

“They first bought a few weapons from us at full price, then placed a bulk order because the quality was unexpectedly good. The delivery deadline was tight, but it was a big order and they paid properly, so we dropped everything else and focused on it. Just in case, forgive me, but I used your name. They freaked out. Yelled at us, asking if we were mocking them. Still, we delivered on time. But then they invited Big Brother and me over, and at their main base they smashed the blades we made by clashing them against some shoddy weapons of theirs—broke them four times.”

I looked at the Vice-Master.

“With that kind of cheap trick? Why didn’t you just retrieve the rest of the shipment?”

“It’s not that simple. They said those weapons were prepared for a major upcoming battle, so they couldn’t return them, and then they only paid half the agreed price. Big Brother got mad, mentioned Haomun, and even dropped your name—but it turns out Woonhyang Sect has backing.”

“From where?”

“Dragon Gate’s First Sword. He’s claiming supremacy over Guangdong, absorbing smaller factions. Woonhyang Sect has already gone under Dragon Sword.”