Clatter.
The door to the room we were sitting in burst open, and a middle-aged man with a cold, stern face strode in.
There were few who could freely enter a room where Namgung Jong, the young lord of the Namgung Clan, resided.
But beyond that, there was another reason we could be certain of the man’s identity.
The sharp aura reminiscent of a finely forged sword. Even though his height wasn't imposing, the pressure he exuded felt as if he were looking down from the heavens.
A man who carried such a presence could only be one person in all of the Central Plains.
The Sword King.
The head of the Namgung Clan had finally returned.
While we were overwheld by his aura and could only swallow silently—
“Father?”
“It seems you've made so progress.”
The Sword King suddenly smiled with satisfaction. For a mont, I wondered what I had just heard.
No, on his way here, he must've seen the ruined buildings and the chaotic state of things. Yet the first thing he ntioned was Namgung Jong’s progress?
Sure, considering how he’d been sparring with and others all day, occasionally receiving advice from Seorin, and now even experiencing real combat, it was only natural that he'd have improved to so extent.
Still, he was the head of the Namgung Clan and Namgung Jong’s father. Shouldn’t he have first asked what happened, or whether his son was hurt?
I didn’t think they were a family overflowing with affection like the Tang Clan, but I hadn’t expected that Namgung Jong’s progress would be his first concern above all else.
Not that it was wrong per se, but... there was sothing oddly off-putting about it.
So, both Tang Sowol, Seol Lihyang, and I were briefly taken aback, unsure how to respond.
Namgung Jong, however, showed no trace of resentnt. Instead, he simply nodded, full of sincere joy and pride.
“It was thanks to the help of new friends.”
“Indeed. All of them seem to be remarkable post-peak stage warriors.”
Only then did the Sword King turn to look our way and nod. Seeing that, I realized—
Ah, this is just how this family is.
I briefly nodded to myself. Then, Seorin gave a soft laugh and spoke up.
“It’s been a while, Namgung Dowi. Don’t tell you see this one as just another post-peak junior?”
“What kind of nonsense is that to blurt out as soon as you appear?”
The Sword King snorted and shook his head. He didn’t act like this was our first eting. Curious, I nudged Seorin lightly and asked,
“Senior Seorin, could it be that you’re acquainted with the Lord of the Namgung Clan?”
“Acquainted... is a bit of a stretch. He ca to once, made an absurd request, so I threw him out.”
“I’d heard a bit about it, so I figured you wouldn’t trouble this ti.”
“Ha! So you did know you were being a bother back then.”
She snorted in the sa way and... hid behind ? No, more like she kept pressing into my back. She was practically pushing forward.
Pretending I had no choice, I took a few steps ahead and asked,
“A request for the sword of the Seomun Clan, of all things... what was the nature of that connection?”
“It was nothing much. A few months after I had avenged my clan and gone into seclusion to reorganize our martial arts, he suddenly showed up and asked for the Seomun Clan’s sword techniques. Specifically, the sword forms.”
“Excuse ...??”
That was practically the behavior of a thug.
It felt like I had just glimpsed a side of the Sword King, a martial artist revered by swordsn everywhere, that was deeply disappointing.
Perhaps realizing how that sounded, Seorin added a correction.
“Mn. I may have phrased it too maliciously. To be precise, he politely requested it. Though I refused, of course.”
“Well, if it was like that... Still, he really wanted the Seomun Clan’s sword techniques?”
“That’s right. I never learned the clan’s fist techniques anyway. And since I have no children or disciples, the Seomun Clan’s swordsmanship would end with . He said it was a waste to let it disappear and asked to pass it on to him.”
“I see... I’ve heard that the Seomun Clan was renowned for its swordsmanship, but was it enough for the Namgung Clan to co seeking it?”
When I asked that, the answer ca not from Seorin, but from the Sword King himself.
“Not to that extent. The Seomun Clan’s sword was certainly excellent, but it could never compare to the Namgung Clan’s... still, it was a sword art I didn’t know.”
...Huh?
“The first reason was simply because I wanted to learn a sword I didn’t know. The second was that, even if it couldn’t match the Namgung Clan’s, the excellence of the Seomun sword was undeniable. Letting it vanish would be a sha. So, I went and asked.”
“Ha! Just because it’s a path I didn’t take, did you really think I would hand over the clan’s martial arts so easily?”
Seorin growled with as much ferocity as a puppy robbed of a bone.
But wait, didn’t she once say she’d teach everything if I just changed my na to Seomun Hwi?
I quickly shook my head to clear that inappropriate thought and jabbed her in the side again, this ti a little harder.
“?!”
“So, what ended up happening? I doubt the Sword King would’ve given up so easily.”
“You’re awfully persistent today... It really wasn’t a big deal. He tried to bribe with a box full of gold, offered to help rebuild the Seomun Clan, and so on. It was botherso.”
“I see. That does sound annoying.”
Back then, Seorin had just completed her revenge and was disillusioned with the martial world.
No wonder she was indifferent to promises of money or rebuilding the clan.
“In the end, I told him to take the martial arts I’d collected from my defeated enemies and get lost. This is the first ti we’ve t since. I should’ve given them to you instead of throwing them at that sword-maniac.”
“Sword-maniac, really... Still, he is the owner of the house we’re staying in.”
“You saw it yourself. He returned to find his ho in ruins and still brought up martial arts first.”
“Well... that’s true...”
I nodded before I realized it, and the Sword King let out a long sigh.
“What’s the point of asking things you already know? It’s clear there was a surprise attack, but you fended them off and threw them all into the dungeon. So the situation is mostly resolved. Judging by how many Namgung warriors were injured but few died, it wasn’t a major threat.”
“That’s all thanks to this one and Hwi.”
“Whoever contributed most, at least things didn’t get too serious.”
Look at that sharp tongue...
Whether or not Seorin sighed in exasperation, the Sword King continued speaking.
“How many tis do you think the Namgung Clan gets attacked each month? From lunatics who want fa and swing their swords recklessly, to scoundrels trying to extort sothing, to idiots who don’t even realize we’re the Namgung Clan and just attack blindly. Even now, our trade caravans and businesses are probably under minor attacks.”
“T-That much?”
“Being known as the greatest clan under heaven ans being at the top. You wouldn’t understand, being little more than a wandering rogue.”
“Kuh!”
Seorin’s expression contorted, while the Sword King Namgung Dowi smirked in satisfaction—though only briefly.
He soon let out a deep sigh.
“Of course, it’s rare for the main house to be attacked directly. I’ve never seen this much damage before. I don’t know exactly what happened while I was away, but it couldn’t have been ordinary. Still, you managed to handle it well. Then praise cos first. We can hear the details afterward.”
“Ah! So that’s why you said Young Lord Namgung had made progress the mont you saw him!”
Tang Sowol clapped her hands as if she finally understood. But the Sword King twitched an eyebrow and shook his head.
“No. I simply saw that he had taken a step forward, so I praised him. As for the credit for handling the attack, I was just about to acknowledge that.”
Tang Sowol clamped her mouth shut. He really was... a strange one.
Ignoring our stunned expressions, the Sword King casually patted Namgung Jong’s shoulder and finished his earlier complint.
Then he turned to us and introduced himself.
“I am Namgung Dowi. As for you all... You seem to be of the Sichuan Tang Clan. The girl over there looks familiar, but I don’t quite recall the others.”
He glanced briefly toward Tang Sowol, and we bowed politely in response.
“It is an honor to et the Sword King, sir. I am Cheon Hwi-da, who recently beca a son-in-law of the Sichuan Tang Clan.”
“S-Seol Lihyang, at your service.”
Namgung Dowi’s eyes widened slightly.
“Ah, the one the Black Lotus Sect Master gave the title of Blood Fla Sword Demon?”
“Yes. I am that Blood Fla Sword Demon, Cheon Hwi.”
A martial artist from a righteous sect would usually avoid ntioning such a nickna—especially one given by the Black Lotus Sect Master, and a na so ominous.
But now I knew. The reason Namgung Dowi confird whether I was the Blood Fla Sword Demon was not to reprimand for it, but simply because he was impressed I had earned such recognition.
“I see. You and the white-haired one... Co to think of it, the Lord of the Murim Alliance told not to use her old title. What should I call you, then?”
“Call this one the Head of the Seomun Clan.”
“Mn. Though you have no ho or family, I don’t know why you insist on that title—but if that’s what you prefer.”
“Eeit! We helped you when you were attacked, and this is the thanks we get?”
“I ant no offense. Regardless, it makes sense now. With the Blood Fla Sword Demon and the Seomun Clan Head here, it’s no wonder things were resolved smoothly.”
Namgung Dowi nodded. Sitting beside Namgung Jong, his face remained expressionless, but his tone grew markedly more serious.
“Well then, tell in detail what happened.”
Namgung Jong began.
“The attackers were from the Hwangbo Clan, Father.”
And with that, everything we had compiled spilled forth.
What had happened at the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly. The arrival of Hwangbo Gwang at the Namgung Clan. Our party’s visit to fulfill our prior promise of a match.
The crazed martial artists who later breached the Namgung walls.
Both Seorin and I added explanations from our perspectives. Since we had been thinking about and dealing with this for days, the explanation didn’t take long.
As Namgung Jong finished, he took a breath and concluded,
“It’s absurd. To think soone believed they could truly raise their martial realm like that.”
“The cleanup is mostly complete. From here, it’s just a matter of your decision, Father.”
“What decision? Most of the Hwangbo Clan’s forces are either dead or in the dungeon, aren’t they?”
“Yes.”
“Then their main house in Shandong should be empty.”
“So we heard under interrogation.”
“Then there’s no need to go all the way to Shandong. I’ll be entering the palace in ten days to assist the Imperial Prince’s training. I’ll explain the situation to His Majesty then. He’ll take care of it. Oh, but we should transcribe the Hwangbo Clan’s martial arts first.”
“Already underway. As for the prisoners, I’ll await the royal decree.”
“Well done. Now, about you all...”
Namgung Dowi looked our way and hesitated briefly before speaking.
“If it were up to , I’d ask what you wanted. But the current situation doesn’t allow for much. Funds and elixirs are needed in many places now.”
Rebuilding destroyed buildings and compensating injured warriors would cost a lot. There weren’t many deaths, but many were wounded and would need elixirs to heal their internal injuries.
“Besides, I doubt gold or elixirs an much to you now.”
He was right. The Tang Clan had plenty of money, and we had recently received elixirs from Clan Leaders Paeng and Eon, so we weren’t lacking.
It would be nice to have more, but what we needed was sothing else.
“So I thought about it... and decided it’s best to give what I’m best at.”
“And that is?”
The Sword King looked straight in the eye and said,
“I cannot teach you the Namgung Clan’s martial arts—but I can show you. That much should be fine.”
“That’s more than enough.”
For soone like , who had barely grasped the edge of willpower, the chance to experience the Sword King’s blade was more valuable than anything.
Seorin sotis helped with my training, but a swordsman and a fist-user had fundantal differences.
As I answered with a satisfied smile, Tang Sowol, Seol Lihyang, and Seorin slowly raised their hands behind .
“Um... any chance there are rare poisons, or maybe a venomous spirit beast nearby?”
“Ah, I’m fine with just elixirs...”
“This one plans to one day rebuild the Seomun Clan, so she needs money. Lots of it.”
Their cautious but firm requests made Namgung Dowi avert his gaze.
Then, with a grimace, he shut his eyes tight.
“Hey, will the wound be okay?”
It was autumn.
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