Emperor Namgung Mu of the Thousand Years - Chapter 86

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

#086

His finger pointed at the space between my eyebrows.

“….”

The wind blew.

The canola flower field swayed.

No sound could be heard.

The world seemed to have stopped.

That finger.

The finger that had burst the Hyeongsan Sect Leader’s head.

The finger that had torn fifty warriors to shreds.

It was now aimed at the space between my eyebrows.

“The Divine Protection Badge is one per person, only once. Unconditional salvation. Nothing more than that.”

Sword Master Hwirong’s voice dropped low.

“Don’t act above your station.”

“….”

I didn’t avoid his gaze.

“Ha. Look at those eyes.”

Seo Ganghyeok sighed.

“You could really die.”

“How scary.”

“Scary?”

Sword Master Hwirong laughed as if he found it absurd.

“For you of all people to say that makes it even more ridiculous to me. The manifestation of intent that surpassed killing aura when you activated your blood technique back then would have made even the Sun and Moon Sect’s Cult Leader step back.”

“….”

“Do you even know why the usually calm Ha Song suddenly got so agitated like that… Never mind. It’s bothersome.”

He withdrew his finger.

He looked down at me as I sat slumped.

The golden eye looking down at me against the backdrop of the white full moon was cold as ice.

“Boatman Namgung Hwi, what do you want so badly that you run forward like a mad messenger who only looks ahead?”

I had no hesitation whatsoever about that question.

“My goal is to take control of the Namgung Family.”

“Why?”

I didn’t hesitate about that either.

“To reclaim my past, my lost life, my pride, all of it. And to take revenge on the culprit who made me what I am now.”

“Even without the support of all Five Great Patriarchs? Your foundation is weak. Getting the support of all five patriarchs who sustain the current Namgung Family is far too unrealistic, regardless of the family head’s recognition.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll move forward regardless.”

Seo Ganghyeok looked down at me and spoke in a skeptical voice.

“…That’s a dangerous statement. Boatman Namgung Hwi. There are three young masters above you. A massive stone tower built up rapidly can shatter in an instant. Especially in the current family system with the Five Great Patriarchs structure. You’re making a dangerous statement right now. Without perfect support from the Five Great Patriarchs, even if you procedurally become Young Master, war could break out beyond internal strife against the remaining patriarchs.”

“Do you think I don’t know that? And do you think I’d stop because of it?”

I gritted my teeth.

“I don’t take reality lightly more than anyone. I feel more than anyone how cold this reality is and how shitty it is to me. But at the same time, if I had backed down thinking ‘it won’t work anyway’ while keeping such things in mind, I would have already died long ago with gold needles stuck all over my body.”

“…Then.”

Sword Master Hwirong Seo Ganghyeok withdrew his finger.

“If you want to become the master of the Namgung Family. And if you want my true support beyond that.”

Seo Ganghyeok spoke while breathing white mist under the moonlight.

“Prove once that you’re an existence that matches the latter of the two directions I estimate your future will extend toward. I’ll present you with two goals.”

Seo Ganghyeok’s golden eyes gleamed coldly.

“Then even if all the remaining patriarchs become hostile toward you, even if all of the Namgung Family tries to kill you. At least I will be on your side.”

I spoke in a calm voice.

“Good. Then what are those two goals?”

Seo Ganghyeok adjusted his iron mask.

He raised one finger.

“Obviously, first become the Young Master of the Namgung Family. That’s the first one.”

“What’s the second?”

“This might sound like nonsense depending on who’s listening. I don’t expect it at all either… but just in case, should I tell you?”

Seo Ganghyeok’s second finger was raised.

“Show me that you possess the Wheel Destruction that can break the chains of reincarnation.”

“…Wheel Destruction? Reincarnation…?”

These were words I was hearing for the first time.

“What the hell is that?”

“If you’re really that existence, you’ll definitely come to know what it is. If you don’t know, you’ll never know. You wouldn’t know about Hwasaengsimdan or such things in the first place. Enough of this complicated nonsense. Ah, I shouldn’t have mentioned this. Forget the second option. Just focus on becoming Young Master. What was I even talking about…”

I think some strange words just passed by.

Before I could ruminate on them again, Seo Ganghyeok adjusted his iron mask and changed the subject.

“Anyway, until you become Young Master, I’ll watch over you and perform my role as Hwirong Patriarch without anything special on the surface. What I mentioned is assistance beyond that, as someone truly on your side. Do you understand what I mean?”

“I understand.”

“Good. Soon your residence will be moved from the annex to our Hwirong Hall as well. We should get along well.”

…This time it really seems like something strange just passed by.

“Since we’ll be living in the same building, it wouldn’t be good to return to an awkward relationship, right? Hmm? It would make meals hard to swallow.”

“Excuse me. Wait a moment.”

“Give me some time. Even for me, sudden emotional adjustment is difficult. Honestly, it’s hard to go from being completely serious to laughing, you know?”

I was dumbfounded.

But before asking questions, I first nodded my head.

Above all, it would be a loss for me to maintain this uncomfortable and awkward atmosphere with someone who is one of the Five Great Patriarchs.

Since the superior Hwirong Patriarch had mentioned it first, I’d be an idiot to miss this opportunity.

“That makes sense. Then how many days would it take to clear the air? I’ll be careful during that time too.”

“Hmm… since the matter is what it is, I’m human too… let’s be generous.”

Sword Master Hwirong put his hand to his forehead and pondered deeply.

He covered his face with his palm.

Then he spread five fingers on his other hand.

I nodded my head.

That seemed reasonable.

After all, we had both reached the extreme of emotions.

“I understand. About five days should do it. Then let’s promise. After five days, like true men, we’ll act as if nothing happened-.”

Sword Master Hwirong’s fingers folded.

Four… three… two…

“….”

“Ta-da!! Haha! Hwirong Patriarch perfect recovery!”

…How can a human being be so childish.

“Patriarch, let’s just go.”

“Okay.”

That unbearably light attitude that answered readily does seem to have returned for sure.

He speaks again while trudging along the path.

What follows until we arrive at the Namgung Family is probably trivial chatter.

“Come to think of it, I’ve been curious for a while, but what will the Hwirong Trading Company you dream of establishing sell?”

“Well. What should I sell?”

Is he insane?

I managed my expression and asked.

“What are you going to sell? Someone who’s never even drawn a picture is going around bragging that running a trading company is their dream?”

“Won’t the future general manager think it through well?”

I made up my mind.

Even after retiring from the Martial Arts World, I must never join that trading company.

If I become the general manager, death from overwork is guaranteed.

“Then why did you sing so loudly about running a trading company when you don’t even know what to sell? You might as well be a comedian instead. Yeah, being a comedian sounds good. Just do comedy instead. At least you’d make money. What advantages does a trading company even have?”

“I could do comedy on the side, and while running a trading company and busily touring the Martial Arts World…”

Sword Master Hwirong seemed somewhat stimulated by my question and pondered for a moment.

Then he said.

“If you’re always meeting new people, selling things, and living busily, thoughts of death disappear far away.”

“Who did you hear that from?”

“The sect leader of the Kunlun Sect.”

“…”

“Oh, and.”

Sword Master Hwirong said while walking.

“Stop calling me Master.”

“…What?”

“It’s too stiff. There are four other masters besides me. The titles get confusing. Especially for someone who’s going to become Young Master.”

I was puzzled by those words.

Was this someone who cared about titles?

“If I don’t call Sword Master Hwirong ‘Sword Master Hwirong,’ then what should I call you?”

“I’ve thought about this very deeply and profoundly, like a list of goods I’ll sell in my future trading company.”

He didn’t think about it at all.

Sword Master Hwirong Seo Ganghyeok grinned.

“Senior Brother. How about Senior Brother Seo?”

“…No, what kind of…”

I was dumbfounded.

“We don’t even have the same master or belong to the same sect. What’s with this random ‘Senior Brother’? Are you in your right mind?”

“If there’s no sect, we can start one ourselves. I don’t have a main sect, and you’re technically a masterless boatman despite being with the Namgung Family. I’ll be the founding patriarch, so want to try being the first sect leader? Haha.”

“The law-respecting elders of the Martial Arts World would clutch their necks and cough up blood if they heard this. Do you think master-disciple relationships are child’s play?”

“I killed all those Martial Arts World elders, so it’s fine.”

I was speechless.

Come to think of it, I forgot this was the guy who said he could just kill Heaven after swearing an oath to it.

Seo Ganghyeok glanced at me.

“Hmm… I guess it’s still bothering you?”

“Of course it…!”

I cleared my throat and composed my voice that had jumped up, then continued.

“Anyone with enemies in the Martial Arts World would be bothered. I guarantee even the Green Forest has a clearer lineage than this. You know what? If it were someone ignorant saying this, I’d just let it slide, but it’s twice as infuriating coming from you, Master.”

“Is that so? Alright. I understand.”

Then Seo Ganghyeok struck his palm with his fist.

“Then how about this? When people ask why I’m your senior brother, just say my name itself is Seo Sahyeong. Not many people know my real name is Seo Ganghyeok anyway. Don’t worry.”

Is this bastard seriously insane?

I was at a loss for words.

“…You just thought of that, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. Pretty good, right?”

“This is seriously messed up.”

“The world’s already messed up anyway, so what’s one more spoonful added to it?”

Seo Ganghyeok shrugged.

His golden eye gleamed under the moonlight.

“And I’m being pretty generous by playing along with your nonsense and letting things slide, thinking you must have your circumstances. This much is fine, isn’t it?”

“…!”

“Besides, I’m not grabbing some random person and being unreasonable. Someone who carved Kunlun’s martial techniques into his body and even claimed to have inherited the sect leader’s sacred item through a Kunlun inner disciple – if he’s not my junior brother, then who is?”

“…”

“I may be unreasonable, but I’m not making up completely baseless claims, you know? Puhehe.”

…Did he know everything and still let it slide?

No. That can’t be.

…I don’t know.

I can’t tell what’s planned and what’s improvised.

He’s truly a madman incarnate.

His purpose doesn’t align with common sense.

His actions are incomprehensible.

I can’t figure him out.

But.

“Ha… really.”

Strangely, I found myself starting to chuckle at this absurd nonsense, beyond just being dumbfounded.

I scratched my head vigorously.

“You really drive people crazy. The same person who just threatened to blow my head off with his finger is saying what exactly…”

“Let’s say that’s our sect’s culture. Good, right? Haha. We’ll expand from there and run a trading company too. Let’s do comedy as well. Wow, just thinking about it makes me feel good. Tell me to continue the story. Isn’t this form a happy story?”

“Ha, really. Damn it… Pf, uhaha.”

I laughed without realizing it.

“I really don’t know anymore. Just do whatever you want. Senior Brother Seo.”

Even I felt awkward at the casual words that came from my mouth.

Senior Brother?

Senior Brother, huh.

It’s absurd.

Right. This is really just wordplay.

So let’s not attach meaning to it.

“Great! Junior Brother! It’s been so long since I’ve called someone junior brother, and it feels really good!”

Then Seo Ganghyeok muttered quietly.

“…Even if it’s just wordplay.”

And his face brightened again.

“Anyway, it rolls off the tongue so well! It really is good, right? My junior brother! Hehe!”

I sighed.

…This guy too.

No matter how much he pretends to be empty-headed, he’s ultimately the same type as me.

Right.

If that’s the case.

“Let’s go, Senior Brother Seo. And on the way, tell me what other tricks you pulled on my body.”

“Come on, would I have messed around just to make my junior brother’s body collapse while walking?”

“You’re exactly the type who would do that, that’s the problem.”

“As expected of the junior brother who was cursing at his senior brother.”

“…Didn’t we agree to forget about what happened before?”

“This lady is also curious about what was so amusing in those words.”

A voice like a shard of ice suddenly interrupted.

It was calm yet noble.

At the edge of the canola flower field stood a woman with a translucent veil flowing down to her shoulders.

Red robes and a veil covering her head.

When she pushed the veil aside with her long fingers, what was revealed were blazing red lotus eyes.

Red threads wrapped around her white wrists and shoulders – Flame Cutting Silk.

Legs stretched out under her red robe, gleaming in the moonlight.

I had seen her from beyond the bamboo blinds.

I could immediately tell who it was from that distinctive form and voice.

Sword Master Yeomjak.

Under the white moonlight, she looked back and forth between the two of us and spoke curtly.

“Hwirong, what took you so long? Even though there were orders from the Master, for me to have to come out here personally is quite displeasing.”

“Ah, Yeomjak. Sorry.”

Seo Ganghyeok pointed at me.

“I was carrying my junior brother.”

“Ah.”

I closed my eyes.

Sword Master Yeomjak muttered blankly.

“…Jun…ior brother?”

I will never forget Sword Master Yeomjak’s face that followed for the rest of my life.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————