I Became the Namgung Clan’s Omnipotent Item-Powered Martial God - Chapter 19
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 19
Episode 19 – The Eyes Upon Him
#1
The Martial Families.
A clan bearing a single surname was, by nature, a fiercely independent entity.
Those who revealed neither martial arts nor information to anyone outside their own bloodline.
Yet two such families had become one.
Originally, the Namgung Clan had taken wives from unnamed martial houses or wealthy merchant families.
But this time, they had chosen to merge with the Sacheon Dang Clan.
He remembered there had been considerable resistance from the elders…….
In any case, Dang Ho-yeon did not dislike his grandson Namgung Yeon, who spoke with such confidence.
But simply handing things over would be no fun.
Though the boy’s talent was desirable, surely there had to be something in it for the old man as well.
“Become my guardian……. Then what will our grandson do for his grandfather in return?”
“Grandfather, I know why you’ve come here.”
“Do you? I came to see your mother and father, didn’t I?”
Dang Ho-yeon spoke smoothly, with artful innocence.
His true purpose lay elsewhere, but this was what he had to say here.
What could this boy possibly know.
If he learned that the old man’s life was running short, and that he had come seeking precious materials because of it…….
‘No, no—that cannot be revealed.’
News like that would shake not only the Dang Clan but the Namgung as well.
So there was nothing for it but to deflect.
A mishap during his research into poisons had left him in this state.
An absurdly pathetic incident, especially for one who bore the title of Poison King.
Of course, Namgung Yeon knew all of it.
Eventually the old man would recover on his own, though it always took considerable time.
In unlucky iterations, he would not recover at all, but pass away instead…….
He had judged it better to simply cut that span of time drastically short.
‘After all, it was a trivial matter.’
In hindsight, something of this magnitude would prove insignificant, so best to settle it quickly and gain the guardian’s position.
How could he possibly refuse the man who had given his grandfather a second life.
So this time too, he had decided to employ his infinite knowledge.
“Grandfather, I know your health has been poor.”
…….
“And I know what you need.”
An elixir pill drawn from the depths of his vast memory.
A precious thing.
An elixir pill crafted from materials found only in the deepest recesses of Hwang Mountain.
The miraculous elixir, refined beneath the clear qi that flowed from the peaks of Hwang Mountain, would purify the poisonous qi coiled around the heart.
The Pure Heart Lotus Pill.
“Take this, Grandfather.”
“What is this?”
“Yeon, you gave this sort of elixir to your mother before as well…….”
By this point they should have grown suspicious, yet they did not.
In the Namgung and Dang Clans, such elixir pills could be manufactured in any quantity if one simply knew the ingredients.
“For two years, please protect me and my companions. That is the price of my saving your life, Grandfather.”
…….
Dang Ho-yeon stared at his grandson with a look of shock.
Where in the world had this boy sprung from.
With dazed eyes, Dang Ho-yeon received the elixir pill.
As he felt the qi contained within it, he could not help but marvel.
“Wherever did you come by such a noble formula?”
“What else was there to do while bedridden.”
“Heh heh……. Then will you serve as this old man’s protector?”
Namgung Yeon nodded.
A man who had always devoted himself to Sacheon.
Watching the figure of his maternal grandfather, still young in appearance, he suddenly became aware of how hollowed out he had become, living in this manner.
‘Now I’ve reached the point where young and old faces blur together in my sight.’
A trick of the eye—wrinkles that seemed both there and not there.
Two faces wavered and overlapped like a mirage dancing before him.
Because it was the last time, he wanted to grasp it more clearly, and the emotions and memories he had buried deep began to surface, seeping through like spring thaw.
‘The attack will come regardless.’
Besides, there were insiders among the group.
When should he tell his father and mother?
Not yet—it wasn’t the time for reckless haste.
The right moment would arrive naturally in due course.
#2
As his father’s gaze shifted and his mother’s eyes began to fill with wonder.
He had even managed to change his grandfather’s eyes.
“Ha-ha-ha-ha! Fine, I’ll do it! I’ll be your guardian!”
With that affirmation secured, Namgung Yeon left.
His objective was singular.
If an attack came that he couldn’t handle alone, he would ask for help once.
And continuous spending money.
That much was enough.
Having settled the matter, Namgung Yeon looked at his mother, who stood in a daze.
Then he spoke.
“Haven’t you taken it yet?”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
“The Elixir Pill.”
“It seemed too precious to take just yet…….”
So Yeon smiled sheepishly.
Namgung Yeon reassured her with a look.
There were plenty more where that came from.
So please, don’t set it aside for the sake of your children—look after yourself instead.
Only then could she escape the bonds of sacrifice that had always driven her to give so freely to her children.
“If Mother would take it, I would be most pleased. Should I tell you it is my life’s greatest wish, would you grant it?”
“Is that truly what you wish for—that I take this medicine?”
“Yes.”
He had always been a child who dutifully accepted even bitter herbal broths without complaint.
Had there ever been a time he had made such a forceful request?
And where, precisely, did such a miraculous pill come from……?
She wanted to ask so much, but she held her tongue.
“You brought it from outside, didn’t you? That Elixir Pill.”
“You could say so.”
“I’ve heard there have been many hardships. Don’t push yourself too hard.”
“Don’t worry. And if needed, I can bring more, so please don’t trouble yourself over the pills.”
“I’ll ask your father to take an Elixir Pill today.”
Only then did a bright smile cross Namgung Yeon’s face.
It was deep relief.
His mother, So Yeon, wore a strange expression as she watched him.
It was as if her son were trying to protect her.
“I’ll take my leave now.”
“……Very well.”
Namgung Yeon bowed deeply and departed.
These were Elixir Pills made with a formula not yet known to the world.
Even if he pressed his informants, they would turn up nothing.
Yet it was absolutely necessary.
‘Without them, this Murim would have no value worth saving.’
Namgung Yeon walked on quietly, holding that thought.
Below him lay the grand vista of the Namgung Great House.
Everyone down there lived pursuing their own goals.
But among them, there would surely be forces seeking to topple this vast iron fortress.
Why not move against it now?
Words carry weight only when backed by strength.
Now was the time to steadily build his power.
The moment his words began to carry not just justification, but authority.
Then the Namgung Great House would stand, intact and whole.
The final fortress of the Murim. The strongest sanctuary.
A true Alliance Leader whom all martial artists could trust and follow.
#3
“You’re looking well.”
“Yes, indeed. How could I not, serving a sage as luminous as the Master?”
“I suspect there’s more to it than that.”
Tomorrow he would have to depart for Hapsan.
Hoho’s expression seemed unusually bright.
Though naturally cheerful and open-faced, today he appeared even more radiant.
Namgung Hyuk thought he understood why, and pressed a little further.
Hoho laughed somewhat sheepishly and opened his mouth to speak.
He still wore the Paekyong Chain, so he couldn’t exercise his Martial Art freely.
Yet even so, the shift in how others perceived him must have stirred something within him.
“The old looks haven’t entirely faded, but… those people who used to torment me no longer approach me.”
“As it should be.”
“Following the Master’s call may have become the turning point of my life.”
“You’ve entered a different life from theirs. You’re already a true Martial Warrior, aren’t you?”
……
What does it mean to be a Martial Warrior?
Some would say one must learn Martial Arts, others would say it’s one who survives a fierce battle.
So what would Namgung Yeon himself call a Martial Warrior?
A Martial Warrior is one who draws a blade.
And one who draws a blade must inevitably face terrible consequences.
Whether it’s blood spilled from one’s own hand, or one’s own blood spilled……
Hoho had already grasped the sword of his own will, and accepted the result.
‘His momentum has shifted, his aura transformed.’
There is a saying: a Martial Warrior recognizes another Martial Warrior.
Beneath that lies the growth of one who accepts consequences and walks forward calmly.
Hoho was growing.
In the next battle, he would likely acquit himself well enough.
“If you continue to show such change, those who scorn you will gradually disappear.”
“Do you truly think so?”
“Of course. Though the path won’t be easy. There are many who believe that if one’s origin is lowly, so too must be one’s end.”
……
Hoho nodded quietly.
He believed every word the Master had spoken.
Now, where had Park Man-ho gone?
“Where has Man-ho disappeared to?”
“The Elder called for him briefly, he said he would return shortly.”
“Hmm… I see.”
A guardian called away without permission, then……
Normally it would merit caution, but if it was the Elder of the Namgung Great House, the matter was different.
The Elders of this great family wielded authority without limit.
Those he would need to bring under his dominion someday.
‘His choice will determine the future’s path.’
Park Man-ho.
How well could he keep his silence?
Namgung Yeon didn’t particularly worry.
Had he disliked the guardian assigned to him, he would have replaced him immediately.
By now, the preparations were nearly complete.
Clink.
Namgung Yeon gazed at the Demonic Spirit Sword placed beside him.
Hanging limp like that, it resembled a hungry pet waiting for food.
As he stroked the blade, he felt it tremble ever so slightly beneath his fingers.
“Fear not.”
Soon I’ll let you feed your fill on the energy you crave.
Namgung Yeon considered what lay ahead.
Through countless loops, the future had always shifted moment by moment.
Yet among them were things that never changed, events that inevitably occurred.
Incidents bound by the chain of destiny, whether he intervened or not.
One of those contingencies was an event that would unfold during the two years of training that lay ahead.
She trained in preparation for it.
Moreover, she had to protect her subordinates, nurture their growth, and forge them into true members of the Namgung Clan.
‘Variables, then…….’
Namgung Jin.
Namgung Gun-ho.
And the others.
Also, her siblings, with Namgung Jin foremost among them.
And soon, her younger sister Namgung Hwa-yeon, barely a year her junior, would begin to make contact.
The mind of the Namgung Great House.
The sister who had earned a reputation rivaling even the Jeol Family for her schemes and cunning intellect.
Her brilliant mind sometimes led her to the brink of her own ruin, yet she was an asset that could not be spared.
“Third Squad Leader? Hello there?”
“You’ve come.”
Speak of the devil, and the devil appears.
A girl emerged with her entourage, her voice bright and animated.
A strange wind swept through the quiet Separate Residence.
Namgung Yeon, who had been sitting on the stone steps, rose slowly to her feet.
At the sight of her, the visitor’s eyes—Namgung Hwa-yeon’s eyes—shifted.
Namgung Yeon understood the meaning of that gaze.
Fear.
She was afraid of her.
‘Fear me all the more.’
What I need for my path is your cunning and your mind—not your doubt, not your rivalry.
Namgung Yeon’s eyes, fathomless as an abyss, widened as if to swallow the young girl whole.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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