I Became the Namgung Clan’s Omnipotent Item-Powered Martial God - Chapter 22

Before long, martial arts training had fallen to the wayside for these people.
Surviving the games of politics and power was its own form of strength, certainly.
Yet the Namgung Clan was already undergoing a subtle transformation.
“Our aim cannot be merely to curry favor with those aging fools.”
The younger generation of the Namgung Clan Estate, gathered now at his side, listened to these words.
Namgung Yeon gazed upon them and spoke.
“We must become something greater.”
More excellent.
More benevolent.
More transparent…….
The pillars upon which the Namgung Clan and the Murim could stand firm, no matter what crisis should come.
That is what we must become.
#2
“How long do you think it will take?”
“Yes, sir. I’d say at least three months. Everyone is working hard enough, as the wages are fair, but…….”
“That seems slow. Is there no way to finish within a month?”
“A month? I, that’s simply impossible. We’re only human…….”
He understood.
Expanding the Training Grounds and adding various new facilities.
Simple enough to speak of, but in the end it was work that required people to move their bodies with their own hands.
And this was the Namgung Clan Estate.
One careless mistake, and it would not be surprising to lose one’s head.
Money had drawn them here, certainly, but the demands were excessive.
But was he asking for shoddy work?
Of course not.
“I understand. It’s difficult work, naturally. I’ve prepared something—why don’t we distribute it among the workers?”
“What is this?”
“Something good for the body.”
Qingyuan Water.
A diluted version of the priceless Spirit Medicine known as Yong Qingyuan Water.
It restored a small measure of vitality and, when consumed by ordinary folk, infused them with the vigor to work without tiring.
A sort of lesser Spirit Medicine, its defining characteristic being the towering stockpiles of it in storage.
“Try a sip.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
Surely the great Namgung Clan Estate would never poison something in a place like this.
The foreman leading the workers tasted the Qingyuan Water cautiously.
It was refreshing and cool, and at the end there came a slightly bitter flavor, like tea leaves.
Moreover, when consumed by a Martial Practitioner, it could even enhance Inner Energy.
This was the true nature of Qingyuan Water.
“Ohhhh……!?”
“How is it? You should feel your strength rising tremendously.”
“This, something so precious, bestowed upon lowly ones like us…….”
“You’re building my home—where is the shame in that?”
A young master with such philosophy.
He bowed his head in a posture of deepest respect, then clasped his fists in salute.
Reverence absolute.
Three months? What did that matter.
He felt now the determination to complete the work within a month, no matter what.
But Namgung Yeon’s proposals were far from finished.
He had paid well enough, but here he needed to give more, to make certain.
“If you complete the work within a month, I will give you double the advance payment we agreed upon.”
“You, you truly mean it!?”
“I do. And that’s not all—I’ll speak well of you, too.”
He knew what mattered most to those who lived day-to-day on wages like these.
The petty employer who counted every coin.
The contractor who sought to cheat them of their due.
When a man was buffeted by such people long enough, he could come to hate humanity itself.
And yet to openly rebel was to ruin one’s reputation.
Reputation and trust.
These were the currency that mattered most.
To them, these two things were everything—as precious as a martial arts manual.
But would the direct heir of the great Namgung Clan Estate truly understand such circumstances?
‘And yet… remarkably, this man knows it all.’
There was nothing better than a superior who grasped your situation precisely.
Even without special interference, a person who rewarded you by results alone was the best.
Before long, the work supervisor had become utterly captivated by Namgung Yeon.
“One month! We’ll see it done, no matter what!”
“If you run short on Qingyuan Water, just tell me. I’ll provide whatever you need.”
“Thank you!”
The beginning was promising.
They set about their work, drawing from the massive vat of Qingyuan Water.
As he watched the workers hurry off, Namgung Yeon sensed movement beside him.
“What’s the point of looking after such people.”
“Why, should I get you a drink too?”
“I don’t need it. All you have to do with those bastards is drive them hard. They’re just parasites wasting money.”
Yi Hyeon.
And Namgung Jinzin.
The two who had left the Golden Dragon Chain behind in a corner.
Yi Hyeon, who had been part of Namgung Jinzin’s circle, grumbled his words.
Namgung Jinzin, too, seemed to agree tacitly, saying nothing.
Yes, this was typical thinking for the children of renowned families.
All the more so in this era.
Class still existed, and the world moved on the basis of grasping at meager power.
When the time came and the entire Murim was engulfed in turmoil, they would understand.
‘In the end… before ruin, there is no distinction of rank.’
A person’s life holds no weight—high or low.
The moment of that realization comes in many forms.
He could only hope that understanding would not come at the cost of his own life.
Namgung Yeon gazed at the two and could only wish.
You will, in the end, labor for the Murim.
You must follow me and become a precious resource.
“I need to draft a training schedule.”
The Third Branch Competition must have seemed simple to them.
He intended to make them feel bone-deep how wrong they were.
#3
Namgung Yeon filled in the training schedule with his brush.
A grueling curriculum that ran from dawn to dusk.
Ho Ho, watching quietly beside him, spoke up.
“Will the martial practitioners be able to manage all of this?”
“Do you think they can’t?”
“It’s not that exactly…”
Ho Ho glanced back over his shoulder.
Namgung Jinzin and Yi Hyeon, was it?
Those two were originally skilled and had maintained steady physical conditioning, so they should be fine, but…
The rest seemed to him to have entered the competition merely to claim a place.
To look at it plainly, it was a murderous schedule.
Could they… actually handle this?
“What do you think?”
“Me, sir?”
“Yes.”
“May I speak frankly?”
Ho Ho asked cautiously.
Namgung Yeon handed him the schedule and nodded.
Ho Ho exhaled quietly and ventured to speak his thoughts.
“Frankly, I think it will be difficult to manage completely. There are so many other things I need to attend to.”
“And?”
“But I intend to do what I can. Surely you won’t begrudge me a little training in my spare moments?”
If you were the young master…?
Ho Ho spoke with care.
Namgung Yeon smiled and nodded.
“Right. Just don’t slack off. Do your best within what’s possible.”
“Thank you.”
Ho Ho’s main duties were still cleaning, cooking, and various odd jobs.
Supporting those who participated in the Third Branch Competition as actively as possible.
This was the work of the cleaners dispatched here.
“But what about those ones?”
……
Namgung Yeon watched those still looking about uncertainly.
People were like that—give them kindness and they’d only presume further.
“Perhaps you’ll catch up to them before long.”
“Pardon?”
Namgung Yeon didn’t answer Ho Ho’s question and instead approached the gathered group.
Now it was time to truly act as Group Leader.
“Everyone, gather around.”
……
“Within a month, new quarters will be completed. Until then, you’ll use the existing old building.”
Just down the slope lay the Stream, where gathering water would mark the beginning of each day.
Namgung Yeon brought up that matter first.
“As Group Leader, I’m setting one rule.”
“What is it?”
“From now on, whenever you leave these Training Grounds, you’ll carry the Golden Dragon Chain on your person.”
“Are you in your right mind?”
Yi Hyeon was the first to object.
The roughness hadn’t worn off him yet.
Namgung Yeon rolled his cold, expressionless eyes toward him.
‘How am I supposed to reform these bastards?’
“If I’m not in my right mind, will you challenge me?”
……
“Before dawn breaks, two of you will carry the Golden Dragon Chain and fetch water from the Stream. You’ll rotate. There are no exceptions.”
In other words, I as Group Leader will do this too.
Then he gestured toward the back.
Where construction was actively underway.
The workers moved about with enthusiasm, busy with their tasks.
“Do you want to fully enjoy those facilities? Then you need to train and grow stronger.”
Especially you lot.
Namgung Yeon spoke while watching those whose faces had flushed red before returning to normal.
“If you don’t get serious, you’ll be left behind eventually.”
……
“Who knows—you might find yourselves spending time slandering those around you. Isn’t that right?”
Namgung Yeon’s eyes gleamed with a bleak light.
True training was beginning.

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