I Became the Namgung Clan’s Omnipotent Item-Powered Martial God - Chapter 68

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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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Chapter 68
Chapter 68 – The Road to Meeting an Old Friend
#1
Training continued without relent.
At some point, the cadets began to approach it with genuine seriousness.
They dug deeper with relentless focus, and started studying martial texts in earnest.
Bit by bit—very slowly, but surely—they had begun closing the gap between themselves and Namgung Yeon.
It was proof that their skills were advancing incrementally.
‘Indeed, they show some promise.’
Namgung Yeon’s martial prowess was no simple feat.
Though he might be a dull student by nature, he had invested far more time than most geniuses, grinding away countless hours in pursuit of strength.
To watch them gradually, painstakingly narrow that gap was always a source of wonder.
“Kyyaaaah… At this level, I ought to be—”
“You’ve improved considerably.”
“Haha! Now I can say I’ve mastered how to counter spear attacks!”
“Is that so…?”
Namgung Yeon’s eyes grew cold.
Then he proceeded to pummel Yi Hyeon with more than a hundred different techniques.
“Kgh… No… how could—what on earth—”
“Until now, I’ve merely been matching your level, boy.”
……
Yi Hyeon wore an expression of utter despair.
There was once a man who declared he would reach the pinnacle of martial mastery with nothing but a spear.
People called him the Spear King.
The Eight Kings of the Martial World.
And the Seven Sovereigns of the Martial World.
The names given to the strongest individuals, whether orthodox or heterodox, in all the martial realm.
The Spear King had earned his place among them through his wondrous mastery of the Spear Technique.
‘And I’ve only been mimicking his style…’
The path ahead of these cadets would be long and treacherous.
Namgung Yeon had no intention of going easy on them.
If they did not train ruthlessly here, he feared they would soon witness loss and suffering once more.
“Keep your wits about you and continue your studies.”
“Spit… Blast it. Just wait and see.”
“Remember? Tomorrow your workload doubles.”
“Nnnngh…”
Yi Hyeon despaired far more at the doubling of tomorrow’s tasks than at the defeat itself.
Defeat had become so familiar now that it barely stung.
Or perhaps he was finally beginning to accept it.
That Namgung Yeon was someone they must follow, and a true Group Leader.
“Speaking of which, I’ve a question.”
“What is it?”
“If you were to receive a mission, what sort would you wish for?”
“Me? Obviously a subjugation mission.”
Namgung Yeon nodded slowly.
Of course—they would all prefer subjugation missions.
Search missions required tracking traces, which was still beyond them; escort missions were mostly tedious.
Men like Yi Hyeon and Namgung Jinjin would naturally prefer subjugation missions, where they could expect to hone their skills.
It was the same for all Namgung warriors.
They were obsessed with displaying their own strength.
‘But you must learn something else as well.’
Missions were not about displaying one’s skill, but about gradually changing the world, bit by bit.
Extending influence, working together for the stability of the martial realm.
That was the true nature of the Namgung Family’s missions.
Of course, by now they had become terribly corrupted…
As Namgung Yeon sank into thought, the voice of Gwang Min, the chief instructor, reached his ears.
“There is an announcement.”
At last, it seemed missions had been distributed.
#2
Missions fell into four broad categories.
[Escort]
[Subjugation]
[Search]
[Defense]
Escort meant protecting merchant caravans or important figures.
Subjugation referred to eliminating bandits, criminal gangs, or organized crime rings.
Search meant literally searching for lost items or clues related to something one wished to find.
Finally, Defense meant protecting key strongholds, villages, cities, or fortifications.
“We’ll take this one.”
“An escort mission, then. You’ll be accompanying the escort caravan heading to Hubei.”
“Yes. That suits us well.”
Namgung Yeon had chosen the escort mission.
Though it was called an escort mission, most of the actual work would fall to the seasoned martial artists on staff.
As this was their first assignment, it was really more of an observation—a chance to learn.
“So we’ll be traveling up the Yangtze River to Hubei and back. Shouldn’t be too difficult.”
“True. And besides… the fact that Hwanghakmnu is our destination pleases me.”
The danger grade was Lower-Middle.
All they had to do was journey up the Yangtze and return—there was hardly anything demanding about it.
‘Fengyun Escort Agency, then. That place had plenty of incidents later on, if I recall.’
Fengyun Escort Agency.
An escort house that claimed to seek prosperity, yet they were anything but what they professed.
Well, this worked out conveniently.
He could have orchestrated this as well, but there seemed no need to do so.
Still, thorough preparation was essential.
He was already thinking of using Man Ho again.
The man was reliable enough; he wouldn’t disappoint his expectations.
Namgung Yeon gazed quietly at the mission card in his palm.
Then a voice tinged with discontent reached his ears.
“For improving our skills, wouldn’t Subjugation or Defense be better than Escort?”
“You think so too?”
“I have to agree with that chatterer on this occasion.”
“Yeah, yeah. Our timid friend here agrees as well, doesn’t he?”
Wouldn’t you reconsider?
Namgung Jinjin asked carefully, and Yi Hyeon chimed in from beside him.
So the two had grown close enough to call each other by nicknames now.
Namgung Yeon mused on this, then opened his mouth.
They didn’t understand it yet, but this world didn’t run purely on skill alone.
As important as building strength was cultivating good judgment about people and situations.
Understanding how an organization truly functions, knowing what weaknesses it holds—only then could one make it move as one wished.
And that was precisely the purpose of these external assignments: to sharpen that eye.
“If you want to become a martial artist who charges about like a thunderbolt, then by all means accept only Subjugation missions.”
……
“But you two are destined to become leaders of some organization in time, aren’t you?”
“Well… yes, I suppose.”
“Then it would serve you well to observe how people move and act during an Escort mission.”
There was purpose behind his choice, he explained.
Namgung Yeon concealed his true intentions while ensuring his words landed clearly.
Truthfully, accepting a Subjugation mission would have made no difference.
Any mission he undertook at this point amounted to much the same thing anyway.
But still.
‘The Yangtze region is ideal terrain for demons to stage ambushes.’
Water routes always have blind spots.
If they waited in such a place and struck at the right moment, there would be nowhere to flee—total annihilation.
That’s how it had always gone for Fengyun Escort Agency.
And at this time, they would all be thoroughly corrupted.
The fortunate part, however, was that someone would be getting involved in this matter.
Changtian Guard.
They would catch the scent and move.
And with the added opportunity to visit Hwanghakmnu, it was truly killing two birds with one stone.
‘Soon, I’ll be able to see that face.’
The three of them will soon discover what the true world is like.
No matter how one might deny it—they had grown sheltered, like hothouse flowers.
This was a reality they would have to face eventually.
The world beyond the Namgung Family is far more brutal than one might imagine.
“Prepare thoroughly. And Man Ho.”
“Yes, young master.”
“I have a task for you.”
“I understand.”
Their departure was set for one month hence.
Until then, there was much to be done.
Namgung Yeon returned to his quarters and laid out the preparations he had made for Man Ho.
Muhan’s Ledger.
Night Pearls.
One hundred of them.
This should be sufficient as capital.
Yes.
I said they must learn of the world, but that doesn’t mean they should stake their lives on the lesson.
Namgung Yeon had made a resolve.
From now on, he would not lose anyone precious to him.
“There is work to be done with these. And send word to Grandfather as well.”
……
At the magnitude of this undertaking, Man Ho swallowed hard.
One hundred Night Pearls.
And not just any Night Pearls—a hundred of the largest ones.
How much could all this possibly be worth?
“Hire people. And… we’ll need to manipulate the market.”
“Manipulate… the market?”
“Yes.”
That was the only way to excise the rot from the Fengyun Escort Agency.
Namgung Yeon’s gaze grew darker still, descending into fathomless depths.
#3
Man Ho pondered the question.
Whom should he seek out to satisfy the young master’s expectations?
He had never seen so many Night Pearls before, and he had no idea how to proceed.
<Go to Qingyang. Find yourself a fine establishment to dine in. If you do, destiny will present you with a connection.>
It was a cryptic instruction.
Why not simply speak plainly about where to go?
Man Ho swallowed his complaint, but then recalled Namgung Yeon’s nature and shook his head.
“There must be a purpose to it. I shouldn’t think ill…”
This was the man who had raised him from what would have been an ordinary martial artist.
In a sense, a fated connection, a noble soul, a teacher.
How could he harbor complaints toward such a person?
It was unthinkable.
He slapped his own cheeks twice before setting out.
Qingyang, then…
Wasn’t that near where Huangshan lay?
There was certainly a famous pavilion in that region.
Man Ho’s pace quickened.
One month.
‘I must move swiftly within that time.’
He shouldered the bundle containing the hundred Night Pearls with reverence and climbed into the carriage.
Namgung Yeon had even provided guards along with the pearls—a display of remarkable foresight.
Where did all this wealth come from?
Did the Family Head know about it?
‘I haven’t the faintest idea.’
“You’re heading to Qingyang? That’s quite a distance.”
“Much obliged.”
“Sure thing. Long as the coin’s good, I’ll go anywhere~.”
The affable driver urged the carriage forward at a steady pace.
Indeed, money moves people.
After pressing a generous fee into the driver’s palm, the coachman hummed tunelessly as he urged the carriage forward.
Man Ho stared out the window, his mind adrift in thought.
What scheme was Namgung Yeon plotting?
And besides, the elders’ loyalists seemed to be stirring again.
It was at that very moment.
“Aren’t you Man Ho?”
“……Mm?”
Several riders approached on horseback.
Men who served under the elders and carried out their duties.
More precisely, they were comrades who had once shared meals with him.
“Where are you headed?”
“Just running an errand.”
“An errand……?”
“Yes. There are things Young Master Yeon asked me to obtain.”
“Ah…….”
They sent him a skeptical glance, but soon turned their heads away.
Then, quite naturally, they began to speak of Namgung Yeon.
With a subtle undertone of contempt.
“You’ve certainly landed on your feet. No more hard assignments for you now, eh? Just staying beside the Young Master and living at ease.”
“……Well, I suppose you could say that.”
“Lucky you. We envy you—wish we could spend our twilight years like that, laughing and carefree.”
Man Ho fell silent for a moment.
Then he smiled faintly.
In the old days, words like that would have pricked his pride, but now they seemed to touch nothing in him at all.
Perhaps comfort truly did that to a man.
And then.
‘Swing your spear your whole life if you like—will you ever grow as strong as me?’
It was a sense of superiority he didn’t need to voice aloud.
Abundant wealth.
And a comprehensive training facility stocked with spirit medicines for overwhelming martial advancement.
Suddenly, he began to feel pity for them.
“I hope it happens for you all. As for me, I’ve never known such happiness.”
“…….”
“Take care now~.”
Man Ho waved goodbye with a smile.
Watching them stare after him, slowing their horses to a stop, he found himself laughing without meaning to.
Yes, go on—work yourselves hard.
“A true friend…….”
To find a friend in the truest sense of the word, Man Ho set out on the road to Qingyang.

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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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