I Prayed for a Murim Reincarnation, But I Was Born as the Youngest Imperial Prince - Chapter 52

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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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Meanwhile, Jun set to work preparing the formation repairs and spoke to Seonwu.
“About that junior disciple of yours.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep him in check.”
“You… you really will, right?”
“What’s this? Are you more worried about the Namgung Clan than about me?”
Jun scowled.
[Hey, man! Do you really think that’s why!]
[Heh heh, it’s a joke, a joke. As if I wouldn’t know what’s on your mind.]
[Anyway, I agree that the Namgung Clan is arrogant and obnoxious, but let’s let it slide this far.]
[Is that what you call the mutual courtesy between the Five Great Noble Families?]
[It’s because if you get serious right now, a single mistake could spin completely out of control.]
The moment His Highness King Wuryong, the Fifth Prince, reported to the Imperial Court that ‘the Namgung Clan presumed to call themselves the Emperor of Anhui right in front of the royal carriage, so I rebuked them for sacrilege, yet they dared to show anger,’ a minor squabble would instantly turn into a Literati Purge.
From Jun’s perspective, it was terrifying.
[Come on, don’t create such a distance between us. I’m starting to feel genuinely hurt here.]
[I trust you.]
Jun trusted Seonwu.
Therefore, he could rest assured that Dan Suyeong would not make the first move either.
However…
Before beginning his inspection for the repair work, he made a request to his uncle, Zhuge Hui-yun.
“Uncle.”
“What is it?”
“Please speak kindly to the Namgung Clan so they will generously overlook the matter regarding my young friends.”
“Tsk, I know you consider that senior disciple to be your soulmate, but do you really owe him enough loyalty to go that far?”
“I beg of you.”
I think the Namgung Clan is obnoxious too, but I’m worried that things might go wrong and cause a bloodbath.
Unable to reveal his true thoughts, Jun could only say that much.
“Sigh, fine. I shall at least pass along a word. But do not hold too much expectation.”
Hearing his uncle’s words, Jun predicted it would be completely useless.
Thanks to the cultivation method he obtained by being born into the Zhuge Clan, his mind was sharper than in his past life, and he could calculate these things instantly.
‘Uncle will give a half-hearted word, and the Namgung Clan will just ignore it.’
Then let’s see.
If anyone could control Namgung Hyeok-in, it would be his superior, Elder Namgung Un-mong.
‘Given that old man’s temperament, oh boy. He’ll have told them to teach those two a lesson without a doubt.’
Just how far would Seonwu endure?
He didn’t seem like the type to endure someone picking a fight with him first.
‘Sigh, it looks like I’ll have to step in.’
The fate of the Namgung Clan rested upon him.
He only hoped that Seonwu’s personality hadn’t changed too drastically over the course of twenty years.
The problem was that, in certain situations, even if Seonwu intended to let it go, those around him might not.
‘I have to do something before the matter escalates that far.’
Jun temporarily halted his work for now and went to find Seonwu.
* * *
Seonwu, who had been feeling bored anyway, greatly welcomed Jun’s visit.
“Oh, do you finally have some time to rest?”
He had been staying out of the way so as not to disrupt the work.
Of least, Seonwu hadn’t truly just been loafing around.
Taking advantage of this gap, he was conducting his own form of training by reassembling the martial arts he had learned so far within his mindscape.
Yet, just because he spent his time productively didn’t mean he wasn’t bored.
“Actually, I have a lot to do, but there’s something I’m concerned about.”
“What is it?”
Jun first deployed a Soundproofing Formation to verify the security once more.
“It seems highly likely that the Namgung Clan will provoke you in some manner before long. Probably targeting your junior disciple rather than you.”
“Hmm? Don’t tell me they’re seriously going to retaliate just because of that single comment about the emperor being sacrilegious back then?”
“They will.”
Seonwu found Jun’s words absurd.
“No, honestly, weren’t they the ones who made a slip of the tongue? Of course, being called out on it to their faces wouldn’t feel great, but to hold a petty grudge and dig up some other pretext later? Are they really that small-minded?”
“You must have seen plenty of petty people in your life.”
Of least, it wasn’t purely out of small-mindedness.
Dan Suyeong could easily shrug off a challenge thrown as a provocation over the emperor matter.
On the flip side, authority could also be maintained through thorough retaliation.
The Namgung Clan was trying to protect that authority which dictated that no one should dare displease them in Anhui.
“…Still, I didn’t expect my Namgung Clan to act that way.”
“Wait, why is the Namgung Clan your clan?”
When Jun asked back in sheer disbelief, Seonwu grumbled.
“It’s because you haven’t read the works where the Namgung Clan features as the protagonist, overflowing with style and romance.”
How cool were the protagonists in those works titled ‘The Namgung Clan’s Something-Something’!
Man.
The Imperial Sword Form.
Man.
The Boundless Firmament Sword.
It was intoxicating.
Watching Seonwu exclaim how cool the Namgung Clan was even while being targeted by them, Jun shook his head from side to side.
‘Right, this bastard was a severe, hardcore wuxia fanatic.’
How intensely he used to recommend this and that to him, telling him to check them out.
Since he had read a few of them himself, he had been able to adapt a bit more easily when he reincarnated.
“So, what are you going to do if that Namgung Clan picks a fight with your subordinate? Just let them off?”
“Well, even for a provocation, it depends on the specific level. No matter how grand the Namgung Clan is, I won’t tolerate my people being harmed.”
As expected, ‘my people’ came before ‘fanboyism.’
“They will likely mock the Eunhak Sect or use some other method to provoke him into a martial duel. And there, they’ll humiliate him severely. If they go harsher, they might even inflict a major injury.”
“An injury?”
“They might even leave him with a permanent disability. Of course, that’s only if they go truly ruthless, so it might not reach that extent. Don’t take it as a certainty just based on my words.”
“Hmm, a martial duel… who would step up as the opponent?”
Jun could answer that easily.
“There’s no way the Family Head or the Third Elder would step up. That would actually diminish their prestige, making it look like the Namgung Clan needs to deploy figures of that caliber just to handle a young master.”
“Then at most, it’ll be someone else in the Peak Realm?”
“I expect the Changchen Sword Squadron Squad Leader who was involved in the dispute will step up personally, following the principle of he who tied the knot must untie it.”
At Jun’s prediction, Seonwu pondered for a moment.
‘Hmm, being petty is being petty, but isn’t this a great opportunity to witness the sword techniques of the Namgung Clan?’
Of course, my person, Dan Suyeong, must not get hurt in the process…
“Hold on. I want to discuss this with Dan Suyeong before deciding.”
Seonwu immediately summoned Dan Suyeong.
“Did you call for me, Senior Disciple?”
“Jun says that the Namgung Clan will likely provoke you into a martial duel to retaliate for the dispute from before.”
“If you command me to endure it, I shall do so.”
Dan Suyeong could not fathom that Jun already knew Seonwu’s true identity.
Hence, he behaved like a junior disciple, though to any onlooker, he was indeed a junior disciple who was ‘highly courteous and followed his senior well.’
“Hmm, the Family Head and the Third Elder are out of the question, but if you clash with the Changchen Sword Squadron Squad Leader, can you win if you want to?”
“If you permit it, of course.”
Dan Suyeong replied instantly.
Anxious, Jun intervened.
“Of course, I understand that Young Master Dan possesses no ordinary martial prowess, but the Changchen Sword Squadron Squad Leader has passed forty years of age. The Boundless Firmament Sword Technique is also a truly magnificent art, renowned throughout the Wulin.”
Seonwu agreed.
His father had placed the Boundless Firmament Sword within the Second Grade of the Earth Pavilion.
Though it wasn’t the First Grade, considering how illustrious the martial arts placed in the Second Grade were, it was undoubtedly formidable.
“I am aware that the young master’s sword technique is also extraordinary, but… would it not be difficult to guarantee victory?”
Naturally, Jun had heard that Dan Suyeong’s true identity was a Golden Dragon Guard, who had received intensive training and investments of spiritual medicine to guard Seonwu.
Yet, he questioned whether that was enough to overcome a gap of twenty years of experience.
“Furthermore, even if you win, if both sides end up severely injured in a state of mutual destruction, it would render the victory meaningless. It would be wise to deliberate carefully.”
“That will not happen.”
Dan Suyeong cut him off firmly.
If his lord commanded it, he would win.
“Hmm, with your Iron Ox Invulnerability Qigong, I doubt you’d be in serious danger… but if you try to win while keeping it hidden, can you still win then? If it’s too much, we can devise a different strategy, so tell me accurately.”
Jun added his piece as well.
“A good report isn’t about giving blind reassurance of victory, but about relaying the exact situation so that the correct decision to advance or retreat can be made.”
Phrased that way, Dan Suyeong recalculated.
Winning without exposing the Iron Ox Invulnerability Qigong…
If he were commanded to win even at the cost of his life, he would gladly comply.
To lay down his life to repay the grace and fulfill his loyalty was his deepest desire.
However, if the opponent’s sword touched his body, his mastery of the Iron Ox Invulnerability Qigong would naturally be revealed.
Could he defeat Namgung Hyeok-in without allowing a single strike to connect?
Since he had not personally witnessed the opponent’s martial arts, it was uncertain.
If he guaranteed it and inadvertently caused his lord to formulate an flawed plan, that would be the ultimate disloyalty.
Then what should he do?
“In that case, it is difficult to guarantee. However…”
“However?”
“I believe I could still give it a proper contest.”
Seonwu weighed the gains and risks of accepting this martial duel.
‘What I gain first and foremost is witnessing the sword of the Namgung Clan.’
Of course, if he returned to the Prince Mansion later and ordered the Namgung Clan to demonstrate it, they would certainly come.
But that would be a cautious display performed before a king.
The chance to see their genuine, raw sword techniques deployed with the intent to overpower was rare.
On top of that, a clash between his own man, Dan Suyeong, and the Squad Leader of the Namgung Clan’s Changchen Sword Squadron!
‘This stimulates my instinct for power rankings; it’s far too good to pass up.’
Another gain was entertainment.
And one more thing.
‘I can overlook a certain amount of arrogance in words, but this current behavior crosses the line. Though it’s not enough to inflict a massive punishment on the entire family…’
He wanted to ensure they suffered a proper embarrassment.
It would be perfect if they lost the duel, causing those who plotted this affair to lose their standing within the clan instead.
It would be resolved if Dan Suyeong won.
Then, what stood to be lost?
‘With Dan Suyeong possessing the Iron Ox Invulnerability Qigong, he won’t be severely injured…’
Instead, if things got complicated, the fact that he mastered it might be exposed.
But would that be a major issue?
It wasn’t an absolute secret to begin with, was it?
‘It’s something that would be revealed upon encountering a powerful foe anyway, and he even used it during the recent fight with the Qingjuebiao.’
The merchants simply lacked the discernment to recognize it.
“Alright. Let’s do this. If they truly pick a fight and invite a martial duel, accept it. I’ll secure some armguards in advance. And as for the Iron Ox Invulnerability Qigong, keep it hidden as a trump card if possible, but if you must use it to win, then use it. Never get hurt trying to save it.”
“I shall follow your will, Senior Disciple.”
“Then I’ll look forward to it. Let’s take down the pride of the arrogant. It seems perfectly acceptable to deliver a lesson of that scale.”
Seonwu beamed at the thrilling development of a duel between the Namgung Clan and his own right-hand bodyguard. He was also glad to dish out a small lesson.
Dan Suyeong was pleased to have an opportunity to punish a sacrilegious individual by his lord’s command.
Though he could not take the man’s head due to the constraints of a martial duel, the defeat alone would deal a fatal blow to the man’s reputation.
Watching the two who were ultimately eager to fight, Jun smacked his lips.
‘My original goal was to avoid it if possible.’
But there was no way that guy would let an opportunity like this slip away.
Thus, after sending Dan Suyeong out, he negotiated from a different angle.
“Hey, you aren’t going to punish the Namgung Clan too severely over a mere martial duel, right?”
“Of course not. Even if Dan Suyeong loses, I’ll let it slide. Holding a grudge over a match would make me the petty one, wouldn’t it?”
“Hmm.”
“Provided they don’t inflict a malicious injury through foul play.”
I won’t tolerate my people getting hurt.
Seonwu smiled as he spoke of basic principles, but Jun made his decision.
It was cleaner in many ways for Dan Suyeong to just win.
‘The Namgung Clan would be embarrassed twice, but if they went so far as to launch a petty retaliation over the results of a duel, the rumors would humiliate them a third time.’
It would likely conclude with Namgung Hyeok-in being placed into Secluded Cultivation.
Conversely, if Hyeok-in won, and it wasn’t a clean victory but rather one where he inflicted a malicious injury under the guise of a duel to punish Dan Suyeong?
‘There’s no telling what would happen…’
The current Seonwu held the power to punish injustice in his hands.
He would not hesitate to use it.
For the sake of his friend’s peace of mind and for the survival of the Namgung Clan members.
Jun resolved to assist Dan Suyeong.

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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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