I Prayed for a Murim Reincarnation, But I Was Born as the Youngest Imperial Prince - Chapter 99

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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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The members of the Namgung Clan were furious when they heard that the betting odds for the established match were split down the middle.
“Even if the Main House is in a difficult situation due to having its assets expropriated, our Martial Arts remain intact.”
Although the Golden Dragon Guard had dug into their past actions and seized all of the Namgung Clan’s wealth, the people themselves were unharmed.
The Masters were all still there.
They had simply been placed in a position where, lacking money, they could not maintain their dignity and had to throw themselves into various tasks just to earn a living.
“Setting aside how warped public opinion has become, it is clear that we cannot leave things as they are.”
“Yes, quite right.”
The judgment of the world was directly linked to one’s prestige.
For Namgung Su’on, who was considered the next Patriarch of the Namgung Clan, to have his qualification as the Sword Dragon doubted?
If this continued, other factions would no longer bow their heads before the Namgung Clan as they had in the past.
‘Is the Namgung Clan only at that level now?’
‘Did we get scared for nothing and make excessive concessions in our various dealings?’
‘Do we really need to keep offering protection tax disguised as a bribe?’
They would begin to think such things one by one and start to break away.
Once the belief that no one in Anhui Province dared to oppose the Namgung Clan was shattered, and numerous underlings began to desert them in earnest, it would become uncontrollable.
They had to tighten their grip before that happened.
And the first link in that chain was the punishment of the fellow known as the Absolute Shadow of the Eunhak Sect, who had defeated and humiliated Namgung Hyeok-in.
‘Though the Main House cannot touch the Golden Dragon Guard…’
Regrettably, because the Zhuge Clan had taken the lead in bowing their heads to the Imperial Court and other hesitant Noble Clans had followed suit, the idea of the Wulin uniting to oppose the Imperial Family had fallen through.
The Vertical Alliance had failed, and it was now an era of Horizontal Alliance.
However, they had to maintain their status within the Wulin at the very least.
Bowing before the Imperial Family was something they could still endure.
Honestly, even Shaolin and Wudang knelt before imperial envoys.
But to lose even the title of Sword Dragon to some nobodies like the unheard-of Eunhak Sect?
That was completely unacceptable.
Namgung Un-seong, the current Patriarch and one of the Top Ten Masters, looked at his beloved grandson, Namgung Su’on.
“The weight resting on your shoulders is heavy.”
“I will make the world realize once again why the Main House is the ruler of the Wulin.”
“As you should.”
Regrettably, Namgung Un-seong’s children lacked martial talent.
Though he had fathered many offspring, none appeared capable of mastering the Imperial Sword Form.
Fortunately for him, however, his grandson Namgung Su’on possessed the perfect material to succeed him.
He had poured his heart into teaching him and had raised him to this point.
‘If my lifespan is sufficient, I can hand it over directly to my grandson. Even if it passes briefly to my children before reaching him, the Main House will rise again.’
As long as the Imperial Sword Form existed, the Namgung Clan could become rulers again at any time.
Having already managed his internal injury, he broke down the sword technique used by the Absolute Shadow in exhaustive detail, discussing how to counter it.
“It is an extremely aggressive sword technique, a killing sword heavily biased toward speed. Judging by the technique alone, the profound principles of balance within the Imperial Sword Form can bind that speed and easily break it, but…”
“We cannot ignore the tempo, can we?”
At Namgung Su’on’s response, Namgung Un-seong stroked his beard and smiled.
“Indeed. It would be more accurate to view the opponent you must break not as a pure swordsman, but as a warrior bearing both a sword and a shield.”
“He sounds much like a martial artist belonging to the military.”
“Certainly, quite a few warriors within the military utilize shields.”
However, even for a Wulin martial artist, using a shield was not exactly forbidden by law.
Nor did it deviate from Wulin customs.
Shouting that using a shield belonged to the Heterodox Path would only invite ridicule instead.
“Yet the Imperial Form can naturally suppress all things. It simply requires a little more effort. How will you subdue him?”
“How can a mere human resist the majesty of a ruler governing from high above? If he endures with a shield, I will simply crush the shield along with him.”
“Correct. The sword of our Main House, which possesses both hardness and flexibility, can easily shatter anyone who stands against it.”
The Changtian Jianzun nodded.
He believed that his grandson was not merely speaking words, but truly understood its essence.
“That fellow relies primarily on speed, and his management of the sword is truly insidious. Competing in clever trickery would actually be disadvantageous.”
Why would a ruler engage in petty tactical battles with his subjects?
He ought to crush them with overwhelming power.
That was the dignity befitting a sovereign.
“I shall do exactly that.”
There was no need to counter speed with speed.
That was precisely what the opponent wanted.
With an absolute power that left no recourse, he would dominate and suffocate every space the opponent could move into.
This was the Way of the King.
Winning the battle before it even began.
“Have you envisioned your victory?”
“Yes, it is already complete within my mind.”
“Then it shall be so.”
Beside their conversation, Namgung Hyeok-in just kept his head bowed like a criminal.
Since he had reported everything there was to report about the Absolute Shadow whom he had fought, he wished to withdraw from this agonizing place, but he could not.
The only reason his Secluded Cultivation, which originally should have lasted much longer, had been shortened was for the sake of this very meeting.
‘Yes, if my defeat serves as a stepping stone for the Sword Dragon’s victory, then it is not entirely meaningless.’
He had to comfort himself in that manner.
‘Surely the Sword Dragon won’t lose to those kinds of fellows, right?’
A sudden wave of anxiety surged for a moment, but Hyeok-in forcefully brushed it away.
Just because he had lost didn’t mean the Sword Dragon would lose too.
They might share the same Peak Realm in name, but the levels within it differed drastically.
Namgung Su’on, who had properly mastered the Imperial Sword Form, losing?
It was unimaginable.
Perhaps it would be different if the opponent were Shaolin’s Fist Dragon or Wudang’s Immortal Dragon.
Aside from those two, he could not fathom the Sword Dragon losing to any other Rising Star.
While both sides remained absolutely certain of their own victory, those seeking to protect the name of the Sword Dragon set out.
Those intending to seize it waited.
* * *
While waiting for the Namgung Clan, Seonwu placed a little bit of money on the betting pool.
Even so, he didn’t go as far as bringing out gold bars and throwing them around to disrupt the market, which was due to a shred of conscience.
‘It would totally ruin the mood if the Imperial Family openly joined in and caused a ruckus here, wouldn’t it?’
It would be troublesome if the betting became so overheated that people ruined themselves, but enjoying it together at a moderate level was just right.
After doing that, he had no particular tasks left, so Seonwu spent his time refining his own martial arts on one hand and listening to Jun’s lectures on formations on the other.
“…So when you are breaking a formation based on the Seven Stars, the most important thing to watch out for is not falling into the common trap of assuming the Alkaid star is the axis of the assault.”
“I see.”
Jun’s lectures, which pointed out only the absolute core elements, were incredibly easy to grasp, leaving Seonwu highly satisfied.
Of course, Jun’s teaching didn’t delve deeply into things from beginning to end; rather, it was closer to highly targeted exam tutoring.
It wasn’t as though Seonwu was studying to master every kind of formation under the sun, but rather to understand the general concepts so he could manage a minimum level of utilization and dismantling.
Still, it was an enjoyable time.
It was just that Dan Suyeong, who watched this unfold, felt a bitter pang inside.
‘Tsk, to think that irreverent bastard can be of such help to my lord.’
Confucius said.
Is it not a pleasure to learn and practice it at due times?
He could clearly see that his lord took pleasure in learning and practicing formations.
It rubbed him the wrong way that a cheeky brat was bringing more joy to his lord than he was as the closest bodyguard.
‘I cannot lose to him.’
He would absolutely present the name of the Sword Dragon to his lord.
Since his lord wished to boast that his right hand was the Sword Dragon, he would naturally ensure it became reality.
I must bring more joy to my lord than that disrespectful punk ever could.
* * *
Because the Wolyeop Sect felt a massive debt of gratitude toward Seonwu’s group, they willingly prepared the venue where this tournament would be held.
‘At any rate, watching the sparring between the two might provide the disciples of our sect with clues to improve their own skills.’
In exchange for preparing the venue, they also gained the priority privilege of watching from up close.
Since they now had plenty of financial leeway thanks to the compensation from the Huangbo Clan, this opportunity was far more valuable.
It also drew the attention of the surrounding areas to the point where, with a bit of exaggeration, every single person who considered themselves a Wulin martial artist in Jiangxi Province was flocking to the site.
Thanks to this, the local merchants enjoyed an unexpected boom.
And then, the Namgung Clan arrived.
For an affair like this, the Changtian Jianzun Namgung Un-seong did not come in person.
Instead, Namgung Unmong, one of the three Great Elders, led the group.
He was one of the three Transcendence Realm masters possessed by the Namgung Clan, and he was also the very person who had suffered embarrassment after granting Namgung Hyeok-in permission to spar with the Absolute Shadow.
In a way, he was there because he who tied the knot must untie it.
Even though the task ultimately rested in the hands of their prized Rising Star, the Sword Dragon Namgung Su’on, rather than Namgung Unmong himself.
The Wolyeop Sect was too small to accommodate all the gathered guests.
Therefore, they had packed down the earth in a wide open space to use as a sparring stage and set up ropes to mark the boundaries where the spectators could stand.
Since the weather was pleasant, this setup alone was perfectly fine.
To add to that, Jun had set up a simplified formation to maintain a certain degree of physical comfort in the area.
“You must be Elder Namgung Unmong, the Heavenly Wind Sword. It is an honor to meet you.”
Seonwu greeted the opponent upon seeing him.
Even though their true intention was to have a fierce showdown to decide who the real Sword Dragon was.
Where the winner takes all and the loser loses everything.
Even in such a duel, proper manners were essential.
Conscious of the eyes around them, Namgung Unmong also welcomed Seonwu with a smile.
“So you are the Chivalrous Dragon of the Eunhak Sect. The reputation of you and your junior disciples has been echoing through Anhui Province lately.”
“Haha, is that so? It is an honor.”
“Where is your junior disciple?”
“Knowing that he is about to spar with the renowned Great Hero Sword Dragon of the Namgung Clan, how could he not be nervous? He is centering his energy over there, so he will greet you after the match.”
“Mmm, I suppose that makes sense.”
They truly intend to compare their martial arts, and regardless of victory or defeat, promote mutual growth.
The two smiled at each other as if that were exactly what was happening.
‘This is quite fun too.’
Seonwu felt immensely satisfied, realizing how wonderful it was for a person to have breathing room.
In his past life, his stomach would turn whenever he had to force a smile in front of an abusive client.
But now, offering hypocritical smiles and maintaining polite formalities didn’t bother him in the slightest.
In fact, it felt like a sort of role-playing game, which made it quite entertaining.
This was all possible because his family possessed immense wealth and power.
It was truly a good thing to be born as a prince.
“No matter who wins today, there must be no lingering resentment.”
“Of course. We are simply hoping to learn a lesson from the Namgung Clan’s Imperial Sword Form, so what regrets could our sect possibly have, having only just made a name for ourselves in the Jianghu?”
Seonwu replied with extreme humility.
The Demon-Subduing Divine Dragon Sword quietly whispered from his side.
‘Hey, you told him to win, aren’t you being a bit too shameless?’
‘Are you starting to sound like Jun now? This is what we call social life.’
‘Hmph, I wonder if he can actually win.’
‘That’s exactly why I’m speaking this way. Just in case he loses, so the Absolute Shadow won’t feel too embarrassed.’
If you talk big as if victory is guaranteed and then lose, it becomes incredibly humiliating.
Though he trusted and cheered for the Absolute Shadow, as his lord, he had to secure an escape route for him.
* * *
Muyyeonggae stood upon the dueling platform as the referee.
‘The fact that the ground is packed earth rather than stone could act as a variable, but when you actually fight in the Jianghu, the ground is often dirt anyway.’
You can’t exactly ask a demonic monster why it’s rampaging in a paddy field and tell it to come over to a proper training ground, can you?
Since the conditions were identical for both, neither side could have any complaints.
“Ahem. Well then, from this moment forth, we shall hold the sparring match between the two young masters of the Namgung Clan and the Eunhak Sect. Since both individuals are rising stars whose names are ascending in the Jianghu through their sword techniques, I hope they will gain something valuable by testing their blades against one another.”
While he spoke in that manner atop the dueling platform, the sentiment below was entirely different.
Even though they whispered cautiously, everyone knew the truth.
“If the Namgung Clan loses this, the title of Sword Dragon gets stripped away, right?”
“To be honest, it’s already half-stripped. If they just sit back, it’ll naturally pass over, so they’re trying to settle it cleanly with a single match.”
“That’s true. They took down Jinguo Manei, and furthermore, they even forced the Patriarch of the Huangbo Clan to wear a blade. Although the Sword Dragon has suppressed his share of demonic monsters and practitioners over time, the Eunhak Sect’s achievements are on a completely different level.”
In terms of sheer achievements alone, the two martial brothers of the Eunhak Sect had already surpassed the Sword Dragon.
“In fact, looking at their deeds, aren’t they the foremost among the rising stars? Even Shaolin’s Fist Dragon or Wudang’s Immortal Dragon haven’t done this much…”
“In the first place, no ordinary sect would send their rising stars into such dangerous battles.”
That was correct.
The outcome just happened to turn out well, but deploying a rising star—who represented the very future of a sect—to stop a conspiracy capable of wiping out the entire Zhuge Clan was actually an absurd choice.
While practical experience was necessary, it was proper to assign tasks of an appropriate difficulty.
Or, even if they were to eliminate a great archdevil on the level of Jinguo Manei, the elders of the sect would normally step forward while the rising star bearing the ‘Dragon’ title accompanied them just to gain insight.
That was the rational way to nurture a rising star.
Because the Eunhak Sect found itself in a situation where they had no elders to speak of, these young masters had wound up entangled in an abnormal crisis.
“Well, it’s not like they jumped in knowing everything; they just happened to get caught up in it, right?”
“Even so, moving forward without showing fear in that situation takes a level of courage that ordinary people simply don’t possess.”
“That’s true. Especially regarding the Huangbo Clan affair, I heard they took the lead in running the investigation without refusing the Prefect’s request.”
“Didn’t the Prefect say so himself? If it hadn’t been for the cooperation between those two and the Earth Dragon, this matter would never have been brought to light.”
In truth, the Prefect was merely a puppet acting precisely as Seonwu commanded, but that was how the story had been framed for the public.
“And the Scholar of Demonic Beasts, who is Jinguo Manei’s disciple, is no ordinary demonic head either.”
“The demonic practitioners are probably grinding their teeth at those two from the shadows. To draw the resentment and attention of such villains without any sect elders to protect them, yet show no fear—their righteous spirit is truly towering.”
Although they spoke carefully, Elder Namgung Unmong, who had come to represent the Namgung Clan, overheard all of these whispers.
‘Tsk, that was a close call. It was a good thing we made a decisive move.’
The information matched what he had already heard within the clan, but confirming the atmosphere directly on the scene carried a different weight.
The stakes placed on the match by both sides were evenly split.
This fact alone was profoundly unfavorable.
For the world to view the martial arts of the great Namgung Clan’s Sword Dragon as equal to those of a young martial artist from a small sect that amounted to barely two vagabonds?
Furthermore, when it came to achievements, everyone judged that these two greenhorns from the Eunhak Sect had accomplished far greater things than their own Sword Dragon.
If things continued like this, those fellows truly would have usurped the name of the Sword Dragon.
‘True majesty stems from the opponent naturally prostrating themselves.’
Just because the Namgung Clan had suffered at the hands of the Imperial Court and lost its wealth, to have even their martial prowess doubted?
If they had to fight every single detractor to re-verify their status and demonstrate their superiority, the toll on them would be far too immense.
They had to halt the desertion with a single victory right here.
‘We just need to win. If we win…’
Then the grand achievements accomplished by the two greenhorns of the Eunhak Sect would simply become deeds that the Namgung Clan’s Sword Dragon could have performed as well.
The world would conclude that the timing simply hadn’t aligned for him, and that the Namgung Clan was, as expected, powerful.
The elevated name of the Eunhak Sect would instead become a sacrifice to elevate the Namgung Clan even higher.
In the unlikely event that they lost…
‘I don’t even want to imagine it.’
There was no need to consider such a possibility.
He knew better than anyone the brilliant talent of Namgung Su’on, who had mastered the Imperial Sword Form.
‘There is not even a one-in-a-million chance that he could lose to a rising star from some nameless sect.’

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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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