Ice Dragon of Namgung - Chapter 10

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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 10
After the Entrance Ceremony concluded.
Namgung Geom and the first-year cohort gathered in the training grounds of Changyong Pavilion.
For context, Changyong Pavilion admitted a new cohort of students each year.
After five years of cultivation, they would select one of the Three Great Sword Sects and formally join.
Thus Changyong Pavilion maintained five cohorts—first-year through fifth-year.
The education of the first-year cohort fell to the Chief Instructor, Namgung Pil.
Namgung Pil stepped forward before the assembled students.
“You likely know this already, but I’ll make a formal introduction. I’m Chief Instructor Namgung Pil, and I’ll oversee your education from this day forward.”
At Namgung Pil’s words, the first-year students responded with applause.
Namgung Pil raised a hand to quiet them, then continued.
“From now on, myself and the instructors behind me will teach you martial arts and guide your cultivation.”
Five training instructors stood arrayed behind Namgung Pil.
All were in their thirties and thoroughly versed in the Changyong Three Swords.
“If you fail to follow an instructor’s orders or neglect your training, know that you may be expelled from Changyong Pavilion at any time. Apply yourselves completely to your cultivation.”
“Yes, we understand.”
The first-year students answered in unison at Namgung Pil’s warning.
“Furthermore, Namgung Geom, who entered at the highest rank, will serve as cohort leader. Namgung Geom, as leader you must set an example and guide your peers well.”
“As cohort leader, I will take the lead in all matters and serve as a model for my peers.”
Namgung Pil’s expression showed satisfaction at Namgung Geom’s reply.
“Then we shall begin instruction now. Henceforth, you will learn and cultivate the Changyong Three Swords.”
At Namgung Pil’s words, anticipation flickered across the students’ faces.
The Changyong Three Swords were advanced martial arts—the highest rank of technique accessible to Branch Line students.
Whether the Direct Line could master them or not, for Branch Line students to learn the Changyong Three Swords was like a dream.
“But first, you must decide which of the three sword methods you will study.”
Students at Changyong Pavilion fundamentally selected and mastered one of the three sword methods.
Choosing a method suited to one’s nature and temperament was crucial.
To do so required first understanding the Changyong Three Swords.
Only by knowing what each method entailed could students determine which suited them.
“The instructors will now demonstrate the Changyong Three Swords. Use this to decide which method is right for you.”
The instructors came forward in turn and displayed the Changyong Three Swords.
First came the Changgung Sword Method, followed by the Cheonpung Sword Method, and finally the Seomjeon Sword Method.
After the instructors finished their demonstrations, the students contemplated which method suited them.
The overwhelming force of the Changgung method? The adaptability of the Cheonpung? The speed of the Seomjeon?
They could not decide easily.
Namgung Geom was the exception.
He had already received instruction in the Three Great Sword Methods, which stood above the Changyong Three Swords.
He had no need to deliberate over which of the three to learn.
Instead, he considered which method would suit each of his peers.
Namgung Cheolwoong, he thought, would suit the Seomjeon Sword Method.
The Seomjeon method emphasized sudden speed and destructive force.
With Namgung Cheolwoong’s monstrous strength, he could maximize the power of the Seomjeon method.
Namgung Cheongsang, by contrast, was suited to the Changgung Sword Method.
The essence of the Changgung method lay in holding the sky within the blade.
In the Changgung method, Sword Spirit mattered more than technique itself.
Without achieving Sword Spirit, one could not unleash the true power of the Changgung method.
Developing Sword Spirit required exceptional Five Senses as a foundation.
For Namgung Cheongsang, who wielded his sword with mind rather than muscle, the Changgung method was ideal.
Next, Namgung Chang suited the Cheonpung Sword Method.
He was already cultivating the Cheonpung method among the three, after all.
Namgung Chang’s proficiency in the Cheonpung method was already quite advanced.
There was no reason to abandon it for another method.
Besides, Namgung Chang wouldn’t heed his advice anyway.
Finally, Namgung Geom considered which method would suit Namgung Seol.
He had assessed her abilities through their match.
By her nature as a woman, she emphasized technique over raw strength.
Moreover, her coordination of footwork and sword technique surpassed that of her peers.
Considering everything, the Cheonpung Sword Method seemed best suited to her.
Namgung Geom approached Namgung Cheolwoong first.
“Which sword method are you thinking of learning?”
“What’s it to you?”
Namgung Cheolwoong’s expression twisted with irritation as he shot back the question.
“Still, as cohort leader, I can’t just watch my classmates make the wrong choice.”
“So you’re going to pick a sword method for me?”
“The choice is yours. I’m just offering advice.”
Namgung Cheolwoong studied Namgung Geom for a moment, then asked, “So what sword method suits me?”
“The Seomjeon Sword Method would serve you best if you want to make the most of your strength.”
Namgung Cheolwoong nodded.
He’d been considering the same choice.
Namgung Geom said nothing more, knowing full well that Namgung Cheolwoong had already decided.
He also offered counsel to Namgung Cheongsang and Namgung Seol.
Namgung Cheongsang had already set his mind on the Changgung Sword Method, so he needed no guidance.
But Namgung Seol found herself torn between the Changgung Sword Method and the Cheonpung Sword Method.
She accepted Namgung Geom’s advice and resolved to study the Cheonpung Sword Method.
As for Namgung Chang, Namgung Geom offered him no separate counsel.
He was already training in the Cheonpung Sword Method, as mentioned before, so there was no need.
Namgung Geom approached the other cohort members and advised each on which sword method would suit them best.
Once all the students had made their selections, the instructors divided them into three groups by sword method.
The Changgung group, training in the Changgung Sword Method, had nine members.
The Seomjeon group, training in the Seomjeon Sword Method, had nine.
The Cheonpung group, training in the Cheonpung Sword Method, had ten.
The instructors began teaching by group, each leading those who practiced their own method.
Namgung Geom joined the Changgung group and began his instruction.
In truth, he had no need to learn the martial arts anew.
He’d already received the Three Great Sword Methods from Namgung Pae, and solitary training would have been enough.
But his reasons for coming to Changyong Pavilion went far beyond mere martial cultivation.
His real aim was to build a faction of his own.
And the first step in that endeavor was to win his cohort to his side.
For that, it was crucial to build bonds with them.
That was why he’d deliberately chosen to train alongside them.
The Changgung group’s instruction began with the transmission of the Changgung Heart Method.
The Changgung Heart Method was a generalized version of the Changgung Daeyeon Heart Method, stripped of its highest incantations.
Namgung Geom had trained in the Changgung Bing Hwa Divine Art, which drew the Changgung Daeyeon Heart Method as its foundation.
The incantations and subtle principles of the Changgung Heart Method were already woven into the Changgung Bing Hwa Divine Art itself.
His understanding and insight into the Changgung Heart Method far exceeded that of the Changgung group’s instructor.
The instructor spoke briefly with Namgung Geom about the heart formula of the Changgung Heart Method, and immediately grasped this truth.
“Student Namgung, it seems you have no need of instruction. You should pursue independent cultivation.”
The instructor assigned Namgung Geom to train on his own.
But that was not what Namgung Geom intended.
“If I may be so bold, rather than training alone, I would like to help my cohort mates master the Changgung Heart Method.”
“You wish to teach your fellow students?”
The instructor’s brow furrowed.
“The instruction of students is your responsibility, sir. I merely wish to offer a few words of guidance from the side.”
Namgung Geom had chosen his words carefully, mindful of the instructor’s dignity.
To openly presume to teach the others while the instructor stood present could easily wound his pride.
The Changgung group’s instructor was initially skeptical of the idea of student teaching student.
Yet he came to realize that Namgung Geom’s understanding and insight into the Changgung Heart Method could indeed be invaluable.
Moreover, if the students’ progress accelerated through Namgung Geom’s assistance, that could only be a blessing.
“Very well, let us try it. But you must not overstep the bounds of my own instruction.”
“Of course, sir.”
With the instructor’s permission granted, Namgung Geom first observed his cohort mates as they studied.
The Changgung Heart Method was an advanced technique, one stage higher than the fundamental Daeyeon Heart Method.
Its incantations were correspondingly intricate and complex.
The number of meridians through which internal energy flowed was far greater, and the methods of energy circulation were varied and demanding.
Without exceptional talent, it was difficult to master quickly.
As expected, the members of the Changgung group struggled with the Changgung Heart Method.

To be accepted into Changyong Pavilion meant you possessed at least the fundamental talent.
Yet even with that baseline, the Changgung Heart Method proved formidable.
Namgung Cheongsang, the most accomplished of the Changgung cohort, couldn’t master it immediately either.
Namgung Geom decided to simply observe for a day.
He could have offered help at once, but a day spent wrestling with the problem and attempting various approaches would be more instructive in the long run.
The next day came.
Namgung Geom approached his cohort mates in the Changgung group and offered to assist them in their training of the Changgung Heart Method.
The response split into two camps.
Some thought he was showing off and refused his help, while others who recognized his skill eagerly sought his guidance.
Namgung Cheongsang fell into the latter category.
Namgung Geom didn’t force his assistance on those who declined it.
But for those who genuinely wanted his counsel, he gave his instruction freely and without reserve.
Those who heeded his advice saw immediate results.
Like a dammed stream breaking through, their energy circulation in the Changgung Heart Method began to advance.
The Changgung cohort’s instructor was competent enough.
But he was no match for Namgung Geom.
Namgung Geom explained the incantations and applications of the Changgung Heart Method far more concretely and accessibly than the instructor ever could.
The secrets of internal energy cultivation that came from his past life’s profound enlightenment were something no instructor here could hope to match.
As a result, those who received Namgung Geom’s guidance grasped and deployed the Changgung Heart Method far more quickly and easily.
If it had been just one person, you might dismiss it—but everyone who sought his counsel showed measurable progress.
That was proof enough that his guidance worked.
The ones who had refused him began to feel the pressure.
They wanted his advice now, but shame at having turned him down kept them from approaching him.
Namgung Geom, magnanimous, gave them a second chance.
This time, they didn’t repeat their mistake.
They accepted his guidance eagerly, without hesitation.
And they, too, made progress in the Changgung Heart Method’s energy circulation.
First, they marveled at his skill.
Then they were moved by how he extended his hand to them again, despite their earlier refusal of his kindness.
Those who had sought his counsel from the beginning also felt grateful toward Namgung Geom.
Of course, gratitude alone wouldn’t make them his devoted followers.
But at the very least, they would harbor goodwill toward him.
A person’s heart cannot be won all at once.
Build affection like this, and eventually their hearts would naturally follow.
After the Changgung cohort, Namgung Geom extended the same generous guidance to the students of the Cheonpung and Seomjeon groups.
The Cheonpung and Seomjeon cohorts practiced different heart methods than the Changgung group.
But that posed no problem.
Namgung Geom possessed a deep understanding and enlightenment regarding all three of the Great Sword Methods.
The students of the Cheonpung and Seomjeon cohorts likewise benefited from his guidance, learning their respective methods with far greater ease.
Those in the Seomjeon cohort gained the most.
Unlike the other two groups, the Seomjeon Heart Method they practiced demanded intricate control of internal energy.
But because Namgung Geom broke down the complexity into clear, manageable steps, they all succeeded in their energy circulation.
Namgung Cheolwoong, too, achieved energy circulation in the Seomjeon Heart Method.
His grasp of the heart method lagged behind his mastery of sword technique.
For him, even understanding the incantation alone had been a struggle.
Applying internal energy according to that incantation proved even harder.
Without Namgung Geom, he would likely still be stuck.
“Thank you. I wouldn’t have achieved energy circulation without your help.”
Namgung Cheolwoong voiced his gratitude.
“You’re going to be my right arm from now on, so I’ll have to look after you properly.”
Namgung Geom shrugged and grinned.
Namgung Cheolwoong’s expression turned incredulous.
“Who decided you could make me your right arm?”
Namgung Geom broke into an easy smile and replied.
“I did.”
Namgung Cheolwoong let out a derisive snort.
“That’s some dream you’ve got there. You’d better wake up—I have no intention of becoming your right arm.”
“We’ll see. I’ll make it happen.”
“Try, if you can.”
Namgung Cheolwoong spoke as though the notion was beneath consideration.
Both of them were unshakeable in their resolve.
Only time would tell whose vision would come to pass.
* * *
Namgung Geom made two concerted efforts to bring Namgung Cheolwoong and his other classmates to his side.
One was to elevate his own realm and martial prowess.
With overwhelming strength and skill, his peers would have no choice but to look up to him and follow.
The other was to aid his classmates in their training.
For a martial artist, nothing mattered more than growth in realm and skill.
If they achieved growth with his help, gratitude alone would make them likely to follow him.
But the true key was offering them hope—the belief that walking alongside him would lead them to even greater realms and martial heights.
For that hope alone, his classmates would have no choice but to follow Namgung Geom.
Of course, building genuine human bonds was equally important.
Namgung Geom made every effort to blend in with his peers and forge ties with them.
And in that way, time flowed like running water, and five years slipped swiftly past.
Namgung Bing Ryong
Author |
Baek Wol Geom
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Samyang C&C Corporation
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Editorial Department
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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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