Ice Dragon of Namgung - Chapter 100

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 100
‘What kind of Qi is this!’
Dang Baekho was taken aback by the formidable power emanating from Namgung Geom.
He summoned his Inner Power with all his strength, desperately trying to shake off the Freezing Cold Qi.
But the Freezing Cold Qi that enveloped him did not budge an inch.
Instead, as the Freezing Cold Qi grew stronger, it bore down upon him even more.
Crack!
The air around him froze solid beneath the Freezing Cold Qi.
Dang Baekho felt as though his body itself would freeze.
‘This level of power?!’
It was a force he could never hope to withstand.
At the same Peak Realm, such overwhelming dominance should have been impossible.
At minimum, this had to be the Absolute Martial Realm.
Not even the early stages of the Absolute Martial Realm.
At least the middle stages of the Absolute Martial Realm — or possibly beyond.
Dang Baekho was the prodigy of the Sacheon Dang Clan, bearing the weight of his family’s expectations alone.
He had always been the center of attention, living with the conviction that he was the best.
That was why he could not abide anyone surpassing him.
Yet suddenly, Namgung Geom had gained the epithet Young Ice Dragon and begun to command the Martial World’s attention.
Dang Baekho could not stomach that Namgung Geom was receiving more recognition than himself.
Truthfully, he had been unable to believe the Martial World’s accounts of him.
He had assumed that the Namgung Clan had deliberately inflated rumors to elevate Namgung Geom’s reputation.
This was a common practice among the great clans of the Martial World to build prestige for their Young Talents.
This time, he had thought, the Namgung Clan had simply overreached with their exaggeration.
In fact, upon arriving here and seeing Namgung Geom in person, he had sensed that his Qi was no mere trifle.
But he had pushed that aside deliberately.
He had convinced himself that once put to the test, Namgung Geom would prove ordinary.
But he was wrong.
Namgung Geom’s power was real.
Dang Baekho now understood that he had blundered.
Yet he could not grovel before him shamefully here.
Dang Baekho exerted every ounce of effort to break free from Namgung Geom’s Qi.
Crack!
But the Freezing Cold Qi surrounding him did not yield.
Soon the Freezing Cold Qi began to penetrate into his body.
“Ugh.”
Dang Baekho let out a groan.
The pain of having his insides frozen by the Freezing Cold Qi was no trifling matter.
“Master Namgung! I’m sure Master Dang spoke without true intent, so wouldn’t it be wise to withdraw your Qi?”
Jegal Wun of the Jegal Clan stepped in to mediate.
“Indeed. Master Dang shall speak no further nonsense about Master Namgung.”
Peng Dochul added his support from the side.
Namgung Geom shrugged and withdrew his Qi.
Released from the Freezing Cold Qi, Dang Baekho collapsed to the ground.
“Master Dang, I care not what you think of myself, but if you insult the Main Clan again, I assure you this shall not end so leniently.”
At Namgung Geom’s icy warning, Dang Baekho dared not utter a word in response.
Namgung Geom withdrew his gaze from Dang Baekho and surveyed the Young Talents gathered around.
One and all bore expressions of shock and admiration at Namgung Geom’s Realm.
Dang Baekho was at the Peak Realm.
Yet Namgung Geom had suppressed him completely with Inner Power alone.
Such a thing was impossible without ascending an entire stage higher.
They now became certain that Namgung Geom was indeed at the Absolute Martial Realm, just as the Martial World’s rumors had claimed.
“As the host of this gathering, I apologize for spoiling the atmosphere.”
Namgung Geom bowed to the Young Talents in apology.
Yet none of them blamed him.
They all believed that Dang Baekho had overstepped his bounds.
“By way of apology, I shall drink three cups of forfeit.”
Namgung Geom drained three cups of wine before the Young Talents.
“Three cups seems insufficient as a forfeit — why not tell us the tale of your encounter with the Black Slaughter Sect Leader?”
Jegal Wun of the Jegal Clan spoke.
He deliberately steered the conversation to lighten the mood.
Besides, he was curious how Namgung Geom had managed to defeat the Black Slaughter Sect Leader.
“That’s an excellent idea.”
The other Young Talents looked toward Namgung Geom, clearly eager to hear.
“I lack eloquence—you’d find it dull even if I told it.”
Namgung Geom waved his hand dismissively.
He disliked the idea of boasting about defeating the Black Slaughter Sect Leader.
“Come now, don’t hold back. Please tell us.”
Sanggwan Young, one of the few women present from the Sanggwan Clan, made the request without a trace of malice.
“Noble Prince of Namgung! Everyone here wishes to hear—won’t you indulge us?”
Peng Dochul chimed in beside her.
Namgung Geom yielded with a helpless expression.
“Then promise you won’t curse me for dullness once you’ve heard it.”
“Curse you? What would become of us if we did that to the Namgung Prince?”
The Young Talents laughed at Sanggwan Young’s playful remark.
Namgung Geom shrugged and began recounting his battle with the Black Slaughter Sect Leader.
The Young Talents hung on every word.
Namgung Geom, careful not to reveal the full extent of his martial skill, unfolded his tale at a measured pace.
Contrary to his misgivings, his story gripped them.
The Young Talents were drawn in completely.
When Namgung Geom faced peril, they held their breath in suspense; when he drove the Black Slaughter Sect Leader back, they erupted in cheers.
His account ended with the Black Slaughter Sect Leader’s self-destruction and death.
“Truly magnificent!”
“To risk your life facing the Black Slaughter Sect Leader in order to protect a single boy from the branch family—such courage!”
“With the Namgung Prince entering the Biwoo Tournament, the championship is as good as yours.”
The expressions of the Young Talents, who were themselves considered championship contenders, hardened slightly.
“I will not be participating in the Biwoo Tournament.”
“What? If the Namgung Prince doesn’t compete, then who will represent the Namgung Clan?”
“My cousin here will be competing instead.”
Namgung Geom gestured toward Namgung Chang.
All eyes turned to Namgung Chang.
Namgung Chang felt a flutter of embarrassment as he became the focus of everyone’s attention.
“But why won’t the Namgung Prince compete in the Biwoo Tournament?”
Jegal Wun asked.
“Because I believe having my cousin compete better suits the spirit of the tournament.”
“True enough. If you entered, it would be like the champion were already decided, and there could be no fair competition.”
The other Young Talents nodded in agreement with Jegal Wun’s words.
None among them could defeat Namgung Geom, who had already brought down the Black Slaughter Sect Leader.
“But if I had no faith in my cousin, I would not have withdrawn.”
Namgung Geom’s remark implied that Namgung Chang would win the Biwoo Tournament even without him competing.
Those who grasped this meaning studied Namgung Chang intently.
And they sensed that his Inner Power was formidable.
Overshadowed by Namgung Geom though he was, Namgung Chang was clearly no ordinary talent.
The light in the Young Talents’ eyes shifted as they regarded Namgung Chang.
Their interest in him deepened accordingly.
As a result, Namgung Chang found himself easily growing closer to the Young Talents.
Meanwhile, when Namgung Geom was in the midst of his tale, Dang Baekho excused himself, claiming he was unwell, and departed from Geumhwagak.
A servant attending the banquet informed Namgung Geom of this, and he frowned slightly.
Given Dang Baekho’s temperament, he was almost certainly harboring resentment.
The likelihood that he would seek some way to retaliate for today’s humiliation was high.
Namgung Geom was not particularly afraid of Dang Baekho’s reprisal.
He was confident he could handle whatever Dang Baekho might attempt.
What troubled him was the possibility that the incident might strain relations between the Namgung Clan and the Sacheon Dang Clan.
‘It would be best to seek out An Wang first and explain the situation.’
Namgung Geom resolved to visit An Wang, the patriarch of the Sacheon Dang Clan, to prevent the matter from escalating.
Since it was already late today, he could go tomorrow morning.
Dang Baekho would likely not cause trouble in the meantime.
The Young Talents at the banquet later learned that Dang Baekho had departed.
A few who were close to him were concerned, but the rest simply thought nothing of it.
The Young Talents, paying Dang Baekho no further mind, continued to enjoy the banquet.
The banquet stretched deep into the night.
Once it ended, Namgung Geom arranged for the Changyong Sword Unit to escort the Young Talents safely home.
After sending them off, Namgung Geom headed to the Main Clan with Namgung Chang.
“What did you make of the Young Talents?”
Namgung Geom asked as he recalled those he’d seen that evening.
The most striking ones were undoubtedly from the Five Great Clans.
Peng Dochul of the Hebei Peng Clan.
Moyong Jun of the Moyong Clan.
Jegal Wun of the Jegal Clan.
Dang Baekho of the Sacheon Dang Clan.
They were the ones.
All of them had reached the Peak Realm—opponents even Namgung Chang would find formidable.
Of them all, Peng Dochul would prove the most difficult.
The Twelve Clans had some capable individuals, but they paled beside Namgung Chang.
“The Young Talents from the Five Great Clans are certainly not to be underestimated.”
Before seeing them, Namgung Chang had felt confident of victory at the Biwoo Tournament.
But now, facing them directly, he understood they were formidable opponents indeed.
“Especially Peng Dochul of the Hebei Peng Clan—the moment I laid eyes on him, I wondered if I could even win.”
The other three, he thought, he could manage.
But Peng Dochul—there was no certainty of victory.
“Tsk. Admitting defeat before you’ve even fought?”
Namgung Geom’s scornful look made Namgung Chang bristle.
“I’m not admitting anything. That was just my first impression.”
“So you can beat Peng Dochul?”
Namgung Geom pressed.
Namgung Chang shrugged and answered.
“When I think about it, no matter how strong Peng Dochul is, he’s nothing compared to you. Once I saw that, I figured there’s no reason I can’t win.”
Namgung Geom nodded, pleased with the answer.
“For a martial artist, confidence matters as much as skill itself.”
Without confidence, one cannot fully express one’s strength.
There’s a reason the saying goes that losing the mental battle means losing already.
True mastery emerges only when you fight with absolute belief in yourself.
“I have acknowledged your skill. If you show your full capability, there is no opponent—not Peng Dochul, not anyone—you cannot overcome. So believe in yourself.”
Hearing these words, Namgung Chang felt a confidence he hadn’t possessed before suddenly kindle within him.
He understood that Namgung Geom had spoken deliberately for his sake.
And he felt profoundly grateful for how much Namgung Geom looked after him.
But expressing gratitude felt awkward, so he resorted to jest instead.
“When did you become so talkative?”
“When someone gave me so much reason to doubt him, I couldn’t help it.”
Namgung Geom countered without missing a beat.
“You just told me to build my confidence, and now you’re mocking me?”
“I can afford to.”
At Namgung Geom’s shameless reply, Namgung Chang laughed despite himself.
A moment later, his expression grew serious as he asked:
“But I’m worried about Dang Baekho.”
“You think he’ll seek revenge?”
“After being humiliated like that in front of everyone, he won’t just let it go.”
“Then I’ll move to preempt him.”
Namgung Geom spoke with easy confidence.
“How will you do that?”
Namgung Chang tilted his head in confusion.
He had no idea how Namgung Geom meant to restrain Dang Baekho.
Namgung Geom smiled faintly and said:
“I’m going to meet with An Wang.”
* * *
Hwayangak.
Inside the private chamber of Hwayangak, the Masked Man received a report from Bihwa.
“There was a minor disturbance at today’s banquet for the Young Talents.”
“A disturbance?”
Bihwa recounted how Dang Baekho had provoked Namgung Geom and been humiliated before the entire assembly.
The corners of the Masked Man’s mouth curved upward.
“The pride-stricken youth of the Sacheon Dang Clan has suffered public humiliation at the hands of Namgung Geom, so he must be seething with resentment.”
“But even if Dang Baekho harbors a grudge, there’s little he can do about it.”
“Then we’ll simply provide him with a way.”
The Masked Man spoke with a meaningful tone.
“Do you have a plan in mind?”
Bihwa asked, curiosity evident in her voice.
The Masked Man smiled thinly and replied.
“I will deliver to Dang Baekho the information that Namgung Geom is the descendant of the Arctic Ice Demon.”
Namgung Bing-ryong
Author |
Baek Wol-geom
Publisher |
(Company) Samyang C&C
Editorial Director |
Editorial Department
Published by |
(Company) Samyang C&C – Dream Books
Address |
7th Floor, Gwangseong Building, 28 Bongeunsa-ro 114-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
UCI |
G720:N+A063-20260511103
Blog |
blog.naver.com/dreambookss
Twitter (X) |
@dreambookss
Submissions |
[email protected]
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of (Company) Samyang C&C – Dream Books.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————