Ice Dragon of Namgung - Chapter 115

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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 115
Namgung Geom brought his blade to a halt.
“A Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng?”
“Yes. I came to obtain the Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng.”
Namgung Geom recalled Seop Myeonghwan’s order to kill everyone in Janggachuon except Jang Pyeong.
And he deduced that the Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng was in Jang Pyeong’s possession.
“So you slaughtered all the people of Janggachuon and tried to steal the Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng for yourself.”
Fury edged Namgung Geom’s voice.
Seop Myeonghwan hurried to apologize.
“I was wrong. I will abandon the Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng and never set foot in Janggachuon again.”
“No. A man like you would only bring calamity upon this world if left to live.”
Namgung Geom had made his decision to kill Seop Myeonghwan.
This was a man who treated others’ lives as worthless when they stood between him and his ambitions.
If such a man were allowed to live, there was no telling how many would suffer because of him.
Namgung Geom understood the nature of men like Seop Myeonghwan well.
For now, with death at his throat, he bowed his head in submission—but once the danger passed, he would cast aside his mask without hesitation and show his true colors.
Namgung Geom claimed no authority to sit in judgment.
He did not believe himself infallible.
He simply acted according to his own principles, dispensing justice as he saw fit.
If that was wrong, then he too would pay the price.
“If you kill me, the Sect Master of Youmyeong will never let you go.”
Seop Myeonghwan, seeing no escape, resorted once more to threats, invoking the name of Youmyeong Sect.
“I expected as much.”
His behavior matched Namgung Geom’s prediction exactly.
“And if you think I would cower before Youmyeong Sect, you are sorely mistaken.”
Namgung Geom, having heard enough, extended his blade toward Seop Myeonghwan.
Seop Myeonghwan had no choice but to meet his assault.
A grim, oppressive force surged from both his palms and clashed with Namgung Geom’s sword.
The Guyu Jeolmyeong Palm.
It was Youmyeong Sect’s ultimate technique—wielding the Yin Qi of Guyu, the deepest and coldest abyss of the earth, as Inner Power.
A palm technique drenched in sinister force, bearing a chill as toxic as poison itself; those struck suffer minimal external wounds, yet the cold poison crystallizes down to the marrow.
The Guyu Jeolmyeong Palm, refined to supreme mastery, was not something Namgung Geom saw every day.
But Seop Myeonghwan’s rendition was still far from complete.
It posed no real threat to Namgung Geom whatsoever.
The Icy Cold Sword Wind that Namgung Geom unleashed silently pierced through and froze solid the palm force rising to meet it.
Crack!
Shatter!
The frozen palm force shattered and scattered in an instant.
Seop Myeonghwan, shocked that his palm technique crumbled so easily, desperately unleashed another wave of force.
But each surge that left his palms was immediately frozen by the Icy Cold Sword Wind and shattered.
“This is impossible!”
He had already known that defeating Namgung Geom would be difficult.
But to have his Guyu Jeolmyeong Palm crumble so pathetically?
Just how strong was this man’s martial prowess?
“Impossible, perhaps—but really, your martial skill is simply far inferior to mine.”
After shattering the Guyu Jeolmyeong Palm, Namgung Geom extended the Bing Long Sword.
Flash!
The Lightning Frost Strike erupted from the Bing Long Sword.
Seop Myeonghwan, focused entirely on the Icy Cold Sword Wind, could not react in time.
Whoosh!
Crack!
The Lightning Frost Strike pierced clean through Seop Myeonghwan’s chest.
Blood did not pour from the wound.
The moment the strike tore through, the cold Qi embedded in it froze the opening solid.
Seop Myeonghwan stared in disbelief at his punctured chest, then toppled forward.
“Second Young Master!”
The wounded martial artists of Youmyeong Sect, lying on the ground, cried out in shock at Seop Myeonghwan’s death.
“You dare kill the Second Young Master of our sect? The Sect Master will never forgive you.”
One of them glared at Namgung Geom with murderous intent as he spoke.
Hearing that Seop Myeonghwan was the Second Young Master of Youmyeong Sect, Namgung Geom’s brow furrowed.
If Seop Myeonghwan was truly the Second Young Master of the Youmyeong Sect, they would surely seek vengeance.
“Young Master Namgung!”
At that moment, Jang Uk’s voice came from behind.
The villagers of Janggachuon had gathered around.
They had emerged from their homes after hearing the commotion outside.
“What in heaven’s name has happened?”
Jang Uk asked.
“These are martial artists from the Youmyeong Sect. They came to seize the Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng from a man named Jang Pyeong.”
A man standing to the side flinched.
Namgung Geom could see that this was Jang Pyeong.
“I know nothing of any Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng. What I do have is a ginseng root shaped like a human—that much is true.”
Jang Pyeong had simply found it remarkable that the root he had dug up resembled a person, but he had no way of knowing it was a Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng.
“But how did they know you possessed such a thing in the first place?”
“It seems the Medicine Shop Owner told them.”
Jang Pyeong spoke in a hardened voice as he gazed upon the Medicine Shop Owner’s corpse.
He had once shown the man a ginseng root shaped like a human.
But in the end, they could not agree on a price, and he had simply returned home with it.
“This man intended to kill everyone in Janggachuon and steal the Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng.”
“But why kill all of us just to take the ginseng? He could have simply left with it.”
“Because then no one would know he possessed the Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng.”
The villagers of Janggachuon gasped at Namgung Geom’s words.
For such a reason alone—he would slaughter innocent people without the slightest provocation?
It was said that martial artists of the Martial World regarded human lives as nothing more than insects, and now Namgung Geom had proven that saying all too true.
“Is there any villain more deserving of heaven’s wrath than this?”
“Good riddance to this wretch!”
The villagers of Janggachuon spat upon Seop Myeonghwan’s corpse.
“We are grateful to you. Without Young Master Namgung, we would all have perished by that villain’s hand.”
“Indeed. Young Master Namgung is our savior and benefactor.”
The people of Janggachuon expressed their gratitude to Namgung Geom.
“But this is far from over.”
Namgung Geom shook his head as he spoke.
“Far from over? What do you mean by that?”
Jang Uk asked.
“When the Youmyeong Sect learns of this man’s death, they will send people here to investigate the truth.”
“You mean they might harm us as well?”
“That is quite likely.”
At those words, the expressions of Jang Uk and the villagers grew grave.
“Then what should we do?”
Jang Uk asked.
Namgung Geom was silent for a moment before he spoke.
“Since this matter began with me, I shall see it through to its end.”
“How do you intend to see it through? Surely you don’t mean to face the entire Youmyeong Sect alone?”
Jang Uk asked, his tone betraying deep concern.
“That is precisely my intention. I will settle this matter with the Youmyeong Sect directly.”
“That is far too dangerous. We cannot ask Young Master Namgung to shoulder such risk for the sake of our village.”
“But if I depart without resolving this, the Youmyeong Sect’s retaliation will be unavoidable.”
Once the Youmyeong Sect learned that Seop Myeonghwan had died in Janggachuon, they would not simply let the matter rest.
Therefore, he needed to tie up this thread conclusively himself.
“I will take full responsibility for the Youmyeong Sect matter and resolve it, so do not worry.”
“But why would Young Master Namgung go so far for us?”
Jang Pyeong asked, his tone curious.
“The Namgung Clan has always walked the Righteous Path and values Justice above all else. If I were to see your village in danger and simply depart, it would betray both the principles and ideals of my clan.”
Why would one need justification to do what is right?
Namgung Geom believed without question that it was his duty to protect Janggachuon.
“Young Master Namgung would shoulder such danger with no reward whatsoever—are you truly certain?”
Jang Pyeong asked again.
“What greater reward exists than protecting the innocent people of Janggachuon?”
Hearing Namgung Geom’s resolute answer, Jang Pyeong spoke with sudden determination.
“Young Master Namgung has saved our village tonight and has taken upon himself the responsibility of facing the Youmyeong Sect’s threats to the very end. If we were to offer nothing in return, the world would call the Jang family shameless.”
At Jang Pyeong’s words, the villagers nodded in agreement.
“I never undertook this for any reward, so you needn’t concern yourselves with it.”
Namgung Geom truly desired nothing in return.
It was enough for him if Jang Uk would simply guide him to the cave where the Icy Dragon Divine Transformation Technique had been discovered.
“Though the Young Master says so, we would surely be remiss in our duty to repay such kindness. Therefore, I wish to present to you, Young Master, this ginseng I have obtained as a token of our gratitude.”
Namgung Geom was startled by Jang Pyeong’s words.
He had not expected the man to offer the Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng.
“The Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng is a treasure difficult to obtain even for gold. I cannot accept something so precious.”
Not that he didn’t covet the Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng—he did.
But he could not simply accept something so invaluable without hesitation.
“No matter how precious that ginseng may be, it cannot be worth more than our lives. Rather than keep it and face dangers like today, it would be far better to present it to you, Young Master.”
Whether Jang Pyeong truly understood what the Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng was or not, he certainly knew the worth of the ginseng he had unearthed.
That was why he had quoted a considerable price to the medicine shop owner.
Few in the region could afford to purchase ginseng at such a price.
Now that he understood its true value, he should demand an even higher one.
But for a common herb gatherer like Jang Pyeong to conduct such a transaction was beyond his means.
If word spread that he possessed the Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng, there was no telling what dangers might follow.
Martial artists would not hesitate to kill for Magical Medicine or divine artifacts.
For someone without Jang Pyeong’s strength to defend himself, the Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng would be no treasure but a curse.
So he had decided it was better to give it as repayment to Namgung Geom, who had saved Janggachuon.
“I cannot accept it without compensation. What if I purchase it from you at fair price instead?”
Namgung Geom put forward a new proposal.
He intended to bring the Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng as a gift to his maternal grandfather’s seventieth birthday celebration.
“How could I accept payment from the Young Master?”
Jang Pyeong protested, as though the very notion was absurd.
“Merely selling the Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng to me would be sufficient repayment. Otherwise, I cannot accept it either.”
Faced with Namgung Geom’s resolute stance, Jang Pyeong reluctantly offered a price.
“Then give me a thousand silver taels.”
But it was far too low a price.
“If you were to sell it to martial artists, you would certainly receive ten thousand taels or more. I will purchase it for ten thousand taels.”
Jang Pyeong was taken aback.
He had not realized the ginseng he had dug was worth so much.
“Then let us settle on three thousand taels. For that was the price I had demanded from the medicine shop owner who now lies dead.”
Jang Pyeong did not let greed overcome him, instead quoting the price he had originally conceived.
As it happened, the medicine shop owner had quoted two thousand taels.
Now that he thought about it, that had been infuriatingly low.
Even at three thousand taels, the man would have realized considerable profit.
Yet he had tried to cut a thousand taels more from that.
Greed had become his ruin, and it had cost him his life.
Seeing that, Jang Pyeong had no desire to indulge in excessive greed himself.
In truth, three thousand taels alone was a sum that everyone in Janggachuon could not spend in a lifetime.
Namgung Geom insisted several more times that he would pay ten thousand taels, but Jang Pyeong would not relent.
In the end, unable to break the man’s stubbornness, Namgung Geom agreed to purchase the Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng for three thousand silver taels.
Jang Pyeong brought the Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng on the spot and handed it to Namgung Geom.
“No, I cannot accept it until I have prepared the funds.”
“I trust the Young Master. Take it now. I would feel uneasy holding it.”
Jang Pyeong did not believe the First Young Master of the Namgung Clan would cheat him.
Understanding Jang Pyeong’s unease about keeping the Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng, Namgung Geom accepted it without further protest.
“I will prepare the three thousand silver taels as soon as possible.”
“Very well.”
“Please, go inside first.”
Namgung Geom ushered the people of Janggachuon inside first.
Then he turned his mind to what to do about the martial artists from the Youmyeong Sect.
Seop Myeonghwan was dead, but those who had come with him were merely wounded—and still alive.
“There is no helping it.”
After a moment’s deliberation, Namgung Geom took their lives.
For the safety of Janggachuon and to keep the existence of the Thousand-Year Humanoid Ginseng hidden, he could not afford to let them live.
Even if Seop Myeonghwan had ordered it, these were men who had been willing to slaughter innocent people of Janggachuon.
They were deserving of death.
“Still, the Youmyeong Sect will be a problem.”
Namgung Geom
Author |
Baek Wol Geom
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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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