Ice Dragon of Namgung - Chapter 123

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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 123
A few days later.
Namgung Geom and Yuk Musang entered Wuhan in Hubei Province.
The headquarters of Jeonseobang was located right here in Wuhan.
“But why did you seek aid from Shaolin Temple rather than the Wudang School?”
Namgung Geom suddenly voiced the question that had been nagging at him.
In Wuhan, Hubei Province, one would naturally think of the Wudang School before Shaolin Temple.
“Initially, I had intended to go to the Wudang School, but Sa Pae Ryun’s martial artists had set up a blockade along the route.”
“So I had no choice but to make for Shaolin Temple instead.”
“And thanks to that stroke of fortune, I met you. Misfortune turned to blessing.”
Yuk Musang truly believed that meeting Namgung Geom had been a stroke of luck.
In truth, even had he gone to Shaolin Temple, there was no guarantee they would have aided Jeonseobang.
The Nine Great Sects, including Shaolin, rarely intervened in matters of the Martial World unless they were as grave as the ravages of the Samma Cult.
Sa Pae Ryun swallowing up Jeonseobang would scarcely have been enough to move them.
But Namgung Geom was different.
The Five Great Clans, including the Namgung Clan, had long been enemies of Sa Pae Ryun.
There was every reason for him to act decisively against them.
Meeting Namgung Geom by chance in the middle of all this was as if heaven itself had come to their aid.
Beyond all that, through Namgung Geom, Yuk Musang had witnessed the true White Cloud Sword Technique, which he had never fully grasped until then.
And more than that—he had received his teaching.
Each lesson was as precious as gold and jade.
In the past few days of receiving his instruction, he had gained more than he had accumulated through years of prior training.
It was the sort of priceless knowledge that no amount of money could buy.
And so the phrase “misfortune turned to blessing” was no exaggeration.
“Whether it becomes fortune or calamity, time will tell. But where is Jeonseobang’s headquarters?”
“This way.”
Yuk Musang led Namgung Geom into the labyrinthine alleys of Wuhan.
The alleys twisted and branched like a maze; one wrong turn and a stranger would lose themselves entirely.
But Yuk Musang navigated them without hesitation, stopping before a building.
“It’s right here.”
Jeonseobang’s headquarters was concealed within the alley, but its scale was quite substantial.
Looking up at the sky, he could see dozens of messenger pigeons moving busily back and forth.
“The messenger pigeons make it impossible to hide, no matter how one tries.”
“That’s why we’ve constructed this labyrinth of alleys.”
“To buy time to escape if someone should attack?”
“Jeonseobang’s martial strength is hardly worth mentioning, after all.”
Yuk Musang let out a rueful smile.
“Weak martial strength can be developed even now. That’s all there is to it.”
“You’re right.”
If one simply accepted that they lacked power and resigned themselves to it, they would remain weak for life.
Better to spend the time lamenting weakness searching for the means to build strength instead.
However long and arduous the path, it was vital to persist and cultivate power without surrendering.
Through Namgung Geom, Yuk Musang had come to understand this.
He would make Jeonseobang strong.
To do that, he would first have to cast out his uncle, and then drive out Sa Pae Ryun behind him.
Shortly after, a manor house emerged from within the maze of twisted alleys.
This was Jeonseobang’s headquarters.
As they entered the manor courtyard, a group of martial artists came into view.
“Do you know them?”
Namgung Geom asked.
“I’ve never seen them before.”
Yuk Musang shook his head, his face hardening.
“They must be Sa Pae Ryun’s martial artists.”
At Namgung Geom’s words, Yuk Musang nodded in agreement.
“So you’ve come, nephew?”
Just then, a middle-aged man emerged from deeper within the courtyard and greeted Yuk Musang.
The middle-aged man was Yuk Gyeongwon, Yuk Musang’s uncle.
Namgung Geom glanced at Yuk Gyeongwon briefly, then turned his gaze to the figure following behind him.
It was a face he recognized well.
Ak Seungdo, the Grim Reaper.
It was him.
He too wore an expression of surprise upon seeing Namgung Geom.
He had known that Namgung Geom would come with Yuk Musang.
What startled him was Namgung Geom’s realm.
When Yuk Musang had last seen Namgung Geom, he was at the Peak Realm.
Yet in less than a year, he had emerged as a master of the True Martial Realm—it was beyond belief.
He had heard rumors about Namgung Geom, but like others, he had dismissed them as exaggeration.
But seeing him now, it was no exaggeration at all.
Ak Seungdo himself had only recently ascended to the True Martial Realm.
Yet Namgung Geom stood at a higher level still.
If he had to face him now, he honestly had no confidence in victory.
‘I should have killed him by any means back then.’
Ak Seungdo deeply regretted letting Namgung Geom live at Black Bear Manor.
There had been too many witnesses at Black Bear Manor to kill him then.
So he had planned to follow him covertly later and eliminate him.
But an urgent matter had suddenly arisen, and he had lost the chance.
He should have removed Namgung Geom by any means necessary back then.
But regret now was pointless.
“I’ve returned. Though I see many unfamiliar faces here.”
Yuk Musang spoke, surveying the Sa Pae Ryun martial artists.
“These are the martial artists of Sa Pae Ryun. There are those who covet this faction, so I sought their assistance.”
Yuk Gyeongwon spoke with his characteristic wavering gaze.
“Who is it that covets the faction?”
“I do not believe the report myself, but word came that you were attempting to hand this faction over to the Namgung Clan.”
“Is it not you who is attempting to hand Sa Pae Ryun over to yourself?”
Yuk Musang asked incredulously.
“You seem to have misunderstood. I borrowed the strength of Sa Pae Ryun to protect this faction.”
“Rather, you used Sa Pae Ryun’s strength to seize Father’s position.”
“Hah. You have fallen quite thoroughly under the Namgung Clan’s sway.”
Yuk Gyeongwon brazenly persisted in his denials.
“Tch. I won’t listen to any more of this.”
Namgung Geom stepped forward, unwilling to hear further.
At his words, Yuk Gyeongwon’s expression hardened.
“Who is this gentleman?”
“You already know, don’t you?”
At Namgung Geom’s words, Yuk Gyeongwon’s cheek twitched.
“Seeing you come with the Crown Prince of the Namgung Clan, it seems the claim that you’re handing this faction to them is true.”
Yuk Gyeongwon spoke toward Yuk Musang.
“Does it not seem curious that using Sa Pae Ryun’s strength to usurp the position of Faction Master would go unnoticed?”
Yuk Musang spoke with a bitter laugh.
“Your father’s health is failing, and he can no longer lead this faction. Therefore, he entrusted the position to me.”
“How could Father pass the position to you, overlooking me, a Minor Faction Master?”
“Your father deemed you still too young and lacking the capacity to lead the faction, so he entrusted it to me.”
Yuk Musang found himself at a loss before Yuk Gyeongwon’s shamelessness.
“I cannot trust your words, so I shall see Father and hear it directly from him.”
“Your father is currently recuperating, so it would be better to speak with him later.”
At Yuk Gyeongwon’s words, Yuk Musang’s brow furrowed.
Though Yuk Gyeongwon called it recuperation, his father Yuk Jinwon was likely being forcibly detained.
And if he tried to resolve this by force here, Yuk Jinwon’s life could be endangered.
‘I came to the main headquarters too hastily.’
He should have first confirmed where Yuk Jinwon was being held.
“No. I need to hear it now.”
Then, suddenly, Namgung Geom moved.
His form vanished from sight in an instant.
Deploying the Transcendent Form-Shifting Technique at its apex, Namgung Geom appeared before Yuk Gyeongwon in a flash.
Yuk Gyeongwon’s eyes widened in shock at Namgung Geom’s sudden emergence so close to him.
“You bastard!”
Ak Seungdo, standing behind, urgently thrust his spear forward.
But Namgung Geom twisted Yuk Gyeongwon’s neck and used him as a shield.
Ak Seungdo hastily deflected the spear to the side.
In that moment, Namgung Geom seized Yuk Gyeongwon and wheeled back to Yuk Musang’s side.
“Tell me where the Faction Master is, or I’ll snap your neck right now.”
Namgung Geom tightened his grip on Yuk Gyeongwon’s throat as he spoke.
Yuk Gyeongwon’s face drained of all color.
It seemed Namgung Geom might twist his neck clean off at any moment.
But as Yuk Gyeongwon recalled who Namgung Geom was, certainty took hold—he wouldn’t be killed.
Namgung Geom was the Crown Prince of the Namgung Clan.
The Namgung Clan upheld righteousness and did not take lives carelessly.
They would not kill him over unconfirmed suspicions.
“Can the Crown Prince of the Namgung Clan act this way? If the Martial World learns of this, condemnation will rain down upon your clan.”
“Perhaps. But would anyone truly condemn a man who used the Sa Pae Ryun’s power to imprison his own brother and seize the Faction Master’s seat? I wonder.”
“Who says I seized the Faction Master’s seat? If you kill me on mere conjecture with no evidence, the Namgung Clan’s honor will be dragged through the dirt.”
Namgung Geom found Yuk Gyeongwon’s invocation of the clan’s reputation and prestige laughable.
“If you’re truly innocent, there should be no reason you couldn’t guide me to where the Faction Master is recovering?”
At Namgung Geom’s words, Yuk Gyeongwon’s eyes wavered.
Yuk Gyeongwon’s eyes darted about before he wrung out an answer.
“My brother is currently recovering and needs complete rest.”
But Namgung Geom would have none of it.
“Even so, can a son not see his father’s face? So stop spouting nonsense and take me to where the Faction Master is. Otherwise, your neck truly will freeze solid.”
Namgung Geom let a hint of his Icy Cold Aura seep forth.
“Ahhhhh!”
Yuk Gyeongwon shrieked as the biting cold clawed at his throat.
It felt as though his neck truly was about to freeze.
“How can the Crown Prince of the Namgung Clan treat people so carelessly?”
Ak Seungdo could not hold back and cried out.
“It amuses me to hear such words from a master of the Sa Pae Ryun, Yanluo Lance.”
“You dare insult me?”
Ak Seungdo’s teeth ground together.
In that instant, the look in Namgung Geom’s eyes as he fixed them on Ak Seungdo changed.
“I am here at the request of the Minor Faction Master of Jeonseobang to confirm the Faction Master’s safety. Do not interfere, Yanluo Lance.”
Namgung Geom issued his warning toward Ak Seungdo.
It was far more than mere words.
He unleashed his aura without restraint, bearing down upon Ak Seungdo.
Crack!
Facing that aura, Ak Seungdo felt as though his entire body was freezing over.
Ak Seungdo drew upon his Inner Power to shake off Namgung Geom’s aura.
But Namgung Geom’s aura did not yield easily.
Ak Seungdo had to summon his Inner Power to an even greater height before he could finally break free of it.
‘Just how high is this man’s realm?’
Ak Seungdo’s eyes wavered.
Yet he could not retreat here.
“I too have come at the request of the Faction Master to protect him. So release him at once.”
“Once this man tells me where the Faction Master is, I will release him without delay. Have no concern.”
Namgung Geom brushed aside Ak Seungdo’s demand lightly and spoke to Yuk Gyeongwon instead.
“This is my final warning. If you do not speak by the time I count to three, your neck will truly freeze solid.”
Yuk Gyeongwon turned desperate eyes toward Ak Seungdo.
Imploring him to save him quickly.
But Ak Seungdo could not move easily.
He had no confidence he could defeat Namgung Geom.
Then Yuk Musang, standing beside Namgung Geom, entered his vision.
If he seized Yuk Musang, he could free Yuk Gyeongwon from Namgung Geom’s grasp.
“One!”
Namgung Geom began counting, and Ak Seungdo launched himself forward.
His form shot toward Yuk Musang like an arrow.
Yuk Musang gasped in alarm and moved to defend himself.
But Namgung Geom’s blade was faster.
Flash!
Frozen Thunder erupted from Namgung Geom’s sword, piercing toward Ak Seungdo.
Ak Seungdo’s eyes flew wide at the Frozen Thunder’s speed, and he hastily twisted his spear to the side.
Boom!
Ak Seungdo’s body ricocheted sideways as his form collided with the sword aura of Frozen Thunder.
Crack!
The Icy Cold Aura surged through the spear and burrowed deep into Ak Seungdo’s core.
Ak Seungdo rallied his Inner Power urgently, shaking off the Icy Cold Aura.
“Two!”
Namgung Geom called out the count.
Yuk Gyeongwon’s eyes flickered violently.
The Ak Seungdo he had trusted had been sent reeling by a single stroke from Namgung Geom.
Unless one was a fool, it was clear that Ak Seungdo stood below Namgung Geom.
“Three!”
The moment Namgung Geom cried out the final count, Yuk Gyeongwon shouted in desperation.
“I will speak!”
Namgung Bing-ryong
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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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