Ice Dragon of Namgung - Chapter 126

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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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Episode 126
Maeng Ingyeol turned his head, sensing the cold radiating from behind.
His subordinates were freezing solid before his eyes.
Alarm flashed across his gaze.
What manner of absurd martial art was this?
Then he saw Namgung Geom launch himself forward.
If he was caught, he would die.
Maeng Ingyeol began to run with desperate speed.
But he felt Namgung Geom closing the distance rapidly from behind.
Sure enough, when he glanced back, Namgung Geom had already cut the gap to less than ten paces.
Maeng Ingyeol abandoned all thought of escape.
His Shin-bop was not suited for fleeing.
He would be far better served using the strength he might spend running to mount an attack instead.
Maeng Ingyeol spun around swiftly and swung his saber at Namgung Geom.
The saber force from his sabre technique bore down upon Namgung Geom as he descended.
Namgung Geom brought his sword down at once.
The Icy Cold Sword Wind split the saber force cleanly in two.
Crack!
Boom!
The saber force froze instantly and shattered into fragments.
Seeing his attack thwarted so easily, Maeng Ingyeol did not hesitate—he drew his saber across his own throat.
“Stop!”
Blood sprayed.
Namgung Geom tried to stop him urgently, but Maeng Ingyeol was already collapsing, blood fountaining from his severed neck.
“How ruthless.”
Namgung Geom clicked his tongue at the sight of Maeng Ingyeol committing suicide without a moment’s hesitation.
He knew that Sect Agents were ruthless men.
He had anticipated to some degree that Maeng Ingyeol would attempt suicide.
But he had not expected him to make such a swift decision.
He had thought Maeng Ingyeol would attempt one or two more attacks before trying to take his own life as he felt himself being overwhelmed.
Namgung Geom had wanted to subdue Maeng Ingyeol with as little injury as possible.
That way, he could have extracted more information from him.
But that had been a mistake in judgment.
He should have subdued him quickly without worrying about his condition.
Namgung Geom shook his head and returned to where Im Dohyun was.
But Im Dohyun lay unconscious on the ground.
Namgung Geom was startled and rushed to check his breathing.
Fortunately, he still had breath in him.
But his condition was grave.
Im Dohyun’s state was quite serious.
Particularly, the wound on his chest where Maeng Ingyeol had slashed him at the end was deep.
While Maeng Ingyeol and the bandits of Jeokho Pavilion were present, he had endured through sheer force of will, but once all the bandits had fallen and Maeng Ingyeol fled, his tension had released and he had lost consciousness.
If left as he was, Im Dohyun would likely lose his life.
Namgung Geom first examined Im Dohyun’s wound.
He pressed the acupoint to stop the bleeding, then applied Wound Healing Medicine.
The Wound Healing Medicine Namgung Geom carried came from his maternal family and was crafted from the finest medicinal ingredients.
No matter how large the wound, when this medicine was applied, it would not become infected and would heal rapidly.
But that alone was not enough.
Namgung Geom laid Im Dohyun flat and took out a Vitality Pill.
The Vitality Pill also came from his maternal family and stimulated the vital energy within the body, accelerating the recovery from wounds.
The Vitality Pill was likewise crafted from expensive medicinal materials and was extremely rare.
Of course, for one as wealthy as the Hangzhou Golden Merchant, the cost was no burden at all.
Still, it was no simple matter to spend such sums for the sake of one’s grandson.
Namgung Geom felt renewed gratitude toward his maternal family and placed the Vitality Pill in Im Dohyun’s mouth.
Since the unconscious Im Dohyun could not swallow it on his own, Namgung Geom pressed an acupoint to force it down his throat.
Gulp.
Once Im Dohyun had swallowed the Vitality Pill, Namgung Geom immediately began Qi Channeling and Acupoint Pressing.
Qi Channeling and Acupoint Pressing was a high technique of redirecting one’s own vital essence into the patient’s meridians to unblock acupoints or heal wounds.
Qi Channeling and Acupoint Pressing consumed Inner Power at an extreme rate, and if the Inner Power natures differed, a collision of essences could occur, which might be dangerous.
For this reason, only those whose Inner Power was profound and who had cultivated a Mental Cultivation Method of compatible type would attempt Qi Channeling and Acupoint Pressing.
Namgung Geom’s Inner Power was not deep enough to perform Qi Channeling and Acupoint Pressing, and his Mental Cultivation Method differed in lineage from Im Dohyun’s.
There was a risk that Namgung Geom could be endangered if he made a wrong move.
Yet Namgung Geom did not hesitate and began the Qi Channeling and Acupoint Pressing.
His insufficient Inner Power could be adequately compensated through resonance with the Bing Long Sword, amplifying his energy.
And since his Inner Power achieved Water-Fire Mutual Generation and Yin-Yang Harmony, there was little risk of collision even though their Mental Cultivation Methods differed in lineage.
Knowing this, he began the Qi Channeling and Acupoint Pressing without hesitation.
Thump! Thump-thump!
Namgung Geom’s hands struck Im Dohyun’s acupoints repeatedly, channeling his Inner Power into them.
The energy of the Vitality Pill and Namgung Geom’s Inner Power stimulated Im Dohyun’s acupoints, revitalizing his energy.
Energy within Im Dohyun’s body awakened and began to circulate through his meridians.
Im Dohyun’s complexion, pale as death itself in unconsciousness, returned to life.
Namgung Geom did not stop the Qi Channeling and Acupoint Pressing, continuing to revitalize Im Dohyun’s energy.
Beads of sweat gathered on his brow.
After performing Qi Channeling and Acupoint Pressing for more than half an hour, Namgung Geom was utterly exhausted.
In return, Im Dohyun’s complexion had improved and his breath had stabilized.
* * *
“Unngh.”
Im Dohyun awoke with a groan.
When he lost consciousness, he had thought that was the end.
Yet it seemed he was not dead after all.
‘Strange—why is my energy overflowing like this?’
He had suffered injuries severe enough to lose consciousness.
By rights, his body should have been utterly devoid of strength.
Yet his body brimmed with energy.
And now that he thought of it, his wounds had been treated.
“You’re awake?”
At that moment, Namgung Geom’s voice came from beside him.
Im Dohyun understood that Namgung Geom had treated his wounds.
The energy flowing through his body was likely connected to Namgung Geom as well.
“What happened?”
Im Dohyun asked Namgung Geom.
“I stopped the bleeding and applied Wound Healing Medicine to the wounds. Then I gave you a Vitality Pill and performed some Qi Channeling and Acupoint Pressing.”
Namgung Geom spoke as if it were nothing remarkable.
Im Dohyun was taken aback to hear that Namgung Geom had performed Qi Channeling and Acupoint Pressing.
As he understood it, Qi Channeling and Acupoint Pressing required at least the Absolute Realm to be possible.
That Namgung Geom could perform it was unbelievable.
Yet the overflowing energy in his own body testified that Namgung Geom’s words were not a lie.
What was certain was that he owed his very life at this moment entirely to Namgung Geom.
Namgung Geom had no prior connection with him whatsoever.
Moreover, Im Dohyun was the Minor Lord of the Nok Rim Alliance, a heterodox sect.
From Namgung Geom’s perspective, there was no reason to save him.
Yet Namgung Geom had used a Vitality Pill and performed Qi Channeling and Acupoint Pressing, saving his life.
Setting aside the War Between Righteous and Evil, this was a debt of gratitude he must repay.
“Thanks to you, I could preserve my life. I offer you my sincere thanks.”
“No need. I did this to avoid being falsely accused of killing the Minor Lord. Don’t thank me too much.”
Namgung Geom waved his hand dismissively.
“Even so, the favor of saving my life does not disappear. This kindness I’ve received from the young master of Namgung must be repaid without fail.”
“I did not act expecting reward, so pay it no mind.”
At those words, Im Dohyun bristled.
“Do you think I, a member of the Nok Rim, don’t understand the ways of the Martial World? We know that when we receive a favor, we must return it.”
“You misunderstand. I meant nothing of the sort.”
“In any case, I will repay this debt, so please do not refuse me.”
At Im Dohyun’s unilateral declaration, Namgung Geom shrugged and spoke.
“Very well. I won’t stop you. Do as you see fit, Minor Lord.”
Only then did Im Dohyun’s expression show satisfaction.
“But what became of Maeng Ingyeol?”
Im Dohyun asked suddenly, as if the thought had just occurred to him.
Namgung Geom shook his head and spoke.
“He cut his own throat and took his own life.”
“Hmm. I should have uncovered who was behind him.”
Im Dohyun spoke with a note of regret.
“Do you have any suspicion about who might be behind this?”
Namgung Geom deliberately asked without revealing his thoughts.
“I’m not certain at the moment, but I have a feeling it might be one of my older brothers.”
Im Dohyun laid bare his suspicion.
“Are you referring to the Young Alliance Leader’s older brothers?”
“That’s right. Since I’ve taken the Young Alliance Leader’s seat by surpassing my older brothers, their dissatisfaction runs deep.”
It was certainly a situation that would warrant such thinking.
“But if they were truly behind this, I doubt they would have pinned the blame on you specifically.”
Im Dohyun nodded at Namgung Geom’s objection.
“That is indeed a puzzle.”
If his brothers had meant to kill him, there would have been no reason to frame Namgung Geom in the first place.
Of course, one couldn’t entirely rule out the possibility that they’d named Namgung Geom to deflect suspicion from themselves.
But if that were the case, neither they nor he could avoid a full-scale confrontation between the Nok Rim Alliance and the Namgung Clan.
If he, the Young Alliance Leader of the Nok Rim Alliance, fell by Namgung Geom’s hand, his father, the Alliance King, would never let it pass.
He would not hesitate to go to war against the Namgung Clan for his revenge.
Not simply because of blood ties, but because it would be an assault upon the Young Alliance Leader, the heir to the entire alliance.
If the Young Alliance Leader died and silence followed, the Nok Rim Alliance’s reputation would plummet to the depths, and it would become a laughingstock across the realm.
And if the Nok Rim Alliance and the Namgung Clan went to war, the alliance’s losses would be catastrophic.
His older brothers would not fail to understand that.
They might have sought to kill him.
But there would have been no reason to frame Namgung Geom.
‘Then it wasn’t my brothers after all?’
But if not his brothers, then who had tried to kill him?
Im Dohyun had a growing sense that Namgung Geom knew who the mastermind was.
“Then does the Namgung Young Master know who the force behind Maeng Ingyeol is?”
“I have my suspicions.”
“Which place?”
Im Dohyun asked, his eyes flashing with intensity.
He wanted to know who had tried to kill him.
“One of the Sammakyou sects.”
“Did you just say Sammakyou?”
The unexpected name made Im Dohyun start in surprise.
“Indeed. I cannot pinpoint exactly which one, but Sect Agents are currently operating in the shadows throughout the Martial World. Their aim is the War Between Righteous and Evil.”
“Is that truly the case?”
Im Dohyun asked as if he couldn’t believe it.
“You should know about the time the Hyeolrang Pavilion of the Nok Rim Alliance attacked me and the Changyong Sword Corps.”
“So it wasn’t the Young Master and the Changyong Sword Corps who raided the Hyeolrang Pavilion?”
Im Dohyun narrowed his eyes and asked.
“If the Nok Rim Alliance isn’t foolish, they would have seen through such rumors at a glance—that someone deliberately spread them with ulterior intent.”
Im Dohyun nodded in agreement at Namgung Geom’s words.
“Precisely. Our internal investigation concluded that it wasn’t the Namgung Clan who attacked the Hyeolrang Pavilion.”
Earlier, when Im Dohyun had mentioned the attack by Namgung Geom and the Changyong Sword Corps, it was simply to test him.
But Namgung Geom had shown no sign of agitation whatsoever.
That alone was enough to confirm that he and the Changyong Sword Corps had nothing to do with it.
“The Master of the Hyeolrang Pavilion was actually a Sect Agent.”
“Is that truly so?”
“I first learned of the Sect’s existence through the Master of the Hyeolrang Pavilion.”
Namgung Geom informed him of how the Pavilion Master had revealed the Sect Agent’s existence and undergone the Seven Acupoint Severing.
“So the Master of the Jeokho Pavilion is also a Sect Agent?”
“If he weren’t a Sect Agent, there would be no reason to frame me and kill the Young Alliance Leader.”
Im Dohyun could not refute Namgung Geom’s conviction.
“But that is not the end of it.”
“Not the end? What do you mean?”
At Im Dohyun’s challenge, Namgung Geom spoke with certainty.
“There may well be other Sect Agents hidden within the Nok Rim Alliance itself.”
Namgung Byeongryong
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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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