Ice Dragon of Namgung - Chapter 15

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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 15
Namgung Jihwan gazed at Namgung Geom with eyes bright with admiration.
“Your martial prowess is truly remarkable, Young Master. I concede defeat.”
He acknowledged his loss cleanly.
Had Namgung Geom simply overwhelmed him through sheer Internal Energy, it would have been difficult to accept.
But his Heavenly Wind Sword Technique fused with Ice Energy was astonishing in its power.
Blending Ice Energy into the existing Heavenly Wind Sword Technique was no simple matter.
Force it carelessly, and the harmony between Internal Energy and swordwork would shatter.
Yet Namgung Geom had harmonized the extreme cold and Heavenly Wind as though they had always been one.
Such a feat demanded mastery and enlightenment in both Internal Energy and swordwork at the highest levels.
Namgung Geom surpassed him in both disciplines.
So his defeat did not trouble him in the slightest.
Rather, he felt heartened—the future of the Namgung Clan seemed bright.
“Your swordsmanship was commendable, nonetheless.”
Even among those in the Culmination Realm, many had never attained the Heavenly Wind Spiral.
Simply achieving it was a remarkable accomplishment.
Moreover, Namgung Jihwan had manifested four spirals simultaneously.
“Had you been able to command those four spirals with complete mastery, it would have been even more impressive.”
Namgung Jihwan had indeed raised four spirals, but could not wield them with full control.
Should he ever gain the ability to command four spirals freely, his blade would become far more formidable.
“I am grateful for your counsel, Young Master.”
“It hardly deserves the name counsel. Should you ever need my assistance, do not hesitate to call upon me.”
Such words might have sounded presumptuous coming from one so young.
But Namgung Jihwan thought nothing of the sort.
Given Namgung Geom’s level and martial skill, he had every right to speak thus.
“Your words alone are honor enough.”
Namgung Jihwan bowed formally and descended from the martial stage.
‘At least he doesn’t seem to harbor resentment toward me.’
From Namgung Jihwan’s position, to suffer defeat at Namgung Geom’s hands was a blow to his dignity.
Namgung Geom worried that Namgung Jihwan might harbor ill will toward him.
But contrary to his fears, Namgung Jihwan had accepted the outcome gracefully, showing no trace of animosity.
If anything, he seemed genuinely impressed by Namgung Geom’s martial skill and held him in some regard.
This was fortunate for Namgung Geom.
The support of the Three Great Sword Units was paramount in the competition to become Clan Successor.
Without their backing—the Namgung Clan’s core military force—one could not become Successor.
Therefore, it was vital to cultivate favor with the commanders and officers of the Three Great Sword Units.
In this match, Namgung Jihwan had been deeply impressed by Namgung Geom’s martial prowess.
That impression would serve him well in securing support later.
Namgung Geom suddenly felt eyes upon him and turned his head toward the spectators’ platform.
The commanders and officers of the Three Great Sword Units were watching him with expressions of shock.
The Hall Masters seated in the row above them wore the same look.
They had known he had learned Ice Energy.
But they had not anticipated his mastery could harmonize Ice Energy and the Heavenly Wind Sword Technique to this degree.
Most troubling was his level of attainment, which sharpened their vigilance considerably.
Namgung Geom’s level was late Culmination Realm.
For one so young, this was an extraordinary achievement.
What made it more remarkable was that he had only been formally cultivating martial arts for five years.
Reaching late Culmination Realm in five years was virtually unprecedented.
He was no longer someone to dismiss for his youth or lack of power base.
First and foremost, Namgung Geom must be prevented from obtaining a Sword Unit.
Fewer than thirty disciples at Changyong Pavilion—what could they accomplish? But every beginning is half the work.
Once a Sword Unit was established, personnel would inevitably be recruited by some means.
And as Namgung Geom and his Sword Unit proved their worth, the unit’s strength would only grow.
The seedling must be crushed before it takes root.
In this martial competition, it would have been ideal had Namgung Geom and the Changyong Pavilion disciples lost, but that ship had already sailed.
However, one more condition remained to be tested.
The performance of an External Mission.
Namgung Geom and the Changyong Pavilion disciples must be assigned a task too difficult to complete.
Yet it could not be done too brazenly.
To do so would invite accusations from his uncles of oppressing their young kinsman.
What was needed was a mission neither too easy nor so difficult that success seemed impossible—something that struck the right balance.
But finding such a mission was no simple task.
The masters of the Three Halls found themselves lost in deliberation.
Meanwhile, the disciples of Changyong Pavilion erupted in cheers at Namgung Geom’s victory.
That Namgung Geom was formidable—this much they had always known.
But his opponent had been Namgung Jihwan, the third commander of the Heavenly Wind Sword Unit.
They had thought it unlikely that even Namgung Geom could defeat Namgung Jihwan with such ease.
Yet the moment the match began, Namgung Geom subdued him in a single breath.
Then they understood.
Namgung Geom was far stronger than they had imagined.
This revelation hardened into something deeper—faith.
The disciples of Changyong Pavilion had chosen to stand with Namgung Geom, though doubt still lingered in their hearts.
Could he truly prevail against his uncles in this struggle for power?
Would standing with him bring them ruin rather than reward?
But having witnessed Namgung Geom subdue Namgung Jihwan in an instant, they found their certainty restored.
His talent and martial prowess were real.
Though he might lag behind his uncles in sheer martial ability and influence for now, his talent was more than sufficient to overtake them in time.
Of course, walking this path alongside Namgung Geom would not be without hardship.
Yet once they had endured those trials together, glory would surely await them.
The disciples of Changyong Pavilion said nothing of it, but each had already resolved to stake their very lives on him.
Namgung Geom approached his classmates.
“You’ve all worked hard. But without Namgung Chang, I wouldn’t have won this Martial Competition.”
Namgung Geom gave credit to Namgung Chang.
“You’re right. Thanks to your victory, we could win the Martial Competition. I owe you my thanks. Your win lifted a great burden from my shoulders.”
Namgung Chulwoong expressed his gratitude to Namgung Chang.
Had they lost, he would have tormented himself with the blame, consumed by regret that he had failed.
But because Namgung Chang had won and reset the stakes, they had been able to claim victory in the Martial Competition.
“I didn’t win so you could feel indebted to me, so don’t thank me for that.”
“Just acknowledge it and be done with it. Why the embarrassment?”
“Embarrassed? Who said I was embarrassed?”
Namgung Chang looked at Namgung Chulwoong as if baffled.
“Fine, forget I said anything.”
Namgung Chulwoong shrugged his shoulders, but Namgung Chang glared at him with displeasure.
Namgung Geom sighed and stepped between the two.
“Both of you, enough. I’ve defeated the third commander now, so tell me—what’s your decision?”
Namgung Geom spoke to Namgung Chang.
“Isn’t my victory in the competition answer enough?”
Namgung Geom smiled faintly.
“If I didn’t intend to form a Sword Unit with you, would I have bothered to win?”
At Namgung Geom’s interpretation, Namgung Chang nodded.
“True. If a Sword Unit is formed, I’ll stand with you as well.”
Namgung Chang stated his resolve clearly.
He had wrestled with his choice between Namgung Byeok and Namgung Geom for some time.
But watching Namgung Geom from his side, he had come to see the truth.
Namgung Geom’s talent surpassed that of anyone in the Namgung Clan.
Reluctant as he was to admit it, Namgung Geom’s gift belonged to a different realm entirely from his own.
At first, Namgung Chang had regarded Namgung Geom as his rival.
He had striven endlessly to surpass him.
But now he saw it clearly.
No matter how hard he tried, he would never surpass Geom.
His talent was simply overwhelming.
And his work ethic matched that talent in measure.
None among the disciples of Changyong Pavilion trained harder than he did.
The heights he had reached, the martial arts he had mastered—none of it was accident.
Namgung Chang revered his own father.
Yet compared to Namgung Geom’s talent, his father could not stand in the same light.
The same was true of his other uncles.
Of course, talent alone should not determine who becomes Clan Successor.
But overwhelming talent—that changes everything.
Namgung Geom’s talent would elevate the Namgung Clan to even greater heights.
Above all else, for the sake of the Namgung Clan, Namgung Geom had to become the Clan Successor.
“Couldn’t the Second Uncle oppose it?”
“That is not your concern.”
He was saying not to worry—he would handle it himself.
Namgung Geom said nothing more and turned his gaze to his fellows from Changyong Pavilion.
“We’ve achieved the first condition through victory in today’s Martial Competition. But we still have a second condition ahead of us. That is the External Mission.”
“It won’t be an easy one, I suspect.”
Namgung Cheongsang spoke with a note of concern.
“Right. So we’ll need to build our strength as much as possible before then, won’t we?”
“How do you plan to build our strength?”
One of his fellows asked.
Namgung Geom smiled broadly and replied.
“We’ll conduct intensive training before taking on the External Mission. I’ll warn you now—it’s going to be extremely difficult. So you’d all better prepare yourselves.”
At Namgung Geom’s words, his fellows’ expressions hardened.
Especially the four who had undergone intensive training before the Martial Competition looked grim.
Hellish cultivation.
That was what people called Namgung Geom’s intensive training.
From the very next day, Namgung Geom and his fellows from Changyong Pavilion threw themselves into intensive training.
* * *
Meanwhile, the results of the Martial Competition spread throughout the Namgung Clan within a day.
The talk was decidedly about the match between Namgung Geom and Namgung Jihwan.
The martial artists of the Namgung Clan were astonished to learn that Namgung Geom had defeated Namgung Jihwan.
And with that, expectations for Namgung Geom grew even higher.
Since Namgung Pae, who held one of the Six Honors, the Namgung Clan had not produced anyone of overwhelmingly outstanding talent.
Namgung Il, who had been expected to surpass Namgung Pae, had passed away at a young age, and while the masters of the Three Halls were skilled, they had failed to meet expectations.
Now, with the arrival of Namgung Geom with his overwhelming talent, everything changed.
The martial artists of the Namgung Clan watched with interest, wondering how far Namgung Geom could grow.
Their attention naturally turned to the mission that Namgung Geom and the disciples of Changyong Pavilion would be assigned.
Meanwhile, Namgung Pae had the masters of the Three Halls determine a mission.
The masters of the Three Halls deliberated over what mission to assign to Namgung Geom and the disciples of Changyong Pavilion.
But no suitable mission came to mind.
Then, a letter arrived requesting aid from the Lee House in Hwangsan.
The Lee House of Hwangsan was a martial family under the Namgung Clan.
Once they had dominated the southern part of Anhui Province, but their power had greatly diminished since then.
Even so, their name still carried weight throughout the Hwangsan region.
The Lee House was a martial family, but they were more famous for tea than for martial prowess.
They owned vast tea fields in Hwangsan.
The Hwangsan Mofeng produced there was of the highest quality, supplied even to the Imperial Palace.
The Lee House reaped enormous profits from the production and distribution of Hwangsan Mofeng.
But recently, a problem had arisen.
During transport of the Hwangsan Mofeng, their shipments had been plundered by unidentified individuals.
And not just once, but multiple times.
The Lee House had deployed numerous guards, but they were no match for the plunderers’ martial skill.
The plunderers were not mere bandits—they were trained martial artists.
Realizing that a martial faction lay behind these incidents, the Lee House immediately sought aid from the Namgung Clan.
The masters of the Three Halls decided to entrust the matter to Namgung Geom and the disciples of Changyong Pavilion.
Namgung Pae raised no objection and accepted their decision.
Then he summoned Namgung Geom and gave him his orders.
“Go to the Lee House in Hwangsan and settle this matter.”
Namgung Bingyong
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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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