Ice Dragon of Namgung - Chapter 20

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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 20
Yeomra Spear—Ak Seung-do.
He had originally been a collateral branch of the Ak Clan, a prestigious family in Shandong Province.
Despite his exceptional talent, his birth status prevented him from learning the Ak Clan Spear Technique, their family secret.
Meanwhile, the direct-line heirs, however mediocre their gifts, were granted transmission of the Ak Clan Spear Technique simply by virtue of their position.
He could not bear to watch those less talented than himself monopolize the family’s elixirs and martial techniques.
Then came the decisive blow: a crime committed by a direct heir was pinned on him, a mere collateral branch member.
Consumed by rage, he abandoned his family and threw himself into Sapa Ryeon.
The Sapa Ryeon leader, recognizing his gift, bestowed upon him the Yeomra Spear Technique.
At last possessing the superior spear art he had always craved, he trained relentlessly and ascended to the Peak Ultimate Realm.
His talent and prowess earned him the position of Inspector within Sapa Ryeon.
An Inspector oversaw the organization’s far-flung forces, a critical post—and his visit to Heuk-ung Bang was part of that oversight.
Ak Seung-do’s expression shifted to one of surprise when Namgung Geom recognized him at a glance.
“To see through me so readily—you’ve got skill.”
“Masters of the spear are rare among the sects, so it wasn’t difficult to guess.”
“But I had no idea the Namgung Clan harbored such a later-generation talent as yourself.”
Ak Seung-do found himself genuinely astonished by Namgung Geom’s level.
Namgung Geom couldn’t have been more than his early twenties, even being generous with the count.
Yet his aura was hardly inferior when compared to his own.
He’d never heard tell of such a prodigy emerging from the Namgung Clan.
“If you knew the true depth of the Namgung Clan, perhaps you wouldn’t find it so surprising.”
Ak Seung-do let out a soft chuckle before speaking.
“So you’ve no intention of revealing who you are?”
“Namgung Geom, of the Namgung Clan.”
Namgung Geom made no attempt to conceal his identity.
“Namgung Geom—the eldest heir of the Namgung Clan who was afflicted with the Guyang Broken Meridian?”
Ak Seung-do immediately recalled who this man was.
“Yes.”
“So the rumors that you’ve mended the Guyang Broken Meridian were true.”
He had heard reports that Namgung Geom had repaired the meridian injury and was now cultivating his martial arts.
But he’d dismissed it as insignificant—how strong could he truly become?
Yet to have reached the Peak Ultimate Realm at such a young age was no small feat.
“There’s no need for congratulations.”
Ak Seung-do smirked at Namgung Geom’s deflecting humor.
But his smile faded as he spoke again.
“However, to attack Heuk-ung Bang, which falls under our organization—does the Namgung Clan mean to wage war against Sapa Ryeon?”
Ak Seung-do believed that raising the specter of war with Sapa Ryeon would unsettle Namgung Geom.
If there was even a chance that his actions might spark conflict between the Namgung Clan and Sapa Ryeon, surely the young man would be psychologically shaken.
Especially one with Namgung Geom’s lack of experience in such matters.
But Namgung Geom remained entirely unmoved.
Instead, he launched a counterattack.
“That is precisely the question I wished to ask you. Heuk-ung Bang plundered the Yi Family Manager’s Tea, which lies under our clan’s protection. I cannot help but suspect Sapa Ryeon orchestrated the theft.”
“And do you have proof that our organization instigated this matter?”
To Ak Seung-do’s challenge, Namgung Geom gave a slight shrug and replied.
“But I do have a way to prove that Sapa Ryeon is blameless.”
“And what would that be?”
“If you, Yeomra Spear, refrain from intervening in this matter.”
Ak Seung-do immediately shook his head.
“That will be difficult, I’m afraid. I cannot turn a blind eye to danger threatening Heuk-ung Bang, which operates under our authority.”
“Heuk-ung Bang laid hands upon our clan’s interests. To shelter them would only deepen suspicion of Sapa Ryeon’s involvement.”
“And if I stand in your way regardless?”
To Ak Seung-do’s question, Namgung Geom answered without hesitation.
“Then I have no choice but to bring you down.”
“Kahaha! Bring me down? Who, you?”
Ak Seung-do laughed loudly, then released a murderous aura.
His momentum flooded the space, pressing down upon Namgung Geom.
Namgung Geom did not retreat; he summoned his own aura to meet it.
Crack!
The two auras clashed, sending ripples across the space between them.
Ak Seung-do’s brow twitched as he watched Namgung Geom stand his ground without yielding an inch to his momentum.
“Your momentum is passable enough. Let’s see if you can withstand my spear.”
Boom!
Ak Seung-do planted his feet and drove his spear forward.
A violent surge of force erupted from his weapon, surging toward Namgung Geom.
Namgung Geom’s brow furrowed at the aura that came at him like a demon from the depths of Hell itself, and he extended his blade.
A fierce wind of steel spiraled from his sword, colliding violently with Ak Seung-do’s spear.
Crash!
Ak Seung-do’s spear tore through the whirlwind of blade-force without resistance.
Namgung Geom retreated and extended his sword again.
A torrent of blade-force poured from his weapon, blocking Ak Seung-do’s spear.
Crash and thunder!
Ak Seung-do’s spear, driving through the layered blade-winds, suddenly lost momentum mid-strike and rebounded.
Ak Seung-do grimaced as a biting chill rode up his spear-shaft, and he shook it roughly to disperse the cold.
Once he’d scattered the chill, Ak Seung-do prepared to attack again.
But Namgung Geom’s counterattack came faster.
Flash!
From Namgung Geom’s blade erupted a barrage of Flash Lightning technique strikes.
Eight blade-forces in rapid succession tore toward Ak Seung-do’s entire body.
Ak Seung-do did not dare dismiss them. He spun his spear.
A circular aura unfurled in the wake of his weapon.
Crash and boom!
The Flash Lightning blade-forces could not pierce the circular aura and rebounded.
Ak Seung-do tried to launch a counterattack at once, but again the biting chill rode up his spear.
The Flash Lightning blade-forces had not broken through the circular aura, but the chill embedded in those forces had traveled through the aura itself.
‘What in the name of Hell is this cold? Where does it come from?’
Ak Seung-do’s expression hardened at the intensity of a chill far more formidable than he’d anticipated.
With his inner power, dispersing cold was ordinarily no difficult matter.
But if he spent inner power to drive back the chill in the midst of attack and defense, it would inevitably create an opening.
And the longer the exchange dragged on, the wider that opening would grow.
The answer was clear: he must end this decisively and swiftly.
Ak Seung-do elevated his inner power to a higher level.
Rumble—
A violent aura erupted, and the chill scattered in an instant.
Ak Seung-do thrust his spear toward Namgung Geom at once.
The force that poured from his weapon split into four paths, converging on Namgung Geom’s limbs.
It took the form of chains binding him in place.
Yeomra Chain Soul.
One of the supreme techniques of the Yeomra Spear Technique.
Namgung Geom immediately whirled his sword, scattering blade-force in four directions.
The furiously rotating blade-wind spewed cold as it collided with Ak Seung-do’s spear-force.
Crash and thunder!
Ak Seung-do’s spear-force froze and shattered.
But the true attack of the Yeomra Chain Soul lay elsewhere.
The instant Namgung Geom destroyed the spear-force driving at his limbs, Ak Seung-do’s spear swept down toward his chest.
The essence of Yeomra Chain Soul was to attack the limbs first, forcing the enemy into defense, then target the exposed torso.
The spear-strike now aimed at Namgung Geom’s chest was the true attack of the Yeomra Chain Soul.
To fall for it was to suffer the secret technique of the Yeomra Spear Technique without recourse.
But Namgung Geom had known from the start that the Yeomra Chain Soul concealed a second, true attack.
While he did not know the Yeomra Spear Technique itself, he had read the technique from the force channeled through the weapon.
Naturally, Namgung Geom was already prepared, and he blocked Ak Seung-do’s spear without hesitation.
The blade-force of the Heaven Wind Rotation erupted from his sword, meeting Ak Seung-do’s spear.
Crash and thunder!
With a violent impact, both Namgung Geom and Ak Seung-do were driven backward simultaneously.
Namgung Geom, pushed back several paces, furrowed his brow.
The shock from striking Ak Seung-do’s spear had momentarily unsettled his internal energy.
Meanwhile, Ak Seung-do, pushed back a single pace, shook off the chill riding up his spear and fixed his gaze on Namgung Geom.
Surprise was evident in his eyes.
The Yeomra Chain Soul was one of his finishing techniques.
He had believed that deploying it would naturally spell success.
And yet Namgung Geom had withstood the Yeomra Chain Soul.
He barely gave ground even against Ak Seung-do’s attacks.
“This is remarkable. I truly find it hard to believe.”
Ak Seung-do spoke with genuine admiration for Namgung Geom’s martial prowess.
It was astonishing that someone so young could attain such a realm and such skill.
“Your mastery of the Yeomra Spear Technique lives up to the reputation, I must say.”
At Namgung Geom’s words, Ak Seung-do let out a wry laugh.
To be matched by someone so much younger and then hear such flattery—it was exasperating.
“Will you continue, then?”
Namgung Geom asked him directly.
“If the Namgung Clan withdraws now, I will let this matter pass as though it never happened.”
Ak Seung-do spoke as though granting a favor.
After exchanging several moves, it seemed that subduing Namgung Geom would not be easy.
If he fought with all his strength, he could win.
But if Namgung Geom were gravely injured or killed in the process, the situation could spiral beyond his control.
One misstep could turn this into a conflict between the Namgung Clan and Sapa Ryeon.
That was something Ak Seung-do could not afford.
So it was better to preserve face and end this gracefully.
“Likewise, if you withdraw now, I will drop all suspicion of Sapa Ryeon.”
What he meant was that the Namgung Clan should be allowed to deal with Heuk-ung Bang without interference.
“So you mean to see this through to the end?”
Ak Seung-do’s brow darkened.
“Since Heuk-ung Bang first struck at our main house’s interests, we will not be the ones to retreat.”
Namgung Geom spoke with unwavering resolve.
“You would truly go to war with us?”
“Only if Sapa Ryeon refuses to step back first.”
Even at Ak Seung-do’s threat, Namgung Geom remained unmoved.
“There is another way—mutual concession.”
Ak Seung-do sighed and spoke again.
“What would Sapa Ryeon offer in return if our main house withdraws?”
“I will have Heuk-ung Bang provide compensation to the Yi Family Manager.”
Namgung Geom shook his head.
“That is not enough. The instigator of this affair—the master of Heuk-ung Bang—must face punishment as well.”
“What kind of punishment?”
Ak Seung-do asked, his eyes narrowing.
“Ideally I would kill the master of Heuk-ung Bang, but out of respect for Sapa Ryeon’s dignity, I will settle for destroying his martial arts.”
“You call that a concession?”
Ak Seung-do stared at him as though the words made no sense.
“If not, our main house will not withdraw.”
At Namgung Geom’s unyielding stance, Ak Seung-do clenched his teeth.
Since Heuk-ung Bang had struck first at the Yi Family Manager, the moral ground belonged to the Namgung Clan.
If Ak Seung-do stood his ground and defended Heuk-ung Bang against the Namgung Clan, he would give them justification to attack Sapa Ryeon.
It might seem trivial, but justification was paramount.
A single shred of righteousness could determine whether the other Great Clans would join the fight.
A war fought without justification would make the other Great Clans hesitant to support the Namgung Clan.
But if the moral high ground lay with them, they would likely lend their full weight to the cause.
Against the Namgung Clan alone, Sapa Ryeon might hold its own—but against all five of the Great Clans together, it would be nearly impossible to prevail.
So he had hoped to subdue Namgung Geom first, then negotiate from a position of strength. But Namgung Geom’s unexpected skill had complicated matters.
With no other choice, Ak Seung-do lowered his spear.
“Very well. It will be as you say.”
“Inspector! You would abandon me?”
Gwak Do-jin cried out savagely.
“Then you should not have taken on responsibilities you could not bear.”
Ak Seung-do spoke in an irritated tone.
“I cannot accept this.”
Gwak Do-jin hurled himself toward Namgung Geom.
“Die!”
Ak Seung-do shook his head and threw his spear at Gwak Do-jin.
The spear left his hand and shot forward like lightning, embedding itself in Gwak Do-jin’s body.
Unable to withstand the force, Gwak Do-jin was hurled sideways and crashed to the ground.
“Cough—!”
Gwak Do-jin stared at Ak Seung-do with a look of resentment before his strength gave way and he collapsed.
“There was no need for the Yeomra Spear senior to step in like this.”
“Then let’s consider the matter of Heuk-ung Bang concluded here.”
Ak Seung-do spoke as though he wished to give it no further thought.
“Shall the compensation for damages suffered by the Yi Family Manager be determined through negotiation between them and Heuk-ung Bang?”
When Namgung Geom broached the subject of compensation, Ak Seung-do’s brow furrowed.
“Negotiations will proceed once Heuk-ung Bang’s new master is decided.”
“Before that, I’ll need to take the Secret Vault Key from Heuk-ung Bang, since the tea plundered from the Yi Family Manager is kept there, or so I’m told.”
Namgung Geom found the secret vault key in the master of Heuk-ung Bang’s possession and secured it.
“Then I’ll trust that you’ll keep your word and take my leave.”
Namgung Geom bowed to Ak Seung-do, then departed Heuk-ung Bang with his fellow disciples from Changryong Pavilion.
Ak Seung-do watched Namgung Geom leave, his expression turning cold.
“For the sake of our organization, he must never be allowed to live.”
Namgung Byeong-ryong
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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