Ice Dragon of Namgung - Chapter 25

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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 25
Namgung Geom’s words made Seol Uncheon’s expression harden in an instant.
But he quickly softened his face and spoke.
“A front organization for the Beihai Ice Palace? I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
Seol Uncheon feigned ignorance, but it held no sway with Namgung Geom, who already knew the truth about the Seol Family.
“Then how do you explain the aura of the Beihai Cold Snow Art dwelling within your body?”
The moment Seol Uncheon realized that Namgung Geom even knew of the Beihai Cold Snow Art, he could not hide his shock.
The fact that he knew about the Beihai Cold Snow Art meant Namgung Geom had solid proof that the Seol Family was a front for the Beihai Ice Palace.
But how was that possible?
The Seol Family being a front organization for the Beihai Ice Palace was classified as a supreme secret.
Even within the Beihai Ice Palace itself, few knew of it.
So how had Namgung Geom uncovered the Seol Family’s true nature?
“How did you come to know that fact?”
An edge crept into Seol Uncheon’s voice.
Namgung Geom shrugged and replied.
“I happened to find out, one way or another.”
Seol Uncheon sensed that Namgung Geom had no intention of elaborating.
“Does the Namgung Clan also know of our identity?”
Namgung Geom shook his head.
“The main family does not yet know the true nature of the Seol Family.”
“So no one but you knows of our secret.”
Seol Uncheon’s gaze gleamed with deadly intent.
Namgung Geom felt the killing intent that lurked behind those eyes.
“Why? Are you thinking of silencing me?”
“Since you know of the Seol Family’s identity, I cannot simply let this pass, can I?”
Seol Uncheon looked ready to strike at any moment.
Yet Namgung Geom remained unmoved, his composure intact.
“If I had truly meant to harm the Seol Family, I would have already exposed your secret to the martial world.”
That was sound logic.
There would have been no need to reveal this to Seol Uncheon directly.
His doing so suggested he had another purpose in mind.
“Then what is your true objective?”
Seol Uncheon lowered his guard slightly and asked.
He was willing to listen for now.
“As I said before, I ask that you cease your threats against the Taeho Teahouse.”
“In exchange, you will keep the Seol Family’s secret?”
“Yes.”
“But how can I trust you? Since you know of the Seol Family’s identity, you can reveal it whenever you wish. You could even use it to blackmail us repeatedly. How can I be sure of that?”
Seol Uncheon feared that Namgung Geom would exploit knowledge of the Seol Family’s true nature as leverage for extortion.
He could not rely solely on Namgung Geom’s word.
“Then what if we become people who are necessary to each other?”
“People necessary to each other?”
“I will refrain from exposing the Seol Family’s identity, and in turn, you will become my ally.”
At Namgung Geom’s words, Seol Uncheon’s brow furrowed.
“Are you asking us to serve under you?”
Namgung Geom shook his head.
“I’m suggesting we become people who protect each other.”
At his words, Seol Uncheon let out a derisive snort.
“Fair words about mutual benefit, but how can I guarantee that you won’t cast us aside like worn-out shoes once you’ve achieved your purpose?”
Namgung Geom could very well use the Seol Family for his ends and, once they were no longer useful, expose their secret to the martial world.
Then the Seol Family would have no choice but to face the wrath of every martial artist in the realm.
“If it becomes known that I concealed the Seol Family’s identity, I too will face condemnation from the martial world.”
So Namgung Geom could not afford to reveal the Seol Family’s secret lightly.
“That alone is not enough. Show me something certain that will allow me to trust you.”
At Seol Uncheon’s demand, Namgung Geom’s expression grew meaningful.
“Would resolving the inner power problem you’re currently facing be sufficient?”
At his knowing expression, Seol Uncheon’s brow tightened.
“A problem with my inner power?”
Seol Uncheon feigned ignorance and asked.
“When you circulate your inner qi, are you not experiencing obstructions at the Yang Kyeol Meridian Point and the Sam Yang Rak Meridian Point?”
Seol Uncheon’s eyes widened.
Namgung Geom had diagnosed his condition with perfect accuracy.
Namgung Geom smiled faintly and added one more thing.
“When you circulate your Inner Qi, there’s also a piercing pain, as if needles were stabbing through you.”
“How could you know that?!”
Seol Uncheon stared at Namgung Geom in disbelief.
He had never revealed his Inner Qi troubles to anyone.
Yet Namgung Geom had pinpointed his problem exactly.
The reason Namgung Geom understood Seol Uncheon’s condition was simple enough.
In his past life, he had been the young lord of Beihai Ice Palace, and knew their martial arts better than anyone.
The Beihai Cold Snow Art that Seol Uncheon had cultivated was no exception.
The Beihai Cold Snow Art was an Inner Qi cultivation method that leaned entirely toward extreme Yin, and while it promised rapid growth, it carried one fatal flaw.
The higher one’s Inner Qi rose, the greater the imbalance between Yin and Yang became.
This caused the vital energy to stagnate and prevented it from flowing smoothly, allowing Cold Toxicity to accumulate in the Yang Kyeol Meridian Point and the Sam Yang Rak Meridian Point.
These two meridian points were critical junctures where Yang pathways intersected.
When Cold Toxicity accumulated severely there, circulating one’s Qi caused a piercing pain as if stabbed by needles.
At Seol Uncheon’s current realm, he was experiencing the worst of these side effects.
“How I learned of it matters less than the fact that I can solve your problem, does it not?”
“You truly can clear the Cold Toxicity from those two meridian points?”
“The side effects of the Beihai Cold Snow Art can be resolved through the Yin Within Yang Secret.”
Seol Uncheon was not ignorant of that method.
But the Yin Within Yang Secret was not something one could simply obtain by wishing for it.
“You possess the secret, then?”
Seol Uncheon asked, his eyes alight with interest.
“I do. And I intend to share it with you.”
“Is that truly so?”
Seol Uncheon asked again, unconvinced.
The Yin Within Yang Secret was transmitted only to direct blood relatives within Beihai Ice Palace itself.
That an unrelated outsider like Namgung Geom would offer to share it struck him as hardly credible.
“For now, I’ll teach you only a portion of the secret. That much should be sufficient to clear the Cold Toxicity from those meridian points.”
Namgung Geom could not yet fully trust Seol Uncheon.
That was why he intended to transmit only part of it.
“When will you teach me the rest?”
“That will depend on how you conduct yourself.”
At Namgung Geom’s words, Seol Uncheon’s brow furrowed.
“Are you trying to use the secret as leverage to manipulate me?”
“There must be give and take. You too must show me trust, must you not?”
Seol Uncheon gave a cold smile.
“So I must obey your every demand?”
Namgung Geom shook his head.
“Merely that when I need assistance, you might lend your strength. In turn, should the Seol Family face hardship, I will not turn a blind eye.”
Seol Uncheon regarded Namgung Geom in silence.
If Namgung Geom truly resolved the side effects of the Beihai Cold Snow Art, the threat to the Taeho Teahouse could be stopped at any time.
To cooperate with Namgung Geom was hardly a losing bargain, especially considering he was the eldest son of the Namgung Clan.
Should he ever become Patriarch of the Namgung Clan, the benefits to the Seol Family would grow immensely.
Even setting aside other considerations, the mere fact that Namgung Geom would not expose the Seol Family’s secret identity was reason enough to accept the bargain.
Though he was not entirely without reservations, at this moment accepting Namgung Geom’s offer seemed the best course.
The alternative was to abandon everything the Seol Family had built thus far, which Seol Uncheon did not wish to do.
“I will accept your offer.”
“Then you’ll cease the threat against the Taeho Teahouse immediately?”
“First, you should resolve my Inner Qi troubles.”
Namgung Geom nodded at Seol Uncheon’s request.
“Then I’ll teach you now.”
Namgung Geom imparted a portion of the Yin Within Yang Secret to him.
“If you circulate your Qi according to this method, your Inner Qi will flow smoothly without obstruction.”
Seol Uncheon circulated his Inner Qi according to the secret Namgung Geom had taught him.
Just as Namgung Geom had said, the energy that had been blocked at the Yang Kyeol Meridian Point and the Sam Yang Rak Meridian Point now flowed gently through.
Seol Uncheon looked at Namgung Geom with a startled expression.
“If you regularly circulate your Qi according to this method, you should be able to dissolve the Cold Toxicity in those meridian points.”
“I’m grateful.”
Seol Uncheon spoke with evident gratification.
“Then I’ll be counting on your guidance going forward.”
“And I on yours.”
With only a fragment of the secret technique, his Inner Qi Circulation had grown smoother, and the Cold Poison that plagued him began to lift.
If he could obtain the rest of the technique, reaching the True Martial Realm would be far from impossible.
At the very least, he would need to remain in Namgung Geom’s favor until he had secured it all.
Once his conversation with Seol Uncheon concluded, Namgung Geom returned at once to the Taeho Teahouse.
Upon his arrival, Baek Nak Hyeon was waiting for him, his expression taut with anxiety.
Namgung Geom assured him that the Seol Family would pose no further threat.
Baek Nak Hyeon found himself reluctant to take the word at face value.
But when Namgung Geom spoke with such certainty, there was nothing for it but to believe him.
That the matter could be resolved so swiftly took Baek Nak Hyeon aback, and he marveled at Namgung Geom’s capabilities.
He thanked Namgung Geom profusely and insisted on offering a reward, but Namgung Geom would hear none of it.
With the Seol Family now secured as an ally, there was nothing more he could ask for.
Baek Nak Hyeon found fresh cause for admiration in this young man who did righteous deeds without seeking recompense.
He resolved then and there that he would repay this debt someday, no matter how long it took.
* * *
The next day.
Namgung Geom departed Namgyeong with his fellows from the Changryong Pavilion, bound for the Namgung Clan Residence.
Traveling overland, they reached their destination five days after leaving Namgyeong.
No sooner had Namgung Geom arrived at the Namgung Clan Residence than he made his way to the Patriarch’s Hall to give his report.
“I bow to the Patriarch.”
“Come now, welcome back.”
Namgung Pae greeted his grandson warmly.
“I regret the delay in returning from Namgyeong. I trust you have been in good health all this while?”
“As you can see, I have fared well enough.”
“It seems the Patriarch was not worried about me at all.”
Namgung Geom spoke as though offended, and Namgung Pae let out an amused chuckle.
“Would my grandson be so poorly skilled as to cause me worry over such a task?”
“Surely not. Going forward, I shall give you no cause for concern.”
“I have already heard the report concerning the Lee Family matter. You handled it far better than I expected.”
This was no mere courtesy.
Namgung Geom’s handling of the affair had exceeded all expectations.
He had uncovered the fact that the Heugwoong Gang had stolen tea from the Lee Family, and he had destroyed the gang’s chieftain.
Moreover, he had secured the tea distribution rights from the Lee Family itself.
For a first assignment, it was a remarkable achievement.
“I thought you would reprimand me for clashing with Yeom Ra Chang at the Heugwoong Gang.”
At these words, Namgung Pae shook his head.
“You have upheld the honor of the Namgung Clan. Praise is what you deserve.”
Yeom Ra Chang was a master of the Saepae Alliance.
That a young man barely past his coming-of-age should have matched such a master in combat was itself an act that elevated the Namgung Clan’s standing.
It demonstrated that the Namgung Clan was stronger than the Saepae Alliance itself.
Furthermore, Namgung Geom had used Yeom Ra Chang’s assistance to strike down the Heugwoong Gang’s chieftain.
No outcome could have been more favorable.
Praise was therefore more than justified.
“However, you must learn to exercise greater caution when facing masters stronger than yourself in future endeavors.”
Namgung Pae did not neglect to offer this counsel as well.
As a martial artist, it was inevitable that one would eventually encounter opponents stronger than oneself.
One must never yield unconditionally, yet there were times when the wisdom lay in knowing when to yield.
“I understand. I shall proceed with greater caution from this point forward.”
Namgung Geom nodded without hesitation.
“Since you have resolved the Lee Family matter, I assume this means you are granting permission to establish the new sword brigade?”
“Of course. You have met the conditions, so permission is granted.”
Namgung Pae kept his word.
“Do you have a name in mind for the new brigade?”
Namgung Pae inquired.
“If you will permit it, I would call it the Changryong Sword Brigade.”
Namgung Geom had always intended to give it this name, as he had spoken of at the Heugwoong Gang before.
His fellow disciples from the Changryong Pavilion had already voiced their approval upon hearing the name.
“The Changryong Sword Brigade. That is a fitting name indeed.”
Namgung Pae raised no objection either.
“Then we shall establish it as the Changryong Sword Brigade.”
Thus Namgung Geom came to possess his own sword brigade.
It was still only a modest force, numbering fewer than thirty warriors.
Yet one day the Namgung Clan would become the finest swordsmen in all the realm.
Namgung Geom had the conviction to make it so.
Namgung Bing-ryong
Author |
Baek Wol Geom
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Samyang C&C Co., Ltd.
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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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