Ice Dragon of Namgung - Chapter 26

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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 26
“So tell me—you were attacked by Heuksuchae on the way to Namgyeong?”
Namgung Pae asked.
“To be precise, I initiated the attack first.”
Namgung Geom corrected the record.
“You wouldn’t have done so without good reason.”
Namgung Pae didn’t think Namgung Geom the sort to act thoughtlessly or recklessly.
Namgung Geom nodded and explained.
“Even knowing that our family’s martial artists were present, they demanded an outrageous passage tax and attempted extortion. I couldn’t allow that to stand.”
“They behave that way even knowing our family’s warriors are there? They’ve grown bold enough to be foolish.”
Namgung Pae spoke with an air of disdain.
“Heuksuchae targeting the merchant’s vessel and now this—there’s clearly something deeper at work.”
“The Janggang Water Route Alliance’s arrogance has been escalating. I think we need to investigate them.”
Namgung Pae made a mental note to conduct a thorough investigation of the Janggang Water Route Alliance at the earliest opportunity.
“Then I’ll leave that matter in the family’s hands.”
With the family handling the investigation, there was no need for Namgung Geom to involve himself further.
“Also, we seized two war ships from Heuksuchae and transferred them to the Janggang War Fleet.”
“Ah, the commander of the Janggang War Fleet was delighted when he received those ships.”
“Though only two vessels, they’ll be a significant addition to the Fleet’s strength.”
At Namgung Geom’s words, Namgung Pae let out a soft chuckle.
“You needn’t trumpet your accomplishments—I’m well aware of the merit you and the Changrong Sword Squad have earned. Rest assured on that count.”
“Then you’ll ensure a proper reward?”
Namgung Geom asked with barely concealed anticipation.
Namgung Geom and the Changrong Sword Squad had successfully completed the merchant’s mission.
Moreover, they had secured the merchant’s tea distribution rights—a prize the Namgung Family had been seeking—and captured two war ships from Heuksuchae as war trophies.
It was more than sufficient grounds for a reward.
“Is there a particular reward you have in mind?”
Namgung Pae asked.
“I hope you might distribute Spirit Pills to all the members of the Changrong Sword Squad.”
Namgung Geom presented the reward he had already considered.
The Namgung Family manufactured Spirit Pills directly.
They didn’t compare to the Shaolin Temple’s pills or the Wudang Sect’s elixirs, but their potency was respectable enough.
In particular, the Greater Spirit Pill could elevate one’s Internal Energy by thirty years.
However, the Greater Spirit Pill required expensive and rare ingredients, and only one or two could be produced annually.
As a result, it was difficult to obtain a Greater Spirit Pill unless one had accomplished something truly exceptional.
Namgung Geom certainly hadn’t been expecting a Greater Spirit Pill.
What he referred to was the Lesser Spirit Pill, which required almost none of the rare ingredients necessary for the Greater version.
Thanks to this, up to fifty could be manufactured in a year.
Though the Lesser Spirit Pill’s potency was inferior to the Greater, it could still grant five years of Internal Energy.
Some might think five years of Internal Energy was merely modest.
But to the members of the Changrong Sword Squad, five years was a windfall beyond measure.
If the Changrong Sword Squad consumed the Lesser Spirit Pills immediately, they could boost their strength dramatically in a short span of time.
“For every member of the Changrong Sword Squad?”
Namgung Pae showed reluctance.
Even if more could be produced than the Greater Spirit Pills, the Lesser Spirit Pill’s quantity was hardly abundant.
If twenty-seven Lesser Spirit Pills were used at once, reserves could become dangerously depleted.
“Given the profits from the merchant’s tea distribution rights, I don’t believe this is an unreasonable request.”
“Even so, if reserves run too low, we may find ourselves in a position where we need them later but have none.”
“Couldn’t you view this as an investment in the Namgung Family’s future?”
The Changrong Sword Squad was talented enough to be called the Golden Generation.
They were, in effect, the future of the Namgung Family itself.
Seen in that light, expending twenty-seven Lesser Spirit Pills was scarcely wasteful.
But rewards ought to follow principle.
Never before had Lesser Spirit Pills been distributed as a reward to the entire squad.
Above all, if a precedent were set now, identical demands would surely follow in future.
“I cannot distribute Lesser Spirit Pills to the entire squad, no matter the circumstances.”
At Namgung Pae’s firm refusal, Namgung Geom retreated a step.
“Then what is the maximum number you can provide?”
“Five. Not a single more.”
It fell far short of what Namgung Geom had requested.
“Wouldn’t it be possible to use just a bit more?”
Namgung Pae regarded Namgung Geom’s request with disbelief.
“A Spirit Pill isn’t charity. Use more and be done with it.”
“In exchange, I will decline the reward for myself.”
In this mission, Namgung Geom had distinguished himself most of all.
It was only natural that he receive the greatest reward.
Given his accomplishments, he could have demanded a Daeyeongdan.
Yet he was forfeiting his own reward and ceding it to his subordinates.
“You would give up your reward?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Is there truly a need to go so far?”
Namgung Pae asked, puzzled.
“I will make the Changrong Sword Squad the finest of the Namgung Family. For that, my strength alone holds no meaning.”
Namgung Geom believed that raising the Changrong Sword Squad’s overall power took priority over using a Daeyeongdan to increase his own Internal Energy.
His current Internal Energy was already sufficient.
Of course, reaching a higher Realm would require more Internal Energy.
But taking a Daeyeongdan would not immediately elevate his Realm.
A Daeyeongdan would be welcome, but even without it, he was confident in his ability to advance.
So this time, he intended to cede his share to the squad’s members.
When the Changrong Sword Squad grew stronger, that benefit would return to him as well.
“If you will forgo your reward, I shall increase it to ten.”
“Please ensure at least half the squad receives them.”
“Ten. No more than that.”
Namgung Pae spoke as though no further compromise would be entertained.
“I understand.”
Namgung Geom accepted ten, though he would have preferred more.
He had never truly expected the entire squad to receive Soyeongdan.
He’d thought half the squad was a reasonable expectation.
Ten was less than that, yet still a satisfactory result.
Moreover, if he obtained more Soyeongdan than this, he risked incurring the displeasure of the Three Great Sword Units.
The three war lords would likely object as well.
So accepting ten was the prudent choice.
There would be many more opportunities to earn merit in the future.
Thus the matter of rewards reached a temporary close.
“Now then—was there any other business in Namgyeong?”
Namgung Pae inquired about affairs in Namgyeong.
“The Taeho Tavern in Namgyeong was facing threats from the Seol Family Manor, so I mediated the dispute.”
Namgung Geom gave a brief account of what had transpired with the Seol Family Manor.
He omitted, however, the true nature of the Seol Family Manor and his conversation with Seol Uncheon.
Even before Namgung Pae, those details could not be revealed.
“Did the Seol Family Manor yield readily to your words?”
Namgung Pae asked.
“Fortunately, we found common ground, and the master of the Seol Family Manor agreed to cease threatening the Taeho Tavern.”
“Is that so? With no conditions attached?”
Namgung Pae’s tone conveyed skepticism.
“I did render the master of the Seol Family Manor a small service.”
“A service?”
“I resolved the side effects of Ice Technique that the master was suffering from.”
Namgung Geom spoke openly about it.
This explanation would account for why Seol Uncheon had accepted the mediation so readily.
“You resolved the side effects of Ice Technique?”
Namgung Pae asked, his expression startled.
“Yes. Fortunately, it was something within my knowledge, so I was able to help.”
“Well done.”
Namgung Pae had questions, but he refrained from asking them.
He had made a pact not to inquire into Namgung Geom’s martial techniques.
Yet he did not neglect to offer a word of caution.
“But henceforth, you must not rashly involve yourself in the affairs of other powers.”
In the Martial World, it was imprudent to insert oneself into another faction’s business.
One could easily become entangled in another power’s feuds and find oneself forced into unwanted conflict.
This time, the Seol Family Manor had yielded without resistance, but had they refused to the end, it could well have escalated into armed conflict.
From the Namgung Family’s position, once they’d involved themselves in the Taeho Tavern affair, they had to eliminate the threat posed by the Seol Family Manor.
Otherwise, the Namgung Family’s prestige and face would suffer.
Even if the Seol Family Manor was weaker than the Namgung Family, once fighting broke out, the Namgung Family could not escape taking losses.
In the worst case, the Seol Family Manor might have sided with the Sapaeyeon, the Namgung Family’s rivals.
Had that happened, the Sapaeyeon would have gotten involved, and the Namgung Family’s casualties would have mounted accordingly.
The impulse to aid the Taeho Tavern was noble enough.
But if the Namgung Family came to grief because of it, they might as well never have interfered.
“I shall be more cautious going forward.”
Namgung Geom nodded without quibble.
He understood perfectly well what Namgung Pae was saying.
“Was there anything else?”
“No. That is all. Though there is one matter I wished to raise.”
“What is it?”
Namgung Pae leaned forward with interest.
“Are you aware of the situation with the Seo Moon Family?”
“I hear they’re struggling against the Sahae Faction.”
Namgung Pae had already received reports and was fully apprised of the Seo Moon Family’s circumstances.
“Then does the main house have any plans to support the Seo Moon Family?”
Namgung Geom posed the question carefully.
“Nothing has been decided yet.”
“If I may be so bold, I believe the main house should extend its support to the Seo Moon Family.”
Namgung Pae’s expression grew intrigued at Namgung Geom’s words.
“The Seo Moon Family hasn’t even asked for aid, yet you want us to step in of our own accord?”
“If we aid them without waiting for their request—and without asking anything in return—the gratitude they feel toward us will be all the greater.”
Namgung Geom’s logic was sound.
But that alone was not sufficient reason to support the Seo Moon Family.
“Why should the main house help the Seo Moon Family without any benefit to ourselves?”
One could not simply aid the Seo Moon Family merely because they faced hardship.
To aid them would mean dispatching the Namgung Family’s martial masters.
Even if the Sahae Faction was weaker than the Namgung Family, there was no guarantee of avoiding casualties.
The Namgung Family’s own warriors might fall.
As the head of the Namgung Family, Namgung Pae needed a compelling reason to accept such sacrifices.
“While there is no direct payment, the outcome would ultimately benefit the main house as well.”
“How would it benefit us?”
Namgung Pae asked, genuinely curious.
“If the main house aids the Seo Moon Family without conditions, the Namgung Family’s reputation and standing in the Martial World will rise considerably.”
As the Namgung Family’s reputation and standing grew, more factions would seek to ally with them and swell their ranks.
“Most importantly, it would greatly aid your initiative to establish the Jeongcheonmeng.”
Namgung Pae had been working to found the Jeongcheonmeng, which would be centered on the Five Great Families as its core.
Currently, the Martial World was home to four great powers.
The Bullo Domaeng, a coalition of the Nine Schools and their affiliated family branches, centered on the Nine Schools themselves.
The Cheolgi Domaeng, established by martial masters of military origin.
The Sapaeyeon, an alliance of the wicked sects.
The Jeongcheonhoe, an alliance of the Five Great Families.
These four were known in the Martial World as the Four Great Powers.
Yet even among them, a hierarchy existed.
The Jeongcheonhoe held rank above the Sapaeyeon, but was rated lower than both the Bullo Domaeng and the Cheolgi Domaeng.
Above all, it was inferior in sheer scale to the other powers.
Moreover, as the Sapaeyeon’s strength grew, the Jeongcheonhoe found itself increasingly threatened.
That was why they sought to create the Jeongcheonmeng by drawing in other Great Families from across the Martial World.
However, the initiative had stalled because the Five Great Families could not reach consensus on who would lead the Jeongcheonmeng.
If the Namgung Family’s reputation and standing rose, and more factions came to follow them, the Namgung Family could assert greater influence in the establishment of the Jeongcheonmeng.
And more factions would seek to join it as well.
“I did not expect you to think so far ahead.”
A smile played at the corner of Namgung Pae’s mouth.
Had Namgung Geom merely wanted to aid the Seo Moon Family out of a sense of justice, Namgung Pae would have been disappointed.
But Namgung Geom had calculated what the Namgung Family would gain from it as well.
The remarkable thing was that such considerations were rare for someone his age.
His political acumen matched his martial skill.
Namgung Pae found himself regarding Namgung Geom with ever greater regard.
“Then you consent to supporting the Seo Moon Family?”
Namgung Pae nodded and replied.
“The matter of supporting the Seo Moon Family will be discussed at the council of elders.”
Major decisions for the Namgung Family were determined through the council of elders, which comprised the family head, the grand elder, and three branch masters.
But the most crucial factor was the will of Namgung Pae, the family head.
If Namgung Pae pressed strongly for the Seo Moon Family’s support, the grand elder and the three branch masters would have no choice but to follow.
Namgung Geom spoke, thinking the matter of the Seo Moon Family’s support was as good as settled.
“If I may be so bold, I have one request regarding the support of the Seo Moon Family.”
“Speak freely.”
“Should the decision be made to support the Seo Moon Family, please send the Changrong Sword Squad.”
Namgung Byeongryong
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Baekwol 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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