Ice Dragon of Namgung - Chapter 78

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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 78
The Ice Dragon Sword was forged from ten-thousand-year-old cold iron, granting it the function of amplifying Cold Qi.
Namgung Geom felt the full power of this amplification as he wielded the Ice Dragon Sword.
Through the Cold Qi amplification, he could now exhibit power that transcended his current realm.
The Ice White Heaven Net alone would have been impossible to deploy without the Ice Dragon Sword.
That he could push the Black Slaughter Sect Leader back was thanks entirely to the sword’s amplification.
As Namgung Geom experienced the Ice Dragon Sword’s Cold Qi amplification, a thought suddenly took root.
What if he used the sword’s amplification to train his Inner Power?
If he amplified his Inner Power with the Ice Dragon Sword and practiced Qi Circulation, could he not break through the Meridian Gate of the Hundred Vessels—a barrier his current power could never penetrate?
It was not a thought without merit.
The possibility was entirely real.
In his previous life, Namgung Geom had reached the Transcendent Realm.
He already possessed the practical knowledge of how to break through the Meridian Gate.
What he lacked was Inner Power.
His current reserves could never penetrate that gate.
But if he amplified his Inner Power with the Ice Dragon Sword, it would not be impossible.
Of course, forcibly amplifying Inner Power carried the risk of a runaway backlash.
But Namgung Geom had more than enough control to manage amplified power.
His battle with the Black Slaughter Sect Leader had made him aware of his limitations.
Granted, for his age, his current achievements were remarkable.
But the Martial World does not measure strength by years.
There would be many more battles with masters like the Black Slaughter Sect Leader ahead.
Relying on the Ice Dragon Sword’s amplification had its limits.
He needed to elevate his realm itself.
To do so meant accepting risk.
Of course, if that risk grew too great, he would reconsider—but Namgung Geom believed he possessed the strength to overcome it.
With his resolve set, he gripped the Ice Dragon Sword and began cultivating his Inner Power.
Soon his Inner Power and the sword became one, amplifying his power immensely.
Crack!
The amplified Inner Power froze the air in the room instantaneously.
Namgung Geom controlled the amplified power and continued his Qi Circulation.
At first, the amplified Inner Power resisted wildly, defying his will.
‘Resist me, will you?’
But before his formidable will, it quickly submitted.
With complete control over his Inner Power, Namgung Geom continued his cultivation.
His current realm was mid-stage Absolute Martial.
Ascending to the Transcendent Realm directly would be difficult.
Yet reaching the late stages of Absolute Martial was achievable.
Absolute Martial was the stage where one merged the Grand Circulation Reversal and then opened the Meridian Gates of the Hundred Vessels.
Opening those gates required both deep understanding of Inner Power and a vast quantity of it.
Of course, with sufficient insight, one could open the gates with minimal Inner Power.
But that minimum standard was five units of Qi.
Namgung Geom’s Inner Power measured only three units.
With that amount, he could never open the gates, not even if he died and returned.
Namgung Geom measured the quantity of Inner Power amplified by the Ice Dragon Sword.
It seemed easily sufficient to reach five units.
‘Now I can open the gates.’
Namgung Geom directed his Inner Power toward the Meridian Gates of the Hundred Vessels.
If the meridians of the Grand Circulation were wooden doors, the Meridian Gates of the Hundred Vessels were iron gates.
To break through those gates, one had to be capable of wielding Inner Power in multiple ways.
For Namgung Geom, who had already mastered those techniques, this was no difficulty at all.
He pierced through the Meridian Gates without hesitation.
His methods of opening them were varied.
Sometimes he condensed his Inner Power and spun it at extreme speed to shatter a gate; other times he froze an entire gate solid before shattering it.
He divided his Inner Power into yin and yang, condensed them, and collided them against the gates to detonate them.
The method of opening varied with each gate’s location.
Prestigious sects and clans each possessed their own techniques for opening the Meridian Gates, transmitted as secret teachings.
Lesser sects and clans, meanwhile, either knew nothing of such techniques or knew only fragments.
This was precisely why higher masters rarely emerged from smaller sects and clans.
Namgung Geom opened the gates effortlessly, but had anyone witnessed it, they would have been astounded.
Namgung Geom’s breakthrough of the meridian gates continued until dawn.
“Phew!”
Having pierced dozens of meridian gates in a single night without sleep, Namgung Geom felt as though his body might take flight.
As each meridian gate opened, the vital energy within his body became increasingly active.
By converting the energy accumulated in the gates into inner power, the volume of his inner power had also grown.
It seemed he had gained at least half a unit of Qi measure.
More importantly, with dozens of meridian gates now opened, the circulation of his inner power had become far more fluid.
He could now move greater quantities of inner power at far greater speeds.
Consequently, the velocity and force of his martial techniques could only strengthen.
“This should put me well into the late stages of the Absolute Martial Realm.”
Observing his own condition with satisfaction, Namgung Geom allowed himself a pleased expression.
In truth, using the Ice Dragon Sword to pierce the meridian gates had been an attempt made with the mindset of having nothing to lose.
Yet it had succeeded splendidly.
Throughout the process, his inner power had not spiraled out of control, nor had any other danger arisen.
Namgung Geom felt as though he had been granted a precious elixir for free.
“You truly are a blessing.”
Namgung Geom felt a surge of gratitude toward the Ice Dragon Sword.
Without it, piercing the meridian gates would have remained a mere dream.
Choosing the Ice Dragon Sword at the Hundred Swords Repository had been his finest decision.
With the Ice Dragon Sword’s power at his command, opening the middle dantian and ascending to the Transcendent Realm would be far more manageable.
First, he would need to harmonize the meridian gates of the Hundred Vessels, but given the Ice Dragon Sword’s capabilities, it should not take long.
“With luck, I might reach the Transcendent Realm within a few years.”
Namgung Geom had previously thought it would take at least five years.
But with the Ice Dragon Sword’s power, he could substantially accelerate that timeline.
Namgung Geom stabilized his newly surging inner power through Qi Circulation practice.
Then he rose to take his morning meal.
As he entered the dining hall of the Honored Guest Pavilion, Namgung Gwon was already seated, partway through his breakfast.
“Are you dining, sir?”
“Come, sit and eat with me.”
Without hesitation, Namgung Geom took the seat across from Namgung Gwon.
Namgung Gwon’s eyes widened as he glanced up at him.
He sensed that Namgung Geom’s vital energy had changed.
He wondered if he was mistaken, but he was not.
Certainly, until last night, Namgung Geom had been beneath him in strength.
But now there was scarcely any difference between them.
“What in the—”
Namgung Gwon stared at him in bewilderment.
“Why do you look at me so?”
“What on earth happened last night that your realm has advanced?”
To advance one’s realm in a single night was impossible without consuming precious elixirs.
“I was fortunate enough to break through the meridian gates of the Hundred Vessels.”
“You pierced the meridian gates of the Hundred Vessels?”
Namgung Gwon asked in disbelief.
To break through the meridian gates of the Hundred Vessels required deep insight and substantial inner power.
It was a difficult feat at Namgung Geom’s stage.
That he had achieved such remarkable advancement in a single night seemed impossible.
“Though not all of them, of course.”
Namgung Geom answered as though it were nothing noteworthy.
Though Namgung Gwon remained skeptical, the vital energy emanating from Namgung Geom told him the claim was no lie.
“Did you perhaps consume an elixir?”
“No.”
“Then how could you possibly break through so many meridian gates in a single night?”
Namgung Gwon found it utterly incomprehensible.
“I was fortunate.”
“Is that truly a matter of mere luck?”
“All I can tell you is that nothing arose which might cause concern.”
Namgung Gwon realized that further questions would yield no satisfactory answer, so he pressed no further.
Though doubt remained about Namgung Geom’s advancement, he had no authority to interrogate him on the matter.
Besides, there were no signs that Namgung Geom had employed forbidden techniques or demonic arts.
“Hah. Even seeing it with my own eyes, I can scarcely believe it. At this pace, reaching the Transcendent Realm within five years is not beyond possibility.”
Namgung Gwon found himself at a loss even as the words left his own mouth.
Five years from now would make him only twenty-five.
The Transcendent Realm at that age.
Throughout all of martial history, no one had ever reached the Transcendent Realm at such a young age.
If Namgung Geom truly ascended to the Transcendent Realm within five years, he would be writing a new chapter in the history of the martial world.
Namgung Gwon’s eyes changed as he regarded Namgung Geom.
He had already acknowledged that Namgung Geom was exceptional.
Still, he believed the clan leader should be Namgung Seong.
But watching Namgung Geom advance his realm in a single night shook that conviction.
For now, Namgung Seong still surpassed Namgung Geom in both realm and martial skill.
Yet at Namgung Geom’s rate of growth, surpassing Namgung Seong was only a matter of time.
At such a pace, there was a high likelihood he would become the youngest person in martial history to reach the Transcendent Realm.
If someone else became clan leader while Namgung Geom was like this, who could possibly accept it?
Considering the Namgung Clan’s future, wouldn’t it be better for Namgung Geom to become clan leader?
Yet he had no intention of changing his support immediately.
There was still time before the clan leader selection, and it was necessary to observe whether Namgung Geom truly deserved the position.
What was certain was that some portion of the clan’s favor, which had been inclined toward Namgung Seong, had now shifted to Namgung Geom.
“The Changyong Sword Unit’s selection martial combat begins today?”
“Yes. Wouldn’t it be good for you to observe as well, Lord Gwon?”
“I’m curious to see what sort of people the First Young Lord will choose.”
“Then let’s go together. You can offer some counsel from the sidelines as well.”
After finishing his morning meal, Namgung Geom went with Namgung Gwon to the Training Ground, where the Changyong Sword Unit’s selection combat was being held.
The Training Ground was packed with regular members of the Northern Sword Unit.
“So many wish to join the Changyong Sword Unit.”
Namgung Gwon was taken aback by the sheer number of martial artists participating in the selection.
There were far more people than he had expected.
“Entering the main clan’s elite sword unit is the dream of every martial artist in the Namgung Clan.”
“I’m curious what talent the First Young Lord will look for in his selections.”
From his cursory observation, Namgung Gwon detected no standout presence among those who had applied for the selection.
Based solely on their aura, no one seemed worthy of joining the Changyong Sword Unit.
Namgung Gwon was both curious and eager to see whom Namgung Geom would select.
“As I mentioned before, I hope for your counsel, Lord Gwon.”
“I’m not sure how much help my eye for talent will be.”
“Just tell me what you see.”
“Very well.”
With Namgung Gwon observing, the Changyong Sword Unit’s selection combat began.
The format was the same as before.
Members of the Changyong Sword Unit faced off against members of the Northern Sword Unit in martial combat.
Regardless of victory or defeat, those who demonstrated talent in combat were selected.
As Namgung Geom watched the matches, he handed out Pass Tokens each time he spotted talent.
And when Namgung Gwon, curious about the reasoning, asked, he explained the talent each person possessed.
Namgung Gwon was amazed at Namgung Geom’s explanations.
Talent that he himself had overlooked, Namgung Geom spotted as if by magic.
‘This is the discernment of a twenty-year-old?’
Namgung Gwon could hardly believe Namgung Geom’s eye for talent.
Once he heard the explanation, the talent did indeed become visible.
For now, it was unremarkable potential.
But depending on how it was developed, it could become a unique weapon.
‘The Changyong Sword Unit is becoming interesting.’
Namgung Gwon found himself curious and hopeful about how Namgung Geom would develop the Changyong Sword Unit.
The selection combat continued for four days.
In the end, forty-five people received Pass Tokens.
After the selection combat ended, Namgung Geom began preparing to return to the main clan.
While he was in the middle of his preparations, Namgung Yeol came rushing in, breathless.
From Namgung Yeol’s expression, Namgung Geom immediately sensed that something had happened.
“What is the matter?”
“My son has been kidnapped.”
Namgung Geom understood that the son Namgung Yeol spoke of was Namgung Min.
“Who has taken Min?”
“Look at this.”
Namgung Yeol handed over a letter.
Namgung Geom’s expression hardened as he read its contents.
“The Black Slaughter Sect Leader!”
Namgung Ice Dragon
Author |
Baek Wol-geom
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Samyang C&C Co., Ltd.
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Editorial Department
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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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