Ice Dragon of Namgung - Chapter 81

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 81
The moment Namgung Geom found himself trapped in the darkness of the Munyoung-am-gye, genuine panic seized him.
But the panic was brief.
He anticipated what would come next.
Once Heukssal Munjoo had deadened his senses in this space of darkness, there was only one move left for him to make.
A killing strike from Heukssal Munjoo would follow.
He had to stop it.
But he couldn’t know from where the attack would come.
Then there was only one method.
Block off every inch of space.
If Heukssal Munjoo had created a space of darkness, then he would simply bury it beneath Bingtcheon.
Crack!
Bingtcheon erupted from Namgung Geom’s blade, and the darkness gave way to a world of ice.
Heukssal Munjoo’s sword, which had been streaking toward Namgung Geom’s heart, froze just inches away, trapped in the crystalline prison.
But it wasn’t only his sword.
Heukssal Munjoo himself seized up as the ice claimed him, his body beginning to crystallize.
‘This madness!’
Heukssal Munjoo’s shock was genuine.
This was not power that a master of the True Martial Realm could possibly wield.
What on earth was this man?
How could he summon such strength?
But there was no time to marvel.
Heukssal Munjoo gritted his teeth and thrust his blade deeper.
Just a little further, and Namgung Geom’s heart would be pierced.
Boom!
Munyoung Sword Energy erupted from his blade, shattering the ice.
Crack!
But the space froze faster than the ice could break, scattering the Munyoung Sword Energy into fragments.
Heukssal Munjoo’s body froze further as waves of glacial cold penetrated his meridians.
His expression twisted.
‘I have to separate from him!’
If he stayed locked with Namgung Geom, he would become a block of ice.
Heukssal Munjoo threw all his strength into a desperate retreat.
Boom!
The ice holding him shattered and scattered.
But still the space froze, pursuing him.
Heukssal Munjoo gritted his teeth and continued his withdrawal.
The Munyoung-am-gye he had woven dissolved as the sky of ice consumed it.
As the Munyoung-am-gye faded, Namgung Geom’s senses returned.
Namgung Geom pressed forward immediately, extending the Bingyong Geom.
Crack!
Successive torrents of Bingraei Sword Energy wove together like a net, engulfing Heukssal Munjoo.
Seomjeon Geommang.
The ninth technique of the Seomjeon Thirteen Sword Thunders.
Heukssal Munjoo gritted his teeth as the net of Bingraei descended, encircling the space before him.
The net of Bingraei was faster than he could retreat.
There was no time left to dodge in another direction.
Heukssal Munjoo swung his blade desperately.
Munyoung Sword Energy poured forth, colliding with the net of Bingraei.
Boom!
The net of Bingraei tore apart, and a deafening roar erupted.
But it was not yet over.
The shockwave born from the shattering of the Bingraei net swept over Heukssal Munjoo.
Thud!
Unable to evade the shockwave, Heukssal Munjoo was flung violently backward.
Barely managing to regain his footing and avoid crashing into the ground, Heukssal Munjoo spat out a mouthful of blood.
He had already deployed the Munyoung-am-gye using Jinwon Jigi.
Already exhausted, he had poured forth all his strength to evade the ice of Bingtcheon and release his sword energy to withstand the Seomjeon Geommang.
The exertion had caused severe internal turbulence.
And now, having taken the shockwave as well, he had suffered an Internal Injury.
Heukssal Munjoo couldn’t believe what was happening.
He’d unleashed the Munyoung Am-gye, yet not only had he failed to kill Namgung Geom—he’d suffered an Internal Injury instead.
And it wasn’t a minor one.
Trapped within the ice of Bingtcheon, the Cold Qi had penetrated deep into his body.
The Cold Qi seeping inward froze his meridians, delivering excruciating pain.
In his current state, he could barely withstand another attack from Namgung Geom.
Had Namgung Geom chosen to finish him, it would have taken but a breath.
Yet for some reason, Namgung Geom made no immediate move.
Though not as badly as Heukssal Munjoo, Namgung Geom’s condition was far from sound.
To block the Munyoung Am-gye, he’d deployed the Changgung Bingtcheon.
Combined with Cheonji Gyeolbing on top of it.
Thus he’d sealed every inch of space around him in Bingtcheon ice.
Such a technique transcended normal Realms, placing tremendous strain upon the body.
In that state, to finish Heukssal Munjoo, he’d even unfolded the Seomjeon Geommang.
The result: an Internal Injury.
Better than Heukssal Munjoo’s, yes—but still leaving him unable to launch an immediate assault.
Heukssal Munjoo grasped Namgung Geom’s condition at once.
A wry smile crossed his face as he bellowed:
“Kill him now! Go!”
He was not here alone.
The Heukssal Squad had been lying in wait, ready to strike Namgung Geom at any moment.
With Namgung Geom wounded as he was, the Heukssal Squad alone should be enough to end him.
Heukssal Munjoo watched with eager anticipation, waiting for the Squad to attack.
But the Heukssal Squad didn’t move.
“Why don’t you attack at once?” Heukssal Munjoo barked the command again.
He issued the order a second time.
Yet again, the Heukssal Squad remained motionless.
Heukssal Munjoo suddenly realized something had gone terribly wrong.
“Did you truly think I came alone?”
The moment Namgung Geom finished speaking, dozens of figures emerged from both sides.
They were warriors of the Biryong-gak, one of the Four Palaces of the Namgung Clan.
The Biryong-gak was a combat unit specialized in infiltration and assault, their battle prowess second to none among the Three Great Sword Pavilions.
Their ability to slip silently into enemy territory and assassinate targets was the finest the Namgung Clan possessed.
Learning that Namgung Geom had come under attack from Heukssal Munjoo, the main house of the Namgung Clan had dispatched an additional squad of the Biryong Squad.
This was precisely what the letter Namgung Geom had received earlier contained.
Upon receiving the letter, Namgung Geom had devised a strategy utilizing the Biryong Squad.
While he engaged the enemy, the Squad would move in secret to eliminate the Heukssal forces.
And the Biryong Squad had executed the plan flawlessly.
Every member of the Heukssal Squad hidden in the mountain had been assassinated.
“You dare!”
Heukssal Munjoo’s fury erupted as he realized he’d fallen into Namgung Geom’s trap.
Then his eyes fell upon Namgung Min, bound to a tree.
‘If I take him hostage, I can escape!’
Without hesitation, he launched himself toward Namgung Min.
His injured body screamed in protest, but this was no time for such concerns.
“Cowardice to the very end.”
Namgung Geom moved as if he’d anticipated this very moment, throwing himself forward.
Though Heukssal Munjoo had the shorter distance, Namgung Geom’s speed was superior.
Namgung Geom reached Namgung Min first.
When Heukssal Munjoo saw Namgung Geom blocking his path, his eyes flashed with something terrible.
Seeing that gleam, Namgung Geom felt a chill of foreboding and hastily drew his blade.
But before he could fully extend it, Heukssal Munjoo’s body swelled grotesquely and burst apart.
Heukssal Pokryeol Gong.
A self-destruct technique that detonated blood infused with the Inner Power of Heukssal martial arts.
As Heukssal Munjoo’s body exploded, blood and flesh scattered like a torrent of needles.
Namgung Geom urgently tried to deploy Cheonji Gyeolbing, but the distance was far too close.
Before he could unfold the technique, blood and gore engulfed both him and Namgung Min behind him.
Namgung Geom gritted his teeth.
There was nothing for it—he’d have to shield them with his bare body.
And then—!
Boom!
A massive figure wielding a Golden Shield plummeted down in front of Namgung Geom.
That figure was none other than Namgung Gwon, master of the Paeryong-gak.
Crash!
The blood and flesh of Heukssal Munjoo struck the Golden Shield with a deafening roar.
Namgung Gwon held firm against the tremendous impact, deflecting every trace of blood and tissue.
Namgung Geom felt relief at Namgung Gwon’s arrival, yet a chill ran through him.
If not for him, he would have been forced to meet that onslaught bare-handed.
Given the force concentrated in that spray of blood and flesh, he would surely have suffered grave injury.
“Are you hurt?”
Namgung Gwon, having blocked all of Heukssal Munjoo’s blood and tissue, turned to check on Namgung Geom’s condition.
“Only thanks to your timely arrival, sir.”
“This time fortune favored us and we’ve protected the Crown Prince. But there’s no guarantee the next time will go as well.”
Had Namgung Gwon arrived even slightly later, Namgung Geom would have suffered grave wounds.
He might well have died.
“I will take greater care to protect myself going forward.”
“You must.”
Once Namgung Gwon finished speaking, Namgung Geom approached Namgung Min in the rear.
Namgung Min gazed at him with eyes alight with emotion.
Namgung Geom released the pressure point that bound him and asked, “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, except for not being able to move my body.”
Namgung Geom drew his blade and cut through the ropes binding Namgung Min.
“Thank you, Crown Prince! To think you would come alone and risk such danger to rescue me—your kindness is beyond measure.”
Namgung Min expressed his gratitude with a face full of emotion.
He knew well how perilous it was for Namgung Geom to come here alone.
He had resolved that even if the Crown Prince did not come, he would harbor no resentment.
Yet Namgung Geom had come by himself.
He had risked his life to save him.
It was almost too much to bear.
Namgung Geom shook his head with a bitter smile.
“No. Your abduction is because of me, so I am the one who should apologize.”
“Heukssal Munjoo lacked confidence that he could defeat the Crown Prince, so he cowardly resorted to kidnapping me. How could that be your fault?”
Namgung Min spoke as if the matter were obvious.
“Still, had I not existed, you would never have been taken in the first place.”
“I will hear no more of this, sir. Please, do not trouble yourself.”
Namgung Min could have harbored resentment toward Namgung Geom, but he did not in the least.
At such unwavering trust, Namgung Geom’s heart grew lighter.
“At any rate, you are safe. Namgung Yeol will be waiting anxiously, so let us return at once.”
“Very well.”
Namgung Geom descended Palgong Mountain together with Namgung Min.
Namgung Gwon and the warriors of the Biryong-gak escorted them both.
‘I should have captured Heukssal Munjoo alive.’
Namgung Geom deeply regretted not taking Heukssal Munjoo prisoner.
Had he managed to capture him, he might have extracted some information about the cult’s existence.
But he had not anticipated that Heukssal Munjoo would resort to self-destruction.
Still, with Heukssal Munjoo’s death, the threat of ambush had been eliminated—that was cause for relief.
Of course, the cult could send another assassin.
But they need no longer worry about Heukssal Munjoo’s schemes.
Moreover, with Heukssal Munjoo’s death, the Heukssal Gate had effectively collapsed.
The Heukssal Gate was one of the core factions of the Sapaeryeon.
To that extent, the Sapaeryeon’s overall strength had been diminished.
The Sapaeryeon was the primary enemy of the Namgung Clan.
The weakening of their forces was beneficial to the Namgung house.
Yet even so, conflict with the Sapaeryeon should be avoided—if only because of the cult’s shadow.
Once they had descended Palgong Mountain, Namgung Geom and his party made directly for the Hoeunam Branch.
Namgung Yeol, who had been waiting anxiously, felt relief upon confirming that Namgung Min was unharmed.
* * *
The master’s quarters of the Hoeunam Branch.
At Namgung Yeol’s request, Namgung Geom withdrew to a separate room.

“I’m truly grateful. I won’t forget the kindness you’ve shown me today for the rest of my life.”
Namgung Yeol expressed his gratitude to Namgung Geom with genuine sincerity.
He was deeply moved by Namgung Geom’s willingness to face such danger in order to save Namgung Min.
He could easily have died in the attempt.
Yet Namgung Geom did not hesitate for a moment.
That was not something just anyone would do.
“And as repayment for the kindness of saving my son, there is something I would like to give to you.”
It was meaningless to speak of gratitude in words alone.
Namgung Yeol wanted to repay Namgung Geom’s kindness in tangible form.
“There’s no need, truly.”
When Namgung Geom declined, Namgung Yeol smiled knowingly and posed a question.
“Even if it would aid your Bing-gong?”
Namgung Biryong
Author |
Baek Wol Geom
Publisher |
(주) Samyang C&C
Editorial Director |
Editorial Department
Published by |
(주) Samyang C&C – Dream Books
Address |
7th Floor, Kwangsung Building, 28 Bongeun-sa-ro 114-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
UCI |
G720:N+A063-20260511103
Blog |
blog.naver.com/dreambookss
Twitter (X) |
@dreambookss
Submissions |
[email protected]
This book may not be reproduced in any form or by any means without the written permission of (주) Samyang C&C – Dream Books.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————