Ice Dragon of Namgung - Chapter 90

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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 90
Namgung Pae’s face twisted into an expression of disbelief at Namgung Geom’s audacious demand.
“After consuming the Great Flame Pill, what will you do if Namgung Chang fails to secure first place?”
“Before we concern ourselves with results, shouldn’t we provide Namgung Chang with every support possible so he can win for the honor of the Namgung Clan?”
Namgung Geom’s request was hardly unreasonable.
For the Five Great Clans, the Jeongcheon Assembly’s Martial Arts Tournament was a matter of pride.
And they had done everything they could to secure victory in it.
Administering elixirs to heighten the martial prowess of tournament competitors was elementary.
“So you’re saying we should support him first, then judge the outcome?”
“Indeed. If the Patriarch demonstrates his faith first, Namgung Chang will repay it with results.”
Namgung Pae stared at him as if dumbfounded.
“The Master of Changyong-gak certainly has a silver tongue.”
“Namgung Chang’s talent is undeniable. With your full support, Patriarch, he will surely achieve excellent results.”
“What do the other elders think? Excluding the Thunder Prison elder, since he’s the boy’s father.”
Namgung Pae turned to Namgung Seong and Namgung Un.
“With respect, the problem begins before the Great Flame Pill—sending Namgung Chang as our representative without any competition at all.”
Namgung Seong raised the issue immediately.
“Are you saying Namgung Chang’s participation as our representative is itself problematic?”
“No one would object if the Master of Changyong-gak were to compete. But Namgung Chang’s entry could generate discontent.”
From Namgung Seong’s answer, Namgung Pae grasped his true intention.
“It seems the Master of Changung has someone else in mind for the position.”
“If it is not the Master of Changyong-gak, I believe everyone should be given an equal opportunity.”
At Namgung Seong’s principled response, Namgung Un let out a quiet laugh.
“It appears our second elder wishes for Namgung Do to represent us in the tournament.”
In the Jeongcheon Assembly’s Martial Arts Tournament, it was an unspoken rule that competitors came from the Direct Line.
Given that the Direct Line generally possessed superior martial skill, it was only natural.
In any case, among the Direct Line who could compete in the upcoming tournament—excluding Namgung Geom and Namgung Chang—Namgung Do, Namgung Seong’s eldest son, was the only option.
When Namgung Seong spoke of giving everyone equal opportunity, his true thought centered on his own son.
“What do you mean by that?”
Namgung Seong’s expression remained unbothered.
“I mean nothing in particular—only that you said ‘everyone.'”
As Namgung Un shrugged and spoke, Namgung Seong regarded him with visible displeasure.
“Fine. There’s no benefit to discord. We’ll select our representative for the tournament through fair martial competition.”
At Namgung Pae’s decision, Namgung Geom raised no objection.
He recognized that giving Namgung Do an opportunity was only fair.
“And what do you all think about distributing the Great Flame Pill?”
“Given how significant this tournament is, I believe investing in victory through the pill is worthwhile.”
Namgung Seong approved of the pill’s distribution.
Namgung Geom smiled inwardly.
Had he declared the pill would go only to Namgung Chang, Namgung Seong would never have given his consent so readily.
Obtaining Namgung Seong’s approval in exchange for facing Namgung Do in martial combat was not a poor trade.
But Namgung Seong was not the one whose opinion truly mattered.
What Namgung Un thought was far more important.
Namgung Geom turned his gaze toward Namgung Un.
“Both my nephews are blessed with exceptional talent and represent the Namgung Clan’s future. Distributing the Great Flame Pill would be no loss.”
Namgung Un did not object to the pill’s distribution.
“However, should the recipient consume the Great Flame Pill yet still fail to win the tournament, I believe someone must be held accountable.”
Namgung Un glanced at Namgung Geom as he spoke.
“Since I raised the matter, it is only right that I bear the responsibility. So what accountability would you propose?”
“How about this: even if the Master of Changgung Sword Corps earns merit in the future, you forfeit rewards for one instance.”
“Very well. I accept forfeiting my next reward for merit.”
Namgung Geom’s reply came without a moment’s hesitation.
His acceptance was so swift and easy that Namgung Un’s expression betrayed surprise.
But Namgung Geom’s true thoughts ran differently.
‘Why forfeit a reward? Namgung Chang will simply win the tournament.’
If Namgung Chang won the Martial Arts Tournament, there would be no accountability to bear.
The question was whether Namgung Chang could win it.
‘All I need do is make it happen.’
One month remained.
Namgung Geom had decided to put Namgung Chang through intensive training.
If he took the Great Flame Pill and trained properly with me for a month, winning the Martial Arts Tournament would be no problem at all.
What was interesting was that Namgung Do didn’t factor into the equation.
For Namgung Chang to compete in the tournament, he first had to defeat Namgung Do.
If Namgung Chang somehow lost, it would only benefit others.
But Namgung Geom wasn’t worried.
He simply assumed Namgung Chang would beat Namgung Do.
Namgung Do was a year older than both of them.
He was one cohort ahead of the two of them at Changyong-gak, and they’d crossed paths a few times.
The talent and martial skill Namgung Do had shown then were a notch below Namgung Chang and the Four Prodigies.
Moreover, Namgung Chang’s strength had grown by leaps and bounds through several real engagements.
By contrast, Namgung Do, after joining the Changgung Sword Corps, had yet to face any true combat.
In talent, martial skill, and real-world experience alike, Namgung Chang had the advantage.
There was no reason to even consider the possibility of him losing.
Of course, complacency was forbidden.
“Then let’s conclude it that way.”
Namgung Pae made the final decision.
No one objected, and the head’s meeting came to an end.
“Then I shall take my leave now.”
Namgung Geom bowed to Namgung Pae and his three uncles, then left the hall.

* * *
Namgung Chang was startled when he heard Namgung Geom’s words.
“So I’m to have a duel with Namgung Do, and whoever wins represents the clan at the Jeongcheon Assembly’s Martial Arts Tournament?”
“That’s right. You’re confident you can beat him, aren’t you?”
“I’m confident, but not certain.”
Namgung Chang had confidence that he could beat Namgung Do.
But confidence wasn’t the same as certainty.
Higher martial skill doesn’t guarantee victory.
In the martial world, it was common enough to lose to someone weaker than yourself.
There were other reasons, but carelessness was the greatest one.
Namgung Geom had drummed this into his head time and again.
Never take victory for granted, he’d said.
Self-confidence was good, but the arrogance of thinking you’ll win no matter what was not.
Namgung Chang had taken his brother’s words deeply to heart.
“If you’d said you were certain, I wouldn’t have let it pass.”
“Don’t worry. Whoever my opponent is, I know well enough not to be careless.”
Namgung Geom nodded at his brother’s reassuring words.
Namgung Geom didn’t teach martial skill alone.
He seized every opportunity to impart the proper attitudes and mindset one should carry in the martial world.
Namgung Chang faithfully followed his brother’s teachings.
All that instruction was bearing fruit.
“And once you’re confirmed as a participant, you’ll be given a Great Flame Pill.”
“A Great Flame Pill?”
Namgung Chang looked even more surprised than before.
“But you must win the tournament at all costs.”
“What happens if I don’t win?”
“The reward for my service will be forfeit.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Namgung Geom explained what he’d agreed to take responsibility for.
“Why would you go that far?”
“Because I believe you’ll win the tournament.”
Namgung Chang felt oddly proud at hearing his brother’s belief in him.
But apart from Namgung Geom’s faith, winning the tournament was an extraordinarily difficult task.
The tournament basically accepted participants up to age twenty-five.
From what Namgung Chang knew, the rising prodigies of the Five Great Clans likely to compete were all older than him.
In one’s twenties, even a year or two made a significant difference.
Honestly, he wasn’t confident he could defeat those older prodigies.
“That’s not something that happens just because someone believes in it.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure it happens.”
Namgung Chang flinched at his brother’s words.
“Hearing that, I suddenly feel uneasy.”
Namgung Geom let out a soft laugh.
“There’s nothing to fear. Think of it as tempering yourself to grow stronger.”
And from that day forward, Namgung Chang’s trials began in earnest.
* * *
Namgung Geom visited the Thunder Prison in the Silver Dragon Pavilion to meet the three Heuk assassins.
“How much longer do you intend to keep us locked away?”
Heuk Il Sal confronted him the moment he saw Namgung Geom.
“That’s precisely why I’ve come—to set you free.”
At those words, Heuk Il Sal’s eyes brightened with hope.
“Does this mean the Namgung Clan has agreed to accept us?”
“It does. From now on, you will serve as my Shadow Guard.”
“Shadow Guard?”
Heuk I Sal’s confusion was evident.
“Guardians who protect me from the shadows, quite literally.”
“You mean to use us as protectors, not as assassins?”
Heuk Sam Sal asked, genuinely taken aback.
He had assumed the Namgung Clan had taken them in for assassination work.
But guardians? That was unexpected indeed.
“If I preached redemption to you and then sent you out to kill, that would be the height of hypocrisy, wouldn’t it? Until now, your lives have been spent taking lives. There’s no reason you couldn’t spend them protecting one instead.”
At Namgung Geom’s words, the light in the three assassins’ eyes wavered.
They had always taken it for granted that their existence revolved around death.
A life spent protecting others—that was something they had never imagined.
The three assassins accepted Namgung Geom’s offer simply to survive.
There was no genuine desire to become true members of the Namgung Clan.
They had plotted their escape at the first opportunity.
But hearing Namgung Geom’s words, they came to understand something.
This was their chance to transform their lives entirely.
They hadn’t chosen the path of the renegade out of desire.
Circumstances had simply led them there.
Perhaps this moment offered them a genuine chance at redemption, to walk a new path—and that wouldn’t be so bad.
“But before that, I must place a Soul Restriction upon you.”
At Namgung Geom’s words, uncertainty flickered in the three assassins’ eyes once more.
They had agreed to accept the Soul Restriction, but facing it directly now, their hearts grew restless.
“As I’ve already explained, the Ice Dragon Soul Lock’s restriction causes no harm whatsoever as long as you obey the inscribed covenant.”
Namgung Geom spoke as if to ease their minds.
The Ice Dragon Soul Lock worked by implanting an Ice Soul in the target’s spirit, normally producing no effect at all.
But the moment the caster’s inscribed conditions are violated, the Ice Soul activates.
When activated, extreme Cold Qi surges through the body, freezing the meridians solid.
And the victim is consumed by unbearable agony until death claims them.
Namgung Geom intended to inscribe upon them a covenant: to harbor no Murderous Intent toward him and to faithfully obey his commands.
As long as the three assassins bore no will to kill him and complied with his orders, the Soul Restriction would remain inert.
The three assassins already understood these terms.
Yet it was only Namgung Geom’s word.
They had no way of knowing what its true effect might be.
“There’s truly nothing else hidden in this restriction, is there?”
Heuk Il Sal couldn’t help but voice his doubt.
“If you don’t trust me, we can forget this entire arrangement.”
Namgung Geom shrugged indifferently and began to stand, whereupon Heuk Il Sal rushed to speak.
“I trust you. I do—please, apply the restriction.”
Namgung Geom gave a slight shrug and approached Heuk Il Sal.
“It will hurt a little.”
Namgung Ice Dragon
Author |
Baek Wol Geom
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Samyang C&C Co., Ltd.
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Without written permission from (주) Samyang C&C – Dream Books, the contents of this book may not be used in any form or by any means.

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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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