Namgoong the Sword Ghost - Chapter 134

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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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Episode 134. The Sword Demon Speaks of the Purple Glow
―Ahhhhh! Ahhhhhhhhh! I’m losing my mind, I really am! What in the blazes is that blockhead doing?!
‘What the hell is this?’
Ho Yeon cursed reflexively at the sudden shrieks.
The mad woman spoke again.
―Hmm? Who’s there? That’s a terribly uncouth, frivolous, vulgar voice I’m hearing?
‘Is she talking to me? This lunatic?’
―Myeah? A lunatic? How delightful! Someone praising this lady’s incomparable beauty with such an apt voice?
‘Your ears stopped working? Lunatic—mad woman—that’s what I meant, you woman.’
―Uh… eh?
At Ho Yeon’s rebuke, the Zaha Divine Sword fell silent as if taking in the situation.
Then she asked him.
―Don’t tell me… the little Namgung brat is actually talking to me?
‘Who are you calling a brat?’
―My goodness, how extraordinary! The ability to converse with swords?
―Quite the noisy woman, aren’t you.
―Aahhh! What’s that voice—an old relic’s?
―What?! How impudent!
―Hahaha! A mad woman, isn’t she.
―Now there’s a barbarian’s voice?!
―Hey! That’s too harsh, Ko!
‘Ugh, this is exhausting. You two, keep it down.’
Overwhelmed by the clamor of three sword voices in his mind, Ho Yeon furrowed his brow and severed his Sword Heart Resonance with both the Cheonrae Geom and the Heukya Tae Geom.
―If you dare set your eyes upon me, abandon that thought at once, you barbarian! How dare a base, lowborn, penniless wretch covet a woman of noble station? Know your place, you savage!
‘This woman has quite the foul mouth.’
Ho Yeon shook his head and flicked the Zaha Divine Sword with his finger.
Ting!
With a bright, pure ring, the Zaha Divine Sword cried out.
―Ow! That hurts, you little runt. What are you doing, being so rude to your sister? Even beauty has its limits when it comes to patience?
‘Sigh, why do all the swords I meet lack any sense at all?’
Ho Yeon let out an exasperated breath.
The Zaha Divine Sword spoke again.
―Little one, I’ll forgive your rudeness if you’ll just do me a small favor?
‘What is it?’
Though he asked, Ho Yeon already knew what the Zaha Divine Sword would request.
The Cheonrae Geom had been revered as a divine sword of the Namgung Clan for ages, harboring deep affection for the family.
The Zaha Divine Sword, too, treasured as a jewel of the Huashan Sect, would surely be the same.
‘If she’s asking me to restore lost martial arts to the Huashan Sect…’
―Smack Un Am on the back of the head. And do it hard!
‘Huh?’
But Ho Yeon’s guess was spectacularly wrong.
The Zaha Divine Sword continued.
―That fool, that blockhead! He knows nothing of a woman’s heart, that dolt! Such a clueless oaf deserves a beating!
‘What are you talking about?’
―My, are you a fledgling too? How much longer will you flutter about in the nest? Isn’t it time you learned to spread your wings and fly on your own?
‘…Talk to yourself. I’m cutting the connection.’
―Wait! Even if you cut it, pass this on to Un Am! Tell him Nan A has feelings for him!
‘Wha… what?’
At the Zaha Divine Sword’s words, Ho Yeon turned his gaze toward Nan A.
She stood behind Un Am, blinking her round eyes.
‘She just looks like she isn’t thinking about anything.’
―Look at Nan A’s hands, I’m telling you. She’s holding a handkerchief.
At the Zaha Divine Sword’s words, Ho Yeon looked at her hands and sure enough, she held a white silk handkerchief.
―Nan A worked up the courage for the first time, and that blockhead Un Am doesn’t even notice, he’s just chattering away with you about swords and sword companions. I’m losing my mind, truly.
‘You’re reading that much into a handkerchief? It could just be kindness.’
―That’s exactly why you’re a fledgling. No one just shows that kind of kindness for nothing!
‘You’ve got quite the overactive imagination. Doesn’t living like that exhaust you?’
―Ha! Little one, then let me ask you this. What’s a clearer sign of affection than approaching a crying man and wiping his tears with a handkerchief?
At the Zaha Divine Sword’s words, the scent of sandalwood passed across the tip of Ho Yeon’s nose.
‘I don’t know, asking him to marry her?’
―What, what do you mean?
‘That I shine, that I want you, things like that.’
―That, that’s so brazen! Provocative! Audacious! There can’t possibly be a woman like that in this world!
‘Well, there is.’
―Ah, so the delusions of grandeur belonged to the little one all along. Don’t speak your imagination as though it were fact. I was starting to feel a bit sorry for you. At least your face is decent enough…… tsk tsk.
Zaha Divine Sword clicked her tongue.
Namgung Ho Yeon was utterly flabbergasted.
‘Wait, aren’t you the Huashan Sect’s divine treasure?’
―That’s right.
‘Then you should be asking me about rebuilding the Huashan Sect, not meddling in someone else’s love life.’
―Ha! Namgung little one, do you have any idea what’s in this sister’s heart?
At Namgung Ho Yeon’s words, Zaha Divine Sword spoke in a sly voice.
―This sister was once a national treasure of the Persian royal household. That place was so much fun. The king was quite the philanderer.
‘What?’
―Love quarrels breaking out day after day! Thrilling secret rendezvous! Love triangles thick with tension! Fateful first meetings!
Zaha Divine Sword’s voice, which had been explaining in a delighted tone, suddenly turned grave.
―After living a life so awash in dopamine, I drifted into the Huashan Sect and ended up living with those tedious Daoists. What kind of misfortune is this? And here’s the kicker―every single one of them is some doddering old fool, either Sect Leader or Elder! I haven’t been in the hands of someone young like Un Am in five hundred years! And the very person responsible turns out to be nothing but a fledgling? It’s driving me mad!
Anger was beginning to frost Zaha Divine Sword’s voice as she lamented her fate.
―Rebuilding the Huashan Sect? Why should I care? Namgung little one, why don’t you take this sister and run away? Go to Beijing and have all the love affairs you want. With this sister’s help, you could become the greatest lover in Zhongyuan…!
‘…….’
―Rebuilding the Huashan Sect? I don’t care. Namgung little one. Take this sister and run! Head to Beijing and have a blast with romance. If your sister helps, you could become the greatest lady’s man in all of Zhongyuan……!
Click!
Namgung Ho Yeon shoved Zaha Divine Sword back into her scabbard and severed the Sword Heart Resonance.
Once he returned Zaha Divine Sword to Un Am, the latter asked with a gentle smile.
“Quite a fine sword, isn’t it?”
“……On the surface, yes.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“The inside is rotted clean through.”
“……?”
Un Am tilted his head in confusion and fastened Zaha Divine Sword to his waist.
“Should you ever require her again, I’d be happy to lend her to you. Sometimes just looking at Zaha Divine Sword can spark a kind of inspiration.”
“Inspiration my foot. All that’ll come to mind is some crazy woman.”
Shaking his head vigorously, Namgung Ho Yeon pointed to Nan A and spoke.
“Go on.”
“Pardon?”
“She’s waiting for you.”
“Hmm?”
At Namgung Ho Yeon’s gesture, Un Am turned to look at Nan A.
“Please take this, Un Am.”
“Ah, Miss Nan A. I appreciate the sentiment, but that’s not necessary.”
When Nan A offered him a handkerchief, Un Am politely declined.
“It looks like a valuable item. I couldn’t possibly sully it. I should wash my hands first.”
“…….”
“Let me pour water for you, Un Am.”
“Oh! Well, thank you then.”
“Come on, I’ll handle the hand-washing for you!”
“Ha ha, shall we go together?”
Un Am, Hye Il, and Gwang Myeong walked off toward the well, chattering noisily amongst themselves.
Left standing alone, Nan A tucked the handkerchief into her sleeve and murmured.
“……It wasn’t that expensive.”
“…….”
Namgung Ho Yeon could almost hear Zaha Divine Sword’s laughter echoing from within the scabbard.
* * *
“As the Namgung patron said, we’ve located their secret hideout north of Gongshuge.”
Buljeong Geomni reported.
Her eyes were reddened―she had wept profusely at Leijing Tower after hearing the full account of the incident from Namgung Ho Yeon.
“The Eumsal Mun……! A heretical sect devoid of all righteousness!”
Buljeong Geomni’s fury erupted.
The conspiracy Eumsal Mun had orchestrated to seize control of the Gangnam Trading Alliance was horrifying.
They had actually kidnapped the Alliance Leader and key figures from each trading house and replaced them through body substitution?
“The wives who lay beside their husbands, unaware they’d been replaced by imposters—along with their entire families—are writhing in agony right now!”
“They’re parasites. Every last one of them.”
“This must be reported to the Murim League immediately. We cannot assume the Eumsal Mun’s reach extends only to the Gangnam Trading Alliance.”
Buljeong Geomni’s expression hardened visibly.
What if the Eumsal Mun had already infiltrated the Murim League itself?
The thought alone was horrifying.
“The masters should be safe enough. Those creatures can mimic appearances, but they cannot mimic inner essence.”
“So they targeted merchants instead. Most merchants haven’t trained in martial arts, and those who have only reached the Longevity Arts level.”
Buljeong Geomni nodded at Namgung Ho Yeon’s words.
Then she looked at him with an expression of admiration and asked.
“But how did you uncover their trail? I myself had never even heard the name Eumsal Mun before.”
“Well… something similar happened around me long ago.”
“Ah, in Anhui, perhaps?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“It must have been a terrible ordeal. That would explain your fury.”
“Pardon?”
As Namgung Ho Yeon looked puzzled, Buljeong Geomni smiled as if to say he shouldn’t play dumb.
“The Danqiao Blood Calamity. Your doing, isn’t it?”
“…….”
“The Eumsal Mun originating from Dongying. You uncovering their conspiracy. And the suspicious foreigners scattered throughout Danqiao. The answer is obvious.”
“I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about.”
“Heh, don’t worry. I have close connections with the Provincial Governor of Zhejiang. I’ll make sure responsibility doesn’t fall on you.”
“Tch.”
Namgung Ho Yeon clicked his tongue.
At the sight, Buljeong Geomni smiled, then her expression stiffened again as she withdrew a ledger from her robes.
“We found numerous suspicious account books in the Secret Hideout. This one pertains to the Namgyeong Trading Company.”
“They’re major players. But will they admit to it willingly?”
“They already have. I personally extracted a confession from the head of the Namgyeong Trading Company.”
“Really?”
Namgung Ho Yeon looked surprised, and Buljeong Geomni continued.
“According to Chang, he was being coerced. Someone of overwhelming skill was watching him, and he had no choice. He actually seemed relieved when caught.”
“…….”
“Of course, that doesn’t erase the crimes he committed.”
Buljeong Geomni gathered the ledgers again.
Namgung Ho Yeon asked.
“Survivors?”
“Fortunately, we managed to rescue thirty-four people from the underground chamber, including twelve heads of trading companies. But how did you know?”
“I figured there would be. Running a trading company isn’t child’s play—they’d have kept their prisoners alive long enough to extract sufficient information.”
At his words, Buljeong Geomni shook her head and spoke.
“What puzzles me is the source of your information. How did you learn the location of their hideout and know about the secret chamber?”
To Buljeong Geomni’s question, Namgung Ho Yeon scratched his cheek and spoke awkwardly.
“Well… it’s not something I can easily explain to a nun.”
“……Namo Amitabha.”
At his words, Buljeong Geomni closed her eyes and chanted.
She had concluded that Namgung Ho Yeon had obtained the information through torture.
‘They say Danqiao was soaked in blood. What hatred must have burned so deep…….’
As a Buddhist nun, she wanted to rebuke Namgung Ho Yeon’s cruel methods.
But thinking that she too would have broken the Killing Precept if the same had happened to the Bota Sect, Buljeong Geomni said nothing.
However, contrary to what Buljeong Geomni believed, Namgung Ho Yeon had not obtained the information through torture.
‘That bastard really does have a loose tongue.’

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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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