Namgoong the Sword Ghost - Chapter 17

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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 17. The Sword Demon’s Betrothal
Henan was a hub of eight directions, bordering Anhui, Shandong, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Hubei—the very heart of the Central Plains.
It was hardly surprising, then, that the two pillars of the White Path—the Wulin Alliance and the Baijia Alliance—made their home in Zhengzhou, in Henan.
The two powers were divided by the Great Righteousness Road, a massive thoroughfare that ran vertically through the city, with one occupying the east and the other the west.
On the eastern side rose a towering, imposing wall of stone arranged in a rectangular fortress configuration.
This was the gathering of one hundred families that had broken away from the Wulin Alliance thirty years prior.
The Baijia Alliance.
“Clan Leader, we’ve received word that Miss Axian has arrived at the Nangong estate.”
In the inner sanctum of the Baijia Alliance, in the great hall known as Wolong Hall, a man in white martial garb delivered the report.
A serene-faced middle-aged man seated before a low desk, brush in hand, smiled faintly in response.
“Guanyue—this is not a family compound. Address me by my title.”
The middle-aged man’s voice was gentle, yet something in it carried an unmistakable weight.
“My apologies, Supreme Commander.”
“No need to apologize. If anything, I’m pleased that the Zhuge Clan lives more vividly in your heart than the Baijia Alliance.”
The middle-aged man smiled, and Guanyue lowered his head in humble gratitude.
‘Of course it does. The Zhuge Clan is the head that commands this bloated body of the Baijia Alliance!’
Zhuge Guanyue gazed up at the middle-aged man—Zhuge Shensuàn, Supreme Commander of the Baijia Alliance and Clan Leader of the Zhuge—with undisguised pride swelling in his chest.
“So, Axian has reached the Nangong estate?”
“Yes, she has.”
“She didn’t have an episode, did she?”
“……Yes.”
At Zhuge Guanyue’s hesitant response, Zhuge Shensuàn clicked his tongue.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. I gave her the richest soil, the finest fertilizer, and warmth aplenty, yet a rotten fruit is what emerged. I cannot fathom it.”
“……”
“Still, outwardly she remains an appetizing fruit, so there will be demand for her.”
A cold glint flickered across Zhuge Shensuàn’s eyes.
He continued.
“The Baijia Sword Tournament will be held soon at the Morong estate. We must quickly discern who will become the young patriarch and secure our position first—it will yield immense returns. What is your assessment?”
“Among the four candidates of the Morong Clan, I believe the second son shows the greatest promise.”
“And why is that?”
“The second son, Morong Tie, is said to closely resemble the current Morong patriarch in his youth—merciless to enemies, ruthless in his methods, leaving no room for future complications.”
Zhuge Shensuàn nodded thoughtfully as Zhuge Guanyue spoke.
“The first son, Morong Hou, possesses physique of the highest caliber, but his character is flawed—indecisive and wavering. A true pity.”
Zhuge Shensuàn’s expression conveyed genuine regret.
The Zhuge Clan, renowned as the Divine Architect Zhuge, possessed unparalleled intellect.
Yet since ancient times they had been cursed with inadequate physique; even with the divine arts, few among them could cultivate to perfection.
So while Zhuge Shensuàn had taken nine wives of exceptional physique, the pattern repeated endlessly—brilliant minds in weak bodies, or strong bodies with dull minds.
‘Axian was our sole triumph. Until three years ago.’
Zhuge Shensuàn shook his head in clear displeasure.
Just when a true Crouching Dragon Physique seemed finally within reach to elevate the Zhuge name, the girl’s mind had fractured instead.
“Hmm…… Could we not arrange a union between Morong Hou and Axian? If we could cross those bloodlines, we might birth a true Crouching Dragon Physique.”
“I believe that to be unfeasible.”
“Of course it would be.”
“Morong Tie is deeply suspicious and meticulous. If we push his cause, we must make ourselves complete enemies with Morong Hou.”
“Tsk, what of the third and fourth sons?”
Zhuge Shensuàn’s follow-up question carried the sting of disappointment, and Zhuge Guanyue continued.
“The third is said to have a serpent-like nature—devious and scheming, prone to intrigue.”
“A serpent can never become a dragon.”
“The fourth is illegitimate and too young to have any hope of becoming young patriarch.”
“Hmm……”
Zhuge Shensuàn fell silent for a moment in thought, then nodded.
“Very well. Extend our hand to the second son, Morong Tie. Axian will serve as an acceptable betrothal gift.”
“I shall send a Message Talisman to Tianxiao Dazhu. However……”
Zhuge Guanyue hesitated briefly before continuing.
“Will it truly be acceptable to break the prior betrothal with the Nangong Clan?”
“Hmm?”
“Even a rotting fish has value. We cannot dismiss the Nangong Clan’s reserves. Though they have been relegated to the lowest rank of the Ten Great Clans, recent reports suggest they are recovering their strength.”
Zhuge Shensuàn let out a quiet laugh at Zhuge Guanyue’s words.
“You mean that business venture of theirs—what did they call him, Huoyan? It’s an intriguing attempt, but ultimately mere errand-work. The Nangong are simply desperate now.”
“Furthermore, Miss Axian’s betrothed, Nangong Huoyan, has recently been called a Rising Talent within his own clan, or so the rumors claim.”
“Hah, it matters little whether he’s called a dragon or a worm within the clan. Once he steps outside, they’re all the same—competitors on the open field.”
“…….”
Zhuge Guanyue remained troubled by his words, but Zhuge Shensuàn nodded and continued.
“If it bothers you that much, have Tianxiao Dazhu pass along word: during this month leading up to the Baijia Sword Tournament, keep close watch on Nangong Huoyan. After all, it’s better to cast several fishing lines than just one.”
“Yes, understood.”
* * *
[Changgong Hall] The patriarch’s study.
When his youngest son arrived, Nangong Bai spread both arms wide to greet him.
“Oh! Huoyan!”
Tap-tap!
But Huoyan, well practiced, swiftly moved his feet and dodged his father’s embrace.
Nangong Bai’s expression crumpled into wounded dismay.
“Your Infinite Step has advanced another tier. But why does it hurt so? My heart grows only more bitter.”
“……I’m not falling for it this time.”
“Sigh…… my heart aches with longing. Now even my youngest pushes me away. There’s not a soul in this clan I can bare my feelings to. Life is so suffocating, so lonely…….”
“Oh, come on.”
Thump!
Listening to his father’s soliloquy, Huoyan walked straight into his embrace.
Nangong Bai’s face lit up, and he wrapped his arms around his son tightly.
“Ha-ha-ha! There’s nothing like a youngest son! Joy springs forth!”
“…….”
With his cheeks compressed like steamed buns, Huoyan stared at the ceiling with eyes full of self-reproach.
―You fool, be grateful when someone shows you affection. You want more when you’re already grown?
‘Who asked for affection?’
―Oh, now you’re saying things you don’t mean? The truth is, you don’t hate it either.
‘……I didn’t say I hated it. It’s just awkward, that’s all. Tsk, if I let this distance persist, I’m asking to be killed.’
As Huoyan conversed with the Tianléi Sword, Nangong Bai released him from the embrace.
The light returned swiftly to Huoyan’s eyes as he asked.
“Father, you summoned me for a reason?”
“Ah yes. Your betrothed has arrived. You were pledged to each other in the womb, you see.”
“…….”
Huoyan fell silent at his father’s words.
‘Damn it, it was real?’
Wait—a betrothal made in the womb?
Wasn’t that something wealthy families did with each other, agreeing to pool their strength and live even more comfortably together?
‘……it was me.’
Huoyan stood lost in thought, and Nangong Bai stroked his head reassuringly.
“Don’t worry. It has nothing to do with your amnesia. You and your betrothed have never met once until now.”
“What?”
“Your betrothed is a girl named Zhuge Axian from the Zhuge Clan. She showed exceptional martial talent from childhood and spent her days devoted to cultivation within the clan.”
Nangong Bai continued with a faint smile.
“You were supposed to meet last year, but you were ill, remember? It was postponed a year. Now the timing has come around again.”
“What timing?”
“The Baijia Sword Tournament.”
At his father’s words, Huoyan’s brow twitched.
Over the past year, he’d picked up considerable news of the world’s affairs, and the most startling was that orthodoxy had split in two.
‘The Wulin Alliance, anchored by the Nine Sects, and the Baijia Alliance, anchored by the Ten Great Clans.’
Since ancient times, schools and clans had carried different characters.
Schools like the Shaolin Temple, the Wudang Sect, and the Huashan School typically grounded their identity in religion or particular ideology.
Clans rooted theirs in the history and traditions of the family.
‘Schools are bound by master-disciple relations, clans by blood. That makes clans far more worldly than schools.’
Yet despite these subtle differences, the fact that both had been united under the vast commonality of the White Way martial tradition and had now split was profoundly shocking.
The pretext was inequality.
‘True enough—even three hundred years ago, the Nine Sects wielded more influence in the Wulin Alliance than the clans did.’
Dissatisfied, the clans had banded together thirty years prior and broken away under the name of the Baijia Alliance.
‘Hah, well. The more I live, the stranger things become. These fools have grown too comfortable and full, that’s all.’
In Huoyan’s assessment, the Baijia Alliance’s independence was a poisoned hand struck against a martial world steeped in peace.
‘I’m told that over the past century, there hasn’t been a great bloodbath or war in the Central Plains.’
When there’s an external enemy, the interior unites as one.
Without one, they’d begun tearing into each other’s flesh and fighting among themselves.
In short, decades of accumulated power had nowhere to go but to rot, and this was the result.
‘Back in my day, they’d all swarm together like that—the Three Valleys Alliance, the Three Valleys Heaven Alliance, whatever—just to catch one person like me…….’
While Nangong Huoyan was lost in memory, Nangong Bai continued.
“The Baijia Sword Tournament was originally a gathering of rising talents from the Ten Great Clans who used the sword as their primary weapon.”
“Originally…… which means it’s different now?”
Nangong Bai smiled and opened his mouth to answer Nangong Huoyan’s question.
“Heh, think about it. What great clan doesn’t have a sword technique?”
“Ah…… that’s true, isn’t it?”
The sword is commonly called the King of All Weapons.
Of course, those who wielded spears called the spear the King of All Weapons, and those who wielded sabers called the saber such, but the fact remained that the sword was the most universal weapon.
Because of this, every great clan had at least one sword technique.
It bore the name Sword Tournament in title, but in reality it was nearly a social gathering where all the great clans assembled.
“The reason the Baijia Sword Tournament is held every five years is simple—the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly is also held every five years.”
Nangong Huoyan nodded as if he understood at Nangong Bai’s words.
“The Dragon-Phoenix Assembly is a martial tournament where the entire Jianghu participates, so it’s essentially a matter of pride between the Wulin Alliance and the Baijia Alliance.”
“Heh, precisely. That’s why your brother Nangong Qinggang didn’t enter closed-door cultivation. The Dragon-Phoenix Assembly is in two years.”
“Then the Baijia Sword Tournament is held beforehand…… because?”
“Yes. Through the Baijia Sword Tournament, the intention is to give some fame and titles to unknown rising talents.”
Nangong Huoyan’s reaction to Nangong Bai’s explanation was simple.
‘In other words, a bunch of brats gathering to play house?’
I’m the strongest here.
No, I’m even stronger.
Well, we’re the strongest, aren’t we?
This nonsense.
‘Ugh, watching those little shits strut around with their chests puffed out makes me want to gut them. I shouldn’t go.’
While Nangong Huoyan was shaking his head and sighing to himself inside,
Nangong Bai spoke.
“The reason Zhuge Axian sought out the main branch was to attend the Baijia Sword Tournament together with you.”
“……Huh?”
Damn it.
* * *
This was Qingyun Pavilion.
It was a guest house maintained by the Nangong Clan.
Despite the daylight hour, the interior of Qingyun Pavilion was draped with curtains.
“Hmm? Why is it like that?”
“Oh, guests have arrived.”
“Really?”
“They must have come from far away. Probably tired and already sleeping.”
The attendants, seeing the darkened state of Qingyun Pavilion, assumed the guests were resting and lightened their footsteps.
But their assumption was wrong.
Inside the bedroom of Qingyun Pavilion.
“Bring more blankets!”
“Hurry!”
“Is Tianxiao Dazhu still not here?”
Female martial artists in white robes were stacking mountains of blankets onto a bed.
And from within that mountain of blankets came the terrible screams of a woman, ceaselessly leaking out.
“Kyaaaaaaaa!”

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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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