Namgoong the Sword Ghost - Chapter 222

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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 222. The Sword Demon Takes Leave
“There’s been quite a stir within the academy. Word has it that the Sword Demon’s Cave was discovered on Qilian Mountain, and that becoming the Sword Demon’s successor would grant dominion over all under Heaven?”
At Geumjeong Seonni’s words, Dam Hae, the Martial Disciplines Director and the Hundred Paces Victory Lord, pressed his palms together and spoke.
“Amitabha Buddha. Baseless hearsay—mere fiction with no substance. I ask that all instructors take care to ensure our students are not led astray by such empty falsehoods.”
“Hmm, the Sword Demon’s Cave, you say.”
“Could it be true?”
“It’s absurd, surely.”
“But what if it were?”
The instructors murmured amongst themselves.
Their tone was one of skepticism, yet a faint shimmer of excitement flickered in their eyes.
Who was Dan Wee Myeong, the Sword Demon?
His evil fame—having sparked bloodshed throughout the martial world of Zhongyuan—was fact enough, but that he was an absolute master who dominated an entire era was beyond dispute.
‘If the Sword Demon’s Cave is real, it would be a treasure vast enough to shake the foundations of the entire realm.’
‘The Sword Demon was known to have collected everything obsessively—swords, secret manuals, elixirs!’
‘The sects of the Northwestern Region have already begun moving swiftly. I hear even our own school has dispatched an expedition team…….’
The rumors, spreading by whisper and rumor, were growing unstoppable.
Indeed, the sects of the Northwestern Region—Gansu where Qilian Mountain lay, and the surrounding Qinghai, Sichuan, and Shaanxi—had already begun their searches, or so they said.
Just then, a Daoist in a black robe with his hair in a topknot clicked his tongue.
“Tsk, tsk. I hear tens of thousands of martial artists have already converged on Zhangye City. Our sect can scarcely control the situation any longer.”
He was Gyeong Geo, the Absolute Killer of the Gongdong Faction.
The Gongdong Faction, headquartered in Gansu Province, was among the first sects to learn of the Sword Demon’s Cave.
Gyeong Geo briefly explained how the Gongdong Faction had come upon word of the cave.
“Our disciples were pushing Qinglu Fortress northward together with the Thousand Peaks Group, when suddenly those fellows withdrew on their own.”
The Thousand Peaks Group consisted of four of the Five Mountains Sword Sect excluding Huashan, plus the Sword Horn Clan, the Divine Spear Yang Family, the Snow Mountain Sect, and others.
Though they fell short of the Nine Major Sects and One Faction and the Ten Great Families, they were regarded as later generation disciples’ gatherings of mid-tier and higher-ranking forces.
“Since Gal San Ho, the Moon-Cleaving Tyrant, is such a cunning fox, we thought at first it was a feint. But it wasn’t.”
Gansu Province was home to the Qinling Range, the Liupan Mountains, the Xiqing Range, the Helan Mountains, the Longshou Range, and many others.
There were easily more than a dozen renowned mountain ranges, with the land overflowing with highlands and plateaus.
The man who had gathered ten thousand criminals fleeing the imperial authorities into Gansu and established the Qinglu Fortress was none other than Gal San Ho, the Moon-Cleaving Tyrant.
With over a hundred thousand troops under his command in Gansu alone, he was a figure the government kept a close eye upon.
“I see. So they didn’t retreat—they rushed off to search for the Sword Demon’s Cave.”
“How on earth did they find it?”
“According to records in our sect’s archives, it appears the Sword Demon did indeed stay on Qilian Mountain.”
“My goodness! Wouldn’t that be disaster? If those mountain brigands get their hands on the Sword Demon’s treasure, it’ll be a source of trouble for years to come!”
As the instructors’ voices grew louder, Geumjeong Seonni opened her mouth.
“The matter of the Sword Demon’s Cave is currently under discussion in Zhengzhou. Instructors, please focus your efforts on managing the students.”
“Ahem, yes.”
“We wouldn’t presume otherwise.”
“Of course not. We wouldn’t let mere hearsay disturb us so.”
The instructors answered awkwardly to Geumjeong Seonni’s reproving tone.
As matters currently stood, discussions between the Murim Alliance and Baekga Maeng had begun in Zhengzhou.
The formation of a new unified Murim Alliance seemed imminent, but the fine details of coordination were anything but simple.
‘At minimum, several years. It might take over a decade if things drag on.’
‘Dividing and distributing interests is hardly ever straightforward.’
‘By now, Zhengzhou must be a mudslinging battlefield.’
‘This disturbance in Gansu Province will surely see both alliances dispatch troops by mutual agreement.’
The instructors felt a mixture of regret and relief.
They regretted being excluded from the Sword Demon’s Cave expedition as members of Baekmu Academy’s instructional division, but they were relieved not to be assigned to an expedition team where they’d have to scramble with others.
“Well then, let us attend to our own work.”
Clap! Clap!
Geumjeong Seonni clapped her hands to draw attention.
She smiled gently and continued.
“A month has nearly passed since the new semester began. Now we must truly proceed with the Student Council President election.”
“Amitabha Buddha. Indeed. Now that the selection method has been decided, we must swiftly elect the Student Council President and prevent any further confusion.”
Ambassador Dam Hae spoke as though he agreed a hundred times over with Geumjeong Seonni’s view.
“Thirty candidates registered through recommendation and self-nomination. Following Practice Quarter scores, twenty-one were eliminated, leaving nine—but one has recently withdrawn voluntarily, so eight remain.”
“Mo Yong Cheol’s withdrawal was unexpected.”
“The Flash Martial Group he built ranked in the top three within the academy.”
“Perhaps he felt he had no chance of winning and stepped back?”
As Geumjeong Seonni heard the instructors’ murmurs, she thought of him.
‘Officially, he was processed as having withdrawn. But the truth is different. He was rushed under escort to the Baekga Maeng.’
Geumjeong Seonni, the academy director, was the only person here who knew the truth about Mo Yong Cheol.
‘Mo Yong Cheol was a spy? Regardless of whether it was true, it would have caused no small uproar.’
When she first heard this fact from Jegal Ahyeon, it was hard to believe.
The young master of the Moyong Clan, called the greatest family under heaven in this age, had been acting as a spy.
And he’d been caught after failing to kidnap Jegal Ahyeon?
‘If it had been revealed outright, it would have caused significant political chaos. It would have affected the establishment of the newly formed Unified Murim Alliance as well.’
For this reason, Geumjeong Seonni wanted to pass the matter quickly to the Sword Demon and handle it quietly.
The Sword Demon agreed with her intentions and hastily sent martial artists from the Moyong Clan to take Mo Yong Cheol away.
‘Sigh, whenever that child gets involved, trouble always erupts.’
As Geumjeong wiped his weathered face, Dam Hae spoke.
“All enrolled students and instructors hold voting rights, but the student votes count for seven parts and the instructor votes for three parts of the final tally.”
“Ahem, isn’t three parts too small? It should be at least four parts…….”
“Now, now, isn’t it presumptuous to quibble after an agreement has been reached?”
“You’re right. In truth, whether it’s three parts or four, the outcome won’t change.”
Brief murmurs of discontent rose, then quickly faded.
The instructors from the Baekga Maeng wore broad smiles, while those from the Murim Alliance bore expressions of resignation or reluctance.
‘The vote will be held as mere formality anyway.’
‘The atmosphere already suggests that Namgung Ho Yeon is the predetermined choice for Student Council President.’
‘The Flash Martial Group has dissolved with its leader’s withdrawal, and Ak San Gun of the Gwangpung Group has declared support for the Nakjeondan. Even the Ho Joong Cheon Group hasn’t registered a candidate.’
‘Sigh, I suspected the Baekga Maeng would have an advantage, but I didn’t expect it to be this overwhelming.’
Everyone gathered here knew it.
Namgung Ho Yeon would become Student Council President.
It was then that Geumjeong Seonni, reading the atmosphere, opened his mouth.
“Then, three days from now, we’ll begin voting from the fifth hour…….”
Patter-patter! Bang!
“Gasp! Gasp! This is terrible!”
“What’s happened?”
Geumjeong frowned at the attitude of the man who had burst through the door, his eyes widening at what came next.
“Student Namgung Ho Yeon has disappeared!”
“……What, what did you say?!”
“He left only a Leave of Absence Notice and vanished!”
“……!”
“……!”
“……!”
Every member of the instructor corps sat slack-jawed.
What—the leading candidate for Student Council President on leave of absence?
How could this make any sense?
The cry from Peng Man Do, the Blade Marshal, spoke for everyone’s heart.
“This damnable nephew of mineeee!”
* * *
“How did this happen? Namgung Ho Yeon is taking a leave of absence?”
Ak San Gun looked around at the three people before him.
He had rushed straight to Heuk Juk Won upon hearing the news of Namgung Ho Yeon’s disappearance.
“Hehehehe, aren’t you the Exploding Heaven Strong Master? What an honor to meet the hero who slew the Massive Rakshasa.”
“Hmm?”
Ak San Gun surveyed the shabby-faced beggar, who appeared to be in his thirties despite his diminutive stature.
“Who are you?”
“Oh dear! I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Mu Ui Gae, also called Iron Beggar, a street vagrant. Hehehehe.”
“Ah, so you’re Gae.”
Ak San Gun clasped his fists in greeting.
Though Mu Ui Gae maintained his registration at Baekmu Academy, he spent far more time wandering outside.
That was only natural—someone directing a hundred thousand beggars couldn’t remain bound to one place.
Thus, the Gaebangjang and Baekmu Academy had established an academic partnership, granting Mu Ui Gae special privileges in the form of field practice assignments.
“Hehe, now you hold the title of Dragon Head.”
As Jegal Ahyeon beside him spoke with a smile, Ak San Gun’s gaze shifted to Mu Ui Gae’s waist.
Though the knot was of eight strands, the jade-green staff tucked into his belt was unmistakably the Gaebangjang’s sacred treasure, the Jade Jade Staff.
“I see I failed to show you proper respect.”
“Oh no, this was just left with me by my master! Please, just call me Gae.”
Mu Ui Gae waved his hand modestly.
At this, Ak San Gun nodded and turned to him with a question.
“Then I’ll call you Mu Ui Gae. But what’s become of Namgung Ho Yeon? Why this sudden unilateral action?”
“It wasn’t unilateral.”
A taciturn man answered Ak San Gun’s words.
It was Namgung Cheong Gang.
“Ho Yeon gave us sufficient warning beforehand.”
“…Then why didn’t he inform me?”
“Because you’re not family to Ho Yeon, are you?”
At Namgung Cheong Gang’s words, the corners of Ak San Gun’s mouth twitched.
“Family or not, the Gwangpung Group and Nakjeondan are allied forces. Where’s the logic in acting so recklessly?”
“Isn’t recklessness your own failing? You speak of alliance, yet wasn’t it merely a one-sided declaration of support? And now you come here to complain?”
“What did you say?”
The gazes of Ak San Gun and Namgung Cheong Gang collided in mid-air.
Namgung Cheong Gang narrowed his eyes and asked.
“You told Ho Yeon to call you older brother, didn’t you?”
“I did, but—”
“That’s unacceptable.”
“Why?”
“Because I am Ho Yeon’s older brother.”
“What does that—”
“Given your seniority, wouldn’t calling you senior suffice?”
“Senior? That sounds too stiff.”
As Namgung Cheong Gang and Ak San Gun began to clash, Jegal Ahyeon quickly interjected.
“Ha, don’t be that way. Ho Yeon said you’re a fellow standing against the Society, didn’t he?”
“You as well?”
“Indeed. Thanks to Ho Yeon’s efforts, my eyes were opened. During this practice quarter, I witnessed with my own two eyes the foul undercurrents flowing through the Martial World.”
At Ak San Gun’s words, Cheong Gang frowned in thought.
‘Ho Yeon, if something like that happens, you should have relied on your older brother first.’
Through the Mo Yong Cheol incident, Cheong Gang had learned of the existence of the Society—a shadowy organization.
Realizing that Ho Yeon had been struggling alone all this time filled him with both pride and regret.
Yet Ho Yeon had no choice either. Back then, he himself had been too occupied with halting Docheon’s northern advance.
‘Good lad. You didn’t want to burden your older brother. So you chose this man instead?’
Cheong Gang’s gaze upon Ak San Gun grew colder still.
Jegal Ahyeon spoke.
“Ho Yeon is convinced the disturbance in Gansu was the work of the Society. I agree with him.”
“The disturbance in Gansu? You mean the rumors about Sword Demon’s Cave?”
“That’s right.”
At Jegal Ahyeon’s words, Ak San Gun tilted his head and asked.
“Isn’t that merely rumor? I understand there’s been no confirmation.”
“That’s precisely the problem.”
“Hm?”
“This Sword Demon’s Cave incident is likely spreading false rumors.”
“Spreading false rumors? You mean someone deliberately disseminated groundless gossip?”
“Indeed. The source of these rumors remains unclear, and the speed at which they’ve spread across Zhongyuan is anything but ordinary.”
Mu Ui Gae answered Ak San Gun’s question.
“Someone is exploiting the Geom-gwi’s infamy to gather people at Qilian Mountain.”
“…For what purpose?”
“We haven’t determined that yet, but their intentions are clearly malicious.”
“Then surely Ho Yeon isn’t headed there—?!”
As Ak San Gun’s eyes widened, Namgung Cheong Gang nodded and confirmed it.
“Ho Yeon has gone to Gansu. He appeared quite furious.”
* * *
Clang!
“Farewell to you!”
“Safe travels.”
“Ha, I hope you obtain the Geom-gwi’s secret teachings. Forward!”
Clatter-clatter, clatter-clatter!
Rumble—rumble—rumble!
The coachman bid his passenger farewell with practiced ease and departed.
The man left alone wore three swords wrapped in plain cloth at his waist.
He lifted the bamboo hat, and the man’s sharp eyes came into view.
“Which bastards have been spreading my name around? When I catch them, they’re dead meat!”

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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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