Namgoong the Sword Ghost - Chapter 38

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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 38. Sword Demon Thunder Fang
“What…… is that?”
“Lightning?”
“Surely not…?!”
“Heaven Thunder Qi! That’s unmistakably the aura of the Heaven Thunder King Divine Technique—the secret art of the Namgung Clan!”
“It can’t be! Grandfather said that technique fell out of use three hundred years ago?!”
The younger disciples could not tear their eyes from the afterimage of white lightning embroidering the night sky.
Beautiful and terrifying at once, that lightning was mesmerizing enough to bewitch the very soul.
“……We have to go! While he’s drawing their attention!”
“Right…….”
“Y-yes, that’s right.”
At Mo Yong Yul’s words—the first to regain his wits—Dang Se Gi and Sang Gwan Hae shook their heads as though waking from a dream.
Patter! Pitter-patter!
“This way!”
Mo Yong Yul darted into Dohua Manor with the grace of a cat, and Dang Se Gi and Sang Gwan Hae followed at his heels.
“Everyone—charge! Annihilate the rogue disciples and rescue the children!”
Mo Yong Hak barked orders a beat behind them, and together with the younger disciples, surged into Dohua Manor.
Rumble! Crash—!
Crack-snap—!
And what they witnessed was.
A beautiful small beast, cloaked in thunder and lightning across its entire body, dancing in brilliant fury.
* * *
Whoooosh—!
The sprawling courtyard of Dohua Manor was empty save for scattered bushes here and there.
An empty space where something should have been standing was never a good sign.
What brushed against the wind was not merely the rustling of leaves.
What gleamed in the moonlight was not only the shadows of branches.
‘Phew, this is rough. If I can’t settle this within a watch’s time, things will get difficult.’
A dire situation.
Yet Ho Yeon found himself smiling.
Hum! Huuuum!
His Upper Dantian, sensing danger, blazed with heat and amplified his Spirit Force wildly.
‘First, protection.’
Snap! Crunch!
Ho Yeon wrapped Flame Force barriers—forged through Intent-Based Flame Manipulation—around his joints and vital points.
It was a precaution to shield his body amid the violent motion.
‘Next, the acupoints.’
Tick-tick-tick!
Then he layered Flame Force protections over the major acupoints throughout his entire body where Heaven Thunder Qi flowed, including the Eight Extraordinary Meridians.
‘Once time passes, my body will begin to break down. Before that happens, I have to pour everything into this!’
Rumble!
Boom!
Rumble!
Crash-bang!
The Red Chaos Cloud within his Qi Sea Point cycled through First Lightning Then Forward Transmission, repeating Conducted Lightning and Backward Lightning, amplifying the Heaven Thunder Qi.
Crack! Snap-crack!
White lightning erupted across Ho Yeon’s entire body, and wrapped in Guardian Qi, he looked as solemn as Thunder himself.
Crackle-burst!
The cord binding his hair snapped under the electric force, and his freed hair danced like a living thing, charged with static.
―…… Conserve your Spirit Force.
At that moment, Heaven Thunder Sword spoke to Ho Yeon for the first time in ages.
“What’s this? Grandfather, did the old anger finally pass?”
―Ahem, I was never angry. More to the point—do not use a Flame Force Field. The drain on Spirit Force is too great. Keep your Flame Force confined to protecting your body only.
“Hm? I didn’t know you understood my Flame Force better than I do.”
Ho Yeon chuckled.
True to Heaven Thunder Sword’s word, he had been about to deploy a Flame Force Field to sense the killers’ presence.
―I know nothing of your bizarre abilities, nor do I wish to. But I can say with certainty that I understand the workings of the Heaven Thunder King Divine Technique far better than you do.
“What do you mean?”
―Past users of Heaven Thunder Qi have never feared assassins. Do you know why?
“Why is that?”
―Heaven Thunder Qi can sense electric currents flowing through all things under heaven and earth. The human body, too, is a conductor that moves based on electrical signals.
“Electrical signals? A conductor?”
Ho Yeon’s brow furrowed at words so difficult to grasp, and Heaven Thunder Sword’s voice boomed out.
―Scatter Heaven Thunder Qi in all directions! Then you’ll understand what I mean!
“Huh!”
Crackle!
Ho Yeon dispersed Heaven Thunder Qi in every direction, just as Heaven Thunder Sword commanded.
It was a variation of the Sword Cloud technique—if one were to name it, Thunder Cloud would be fitting.
Thunder Cloud rode the humidity in the air, scattering fine electric currents through empty space, and Ho Yeon experienced something astounding.
Pop! Pop! Crack-crack-crack!
‘I can feel it! The flow of electric current!’
In the dim darkness, faint thunder light began to glimmer.
Bang! Crackle-crack!
With a sharp cry, Ho Yeon planted the Tremor Step and his body moved in jagged angles, as though lightning were striking downward.
In an instant, Ho Yeon shifted to the far corner before a tree, spread his palm wide, and deployed the second form of Heaven Thunder Three Palms.
Thunder Shock Wave.
A deep rumble, then a deafening roar―!
A thunder beast’s cry erupted across the night, and a wave of white lightning poured from his palm, laying waste to everything within a zhang’s radius.
Crackle-crack――!
Thud! Crash! Crash!
When the flash cleared, all that remained was a tree turned to charcoal and two corpses, blackened beyond recognition.
Whisper-whisper-whisper!
The moment two men fell, the assassins began swiftly tightening their encirclement.
“I see you all! You worms!”
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Even as Ho Yeon spoke, his white pupils tracked the glowing thunder light with perfect clarity.
“Die!”
Ho Yeon flicked his index finger repeatedly.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
Rumble! Bang!
Small bolts of lightning burst from his fingertips, piercing through the skulls of the assassins hidden in the darkness with perfect precision.
Screech! Thud-thud-thud!
Those struck by Heaven Thunder Finger didn’t even manage a scream before dying instantly, their eyes literally cooked by the intense heat until they popped from their sockets.
“Curse it! Fall upon him all at once! The Black Smoke Life-Extinguishing Formation!”
One of the assassins, judging there was no time to waste, cried out.
Crack-crack-crack-crack-crack!
Then shadows stretched like mist, gathering around Ho Yeon in a pattern like black flowers blooming.
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
Dozens of dark weapons with soot-blackened blades followed, swallowing the moonlight as they descended upon Ho Yeon.
“Let’s go, old man!”
Whoosh! Bang!
The moment Ho Yeon drew Heaven Thunder Sword, he planted the Separation Step and leaped with fierce, blazing intensity.
―Flash Lightning Thirteen Sword Thunder! Violent Thunder Wild Dance!
“Haa-aah!”
Ho Yeon roared, and the Red Chaos Cloud within his Qi Sea Point resonated, drawing forth torrents of lightning.
Whoosh-left-left-crack!
Heaven Thunder Sword swung seemingly without order or reason, yet the result was horrifying.
Crack!
Screech-screech-screech―!
A vortex of white lightning shattered every dark weapon in its path while claiming dominion over the entire space, scattering in all directions.
“Gaaaahhh!”
“Ugh-ugh-ugh!”
“Grrrrgh!”
The assassins skewered on branches of lightning expelled acrid black smoke from their mouths and noses as they perished.
Crack! Crackle-crack!
Electric current ran through the fallen corpses, making them twitch as though alive, and seeing this, Ho Yeon nodded and murmured.
“Ah, so that’s what the old man was talking about? The human body is a conductor that moves on electrical signals.”
―…Well, close enough.
“Fascinating. Next time I’ll have to catch one alive and run some experiments.”
As Ho Yeon conversed with Heaven Thunder Sword, the followers who witnessed this exchange stood slack-jawed, muttering to themselves.
“What on earth are you?”
“Like… the fangs of lightning itself…”
“Heavens, has Namgung truly restored the Heaven Thunder King Divine Technique!”
Ho Yeon’s plan to broadcast the Namgung name was proceeding smoothly.
* * *
While Ho Yeon danced through dazzling lightning.
Tap-tap! Tap-tap-tap!
Four figures darted through the rear corridors of Dohua Manor.
“You wretch! Yul! Where exactly are you going!”
“I’m Section Leader Four of the Baek Ga Sword Corps now, Section Leader Three.”
“Tch! You insolent dog!”
Mo Yong Hak gnashed his teeth at Mo Yong Yul’s impertinent reply.
Dang Se Gi, who had been leading the way, glanced back and curled his lips into a smile.
“Listen here, Mo Yong Hak. A guest shouldn’t complain—just follow along, wouldn’t you say?”
“…Dang Se Gi.”
Mo Yong Hak’s cheek twitched, but he said nothing more.
Unlike him, Dang Se Gi held the legitimate position of Minor Clan Lord of the Sichuan Dang Family.
‘He clearly refused my invitation and said he wouldn’t attend this Baek Ga Sword Gathering.’
Mo Yong Hak had worked to recruit various figures while moving through Sword Cloud Pavilion, and Dang Se Gi had been one of them.
And he had rejected the proposal with an expression full of annoyance.
So what whim had made him join Section Five and follow Namgung Ho Yeon’s orders?
“Haha, Mo Yong. To explain simply, this is a diversionary operation.”
“A diversionary operation?”
Sang Gwan Hae spoke with a smile as if to ease the sharp tension, and Mo Yong Hak’s eyebrows twitched.
“While Namgung has drawn everyone’s attention toward the front gate, we slip away to find the missing children and protect them.”
“…You mean to say you already know where the children are?”
“Well, that is…”
Sang Gwan Hae’s words trailed off as he glanced toward the front runner.
Tap-tap! Tap-tap-tap!
Mo Yong Yul, moving with one eye shut, crossed Dohua Manor’s inner courtyard as if it were his own home.
“There!”
“The stables?”
“This way, please!”
Crash!
Mo Yong Yul burst into the stable, and Mo Yong Hak’s eyes narrowed.
‘What’s this? Did he bribe someone from Dohua Manor for information? That shouldn’t be possible…’
No one would risk it, not with Sal Mak’s retaliation to fear.
But how could he know?
“Neigh! Neigh-eigh!”
“Whinny! Whinny!”
“Look for the white horse with a black diamond shape on its muzzle!”
The horses startled at the sudden intruders and began to rear.
Following Mo Yong Yul’s words, the three others darted back and forth through the stables.
“Found it!”
Soon Sang Gwan Hae’s shout rang out, and Mo Yong Yul rushed over and cried out.
“Clear away the straw!”
“Neigh-eigh-eigh!”
“Whoa, whoa. It’s all right. Just a moment. Easy now!”
At Mo Yong Yul’s command, Sang Gwan Hae calmed the horse and stepped inside the stall, sweeping the straw aside.
Then a dark cavern entrance, barely large enough for a single person, came into view.
“A secret passage?!”
“I’m going first!”
Mo Yong Hak’s eyes widened, and Mo Yong Yul charged ahead and threw himself into the darkness.
Tap-tap! Thump!
Mo Yong Yul, descending the ladder, leaped down in one bound and landed on solid ground.
“Haah. Haah.”
Breathing hard, Mo Yong Yul looked around cautiously.
Below ground lay a vast cavern, but darkness shrouded everything in shadow—nothing was visible.
“Squeak! Squeak-squeak!”
Just then, a faint sound reached Mo Yong Yul’s ear, and as he groped toward it, something bumped against his foot.
“Are you here?”
“Squeak, squeak!”
Crouching down and groping across the floor, his hand brushed against something soft—a faint warmth radiating from bare skin.
“Found—found them! We need light!”
“Hold on! I’ll bring a torch!”
Hearing Mo Yong Yul’s shout, Sang Gwan Hae gathered straw from the stable, fashioned it into a torch, and set it alight.
Whoosh!
Crackle, crackle-crackle!
As the torch flared, the remaining three arrived at the cavern, and there they beheld a sight that froze their blood.
“Gasp!”
“Oh, God in heaven!”
“What—what in blazes is this!”
“This—this is outrageous!”
Scattered haphazardly across the floor were perhaps fifty or more children, their small bodies limp and lifeless.
Blood oozed from their eyes, noses, mouths, and ears—a crimson tide of horror.
* * *
Crack! Flash!
“Hmm, so it is the Heaven Thunder King Divine Technique. I must say, I’ve seen many rare things since arriving in the Central Plains.”
“This is my first time witnessing it as well. It’s a martial art that fell into disuse three hundred years ago.”
On a hill, some distance from Dohua Manor.
Two figures stood in conversation.
Both wore dark night clothes, though upon closer inspection, the cut and style of their garments differed subtly.
“Three hundred years ago…… that was when our ancestors failed. A bitter time to recall.”
“Ah, you speak of the Sword Ghost. He was like a force of nature itself. The Eumsal Sect was not the only one to suffer his wrath.”
“We bear no shame in that failure. It taught us something invaluable—that we cannot stand alone. We need allies who share our purpose.”
“Hah, Sal Mak is honored to stand with the Eumsal Sect. And the secret techniques of your Jiseon—truly remarkable.”
“Heh.”
The thin-eyed figure in dark clothes murmured inwardly at his companion’s words.
‘By “allies,” he means the Society. You of Sal Mak are merely pawns on our board.’
Yet the man kept his true thoughts hidden, nodding smoothly instead.
“Not at all. We are honored to serve.”
“Ha, what a pity we cannot see the expressions on those young fools from the Baek Ga Sword Corps.”
“Heh, rest assured—your Broadcast will ensure they wear the look you desire.”
“Indeed. Useful to the very end, those whelps.”
The weighted words of the two men drifted through the night air, hanging invisible in the darkness.

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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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