Namgoong the Sword Ghost - Chapter 47

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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 47. The Sword Fiend Thirsts for Steel
A vast expanse of plains.
Fifty or so black horses thundered across the green grassland, their ragged breathing tearing through the air.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
“Strike down the Sword Fiend’s neck!”
“Cheon Ma Jae Rim Man Ma Ang Bok!”
“Gun Sim Seong Gyo Cheon Ma Bul Sa!”
Every warrior mounted on the black horses gripped a Jang Chang, and from the spear tips black Ma Ki billowed up in thick clouds.
They were the Heuk Cheon Chang Gap Dae, one of the strike forces of the Cheon Ma Sin Gyo.
A force capable of erasing a minor Mun Pa in half a day had been dispatched to kill a single man.
“Damn these coal-black bastards. Every time I think they’re gone, they come back to die. What am I, a suicide guide?”
Before the Heuk Cheon Chang Gap Dae stood a man draped in a black windbreaker.
His back bulged so prominently that he looked like either a woodcutter bearing a A-frame carrier or a hunchback.
Whoosh!
But the moment the man shed his windbreaker, a strange wooden chest strapped to his back became visible.
Over the long, narrow chest made of wood and iron protruded the hilts of a dozen or so blades.
“If you’re so eager to die, I suppose I should oblige. Let’s see…….”
As the man pondered briefly and gave a slow nod, a clatter sounded—and one sword hilt suddenly sprung free from the chest.
Clunk!
“Yes. On open ground, it has to be you.”
Tsk!
The man reached behind his back and grasped a long hilt wound with gold thread.
From the very start, its name contained the character for “field,” marking its nature as a blade born for open combat.
Forged with an extended blade and handle specifically to counter cavalry and spear-wielders, it was a sword that, in the hands of a master, could cleave through both horse and rider in a single stroke.
The Ya Tae Sword.
And the one this man had collected was a Myeong Geom made from mysterious black steel brought from Dong Yeong, the birthplace of the Ya Tae Sword itself.
“Come, Heuk Ya Tae Sword.”
Shing—!
The man drew the Heuk Ya Tae Sword from the chest, and in that instant the green plains turned black beneath its shadow.
* * *
‘That thieving old cat…….’
Ho Yeon’s eyes narrowed to slits as he stared at the black long sword hanging from Mo Yong Sang Cheon’s waist.
‘That’s mine!’
In the days when Ho Yeon had been the Sword Fiend with the single-character title, he’d had one true passion.
It was collecting the world’s finest blades—the great Myeong Geom of legend.
His obsession with the Cheon Nae Sword had partly been to learn how to control Cheon Nae Ki, but at its core lay a far more primal greed for exceptional blades.
—Hmph! Is that so? Well, I suppose a sword of my caliber is rare enough to stumble upon anywhere.
The Cheon Nae Sword, reading Ho Yeon’s thoughts, boasted smugly.
But Ho Yeon’s eyes burned so fiercely that they could not tear themselves away from the Heuk Ya Tae Sword.
‘I didn’t think about them when they were around, but now that I’ve lost them, everything feels wrong. Where did all my collection go, anyway?’
Some blades had shattered in that final battle, but others had survived intact.
Each of them had risen to the ranks of Myeong Geom and Sin Geom—his dear companions.
By now, they were likely being traded at steep prices under the name of swords once wielded by the Sword Fiend himself.
‘So shouldn’t they split the profits with me? These bastards have no honor. Maybe I should go track them down and pay my respects?’
As Ho Yeon brooded over the blades stolen from him, his brow furrowed deeply.
Beside him, Mo Yong Yul spoke up in a trembling voice.
“B-brother. Did you… did you know the Tae Sang Ga Ju before……?”
“Huh?”
“W-when you said hello just now…….”
“No. Some old goat with rotten manners—nothing more.”
“Ack……!”
As Ho Yeon groused, Mo Yong Yul gasped in alarm, his eyes darting nervously around.
“H-hush! Brother! You shouldn’t say such things!”
“Is stating the truth a crime?”
“What are you even talking about……? I-in any case, the Tae Sang Ga Ju is a f-fearsome person, understand……?”
Mo Yong Yul’s face was painted with terror as he offered his warning.
At that, Ho Yeon studied Mo Yong Sang Cheon with a knowing gaze.
‘……Nothing.’
No matter how sharply he focused his Ki Gam, he sensed not even the faintest Ki Se.
Mo Yong Sang Cheon had clearly reached beyond No Hwa Sun Cheong into the realm of Banbaggui Jin.
The proof lay in his Tae Yang Acupoint, which bore the unmistakable markings of someone untrained in martial arts—a commoner’s imprint. And among his entirely snow-white hair, only the strands at the nape of his neck showed traces of black.
‘At minimum, the Hwa Gyeong realm. Perhaps beyond that…….’
This was the first Seung Byeok Ja Nam Gung Ho Yeon had encountered since becoming himself.
He burned to activate his Ui Ki Yeom Dong and examine this figure more closely, yet Ho Yeon restrained the impulse.
‘So this is the Geom Je—living up to his reputation. There’s something subtly different about him compared to the Seung Byeok Ja I met long ago…….’
Ho Yeon’s brow furrowed as the strange sensation prickling his skin defied explanation. He couldn’t quite grasp what it was.
Then.
Sshhik!
Mo Yong Sang Cheon caught Ho Yeon’s gaze and flashed a knowing smile.
‘……What are you grinning about?’
Ho Yeon’s mood soured for reasons he couldn’t name, and his nostrils flared irritably—which only deepened Mo Yong Sang Cheon’s smile.
“Hehehehe, to share a room with such vigorous young people is truly a treasure for this old man.”
Mo Yong Sang Cheon nodded his head, speaking with the gentle warmth of a kindly grandfather from next door.
The eyes of the younger disciples blazed even brighter.
“I would prefer to share pleasant conversation, but my son has tasked me with certain duties, alas. This old man works himself ragged at his bidding—my back is practically bent from the strain!”
“Hahahaha!”
“We’re honored, sir!”
“Surely you jest, Master Geom Je! To put the Seomlight Swordmaster to work! Puhaha!”
The atmosphere softened at Mo Yong Sang Cheon’s good-natured remarks, and the younger disciples, who had tensed at the Geom Je’s arrival, erupted once more into excited chatter.
Mo Yong Sang Cheon surveyed them with a gentle smile, then withdrew a letter from his robes and unfolded it.
“Very well then. Let us announce the winning team of this Baekga Geom Hoe. The champions are…… Team Two.”
“Woooah!”
“We did it!”
“Huahahah! We won!”
Team Two erupted in cheers at Mo Yong Sang Cheon’s announcement.
Mo Yong Cheol wore an expression of utter inevitability, his smile brimming with arrogance.
“Team Two distinguished itself through rigorous sparring matches, tracked and neutralized members of the Gwae Dong Ji Dan, and apprehended the vessel of human traffickers disguised as merchants, thereby earning this championship through exemplary service.”
“……It was all thanks to his senior.”
At Mo Yong Sang Cheon’s commendation, Mo Yong Yul bit his lip in frustration.
Team Two may have uncovered some intelligence on their own, but the information relayed through the Hao Moon must have been decisive.
“Next, we announce the most exceptional disciple. This year’s Il Geom of the Baekga Geom Hoe is…… Mo Yong Hu.”
“Ooh! Hu! Congratulations!”
“Haha! A deserved outcome!”
“Many thanks, sir!”
Mo Yong Hu, named Baekga Il Geom, wore a subtle smile, while Mo Yong Cheol’s brow narrowed as he watched.
Mo Yong Sang Cheon continued.
“Mo Yong Hu consistently led the charge in the subjugation of the Gwae Dong Ji Dan, wielding his blade with distinction, and single-handedly eliminated the Northern Ning Three Evils—an achievement worthy of the Il Geom designation.”
“The Northern Ning Three Evils!”
“Is that truly so?”
“The eldest of the Northern Ning Three Evils must be a master of the highest caliber!”
“Indeed, all three fell cleanly to his Seomlight Bunyun Sword.”
“Truly worthy of the Serpent Dragon!”
Though formal pleasantries continued, Mo Yong Hu could not smile freely.
His gaze remained fixed on Nam Gung Ho Yeon, who stood gazing absently at Mo Yong Sang Cheon’s waist.
‘How shameful this is. I strutted about as the Serpent Dragon, and now I feel nothing but embarrassment.’
The true Il Geom of this Baekga Geom Hoe was Nam Gung Ho Yeon—no question.
Yet he had mobilized the Cheol Geom Dae, his family’s private army, and had consequently been disqualified.
Mo Yong Hu felt uncomfortable, as though he had stolen his junior’s position.
‘Tch, so it’s postponed.’
Conversely, Mo Yong Cheol could read the hidden intention in his father’s announcement.
‘The championship goes to Team Two, and the Il Geom to my older brother.’
It was a declaration laden with a clear purpose: to defer the selection of the So Ga Ju.
‘Father is saying—prove yourselves further while I maintain balance. Given the times, the family does need restructuring.’
Baek Yak San Jang, the in-law family, had been the mastermind of the Gwae Dong Ji Dan, and there might even be Sal Mak lurking behind them.
In such turbulent circumstances, his father would not allow the family to fracture over competition for the So Ga Ju.
‘I must exercise restraint for now.’
‘Ah, I’ll need to apologize later.’
As Mo Yong Cheol and Mo Yong Hu sat with their separate thoughts.
Chhwak.
Mo Yong Sang Cheon folded the letter and turned to address the younger disciples.
“Ahem. Let us consider the official announcement concluded. From this point forward, I ask you to listen to an old man’s personal thoughts.”
“Yes!”
The bright-eyed gaze of the younger disciples fixed upon Mo Yong Sang Cheon’s lips, and from him emerged the name of a single person.
“Nam Gung Ho Yeon.”
“……Hmm? Ah, yes.”
“You were the first to suspect the Baekya Mountain Manor and immediately mobilized the Cheol Geom Dae, were you not? Why did you do so?”
“Well… I needed someone trustworthy. And our team had the fewest members.”
As Ho Yeon answered, Mo Yong Sang Cheon smiled warmly and asked again.
“Your faith in the clan is admirable. But could you not have persuaded Teams One and Two beforehand?”
“That might have been possible. But it would have taken time, and I believed we risked overlooking something more important.”
“And what was that?”
“…….”
Ho Yeon did not answer.
At this, Mo Yong Yul, who sat beside him, suddenly stood and spoke in a trembling voice.
“H-he just wanted to rescue the kidnapped children safely! That’s why he risked disqualification……!”
“I did not ask you.”
“Ah!”
Mo Yong Sang Cheon’s gaze remained fixed on Ho Yeon as he spoke coldly, and Mo Yong Yul fell silent, slumping as though struck.
“Now answer. Well?”
“…….”
As Mo Yong Sang Cheon pressed for a reply with curiosity, Ho Yeon laughed softly and spoke.
“If the master of the Baekya Mountain Manor, Baek Jong Woo, escaped, the entire effort would crumble to nothing. Had I persuaded Teams One and Two, our forces would have grown stronger, but our information control would have weakened. We could not have seized the advantage of surprise.”
“Ah?”
“That is why we needed to strike swiftly with a select few, and so I mobilized the Cheol Geom Dae. They are a trustworthy force that moves by my will, and moreover, they are the elite corps of the Dae Nam Gung Se Ga.”
As Ho Yeon spoke with a slight curl to his lips, Mo Yong Sang Cheon, who had been watching him carefully, burst into hearty laughter.
“Hahahaha! Excellent! In a group, discipline is an absolute law that must be upheld, yet sometimes there exists something more important than discipline itself. You understood this!”
“…….”
“However, a disqualification is a disqualification. You must bear the consequences of your own choices. Do not take it too hard to heart.”
“Yes, of course.”
As Ho Yeon nodded with an unbothered air, Mo Yong Sang Cheon continued with evident pleasure.
“Yet it is also true that your actions brought about the best possible outcome. Mo Yong is indebted to you. Is there something you wish? I swear by my own name that I shall grant it to the fullest extent.”
“My goodness!”
“Heavens!”
“The Geom Je himself is staking his name!”
The younger disciples gasped in shock, their eyes darting between Mo Yong Sang Cheon and Nam Gung Ho Yeon.
Mo Yong Sang Cheon was, before he was the Geom Je, the Tae Sang Ga Ju of the Mo Yong Se Ga, and moreover, the lord of the Baekga Maeng.
His name was weightier than Mount Tai itself, and a single word from his mouth held the value of a thousand pieces of gold.
“Should you wish for elixirs, I shall procure for you even the Dae Hwan Dan. Should you wish for instruction, I shall examine your swordwork myself. What say you?”
As Mo Yong Sang Cheon spoke with his eyes ablaze, all the younger disciples, including Mo Yong Hu and Mo Yong Cheol, turned their gazes upon them with shock and jealousy.
‘The Dae Hwan Dan? Is that not the legendary martial treasure of Shaolin that can resurrect even the dead?’
‘Instruction from the Geom Je! That would mean… taking him as a disciple?’
‘Good heavens, the true victor of this entire Baekga Geom Hoe is none other than Nam Gung Ho Yeon!’
Every eye of the younger disciples now fixed upon Ho Yeon’s lips.
What, they wondered, could he possibly wish for?
Ho Yeon’s face brightened at Mo Yong Sang Cheon’s proposal, and he asked in return.
“Truly? You will really grant me anything?”
“Hehe, of course.”
“Then give me a sword.”
“Hahahaha! Yes. I shall teach you my swordwork! How fortunate, to take on a disciple in my twilight years…….”
“Ah, I do not wish to be your disciple.”
“……What?”
Mo Yong Sang Cheon, whose laughter had burst forth with satisfaction at having achieved his purpose, widened his eyes at Ho Yeon’s next words.
“That sword at your waist. It looks rather fine. Give me that.”
“……!”
“……!”
“……!”
“……!”
At Ho Yeon’s words, every younger disciple at Geom Un Jeong harbored the same thought as they stared at him.
‘Is this madman out of his mind?’

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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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