Namgoong the Sword Ghost - Chapter 82

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 82. Sword Ghost, Friend
“Hmm, so it’s Hyeil.”
Taegung stroked his beard with a smile.
Mo Yong Sang Cheon turned to him with a question.
“Your disciple?”
“Not a direct student, but I’ve taught him a few things. He has an uncommon passion for martial arts, and above all, he works harder than most.”
“Pity, then.”
When Mo Yong Sang Cheon smiled with a hint of meaning, Taegung’s brow furrowed.
“What do you mean?”
“The champion of this Dragon Phoenix Tournament will be Namgung Ho Yeon. That boy.”
“What?”
Taegung’s already-scowling brows twisted further as he glared at Mo Yong Sang Cheon.
Ever since the Dragon Phoenix Tournament had devolved into a matter of pride between the Baekga Maeng and the Murim Alliance,
the Murim Alliance had consistently produced more champions.
The Nine Major Sects—including Shaolin, called the Northern Pillar of Tai Mountain, and Wudang, called the Southern Peak of Martial Arts—had longer histories than the great martial clans.
Naturally, their pride in being Orthodox Sect ran deep, and it was second nature for them to regard the Baekga Maeng as a step below.
Moreover, aside from the Beggar Sect, all nine sects had roots in Buddhism and Taoism.
There were no shortage of those who looked upon the Baekga Maeng—which pursued profit without hesitation and threw itself into territorial expansion—as vulgar.
“Seonjeon Noe, Namgung Ho Yeon. I’ve heard that name till my ears rang. He restored the Cheonroe Jewang Singong, didn’t he?”
Taegung watched Namgung Ho Yeon, whose loose blue martial robe hung open.
Despite the match not yet having begun, his expression was so devoid of tension that it seemed bored—and unfortunately, it was beautiful as a painting.
“Hmph. My sect possesses many supreme martial arts. I wouldn’t say Wudang’s Cotton Palm falls short of the Cheonroe Jewang Singong.”
“Hehehehe.”
Mo Yong Sang Cheon laughed at Taegung’s words.
“I wasn’t speaking of martial arts themselves. A rusted blade becomes a peerless treasure depending on whose hands wield it.”
“Are you saying that Hyeil is inferior to this boy Namgung Ho Yeon?”
“I am.”
At Mo Yong Sang Cheon’s blunt words, the corner of Taegung’s mouth twitched.
“Tch, you’re being quite biased. That Long Sword at the boy’s waist—it was originally yours, wasn’t it? Has he become your disciple?”
“No. I wished to teach him a few things, but he refused.”
“What?”
He rejected the teachings of a Sword Master?
That was less confidence than sheer, wasted foolishness.
“Still, I planted the seed of ‘desire’ in him, so he must have clawed his way up the wall relentlessly.”
Mo Yong Sang Cheon fixed his gaze on Namgung Ho Yeon with eyes that gleamed gold.
‘How far has he climbed?’
I still remain in the sky.
Where do you stand?
Mo Yong Sang Cheon watched the Arena with keen, expectant eyes.
* * *
“Huuuh…….”
Hyeil circulated the Hyeonheo Heart Method with fervent intensity, raising his palm strike.
Whoosh!
The obscure and mysterious Hyeonheo Qi shimmered, releasing breath-like vapors that seemed visible yet invisible.
‘Compress. Compress. Compress.’
Hyeil poured his will into compressing the breath with terrifying focus.
Swish!
Then, in the palm of his hand, a single Qi Silk formed, coiled like a small serpent.
“Ooh, he’s drawn out the Qi Silk.”
“Master Hyeil has reached the ultimate stage of perfection!”
“Truly worthy of Wudang’s Southern Peak……!”
The spectators erupted at the sight of the mysterious thread formed in Hyeil’s palm.
But Hyeil knew the truth. This technique was still immature, difficult to apply in actual combat.
“Thank you for your patience.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“Then I’ll begin.”
Tap!
Hyeil swept across the Arena like flowing clouds, approaching Ho Yeon from the side.
Ho Yeon observed Hyeil’s palm strike and nodded slightly.
‘At that level, he should be at the Five-Layer Tribulation at least.’
Crash!
A fresh blue energy was layered atop Namgung Ho Yeon’s right palm, stacking to five layers of Layered Cloud in total.
Originally, the Layered Cloud Palm was the Namgung Clan’s foundational palm technique, spreading internal power like clouds across the hand before gathering it on the palm.
But when Ho Yeon encountered the Myriad Tribulation Palm that he’d wielded during his days as Danhwe Myeong, it transformed into something entirely different.
‘The Myriad Tribulation Palm was originally a signature technique of a heretical master called the Myriad Tribulation Ghost.’
The Myriad Tribulation Ghost had obtained vast internal power through fortunate circumstances, and thus created a crude martial art that simply overwhelmed opponents with that might.
The method was simple.
He had sought to condense his enormous internal power into a single strike using the principle of layering.
‘While the depth of enlightenment may fall short, there is no technique equal to the Myriad Tribulation Palm for efficiently deploying a large quantity of internal power in a single instant.’
That was why Danhwe Myeong had favored the Myriad Tribulation Palm during his days as the Sword Ghost.
At that time, he had accumulated more internal power than others through the Flame Power Absorption Technique.
‘The meeting of the efficient but shallow Myriad Tribulation Palm and the Layered Cloud Palm—the Namgung Clan’s foundational technique with its deep enlightenment and safety—was inevitable.’
Thus was born the Layered Cloud Myriad Tribulation Palm, named for clouds accumulating through myriad tribulations.
It was among the martial arts Ho Yeon had innovated over the past two years that he was proudest of—simple but formidable.
“Hah!”
Hyeil extended his right palm and spun his palm force in a circular motion.
Whirrr!
A taichi pattern drew itself across his palm, forming a vortex.
‘Taichi Flow!’
This single move, drawing circles according to the principle of taichi, was not meant for offense but as a foundation for the next move.
Bang!
Namgung Ho Yeon’s right palm, stacked with Five-Layer Tribulation, collided with Hyeil’s right palm tracing the taichi.
In that instant, Ho Yeon’s force was caught in the taichi’s rotation and dispersed, and Hyeil’s eyes blazed as he extended his left palm.
‘Flowing Water Penetrating Stone!’
A soft palm force that flowed into the opponent’s interior like flowing water eroding rock—a penetrating force.
If it landed, no matter how solid the body, it would be destroyed from within.
“If it doesn’t land, it doesn’t land.”
Whoosh.
Namgung Ho Yeon stepped in the Kan Step and slipped past Hyeil’s strike as smoothly as water.
“Haah!”
Swoosh!
Then Hyeil unwound the palm force he’d been spinning in a circle into a straight line, infused it with Thread Rotation Force, and sent it spinning erratically like a rising dragon in a Whirlwind.
Boom-boom-boom!
This was a recreation of the Iron Thread Entangling Palm technique that had just been broken by Ho Yeon, only with palm silk replacing palm thread.
‘This ought to…!’
Hyeil had no doubt that this full-force strike would reach Ho Yeon.
But.
Thump-thump-thump-boom!
“…!”
Seeing five additional layers of blue cloud stack upon Namgung Ho Yeon’s right palm, Hyeil’s eyes widened in shock.
“Ten-Layer Tribulation.”
Namgung Ho Yeon muttered as if to say, “Try receiving this,” and drove his ten layers of cloud down upon Hyeil without hesitation.
Boom-boom-boom!
Hyeil felt a tremendous heavy pressure as if the entire sky were descending upon him.
His movements actually slowed, and wrinkles formed across his skin, sagging downward.
“Ugh!”
Yet Hyeil did not yield, driving the small whirlwind he’d generated in his right palm to its bitter end.
Boom-boom-boom!
An explosion of sound on an entirely different scale erupted, and Hyeil spat blood as he tumbled across the ground.
“Cough!”
After rolling some three paces, Hyeil pressed his trembling arm against the Arena floor and pushed himself up.
‘Not even the hem of his robe was disturbed…’
Raising his head, Hyeil looked upon Namgung Ho Yeon.
He stood exactly as he had when first stepping onto the Arena—not a speck of dust upon him, his bearing as immaculate as ever.
“Ha, haha…”
Hyeil’s lips trembled.
He had trained without rest, day and night, to become a top disciple of the sect, believing he could hold his own in this martial world…
“Your technique is too scattered.”
To Hyeil’s ear, trapped in a mire of doubt, came Namgung Ho Yeon’s blunt voice.
“What… did you just say, sir?”
“I know what you’re trying to do. But don’t try to do everything at once—you’ll trip over your own feet.”
“……?”
Hyeil’s face showed incomprehension, and Namgung Ho Yeon clicked his tongue, raising his right hand.
“Tsk, was it like this?”
Crack-crack-crack!
A sharp Whirlwind spiraled into being above Namgung Ho Yeon’s palm.
“……!”
When Namgung Ho Yeon recreated what was almost Hyeil’s secret technique—the Iron Thread Entangling Palm—so effortlessly, Hyeil’s eyes went hollow.
“You were probably imagining a martial art where I weave rotation into the Cotton Palm, shaking the opponent’s insides.”
“That’s…… right.”
“The Cotton Palm is probably what you’d choose. But what did you use for the rotation?”
“A Whirlwind Palm, I thought. An absorption strong as a tempest……”
Hyeil stared blankly at Namgung Ho Yeon’s palm as he answered.
Namgung Ho Yeon shook his head.
“And that’s where the discord comes in.”
“Discord……?”
“You forgot the fundamentals. What is the Cotton Palm? It’s called ‘cotton’ because it’s as soft as cotton wool, isn’t it?”
Crack-crack-crack!
Namgung Ho Yeon gestured with the whirlwind in his right hand as he continued.
“So where, exactly, is the softness here?”
“……!”
“This is just spinning fast like some madman’s hair. If it were me, I’d do it differently.”
Hiss-hiss-hiss!
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
As he spoke, the tempest swirling in his right hand slowed, and soon settled into a gentle Slow Rotation like a breeze.
“The way a pinwheel spins without fighting the wind—round and round. The way a waterwheel receives the flowing stream gently, tranquilly.”
“……Ah!”
“Once you’ve laid the frame with Cotton Palm, you should clothe it accordingly—” Namgung Ho Yeon paused mid-sentence.
Hyeil had suddenly closed his eyes and crossed his legs, his expression urgent.
“Pfft. Is this your family’s inner chamber?”
As Namgung Ho Yeon muttered this in exasperation—
Flutter!
An old man descended from the highest tier of the Viewing Platform like a crane taking flight, his robes billowing as he landed before Hyeil.
“Forgive my intrusion during the match. He’s my boy, you see.”
“Good heavens! It’s the sect master!”
“Wudang Sect Master Taegung!”
“…….”
Namgung Ho Yeon regarded the white-haired elder who had appeared without warning.
‘A Wall-Breaking Master. And he carries the same presence as Mo Yong Sang Cheon.’
Namgung Ho Yeon’s gaze flicked toward the Viewing Platform where Mo Yong Sang Cheon sat.
The man was grinning from ear to ear, plainly delighted.
‘He raised a Qi Membrane.’
Turning his attention back to Hyeil, who was now isolated from the commotion around him, Namgung Ho Yeon spoke to Taegung.
“Seems I’ve done you a favor.”
“Krhaha, we’re hardly strangers.”
“A moment ago you said he was your boy.”
“Did I? My memory’s a bit fuzzy. Getting on in years, you know.”
‘Crazy old bastard.’
Not even a catfish could forget its own words spoken mere moments before. How was this fellow supposed to be the leader of the Murim Alliance? The future of the entire martial world looked grim.
“Hehe, my gratitude nonetheless.”
“For what?”
“For teaching Hyeil with such patience.”
“The sect master could’ve done the same.”
As Namgung Ho Yeon shrugged, Taegung shook his head and replied.
“If I had spoken, Hyeil would have accepted without question. But that won’t do. True enlightenment comes only when one experiences and learns through their own effort—when it becomes their flesh and blood.”
“…….”
“That was an excellent match. Lately I’d grown worried that we emphasized only competition and victory, but it seems my fears were unfounded.”
With a smile on his lips, Taegung surveyed the surroundings as he spoke.

“Exhibition bouts exist precisely so we might recognize each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and share in that enlightenment. I hope you all take that to heart.”
―Hear, hear! Well spoken!
―Is that the patriarch teaching?
Namgung Ho Yeon’s expression darkened at Taegung’s sudden discourse.
Yet the martial artists gathered around the Arena gazed at Namgung Ho Yeon with eyes bright as stars.
“Ah! So that’s what it was?”
“I was certain he was insulting his opponent……”
“Indeed, Patriarch! Teaching knows no sectarian bounds, as they say!”
“I wish to spar with Hyeil as well!”
The martial artists who had just witnessed Hyeil’s enlightenment gazed at Namgung Ho Yeon with longing.
The Namgung Clan’s warriors puffed out their chests, their faces flushed with victory.
“Ahem. A true young master, indeed.”
“I visit the young master daily to pay my respects.”
“I gather firewood for the young master’s use.”
And so some time passed.
Hyeil opened his eyes and sought to understand what had transpired.
“……Master?”
“Hyeil. You should thank him first.”
“Ah!”
At Taegung’s words, Hyeil approached Namgung Ho Yeon and offered a sincere fist salute.
“Thank you for your instruction. I swear I shall repay this debt one day.”
“There’s really no need to repay it.”
“No—I will repay it, I promise.”
As Hyeil fixed him with those resolute eyes, Namgung Ho Yeon scratched his cheek and spoke as though he’d just thought of something worthwhile.
“Oh, well then—come visit the Namgung Clan sometime and tell them I’m your friend.”
“……Friend. You mean……?”
“Just tell them that. While you’re there, stay for a meal.”
‘Mother’s been so worried that I don’t have any friends. If someone like him vouches for me, it should be fine.’
Namgung Ho Yeon nodded as though it were quite a reasonable notion.
Hyeil clenched both fists and cried out with pure joy.
“Yes—yes! Friend!”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Friend!”
“I just said yes.”
“You’re my friend!”
‘……What the hell?’
Namgung Ho Yeon had no idea that Hyeil, who was grinning ear to ear, was in fact utterly friendless—consumed entirely by martial study.
“Friend!”
“Stop it!”
“Ah, the vigor of youth.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————