Namgoong the Sword Ghost - Chapter 92

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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 92. The Sword Demon’s Premonition Comes to Pass
A dark night.
A full moon.
Suspicious air.
Flap! Flap! Flutter!
Pigeons began descending endlessly upon the sky above Jungju.
Each pigeon carried a small note tied to its leg.
“Th-this is……!”
A man named Chul Moo Goo, residing in one of the branch residences of the Baekga Maeng, was thrown into panic by the barrage of carrier pigeons.
The notes arriving from all corners of the realm conveyed a single truth.
“Emergency! The Gucheon Sung has moved!”
* * *
Splash. Clink.
Ho Yeon poured a drink in the Back Courtyard.
It was one of the many gifts that had arrived to congratulate the championship victory.
“Gulp! Ahhh!”
As the liquor slid down his throat, a crisp fragrance mingled with a sweetish liquid that tingled across his tongue.
“It really does cling to the palate, doesn’t it?”
Splash.
Ho Yeon refilled his cup once more.
Just then, Heukyah’s urgent voice echoed in his mind.
―Me next! Come on, hurry!
“Wait a moment. Let me have just one more. Ahhh!”
―Hey, don’t tease me anymore or I’ll stop talking to you for a whole month!
“Alright, alright. You’re impatient, aren’t you?”
Whoosh! Slash!
Urged on by Heukyah, Ho Yeon drew the Heukya Great Sword and generously splashed the sweet liqueur across its black blade.
―Kgh…… Huh? What is this? You call this alcohol? This is basically water, you fool!
At Heukyah’s outburst, Ho Yeon replied.
“Beneficial Citrus Nectar. A sweet liqueur made from citrus fruit—refreshing and mild.”
―What are you saying?! Real alcohol burns going down—proper Fire Alcohol! Drink Fen Jiu or Bamboo Leaf Green! Sword South Spring is excellent too!
“I don’t like it. I tried it in secret the other day, but it’s too harsh now.”
Ho Yeon shrugged with a slight smile, and Heukyah let out a theatrical sigh.
―You’ve changed! Drinking this bland swill like it’s delicious—that’s proof your whole life has become bland, you idiot!
“That’s quite harsh, isn’t it?”
Ho Yeon chuckled to himself at the words.
Heukyah was right—back in his days as a sword demon, he’d drunk nothing but potent Fire Alcohol.
But it wasn’t because he’d wanted to.
He’d poured it on wounds to disinfect them, and used it as an anesthetic when stitching his own flesh together using the Self-Brewing Self-Drinking technique to dull the pain.
‘Every wound was proof of survival. I’d take a few sips to celebrate enduring, then distribute the rest evenly among my blades.’
The purpose was to cleanse the blood and grease that clung to the steel.
Heukyah must have remembered those days—for the past several days, it had pestered him to raise a toast celebrating the victory at the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.
So he’d chosen something appropriately sweet, but clearly it wasn’t to Heukyah’s taste.
―Kgh! The Ho Yeon I knew is dead! Give me back my name!
―Hmm, what’s this taste? Give some to this old fool here too, would you?
Heukyah lamented in a pitiful voice, while the Cheonrye Sword spoke up with curiosity.
Whoosh! Slash!
Ho Yeon drew the Cheonrye Sword and splashed the liqueur across it, and after sampling it several times, the spirit murmured with appreciation.
―Smack smack smack, hmm? Hmm?! This is quite pleasant, I must say. The way it glides down smoothly, and the subtly elegant aroma—truly superb.
“See? Even the elder spirit agrees with me.”
―I cannot accept this! This old man’s taste buds are too dulled by age!
―What’s this? Did you just run your mouth freely? This elder has far broader knowledge than you do!
―Hah! Then do you know of Awamori?
―Th-that, I don’t know.
―There! The great liqueur of the Eastern lands, Awamori, is called Island Spirits, and among them, the Flower Wine made on Yonaguni Island is nothing short of exceptional!
―How would I know Eastern spirits?! Alcohol has always been best from the Central Plains!
―Ridiculous!
As the conversation continued, Heukyah and the Cheonrye Sword began arguing over whether the Central Plains or the Eastern lands produced the finest spirits.
Splash. Clink.
“Ahhh!”
While using that discussion as a pretext, Ho Yeon poured himself another cup and drank it down.
Swish, swish, swish.
“I didn’t know you had a taste for Self-Brewing Self-Drinking.”
Jegal Ahyeon’s voice drifted from behind him, tinged with curiosity.
Ho Yeon, already aware of her presence, answered without turning around.
“I’m not alone, though.”
“What?”
“I’m drinking with the swords.”
At Ho Yeon’s words, Jegal Ahyeon glanced at the swords laid bare and let out a soft laugh.
“You’re surprisingly sentimental.”
“Don’t call me that.”
Ho Yeon frowned and glanced back up at her.
‘Hmm?’
His gaze naturally settled on Jegal Ahyeon’s neck, where she’d drawn her collar up snugly.
“So… how are you feeling?”
“Mm?”
When Ho Yeon asked offhandedly, Jegal Ahyeon’s eyes softened.
“I might still be a bit dizzy.”
“Then lick the blade.”
“What?”
“You’re short on iron. Drinking blood helps too.”
Jegal Ahyeon’s face twisted in disbelief at Ho Yeon’s suggestion, but then she chuckled softly and settled down beside him with composure.
Rustle.
As Jegal Ahyeon adjusted her White Bow Robe, a faint sandalwood fragrance drifted from her.
The moon hung full overhead, and Ho Yeon found his thoughts turning to their past conversation. He asked her then.
“Ahyeon.”
“Yes?”
“Am I still shining?”
“Of course.”
To Ho Yeon’s question, Ahyeon answered without a moment’s hesitation.
“Really?”
“Living is about building connections.”
As Ho Yeon gazed at the empty cup, the voice of Namgung Chun Gang echoed through his mind.
Ahyeon, watching him, offered comfort.
“It’s not your fault.”
“What isn’t?”
“Any of it.”
……
At her gentle words, Ho Yeon’s brow twitched.
He was thinking of Mo Yong Yul, who was dead.
“You only shared your light with that child. Don’t blame yourself so much.”
“I’m not blaming myself. People die—it’s natural. Do you think this is the first time I’ve seen such a thing?”
Splash.
As Ho Yeon muttered and poured, Jegal Ahyeon, who’d been watching him intently, suddenly grabbed the cup and drained it in one go.
“Cough! Cough!”
“What is it?”
“Ugh, my throat is on fire!”
“It’s Sweet Liqueur.”
While Ho Yeon stared at her in bewilderment, Jegal Ahyeon’s face flushed red as she began fanning herself with her hand.
“Phew! Why on earth would you even drink this?”
“First time drinking?”
“Yes.”
“Ha, so you’re a child after all.”
“Pardon?”
When Ho Yeon looked at her dismissively, Jegal Ahyeon’s eyes flashed with indignation and she glared at him.
By then, her head was already swaying back and forth like a leaf in the wind.
“Are you drunk?”
“No!”
“No? How can you drink that and get drunk? And so quickly at that?”
“I’m not drunk, I tell you! Look!”
Jegal Ahyeon sprang to her feet to prove she hadn’t drunk too much.
“Yelp!”
In that instant her ankle gave way, and Namgung Ho Yeon caught her as she fell.
Thud.
“You really are full of surprises.”
“……Thank you.”
“Yes.”
“……I’m grateful for everything.”
“Is this what you’re like when you drink?”
“I tried…… so hard…… to prepare…… but my body won’t cooperate…….”
Jegal Ahyeon burrowed into Namgung Ho Yeon’s arms and mumbled against his chest.
“I wanted so much…… to walk…… beside you…… I made so many plans…….”
“…….”
“I’m sorry…… Next time I’ll…… do better…….”
Her voice grew softer and softer until it melted into the rhythm of steady breathing.
“Hmm, what? Did she inhale Sleep-Soul Incense?”
―She must be the type who can’t hold her liquor. Or perhaps the weight of expectation finally crushed her.
When Namgung Ho Yeon laid Jegal Ahyeon down properly, Cheonrye Sword spoke.
―People who maintain rigid control over themselves inevitably collapse at the first cup. It’s the way of things.
‘But it was only one drink?’
―Which is precisely why. You’ve become comfortable enough that she lets her guard fall in your presence. Otherwise, no martial master would ever lose composure. You know this.
At Cheonrye Sword’s words, Namgung Ho Yeon gazed down at Jegal Ahyeon.
‘The sword spirit says I’m comfortable to her. What an odd woman.’
But his own oddness was hardly less remarkable.
Why had his anger burned so fiercely just then?
‘My Spirit Energy surged violently. In raw magnitude, it rivaled the battle with Gwangbi Chiang.’
Evidence that his soul trembled as it only did in life-and-death combat.
Before that undeniable fact, Namgung Ho Yeon could not deny the truth.
Jegal Ahyeon had already crossed into the circle of his world.
“In my next life, I pray to build virtuous bonds…….”
“In my next life, I pray to build virtuous bonds…….”
“In my next life, I pray to build virtuous bonds…….”
The voice echoed in succession, and Namgung Ho Yeon closed his eyes.
In the black darkness, countless white threads writhed and twisted.
Three years since becoming Namgung Ho Yeon.
Countless destinies had approached him, yet he had grasped only a precious few.
After a moment’s hesitation, he slowly reached out and caught another thread.
“……Only to here.”
* * *
An hour after Jegal Ahyeon had departed with flushed cheeks.
An emergency assembly was called.
“What’s happened?”
“You haven’t heard?”
“The other branches looked busy too.”
“They told us to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice…….”
The martial artists of the Namgung Clan, including the Later Generation Disciples of Changgungtae, began hastily gathering their belongings.
And Namgung Ho Yeon was led by Namgung Sang Ah to Namgung Chung Gang’s quarters.
“Sister, what’s going on?”
“…….”
“Sang Ah?”
“……Just come inside.”
Despite his question, Namgung Sang Ah simply dragged him forward, her expression hard as stone.
Creak!
As they entered the room, a heavy atmosphere pressed against his skin.
Inside were gathered all who held command: Elder Namgung Moo Won, Clan Head Namgung Chung Gang, Auxiliary Commander Namgung Hye Ryeon, Section Leader Namgung Ja Ryang of Changgungtae’s Seventh Squad, and Section Leader Namgung Mun Yeon of the Eighth Squad.
“……A letter has arrived from the main house.”
Snap!
Namgung Moo Won handed Namgung Ho Yeon a crumpled letter.
He unfolded it quickly and read the hastily scrawled characters, his brow furrowing.
“The Gangwon Five Tyrants are stirring—Seok Tae destroyed the clan? These bastards…….”
“Sword Heaven. So Gucheon Sung has declared war on Baekga Maeng. Similar reports are coming in from all over now.”
At Namgung Moo Won’s words, Ho Yeon’s eyes darkened.
“A declaration of war? After launching a surprise attack?”
“What do you expect from the heterodox sects? The justification they’ve put forward is pathetically thin.”
Namgung Moo Won continued, his tone heavy with fury.
“We warned Baekga Maeng multiple times about their territorial expansion, but they wouldn’t listen. That’s why Gucheon Sung rose up to restore order, or so the story goes.”
“……Ha!”
Ho Yeon let out a bitter laugh.
It was nothing but a hastily fabricated pretext.
“They specifically named Baekga Maeng, not the broader martial world?”
“Exactly.”
“We’ve been played.”
Namgung Ja Ryang nodded at Ho Yeon’s swift assessment, then spoke.
“The pretext is flimsy, but it’s enough to drive a wedge between the Murim Alliance and Baekga Maeng.”
“The Murim Alliance sees us as nothing but greedy expansionists desperate for power. As if they’re any different! All that pretense of nobility!”
The Eighth Hall Leader, Namgung Mun Yeon, unleashed a torrent of blazing anger that belied her usually serene demeanor.
‘Ah, so that was it. The Heuksadae and the poison were meant to sow discord between Baekga Maeng and the Murim Alliance — all preparation for this.’
Ho Yeon realized his dark premonition had been proved correct.
It wasn’t simply an attempt to disrupt the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering; it was a gambit laying the groundwork for the next move.
“The Stone Tyrant Clan was definitely based in the region south of the Yangtze, wasn’t it?”
“Yes. They say they couldn’t even mount a proper defense against such a sudden onslaught. And…….”
Namgung Moo Won glanced sideways at Namgung Chung Gang before continuing.
“The enemy is currently marching north toward the Chungyang Clan.”
“The Chungyang Clan?”
Ho Yeon tilted his head in confusion. At that moment, Namgung Chung Gang, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.
“My…… soulmate’s clan.”
“……!”

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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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