Namgoong the Sword Ghost - Chapter 96

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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 96. The Sword Ghost’s Remonstrance, Scarred
“Of course you’re my friend!”
“Master, don’t leave me behind!”
“Ha, naturally a member follows their society leader, wouldn’t you say?”
Fleeing in the dead of night with others in tow.
Ho Yeon sighed, watching the four of them before him.
“Sigh…….”
They had arrived just as he was hurriedly packing supplies and preparing to depart in the darkness of night.
He’d been in such a rush that he’d taken them along, but now he felt he needed to speak plainly.
Snap!
Ho Yeon’s presence transformed, his expression freezing to ice.
“You all. Do you think war is a game? If you believe this is simply a martial world excursion, you’re mistaken. We’re not going out to play around.”
From somewhere.
A thick stench of blood filled the air.
Ferocity.
A curse of hatred.
The madness of the battlefield.
All of it swirled together in Ho Yeon’s transparent eyes, transforming into Ghost Fire that burned fiercely.
“Kill or be killed. No third option. There’s no mercy there, no purpose, no meaning. Only slaughter.”
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
The four fell silent at Ho Yeon’s words.
They had felt such killing intent once before, during their time at Wol Ha Ru.
Though it had been far more intense then, this still made their flesh crawl and their stomachs churn.
‘Ho Yeon…….’
‘I don’t know what he’s been through, but how else could such killing intent be possible if his life hasn’t been an Asura battlefield?’
‘Namgung Ho Yeon. I’ve heard he showed ruthlessness at the Baekga Geom-hoe, but this is something else entirely.’
‘Namo Amitabha Buddha, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva…….’
Of the four people frozen stiff by the killing intent Ho Yeon radiated,
Hye Il was the first to speak.
“This isn’t a joke.”
“What?”
“I didn’t follow you for laughs. If I turned a blind eye to a friend’s crisis, what use would my martial arts be?”
Ho Yeon’s eyebrows twitched. Hye Il continued with a serious expression.
“My goal is to do my part in this world. And I can’t do that if I’m ashamed of myself.”
“Hmm…… I’m a bit different.”
Gwang Myeong followed, speaking with a lightness that seemed to shift the mood.
“My nature’s stubborn—I’ve been called a contrarian since childhood.”
Gwang Myeong distorted his round cheeks as he spoke on.
“I don’t like those old fossils of the Murim Alliance. They’ll definitely scavenge for spoils after Gucheon Sung and Baekga Maeng shed blood fighting each other. I won’t be part of that crowd.”
“Young Master Namgung, you need not worry so much.”
This time Un Am smiled as he spoke.
“We too are martial artists. From the moment we learned martial arts, we resolved to choose our own path through life and death.”
“One step along the blade’s edge where life teeters—we accept that life is a chain of hardships, and we hold no resentment or blame.”
“…….”
Ho Yeon swept his gaze across the four in turn.
Seeing the firmness in their eyes, he knew persuasion would be useless.
“…… I have command authority. No independent action. If you don’t like it, turn back.”
“Of course!”
“Master, I trust you.”
“We’re grateful.”
“Commander? Society Leader? What should we call you?”
“Since we’re the Nakjeon Society, wouldn’t that make you the society leader?”
“Society leader doesn’t sound quite right.”
“How about using the character for ‘sever’—Severing Leader?”
“Oh! I like that! Then we’re the Nakjeon Dan?”
“Severing the fallen lightning? Ooh! That sounds magnificent!”
“…….”
As the Three Paths flourished with noise once more, Ho Yeon closed his eyes.
* * *
It was as they passed through Jie Shou, jutting out like a head from the border between Henan and Anhui, having already crossed Xu Chang and Hang Seong.
“Hold!”
The party reined in their mounts in unison at the signal to stop.
The horses wheeled to a halt amid the dust, and Namgung Ja Ryang turned to Dan Ri San Wol with a question.
“What is it?”
“Wait a moment.”
Snap!
Before Dan Ri San Wol could finish speaking, a man in black night clothes burst from the undergrowth and prostrated himself.
“Third Young Master. About ten miles ahead, a force of roughly three hundred men is moving to raid the settlements.”
“What? When did those Geum Soo Chae thugs reach Jie Shou?”
“It is not Geum Soo Chae.”
“Then who?”
“Bandit gangs who have risen up in the chaos of the region. Foolish men trying to snatch profit through plunder.”
“Hah—so with the realm in turmoil, all manner of rabble run amok!”
Dan Ri San Wol’s voice carried outrage.
Plunder here in Jie Shou, not far from Fu Yang where the Dan Ri Clan was established?
Under normal circumstances, such a thing would never occur.
“They must have learned that the Dan Ri Clan is too occupied holding back Geum Soo Chae to move freely, and so they’ve planned their raid.”
Namgung Ja Ryang nodded and murmured, his eyes flicking toward the man in night clothes as his thoughts turned inward.
‘So this is the Black Five Corps that the Dan Ri Clan takes pride in.’
The Dan Ri Clan possessed two celebrated units known as the Dual Dan Ri Corps.
One was the Ten Cross Heaven Sword Corps, the elite fighting force.
The other was the Black Five Corps, an intelligence unit skilled in information gathering and formation techniques.
‘It is quite different in character from an ordinary intelligence corps. After all, places that can employ formation techniques are exceedingly rare.’
Formation techniques traditionally referred to methods of organizing and maneuvering armies.
Generally, the Hegap Formation and Chariot Wheel Formation fell into this category.
But the legendary Zhuge Kongming of old transformed this science of formations into something entirely different.
‘To manipulate the vital energy of heaven and earth and perform divine harmony—truly the power of an immortal.’
Zhuge Kongming mastered the Ten Thousand Changes and wielded Heavenly Harmony, summoning a southeastern wind in winter when none should blow, and thus won victory at Red Cliffs.
Formation masters were so rare that their art was often dismissed as myth.
Yet formation technique was an undeniably real discipline.
“We’ll dispense with these vermin at once!”
“Wait.”
“Hmm?”
The moment Dan Ri San Wol’s voice erupted in fury, a voice came from behind.
He turned to see Namgung Ho Yeon scratching his tousled hair, raising his hand.
“We’ll handle it.”
“There’s no need. Mere bandits, not even Geum Soo Chae, are hardly worth…….”
“That’s not it. You need confirmation too, don’t you?”
Ho Yeon’s gaze settled on Namgung Ja Ryang and Namgung Mun Yeon as he continued.
“Just because Later Generation Disciples have gathered does not mean it is not the Changgung Corps.”
…….
“The Changgung Corps are the elite of the great Namgung Clan. You need to know what martial strength they possess and what they are capable of, so that your calculations with the Dan Ri Clan will hold solid.”
At Ho Yeon’s words, Dan Ri San Wol fell silent.
In fact, what he said was true.
Though Dan Ri San Wol knew they had performed well at the Yong Phong Assembly, he had considered only Namgung Ho Yeon himself an immediate asset, not them.
‘Even though he was worn, if he had drawn his blade, he would be at least peak realm. He could fill the vacancy left by the departed Clan Master.’
He had thought of the Changgung Corps merely as Ho Yeon’s personal guard—but was that not the case?
“Namgung Ja Ryang. Namgung Mun Yeon.”
“Yes. Namgung Ja Ryang, 7th Unit Commander of the Changgung Corps.”
“Yes! Namgung Mun Yeon, 8th Unit Commander of the Changgung Corps!”
When Ho Yeon called upon them, Namgung Ja Ryang and Namgung Mun Yeon responded with their ranks and names, their replies sharp and precise.
Ho Yeon nodded at their bearing, then smiled faintly before issuing a terse command.
“Prove the boundlessness of Changgung.”
“I obey.”
“I obey!”
* * *
“Uwahahah! Seize and plunder!”
“Heaven has granted us this opportunity!”
“No one can stop us!”
Clatter-clatter! Rat-a-tat-tat!
Boom-boom-boom!
Three hundred or so figures rushed forward, their faces flushed with excitement.
Some carried crude weapons—Iron Forks and Bamboo Spears—nothing fit for proper warfare.
But those mounted on the twenty cavalry horses at the vanguard looked different altogether.
“Khehe, Captain. We’ve struck gold!”
“Puhaha! Tell me about it. I didn’t think the Gucheon Sung would actually move.”
At his subordinate’s words, the shaggy-haired commander burst into laughter.
They were rogue mercenaries who operated between Henan and Anhui—the Hyeol Rang Corps.
Typically hired as soldiers for disputes and wars between rival sects and clans.
When word reached them of conflict between the Dan Ri Clan and Geum Soo Chae, they’d moved swiftly to bulk up their forces.
“Khaha! The age of warfare has arrived! Our kind will command premium prices.”
“Puhehe, let’s make our strike quickly and upgrade our equipment!”
“Exactly! Even a rabble of three hundred is respectable fighting strength anywhere.”
Gwang Sang Tak, leader of the Hyeol Rang Corps, was lost in dreams.
‘Hehe. If I play these fools right, I’ll become filthy rich!’
He’d heard war was breaking out across the entire Central Plains—hit a few profitable battlefields and gold would shower down like rain.
With a hefty share, he could finally afford a grand estate in Beijing and strut about like a nobleman, something he’d never dared dream of before.
“Puhaha! Long live war!”
“Captain! There’s someone ahead!”
“Hmm?”
Gwang Sang Tak, mid-laugh, snapped his gaze forward at his subordinate’s warning.
There, roughly twenty men stood arranged in a perfect circular formation.
“Khaha! Local militia, it seems. How pathetic!”
Gwang Sang Tak was certain they faced nothing more than young village guards.
“What a ridiculous formation—they’re begging to be slaughtered.”
Though ignorant of military tactics, Gwang Sang Tak could see at a glance their formation was a mess.
Normally a formation means soldiers cluster as tightly as possible, pooling their strength.
But these troops were spread wide in a circle, their power obviously dispersed.
“We break through in a single surge! Shatter the vanguard and the center will be hollow—they’ll crumble like dominoes!”
“Khaha! I commend you for not running!”
“Kekeke. Where do you live? I’ll pay you a personal visit.”
The Hyeol Rang Corps and their bandit allies charged forward without slowing their pace.
Three hundred against twenty was a force disparity of fifteen to one.
The mercenaries were a great wheel; their enemies, mere pebbles.
“Draw swords.”
Shiiing! Shnk-shnk-shnk-shnk!
Yet the defenders seemed to think themselves stone, drawing blades in perfect unison.
Namgung Ja Ryang and Namgung Mun Yeon, standing at the very fore, declared the formation’s activation in tandem.
“Changgung Boundless Sword Formation. Activate.”
“Changgung Boundless Sword Formation! Activate!”
Whoooosh!
Then the impossible began to unfold.
From the swords of twenty young men erupted a brilliant azure sword energy, all at once.
“Wh-what is this?!”
“All First-Rate masters?!”
“Impossible!”
“The Dan Ri Clan shouldn’t be able to move at all!”
The bandit force—and even Gwang Sang Tak’s own men—wavered in shock.
They knew well how terrifying the sword energy of a First-Rate master could be.
“Damn it! Don’t lose your nerve! We’re three hundred, they’re twenty!”
Shiiing!
Boom!
As the mood shifted ominously, Gwang Sang Tak drew his saber, unleashing a crimson flame aura.
“Aaahhh!”
“The Captain is a master of the Peak Realm!”
“Push through them!”
Emboldened by his display, the bandit horde surged toward the Changgung Corps.
Then.
“Changgung Heaven’s Opening!”
“Changgung Heaven’s Opening!”
With the shout of the two commanders, the blue sky split wide open.
Whoosh—!
Swish—!
The sword energy of the Changgung Corps members scattered in unison, painting the entire surroundings a brilliant blue.
The sight resembled a massive cyan cloud suspended and drifting through the air.
Swish-swish-swish!
Most crucially, the circular space at the center that Gwang Bi Chang had deemed hollow began to fill completely with blue clouds, forming a vortex.
“Aaaaaah!”
“Haaaagh!”
“Kyyyyah!”
The bandits led by the Hyeol Rang Corps collided headlong with the blue sky.
Impact.

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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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