Namgung Heavenly Demon - Chapter 44

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 44

 

In front of Sanmun where the fog had lifted.

 

The elders and members of the Jegal Clan stood in a daze, unable to believe the scene before their eyes.

 

Hyeonggi-mihwan Daejin.

 

For hundreds of years, it had been the barrier and pride that protected the Jegal Clan like an iron fortress.

 

But that formation had been breached.

 

By a descendant of a martial family who had lived his entire life distanced from formations, even if Jegal blood flowed through his veins.

 

“This cannot be….”

 

An elder broke the silence with a trembling voice.

 

“There are no traces of it being broken by force. This means he perfectly read the flow of the formation and dismantled it.”

 

Murmurs spread like waves.

 

Their gazes all turned to Namgung Cheon at once.

 

Just as the commotion was about to grow uncontrollably.

 

Step.

 

A single heavy footstep from Jegal Myeong silenced all the commotion.

 

Jegal Myeong stepped forward and looked at Namgung Cheon without saying a word.

 

His deep eyes thoroughly examined his grandson’s inner self.

 

Soon, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

 

That was when it happened.

 

“Huff, huff….”

 

Rough breathing could be heard coming along the path that had opened late.

 

Mujin and Baekheun hurriedly passed through Sanmun and climbed up.

 

“What? The fog suddenly lifted and a path….”

 

Mujin couldn’t continue his words and looked around.

 

The countless crowd and the tense atmosphere they were emanating.

 

And Namgung Cheon and the old man standing at the center of it all.

 

The moment Mujin’s gaze reached Jegal Myeong, his pupils dilated.

 

Mujin immediately straightened his posture and respectfully cupped his fists.

 

“I greet the Head of the Clan. I am called Wanderer Mujin.”

 

Jegal Myeong’s gaze shifted to Mujin.

 

“It’s been a long time. Though I wonder if you remember.”

 

“….”

 

“Is your master still wandering like the wind?”

 

“…Yes, that is so.”

 

Jegal Myeong’s eyes grew strangely deeper.

 

“Yes, he is the Wandering King, so that would be right.”

 

Jegal Myeong answered quietly and turned his gaze to look at Jegal Seoyeon.

 

“Seoyeon.”

 

“Yes, Head of the Clan.”

 

“Guide our guests to the guest room. Treat them well so they can rest from their journey.”

 

“I understand.”

 

Jegal Myeong turned his head toward Namgung Cheon again.

 

His eyes sharpened once more.

 

“You have something to discuss with this grandfather.”

 

Jegal Myeong gestured to Namgung Cheon.

 

“Follow me.”

 

Then he moved forward without looking back.

 

Namgung Cheon followed behind him without complaint.

 

* * *

 

Jegal Myeong walked leisurely with his hands clasped behind his back.

 

The place he headed toward was the mountain trail that led to the rear of the clan compound.

 

On both sides of the path, strange rocks and ancient trees hundreds of years old harmonized to create a mystical atmosphere.

 

Namgung Cheon followed Jegal Myeong while looking at his back.

 

It was ordinary.

 

So much so that one might wonder if he had even learned martial arts.

 

It was exactly the same as he had seen long ago when he was Cheonma.

 

But Namgung Cheon knew.

 

Behind that ordinary-looking back, thousands of eyes were watching him.

 

‘Hyeonwon Jeondansingong.’

 

A divine art that only the head of the Jegal Clan could learn.

 

A martial learning that penetrated the origin of all things and grasped all flows in the world.

 

It was both a mental cultivation method and a type of eye technique.

 

The reason Jegal Seoyeon instinctively tried to read others’ energy and inner thoughts was also because she had built the foundation of this martial learning.

 

If she was at that level without knowing the divine art, how much more so would be Jegal Myeong’s eyes, which had reached perfection?

 

The reason why demons or spies dared not set foot in the Jegal Clan was all due to this.

 

Any disguise or concealment would be exposed as if naked before this divine art.

 

That was when it happened.

 

Shiver.

 

Goosebumps rose on Namgung Cheon’s skin.

 

‘This is….’

 

At the same time, the air changed subtly.

 

A secretive and sticky energy, as if invisible spider webs were tightening from all directions.

 

The intangible energy emanating from behind Jegal Myeong began to envelop Namgung Cheon.

 

‘As expected, there’s no way he’d just let it pass.’

 

Namgung Cheon raised one corner of his mouth.

 

If it were during his days as Cheonma, he would have instantly exploded his demonic energy to tear apart this rude gaze.

 

But now there was no need for that.

 

Whooom―.

 

Taeheohosimgong quietly awakened within Namgung Cheon’s chest.

 

At the same time, a vast emptiness formed within him.

 

Jegal Myeong’s energy was sucked into that emptiness and disappeared without a trace.

 

“….”

 

Stop.

 

Jegal Myeong, who had been walking ahead, stopped in his tracks.

 

Then he spoke quietly.

 

“What a remarkable divine art.”

 

His voice carried sincere admiration.

 

“This is the first time anyone has blocked my eyes so perfectly, except for your father.”

 

Namgung Cheon stared at Jegal Myeong’s back.

 

Then he calmly opened his mouth.

 

“If you have something you’re curious about regarding your grandson, please tell me.”

 

Respectful, but with a pointed edge.

 

At those words, Jegal Myeong burst into laughter.

 

“Hahaha! Impudent fellow. You’re exactly like your father in temperament.”

 

He withdrew his energy and continued walking while speaking.

 

“Yes, I apologize. It’s a bad habit of this old man. Always analyzing and confirming people. Even family.”

 

“It’s alright.”

 

The two walked up the mountain path in silence once more.

 

After walking for quite some time, Jegal Myeong suddenly spoke up.

 

“By the way, how did you break through the Hyeonggi-mihwan Daejin?”

 

He still didn’t stop walking or turn around.

 

“It’s not a formation that can be broken through simply by having strong martial arts.”

 

Namgung Cheon thought for a moment.

 

What exactly had he used to break through that formation?

 

His experience from his previous life?

 

Taeheohosimgong?

 

‘No.’

 

While both had certainly been of great help, what had decisively allowed him to break that formation was…

 

“I could see the flow.”

 

Jegal Myeong stroked his beard and nodded.

 

“Flow… Yes, everything has a flow. Wind has it, water has it, and formations have it too. If you can read that flow, nothing in this world can block you. And your divine martial arts must have worked together with that.”

 

He quickened his pace as if satisfied.

 

Before long, the dense forest ended and an open space appeared.

 

Namgung Cheon’s eyes narrowed at the scene that unfolded there.

 

The edge of a sheer cliff.

 

A single pavilion standing serenely.

 

Jeongsimnu.

 

A plaque hung there reading “Pavilion for Quieting the Heart.”

 

And in the center of that pavilion, one object caught his eye, sitting there alone.

 

It was a Go board.

 

On the Go board made of old kaya wood, black and white stones were scattered about messily.

 

Jegal Myeong stopped in front of Jeongsimnu.

 

Then he slowly turned around to look at Namgung Cheon.

 

With eyes sharp as a blade instead of his previously kind gaze.

 

Looking at Namgung Cheon with those eyes, Jegal Myeong spoke.

 

“Do you play Go?”

 

“I can read game records.”

 

Namgung Cheon answered calmly.

 

“Then let’s play a game.”

 

Jegal Myeong entered the pavilion and pulled the bowl containing white stones toward himself.

 

“I’ll take white.”

 

Namgung Cheon sat across from him and brought over the bowl of black stones.

 

The cold texture of the Go stones touched his fingertips.

 

Before picking up a stone, he quietly looked down at the Go board.

 

An ordinary Go board made of old kaya wood.

 

But it looked different to Namgung Cheon’s eyes.

 

While the surface was just an ordinary Go board.

 

‘The real one is beneath this.’

 

A strange energy was flowing from beneath the surface.

 

‘Then there’s no reason to waste energy on this fake.’

 

Namgung Cheon casually placed his first move.

 

Then Jegal Myeong also placed his responding move without hesitation.

 

Clack.

 

It was a standard opening move.

 

The white stone placed on the star point settled heavily into position.

 

Namgung Cheon immediately placed a black stone as well.

 

Clack, clack.

 

Only the clear sound of placing stones echoed through the pavilion.

 

Had they played about thirty moves?

 

Jegal Myeong’s hand stopped.

 

He looked down at the Go board and frowned.

 

Namgung Cheon’s moves were extremely ordinary.

 

No, they were beyond ordinary—they were crude.

 

He only continued to develop standard opening patterns, with no sense of intention or momentum within them.

 

Jegal Myeong put the stone he was holding back in the bowl and spoke.

 

“What are you thinking about?”

 

Then Namgung Cheon silently stared intently at the Go board.

 

Jegal Myeong noticed that Namgung Cheon’s gaze was directed beyond the Go board.

 

“You’re quick to catch on.”

 

Jegal Myeong chuckled and reached out to grasp both sides of the Go board.

 

Then he flipped the Go board over in one motion.

 

Whoosh.

 

The moment the Go board rotated, something strange happened.

 

The stones that should have scattered to the floor crumbled like dust in midair and disappeared.

 

As if they had been illusions that never existed.

 

Thud.

 

Another Go board was revealed where the stones had vanished.

 

It still had thirty-eight lines drawn on it, but the feeling was completely different.

 

If the previous board’s lines were drawn with ink, the current lines were deep and chilling, as if carved with a sharp sword.

 

Strange energy was rising like heat waves between those lines.

 

“Don’t just follow the moves you can see.”

 

Jegal Myeong’s voice dropped low.

 

“Victory always comes from places that cannot be seen.”

 

He picked up a white stone again.

 

At the same time, the energy emanating from his fingertips dyed the stone even whiter.

 

So bright that one might doubt whether it was white or transparent.

 

“Let’s try again.”

 

Clack!

 

The moment Jegal Myeong placed his stone.

 

Rumble—.

 

A powerful wave arose from the Go board.

 

And.

 

“…!”

 

Namgung Cheon’s eyes widened greatly.

 

The surrounding scenery changed in an instant.

 

Endless plains, rugged mountain ranges, winding rivers.

 

Namgung Cheon’s eyes flashed.

 

‘It’s Junghwon.’

 

And over that vast land of Junghwon, countless flags were fluttering.

 

White flags of the Orthodox Faction, black flags of the Heterodox Faction, and flags of numerous other forces in purple and gold.

 

“Then…”

 

Jegal Myeong looked down at the Go board—no, at the world—and continued with a faint smile.

 

“Shall we discuss the fate of the world?”

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