Namgung Heavenly Demon - Chapter 46

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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 46

 

It was the afternoon of the second day at the Jegal Clan.

 

In the long-awaited tranquility, Namgung Cheon had just finished two hours of qi circulation in his guest room.

 

Just then, Jegal Seoyeon’s voice came from outside the door.

 

“Big brother.”

 

“Come in.”

 

The door opened, and Jegal Seoyeon spoke with a somehow cautious expression.

 

“I’m sorry to disturb your rest. It’s just that… Grandmother is looking for you. She’s at Baekcho-won, so I’ll guide you there.”

 

Her trailing words carried a subtle tension.

 

Though he couldn’t know the reason, Namgung Cheon didn’t bother asking and rose from his seat.

 

Afterward, on the winding mountain trail leading to Baekcho-won.

 

Namgung Cheon silently followed behind Jegal Seoyeon as she walked ahead, lost in thought.

 

His maternal grandfather whom he had met yesterday, the Divine Strategist Jegal Myeong.

 

In his previous life, during the Great War between Orthodox and Demonic sects, he had been the greatest headache for the Demonic Sect.

 

A cold-hearted strategist who had driven thousands of demonic warriors into deadly traps.

 

The formations he deployed were the greatest wall that repeatedly blocked the Demonic Sect’s advance.

 

‘However, when I met him yesterday, he was different.’

 

He was an ordinary grandfather who tested his grandson while showing subtle expectations.

 

That strange gap gave him an unfamiliar sensation.

 

Then what kind of person was his maternal grandmother?

 

Namgung Cheon briefly recalled one horrific memory from the Great War between Orthodox and Demonic sects.

 

The Jeokryeong Blood Incident.

 

The day when purple poison mist devoured thousands of demonic warriors at Jeokryeong Gorge.

 

And the woman who caused that massacre.

 

The Thousand Poison Blood Empress, Dang Sohye.

 

‘To think such a person is my maternal grandmother.’

 

Namgung Cheon swallowed a bitter laugh inwardly.

 

It truly couldn’t be more ironic.

 

While Namgung Cheon was having such thoughts, Jegal Seoyeon stopped walking at the end of the mountain trail.

 

“I’ll wait here. She probably won’t say much.”

 

Namgung Cheon silently nodded and headed toward the pavilion alone.

 

As he climbed the creaking wooden steps, an elderly woman who had been tending to medicinal herbs inside the pavilion looked up.

 

She was an ordinary old woman with graying hair neatly tied up and a kind expression.

 

The moment she saw Namgung Cheon, her face bloomed with a bright smile as she gestured to him.

 

“Oh my, my grandson has come! You must have had a hard time traveling all this way.”

 

The moment that ordinary and warm voice reached his ears, Namgung Cheon felt a sense of discord within.

 

The kind grandmother before his eyes and the cruel Poison Empress in his memories.

 

Faced with that overwhelming gap, Namgung Cheon momentarily lost his words.

 

Dang Sohye paid no mind to her grandson’s subtle stiffness and approached to firmly grasp his hands.

 

“When did you grow up so much? You’re so dependable, just like your father. But these stubborn eyes are exactly like my daughter’s.”

 

The warm and wrinkled texture transmitted through her palms.

 

Namgung Cheon stiffened his body, feeling awkward with the affectionate warmth he was experiencing for the first time in his life.

 

Perhaps noticing his tension, she gently released his hands and led him to the tea table.

 

“Come, have some tea first.”

 

Dang Sohye personally poured chrysanthemum tea she had brewed into a teacup and offered it to him.

 

The tea was infinitely clear and fragrant.

 

Namgung Cheon gazed at it quietly before slowly taking a sip.

 

As warmth spread throughout his body, his tension gradually eased.

 

When Namgung Cheon drank the tea, Dang Sohye smiled brightly and spoke softly.

 

“I’ve heard a lot about you from Hwa. You must have had many hardships. Are you alright?”

 

Had anyone ever asked him such a question throughout his previous life and current life?

 

‘Probably not.’

 

If his previous life was a series of struggles, his current life was a series of proving himself, making it even more so.

 

Even Namgung Mugang and Jegal Hwa didn’t particularly favor him, but rather tried to test and verify him in various ways.

 

That’s why Dang Sohye’s gentle tone and question made his heart strangely flutter.

 

“…Yes, I’m fine.”

 

Even at his answer, Dang Sohye seemed unconvinced and examined Namgung Cheon’s complexion with worried eyes.

 

Then she chuckled softly and spoke.

 

“Your mother also had the habit of needing to do what she wanted to be satisfied, and it seems you’ve inherited that trait.”

 

She seemed lost in memories for a moment before pointing to one side of the garden.

 

“Look over there. Your mother used to mess up that flower bed since she was little. That red flower there – I told her never to touch it, but she once almost caused a big accident trying to pick it because she thought it was pretty.”

 

Where she pointed, beautiful flowers of an unusually deep and vivid red color were blooming.

 

Namgung Cheon looked at those flowers and unconsciously spoke.

 

“Blood Heart Flowers.”

 

At that casual remark, Dang Sohye’s hand holding the teacup stopped mid-air.

 

She slowly turned her head to look at Namgung Cheon.

 

Her previously calm eyes were colored with surprise.

 

“How do you know that? Most people don’t even know the name.”

 

Namgung Cheon answered calmly.

 

“I remember seeing it in the clan’s medical texts. It’s called that because its toxicity penetrates directly into the heart and stops the blood.”

 

Of course, that wasn’t true.

 

‘Thousands of demonic warriors died from that flower poison.’

 

There was no way he couldn’t know it.

 

Dang Sohye stared intently at Namgung Cheon for a moment.

 

Namgung Cheon calmly met her gaze.

 

A brief silence flowed.

 

Eventually, a pleased smile appeared on Dang Sohye’s lips.

 

“Hoho, you’re truly my grandson. You have your mother’s intelligence, your father’s courage, and even this old woman’s keen eye.”

 

She lightly patted Namgung Cheon’s shoulder and clicked her tongue.

 

“I’m sure your grandfather tried to test you with something when he saw you. That old man has a personality that won’t be satisfied until he’s examined his grandson’s inner thoughts completely. But this old woman absolutely hates such things.”

 

After throwing a light criticism at her husband, Dang Sohye continued.

 

“How can a person’s heart be fully seen just by examining it? Moreover, with a grandson, it should be enough to simply watch from the side and believe in him endlessly.”

 

Dang Sohye looked at Namgung Cheon with satisfied eyes, then as if making a decision, untied a small bead strung on red thread from her waist and placed it in Namgung Cheon’s hand.

 

“This is a gift from this old woman.”

 

The bead that came into his hand was cold like jade, but he could feel a gentle warmth emanating from within.

 

Namgung Cheon’s eyes wavered as he looked at the bead.

 

Dang Sohye continued speaking.

 

“It’s a Poison-Avoiding Bead.”

 

Poison-Avoiding Bead.

 

It was a treasure that concentrated the secret techniques of the Dang Clan.

 

A treasure among treasures that could neutralize most poisons just by holding it in one’s mouth.

 

There were rumors that even the Dang Clan had only a few of them.

 

“The martial world is a snake pit where people offer poison with smiling faces. What you need to be more careful of than swords are people. This will protect you from the dirty tricks you might face in the future. When needed, just hold it in your mouth.”

 

It was pure goodwill, not a price or reward.

 

And with such a precious treasure as the Poison-Avoiding Bead.

 

Namgung Cheon quietly looked down at the Poison-Avoiding Bead in his hand.

 

The gentle warmth transmitted from the bead became an unfamiliar emotion he had never felt since birth, slowly spreading through his chest.

 

“…I gratefully accept it.”

 

He bowed his head deeply with sincere gratitude.

 

A satisfied smile played around Dang Sohye’s lips.

 

She gazed at Namgung Cheon for a long while with affectionate eyes.

 

“Yes, seeing you keeps reminding me of when I raised Hwa.”

 

After that, Dang Sohye shared old stories for quite some time.

 

Namgung Cheon silently tilted his teacup and listened to those stories.

 

How clumsy her daughter was when she first held a sword, how she opposed her engagement to Namgung Mugang, and how that turned the household upside down.

 

In Dang Sohye’s memories, Jegal Hwa was neither the mistress of the Namgung family nor the great renowned martial artist called Wuhua Hou.

 

She was just a clumsy, stubborn daughter.

 

Throughout the storytelling, a smile never left Dang Sohye’s lips.

 

But at the same time, Namgung Cheon read the emotion lingering in her eyes.

 

‘Is it longing?’

 

A married daughter becomes an outsider.

 

A common saying about daughters who marry.

 

It meant that married daughters were difficult to meet.

 

Instead of her hard-to-meet daughter, she was probably trying to recall her daughter’s image in the face of her grandson who had come to visit.

 

‘The heart of a mother who sent her child away.’

 

An emotion he had never seen in his previous life, nor in this current life.

 

It was unfamiliar, yet at the same time, a warmth that was never unpleasant.

 

Until they left the pavilion, Dang Sohye did not let go of Namgung Cheon’s hand.

 

And that warmth.

 

Was much warmer than the heat contained in the Poison-Dispelling Wine.

 

* * *

 

When Namgung Cheon left the tranquil pavilion, the sun was already hanging on the western ridge, dyeing the entire world in soft orange light.

 

When he returned to the guest room, Mujin, Jegal Seoyeon, and Baekheun, who had been standing steadfastly, all greeted him at once.

 

Jegal Seoyeon first examined Namgung Cheon’s complexion and let out a sigh of relief.

 

“It didn’t take long. But more importantly… are you alright?”

 

“I’m fine. We merely shared tea and conversation.”

 

Namgung Cheon’s answer was as indifferent as usual, but his expression had become much softer.

 

Sensing that subtle change, Jegal Seoyeon quietly nodded without asking further.

 

Then Mujin asked with his arms crossed.

 

“Miss Jegal, you merely visited your grandmother, yet why were you so restless? From what I saw, she seemed like a very kind person.”

 

At Mujin’s question, Jegal Seoyeon’s expression stiffened slightly.

 

Then she let out a quiet sigh.

 

“She is kind. However…”

 

“However?”

 

Jegal Seoyeon hesitated for a moment, then continued as if resigned.

 

“She sees through all lies and petty schemes. So when sitting face to face with her, it becomes a bit… suffocating.”

 

It was an honest confession uncharacteristic of her, who was called Hyeonbong.

 

At that sight, Mujin burst into hearty laughter, and even Namgung Cheon showed a faint smile.

 

As the heavy atmosphere completely lifted with that laughter, Mujin stretched as if he had been waiting and spoke up.

 

“But we’ll be leaving tomorrow. Wouldn’t it be quite disappointing to return to Anhui just like this?”

 

He patted the shoulder of Baekheun, who was standing like a stone statue beside him.

 

“Don’t you think so? You’ve worked hard serving our young master, so while we’re out, we should at least have a drink somewhere with nice scenery.”

 

When Baekheun was flustered by the sudden question and didn’t know what to do, Mujin laughed heartily and continued speaking to Namgung Cheon.

 

“Since we’re already out, how about going to see Dongjeongho? It’s only two days by boat from Wuhan.”

 

At Mujin’s words, Jegal Seoyeon also smiled and spoke up.

 

“That’s not bad. It’s not far, and the sunset over Dongjeongho viewed from Akyangnu is called the greatest scenery under heaven.”

 

Everyone’s gaze naturally turned toward Namgung Cheon.

 

Namgung Cheon received everyone’s attention and fell into thought for a moment.

 

‘Dongjeongho…’

 

In terms of efficiency and practicality, taking a trip to tour Dongjeongho would be a waste of time.

 

But Dongjeongho was a massive lake spanning the border between Hubei and Honam.

 

And if it was Honam…

 

‘That’s where the White Lotus Sword Sect is located.’

 

Those who maintained the banner of the Orthodox Faction in the barren land where the Heterodox Faction held sway.

 

He had established a connection with Hwacheol-mun, but a relationship that had just begun to sprout needed to be personally tended to take firm root.

 

An opportunity to establish a foothold in Honam beyond Anhui.

 

This would definitely not be a waste of time.

 

Namgung Cheon made his decision.

 

“Very well.”

 

At his concise agreement, Mujin cheered while patting Baekheun’s shoulder.

 

Baekheun was flustered and floundering at Mujin’s sudden commotion, and Jegal Seoyeon smiled faintly watching the scene.

 

Namgung Cheon silently watched that noisy scene, then turned his gaze to look up at the night sky that had completely darkened.

 

In the night sky, countless stars were scattered like dots, and among them the moon shone brilliantly.

 

The moonlight that paradoxically stood out more because countless small lights harmonized together.

 

As he gazed at that scene, the faces of two people flashed through Namgung Cheon’s eyes.

 

Jegal Myeong and Dang Sohye.

 

In his previous life, they were merely enemies that needed to be eliminated.

 

But.

 

‘Family.’

 

His maternal grandfather who showed expectations toward him, and his maternal grandmother who offered warmth simply because he was her grandson.

 

Like the stars in the night sky, each in their own way stayed by his side and made him shine brighter.

 

It was a relationship and emotion he had never experienced during his time as Cheonma.

 

‘…Not bad.’

 

A solitary life filled with struggle.

 

That was the essence of the demonic path and the road he had walked.

 

But now it was different.

 

He had learned orthodox martial arts, not demonic techniques.

 

Instead of bearing everything alone, those bound by the names of family and companions were together with him.

 

‘Perhaps…’

 

He had a premonition that this new path might lead him to a different peak than his previous life.

 

In that unfamiliar and novel sense of anticipation.

 

“What are you thinking about?”

 

At Mujin’s approaching question, Namgung Cheon quietly answered.

 

“It seems like it won’t be bad.”

 

A gentle smile resembling moonlight spread across his lips.

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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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