The Hwangbo Clan’s Beloved Live-In Son-in-Law - Chapter 86
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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 86
Clang!
The two men’s swords clashed.
As Xie Baowei struck down from above, Namgung So’s sword moved strangely.
Thwack!
Whoosh.
“Heh. Faster than I thought.”
Namgung So’s longsword had somehow slashed down at Xie Baowei.
If Xie Baowei hadn’t relaxed his strength and retreated, his front would have been deeply cut.
Changukmueom Sword First Form, Sunlight Steaming Yang.
Though he didn’t know the name, it was a technique he had seen before.
“…Not bad?”
Namgung So smiled crookedly and shook his arm.
If he’d seen that smile in the military, he would have said “You little shit?” and kicked his shins, but he couldn’t do that now, which was unfortunate.
“You’re not as good as I thought?”
“Hmph. Such arrogance.”
Is making “hmph” sounds trendy among kids these days?
Xie Baowei grumbled at the leisure Namgung So was showing.
He was the one without any leisure here.
Whew.
A drop of sweat rolled down his chin.
It was because they had just clashed quite roughly before barely separating.
The Namgung Family’s swordsmanship was indeed persistent as rumored. It was a fighting style that steadily drained stamina.
Even so, Namgung So had energy left to spare and was casually taunting.
As he felt earlier, certainly.
He was strong.
“You look young, how old are you?”
“Eighteen. Why, embarrassing? Afraid you’ll lose to a young guy?”
Heh. Eighteen.
He said he looked young, and he really was young.
Why are kids these days so big, who knows.
Eighteen. Eighteen, huh.
Xie Baowei bit his lip slightly.
They said they sent some idiot kid… they really did send a kid.
But even so, he was strong.
Namgung So spoke leisurely.
“Don’t be embarrassed. Even if I can’t match my older brothers…”
Thud. Thump.
In an instant, his body approached Xie Baowei.
The step he took struck the ground right before his eyes.
The distance was two steps, the most advantageous range for his longsword!
“I’ve hardly ever lost.”
Clang!
The downward sword strike was heavy.
It certainly wasn’t that fast, but precisely because of that, it was difficult to deflect when meeting it head-on.
It was probably because he trained to be able to deliver a direct hit in any situation.
Claaang!
So this time he didn’t think about deflecting and struck back instead.
His was a dao and the other’s was a sword, so his blade’s strength should be…!
“Ha! You’re going to compete in strength with a Namgung sword?”
Clatter clatter clang!
The sword he had definitely struck back with full force in his abdomen instantly returned. The sword he barely managed to block wavered before his eyes.
The blade with sparks flying was already damaged. This was something Yeon-taek hyung gave me!
Damn, what about his? Shit. His was better than mine! Damn it!
“Ugh!”
When Namgung So slightly applied force to his wrist, the tip of his sword that had been scraping during their power struggle aimed for Xie Baowei’s face.
Swish.
There was a sound of something being cut, and he saw a bit of his bangs fluttering.
“Whoop!”
Blowing away the hair that grazed his nose, Xie Baowei bit down hard and pushed his body forward.
His build was much larger. He deflected the downward strike while dodging his head and pushed back with his dao.
What followed were kicks, knee strikes, and leg sweeps.
When Namgung So responded as if he had expected it, their feet became entangled in an instant.
Taking advantage of that gap, he pulled out his left arm and threw a heavy straight punch.
It was the Long-Short Single Peak of the Hwangbo Family Martial Arts’ Mount Tai Giant Fist.
Thwoom!
“Ha! Good! Not bad at all?!”
Namgung So deflected that punch by raising his elbow and said.
Whether excited by the fierce fight, his face flushed red along with his smile.
However.
Crack!
“Ugh!”
Good.
He finally got his shin.
Xie Baowei grinned.
You little bastard. Where do you think you’re going?
“You damn bastard!”
Along with the pain in his shin, came the following cuts, cuts, cuts.
Namgung So hastily retreated three or four steps to avoid Xie Baowei’s consecutive attacks.
His face turned red with anger this time.
Grrrr.
A faint haze-like energy rose from the sword he gripped and his body.
He had begun circulating his internal energy.
The guards who had been merely watching from the sidelines showed signs of agitation. Someone could get seriously hurt.
He probably didn’t want it to go that far.
However.
“Whoo.”
Xie Baowei’s eyes also became a bit more serious. Though he had landed a blow, this wasn’t an easy opponent.
Jeogun.
Jeogun Yuho.
He had suspected something from the moment he heard the title.
What great feat could an ordinary young man of that age have accomplished to earn a title?
Most of the time, they’re given by those around them or earned through achievements at Bimureon.
Yuho . He must have received it for defeating three or more at Bimureon.
Jeogun with the character for staying, yu .
It means to steadily accumulate like gathering clouds, filling oneself completely.
There was also a meaning of appropriate humility added to it.
A talent to be accumulated, built up, and filled from that arrogant great family that calls itself the great Namgung.
A genius who shouldn’t act rashly and break, but someday wants to display what he has accumulated.
It’s always the same.
Accumulated clouds
call forth lightning.
Grrrr!
Namgung So’s foot stomped the ground again.
The Namgung Family’s footwork is neither as fast as wind nor as fierce as flames.
Like clouds forming in the sky, it is quiet yet eventually covers everything.
Cheonri Hojeong, Ungwon Yuyeong!
“Haat!”
Namgung So’s sword, which had appeared before anyone knew it, struck down toward the sky again.
A distance of exactly two measured steps!
Bang!
Like lightning striking down, Namgung So’s sword tore through the air roughly and aimed for Xie Baowei’s front lapel again.
The purpose was ridiculously trivial compared to that momentum.
In that split second, Xie Baowei’s lips twisted as his mood soured.
At this moment, he too carried the name of the Hwangbo Family on his back.
Rumble.
Thunder roared from Xie Baowei’s danjon.
Water generates Wood , and Wood generates Fire . When Wood encompasses both Water and Fire energies and reaches the extreme, it becomes Thunder .
The foundation of Byeokryeong Sinmu lies in the Five Elements Heart Method.
Crack!
Carrying the energy of lightning as it soars toward the sky.
What under heaven could be as tall and towering as a peak that rises high?
Hwangbo Gamu, Taesan Jungsu Second Form, Sanbong Chu.
Xie Baowei’s blade shot upward in reverse.
Two bolts of lightning met in one place.
Crash!
….
“…Mmm.”
Namgung So, with the blade before his eyes, groaned.
Not only his grip, but his wrist, forearm, and even shoulder tingled.
What tremendous strength was this? The aftershock remained as if his entire body had been pierced through.
From this shabby-looking middle-aged man!
Hmph.
Namgung So’s eyes formed an inverted V-shape as he exhaled hot breath through his nose.
He bit his lips hard and gripped his sword tightly to exert his strength.
However.
Xie Baowei’s eyes, facing him blade to blade, bulged slightly.
Namgung So bit his lips tightly.
Too late!
It was when his sword, which hadn’t been able to put in full strength, moved strangely.
“I’m not yet at an age where I’d lack strength compared to a young brat.”
Clearly it was Namgung So who was striking down, but somehow it was Xie Baowei who was pressing down.
Though different from his swordsmanship Changukmueom Sword’s Iljo Jikyang, the result was similar.
Seeing Namgung So momentarily flustered, when Xie Baowei applied force, Namgung So’s sword was gradually pushed back.
Opposite to before, Namgung So’s foot kicked, bent, and struck, but this too was blocked by Xie Baowei’s leg.
In the end.
Xie Baowei’s blade reached Namgung So’s neck.
“…I lost.”
Huff. Huff.
At a distance where their breaths could touch each other.
Looking into his opponent’s dark chin and eyes, Namgung So spoke as if chewing and spitting out the words.
Only then did the weight that had been pressing down on him disappear.
His bitten lips tasted of blood.
Though his body felt lighter, his heart was infinitely heavy.
Above all.
“Mm. The moxibustion is quite effective.”
The spinning face of that old man, who was rotating his arms in circles as if he had loosened up his body, was so annoying it was killing him.
“Well now. I can’t really boast about winning against a kid. Haha. Well, don’t worry too much. I won’t really take your sword away. Uhahaha.”
Damn it!
Namgung So gripped his sword hilt tightly.
He wanted to draw his sword and charge at him again right away. But no matter how crushed he was, this wasn’t the kind of pride a noble family would expose to the ground.
The blood flowing from his lips, which had been bitten and torn to shreds once again, tasted so bitter.
“I lost.”
He lowered his sword, cupped his hands in salute, and bowed his head.
He didn’t want to admit it at all, but he had lost. No matter how much he tried to deny it, it was an undeniable fact.
He was someone who didn’t easily fall behind even in sparring matches with his older brothers.
No. Rather, some of those brothers even went easy on him.
His peers? Ha. Not only outsiders, but even among the countless warriors in the main family, there wasn’t anyone who caught his eye.
Someone once said that if you watch what a master in a field does and think “I could try that,” then you have talent.
And his eyes had always followed Namgung Bin.
“…Uh. Well, haha. I was just lucky… well, I wasn’t really trying to hit you, no, well. Did it hurt a lot? Did I, did I cut your neck?”
Xie Baowei, who had been laughing heartily for a while, became flustered seeing Namgung So’s trembling back.
No, really. At this age, he had no intention of making a kid cry.
No. Why is this kid crying and all? His neck is perfectly fine.
Did I kick his shin too hard? He was examining Namgung So with such concerns when.
“…I’ll withdraw my hand and back down. I won’t interfere anymore.”
Namgung So raised his head.
He looked carefully, but his eyes weren’t red, nor were there any traces of tears.
That was fortunate. However, the content was still bewildering.
“There’s no reason to clean up the mess too. I merely protected the name of Namgung, and they are nothing but invaders who coveted our land.”
Namgung So raised his chin with an arrogant face again.
Of course, the fight hadn’t started with such a promise.
But there was no one in Namgung who would draw their sword without such resolve.
However.
Namgung So looked at his own sword. This was something he absolutely could not give away.
Thud.
The sword tassel tied to the sword hilt fell off.
It was a golden tassel adorned with jade beads.
“Take this. It should be sufficient proof that you broke my sword.”
…Huh?
Xie Baowei received the tassel with a reluctant expression.
Huh?
“…Tell the family head. That he should handle the conclusion well.”
Namgung So spoke to the maid who was standing there blankly.
The maid quietly looked at him and then bowed her head.
“What are you doing?”
“Huh?…Oh. I’ll, I’ll be going. Take care.”
“Hmph.”
Creak.
Thud.
The door of Baekgeomtae closed behind him.
Xie Baowei, who had stepped outside in confusion, looked at the golden tassel and jade beads in his hand.
Huh?
“Hey! Three Absolutes! They said you were here but you still haven’t gone in?! I heard everything! You were just playing around getting treatment! You petty old man!”
From far away, Dangyeonhwa and Akmungi came running in.
It seemed they had already circled around the outskirts and returned.
Come to think of it, the sun was slowly setting.
The children had come earlier than expected, and so had he.
“No, uh…”
“Baekgeomtae, so what, did they tell you to come in? Or did they want to have a match? Huh? I talked about everything with Brother Ak on the way here! I knew it would be like that! Listen!”
Dangyeonhwa came running while shouting without any intention of hiding anything.
What she was saying was that when the workers from Hwaheng Trading Company heard about it, people from Namgung had been thoroughly surveying the area,
that supplies going to them often disappeared causing them trouble,
that Namgung suddenly made a big deal and blocked workers from going that way,
that rumors secretly began circulating that they were people from the Southern Dragon Alliance,
that recently Namgung swept up all the medicinal herbs and threw a big feast throughout the entire city,
asking why wouldn’t he understand what that meant…
On top of that, she rapidly rattled off how hard it was for her to gather this information, how she even became drinking buddies with the worker uncles, rode boats, played with kids, walked a lot, had a sore throat, aching legs, and was tired.
Listening to all that chattering was enough to make his ears hurt, but the conclusion was the same anyway.
“It seems like Namgung started the trouble first. And they might have struck first too! As expected, they were fox-like bastards!”
Xie Baowei’s eyebrows twitched. Hey now, stop calling them foxes.
It hurts the feelings of foxes who are listening.
Then. Ah. Right.
Smack!
Xie Baowei hit his palm with his fist.
That’s what had been bothering him.
“Aha. I didn’t ask about that.”
I just came out like that.
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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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