The Patriarch of the Northern Heavens - Chapter 53

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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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Master of the Bukcheon Sword Family – Chapter 53

I couldn’t help but be shaken.
It was astonishing that someone who should have arrived days later had arrived now.
But that feeling was short-lived.
My thoughts quickly settled.
‘His heart must be impatient.’
He likely couldn’t remain calm after hearing of the incident Namgung Seung had caused.
That’s why he must have rushed here at maximum speed.
Perhaps he didn’t even ride a horse, but instead used his lightness technique the entire way?
‘At the Namgung Clan Patriarch’s level, such exertion wouldn’t tire him in the slightest.’
Namgoong Gyeong, the Patriarch of the Namgung Clan.
He was a master who, alongside my father as the Former Patriarch, had transcended the Heavenly Martial Realm and touched the Boundless Realm.
As one of the Thirteen Venerables, his epithet was the Sovereign Swordsman.
True to his status as patriarch of the sword-renowned Namgung Clan, he was called a candidate for the Greatest Swordsman under Heaven alongside the Sword Saint, the Premier Swordsman of Sichuan, and the Taiji Sword Immortal.
‘That’s why the Namgung Clan is openly called the greatest clan under Heaven.’
After all, two of the Thirteen Venerables belonged to a single sect.
In any case.
‘The fact that he came straight to find me suggests he’s heard the general circumstances.’
If so, this makes conversation easier.
I could guess what he wanted.
“Let’s go at once.”
I said this and opened the door.
That was the moment.
“No need to come down.”
A strikingly handsome middle-aged man appeared in the corridor of the second-floor inn room where I was.
-That fellow is quite a powerful one.
Even without my senior’s words, I could tell the middle-aged man was an extraordinary master.
The tremendous aura emanating from him revealed that he was a supreme expert who debated the fate of the world.
If he were to unleash that refined power, wouldn’t this inn be blown away entirely?
As I had such thoughts, my senior’s voice echoed in my mind.
-Don’t be afraid. No matter who the opponent is, I dislike seeing my master cower.
‘Why would I be afraid? It’s they who need something from me.’
I calmly assumed a fist salute and greeted the man.
“Jin Muyeol of the Bukcheon Sword Family greets the Patriarch of the Namgung Clan.”
“I am Namgoong Gyeong.”
The Namgung Clan Patriarch, Namgoong Gyeong, introduced himself this way as he approached me.
He met my eyes directly and asked.
“Could we speak privately for a moment?”

* * *

We relocated to a high-end tea house nearby.
Namgoong Gyeong, ever generous with his resources, rented out the entire top floor of the three-story establishment.
Then he conjured an extraordinarily thick barrier of qi around us.
As if to ensure our conversation would never leak beyond these walls.
The two of us sat in silence, observing the refreshments arranged on the table.
It was Namgoong Gyeong who broke the silence first.
“First, I must express my gratitude. Without you, this could have ended in catastrophe.”
“I simply wished to prevent a murder from occurring before my eyes.”
I answered in a measured tone.
Yet Namgoong Gyeong regarded me and spoke.
“You know this doesn’t end here.”
“….”
“You went so far as to fabricate a lie about Namgung Seung being afflicted by soul-binding sorcery, averting the worst possible outcome. True, the main family’s honor has suffered from this incident, but without your intervention, it would have spiraled into something far more catastrophic.”
“Perhaps so.”
I did not deny it.
In truth, had I not provided an alternative explanation, the Namgung Clan’s reputation would have been utterly destroyed, even if it hadn’t escalated to war.
“So I offer my sincere thanks. Truly, I am grateful.”
Namgoong Gyeong spoke with genuine courtesy.
I found myself seized by an odd sensation.
I never imagined I would receive such courteous gratitude from one of the Thirteen Venerables in my lifetime.
And from the proud patriarch of the Namgung Clan, no less.
In my first life, I could never have conceived of such a thing.
However.
“Summoning me privately like this suggests you have something more to say than mere thanks.”
“….”
Namgoong Gyeong did not deny it.
He merely exhaled a light sigh.
That reaction confirmed my suspicion entirely.
“What do you intend to do with Namgung Seung?”
“By rights, I should sever his limbs and imprison him in Thunder Prison until death.”
Not only had he nearly killed a direct descendant of the Peng Family, but he—a member of the Namgung Clan—had learned demonic cultivation.
If this truth became known, the repercussions would be far from trivial.
It was a future the Namgung Clan could never accept.
“But I have no wish to do so. That boy—I have never properly looked after him. I cannot end his life by my own hand.”
“Then what do you intend?”
“Would the Bukcheon Sword Family not accept Namgung Seung?”
“Please elaborate further.”
“I intend to expel that boy from the Namgung Clan. Even if he’s been afflicted by the Binding Technique, I can use the excuse that he’s tarnished the family’s honor.”
“How cruel of you.”
“It’s not something a father should do to his son, I admit.”
Namgoong Gyeong accepted my criticism without resistance.
“However, even if that boy returns to the Namgung Clan, I don’t believe he could live happily within the family. Rather, I would have no choice but to punish him as I mentioned before—severing his limbs and confining him.”
“So you’re expelling him from the family instead?”
“Yes. Rather than having him live stripped of his life as a martial artist and despised, wouldn’t it be better to offer him an entirely different opportunity?”
“You’re asking our Bukcheon Sword Family to provide that opportunity.”
I spoke in a cold, measured tone.
“Your intentions are admirable. I also felt sympathy for Young Master Namgung Seung. However, it was none other than you, the Patriarch, who drove him to make such choices.”
“…I’m aware of that.”
“Of course, I have no right to meddle in another family’s affairs. But having created such an atmosphere, are you now pretending to care for your son? To my eyes, it looks like you’re dumping the family’s troublemaker while pretending to look after him.”
“That’s not my intention…”
“I understand. Of course, that’s not the whole picture. However, from the Bukcheon Sword Family’s perspective, there’s a risk in accepting someone who has learned demonic arts. Unless we secure proper compensation for this risk, we cannot accept Young Master Namgung Seung.”
“What do you want?”
“There are those who whispered sweet words to Young Master Namgung Seung and brought matters to this state. The Bukcheon Sword Family seeks an alliance against those individuals.”
“…!”
Namgoong Gyeong’s eyes widened in surprise.
I continued without hesitation.
“The Alliance Lord and the First Sword of Sichuan have already joined this alliance. I wish for the Namgung Clan to maintain good relations with the Bukcheon Sword Family in both the light and shadow.”
“I accept.”
The answer came immediately.
Namgoong Gyeong’s eyes burned with fierce intensity.
“Those who seduced my son and endangered the family—they are unforgivable. I would rather hear detailed information about them.”
“Are you confident you won’t reveal information about them? They have spies hidden throughout the martial world, and they’ll notice any suspicious movements immediately.”
“I see. So I shouldn’t openly search for them until we can eliminate them completely? I can endure that.”
“Then I shall inform you.”
I shared information about Black Night Fortress with Namgoong Gyeong.
Everything—from how they tried to devour the Bukcheon Sword Family to all that had transpired since.
Surprise crossed Namgoong Gyeong’s face as he listened.
The surprise was directed at me.
“…You are remarkable. Fighting such adversaries alone.”
“I merely struggled to survive.”
“While I certainly harbor animosity toward Black Night Fortress, your very existence alone is reason enough to form an alliance with the Bukcheon Sword Family. I shall follow your will.”
Namgoong Gyeong nodded and withdrew a gold token inscribed with “Azure Heaven” from his robes.
“This is a gold token that only direct descendants of the Namgung Clan may possess. With this, you can receive assistance from all the main family’s branches and their affiliated enterprises. I gift this to you as proof of our alliance.”
“Thank you. Then the Bukcheon Sword Family shall also accept this proposal positively. However.”
I spoke with a sharp edge to my voice.
“You must persuade Young Master Namgung Seung yourself, Patriarch.”
“…”
“There’s nothing I can do about this matter. If you truly cherish your son, go find him yourself and explain everything. And respect his wishes.”
“I understand.”
Namgoong Gyeong nodded solemnly.
“I’ll go right now.”
He spoke with unwavering resolve.

* * *

We visited the Martial Alliance Prison, which had even tighter security measures in place.
Namgung Seung seemed startled by his father’s sudden arrival, but his expression quickly shifted to one of fear.
-From his reaction, it appears he’s feared his father since childhood.
‘As the patriarch, he never showed a good side to his son. And this time, he made a grave mistake as well.’
I conversed quietly with my senior while observing their exchange.
“Seung.”
“F-Patriarch.”
“Are you doing alright?”
“…!”
Surprise bloomed across Namgung Seung’s face at his father’s words.
He had never received such concern before, and he never expected such warmth to come from him.
“I’m… fine.”
“I see.”
But their conversation couldn’t continue beyond that.
Since they had never exchanged such tender words before, neither knew how to treat the other.
Eventually, Namgoong Gyeong broached the main topic.
“I came here to make you a proposal.”
“A proposal…?”
“Yes.”
Namgoong Gyeong spoke in a cold voice.
“Would you consider leaving the Namgung Clan and becoming a guest of the Bukcheon Sword Family?”
“Does that mean… you’re expelling me from the family?”
Namgung Seung appeared quite shocked.
No matter how much punishment he had anticipated, hearing it directly was far more devastating than expected.
Namgoong Gyeong answered his son’s words calmly.
“If you remain in the family, you will face humiliation beyond comparison to what you’ve endured so far. According to family law, you’ll likely have your meridians crippled and be imprisoned in the Thunder Prison.”
“….”
“But if I expel you from the Namgung Clan first, you can avoid such punishment. The responsibility for this incident will end there.”
“I…”
Namgung Seung deliberated for a moment before answering with a hardened expression.
“…I will leave.”
“…!”
“The Namgung Clan has only brought me suffering my entire life. If there’s an opportunity to leave, I must take it. Rather, I consider myself fortunate that such an opportunity has arisen. So I will leave the clan as you wish, Patriarch.”
“Seung. I…”
“I don’t wish to hear it. No matter what you say now, it will only sound like words spoken for the clan’s sake. So please, don’t.”
Namgoong Gyeong closed his eyes as if in pain for a moment.
Then, with a long sigh, he spoke as though expelling the words.
“I’m sorry for all this time.”
“…”
“Know this much at least. I never hated you. I won’t in the future either. I simply wanted to say that.”
Namgoong Gyeong left those words behind and departed from his seat.
My senior, watching his retreating figure, left a single remark.
-The man has no gift for words.
‘Indeed, that’s true.’
I agreed with his assessment while observing Namgung Seung.
Namgung Seung’s eyes were reddened with a tangle of emotions.
“Well then, shall we discuss what to do from here on?”
“J-Jin Muyeol!?”
Namgung Seung cried out in surprise, apparently not having noticed that I had been present during my conversation with Father.
But regardless, I smiled brightly and spoke.
“Whatever the circumstances, we welcome you to the Bukcheon Sword Family.”
“…!”
Namgung Seung’s expression shifted to one of astonishment.
And several days later.
The Namgung Clan formally expelled Namgung Seung and cast him out from the family.
It was reported that Namgung Seung, released from the Martial Alliance Prison, had disappeared in despair upon learning this fact.
And…
Among the group returning to the Bukcheon Sword Family, there was one unfamiliar face added to their number.
Only a select few knew his true identity.

* * *

At that same moment.
“Jin Muyeol, you bastard…!”
The Blood Hand Demon Lord, an executive of Black Night Fortress, was grinding his teeth toward Jin Muyeol.
The wounds he had sustained while pursuing him before were quite severe.
“The great Blood Hand Demon Lord looks quite pathetic.”
Someone approached him and spoke with an eerie smile.
“It seems you wish for revenge. Shall I help you with that?”

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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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