The Supreme Who Rules the Boundless Sky - Chapter 20

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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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Spear Heaven Martial Emperor Episode 20

The distance from Hefei, where the Namgung Family Estate was located, to Xuanzhou wasn’t that far.

Therefore, Namgung Hyeok and the Pungwoon Unit were able to quickly travel to the Xuanzhou Jang Family.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Third Young Master. I am Jang Hyorak, who leads the Jang Family.”

Upon arriving near the Jang Family territory, Family Head Jang Hyorak had come out personally to greet them.

It seemed he had received word that the Pungwoon Unit was coming.

‘Someone from the Main House must have informed him in advance.’

Namgung Hyeok had that thought but didn’t show it, lightly greeting the family head.

“I am Namgung Hyeok. Pleased to meet you.”

“I have heard much about Third Young Master’s reputation. Please, come inside.”

Jang Hyorak personally led the group and guided them into the Jang Family territory.

Namgung Hyeok and the Pungwoon Unit followed behind him without lowering their guard.

Soon the Jang Family’s manor appeared, and they were able to receive generous hospitality.

“Family Head Jang doesn’t ask why I have come here.”

Having entered the reception room, Namgung Hyeok asked this with a tea cup placed before him.

At this, Jang Hyorak gave a bitter smile.

“I can roughly guess the circumstances. You probably came thinking we had harbored other intentions.”

“I won’t deny it.”

Namgung Hyeok said while savoring his tea.

“Actually, breaking away from the Namgung Family is fine. Though it’s regrettable that the Jang Family would leave the Namgung Family’s sphere of influence, that’s your choice. But joining the Evil Path Alliance afterward is something we cannot overlook.”

“Do we appear to have joined the Evil Path Alliance?”

“That remains to be seen. We’ve only just arrived, after all.”

Namgung Hyeok’s face was calm as he spoke.

“But to clear up any misunderstandings between us, it would be better if you told us now if there’s anything you’re hiding. There’s always a chance misunderstandings could grow, isn’t there?”

“Haha…”

Jang Hyorak gave a bitter smile.

“I think I know why such rumors spread.”

“There’s a reason?”

“It’s true that our family and the Evil Path Alliance have had exchanges. However, this wasn’t to join hands with them.”

“Then?”

“I could say it was for mutual necessity. They had what we wanted.”

“Was this thing you wanted something you couldn’t obtain from the Main House?”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

“What on earth was it?”

“Large quantities of opium poppies.”

“…!”

Namgung Hyeok’s gaze turned cold.

“Why are you seeking opium?”

“I’m sorry, but that’s a family matter I cannot discuss.”

“You don’t look like a drug addict…”

“Of course I don’t smoke opium. I’m fully aware of its dangers.”

“Then you must have obtained it to use on someone else. Who?”

“That’s…”

“Don’t try to brush this off by calling it a family matter. You just admitted the connection with the Evil Path Alliance yourself. I have a duty to investigate that.”

There was power in Namgung Hyeok’s voice.

An irresistible force that demanded compliance.

Jang Hyorak looked at him with a momentarily surprised expression.

The commanding presence flowing from Namgung Hyeok wasn’t what one would expect from someone of his age group.

“Indeed, the rumors about being recognized by the Murim Alliance Leader seem to be true. The Namgung Family is truly blessed.”

“Don’t change the subject.”

“Sigh. Very well. Then I’ll explain the situation.”

Jang Hyorak rose from his seat with a heavy expression.

“Please follow me.”

* * *

He guided Namgung Hyeok to a location deep within the Jang Family territory.

Ho Young had come along in case there might be an ambush hidden somewhere.

The two men followed Jang Hyorak and arrived in front of a certain room.

“This is it. Right here is the reason why I must seek opium poppies.”

“I’ll go in.”

Namgung Hyeok said this and opened the door.

A strange smell immediately hit him.

It was the smell of opium.

Namgung Hyeok frowned and dispersed the odor before examining the interior. There, a man who looked like a patient was sleeping while drenched in cold sweat.

“Who is this young man?”

“He’s my son.”

Jang Hyorak’s face darkened.

“His name is Jang Huiwon. It’s a bit awkward for me to say with my own mouth, but until recently, he was a promising young man who carried everyone’s expectations.”

“That means he isn’t now.”

“Yes. Because that child is…”

“…Father?”

At that moment, Jang Huiwon’s eyes opened and he looked at Jang Hyorak with a dazed expression.

But that was when it happened.

“Urgh!”

Suddenly, Jang Huiwon began writhing in pain.

It was as if all the muscles in his body were grotesquely twisted.

“This is…”

Namgung Hyeok watched the scene with wide eyes.

Jang Huiwon’s condition was clearly abnormal.

Jang Hyorak rushed to Jang Huiwon and grabbed a medicine bowl that was nearby.

Then he fed Jang Huiwon a liquid that was presumably water boiled with opium poppies.

Jang Huiwon’s expression seemed to ease a little.

“My child. Sleep again. The pain will disappear when you sleep.”

He said this and pressed Jang Huiwon’s sleep acupoint.

Jang Huiwon, who had been suffering, slowly closed his eyes.

Having caught his breath, Jang Hyorak looked at Namgung Hyeok and spoke.

“This is the situation I was referring to.”

“Has he fallen ill?”

“To be precise, he’s fallen into qi deviation. This child recently pushed himself too hard while training martial arts, and as a side effect of forcibly circulating his internal energy, he developed symptoms where all his muscles twist.”

“That’s terrible.”

At that explanation, Namgung Hyeok clicked his tongue.

He could understand why the Jang Family had purchased large quantities of opium.

The pain of twisted muscles was nothing short of torture.

With his son in such a state, Jang Hyorak had no choice.

“I understand the situation well. However, Family Head surely knows this is only a temporary measure.”

“…”

Jang Hyorak didn’t answer.

Because what Namgung Hyeok said was true.

No matter how much water boiled with opium poppy one drank, its painkilling effect would only be temporary.

Unless a more fundamental treatment method was found, his son would have no choice but to suffer for the rest of his life.

“Moreover, the price of opium poppy is quite expensive. You may be able to endure it now since you have accumulated wealth, but if you continue purchasing opium poppy, you’ll eventually exhaust your family fortune. What do you plan to do when that time comes?”

“That is…”

“By then, the Jang Family will have no choice but to become slaves to the Evil Path Alliance. Or walk the path of ruin by borrowing money from loan sharks. Either way, it won’t be the ending you desire.”

“B-but then what am I supposed to do! If I don’t do at least this much, my son won’t be able to escape from the swamp of pain…!”

Jang Hyorak protested with an angry face.

He was probably angry because someone who didn’t even know the situation well was only speaking such realistic words.

Instead of pointing out his tone, Namgung Hyeok spoke quietly.

“What would you do if there was a solution?”

“…!”

Jang Hyorak’s eyes widened.

“I-is that really true?”

“I have traveled battlefields and seen countless wounded and dead. I can confidently say I’m more knowledgeable about the human body than others. This friend here can testify to that.”

Namgung Hyeok pointed to Ho Young and continued speaking.

“If it’s hard to understand, you can think of it as having some degree of medical knowledge. From my perspective, there’s one reason why your son is suffering. It’s because he’s fallen into qi deviation, and his uncontrollable internal energy is having a bad interaction with the muscles in his body, causing pain.”

“…!”

“So to treat this fundamentally, there are two methods. One is to regain control of the uncontrollable internal energy, and the other is to empty out that uncontrollable internal energy and rebuild internal energy from the beginning.”

“Th-that means…!”

“You’re probably thinking correctly.”

Namgung Hyeok spoke coldly.

“If you choose that path, your son will lose most of the internal energy he has built up so far. He appears to be in his early twenties, so he would lose the internal energy cultivated over more than ten years. However, if that happens, his symptoms will certainly be alleviated or disappear.”

“That’s impossible! This child is the heir to the Jang Family. If such a child loses his internal energy…”

“But he can’t live like this for the rest of his life, can he? And regarding the first method, I don’t know any way to regain control of internal energy that has become uncontrollable due to qi deviation. The only option available is the second method.”

“But isn’t that also the worst case scenario in terms of destroying the dantian?”

“You’re misunderstanding something. I never said anything about destroying the dantian.”

“What? Do you mean you can eliminate someone’s internal energy without destroying their dantian?”

Jang Hyorak asked in shock.

This was something even he, who had been seasoned in the martial world, had never heard of before.

Namgung Hyeok nodded and explained.

“It’s possible. To be precise, it’s a technique that burns away the opponent’s internal energy, leaving only the more essential Original Essence True Qi… Since this concerns information about my martial arts, I won’t reveal any more.”

“…Please give me time to think.”

“I will. However, I can’t give you much time.”

Namgung Hyeok and Ho Young left the room with those words.

Left alone, Jang Hyorak looked at his sleeping son and fell into anguish.

‘I should discuss this with Huiwon.’

This didn’t seem like something he should decide alone.

* * *

At the same time.

“What? Namgung Hyeok’s unit entered the Jang Family Territory?”

Mak Hyo, the branch leader of the Evil Path Alliance’s Xuanzhou branch, widened his eyes as he spoke.

“Why is that bastard suddenly here?”

“It seems our relationship with the Jang Family has been discovered.”

“Tch. It looks like those Jang Family bastards leaked information. This has become troublesome.”

The fact that the Third Young Master personally brought a military force meant he came as a representative of the Namgung Family, which meant he was determined to do something about the Jang Family that had been colluding with the Evil Path Alliance.

In other words, from the Evil Path Alliance’s Xuanzhou branch’s perspective, they might lose a big client who brought them substantial money.

That was definitely not a pleasant situation for Mak Hyo.

Because he had been offering that money as tribute while aiming for a higher position.

“What about the number of military forces he brought?”

“About thirty men, they say. But their combat power is said to be equivalent to a second-class squad…”

“Hmph. Of course such rumors would spread since it’s the unit that a young master of the Namgung Family travels with. They’re trying to exaggerate as much as possible. How many of our guys can we mobilize?”

“About two hundred men… No, Branch Leader. You’re not thinking of attacking Namgung Hyeok, are you?!”

His subordinate shouted in shock.

“It’s dangerous! If we’re not careful, it could lead to war between the Namgung Family and the Evil Path Alliance!”

“Hmph. We just need to disguise it well so it looks like we didn’t do it. And if we eliminate Namgung Hyeok, those Namgung Family bastards will secretly be pleased, won’t they? Especially that Namgung Jangcheon fellow must be eagerly waiting for such a thing to happen.”

“But…”

“Quiet.”

Mak Hyo silenced his subordinate and commanded in a cold voice.

“We can’t let go of such a perfect mark we’ve caught. Just shut up and prepare the men.”

“…!”

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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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