The Supreme Who Rules the Boundless Sky - Chapter 70

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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 70

The meeting hall became noisy.

“Acting Family Head. Are you speaking seriously?”

“Indeed. I will give up the position of Family Head.”

“B-but there are so many who trust and follow you…”

“Of course I feel sorry for them. However, I cannot split the family in two because of my greed.”

Namgung Jangcheon said this and looked at Namgung Hyeok.

Namgung Hyeok smiled gently and sent him a telepathic communication.

[Are you really okay with this? Even doing something like this.]

[Weren’t you the one who recommended I do this not long ago.]

[Of course I did. But I didn’t expect Uncle to step down so easily.]

[As I said, it’s for the family’s well-being. Besides…]

Namgung Jangcheon continued with a bitter expression.

[No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t see a way to win against you.]

It was an honest confession.

This was something Namgung Hyeok had somewhat expected.

‘Of course that would be the case.’

Combining Namgung Cheon’s faction, the Elder Council faction, and those who followed Namgung Hyeok, Namgung Jangcheon’s forces were no match for them.

Moreover, Namgung Hyeok was continuously achieving merits and returning…

‘He couldn’t even dare to think of winning.’

However, Namgung Jangcheon wasn’t someone who would easily give up power.

So if he couldn’t become the Family Head at all, he wanted at least the power befitting that.

What he chose was exactly this.

‘Stepping down while demonstrating his own power.’

Those hand seals that Cheon Jinyang brought were showing that Namgung Jangcheon’s forces were still intact.

That meant if they fought properly, they could throw the family into chaos.

In other words, it was like an explosive that could go off at any moment.

He gave up the Family Head position while emphasizing that he held control over that explosive.

What that meant was…

‘If you don’t want to cause unnecessary conflict, preserve his power.’

In other words, this was nothing short of a threat disguised as concession.

A threat saying to acknowledge him if he didn’t want a Namgung Family Estate that had burned down from the explosive going off.

Perhaps realizing this, the Elder Council Head and several others’ eyes gleamed.

However.

“I am grateful for the Acting Family Head’s decision.”

The Elder Council Head didn’t particularly challenge that resolve.

Considering the power of Namgung Cheon and the Elder Council, proceeding this way wasn’t bad at all.

Of course, by doing this, Namgung Jangcheon would continue to wield considerable influence over the Namgung Family Estate…

‘That much is fine.’

From Namgung Hyeok’s perspective, that didn’t matter much either.

After all, these people were also members of the Namgung Family Estate.

If they could get through this without killing anyone, they would be people who could become the Namgung Family Estate’s strength.

‘Besides, Uncle’s faction will slowly collapse as time passes.’

Most of Namgung Jangcheon’s faction were those who had attached themselves thinking he would become the next Family Head.

Now that the Family Head position was decided, his faction would gradually lose power.

And it would surely transform into a third force with power similar to the Elder Council.

That much was welcome to Namgung Hyeok.

‘For the diversity of the group, that level of checks and balances is necessary.’

That was much better than having only forces that followed Namgung Cheon remain.

For the sake of the Namgung Family Estate, it was better to create an environment where diverse opinions could emerge rather than having only one opinion remain.

If Uncle voluntarily took on that role, it couldn’t be better.

[Thank you for stepping down, Uncle.]

Therefore, Namgung Hyeok sent a telepathic communication with sincerity.

[You must assist your brother well. Otherwise, I might change my mind.]

Namgung Jangcheon answered with a warning.

Namgung Hyeok chuckled and conveyed his thoughts.

[That won’t happen. The future Namgung Family Estate will be stronger than ever before.]

[Hmph.]

Namgung Jangcheon snorted but didn’t offer any particular rebuttal.

Although they had opposed each other with ambition for power, he understood Namgung Hyeok’s abilities better than anyone.

If he said so, it would surely be that way.

So…

‘I’ll watch for now.’

The Namgung Family Estate that the Namgung Hyeok brothers would create together from now on.

* * *

Namgung Jangcheon’s shocking declaration that he would give up the Family Head position brought great shock to the Namgung Family Estate.

It was the same for Namgung Jangcheon’s faction members. Rather, because they were his faction, they received an even greater shock.

And among them, the one who received the greatest shock was Namgung Hwan.

As soon as he heard the news, he went to find his father.

“Father! What is the meaning of this?!”

A voice that seemed to be questioning.

No, he was actually questioning.

He couldn’t even imagine that his father would make such a decision.

“Did you really give up the Family Head position?”

“Yes.”

Namgung Jangcheon answered calmly without being flustered. Namgung Hwan’s eyes trembled upon hearing that answer.

“Why…”

“I simply made the wisest choice I could make now. This was the only way for us to maintain our current prestige while influencing the family.”

“You mean retreating without even trying to fight?”

“Then do you think I should have torn the Namgung Family Estate apart with my own hands?”

“…!”

Namgung Hwan was startled by the suddenly sharp voice.

“N-no. That’s not what I meant…”

“As you said, we could have fought. We had the power to cause civil war and overturn the Namgung Family Estate.”

Namgung Jangcheon spoke calmly. However, there was a strange heat dwelling in his eyes.

“We even received a proposal from the Evil Path Alliance to secretly help us. They tried to put me in the position of Namgung Family Estate’s Family Head while conceding many things.”

“I-is that really true?!”

Namgung Hwan’s mouth fell open.

He couldn’t even imagine such a thing had happened.

Namgung Jangcheon chuckled and answered.

“Yes. But I refused. Do you know why?”

“I-I can’t guess.”

“Because there would be no meaning in ascending to the Namgung Family Estate’s Family Head position by borrowing the Evil Path Alliance’s power.”

He spoke decisively as if it were truly so.

“Think about it. What meaning would there be in becoming the Family Head of a Namgung Family Estate that became ruins from civil war and only had an empty shell remaining? Rather, people would curse me for being blinded by power and being greedy.”

“Th-that’s…”

Namgung Hwan couldn’t bring himself to deny it.

Because Namgung Jangcheon’s words were undeniably true no matter how he looked at it.

“If that had happened, the family’s power would have been cut in half, and the Namgung Family would have been expelled from the Ten Great Families. We would also have been branded with the dishonor of colluding with the Evil Faction. And that’s not all? Now that the Namgung Family had become weakened and vulnerable, all sorts of beasts would have tried to tear us apart. The Evil Path Alliance would have approached us with such intentions from the start.”

Namgung Jangcheon let out a self-deprecating laugh.

“I thought it would be better to hand over power to Cheon rather than face such a future. I didn’t want to destroy the Namgung Family during my generation.”

“….”

Namgung Hwan fell silent.

He couldn’t even imagine how much anguish his father must have gone through to make such a decision.

Namgung Jangcheon spoke in a much gentler voice than before.

“Hwan. There’s something I want to tell you and Pyo.”

“Please speak.”

“From now on, cooperate unconditionally with the new Family Head… no, that’s not right. Cooperate unconditionally with that boy Namgung Hyeok. Absolutely.”

“Yes? Why is that?”

“You’ve worked with him, so you know his abilities well, don’t you? As frustrating as it is, that boy has abilities far superior to mine. Those are abilities that could make the Main House the greatest family under heaven. When the Namgung Family becomes the greatest family under heaven in the future, you must be by his side.”

“…!”

“Perhaps being a real power holder in the Namgung Family when it becomes the greatest under heaven might be better than being a mere figurehead Family Head of the Namgung Family. It would be better for us to establish our own domain before other branch families try to rise up. That’s why I’m asking this of you.”

“I will keep it in mind.”

Namgung Hwan bowed his head with a stern expression.

Only then did Namgung Jangcheon smile with satisfaction.

“Then I trust you. Please convey my words to Pyo as well.”

“Yes, Father. Then I shall take my leave now.”

“Very well.”

Namgung Hwan carefully left Namgung Jangcheon’s quarters.

‘A real power holder in the Namgung Family when it becomes the greatest under heaven…’

He pondered over what Namgung Jangcheon had said several times.

Though it still didn’t feel quite real, one thing was certain.

‘Many things are going to change.’

* * *

Some time later, Namgung Cheon officially ascended to the position of Family Head.

At the same time, the reforms being carried out in the Namgung Family Estate gained more momentum.

The plan to reduce budgets used for useless purposes and expand the Military Force began to take more concrete shape.

Namgung Cheon led the Shadow Unit, which had now become directly under the Family Head, gradually expanding the scale of the Namgung Family Estate.

“At this rate, we should be able to accommodate about thirty percent more martial artists than originally planned.”

Namgung Cheon said as he reviewed documents with sharp eyes while organizing the budget.

Perhaps because he had spent more time with books than martial arts while bedridden, his administrative abilities were quite considerable.

“The more troops we have, the better. The problem is whether we can continue to support them.”

“Of course, I’m also looking for ways to increase the family’s sources of income. Even if we create a Military Force using the currently wasted budget, we’ll need money to maintain it.”

“You’re finally starting to carry yourself like a Family Head.”

When Namgung Hyeok said this with a chuckle, Namgung Cheon scratched his head awkwardly.

“Honestly, it still doesn’t feel real. The work itself hasn’t changed at all.”

“You’ll gradually feel it. Don’t focus only on administrative work—make time to practice martial arts as well.”

“I’d like to, but I don’t have the time. There’s just so much to do.”

“Now you can delegate the detailed matters to the Family Retainers. A Family Head is someone who sets the overall framework and leads the family, not someone who has to worry about every little detail.”

“Hmm. You’re right.”

Namgung Cheon nodded. Namgung Hyeok’s words were certainly sound reasoning.

He smiled brightly and asked.

“Then since we’re on the topic, how about we loosen up our bodies a bit? Maybe have a martial duel after a long time.”

Namgung Hyeok tilted his head curiously.

“It’s unusual for you to challenge me to a martial duel, Elder Brother.”

Even after his body was healed by Namgung Hyeok, Namgung Cheon rarely challenged him.

He knew that the difference in their skills was too great for a martial duel to be of much help anyway.

But for him to make such a proposal first was unexpected.

“Sounds good.”

The two headed to the Training Ground located deep within, accessible only to the Family Head and Young Family Head.

Taking a wooden sword each, they faced each other and assumed ready stances.

Namgung Cheon grinned with burning fighting spirit and said.

“Then I’ll go first. Hyah!”

He shouted and charged at Namgung Hyeok.

Namgung Hyeok appropriately controlled his strength to match the exchanges.

But after several exchanges, Namgung Cheon’s aura changed.

‘What’s this?’

It felt as if the heavens were collapsing.

Namgung Hyeok wore a serious expression as he parried the heavy sword strike coming down from above.

Crash!

Though it was wooden sword against wooden sword, a tremendous sound erupted.

Namgung Cheon groaned and stepped back. But he gritted his teeth again and charged at Namgung Hyeok.

Whoosh!

Another heavy strike followed.

“…!”

Namgung Hyeok channeled his Internal Energy to deflect the attack.

Namgung Cheon rolled ungracefully on the ground from the recoil but sprang up and shouted.

“Again!”

Thud!

Namgung Hyeok watched his elder brother charging at him with fierce True Steps.

Namgung Cheon was demonstrating the same Martial Art Form for the third time.

“Could it be…”

Crash!

Namgung Hyeok blocked the heavy strike that came down on him and asked.

“Elder Brother. Are you trying to teach me the Technique Form of the Emperor Sword Form?”

“Haha. Did I get caught?”

Namgung Cheon smiled awkwardly.

Namgung Hyeok looked surprised.

The Emperor Sword Form.

That was a special martial art passed down only to the Family Head of the Namgung Family.

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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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