The Supreme Who Rules the Boundless Sky - Chapter 71

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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 71

“Why?”

That was the first question that came to mind.

The Emperor Sword Form was one of the ultimate secret techniques representing the Namgung Family Estate, along with the Azure Sky Limitless Sword Technique.

Especially since it could only be passed down to the Family Head or Young Family Head.

So he felt puzzled that such a thing would be taught to him.

“I just wanted to teach it to you too.”

Namgung Cheon answered honestly.

“To me?”

“Yes. You are now my only remaining brother.”

“You don’t need to give me special treatment.”

“But I wanted to.”

Namgung Cheon shook his head and spoke to Namgung Hyeok with a serious expression.

“In the first place, wasn’t it all thanks to you that I could rise to this position?”

“….”

“So I thought there should be something I could repay you with. I thought that if it was the Emperor Sword Form that only the head of the Namgung Family Estate could learn, it could repay that debt even a little.”

“But….”

“Besides, this is also for my sake.”

“For Elder Brother’s sake?”

Namgung Cheon answered Namgung Hyeok’s puzzled question.

“As you know, the Emperor Sword Form was once lost and then restored. The current Emperor Sword Form was created by Uncle, who was the Acting Family Head, after looking at the Secret Manual and passed it on to me.”

“…!”

“But Uncle confessed that he couldn’t fully recreate this Emperor Sword Form with his abilities. In other words, the current Emperor Sword Form is incomplete.”

“I see.”

“So I hope you can complete it. That way it will surely help both of us.”

“….”

Since he spoke this far, Namgung Hyeok couldn’t refuse, so he let out a short sigh and nodded.

“Very well. I’ll gratefully accept it.”

“I knew you would say that.”

Namgung Cheon smiled brightly. Then he lowered his sword and took his stance again.

“Since it’s come to this, don’t just observe the forms of the Emperor Sword Form, but let me teach you the essence. First, I’ll teach you the incantation.”

Namgung Cheon recited the incantation slowly as if being considerate so it would be easy to memorize.

After repeating it several times, Namgung Hyeok nodded.

“This should be enough.”

“You’ve already memorized it all? It took me more than a day just to memorize the incantation.”

“I’m quick at this kind of mental calculation.”

“Well, with your abilities, that makes sense. Then let’s learn the most basic movements now. First is the Downward Strike. It’s a technique that controls space by utilizing the Heavy Sword Principles.”

The two began training in the Emperor Sword Form like that.

Namgung Hyeok silently followed Namgung Cheon’s teachings.

Originally, according to the Namgung Family Estate’s rules, these were things he shouldn’t learn, but the situation was what it was.

Moreover, the Emperor Sword Form would benefit him if anything, and wouldn’t harm him.

“Please keep this secret from people of other families.”

“Of course.”

Naturally, Namgung Hyeok had no intention of using this carelessly.

He planned to use it only when the Emperor Sword Form was needed.

After all, the Emperor Sword Form was that kind of martial art.

‘Besides, if done well, I could use it as a combination technique with the Sacred Fire Ultimate Sword.’

Of course, for that, he needed to be able to handle the basic forms and intent of the Emperor Sword Form skillfully. But that level wasn’t a problem for Namgung Hyeok.

‘Learning this much and supplementing the lacking parts won’t be difficult.’

So he learned the Emperor Sword Form much faster than others.

Though he hadn’t been learning from Namgung Cheon for long, his achievement was enough to surpass Namgung Cheon.

Eventually the situation reversed, and Namgung Cheon ended up learning about the Emperor Sword Form from Namgung Hyeok.

Namgung Hyeok taught his Elder Brother with all his heart and soul.

Like that, roughly a year passed.

The brothers had reached a level where they could skillfully handle the Emperor Sword Form.

Even Namgung Cheon, though still a bit lacking, came to use technique forms that were much more advanced than before.

‘I can continue filling in the lacking martial power this way.’

Though he fell short compared to Namgung Hyeok, Namgung Cheon wasn’t without martial talent either.

Moreover, he was gradually gaining experience outside of martial power, so Namgung Cheon was becoming someone befitting the head of the Namgung Family Estate.

It was during this time.

“Captain. Letters have arrived for you, Captain.”

“For me?”

Namgung Hyeok tilted his head and accepted the letters Ho Young handed over.

The sender of the letters was the Flame Merchant Group that his comrades had created.

After carefully reading the contents of the letters, Namgung Hyeok showed a strange smile.

‘Well, look at this?’

It seemed he would need to visit Kaifeng soon.

* * *

A few days later.

Namgung Hyeok, who had stopped by Kaifeng saying he had business, immediately sought out the Flame Merchant Group.

“I greet my Lord.”

When he went to the Flame Merchant Group, So Baek, who held the position of merchant group leader, respectfully welcomed him.

Namgung Hyeok smiled at seeing his comrade after a long time.

“So Baek. Have you been well?”

“I’ve been doing extremely well. Didn’t you see the scale of the merchant group on your way here?”

“That’s right. It’s grown tremendously.”

Thanks to Namgung Hyeok’s achievements, they had secured exclusive trading rights from the Northern Sea Ice Palace and conducted various transactions with Cold Iron as their main commodity.

They had made iron workshops and Murim forces throughout the Central Plains into their business partners.

To that extent, the scale of the Flame Merchant Group had grown incomparably from the beginning.

At this level, even if it couldn’t become one of the Ten Great Merchant Groups under Heaven, it could certainly become a merchant group of the scale below that.

“We still have a long way to go. I plan to work even harder to be of help to my Lord. In fact, if we start military supply contracts with the generals of the Northern Region, we could make enormous money again.”

“Just hearing about it makes me feel good. But is what you wrote in the letters really true?”

“Yes. That’s a bit… a troublesome situation has occurred.”

So Baek let out a long sigh and began explaining.

“It seems there are many who don’t like that we’re exclusively trading with the Northern Sea. Simply put, it gets on their nerves.”

“So interference has come in?”

“Yes.”

So Baek nodded.

Those letters that Namgung Hyeok had received.

In those letters was written the story of unidentified bandits attacking those who were moving while carrying Cold Iron.

Of course, since escorting the Cold Iron was done by Namgung Hyeok’s comrades, it wasn’t easily stolen, but….

‘Still, they suffered quite significant damage.’

Fortunately there were no deaths, but there were several people who suffered serious injuries.

This was because the enemy’s numbers exceeded their allies by more than five times.

Moreover, they were in a situation where they couldn’t properly display their capabilities because they had to protect the carts transporting Cold Iron.

So it hadn’t been a proper fight.

So Baek finished his story there and let out a sigh.

“Hahou Yeon. Things would have been a bit better if that friend were here at least….”

“Hahou Yeon is at the Ha Family following my orders.”

He would be steadily establishing his position there while helping Ha Jinseong, whom Namgung Hyeok had met before.

From what he heard, he had become Ha Jinseong’s most powerful sword?

Other siblings of the Ha Family were apparently trying hard to recruit him. But Hahou Yeon was rejecting those offers each time.

People who saw this said he was keeping faith with Ha Jinseong….

‘Actually, he’s keeping faith with me.’

What Namgung Hyeok had asked for was simply to be of help to Ha Jinseong.

He was carrying out his orders very well.

‘To the extent that Ha Jinseong could secure a significant position in the Ha Family.’

If that happened, the Namgung Family’s influence within the Ha Family would grow. It would be perfect if he even rose to the Young Family Head position.

‘Of course, the possibility is slim.’

The succession struggle within the Ha Family was too formidable to be overturned by Hahou Yeon’s presence alone.

But gaining even the possibility was enough.

He knew that small investment would pay off greatly later.

‘There are many ways to influence a family even without becoming the family head.’

Anyway.

“Without Hahou Yeon, dealing with this problem would be troublesome. That’s why you sent me a request for support.”

“Because Lord could easily finish off such problems.”

“Good. Then….”

“Before that, there’s something I’d like to give you.”

So Baek, who had interrupted Namgung Hyeok’s words, brought over a large box.

Seeing it, Namgung Hyeok’s eyes lit up.

“A sword?”

Yes. What was inside was indeed a sword.

A beautiful blue-colored sword with wave patterns drawn on its smooth blade.

Whether judging by its appearance or the feel when briefly touching it, this was quite a famous sword.

But why such a sword suddenly?

Though such questions arose, he could soon understand the reason.

“It’s a gift I’m presenting to Lord. A famous sword made by having excellent craftsmen process meteoric iron.”

“Meteoric iron, you say?”

Namgung Hyeok spoke as if slightly surprised.

Meteoric iron was literally a mineral separated from meteorites and was renowned for being extremely rare.

But to martial artists, it was no different from a treasure more precious than its reputation.

Of course, its properties differed depending on which meteorite it came from, but most meteoric iron was extremely hard and even had the effect of amplifying qi.

“Originally I intended to gift you a sword made from Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron, but… considering Lord’s martial arts, I thought this would be better than cold iron with yin energy. Please use it well.”

“Thank you. I’ll use it well.”

Namgung Hyeok gave his newly acquired sword the name Blue Heaven with a satisfied expression.

This was because the blue blade and the patterns carved on it reminded him of a blue sky with clouds floating about.

“Congratulations, Lord.”

Jeon Wook, who had followed along as a guard, also offered greetings with a smiling face.

Though Namgung Hyeok wanted to try using Blue Heaven right away, he held back and asked So Baek.

“Then explain again. Where’s the problem?”

“One of the ten major trading companies is keeping us in check. Of course, they’re not coming forward directly.”

“Then?”

“They’re hiring martial sects to disguise themselves as bandits and frequently attacking our trade routes as I mentioned. Increasing the number of escorts doesn’t help much.”

“Then there’s only one way to solve it.”

“Lord. What method is that?”

So Baek asked in surprise.

Jeon Wook, who was beside them, also quietly watched Namgung Hyeok while maintaining silence. Namgung Hyeok chuckled and answered.

“Don’t we have something we’re good at? Making an example.”

“Making an example, you mean….”

“First, we set a trap on our side to make the target fall into it. Then after finding out their main base, we strike that place.”

It was an excessively concise and simple plan.

But precisely because of that, its effectiveness seemed certain.

Namgung Hyeok and So Baek looked at each other and nodded.

“Then Lord. I’ll request that of you.”

“Right.”

Namgung Hyeok spoke while running his hand along his newly acquired sword, Blue Heaven.

His eyes sparkled and shone.

“Set the schedule. I’ll march out.”

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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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