Namgung Hyeong had several vows he absolutely had to keep.
-Learn the Namgung Family’s True Sword and pass it on to the Namgung Family.
That was the vow he had made with Namgung Myeong.
And among them, this was the matter he considered most important.
When the young Namgung Hyeong first heard those words, they had been difficult to understand.
What was the Namgung Family’s True Sword?
He was already learning the sword just fine.
Did that mean the sword he was learning was fake?
Such questions crossed his mind.
But he had not been in a position to refuse, so Namgung Hyeong accepted Namgung Myeong’s words.
It was not long before he realized the truth.
‘…It really was true.’
The sword of the Namgung Family was indeed fake.
The sword Namgung Myeong taught him made its true meaning apparent simply by observing it.
The way he taught it was somewhat atrocious, though….
That sword was unquestionably real.
The difference was minuscule to the eye.
There was no great difference when one looked at the sword paths. At most, it was a difference in breathing, insignificant movements,
how one placed one’s gaze, and so on. They sounded like nothing but tiny distinctions.
But as they accumulated, they created a difference as vast as heaven and earth.
A difference as vast as heaven and earth.
The phrase truly fit.
It was no exaggeration to say that they were as different as heaven and earth.
‘How can this be?’
How could they be so different despite using the same sword paths and inner techniques?
No, could they even be called the same sword paths in the first place?
The thoughts held within them were so different. Was it truly right to call them the same?
The Namgung Sword as it existed now was trash.
The words Namgung Myeong had spat out until he was sick of them had become an undeniable fact, even to Namgung Hyeong.
Compared to this sword, the Namgung Sword truly was trash.
-Therefore, you must learn this sword and raise the Namgung Family back up.
That, too, was one of the things Namgung Myeong had repeated until he was sick of saying it.
Namgung Hyeong had already become a Daoist of Wudang and learned Wudang’s martial arts.
As for the Namgung Family’s martial arts? At best, they only reached the First-Class level of martial prowess. Abandoning them and acquiring them anew was no great matter.
Of course, it was easy to say that. Abandoning them and filling that void had taken more than ten years.
But it did not matter.
It was still better than carrying traces of the Namgung Family.
Namgung Myeong still wished for Namgung Hyeong to return to the Namgung Family.
But that was impossible.
Learning Wudang’s martial arts while also mastering the Namgung Family’s swordsmanship—
Even that alone made for days far too busy.
The Namgung Sword could not contain inner energy, so at most, he could only learn the sword paths.
Still, Namgung Hyeong knew that merely passing this on would change the Namgung Family.
That was how valuable this sword was.
‘That old man is so greedy.’
Perhaps Namgung Myeong could not be satisfied with a half-baked level of mastery, because he still made Hyeong continue learning the sword.
How much more did he have to do before the man would be satisfied?
Regardless of the sword’s value, to Namgung Hyeong it remained nothing but an ordeal.
‘This is why I should’ve been more careful when making the contract.’
Not until he reached a certain level, but until Namgung Myeong was satisfied.
That damned wording had been the problem.
That was why Namgung Hyeong found Namgung Bia all the more appealing.
‘…This child is the answer.’
Namgung Hyeong truly thought so.
At their first meeting, he had not thought much of her.
His attention had been entirely focused on Gu Yangcheon.
His own niece? What a ridiculous notion.
The moment he abandoned the Namgung Family, such a connection had lost its meaning.
Even if they shared the same hair and eyes, Namgung Hyeong had not possessed the slightest affection for Namgung Bia.
It was only his guess, but Namgung Bia had probably felt the same way.
He acknowledged that her beauty was exceptionally striking,
and that her cultivation was outstanding for her age.
‘My disciple is better.’
In terms of martial arts, Uhyuk was superior. That was how he had judged it at the time.
Until he saw Namgung Bia’s sword.
“Heh heh.”
Namgung Hyeong still remembered it vividly.
The sight of Namgung Bia repeatedly swinging her sword beneath the sunlight.
Namgung Bia had been swinging her sword with complete concentration, unaware that he had even arrived.
It had, of course, been the Namgung Family’s sword.
The Namgung Family’s sword without inner energy within it.
‘How could that be?’
Did she know what this meant?
The Namgung Sword path, continuing without inner energy—
For Namgung Hyeong, it had been an enormous shock.
The Namgung Sword could not be used without inner energy.
The sword path could not continue, and it would inevitably break midway, losing its inherent power.
That was why the Namgung Sword required the use of inner energy.
And yet—
‘That child didn’t have any.’
There was no inner energy within Namgung Bia’s sword.
It was as if—
‘…the Namgung Sword of the past.’
The true Namgung Sword that Namgung Myeong had somehow forced Namgung Hyeong to learn again.
Namgung Bia’s sword path was certainly that.
‘It can’t be said to be exactly the same.’
It could not be called identical to the sword Namgung Hyeong had learned.
There were definitely parts that differed.
The problem was that he could not be certain those differences were wrong.
‘How did she do it?’
With the Namgung Family’s inherited sword before her, she had found the true sword path on her own.
Within the martial arts she had learned, she had discovered the irregularities for herself and corrected them.
That was—
‘My eyes were nothing but knotholes.’
Calling it talent would not even do it justice.
Namgung Bia’s talent was so extraordinary that he could only curse himself for judging her solely by her cultivation.
And so Namgung Hyeong had spoken without hesitation.
“My dear niece. Don’t you want to become the Family Head?”
This child was the one who would carry on the will of that mad ancestor, the heir who would inherit the sword in accordance with that will.
A potential far greater than his own.
He had found it.
Of course, he thought it would not be easy.
If an uncle who had suddenly run away from home asked, “Would you like to take over the Namgung Family?” naturally, no one would accept.
“I’ll do it.”
He had thought that would be her answer, but she actually agreed.
Why did this work?
Namgung Hyeong could only stare blankly after hearing Namgung Bia’s simple reply.
“…You will?”
She nodded.
“Uh, yes… Well… Uh.”
It proceeded so smoothly that Namgung Hyeong was the one who became flustered.
What had captivated her heart?
‘…Could showing her the sword have been the problem?’
Thinking it might help persuade her even a little, he had shown her the Namgung Family’s sword path.
The gaze of his niece as she watched it had been burning intensely.
Just as his own had once been.
Namgung Bia’s gaze had been clear and fervent, as though she had discovered a lifeline.
Seeing it, Namgung Hyeong became certain.
They each needed something from the other.
In that case, things would be easy.
Just as he was feeling relieved that matters had gone far more smoothly than expected,
Namgung Hyeong remembered one thing he had forgotten.
“Ah, but, Niece.”
“…?”
Namgung Bia tilted her head at his words.
It was slightly frightening. Her eyes were shining as though demanding that he tell her at once.
It was good, but—
It was terribly burdensome.
“I don’t think it’ll be possible for the time being.”
“Why…?”
“Well, your uncle has to go somewhere far away.”
“…Where…?”
“The North Sea.”
That was the greatest problem here.
Namgung Hyeong had to go to the North Sea.
A place he had wanted to visit someday.
After determining Uhyuk’s cultivation the other day and even drinking alcohol while taking advantage of the ancestor’s absence, he had thought it was finally time to go.
Namgung Hyeong had to go to the North Sea.
This was not so much for his own sake as it was for his disciple and Namgung Myeong.
Therefore—
“I’m sorry to bring this up and then say this, but let’s discuss it after I return.”
He tried to say it with an awkward expression.
“…I’ll go with you.”
Namgung Hyeong had to stop at Namgung Bia’s words.
“What did you say?”
“…Together. We can go together.”
He had said he had to go to the North Sea.
Even so, Namgung Bia’s eyes were still burning.
Where had that sleepy, dull-looking child gone? Namgung Bia was looking at Namgung Hyeong with the eyes of a true martial artist.
‘Hmm.’
Seeing that, Namgung Hyeong realized something.
Just as there was not a single sane person in the Namgung Family,
his niece probably was not entirely sane either.
No matter how desperate she had become upon seeing such martial arts, who would have thought she would offer to follow him to the North Sea?
‘Still.’
Not bad. I certainly don’t mind.
Namgung Hyeong decided as much and nodded.
“All right. If that is what you wish, Niece, then I suppose I should agree.”
“…”
“We’ll probably depart…”
“…Wait.”
He was about to explain the schedule when Namgung Bia stopped him again.
“I haven’t… received… permission yet…”
“Ah.”
At Namgung Bia’s words, Namgung Hyeong realized what he had forgotten.
Right. She had not gotten permission yet.
Certainly, permission was necessary if he was taking her all the way to the North Sea.
“But, Niece, even so, do you really think your father will understand this…?”
No matter how much of a piece of trash that man was, he did not seem like the sort who would permit his runaway half-brother to take his daughter to the North Sea.
‘Is my niece more dutiful toward her family than I thought?’
For that reason, he had never imagined Namgung Bia would say she needed to ask her family for permission.
She did not seem like the sort to care about such things.
Just as Namgung Hyeong was thinking this—
“…It’s not… Father.”
Namgung Bia spoke.
She was saying it was not the Sword King.
“Not your father? Then who…?”
Namgung Hyeong asked in confusion, and Namgung Bia pointed somewhere with her hand.
It was—
“Hm?”
The direction where Gu Yangcheon’s quarters were located.
******************
And so, they had arrived at the present.
‘…Hmm.’
As Namgung Hyeong looked at Gu Yangcheon’s quarters, he had to consider many things.
‘The resistance is fiercer than I expected.’
He had to come back to retrieve Noeah anyway, so he had thought he could simply deliver the message while he was at it.
But Gu Yangcheon’s reaction was more serious than expected.
When his niece had said she would go to the North Sea,
he had seen Gu Yangcheon’s trembling eyes.
‘He didn’t seem like that kind of boy.’
Gu Yangcheon’s first impression had been that he was slick and unpleasant.
At the same time, there had been something dry and calm about his emotional expression.
He had not expected the boy to crumble so completely at a single statement that his niece was going.
‘Are they really that close?’
He had heard that they were engaged, but he had not thought they were affectionate enough to act like this.
From the look of things, it had clearly been a political marriage. He had certainly judged it that way.
“My niece must be receiving a lot of love, hm?”
“…”
Namgung Hyeong chuckled as he spoke, but Namgung Bia’s expression did not change.
It certainly appeared that way.
‘Heh heh.’
Namgung Hyeong could see it. Namgung Bia’s ears had turned slightly red.
It seemed she was embarrassed.
Just as he was considering teasing her by whistling,
“…Is this really the time for such jokes?”
A voice filled with lament came from beside him. It was the White Lotus Sword.
She had been lingering around Gu Yangcheon’s quarters, so Namgung Hyeong had seized the opportunity and brought her along, since he had business with her anyway.
“You lunatic. What are you doing right now? You’re going to the North Sea? All of a sudden?”
The White Lotus Sword, dragged over without warning, still seemed to be in shock from what Namgung Hyeong had said moments earlier.
“Well, can’t we take a little trip?”
“A trip? Don’t talk nonsense. If you want to do something like that, go alone. Why drag me into it? I’m busy as it is!”
“Busy luring men, you mean? Don’t be like that and lend me a hand.”
“What do you mean, lend you a hand!”
“My, my, you’re awfully angry, Sis. It’s good to see such a familiar face. Heh heh.”
“You little bastard, seriously…”
Clang.
Just as the White Lotus Sword, unable to bear it any longer, was about to draw her sword—
“The Ice Palace Lord’s seal. You have it, don’t you, Sis?”
“…!”
The White Lotus Sword stopped at Namgung Hyeong’s words.
Her expression was one of shock, as if she could not believe what she had heard.
“…You.”
“It might not be that. There must have been some way. Otherwise…”
Namgung Hyeong’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“You wouldn’t have gone back and forth to the North Sea, would you?”
Shing—!
The White Lotus Sword drew her sword.
She brought it straight to Namgung Hyeong’s throat.
It was close enough that the slightest movement would draw blood.
“…Where did you hear that?”
“I have some business with the North Sea myself.”
“Don’t say such nonsense. What could you possibly—”
“It’s quite noisy over the Ice Crystal right now, isn’t it?”
“…!!”
The White Lotus Sword sucked in a breath.
It was truly top-secret information.
Seeing the expression on her face, Namgung Hyeong let out a low chuckle.
“With a face like that, how do you intend to keep information hidden? You haven’t changed at all, Sis.”
“…You… just what are you?”
“I have my own circumstances as well. I merely wanted to let you know, roughly speaking.”
“If that’s all, then you don’t need my help in the first place, do you?”
“I have my reasons for that too… Heh heh.”
The White Lotus Sword ground her teeth and was about to continue speaking when—
Creak.
“Oh! They’re coming out.”
At the sound from the quarters, the White Lotus Sword hastily withdrew her sword.
Turning his head toward the door, Namgung Hyeong saw Gu Yangcheon slowly walking out.
With a rather serious expression.
Seeing that, Namgung Hyeong asked,
“What do you think? Have you made up your mind?”
At Namgung Hyeong’s words, Guyang Cheon raised his head.
His gaze revealed nothing of what he was thinking.
Guyang Cheon did not offer much of an answer. Instead, he approached Namgung Bia.
Namgung Bia merely stared intently at Guyang Cheon as he did so.
Once the distance between them had closed and he stood right in front of her, he began to speak.
“You want to go to the North Sea.”
“Yes.”
“It’s incredibly cold there.”
“…I know….”
“You know nothing of the sort. You’ve never even been there.”
“…”
Guyang Cheon spoke with a sigh, but Namgung Bia remained unchanged.
Looking into Guyang Cheon’s eyes, she calmly asked,
“What would it take… for you… to let me go?”
At the almost desperate tone of her voice, Guyang Cheon let out a deep sigh before bringing up what he had already decided to say.
“…There’s a condition.”
“Yes.”
“Back then. Do you remember? When you kept pestering me to spar with you.”
It had already been several years ago.
Namgung Bia had constantly begged to have a martial exchange with him, and Guyang Cheon had refused her every time.
The reason he was bringing up that old matter now was simple.
“Let’s do it now. A spar.”
“…!”
At those words, Namgung Hyeong furrowed one eyebrow.
It was an utterly unreasonable proposition. Namgung Hyeong, who had been listening, tried to intervene.
“Young Master Gu. That is—”
“I understand.”
“Bia?”
When Namgung Bia accepted, Namgung Hyeong, who had been about to stop her, widened his eyes.
By any measure, it was an absurd condition.
Namgung Bia was indeed a genius, but in Namgung Hyeong’s eyes, Guyang Cheon belonged to an entirely different realm.
He could no longer even be placed among the outstanding figures of the younger generation.
He had already reached a level where he would not be outmatched even against those called masters.
‘What is this?’
It was hard to believe that his niece did not know that. Could it be that she truly did not want to go to the North Sea?
The thought occurred to him because of how unreasonable the condition was.
Just then—
“…What… do I have to do?”
Namgung Bia asked Guyang Cheon.
She knew.
There was no way Guyang Cheon would say something so absurd without a reason.
Faced with that absolute trust, Guyang Cheon smiled faintly.
If she had argued or protested, he would have felt much more at ease, but Namgung Bia did none of that.
It continued to weigh on his mind.
And then—
Swish.
“…Hm?”
Guyang Cheon drew something from within his robes. When Namgung Hyeong recognized it, his expression hardened.
Guyang Cheon was holding Noe-a.
Why was that boy suddenly drawing it?
Just as the question began to take root—
Guyang Cheon looked at Namgung Bia and said,
“Make me acknowledge you. Then I’ll let you go.”
“…”
Upon hearing that, Namgung Bia—
“Understood.”
Shing.
Without hesitation, she drew her sword.