Chapter 9: The Emergence of Talent (3)
Cangqiong Wuya Sword Technique.
At Namgung Rim's answer, Un Nak-hwa finally recalled the name of the sword technique from his memory. He had told his attendant Mak-hyo that he had heard it before but forgotten.
But now, he had heard that name from the mouth of Namgung Rim, the second young master of the Namgung Clan.
“Wasn't the Namgung Clan supposed to practice the Tianfeng Sword Technique…?”
Namgung Rim answered Un Nak-hwa's muttering question.
“Everyone was mistaken. They thought following the path others paved was the right way. But that path was wrong. So I will set it right. Back to the proper direction.”
A calm voice and a metaphor incomprehensible at first hearing.
But Un Nak-hwa understood.
Namgung Rim was saying he would not follow the teachings of the Huashan Sword Immortal and would instead walk his own path.
Un Nak-hwa stared blankly at Namgung Rim. He had known of the existence of the Namgung Clan's second young master, but he had not known who he was.
The feeling of defeat he had never experienced even once since picking up a sword.
He had thought that among his peers, aside from the Four Dragons and Two Phoenixes, hailed as the greatest of the younger generation, he would absolutely never lose.
But here, that thought was mercilessly shattered.
“You said your name was Namgung Rim.”
“I did.”
Un Nak-hwa realized. That a talent capable of reviving the Namgung Clan had perhaps emerged.
“I lost.”
And Un Nak-hwa turned around without any lingering attachment and left the hall with his attendant Mak-hyo.
Even as Un Nak-hwa acknowledged defeat and left, the people of the clan did not cheer. Such a moment was simply impossible to believe.
That the unknown second young master had defeated the Jade-faced Gentleman.
“What on earth just happened…?”
“To think the second young master's martial arts were at such a level….”
“And what is the Cangqiong Wuya Sword Technique? Hasn't it been lost for almost a hundred years?”
Amidst everyone's surprise, there was someone whose mind was turning quickly.
It was Myeong Hyeonpa, the patriarch of the Myeong Clan.
‘What a sight. To think that arrogant Un Nak-hwa was made to acknowledge defeat and retreat on his own.’
In any case, from a father's perspective, it wasn't a bad result since he wouldn't have to see his daughter's tears. But Myeong Hyeonpa's satisfaction did not end there.
‘How about forming a marriage alliance?’
It was common for families to form intermarriage alliances to solidify their bonds.
The Myeong Clan had both the eldest daughter, Myeong Eunbi, and the second daughter, Myeong Eunhyang. Though she was young at sixteen, rumors already circulated in Gangso Province that she possessed both talent and beauty.
‘He defeated Un Nak-hwa with the Cangqiong Wuya Sword Technique, which is virtually the root of the Namgung Clan. This second young master can change the Namgung Clan. If so, we must stake our future on him and the Namgung Clan.’
Thus, everyone's gaze, including Myeong Hyeonpa's, was fixed on Namgung Rim.
At that moment, Namgung Rim's gaze shifted. Soon, his eyes stopped on Namgung Hancheon, who was standing there.
Namgung Hancheon looked at Namgung Rim with an indecipherable smile.
Then he soon turned around and left the hall, disappearing from Namgung Rim's sight.
* * *
Namgung Han was leaving the training ground shoulder-to-shoulder with his younger brother, Namgung Rim.
“There is a saying that one must look with fresh eyes. Your achievement is exactly that, Rim. I haven't been able to pay you proper attention all this time, yet you've worked so hard on your own.”
“You were busy with many things, Brother. I had nothing else to do besides swinging my sword.”
“But what happened? Did you gain some kind of enlightenment?”
No matter how close they were as brothers, he couldn't speak about his previous life.
“Many things happened.”
Among those many things were naturally his expulsion from the Five Great Clans and his father's death. It was a roundabout way of saying that he had gained enlightenment through the shock of that time.
Since his younger brother spoke in such a way, there was nothing more he could ask as an older brother.
“I see. You've chosen your own path as well.”
“When are you holding your wedding with the young lady of the Myeong family?”
“The Patriarch Myeong came to speak with me earlier. He said he would stay here for the time being, and that he wished to hold the wedding within that period. He also said he wanted to see you at least once.”
It seemed he wanted to convey his gratitude. But since Namgung Rim hadn't done it for them, he wasn't interested and immediately changed the subject.
“Once the wedding is held, Brother will finally take the seat of Patriarch.”
Namgung Han did not give much of an answer. He wore an expression as if pondering something.
Namgung Rim knew his older brother well. After their mother passed away, he had been so good to him that one could hardly feel her absence. There was no way the younger brother wouldn't know what kind of personality and person his older brother was.
That was why he made the first move.
“I will be busy from now on.”
He continued to his brother, who turned to look at him as if asking what he meant.
“I'm planning to grow stronger in earnest from now on. So I won't be able to devote much attention to the clan's affairs.”
Namgung Han had been contemplating. About handing over the position of Patriarch to his younger brother, whose talent had blossomed.
To think he could defeat the Jade-faced Gentleman, renowned throughout the martial world—his younger brother's martial achievements would rise even higher now. To a level that he himself would not dare to follow.
So he had been thinking about letting such a younger brother take on the role of Patriarch.
But his younger brother had made the first move, and the older brother immediately understood his intention.
That they should each do what they did best.
Having grasped his younger brother's intentions, Namgung Han immediately nodded.
“Yes. You need not worry about the clan's affairs. I will do my best to make it the perfect foundation for you.”
Namgung Rim parted with his brother like that and headed to the underground training chamber. A person was waiting in front of the training chamber.
It was Namgung Hancheon, with a massive build like a bear.
Namgung Hancheon, who had been waiting with his hands behind his back, opened his mouth the moment he saw Namgung Rim.
“The sixth form of the Cangqiong Wuya Sword Technique, Suyeon Nakgwang. Am I right?”
The technique he had unleashed at the very end against Un Nak-hwa.
Namgung Hancheon had recognized that technique.
“You are correct.”
“It was an excellent Suyeon Nakgwang.”
“How was it?”
Namgung Hancheon opened his eyes wide.
“Did I not say it was excellent?”
“No, I am asking how it felt to see the Cangqiong Wuya Sword Technique.”
Namgung Hancheon was momentarily at a loss for words.
When the Cangqiong Wuya Sword Technique overwhelmed Un Nak-hwa, honestly, his blood had boiled together with it.
It was simple and straightforward, yet such a refreshing and overwhelming sword strike was something he had not seen in far too long.
All this time, he had trained in and developed the Tianfeng Sword Technique following the teachings of the Huashan Sword Immortal. Because that was the great current of the martial world.
To Namgung Hancheon, who could not easily open his mouth to admit it, Namgung Rim spoke.
“Have you not hit a wall while training in the Tianfeng Sword Technique?”
Namgung Hancheon's eyes widened. It was a problem he had agonized over in secret without telling anyone, yet surprisingly, the second young master had seen right through it.
“That is correct….”
“Hall Master, the Cangqiong Wuya Sword Technique suits you more than the Tianfeng Sword Technique, which is but a crude imitation of the Huashan Sword Immortal's teachings.”
“What?”
“I am saying that it is time to discard the Huashan Sword Immortal's teachings from a hundred years ago.”
After rising to the position of the best under heaven, the Huashan Sword Immortal invited countless renowned guests of the martial world to Huashan.
And before everyone's eyes, he presented a sword dance. A sublime sword dance still spoken of even now, a hundred years later.
Everyone watched the sword dance with their souls captivated.
It is said that the sword dance was graceful, ever-changing, and held an illusory quality.
It was truly a sword dance containing the myriad phenomena of flowing transformation.
And then, the Huashan Sword Immortal vanished abruptly. As if evaporating like smoke along with the sound of a falling sword.
Those who watched before their very eyes thought he had attained ascension, so mysteriously did he conceal his traces.
With such legendary tales being passed down, it was no surprise that the mainstream of the martial world shifted toward flow and transformation.
And now, Namgung Rim was saying to discard those teachings.
“You say the Cangqiong Wuya Sword Technique suits me more….”
“Because the blood of Namgung flows within you as well.”
He flinched.
Namgung Hancheon's body trembled involuntarily. He had thought the second young master's talent for martial arts had merely blossomed, but that wasn't it. The person himself had changed as if he had been reborn.
‘Moreover, doesn't his insight and philosophy regarding martial arts remind me of the Great Patriarch?’
But Namgung Hancheon suppressed his reaction and stared intently at Namgung Rim before opening his mouth.
“Take the Patriarch's seat.”
Just as his older brother Namgung Han had done, now Namgung Hancheon too was urging Namgung Rim to take the Patriarch's seat.
“Did I not say before? What moves me is my will alone. Brother will lead the clan well on his own.”
“You will not even take the Patriarch's seat? What in the world is your conviction?”
“I shall place the martial world beneath the Azure Sky. By becoming the greatest sword of the clan.”
Namgung Hancheon opened his eyes wide.
“You have confirmed my talent. Now the judgment is yours, Hall Master. Will you aid me as well?”
Namgung Hancheon looked at the second young master with wide eyes. A man declaring that he would place the martial world beneath the Azure Sky.
That he would not take the Patriarch's seat was clearly because he wished to swing his sword even one more time instead of looking after the clan, in order to grow stronger.
It was truly a firm and unwavering conviction, one where nothing else entered his sight.
Namgung Hancheon burst into loud laughter.
“Kwahahaha! Gladly.”
Such a conviction was worth betting on. Everything he had.
“I shall follow you.”
A faint smile formed on Namgung Rim's lips.
“Thank you.”
“I too bear the surname Namgung. If there is hope to revive the clan, I shall help that ember burn fiercely someday, no matter how faint it is now. Even if in the final moment, I must throw my own body into that ember to burn.”
Namgung Hancheon left the spot with a satisfied smile.
And Namgung Rim immediately entered the underground training chamber.
* * *
The moment the duel with Un Nak-hwa ended, I wanted to enter the underground training chamber immediately. On the way, I met Brother and the Hall Master and spoke with them, but my thoughts were entirely elsewhere.
‘There is something I will have the Hall Master do later, but first…’
The sensation of enlightenment that felt faintly within reach.
I had seen it during the duel with Un Nak-hwa, and I had headed straight for the training chamber so as not to miss that enlightenment.
I drew my sword from my back and swung it, recalling the duel with Un Nak-hwa.
‘Stronger, more overwhelmingly.’
Sword winds surged from all directions.
Papapapang!
Condensed sonic booms tore through the air, filling the underground training chamber.
I swung the sword for a long while.
But no matter how much I swung, the image would not take shape. The image of an overwhelming sword path capable of bisecting the myriad phenomena with the sensation of enlightenment that lingered like a tickle throughout my body.
‘Something was lacking.’
In that instant.
Something flashed through my mind.
A faint fragment of memory buried deep within.
‘A memory from my previous life.’
I was gasping for breath. My right arm holding the saber was full of wounds. No, not just my right arm—my entire body was covered in traces of blood.
Before me, a middle-aged man wielding a sword emanated a chilling light from his eyes.
[Kekeke. The saber of this young brat is quite fearsome. So you were the one going around killing the experts of our cult recently. I don't know how you found us so easily, but your rampage ends today.]
The middle-aged man's sword thrust in. Dozens of sharp stabs covering every angle unfolded before my eyes.
The moment I stood at the crossroads of life and death.
My entire body was enveloped in a tension that felt as though it might burst at any moment. That tension pushed my five senses to their extreme, pulling me toward the path of life rather than death, conveying enlightenment.
Golden light flashed in my mind, and the saber moved.
The trajectory of the saber left a flashing afterglow like the tail of a shooting star, neutralizing the middle-aged man's sword technique.
And before the middle-aged man could twitch in surprise, it slashed vertically down his body.
An overwhelming bisection in a single stroke, splitting him from head to toe.
The fragment of memory that had surfaced in that fleeting moment ended there.
‘Just what is the true identity of Do-hwang?’
There was no doubt that from his youth, he had crossed the threshold between life and death countless times, gaining enlightenment and growing stronger each time.
‘If so.’
I immediately sheathed my sword behind my back.
‘There is no reason to be cooped up in a training chamber like this.’
I too had to feel it.
That tension given at the crossroads of life and death.