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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Return of the Namgung Sega's Granddaughter
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Early morning.
After finishing her dawn training with the Jeokryongdan members, Seolhwa took Namgung Cheongun's hand and ascended the mountain behind the Namgung Sega.
Cheono-dong, the Namgung's secluded training cave, was located halfway up the mountain behind the Namgung, shaped like a natural cavern.
The path to Cheono-dong was lush with bamboo and pine trees, and the air was crisp and refreshing.
Through the towering leaves, the clear blue sky shone brightly, as if welcoming her.
Following the path behind the family estate, people became visible in the distance at the cave's entrance.
It was Namgung Mucheon, Steward Namgung Mun, Bipung Squad Leader Seop Mugwang, and two Bipung Squad members.
Seop Mugwang, whose eyes met Seolhwa's, snorted and sharply turned his head away.
It seemed his resentment from last night hadn't faded.
"You've arrived."
"Greetings, Family Head."
"Hello, Grandfather."
"Are your preparations complete?"
In truth, there was nothing much to prepare.
Once inside the training cave, all that was needed was a mindset geared for cultivation.
Enough water and Biyukdan, sufficient to sustain life for at least ten years, were amply prepared inside the training cave.
"Are you truly alright?"
Steward Namgung Mun asked, his voice laced with concern.
"I'm not going to die, so why all the fuss? Seolhwa will find it more taxing than I will."
"I was actually asking the young lady as well. Are you alright, Young Lady Seolhwa? They say Beolmo-sesu is extremely painful."
"I'm fine. Grandfather is here, after all."
"Haha... Only my granddaughter trusts this Namgung Mucheon."
He brushed it off with a light laugh, but Beolmo-sesu was by no means an easy feat.
Mismanaging one's internal energy could easily lead to Juhwaimma, and forcibly opening acupoints and altering one's physique would be difficult for a child to endure.
Everyone knew that Seolhwa couldn't feel pain, but that didn't stop them from worrying.
"Make sure to inform the branch heads and the Elder Council. I've already mentioned Beolmo-sesu, so they should understand."
"There will be strong opposition."
He had mentioned it, but it hadn't received everyone's full support.
Naturally, the Elder Council had risen in protest upon hearing the Family Head's intentions, and that meeting too had been vaguely passed over due to Namgung Mucheon's insistence.
They were undoubtedly waiting for the topic to be brought up again.
Who would have known?
That the Family Head would take his granddaughter into the training cave without a single word.
"Is there a reason for such haste?"
"What good would come from dragging it out? They'd just try to start a pointless argument. Tell them that if anyone dares to step foot inside this cave without permission, I'll cleave them in two."
"...Yes."
'The Elder Council will be in an uproar.'
However, even without conveying the Family Head's words, no one would dare come to the training cave to protest.
What problem could there be with someone using their own power as they see fit?
'Though the Family Head's safety is the family's safety.'
Who would dare obstruct the will of the Sword Emperor?
Moreover, with the Bipunggeomdae members guarding the entrance, no one would be able to step foot inside the training cave.
"How long will you be inside?"
"At least five days. Even if it takes longer, I'll come out when I'm ready, so keep that in mind."
"Yes, Family Head."
"Let's go, Seolhwa."
Namgung Mucheon turned to leave.
Seolhwa approached him and grasped his finger.
A gentle smile spread across Namgung Mucheon's lips as he looked down at his granddaughter.
"We'll be back."
"We wish you good fortune, Family Head, Young Lady."
"Please take good care of Seolhwa, Father. Go safely, Seolhwa."
The steward bowed to see them off, while Namgung Cheongun watched them with a face full of worry until the very end.
Seop Mugwang and the Bipung Squad members, who had followed the two, stopped at the training cave's entrance and saw them off.
Creeeaaak—
The large iron door slowly closed at the hands of the Bipung Squad members.
As the light gradually faded and she looked back outside, her eyes met Seop Mugwang's; he stood with his arms crossed, his head turned only slightly in their direction.
With that, the door to Cheono-dong was firmly sealed.
Soft footsteps echoed through the quiet cave.
Even with the door closed, the cave wasn't dark.
'Night-shining pearls….'
Night-shining pearls were installed along the cave walls at intervals of about three meters, illuminating the path.
As they walked along the path, they reached a point where they passed through an invisible, membrane-like energy.
"You've entered a formation that facilitates the circulation of internal energy, so don't be surprised."
Seolhwa nodded at Namgung Mucheon's words.
She remembered being quite surprised when she saw this place in her previous life too.
Aside from the expensive night-shining pearls, to use a deep mountain cave filled with natural energy and even install a formation to aid the circulation of internal energy…
To install such a formation without disturbing the natural energy would require a master proficient in formations, and maintaining it consistently would undoubtedly take an immense amount of effort.
After seeing this training cave, she couldn't help but think how pathetic those direct descendants with low achievements were.
In any case, it was still an astonishing place to behold.
'It feels like internal energy would accumulate just by sitting here.'
Feeling the pure energy flowing in the air, Seolhwa looked down at her hands.
It felt as if she were walking on a calm surface of water, without a single ripple.
"We've arrived."
Inside the training cave, there were several smaller caverns.
Each cavern had another formation installed, designed to block sound and energy, and its door would close once a person entered.
Namgung Mucheon led Seolhwa to the deepest cavern.
It was the largest and most spacious cavern in the training cave.
The cavern floor was paved with vibrant blue Cheonggangseok.
"Do you need a rest?"
Seolhwa shook her head, and Namgung Mucheon gestured to the vast space covered in Cheonggangseok.
"Stand there."
Seolhwa walked to the center of the cavern and stood.
Namgung Mucheon stood behind her and placed a hand on her back. Due to Seolhwa's small stature, he had to angle his hand so his fingers pointed downwards.
"From this moment, I will forcibly unleash the suggestion placed upon you. Do not resist; surrender to the flow."
"...I might attack Grandfather."
"Haha! Is that what worries you?"
"No."
Her real concern was actually something else.
'I don't know what martial arts I'll use when I'm in a state of trance.'
This was one of the reasons she hadn't sought Namgung Mucheon's help from the beginning.
If she fell into the suggestion, she would lose her reason and act purely on instinct. If her instincts brought forth martial arts, it would surely be the ones she used most often in her previous life.
'I might even reveal 'that'.'
While others might not, Namgung Mucheon would certainly recognize it.
He had lived with the Namgung's martial arts for longer than her previous lives combined.
'Will it be alright?'
What if the trust she had built so far crumbled in an instant?
Should she tell him beforehand?
'No. It would just sound like an excuse now. If I was going to tell him, I should have done so on my first day in the Namgung.'
So, it was already too late to speak.
Having come this far, there was no turning back.
With her mind made up, Seolhwa stared straight ahead.
"Grandfather."
"Yes."
"Whatever you see, please trust me."
Perhaps it was an unexpected remark, but Namgung Mucheon's eyebrows arched into a curious expression.
Namgung Mucheon was silent for a moment before giving a short reply.
"I will."
It was a brief answer, but his unwavering voice conveyed strong trust.
Seolhwa nodded with a faint smile.
"I'm ready."
Seolhwa calmly closed her eyes.
Soon, Namgung Mucheon's clear and powerful energy, which she had felt before, entered her body.
Namgung Mucheon's energy moved through various acupoints, beginning to search for traces of the suggestion.
It felt like a massive tidal wave moving.
Sometimes like an enraged wave, sometimes like an ascending dragon, Namgung Mucheon's energy rapidly scoured her body.
It was when that energy reached Seolhwa's Baihui acupoint (the very center of the crown of her head).
...!
Something struck with a thud, and Seolhwa's mind reverberated as if a giant drum had been hit.
Seolhwa's eyes snapped open.
'So this is it.'
He had only touched the foreign energy gathered at the Baihui acupoint, yet the child reacted.
Namgung Mucheon once again moved his energy, thrusting it in as if to cleave the source apart.
Simultaneously.
Whoosh—
Seolhwa's upper body twisted, and a powerful attack, imbued with internal energy, surged towards Namgung Mucheon's chest.
Thwack—
Namgung Mucheon moved the hand that had been on Seolhwa's body and lightly parried Seolhwa's palm strike.
The child's eyes were vacant. They were emotionless, containing only the singular intent to kill him.
Swish!
While Namgung Mucheon assessed Seolhwa's condition, Seolhwa used the force of his parry to instantly create distance, moving away from him.
A look of surprise flickered across Namgung Mucheon's face.
"Hooo, did you make such a judgment in that brief moment?"
Seolhwa retreated to where the weapon racks were located on one side of the cavern.
As a training cave, numerous types of weapons were stocked there.
Shiiing—
Seolhwa picked up a sword, drew it without hesitation, and pointed its blade at Namgung Mucheon.
Around her, a dark crimson killing intent slowly began to rise.
