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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Chapter 66
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“Gasp!”
Namgung Jangyang instinctively clutched his own neck.
‘W-What was that...!’
What was it? That just now...!
He was certain his neck had been severed. The vivid sensation of a sharp blade slicing through his throat lingered.
Hah, hah...
Namgung Jangyang panted, his gaze fixed on the one who had swung the sword.
Namgung Seolhwa was still standing some distance away.
‘W-What in the world...’
Just then.
Namgung Seolhwa raised her wooden sword.
‘Samjaegeombeop, Second Form: Vertical Slash.’
Seolhwa's sword tip pointed towards the sky. Again, it wasn't a particularly fast movement.
Seolhwa's sword descended in a straight line from top to bottom, as if splitting Namgung Jangyang's body in half.
‘I-I'm going to die...!’
Namgung Jangyang instinctively drew his sword and adopted a stance as if to block it. But.
*Swoosh—*
The not-so-fast sword once again cleaved his body in two.
“Ugh!”
Namgung Jangyang involuntarily stumbled back a couple of steps.
His body was unharmed, and Namgung Seolhwa remained standing far away.
The sickening sensation of his body being split still vividly lingered.
‘What the hell was that?!’
He had died. He had clearly died. Twice, at that. To that insignificant sword.
Was that even possible? Could such a thing happen?
Had she truly discovered some profound secret in a third-rate sword art like Samjaegeombeop?!
While he was in a state of confusion, Seolhwa took the stance for the final form.
‘Samjaegeombeop, Third Form: Thrust.’
However, the final sword form could not be completed.
“S-Stop!”
Namgung Jangyang was the one who stopped her.
He was already drenched in cold sweat.
Seolhwa lowered her sword.
Namgung Jangyang glanced towards the children.
“She's doing it again just because he told her to. Heh heh.”
“He said she understood it, didn't he? Haha!”
Namgung Soryong and the other children, perhaps having not seen Namgung Seolhwa's sword properly, were still snickering and mocking Seolhwa's sword art.
‘Thank goodness...’
Jangyang, who had thought it fortunate, was shocked by his own reaction to finding it fortunate.
He was ashamed that he had been intimidated by movements that were clearly visible, by a sword that had merely performed horizontal and vertical slashes.
‘Damn it...!’
This is a worm, they say? This is a monster!
If he had been completely ignorant of swordsmanship, he might have simply dismissed it as an illusion.
But Jangyang was the Jeokryongdaeju and a master of the Jeoljeong realm.
He recognized that Seolhwa's simple sword was by no means simple.
Knowing that, he was even more infuriated. To be intimidated by a mere thirteen-year-old child!
Namgung Jangyang glared at Seolhwa and bellowed.
“I told you to learn the basics of swordsmanship, but what is this?! There's no principle whatsoever in your sword, Young Lady!”
Seolhwa tilted her head.
“Really?”
Namgung Jangyang's face turned red as he shouted.
“It's overbearing! Such an overbearing sword doesn't suit the Namgung's swordsmanship! Do it again! Again! You are far from proficient enough to learn the Namgung's sword arts, Young Lady!”
From the side, he looked angry, but Seolhwa clearly saw it.
The fear lurking in his eyes.
‘He said there was no principle, but now he calls it overbearing.’
Overbearingness is also a profound mystery. The unorthodox factions would be furious if they heard that.
“Go on and do it again! All of it!”
Seolhwa turned without a reply and headed towards the striking dummies.
She heard Namgung Jangyang indignantly shouting something behind her, but she paid him no mind.
Seolhwa once again slashed at the striking dummies.
Behind her, the shouts of the Namgung's sword art training continued.
Namgung Jangyang, unable to control his rage, increased the intensity of the training as an outlet, and the children had to pant, unaware of the reason for the overwhelming training.
* * *
A slender hand picked up a pink flower and carefully placed it into a vase.
The gentle afternoon sunlight illuminated the flowers gathered snugly within the vase.
“So, did she comply without complaint again today?”
Yeon Soran asked softly, contemplating which flower to use to fill the empty space in the vase.
Namgung Jangyang, who was standing by the door, nodded, slightly surprised.
“Yes, yes. She just kept hitting the striking dummies until the young master's training ended, then she left.”
“She hasn't mentioned it anywhere, you say?”
“As you know, the First Young Master has entered Cheono-dong... and seeing as the Family Head hasn't said anything particular, it's clear she hasn't mentioned it.”
A faint, knowing smile twisted Yeon Soran's lips.
“She must have some pride, then.”
“Such types are easy to handle.”
“Well, you're not wrong.”
Pride is a potent poison.
There are countless people who, despite knowing they are heading for ruin, cannot abandon their petty pride and ultimately leap into destruction.
Soran considered such people the most foolish, but as Namgung Jangyang said, they were the easiest to manipulate.
Because if you just poke at that pride, they'll move exactly as you wish.
“I've heard some interesting news.”
“The rumors from Shaanxi... are you referring to them?”
The rumors from Shaanxi.
The rumors that Seolhwa had extorted a Daehwandan from a Heukdo faction before coming to the Namgung.
That rumor, which had stirred Hwasanpa, spread and reached as far as Anhui Province.
Yeon Soran nodded.
“That child, before she came to the Namgung, was apparently living at a tavern called Hwaoru.”
“A tavern...?”
Jangyang, who hadn't known that much, asked back blankly. His eyes quickly widened.
“Surely not...! You mean she was raised to become a courtesan?”
“I don't think that's the case, but...”
“Ah...”
*Snip.*
A thick stem was cut from Yeon Soran's hand.
As the severed stem dropped with a soft thud, Yeon Soran's smile deepened.
“But it's perfectly natural for people to misunderstand it that way. What else would a woman be doing in a tavern?”
“...Ah!”
Jangyang, belatedly understanding Yeon Soran's intention, gasped.
“You mean to spread the rumors.”
“I'm merely trying to inform people of the facts.”
If the fact that the First Young Master's daughter grew up in a tavern is spread, Namgung Seolhwa will naturally be suspected of having been a *donggi* (a young courtesan who has not yet undergone the hair-pinning ceremony).
The Namgung is a family renowned for its uprightness among the Righteous Factions.
The upright members of the Namgung would surely consider the fact that the eldest granddaughter of such a family was a *donggi* a 'blemish.'
This would naturally lower the family's evaluation of Namgung Cheongun. No one would want to appoint a courtesan as the next Young Family Head, after all.
“There's no need to spread the lie that she was a *donggi*.”
Just as Namgung Jangyang naturally misunderstood a moment ago, the rumors will flow in that direction on their own.
“Just spread the existing facts. It's a truth everyone will learn eventually anyway; we're just accelerating the timeline a bit.”
The reason Namgung Cheongun entered the training hall before the Cheonmuje is obvious.
And entering the training hall implies he has that much confidence. But.
‘It won't go as he wishes.’
While he's away, all she needs to do is use his daughter to tarnish his reputation.
A complacent opponent deserves a fitting gift.
“Ah, are those who are newly ascending to the Naedang being well-prepared this time?”
Namgung Jangyang's eyes gleamed.
“Yes. They're diligently training their martial arts, and we've also provided spiritual elixirs. They will certainly be selected for the Naedang warrior trials.”
“You know I'm not asking about that, don't you?”
Yeon Soran's gaze grew cold.
What she was curious about wasn't the martial arts achievements of the warriors.
The sons of merchant houses, the nephews of security company masters, the scions of influential families.
“You know what kind of people they are. Is that the only answer you can give?”
“Ah, ah.”
Namgung Jangyang clasped his hands together and bowed his head.
He replied again.
“I've spoken to the Danjus of each단 to ensure they can easily pass the first selection. I've warned them two, three times about their names and appearances, so there won won't be any mistakes.”
“Hmm.”
“For the second selection, there won't be any major issues with me and Hwangryongdaeju present. Cheongryongdaeju will also follow your wishes, Madam.”
“There shouldn't be anyone who stands out too much, should there?”
For the pre-selected individuals to be chosen as Naedang warriors, others must appear relatively weaker.
That's why the intensity of the training was increased and spiritual elixirs were provided.
Namgung Jangyang recalled a few individuals from the Jeokryong's 11th Dan.
“There are some who have been very diligent lately, but...”
“Disqualify them.”
“...Pardon?”
“I mean, prevent such individuals from even applying. Is what I'm saying difficult?”
“Ah, no, it's not. But... how exactly am I to disqualify only them separately...?”
Yeon Soran sighed and lowered the hand holding the flower. Her eyes flashed.
“Do I need to tell you even such trivial things?”
Namgung Jangyang was startled and bowed his head deeply.
“Ah, no, Madam. I will take care of that part myself.”
“You should. As someone who holds the position of Jeokryongdaeju.”
*Snip,* went the sound, as another stem was cut.
Namgung Jangyang involuntarily swallowed a nervous gulp, feeling as though his own neck was being severed.
Since Yeon Soran was the one who put him in this position, she could cast him aside at any time.
So, he should avoid provoking her as much as possible.
“Don't forget. The Jeokryongdae must be able to be wielded as our limbs.”
*Snip—* Another stem was cut.
“Even if it means cutting away anything that becomes an obstacle.”
Namgung Jangyang swallowed dryly once more and bowed at the waist.
“I will bear that in mind.”
