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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Chapter 67
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Seven days remained until the Cheonmuje.
Only five days remained until the first selection of the Outer Hall warriors.
As Seolhwa headed to the Jeokryongdan training grounds for her dawn practice, she pondered.
‘What kind of training would be best today?’
Five days might seem long, but for achieving a tangible result, it was woefully short.
All she could do in five days was strengthen her external martial arts a little more.
‘Gaining experience through sparring would be good. But I feel like I could do more...’
“How did you do it?”
The question came as soon as she stepped past the threshold of the Inner Hall into a deserted area.
Seolhwa stopped and looked back at Ryeon.
“Do what?”
Ryeon wore a somewhat frustrated expression.
“Yesterday, I mean. The Samjaegeombeop…”
“…”
Seolhwa had known that Ryeon had been acting restless as a puppy needing to go out since yesterday.
Ryeon was a Jeoljeong master.
There was no way she wouldn't have recognized that the sword technique displayed in front of the Jeokryongdaeju yesterday was more than just simple swinging.
It seemed she had wanted to ask all along, but given her previous attitude, she hadn't dared, until she could no longer hold back.
Seolhwa tilted her head, observing her.
“That’s surprising. You seemed to have no interest in me at all.”
To be more precise, it was more like she had tried not to show any interest.
“Weren’t you dissatisfied with me?”
“That…”
Embarrassed at being hit so accurately, she flinched and eventually avoided Seolhwa’s gaze.
Seolhwa watched her for a moment, then resumed her steps instead of answering.
Ryeon followed behind her without asking further.
When they arrived at the training grounds, the 11th squad members had already arrived and were warming up.
They greeted Seolhwa warmly.
“Young Lady, look at this! I increased by a hundred geun yesterday!”
“My body feels so light after warming up as you taught me yesterday, Young Lady!”
Perhaps it was because the results of their training were visible.
The squad members’ morale was at an all-time high.
“That’s good. You must have worked very hard.”
Though it was also thanks to their fundamental strength and talent.
“Today, I’m going to show you a special kind of training.”
“Special… training?”
“Oh… special training, she says.”
“Hasn’t it been special enough already?”
Seolhwa turned and introduced Ryeon, who was behind her.
“This is the warrior from the Black Dragon Unit who is assigned as my guard.”
Ryeon, momentarily flustered by the sudden introduction, nodded her head towards the Jeokryongdan members.
“I am Namgung Ryeon of the Black Dragon First Unit.”
Inner Hall warriors were fundamentally superior to Outer Hall warriors, so it was a natural air of superiority.
The Jeokryongdan members stiffened with tension and took turns introducing themselves.
The squad members actually already knew about her.
The Black Dragon First Unit, known as the legend among Namgung warriors.
Among them, the Black Dragon Three Swords, the top-tier force of the Black Dragon First Unit, whom no Namgung warrior could fail to know.
Ryeon was one of those Black Dragon Three Swords.
They had already been astonished when Seolhwa appeared with one of the Three Swords as her guard.
‘Yesterday, the Young Lady left quickly, so I couldn’t ask…’
‘It was real… Namgung Ryeon, of all people…’
‘…No wonder the atmosphere felt unusual…’
Leaving the squad members behind, Seolhwa spoke to Ryeon.
“Ryeon. You said you were curious how I performed that sword technique yesterday, didn’t you?”
“Yes? Ah… yes.”
“I’ll show you. Right now.”
Ryeon nodded.
She thought, ‘She must mean to tell me in front of the squad members who are watching the training,’ but Seolhwa suddenly headed for the weapon rack.
Seolhwa returned with two wooden swords and offered one to Ryeon.
Ryeon, looking bewildered, accepted the wooden sword.
“There’s no clearer answer than experiencing it firsthand.”
“Ah…”
So, she was suggesting a spar now? Between the Young Lady and herself?
Ryeon’s expression subtly furrowed.
“Young Lady, I…”
“Why, are you worried about losing to a child like me in front of everyone?”
“…Yes?”
She had been about to say the opposite. That it wouldn't be like with the Jeokryongdaeju.
Though he was the Daeju and she was a mere squad member, the Black Dragon Three Swords of the Black Dragon First Unit already surpassed the Daeju’s skill.
The only reason she remained a squad member was that she could undertake more missions and have greater freedom as one.
Seolhwa sharpened her blade.
A swordsman’s spirit sharpens before the sword.
Ryeon’s expression also grew more serious, her gaze keen.
“That sword technique yesterday. Don’t you want to experience it for yourself?”
At that moment, Ryeon’s heart pounded.
It was a sword technique that had made her clench her fist unconsciously when she watched it from the side.
As if Seolhwa had truly grasped some profound secret within the Samjaegeombeop, which was considered the most basic of low-grade martial arts.
What if she experienced that technique directly?
“…”
Ryeon felt her grip tighten on the wooden sword without realizing it.
“Very well. If the Young Lady insists. However, it won’t be easy. My sword is not for training.”
Seolhwa’s lips curved into a faint smile.
‘Not for training, she says.’
That meant it was a practical sword technique. One meant for killing and cutting down people.
“Good. That sounds interesting.”
* * *
A few days ago, Ryeon was aghast.
“What… did you say? A guard?”
It was like a bolt from the blue.
A guard, of all things. For a mere thirteen-year-old girl who had just returned to Namgung and hadn’t even learned martial arts yet!
“Why me? Aren’t there many other squad members? I have countless unfinished missions, so why me of all people?!”
“The Family Head cherishes the Young Lady greatly.”
“…”
She had heard the rumors that the Family Head had performed the Beolmo-sesu on the young lady who had returned.
But even so! No matter how much the Family Head cherished her!
“That’s unfair! Daeju, you know why I remain in the Black Dragon First Unit! I want to go out into the Murim world and perform missions!”
Making a name for herself in the Murim world as a Namgung warrior. And thereby being recognized as a master across the land.
That was Ryeon’s goal. But to give her a guard mission that would keep her cooped up in the family estate!
“It’s unfair!”
“Ryeon.”
Namgung Hyeok, the Black Dragon Daeju, narrowed his eyes, his gaze turning cold for a moment.
Namgung Hyeok was one who had reached the pinnacle of the Jeoljeong realm and was gazing upon the Transcendent Realm.
The pressure emanating from his gaze was considerable.
“It is the Family Head’s command. Do you not understand what that means?”
Assigning a key force of the Black Dragon Unit as a guard to a mere thirteen-year-old child.
That meant it was by no means a simple mission.
“But, what dangerous thing could possibly happen…?”
“If you won’t take it, I will assign someone else.”
“…No. I will do it.”
And so, she became Namgung Seolhwa’s guard.
‘There must be a reason for the Family Head’s will. And the Daeju’s will.’
‘Still, considering she received the Beolmo-sesu, perhaps she has talent in martial arts.’
A slight curiosity did arise. However, that curiosity vanished the moment she first encountered Seolhwa.
Namgung Seolhwa, who stepped through the great gate of the manor, was a child with a qi of only the Second-Rate realm.
Considering her age of thirteen, she could be said to be strong, but she was far from enough to pique Ryeon’s interest.
‘Only Second-Rate even after receiving the Family Head’s Beolmo-sesu…’
Ryeon’s mood was not good when facing Seolhwa. It became even more so the more she observed her.
‘Does she even realize she’s being looked down upon?’
She was told to practice the Samjaegeombeop, and all she did was strike the dummies, without even telling the First Young Master.
Despite being subjected to such contempt, she still went to the training grounds.
‘Is she foolish, or just ignorant? Is it because she grew up outside? She has no pride as a direct descendant of Namgung.’
In Ryeon’s eyes, Seolhwa seemed only frustrating and pathetic. But that thought did not last long either.
‘What was that…?’
The Samjaegeombeop that Seolhwa demonstrated in front of the Jeokryongdaeju.
The moment she saw that sword technique, Ryeon found herself unconsciously captivated by Namgung Seolhwa’s sword.
Even though it was just simple horizontal and vertical cutting movements, she couldn’t take her eyes off it.
‘Was that… the Samjaegeombeop…?’
Was that… a sword technique a Second-Rate martial artist could display?
She couldn’t bear not to ask.
She knew Namgung Seolhwa had noticed her dissatisfaction, but as a martial artist, she simply couldn’t endure it.
Though she hadn’t expected Seolhwa to challenge her to a spar.
‘Is this acceptable for a guard?’
Standing face to face with Namgung Seolhwa on the sparring platform, reality slowly began to sink in.
Facing off with a sword against the person she was supposed to protect.
Then who would guard her? What if the Daeju or the Family Head found out about this?
‘…I should just play along and end it quickly.’
Unaware of Ryeon’s thoughts, Seolhwa calmly spoke to the Jeokryongdan members standing below the sparring platform.
“Watch closely. Even if you can’t see everything, concentrate as much as possible. Watching is also experience, and this spar will become part of your blood and flesh.”
“Yes!”
“Understood!”
Watching the Jeokryongdan members respond in unison, Ryeon suddenly grew curious.
Yesterday, Seolhwa had just stopped by the training ground to explain the training content and left, so she hadn’t realized it.
‘Why are they following the words of Namgung Seolhwa, who is only Second-Rate?’
No matter that she was the Young Lady of Namgung. No matter that they were Outer Hall warriors.
In terms of martial arts, wouldn’t they, as Namgung warriors, be a cut above?
Why were they receiving instruction from Namgung Seolhwa?
