-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: The Granddaughter's Return
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Under the Namgung roof, not a single soul failed to recognize the Family Head.
No, even if they had never seen the Family Head's face, the sheer overwhelming presence was enough for them to instinctively know.
A crushing pressure that filled the air just by his entering the space, an intimidation that made heads bow automatically without him even needing to project his aura.
The faces of the five unit leaders instantly fell.
‘The, the Family Head… why is he… here…?’
‘Even Bipung Daeju…!’
This couldn’t be happening.
Surely, the Cheonhojeon hadn’t shown much interest in the first round of selections? Why was the Family Head here?
“The balance between external and internal cultivation is excellent. To think I’d see such a talent here. Seolhwa, you were right, it was good I came. Haha.”
It was only then that the five unit leaders noticed the small child standing behind Namgung Mucheon.
A child whose small stature was less than half of Namgung Mucheon’s.
‘Namgung Seolhwa!’
At that moment, Jeokryongdanju’s eyes met Namgung Seolhwa’s.
Recalling the events of the previous night, Jeokryongdanju gasped, averting his gaze.
Seolhwa smiled, taking Namgung Mucheon’s hand.
“But Grandpa, didn’t they just say ‘disqualified’ a moment ago?”
“Hmm? Did they?”
“I thought that martial artist over there looked much stronger. Was I mistaken?”
“How could you be? I saw the same thing.”
Namgung Mucheon turned to look at the five unit leaders.
His heavy gaze alone made cold sweat trickle down their bodies.
“Jeokryongdanju.”
“Yes, yes, Family Head…!”
“What was the result?”
“...!”
The five unit leaders held their breath.
At Jeokryongdanju’s strong insistence, the five unit leaders had agreed to disqualify Namgung Jipyeong. It was a natural course of action, given that Namgung Jipyeong’s opponent was someone designated by ‘that person.’
“I asked what the result was.”
“Of, of course…”
No matter how much he feared *that person*, it wasn't as much as he feared the Family Head standing before him.
Jeokryongdanju squeezed his eyes shut.
“Jeokryong… 11th Unit… Namgung Jipyeong… wins.”
Namgung Jipyeong’s face quickly brightened.
He won. Finally.
This invisible wall, which he thought he could never break, had finally crumbled.
“Ha… hahaha…?”
The suddenness of the situation made him unable to believe it, and only laughter escaped his lips.
‘Young Lady…’
Jipyeong’s eyes were already moist. He looked at Seolhwa.
Seolhwa was also smiling back at him.
That smile reaffirmed his victory.
“Haha…! Hahahahaha! I won…! I wonnn!”
Namgung Jipyeong let out a belated roar.
“Uwaaaaaah!”
Namgung Mucheon chuckled softly, watching him shout loud enough to shake the arena.
“Is that the child you taught, Seolhwa?”
“No.”
“No?”
“I merely brushed off the dirt. That person was already a complete martial artist.”
Even if buried deep underground, gold is gold.
Namgung Jipyeong was inherently a talented individual; he was simply seeing the light now, albeit a little late.
‘And now, he’ll soar freely.’
Both Namgung Jipyeong and the other hidden gems that would be revealed through this opportunity.
“The matches seem to be just starting, shall we sit down, Grandpa?”
“Hahahaha, yes. Let’s do that. I’m already looking forward to seeing what other gems will emerge. Haha!”
Seop Mugwang ordered the unit leaders to bring out chairs, and they swiftly and uniformly prepared seats for the Family Head and Seolhwa.
Only then did the proper first round of selections truly begin.
* * *
“Wahahahaha! We made it! We all made it!”
“We did it! We really did it!”
“Long live the Young Lady! Long live our Lord!”
All five members, including Namgung Jipyeong, passed the first selection. It was an easy victory.
“No, how can there be such a skill difference among unit members?”
“Seriously! It was super easy, wasn’t it? Just whoosh! Swish! And it was over!”
“Did the Family Head clap for you? He even laughed for me! Hahaha!”
“He called me a talent, actually!”
Even after all of them had passed, Namgung Mucheon remained at the first selection venue.
Thanks to him, only truly skilled individuals passed the first round, and the second round was scheduled to be held at the Cheonmuje.
‘Honestly, I didn’t expect him to go that far.’
She recalled the look in Namgung Mucheon’s eyes as he watched the outer hall martial artists’ matches. How they sparkled.
More than the Family Head’s dignity, those eyes were filled only with the curiosity and interest of a martial artist, which was quite surprising to Seolhwa.
She had thought someone of Namgung Mucheon’s level would find the mundane matches of outer hall martial artists tedious.
‘He truly is a genuine martial artist, after all.’
And he genuinely loved the Namgung.
Because of his presence, Seolhwa, too, strengthened her resolve to protect this Namgung.
“Two days left.”
Seolhwa took a decisive step forward, addressing the boisterous, excited unit members.
The unit members immediately grew serious, looking at Seolhwa.
“I believe you all know this isn’t over yet. The Cheonmuje is an excellent opportunity to showcase your martial prowess before the family elders who form the core of the Namgung.”
The unit members’ eyes were filled with determination.
“You have two days left. I hope you prepare well during that time and achieve good results until the very end.”
“We will never make light of the grace you’ve shown us, Young Lady!”
“We will do our best!”
“We will become people who can be of help to the Young Lady!”
In two days, the selection matches would be held before the hall masters, the Elders’ Council, the Senior Elders’ Council, and the Family Head and direct descendants.
At that event, they would receive invitations to join the units from the Daeju, and those who received invitations would become official inner hall martial artists.
Though they didn’t know which Daeju’s invitation they would receive.
‘They’ll definitely do well. If it’s them.’
Seolhwa gently curved the corners of her lips, looking at the five martial artists whose resolve was hardened by their determination to become inner hall martial artists.
“Let’s eat together today. I know a delicious restaurant.”
The expressions of the five martial artists instantly brightened.
“No way…! Is the Young Lady treating us?”
“Really? Are we going today?!”
Seolhwa nodded.
“Yes. Eat until your stomachs burst. After all, you need to eat well to gain strength, don’t you?”
“Wahahaha! Alright!”
“I’ll eat until my stomach bursts!”
The five martial artists jumped with joy.
It was an evening where the setting sun pleasantly illuminated their smiling faces.
* * *
CRASH—
The teacup shattered into a thousand pieces.
Rough breaths tore from Yeon Soran’s lips.
“They… all failed…”
Her clenched fist trembled.
The Cheonmuje was held only twice a year.
Hundreds of outer hall martial artists dreamed of becoming inner hall martial artists and worked themselves to death for half a year, but the number of those promoted to inner hall martial artists at those two events was limited.
Among them, the number Yeon Soran could intervene to promote was just five.
“Are you saying all five of them… were defeated by the martial artists Namgung Seolhwa was training…?”
A sharp glare pierced through her hair, fixing on Jeokryongdaeju.
Jeokryongdaeju replied with a tense voice.
“Th-the Family Head personally came, and so…”
“Is that what you call an explanation?!”
As she slammed her hand down on the table, the teacups rattled.
“I told you from the very beginning that those five martial artists Namgung Seolhwa was looking after were absolutely, absolutely not to appear for the promotion exam!”
“Th-that… Jeokryong…danju…”
Namgung Jangyang squeezed his eyes shut.
Given the situation, he had no choice but to relay what Jeokryongdanju had told him.
‘That Namgung Seolhwa, she threatened me! She’s the cunning wretch who broke my leg! She said she’d kill me if I didn’t let the Jeokryong 11th Unit members take the exam!’
When he heard those words from Jeokryongdanju, he couldn’t believe his ears.
Could it be true that he had his ankle broken and was even threatened by a mere child?
Even if she was a direct descendant, she was only thirteen and had just returned to the Namgung!
“Didn’t you say that child was second-rate?”
Namgung Jangyang nodded.
“Yes. That’s certain. I confirmed it myself.”
Something had seemed off when she performed the Samjaegeombeop, but…
‘I must have been overly sensitive then.’
Even after seeing her sword art, he had continued to observe, but Namgung Seolhwa’s aura was indeed only second-rate. Nothing had changed.
Yeon Soran’s face turned chillingly cold.
“So, he ignored my orders because he was threatened by some second-rate martial artist, is that it?”
“Th-that…”
“Deal with it yourself.”
“Jeokryongdanju… you mean?”
“Such an incompetent person is unnecessary. Expel him. And ensure that among the five who weren’t promoted this time, a young master from the merchant alliance is placed in that position. If we make an enemy of the merchant alliance, things will get complicated.”
Namgung Jangyang swallowed hard.
Jeokryongdanju became useless, so she immediately discarded him and ordered someone else to be seated in his place.
‘It might be Jeokryongdanju this time, but next, it could be me who’s expelled.’
This was not a situation to rejoice over, thinking it had simply passed.
“Understood.”
“That child, she certainly hasn’t learned the Namgung’s martial arts, has she?”
“…Of course not. All she’s learned is the Samjaegeombeop… so all that child will be able to show at the Cheonmuje is merely swinging a sword.”
Rumors about Namgung Seolhwa were running rampant.
Now, everyone in the family was gossiping about Namgung Seolhwa’s vulgarity.
Although they were trying to hush it up out of deference to the Family Head, it was known that quietly spreading rumors were the most frightening.
“The protagonists of this Cheonmuje will be Young Master Yi and Young Master Soryong.”
Namgung Jangyang bowed to Yeon Soran.
Yeon Soran’s face, which had been stiff the entire time, finally softened into a benevolent smile.
