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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: The Namgung Sega Granddaughter's Return - Chapter 84
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Finally, it was time for the direct descendants to display their martial arts, the culmination of the Cheonmuje.
First to step forward, as he had announced during dinner, was Namgung Cheongsan.
“Haaat—!”
As Namgung Cheongsan unleashed his fist, the air exploded with sounds like `Paang—! Paang!`
Wind billowed in all directions, making clothes and hair flutter as he demonstrated his fist art, and expressions of surprise dawned on the faces of the family members.
“Ohh. The Third Young Master’s vigor is as strong as ever.”
“The Third Young Master is indeed stronger than the First and Second Young Masters. Choosing fist art to showcase his strength was quite clever.”
“Do you think that was the Third Young Master’s own idea? Lady Moyong must have advised him.”
“Hahahaha. The Third Young Master truly chose a good wife.”
The family factions were highly pleased with Cheongsan’s fist art. Though they had seen this fist art during the martial artists’ sparring, the power of the fists unleashed by the burly Cheongsan was on a different level.
It was an outstanding achievement, befitting Namgung Mucheon’s son.
“Ohh, well done, Third Young Master.”
“A magnificent fist art!”
Amidst satisfied applause, Namgung Cheongsan’s martial display concluded.
Cheongsan performed a cupped-fist salute in all directions.
Just as everyone thought he would descend from the martial stage, Namgung Cheongsan took a deep breath.
Then, he bellowed in a voice loud enough to shake the entire martial arena.
“Our Hwarin’s talent surpasses mine, so you may look forward to it! Esteemed elders, please look upon her with kind eyes!”
Indeed, it was a remark typical of Cheongsan, who was known as a doting father.
Amidst a burst of laughter, Seolhwa clutched Cheongun’s arm.
“Father.”
“Hmm?”
“I don’t need anything like that.”
“…!”
Cheongun flinched, stiffening, and Seolhwa looked back at him.
“Absolutely not. I refuse.”
Under the child’s cool gaze, Cheongun swallowed tears of regret and nodded.
“…Alright. I understand….”
Following Cheongsan, Hwarin ascended the martial stage.
In truth, no one expected anything particular from Hwarin.
Hwarin, small and delicate like her mother, would surely receive everyone’s affection just by running around on the martial stage.
‘I thought she was too shy to come out last time I saw her. This is unexpected.’
Seolhwa was already surprised just by Hwarin stepping onto the martial stage.
Hwarin carried something as she came up. A maid, who had accompanied her, placed a target about five *jang* away from Hwarin.
On the martial stage, Hwarin bowed repeatedly, nodding towards the adults.
Encouraging applause erupted, and Hwarin stood facing the target without explaining what she had brought.
Soon, a `Paang—!` sound echoed through the martial arena. It was the sound of the paper target tearing as if it had exploded.
‘That’s….’
Seolhwa’s eyes sparkled.
‘A Sintangung?’
Though crude, that was clearly a Sintangung.
The Sintangung was a modified version of the traditional slingbow, a weapon that used stones instead of arrows, unlike a regular bow.
While the original slingbow involved placing a stone on a taut string and pulling the string to launch it, the Sintangung had a mechanism that launched the stone when a trigger was pressed.
Though less powerful than an arrow, the Sintangung highlighted the slingbow’s advantage of rapid attack speed.
Seolhwa had seen the Sintangung in her previous life.
During a battle with the Namgung.
When the Namgung first brought out the Sintangung, the Blood Sect warriors were utterly bewildered. That day marked the Blood Sect’s complete defeat.
‘Namgung Hwarin… made that?’
Namgung Hwarin. Seolhwa had only thought of her as a quiet, unremarkable child.
‘Perhaps her talent lies in mechanisms rather than martial arts.’
After firing a couple more shots, Hwarin put away the slingbow and shyly bowed to the adults.
Her skill must have been quite astonishing, as the family elders stared at the child, dumbfounded.
Due to this, the applause softened, and Hwarin, embarrassed, was about to hurry down from the martial stage.
“Did you make that?”
At Namgung Mucheon’s question, Hwarin nodded.
“Did you truly make it all by yourself?”
Hwarin nodded once more.
Namgung Mucheon’s lips curved into a deep smile. His gaze was filled with pride.
“Well done. It’s magnificent.”
Hwarin, momentarily surprised by her grandfather’s unexpected praise, soon broke into a radiant smile.
Then, as if in high spirits, she scampered down from the martial stage.
The sight of the family’s youngest, embracing Moyong Yeonhwa who was waiting below the stage, brought forth another burst of laughter in the martial arena.
Next was Namgung Cheonghae’s turn.
Namgung Cheonghae demonstrated his sword art. His cultivation, which had originally been considered merely at the Jeoljeong level, had now reached the peak of Jeoljeong.
The sword art he performed, enveloped in sword energy, was not particularly special. It merely showed that he hadn’t neglected his training.
But that wasn’t the end.
Following his sword art, Namgung Cheonghae presented a formation.
The initially indifferent reactions, when large boulders were brought from somewhere and arranged on the martial arena floor, changed as a single martial artist ascended the stage.
“Please observe carefully as this guard ascends the eastern side of the martial arena and descends the western side.”
The martial artist ascended the stage via the eastern steps as Cheonghae instructed. But then.
“What? What’s he doing?”
“He can’t find the obvious steps?”
“Haa…”
The martial artist, having ascended the stage, wandered aimlessly across the narrow platform instead of heading west.
It was as if, the moment he stepped onto the stage, he was trapped in a different dimension, all alone.
“This is a formation that obscures vision and clouds judgment. Those who find it hard to believe may come down and verify the formation themselves.”
At Namgung Cheonghae’s words, several elders came forward and ascended the martial stage.
Like the martial artists, they wandered confusedly on the stage and eventually had to be led out by Cheonghae’s hand.
It was an astonishing formation, created with just a few stones.
‘Did he cast a spell on the stones?’
Though the method was unknown, Namgung Cheonghae’s true power was clearly revealed.
“As expected of the Second Young Master. He is not only skilled in swordsmanship but also proficient in formations. How can one not praise him?”
“Hahahaha! One who will bear the Namgung must be at least this capable! He is truly dependable!”
The elders who supported Namgung Cheonghae seized the opportunity, praising him until their lips were dry.
However, it was not excessive praise. What Namgung Cheonghae had shown was beyond that.
‘He must have prepared thoroughly.’
Namgung Cheonghae, too, knowing that discussions about the Young Master position were beginning, must have prepared desperately for the Cheonmuje.
This was clearly an achievement he had earned.
“Father.”
Cheongun, who had been applauding his younger brother, turned to Seolhwa.
“I’ll go get ready now.”
Cheongun nodded.
“Yes. Go. Be careful not to trip, as it’s dark.”
“Yes.”
Seolhwa smiled faintly.
“I’ll see you downstairs. I’ll be back before Father goes up on stage.”
Cheongun nodded. His gaze was filled with devoted trust.
“See you in a bit.”
Seolhwa instructed Ryeon to stay in the martial arena and observe the situation, then exited the arena.
Upon arriving at the pavilion, Yeoyul, who had been anxiously pacing the courtyard, spotted her and waved with a bright smile.
“Young Lady!”
“Are you ready?”
“Yes! I was just waiting for you, Young Lady! But… are you really going to be alright?”
“Yes. Of course.”
Despite the firm answer, Yeoyul still couldn’t shake her worry.
“Let’s go in.”
Seolhwa and Yeoyul entered the pavilion.
Before long, the sun had set, and night had fallen, blanketing the ground in darkness.
Having finished preparations, Seolhwa returned to the martial arena and headed straight for the first floor, where the stage was located.
Ryeon, who spotted her walking behind the platform, rushed over.
“Young Lady.”
“Where’s Father?”
“It’s the First Young Master’s turn now.”
“And the others before him?”
“Young Master Soryong injured his leg after tripping while demonstrating the Azure Sky Flying Swallow Sword. He was carried off by a guard. Young Master Ung displayed the Daeyeongeombeop. He achieved the fifth star of Daeyeongeombeop.”
To achieve the fifth star of Daeyeongeombeop at Ung’s age—it was a clear testament to his Namgung lineage.
And just as Ryeon said, Cheongun’s back could be seen ascending the martial stage in the distance.
“Let’s go. We have to cheer for Father.”
“Yes.”
Seolhwa moved to a spot with a good view of the martial stage. The maids and martial artists who noticed her were surprised and made way.
The adults on the platform above were watching Cheongun ascend the stage, so no one noticed her standing in the shadows below.
The murmurs of their conversation drifted down from above.
“The First Young Master’s martial prowess was originally outstanding.”
“Hahaha, I wonder if anything has changed since the last Cheonmuje. The First Young Master probably didn’t have enough time to train his martial arts…”
What was important in the Cheonmuje was how much one had ‘grown’ over the past six months.
In that regard, no one expected much from Cheongun’s martial prowess. He must have been wandering around looking for his daughter, unable to make any preparations.
Amidst that ambiguous indifference, Cheongun assumed his preparatory stance.
The Namgung sword art Cheongun chose was the same one Seolhwa had demonstrated on the peaks of Mount Huang.
It was the Azure Sky Flying Swallow Sword (蒼穹飛燕劍).
Cheongun, having assumed his stance, exhaled slowly.
‘Let’s see if I can sway the elders’ hearts. If I can sway three-tenths of them, I’ll manage the rest somehow.’
The Head Elder had said. To sway three-tenths of their hearts. But Cheongun’s thoughts were different.
‘Three-tenths won’t be enough.’
The hearts of the remaining elders, the hearts of the elders and hall masters who supported Cheonghae, and all of his father’s expectations.
‘I must seize it with my own strength.’
Not with anyone’s help, but solely with his own power.
‘What Seolhwa wants is a Family Head with power.’
Not a Family Head who is swayed by others.
A reigning Family Head, like his father is now.
To do that, he must be confidently acknowledged without anyone’s help.
He must make them submit with overwhelming power.
‘What I want is not the Young Master position.’
Therefore.
‘I will wield my sword as the Family Head.’
Hwoooong—
A clear, azure energy rippled around Cheongun.
The energy, rising like a shimmering heat haze, soon began to condense around Cheongun. The condensed energy took on an even deeper azure hue than before.
At that moment, the indifferent onlookers involuntarily gasped.
“S-Sword aura…?!”
“Peak of Perfection…!”
Amidst a dense silence, mixed with shock and tension.
Cheongun moved.
