Chapter 31: The Disciple of the Namcheon Sword Guest (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 31: The Disciple of the Namcheon Sword Guest (1)
“The—the Namcheon Sword Guest!”
“My god...”
“He became that man’s disciple?”
The hall erupted in a chaotic fervor, leaving even me a bit dazed.
I knew the Namcheon Sword Guest’s reputation was legendary, but the reaction was so intense it was hard to believe he had been missing for fifteen years. He truly lived up to the title of a legend.
-Wow. Is it really this much?
-Ahem. It is only natural.
The Namcheon Iron Sword let out a proud cough. He certainly had every right to be boastful.
Even So Ik-heon, the Family Head who had always been stern and angry toward me, was standing there with his mouth agape in shock. It was a first.
“That’s impossible. There’s no way.”
So Yeong-hyeon, who had just been insisting I practiced a wicked art, began to deny reality.
Right. I’m sure you don’t want to believe it.
I glanced over at my younger sister. The girl, who usually wore a sour expression like a grumpy cat, was staring at me with eyes wide as saucers. Finally, she looked her age.
“Is it... is it true? Are you truly the disciple of the Great Hero Hojongdae?”
Jo Cheong-un, Hengshan’s First Sword, asked me again. His face, which had been filled with suspicion just moments ago, had done a complete hundred-and-eighty-degree turn.
At that moment, the voice of the Namcheon Iron Sword echoed in my head.
-Now that I look at him, I remember.
‘What?’
-It seems humans are hard to recognize because of how they age.
‘Have you met him before?’
-Yes. That Taoist before you... the former master helped him about twenty years ago in the northern region of Yunnan.
‘Is that true?’
Oh. This was a stroke of luck I hadn't anticipated. I had no idea Jo Cheong-un had a connection with the Namcheon Sword Guest. Then again, even if he was now called a genius of the Hengshan Sect, twenty years ago he would have been nothing more than a green youth.
Shing!
I cupped my fists toward Jo Cheong-un, speaking with the overflowing chivalrous spirit of a proud successor of the Orthodox Faction.
“I have heard many stories about you from my master, Great Hero. It is an honor to meet you!”
“Is that truly so?”
What? Was this the same man from before?
The typical, rigid image of an orthodox martial artist had vanished. He was looking at me with sparkling eyes, like a man standing before someone he deeply admired.
“He often mentioned the friendship he formed with you in the northern region of Yunnan twenty years ago. He was full of praise, saying you were a hero who would shine upon the future of the Orthodox Martial World.”
“Well, now.”
At my words, Jo Cheong-un suddenly scratched his head with an embarrassed expression. I didn't expect him to be this pleased.
Jo Cheong-un asked me in a voice thick with bashfulness, “Did the Great Hero truly speak of this humble Taoist in such a way?”
So he was the type who was weak to flattery. No, perhaps it was just that he admired the Namcheon Sword Guest that much.
Just then, someone else approached. It was the Hengshan Lady Hero, Jo Il-hye. Though she wore a Taoist robe and a white headscarf, it was clear she must have been quite a beauty in her youth.
“Senior Brother.”
“Junior Sister. Our Senior Uncle is alive. He is alive!”
Jo Cheong-un spoke to her in a voice choked with emotion. Hearing the lump in his throat gave me a strange feeling. I had heard the Namcheon Sword Guest was a paragon of the Orthodox Faction, but I hadn't realized he commanded such deep respect from the younger generations.
“So Young Master So was truly that man’s disciple.”
Jo Il-hye spoke to me, her voice filled with wonder.
“This junior, So Woon-hwi, greets the Hengshan Lady Hero.”
As I offered a polite greeting, she let out a small exclamation and cupped her fists in return. It was a bit awkward to have someone of her high standing in the martial world return my greeting so formally.
“Why are you doing this? Please, treat me comfortably.”
“If you are truly the disciple of the Namcheon Sword Guest, then you are of the same generation as us. How could I treat you otherwise?”
Huh? What was she talking about? The same generation?
-The former master was friends with their teacher, a Taoist named Ho Sim-hang. I remember the young Taoists of the Hengshan Sect back then used to call the former master 'Senior Uncle.'
Wait. Ho Sim-hang was the current Sect Leader of the Hengshan Sect.
Ah, so that was why. Indeed, those who had formed ties with the Namcheon Sword Guest back then would now be of the generation leading their respective sects. Orthodox martial artists were far more sensitive to etiquette and seniority than those of the Evil Faction.
Snap!
Jo Cheong-un, still moved, also cupped his fists and bowed to me. Then, he lowered his head deeply in apology.
“I am sorry. This Taoist has a foul temper and got worked up over the mention of a wicked art. Even past the age of forty, I am still so lacking.”
He even went as far as to berate himself. Hengshan’s First Sword was more honest with his emotions than I thought.
“No, Senior...”
“Do not call me Senior.”
“Pardon?”
“Our brothers and sisters called your master 'Senior Uncle,' so how can you call me that? Call me Senior Brother Jo.”
The surrounding crowd began to buzz at Jo Cheong-un’s words. Who wouldn't be envious of the genius of the Hengshan Sect asking me to call him 'Senior Brother' as if we were old friends?
Even I almost let a smile slip at this unexpected windfall. But I had to maintain my composure.
I put on a hesitant expression and said, “How could I possibly call a senior that...”
“If you say that, what does that make me?”
Jo Cheong-un gestured toward the surroundings with his eyes.
“Junior Brother So, don't feel too burdened.”
The Hengshan Lady Hero, Jo Il-hye, naturally slipped in the title of 'Junior Brother.' I responded cautiously, as if I were reluctantly accepting their request.
“If you are truly okay with it...”
“Did I not say it was fine?”
At Jo Cheong-un’s reassurance, I allowed a thin smile to form.
“I understand. Senior Brother.”
“Hahahaha! This is truly a joyous day!”
Hearing my words, Jo Cheong-un let out a boisterous laugh. He usually kept to himself and didn't talk much with others, so I hadn't known he had this side to him. He seemed genuinely happy to have formed a bond with the disciple of the Namcheon Sword Guest.
I couldn't let this opportunity go to waste.
“I am glad the misunderstanding was cleared up because of you, Senior Brother. I was almost branded a villain practicing a wicked art.”
“Who would dare cast such a slur upon the successor of the Namcheon Sword Guest?”
At his words, I slowly turned my head. So Yeong-hyeon was standing where I was looking, looking utterly flustered and at a loss. Because of my words, he had become a contemptible wretch who had tried to frame the disciple of the Namcheon Sword Guest as a practitioner of wicked arts.
“T-That’s not it. I just...”
“Enough!”
Someone cut off his attempt to make an excuse. It was the Family Head, So Ik-heon.
So Ik-heon approached us. His mind seemed incredibly complicated after the revelation that I had become the disciple of the Namcheon Sword Guest.
And for good reason. He was the one who had treated me as less than human and kicked me out of the family. In a way, it was no different from a discarded child passing the imperial examinations and returning home in glory; he was in no position to be happy about it.
Sigh.
Looking at his face, a surge of anger rose within me. If he had taken responsibility and held his ground, my mother’s treatment would have been different. I didn't know what his reputation was like in the martial world, but as the head of a household, he was a failure.
However, getting angry wasn't the solution. To achieve my goal, I had to show him a favorable side.
Thud!
I knelt down and performed a deep bow.
“Your son offers his greetings to Father.”
“.......”
After I bowed, there was silence. The same thing had happened before my regression. Back then, I had offered the same greeting to So Ik-heon.
-What did he say then?
‘He kicked me out, saying he never had a son like me.’
There hadn't been a moment’s hesitation. Back then, those words had flown out the moment I bowed. But now, he was silent.
Staying prostrated for too long wouldn't be proper etiquette, so I slowly stood up. As I rose, So Ik-heon spoke with a heavy voice.
“......It has been a long time. I am glad you are well.”
Internally, I sneered at him. He was only offering a greeting out of pretense because the guests from the Hengshan Sect were present. At least he had enough of a conscience not to say it with a smile.
“Ahem.”
Just then, Jo Il-hye, the Hengshan Lady Hero, stepped in. Since she knew Yeong-yeong and had ties to the main house, she likely knew something of the relationship between father and son.
“The Family Head is truly blessed. Is it not a cause for celebration that your youngest son has become the disciple of the Namcheon Sword Guest?”
She deliberately praised So Ik-heon, perhaps trying to shift the atmosphere. Of course, she was also elevating my status in the process. It was her way of suggesting we all move forward on a positive note since it was a good day.
“I thank the Lady Hero for her words.”
So Ik-heon clasped his hands and offered a light bow. However, his expression remained unchanged. He glanced toward his two fallen sons and spoke to me in a heavy tone.
“I have heard the story. But your hand was too heavy.”
It seemed he had looked into the situation in the meantime. Probably while I was busy talking and exchanging blows with Jo Cheong-un.
I replied nonchalantly.
“I am sorry. My two brothers became emotionally agitated and aimed for my life. I had no choice but to use excessive force for my own protection.”
What are you going to do about it? I have the moral high ground.
There was a reason I had caused this scene in front of so many witnesses. It was to ensure he couldn't take their side. I wondered how he would react.
“.......I see. I shall discipline your brothers for their mistake later. For now, we must attend to our guests, so let us speak later.”
He was certainly different from So Jang-yun and So Yeong-hyeon. With his age and experience, So Ik-heon possessed a certain veteran shrewdness. He tried to gloss over the moment by naturally suggesting he would discipline them later.
But I wasn't about to let this hard-won opportunity slip away.
“Father. You haven't asked why I returned to the main house.”
At my words, a frown creased So Ik-heon’s brow. He was likely dying of curiosity about my intentions—wondering what the discarded son who resented him was up to.
As he looked at me inquisitively, I cupped my fists and spoke.
“Father. Please grant me the position of representing the family’s youth.”
‘!!!’
The moment those words left my mouth, So Ik-heon’s eyes shook violently.
The guest hall of the main house.
An hour had passed since that incident. We were currently having a late lunch in the guest hall of the Yikyang So Family.
Chomp, slurp, gulp.
Sama Yeong glared at Jo Seong-won, who was making all sorts of noises while eating, with a look of disapproval. Perhaps because he was from the Beggar's Sect, he was particularly loud when he ate. It was almost ravenous.
“Even if you don't have manners, stop smacking your lips and spilling food everywhere.”
At Sama Yeong’s scolding, Jo Seong-won replied as if it were nothing.
“Don't be like that. Doesn't it look like I'm eating heartily?”
“Heartily? I feel like hitting you.”
At her threat, Jo Seong-won shrunk back. Their hierarchy had been firmly established after he, not knowing her skill, had challenged her when they both became Great Leaders and got beaten to a pulp.
Jo Seong-won muttered in a dejected voice, “For a beggar, this is actually quite refined.”
Of course, once she shot him a look, he shut up and ate his food properly. His habits were being corrected quite effectively.
After snapping at him, Sama Yeong turned to me with a beaming smile.
“Senior Brother, you must be hungry. Please, eat a lot.”
Seeing the stark difference in her attitude, Jo Seong-won mimicked her tone with his mouth, looking disgruntled.
Shing!
“Do you want to die?”
“......I’m sorry.”
It was impressive how he kept acting up despite being treated like that.
-I guess it’s a trait of beggars.
Indeed. Since leaving the Blood Cult, his original personality was gradually coming out.
The Lesser Conversation Sword asked me.
-How do you think it’ll go?
‘I’m not sure.’
I didn't know for certain either. So Ik-heon had avoided giving an answer on the spot. I had wanted to push him further, but the Hengshan Lady Hero had intervened, making it difficult.
However, he would have no choice but to hand over the position of youth representative. That was why I had broken So Jang-yun’s wrist and So Yeong-hyeon’s shin. There was a bit of time left, but he wouldn't be reckless enough to send them into a martial discussion as soon as their injuries healed.
-I suppose that’s true.
A conclusion would likely be reached by evening. A small banquet would be held to welcome the guests from the Hengshan Sect, and I would know by then.
-By the way, he really doesn't treat you like a son.
The reason the Lesser Conversation Sword grumbled was simple. The maids guarding the front of the guest hall weren't just maids; they were martial artists. They were monitoring us. That was why Sama Yeong was calling me 'Senior Brother' even though it was just the three of us.
-Wouldn't it be better to do as Sama Yeong said earlier and tell them to change them to normal maids?
Naturally, Sama Yeong had been displeased by this. There was no way we wouldn't notice maids who practiced martial arts. Placing such maids at the door was no different from openly monitoring us.
‘No. Let it be for now.’
This was a sort of display. It was a deliberate move to show that regardless of me being the disciple of the Namcheon Sword Guest, this was the territory of the Yikyang So Family.
-How petty.
‘He’s being shrewd.’
This was a warning from the Family Head to me. It was his way of saying he was watching, so I shouldn't act rashly like I did earlier. He must have been angry about what I did to his two sons.
Anyway, Yeong-yeong was late. We were supposed to have lunch together and catch up on everything we had missed. But she hadn't come, so we had started eating without her.
-Is something wrong?
That was unlikely. With the Hengshan Lady Hero there, who would dare touch Yeong-yeong?
‘Hm?’
Someone was approaching the room. Judging by the light footsteps, it was a woman. At the sound of the approach, the three of us instinctively looked toward the door.
Knock, knock!
A woman’s voice came through the door.
“Young Master. I am a maid from Peony Hall. I have come to deliver an invitation from the Madam.”
“Peony Hall?”
Sama Yeong looked puzzled.
Hmm. I didn't expect Peony Hall to move so soon.
-What’s Peony Hall?
‘You heard her. She said "the Madam."’
Peony Hall. That was the residence of Lady Yang, the primary wife of So Ik-heon, the Family Head of the Yikyang So Family. If it weren't for the youth representative position, it was a place where I wanted to settle old scores. I had suffered much because of her.
Lady Yang, the mother of those two brothers, was calling for me.
Peony Hall was a garden filled with red peonies. They usually didn't bloom except during this season, and coincidentally, they were in full bloom.
Looking at these flowers only made me feel worse. It felt like looking at Lady Yang, and I wanted to burn them all down.
The maids working at Peony Hall gave me strange looks the moment they saw me.
-Why are they acting like that?
‘Rumors must have spread.’
An hour was more than enough time for rumors to circulate throughout the manor. The maids of Peony Hall were those Lady Yang had brought from her own family, and they all knew martial arts. Though they were only second or third-rate.
“This way...”
Following the maid Lady Yang had sent, I entered Peony Hall. Just stepping inside, a feeling of disgust washed over my entire body. I wondered what she wanted to say to me.
Slide!
The door to the inner room of Peony Hall opened, revealing a middle-aged beauty sitting at an elegant table. That woman with the narrow eyes was Lady Yang.
‘First-rate.’
I knew she practiced martial arts. Sensing her aura now, she possessed the martial prowess of a first-rate master. She was indeed from a martial family.
-Why is her face so white?
I almost snorted at the sight of her, her face caked with white powder to hide her wrinkles.
Nod.
I offered only a slight nod. It could be considered rude, but she was the one person I refused to show proper etiquette to. Not as long as the humiliations my mother suffered remained in my memory.
“You’ve come. The rest of you, withdraw.”
“Yes, Madam.”
At Lady Yang’s low command, the maids in the room withdrew. What was her intention in dismissing even the maids?
She rose from her seat and approached me. Her face was set with a firm resolve, and I couldn't fathom why she was acting this way.
Thud!
‘!?’
Suddenly, she knelt on the floor. I instinctively frowned at this completely unexpected behavior.
“What are you doing?”
At my question, she looked up and spoke.
“I have heard the news. They say you have inherited the legacy of the Namcheon Sword Guest. Congratulations on your fortuitous encounter.”
Ha! She knelt just to offer congratulations? I had a feeling I knew what her intention was.
Lady Yang spoke to me in a grave voice.
“I know our relationship has not been good. I will not deny that.”
“......What is it you want to say?”
“I will get straight to the point.”
“........”
“If you wish, I can kneel and apologize here dozens, hundreds, even thousands of times.”
This proud woman was saying she could apologize to me. Even though I still remembered how she used to look at me with loathing, saying I had the blood of a filthy commoner, and slapped me whenever she saw me.
Lady Yang spoke with a voice full of resolve.
“So please, do not covet my Yeong-hyeon’s position.”
Ah... as expected, she didn't deviate from my predictions. Right. Whether a villainess or not, the heart of every mother in the world is the same. She had called me here to protect her son’s position.
“Is this why you called me?”
At my cold voice, Lady Yang spoke in a pleading tone.
“If you wish, I can give you enough wealth to live in luxury for the rest of your life. I can also support you so you can start your own family. So please, do not covet my son’s position.”
She seemed determined to persuade me by any means necessary. The position of the Namcheon Sword Guest’s disciple must be truly formidable for her to feel such a sense of crisis and lower herself to beg like this.
“Sigh.”
A sigh escaped me. To think a person’s attitude could change so easily. This was a sight I couldn't have even dreamed of before my regression.
But there was no way the resentment I had carried for so long would be shaken by a single kneeling. I drew a cold line.
“I am sorry. I will act as if I didn't hear that.”
I turned around to leave Lady Yang’s room. She hurriedly stood up and blocked the door.
“Do not be like this.”
“That is what I would like to say to you.”
At my words, Lady Yang bit her lip hard. Then, she spoke with difficulty.
“Tell me what you want. I will grant you anything.”
Grant me anything? I stopped in my tracks and looked at her.
“Is that true?”
“Yes.”
Her face brightened as if she were clutching at a ray of hope. I said to her:
“Then, bring my mother’s spirit tablet, register her as the primary wife, and perform three hours of apologetic bows every day for the next ten years. Can you do that?”
Lady Yang’s expression froze at my demand. Naturally. To recognize the mother she had looked down upon as so lowly as the primary wife, and on top of that, to bow in apology for ten years—her pride would be torn to shreds.
After a long silence, her face contorted with a myriad of emotions, she finally spoke.
“If... if I do that, will you truly not covet my son’s position?”
It was a truly profound maternal love. How wonderful would it have been if she had shown even a fraction of that heart while my mother was still alive? In the end, she was only provoking me.
I approached her with a beaming smile. Then, I leaned in close to her ear and spoke in a voice as cold as ice.
“Would you do it if you were me? You bitch.”
‘!!!’
Her face flushed crimson at my coarse, insulting words.
“You! You! How dare you!”
As she was about to explode in anger, I said:
“Twelve years ago, on the day I suffered from Qi Deviation. Your maid took my spirit medicine.”
Hearing those words, her face turned deathly pale.
Why? Did you think I wouldn't know?