A Lesson in Retribution
He had momentarily wondered if a faction called the Namgung Clan even belonged among the orthodox sects, or whether it was better suited to the unorthodox path.
A massive obstacle had bloomed directly in the path of his plan to live among righteous martial artists and grasp the essence of righteousness and chivalry. Naturally, he was in a foul mood, and that irritation turned squarely toward the man responsible—the Clan Head of the Namgung Clan.
"What is it?"
"In light of the Young Master's recent achievements, it has been decided that you will be permitted to learn a new martial art."
"Is that so?"
An opportunity had presented itself to harvest new principles to weave into the Limitless Divine Art.
The most prominent ones were the Changcheon Muae Sword Art and the Sovereign Sword Form.
Both were formidable arts. Having clashed against them in his past life, he knew their depths intimately.
Then again, expecting to learn those right away would be asking too much, wouldn't it?
Such techniques were not passed down carelessly; only the most thoroughly vetted prodigies were permitted to lay eyes on them. If the clan offered those treasures simply because he had thrashed Namgung Geol, he would have suspected a trap instead.
"The Elders are currently selecting a martial art suited for you, Young Master. You will receive instruction shortly."
"Understood."
"Furthermore, arrangements have been made to restore your access to the Medical Pavilion. You may visit at your leisure, or if movement proves difficult, have a servant summon a physician."
The Medical Pavilion was the clan's private clinic. In other words, he could once again receive treatment from the family's own healers.
Still, I ought to keep visiting Seo Won-gil for the time being.
He had yet to unearth the man's true identity.
More importantly, I still need to consume the Seven-Fold Trackless Poison.
At first, he had wondered whether the physician had merely botched the dosage while administering it to an unconscious patient. But the moment he ingested the second dose, all doubt vanished.
The fool doesn't even know how to use it properly.
The pill had contained far more than a lethal dose. Had he swallowed it without preparation, his heart would have stopped once more. Yet to someone who had deduced its true nature and understood its medicinal properties, the Seven-Fold Trackless Poison was no longer lethal.
As rare as it is, the ingredients are nothing short of extraordinary. Used correctly, it can substantially bolster my internal energy.
Why turn down someone offering seven servings of precious spirit medicine? Even if he broke the man later, it made far more sense to milk him dry first.
"Lastly, you have been instructed to train at the Intermediate Training Ground from now on."
"The Intermediate Training Ground?"
It seemed his days of mingling with toddlers were over.
Namgung In is there, isn't he?
People naturally despised those who stirred up endless trouble, and Namgung Yun had no intention of provoking a scene. Even so, if trouble comes looking for me, I have no intention of running away either.
It felt as though another tempest was already brewing.
Namgung Yun made his way toward the training ground. Following a path different from his usual route, he soon arrived before an expansive martial yard. It was vastly larger than the Lower Training Ground where he had spent the past days, and several youths were already gathered across the dirt, swinging their swords in earnest.
A fine sight.
Many among them had despised the former Namgung Yun and would naturally sneer at him now, but as a martial artist, he could not help feeling a flicker of admiration at the sight of them pouring their sweat out in the early morning air.
Finding an empty corner, Namgung Yun settled in and began his practice. As he had done until now, he wielded his blade quietly, devoid of flashy sword forms. His mind overflowed with boundless comprehension, but his physical vessel remained woefully underdeveloped; this silent repetition was the only remedy.
To the onlookers, however, it looked laughable.
"What's this? They said he knocked out In and beat Geol, so I wondered what kind of monster he'd become, but he doesn't even have the basics down."
"Geol may be called a prodigy, but he's only strong for his age. Give him a few years and who knows, but his current skill is obvious. Beating him isn't anything to boast about."
"In was just caught off guard."
"He barely managed to crawl up to our level, that's all."
Since he had not entered a state of complete immersion, the surrounding murmurs drifted clearly into his ears. The speakers had made no effort to lower their voices anyway; at that distance, any martial artist of reasonable standing could hear every syllable. They intended for him to listen.
Yet seeing that they had no intention of directly obstructing his practice like the brats from the lower grounds, Namgung Yun simply ignored them and pressed on.
He lost himself in the rhythm of the sword for some time before finally pausing to draw a long breath.
"Phew!"
Wiping the sweat from his brow, he glanced around the yard. A noble clan through and through, I suppose. Talent is in no short supply.
Even Namgung Geol, despite his rotten temperament, possessed undeniable aptitude, and the children at the lower ground were much the same. And the disciples here are no different.
Before he realized it, the training ground had grown crowded. Unlike the Lower Training Ground, the age range here varied widely.
The threshold of the First-rate realm is steep, after all.
The youngsters he had met at the lower grounds were all Third-rate practitioners, with Namgung Geol barely standing at the threshold of the rank above. While many in the Jianghu remained Third-rate all their lives, most of them lacked proper manuals and competent teachers. For those born into a prestigious family like the Namgung Clan, reaching the Second-rate realm before the age of fifteen was practically an expectation.
Crossing into the First-rate realm was an entirely different matter. It demanded superior techniques, exceptional masters, and innate genius. Even among the elite youth of great sects, there were plenty who failed to breach that barrier before their fortieth year; the wall was that unyielding.
Not that I ever experienced that hardship firsthand.
An insurmountable wall? In his previous life, he had galloped through the lower realms like a thoroughbred racing across a paved highway, reaching the First-rate realm without a single hitch. Still, he was not so arrogant as to deny the existence of a hurdle simply because he had never stumbled over it himself.
Just as he raised his sword to resume his forms, a voice laced with venom cut through the air.
"Well, look who decided to grace us with his presence."
Recognizing the familiar cadence at once, Namgung Yun turned his head toward the entrance.
Namgung In was stepping onto the dirt.
The swelling on his cheek had long since subsided, but the wound gouged into his pride had festered rather than healed, rotting deep beneath the surface. Without sparing a glance for anyone else, he marched straight toward Namgung Yun.
"Yes, I heard the rumors. You defeated Geol?"
Surprisingly, he did not bare his fangs immediately. His tone sounded almost composed, though his eyes flared with unbridled hostility. Naturally, the curious gazes of everyone nearby converged upon them.
"Well done. Truly well done. That little brat was running around like a feral beast over a shred of petty progress, or so I heard. It must have served as a bitter dose of medicine for him."
Stopping directly before Namgung Yun, Namgung In curled his lips.
"Seeing you sweat so diligently is quite a heartwarming sight."
"What brings you here?"
"What else? You've stepped into the Intermediate Training Ground, so I came to offer my congratulations."
Namgung Yun did not buy a single word.
"How about it, Yun? Care to share a spar with your older brother?"
Namgung Yun met his gaze in silence.
"You've spent so long wallowing among Third-rate runts that your standards must be stuck in the mud. That won't do. Being assigned here means you've finally stepped into the Second-rate realm, so you ought to adjust your perspective, your vision, and your instincts accordingly. And what better way to do that than through a spar?"
Not a single soul present believed the excuse—not Namgung In who spoke it, not Namgung Yun who heard it, and certainly not the spectators eagerly watching the confrontation unfold.
His intention was glaringly transparent: revenge.
"You took longer than I expected. I thought you would come looking for me much sooner."
"I was placed under house arrest because of that little incident."
"House arrest?"
"They declared it a disgrace that I lost consciousness to the likes of you, surprise attack or not. Even I had to admit they were entirely right."
"I agree..."
Namgung Yun nearly nodded before catching himself.
In an orthodox sect, shouldn't disciplinary confinement be handed down for bullying kin or swinging fists recklessly?
Such a mindset belonged to the Demonic Cult or the unorthodox factions. Once again, the warped 'might-makes-right' logic permeating the Namgung Clan felt uncomfortably familiar, yet thoroughly distasteful.
Even so, he did not back down.
"I accept your offer, Hyung-nim. Let us spar."
"Haha! You're a true man after all!"
Namgung In barked out a delighted laugh, his gaze gleaming with malice like a viper coiling to strike.
Namgung Yun stood at the center of the training ground, facing Namgung In. The scene mirrored his duel with Namgung Geol days prior: a crowd of disciples encircling the ring, with Namgung Seong stepping in to oversee the match as referee.
"It warms my heart, Yun," Namgung In remarked, drawing his sword with a smooth rasp of steel. "It seems my past lessons finally bore fruit."
"If you wish to think so."
"What, are you still harboring a grudge? A real man ought to brush off such trivialities."
"Do not fret. I have already let it go."
It had not happened to him in the first place.
"...Yet our little Yun has truly changed. You speak so boldly to your older brother now, and..." His voice sank into a chilling register. "...you've even learned how to throw a punch."
Namgung In stroked his own cheek. The physical pain had vanished, but the humiliation remained vivid as ever.
"It seems it was not to your liking."
"Hardly that. It's just... rather unfamiliar."
"I suppose you can credit that to the education you gave me, Hyung-nim."
"...Is that so?"
Namgung In's eyes narrowed into sharp slits.
"Then I suppose I must give you another lesson today."
"Whenever you are ready."
Both youths leveled their blades at one another.
"Yun."
"What is it this time?"
"Do you still hold the same thoughts as back then? That what matters most in chivalry is one's will?"
Snickers rippled through the surrounding onlookers, several disciples casting mocking sneers in Yun's direction.
"I do."
The Murim Alliance Leader said so himself, after all.
"Then will we finally witness that glorious will of yours today?"
"Unlikely."
The laughter around them grew louder, several muttering under their breath about how he was nothing more than an empty braggart. Namgung In made no effort to conceal his mocking smirk.
"And why is that? Ah, perhaps this isn't an appropriate setting to practice your chivalry? Well, that cannot be helped. How fortunate that you have such a convenient excuse ready."
"It is quite the opposite, in fact. Looking at the situation before us, the conditions seem to match the criteria perfectly."
Namgung Yun swept his gaze across Namgung In and the snickering disciples. Namgung In's smile froze, along with the faces of those watching.
"...What are you implying?"
"You seem to have grasped it already. Why bother asking?"
A brute who beat someone half to death and sent them to a sickbed, and the cowards who laughed alongside him despite knowing full well what had transpired.
Any genuine righteous martial artist he had ever known would declare, without hesitation, that this was more than enough justification to carry out a chivalric act.
"Ha... hahaha. To think I would live to hear such words from your mouth. It seems defeating Geol has inflated your pride beyond all reason."
"Why would it? What pride is there in subduing a mere child? I only felt pathetic for failing to put him in his place until now."
"I am glad to see you retain at least that much self-awareness. Though it seems your pathetic nature hasn't completely vanished—or perhaps a fresh wave of insolence has taken root. As your older brother, I cannot simply overlook such flaws. You will have to forgive me if I teach you a rather painful lesson."
Namgung In sneered, raising his blade higher.
"Who knows? Perhaps this will be your chance to demonstrate that precious 'will' of yours."
"As I said, today is not that kind of day. One only reveals such conviction when backed into a corner by a true crisis. If I had to put a name to what we are doing today, it would be retribution."
Namgung In's face hardened into stone. Namgung Yun merely shrugged with supreme casualness.
"I am willing to overlook the past. Frankly, I hardly remember it anyway, and I did pay you back with a solid blow."
Grit!
The sound of Namgung In grinding his teeth echoed sharply across the quiet yard.
"From this moment on, however, things will be different. So please, Hyung-nim, do your best to act like a true member of a prestigious orthodox clan from now on."
"...I will have to verify one thing first," Namgung In hissed, his voice trembling with fury.
"Whether that sword of yours can back up that loose tongue!"
The instant the referee signaled the start of the match, Namgung In's blade shot forward like a lightning bolt.