Chapter 163
Chapter 163
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 163
Chapter Title: Chapter 5. Evil Ties Linger Endlessly (1)
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The Nangong Clan.
It was the overlord of Anhui Province and one of the Five Great Clans, renowned throughout the land.
The Nangong Clan had established its seat on the outskirts of Hefei, the provincial capital.
With a grand mountain at its back like a natural screen and a vast river flowing before it, it occupied the perfect terrain of backing onto a mountain and facing a river. Moreover, there was only a single bridge crossing the river as the entrance to the village.
Guard that bridge, and no enemy could invade—this was a heaven-sent fortress. Right in its heart stood the Nangong Clan manor.
The houses surrounding the manor all belonged to branch family members. In essence, the entire village consisted of Nangong blood relatives.
Encircled by towering walls, the Nangong Clan manor itself was a flawless fortress. Only those granted permission by the clan or bearing the Nangong surname could enter.
Amid the countless halls and training grounds blended in perfect harmony, certain spaces held particular importance.
The Swordcry Hall was one such place.
If the Myth Hall was the residence of the clan head, then Swordcry Hall was the abode of the young master.
It was where the next head, destined to lead the great Nangong Clan, resided. Naturally, security was ironclad.
Even on ordinary days, not a drop of water could leak through their defenses. But now, Swordcry Hall inside and out crawled with countless experts, resembling a fortress under siege.
Excluding the warriors guarding the perimeter, a dozen or so had gathered in the young master's bedchamber. Yet not one opened their mouth.
Their gazes all fixed on the bed at the center of Swordcry Hall.
Lying upon it was a young man who appeared to be in his late twenties or early thirties.
His features were handsome enough to earn compliments in better times, but unfortunately, his face was ashen, and thick veins bulged grotesquely across his body.
The young man's name was Nangong Mujin.
He was the eldest son of Clan Head Nangong Cheon and held the exalted position of young master.
He had first gripped a sword at five and shown prodigious talent by seven. By ten, his achievements surpassed those of warriors far his senior.
Inevitably, he became the sole focus of expectations from everyone in the Nangong Clan. For an ordinary person, such pressure might have been crushing, but Nangong Mujin only soared beyond them, as if to flaunt his gifts.
Not long ago, he had mastered the clan's signature arts like the Vault of Heaven Endless Sword and the Great Cyclic Sword Art, and even begun learning the Sovereign Sword Form, reserved solely for the clan head.
"Was I too hasty?"
A man now in his mid-fifties murmured as he gazed down at Nangong Mujin.
His eyes were cold and clear as a lake, his features evoking the image of a refined scholar.
This was Nangong Cheon, head of the Nangong Clan.
The great warrior who had perfected the Sovereign Sword Form after two hundred years. Thus, the clan honored him with the moniker Sword King.
Nangong Cheon had entrusted the clan's operations to Nangong Chang and his brothers, devoting himself solely to the pursuit of martial arts.
What he sought was the path beyond Sword King: Sword Immortal. To reach the ultimate realm through the sword.
Because of this, he had even neglected overseeing his children's training. It was three months ago that Nangong Mujin had come to him.
He wished to learn the Sovereign Sword Form. Normally, it could not be transmitted until one formally inherited the clan head's position, but Nangong Cheon readily passed it on.
He trusted Nangong Mujin that much.
He believed his son could succeed him and master the Sovereign Sword Form brilliantly.
Nangong Mujin did not betray that trust. He progressed at an astonishing pace.
Three months of immersion, forsaking even meals for the Sovereign Sword Form. The crisis erupted just days ago.
Intoxicated by his rapid gains, Nangong Mujin grew greedy and rushed ahead, falling into qi deviation.
He clung to life by a thread, his breathing ragged—he could die at any moment. Without proper treatment, his survival was uncertain, but even if he lived, he would never cultivate martial arts again.
For the young master of the great Nangong Clan to become a cripple? It was the worst calamity imaginable.
Thus, every physician in Anhui Province had been summoned, without exception—even those hailed as miracle workers.
Those who examined Nangong Mujin all shook their heads. Their skills could not cure his qi deviation.
In rage, Nangong Cheon slew them all. He regretted it upon regaining his senses, but what was done could not be undone.
"Is the Divine Healer still far?"
"Grand Elder Jang Kyung has gone to fetch her. She'll be here soon."
"The Divine Healer can cure Mujin, right?"
"If she can't, no physician in the world can save the young master."
"Bring her here by any means necessary."
"Don't worry, brother."
The responder was Nangong Hwa, an elder of the Nangong Clan. Nangong Cheon's younger brother, he wielded considerable influence within the clan.
Nangong Hwa gazed at him with concern. Nangong Cheon was in what people called a "berserk" state.
Rage was devouring his reason, on the verge of erupting. A single spark could unleash catastrophe.
It was then, as the elders held their breath before Nangong Cheon's fury—
"Clan Head!"
An urgent voice rang from outside.
Nangong Cheon's eyes turned to the door. Anticipation lit his face.
"Have you brought the Divine Healer?"
"Well..."
A Nangong warrior entered, opening the door. But he was alone.
"What happened?"
"The men sent to fetch the Divine Healer were all slaughtered."
"What?"
"We waited, but they didn't return, so we sent more. The inn was filled with our clansmen's corpses."
"You're saying our main house warriors were massacred?"
"I apologize."
"The audacity! Who dares insult the main house?"
Nangong Cheon shot to his feet. A tremendous aura erupted from him.
The sharp presence befitting the Sword King clawed at everyone's meridians.
The elders in Swordcry Hall paled, overwhelmed by his pressure.
"Cl-Clan Head! Calm down..."
"Think of the young master, Clan Head."
The elders tried to soothe him. But Nangong Cheon's rage would not subside.
"Who is it? Who dares kill our clansmen?"
"We're... not certain yet. The innkeeper fled, no witnesses."
Nangong Cheon ground his teeth.
Normally the epitome of composure, he could not contain his fury before his son's peril and his subordinates' deaths.
The warrior cautiously continued.
"The killer was ruthless, and our men died without much resistance. It must be an extraordinary master."
"Mobilize the Sword King Squad."
"What!"
"The Sword King Squad?"
The elders cried out in alarm.
The Sword King Squad was the Nangong Clan's final bastion.
The previous previous clan head, Nangong Seonwol, had secretly selected prodigies to protect the clan, training them with elixirs and manuals.
They emerged only when existential crisis loomed, unleashing devastating might.
Their last appearance was thirty years ago, during the Demonic Cult's invasion.
They had butchered over a thousand elite Demonic Cult warriors who scaled the walls, showcasing their prowess to the world. Cloaked in red masks that hid their identities, their existence as the Sword King Squad became legendary.
Once the invasion ended, they vanished seamlessly, returning to their daily roles guarding the clan.
Only the clan head knew their members. And only he could command them.
Nangong Hwa ventured carefully.
"Brother, the Sword King Squad is for crises threatening the Nangong Clan, isn't it?"
"And?"
Nangong Cheon's voice turned icy. Nangong Hwa clamped his mouth shut.
"N-No, nothing."
The other elders, glimpsing his wrath, also fell silent.
No clan head in Nangong history had gripped the clan as perfectly as Nangong Cheon. Once he decided, it was final.
Nangong Cheon raised his voice.
"Sucheon!"
"Yes, Clan Head!"
A response came instantly from outside.
The elders inside startled. Every person here was an expert, yet none had sensed the presence outside.
"Take the Sword King Squad at once and capture the fiend and the Divine Healer."
"Bring them alive? Or dead?"
"Alive for the Divine Healer. The fiend just needs to breathe."
"Understood."
With the reply, the presence vanished.
Nangong Cheon looked at Nangong Mujin.
"Just hold on a little longer, my son."
His voice, thick with paternal anguish, echoed through the chamber.
***
Damho glanced back. Behind him trailed a beautiful woman and an elderly man.
Jongriyeon and Hwano.
They had followed after Damho left the inn.
The innkeeper and Dongi had fled at once. They knew the Nangong Clan wouldn't let this slide.
Damho spoke.
"Why are you following?"
"I'm not following you. We're just headed the same way."
"......"
"Really."
Jongriyeon wore an aggrieved expression.
Her words were true, in a sense.
Her patient was in Hamsan. The only path was the official road Damho took.
Damho stared at her briefly. Jongriyeon's cheeks flushed crimson.
"Wh-what?"
Damho turned away. Stung by his indifference, Jongriyeon felt embarrassed.
It irked her for no reason.
"That jerk..."
"Compose yourself, miss."
"Sigh!"
Hwano soothed her as best he could. Jongriyeon trembled but held back further outburst.
"Calm down, calm. Think of the patient, Jongriyeon."
Her eyes softened at once. But Damho's back still lingered in her gaze.
After last night's fight, she had vomited endlessly.
As a physician, she saw corpses routinely. She had witnessed many deaths and thought herself inured to them.
But the carnage Damho wrought dwarfed anything she knew.
Through him, she realized how fragile human life truly was.
To Damho, the human body was frailer than brittle pottery.
His words from last night resurfaced.
—Killing people... it's not fun at all.
How desolate they had sounded. The lingering echo refused to fade.
She tried ignoring him, but her eyes kept drifting his way.
"Miss!"
"Hm?"
"Don't pay him any mind."
Hwano spoke cautiously yet firmly.
"What do you mean?"
"He's from a different world than us."
"Well..."
"No ordinary warrior slaughters like that. In my life, I've never seen anyone kill so mercilessly. He can't be normal."
Hwano's tone was steady, laced with strong revulsion.
Jongriyeon protested defensively.
"I have no interest in him. Really."
"Keep that heart firm, miss. It's the dying words of an old man nearing his end."
"Okay, I get it."
Hwano's expression was grave.
People are drawn to worlds they don't know.
Whether mere admiration or curiosity, the problem was it led to giving one's heart.
Hwano sincerely hoped it wouldn't happen.