Chapter 376
Chapter 376
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 376
Chapter Title: Betrayal
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“Why are you leaving so suddenly?”
Bathed in the moonlight, Namgung Heon's face looked bewitchingly beautiful.
“Because if not now, I won't be able to leave at all.”
“I see.”
Namgung Heon said with a sigh.
“In that case, leave the Bounty Token behind.”
Bu Eun-seol raised an eyebrow.
Looking back, Namgung Heon had been the one to urge the duel with Namgung Hwan. Furthermore, he was a mysterious figure whose true level of martial skill remained unknown.
Could he be the mysterious masked man after all?
Is that why he knows Namgung Un gave me the Bounty Token and is now trying to take it?
“The Bounty Token is a treasure the Divine Calculator promised to our family.”
At Namgung Heon's words, Bu Eun-seol let out a scoff.
“Surely you don't think I stole the Bounty Token, do you?”
Namgung Heon said with a bitter expression.
“I know Un gave it to you. But… isn't he still a naive child?”
Namgung Heon said firmly.
“The Divine Calculator's Bounty Token is a priceless treasure, its value beyond measure in gold. No matter how much you helped Un, isn't it shameless to simply accept it?”
“And so.”
Bu Eun-seol glanced around and said coldly.
“You brought the Namgung family's sword unit? To take it by force?”
Though they were hidden, Bu Eun-seol had already sensed about fifty warriors exuding sharp energy within a thirty-zhang radius.
Namgung Heon said with an embarrassed expression.
“This is my own doing. There's no need to involve the family's name.”
Then he said forcefully.
“But for the sake of the family, I would do this even if it meant being cursed a hundred times over.”
“Hoo.”
Bu Eun-seol let out a sigh.
It was a look of pity directed at Namgung Heon.
This conversation had finally solved the puzzle. He had figured out which of the Namgung brothers was the masked man.
*'It wasn't him.'*
Namgung Heon, the most likely suspect after Namgung Su, was not the masked man either.
*'This man was merely a pawn.'*
Namgung Heon asked Bu Eun-seol, who seemed lost in thought.
“Is it so hard to part with the Bounty Token?”
“Not at all. To be honest, if giving you the token would end this, I would gladly do so.”
“Then give it to me.”
“I cannot.”
Bu Eun-seol said firmly.
“Because this won't end with just the token, and more importantly, Namgung Un will be in danger.”
Namgung Heon's expression turned strange.
“What in the world are you talking about? Why would Un be in danger?”
“You wouldn't know anything, being his pawn.”
Bu Eun-seol turned around.
He intended to return to the Namgung estate to save Namgung Un from the scheme he was undoubtedly caught in.
*Shhhk.*
But dozens of warriors descended from the air, blocking Bu Eun-seol's path.
It was the Ring Sword Unit, Namgung Heon's personal guard.
“A cheap trick.”
Namgung Heon sneered.
“You intend to return to the main house, inform the Patriarch of this, and then slip away safely, don't you?”
Bu Eun-seol sighed deeply.
Namgung Heon's looks were his only shining quality. Unfortunately, his strategic mind and intellect were far from brilliant.
“Such a waste of a handsome face.”
“What did you say?”
“With such a simple mind, it's no wonder you're being used by your younger brother.”
Bu Eun-seol had already seen through everything.
The masked man who had orchestrated the attack on Dan So-ok.
He was none other than Namgung Pung, and he was even manipulating Namgung Heon.
“That's not something I can just ignore. You're saying I'm being manipulated by my younger brother?”
Bu Eun-seol chuckled and said.
“Proposing the duel between Namgung Hwan and Namgung Un. You received orders from Namgung Pung, didn't you?”
At that time, Bu Eun-seol had been very surprised when Namgung Heon proposed the duel.
It was because someone had secretly sent a telepathic message right before Namgung Heon made the suggestion.
Namgung Su was the eldest; he would have had no need to send such a message telepathically.
That left only one person who could have sent it: Namgung Pung.
“I wonder what weakness he's exploiting to make you follow his orders.”
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
“You received a telepathic message. From him.”
For a moment, Namgung Heon's expression stiffened.
Detecting a telepathic message being sent. That was a feat only possible for the great masters who looked down upon the world.
And yet, that wanderer had detected it?
“There's no more time to waste. Step aside.”
Bu Eun-seol turned.
But Namgung Heon once again made a foolish choice.
“Stop him.”
*Ch-ch-chak.*
At his command, the fifty members of the Ring Sword Unit surrounded Bu Eun-seol.
The Namgung family's sword formations were the best in the martial world, even serving as the foundation for the formations used by the Martial Alliance.
Namgung Heon believed that the Ring Sword Unit alone would be enough to subdue Bu Eun-seol.
*Flash!*
But that thought was shattered by a brilliant flash of light. With a single strike of his sword, Bu Eun-seol destroyed their formation.
*Papapapak!*
Simultaneously, a single, brilliant stream of sword energy split into dozens of sword rings, striking their pressure points.
It was an application of the third form of the Seven Forms of the Blood Tear: the Path of Half-Life, Half-Death.
*'There's no time!'*
*Thud, thud, thud.*
Having felled the fifty-man sword unit in an instant, Bu Eun-seol unleashed his movement technique at full power.
*Thud.*
Watching him go, Namgung Heon fell to his knees.
He had the most striking appearance among the Namgung bloodline and a personality that drew people to him.
He had been confident that he, not the cold and emotionally reserved Namgung Su, would become the next Patriarch.
But that expectation had been shattered.
A few years ago, Namgung Pung had bared the sharp fangs he had kept hidden for so long.
—It seems that to become the Patriarch, I'll need to make my second brother my man.
Namgung Pung had said with a bright smile.
—After all, our eldest brother's cold personality, the fourth's arrogance, and the youngest's troublemaking nature make them all unsuitable candidates for Patriarch.
As the elder brother, Namgung Heon had tried to sternly discipline Namgung Pung for suddenly turning on him.
But Namgung Pung's swordsmanship far surpassed his own.
It was so advanced it could rival even the greatest masters in the world.
—How on earth…
Namgung Pung's eyes had curved into crescents as he spoke.
—I'm sorry, Second Brother, but from now on, you'll have to follow me obediently. That is, if you wish to remain a member of the Namgung family.
Namgung Heon had been terrified.
With his level of skill, Namgung Pung could kill him without a soul ever knowing.
Not only that, but hadn't he also seized control of the elders and division heads who supported him?
—As it turns out, Pung was hiding incredible martial arts. He has also won over many of the Namgung family's elders and division heads and now commands them skillfully.
Telling his father this would only earn him ridicule.
What father would dislike a son who was strong and competent?
—Second Brother, do you see how the tide is turning now?
Namgung Pung, having read his thoughts, had said with a smile.
It was only natural for the most outstanding person to become the Patriarch.
Namgung Heon had realized that no matter how hard he tried, he could never surpass Namgung Pung.
Soon, the same would be true for his eldest brother and the rest of his younger siblings.
—If you follow my words well from now on, I'll ensure you have a position you won't be disappointed with, Second Brother.
Even without becoming the Patriarch, there were many positions of great power within the Namgung family.
And so, in the end, Namgung Heon had decided to go with the flow.
—It seems Father has taken a liking to Un.
But then, suddenly, Namgung Un—the reckless troublemaker—had crushed the Beggars' Sect's conspiracy and returned home in glory.
And it seemed that had displeased Namgung Pung.
—Second Brother. It seems it's about time we dealt with Un as well.
Somehow, he had even found out that Namgung Jeong had acquired the Bounty Token and given it to Namgung Un.
—Pung is colluding with an outside force.
Only after seeing how he monitored the Patriarch's movements as if reading his own palm did Namgung Heon realize that Namgung Pung was connected to an outside power.
But it was already too late to turn back.
Namgung Pung would become the Patriarch and take control of the family anyway.
Namgung Heon had resolved to continue following him.
“It's… useless anyway.”
Gazing in the direction Bu Eun-seol had left, Namgung Heon shook his head.
No matter how great that man's martial arts were, no matter how brilliant his strategies.
He could not stop Namgung Pung, who not only had the help of an outside force but had also been weaving various schemes for a long time.
***
The Hall of the Worthy.
The residence of the Namgung Patriarch.
The courtyard in front of the Hall of the Worthy was vast, and unlike other halls, it featured a high set of stairs.
This was because all events and ceremonies in the Namgung family were conducted before the Hall of the Worthy, where the Patriarch resided.
Whether issuing commands to divisions or units heading out for a campaign, or bestowing ranks upon key figures, everyone gathered here.
But now, the courtyard was filled not with members of the Namgung household, but with hundreds of blood-soaked warriors, forced to their knees.
At the top of the stairs stood Namgung Jeong.
“You must have thought our family a joke.”
As Namgung Jeong looked down upon the warriors, killing intent and contempt radiated from his eyes.
“Did you think we were so careless that we wouldn't notice outsiders infiltrating us for so long?”
The Namgung family was the greatest of the Eight Great Families, even earning the moniker of the Jiangnan Martial Alliance.
Their intelligence network and influence were unparalleled, allowing Namgung Jeong to grasp not only the affairs of the martial world but also the situation within his own family, all from his office.
For a long time, he had been aware that subversive elements had infiltrated the family.
The reason he hadn't rooted them out at once was that he still didn't know their objective.
And secondly, he had been waiting for an opportunity to capture them all in one fell swoop.
But then, something strange happened.
As soon as the wanderer, Seol-so, who had been staying at the main house, secretly departed, the infiltrated forces suddenly gathered and launched a surprise attack on the Hall of the Worthy.
However, Namgung Jeong, having already sensed these movements beforehand, had immediately deployed his forces and subdued them in an instant.
The Namgung Clan.
The idea that this family—the head of the Eight Great Families, a power that encompassed the Central Plains' martial world—could be overthrown by an outside force was not just improbable, it was utterly impossible.
“To whom do they belong?”
When Namgung Jeong asked, the Head of the Disciplinary Hall bowed his head.
“They won't talk, no matter how much we torture them. Their weapons, clothing, even their shoes—all are untraceable.”
Namgung Jeong narrowed his eyes.
The force that had infiltrated the Namgung family numbered around three hundred.
Even with prior intelligence, they possessed martial arts formidable enough to require the mobilization of the Namgung family's elite warriors.
What kind of organization could have sent so many skilled warriors?
“Hehehe.”
But then, the one who appeared to be the leader of the captured warriors gave a sinister smile.
“It would be wise to let us go peacefully, Patriarch Namgung.”
He grinned, revealing blood-stained teeth.
“Otherwise, your beloved youngest son will lose his life for good.”
In that instant, Namgung Jeong's eyes widened.
“Head of the Disciplinary Hall.”
“Yes.”
The Head of the Disciplinary Hall bowed his head and immediately sent a subordinate to check on Namgung Un.
When the subordinate returned, his face was ashen.
“There are signs of a kidnapping.”
“Huhuhuhu.”
The leader of the masked men said in a confident voice.
“If you don't release us, he will be dead within two hours. We've locked him away in such a place.”
“Where is this place!”
The Head of the Disciplinary Hall drew his sword and held it to the leader's throat, but the man didn't even flinch.
“Do you think I'll tell you?”
“This bastard?”
As the Head of the Disciplinary Hall bit his lip, Namgung Jeong slowly descended the stairs.
He grabbed the kneeling leader's pulse gate.
*Crack.*
The leader's body began to twist grotesquely, and he started coughing up blood.
He had unleashed the Seven Illuminations Organ-Severing Torture, one of the most vicious techniques for extracting internal energy.
“Gaaah!”
The leader was screaming, but also laughing.
“Haaah... No matter how much you torture me, you won't be able to save your son!”
Just as Namgung Jeong's expression changed drastically,
“Father!”
a figure came running.
It was Namgung Pung.
“I've found where Un is!”
“What?”
“I found it while chasing an intruder who broke into my quarters. But with my own power, I couldn't open the entrance...”
As Namgung Jeong's eyebrow twitched,
*KABOOM!*
an explosion erupted from the northern gate of the Namgung estate, followed by soaring flames.
Remnants of the enemy were still hiding within the estate.
“We must go quickly! If we're late, we won't be able to save Un!”
For a moment, a question arose in Namgung Jeong's mind.
Namgung Pung's arrival was too convenient, and the idea that he had single-handedly pursued the remnants who had done the kidnapping seemed strange.
*'What am I thinking?'*
To suspect my own son, of all people?
Namgung Jeong shook his head, then shouted to the Head of the Disciplinary Hall and his vassals.
“Use all your strength to wipe out the remaining remnants!”
Then he yelled to Namgung Pung.
“Where is Un!”
*Fwoosh.*
Namgung Jeong and Namgung Pung ran like madmen, arriving at a clearing in a deep forest far from the Namgung estate.
“This way.”
Namgung Pung shouted, pointing at a boulder in the clearing.
“We have to move that boulder to open the entrance.”
As Namgung Jeong gathered his internal energy,
*Rumble.*
with a low vibration, the house-sized boulder moved to the side.
He had moved the massive boulder, which looked to weigh over ten thousand catties, without even touching it, using only his immense internal energy.
*Grrrnd.*
As the boulder moved aside, the sound of a mechanism came from the ground, and a passage leading underground was revealed.
It was a truly ingenious mechanism.
*'To think they secretly built such a device so close to the main house.'*
Namgung Jeong couldn't hide his surprise.
To build a device of this scale while avoiding the Namgung family's notice? These forces must have been preparing for this for at least several years.
Furthermore, the fact that they had kidnapped Namgung Un, of all his sons, made it clear they had a deep understanding of him as well.
*Shing.*
Drawing his sword, Namgung Jeong said to Namgung Pung.
“You, return to the main house and inform Head Steward Nam of this. Tell him to entrust command of all forces to the leader of the Silver Radiance Sword Unit.”
Then, without a backward glance, he leaped into the passage leading underground.
*Clank! Fwip-fwip-fwip-fwip!*
As he raced through the winding passage, various hidden weapons shot out at him.
But Namgung Jeong didn't even bother to defend, instead achieving unity of sword and body to break through in a single burst.
Finally reaching the end of the passage, he saw a sealed cave. And there, hanging from the far wall in manacles, was Namgung Un.
“Patriarch.”
“Are you all right?”
Namgung Jeong quickly scanned the interior.
He detected no hidden enemies or concealed mechanisms.
*Clang!*
He instantly struck the manacles around Namgung Un's wrists.
But with a loud metallic ring, only a deep gash appeared; the manacles did not break.
“Manacles made of black iron.”
Once again, he raised his internal energy, and a white radiance erupted from his sword.
*Kooong.*
With a deafening boom, the cave wall cracked.
*Shwook.*
Simultaneously, the section of the wall where the manacles were anchored completely crumbled.
Namgung Jeong had used a heavy sword technique to demolish the stone wall in a single blow.
*Thump.*
As Namgung Un collapsed limply, Namgung Jeong quickly caught him.
“Are you all right?”
“Patriarch.”
Namgung Un's gaze was faint, and there were traces of blood at the corner of his mouth.
It seemed he had suffered severe internal injuries after fighting a powerful master.
“Don't speak. Circulate your energy.”
Namgung Jeong reached out and began to infuse true energy into Namgung Un's Dazhui acupoint.
*Tatatak.*
Just then, he heard the sound of urgent footsteps approaching from the far end of the passage.
Namgung Jeong momentarily removed his hand, tightened his grip on the sword in his right hand, and stared tensely in that direction.
“Father!”
But it was Namgung Pung who came running.
Drenched in sweat, he stood beside Namgung Jeong.
“Why did you come back?”
“Well... this area is already surrounded by a massive number of troops.”
“What?”
“We must leave quickly.”
Namgung Jeong looked at Namgung Un, whose eyes were faintly open, and shook his head.
“Stand guard for a moment. I will infuse Un with my energy to help him regain consciousness.”
“Understood.”
Taking a deep breath, Namgung Jeong turned and placed his hand back on Namgung Un's Dazhui acupoint.
*Flash!*
But Namgung Un's hazy eyes suddenly flew wide open, and he quickly shouted.
“Patriarch, watch out…!”
*Shunk.*
Before he could finish, Namgung Jeong felt a pain so intense it was as if the heavens and earth were collapsing.
He turned to find a sharp dagger buried deep in his back, in the Shenzhu acupoint.
Looking behind him, wasn't Namgung Pung staring at him, his eyes narrowed into slits?
The one who had ambushed him was none other than Namgung Pung.
“A pity. Your Profound Gate Protective Aura was too thick, so I couldn't drive it precisely into the Shenzhu acupoint.”
Though he said he hadn't hit it precisely, Namgung Jeong was paralyzed, barely able to move.
And with every breath, his internal energy was leaking out.
This was because the sharp blade was lodged deep near the Shenzhu acupoint, where the central nerves were concentrated.
If his Profound Gate Protective Aura hadn't been protecting his body, Namgung Jeong would have either died instantly or been left paralyzed from the waist down.
“Pung, why did you…?”
“Why? You should know very well.”
Namgung Pung wore a resentful expression.
“Did you think I wouldn't know that you killed my real father and passed me off as your own son?”