The Deadline Has Come
The next day.
Yuseong finished his meal and walked the Namgung Estate grounds with Namgung Yurin.
She spoke to him exactly as usual, as though nothing had happened between them the previous night.
'Yurin is the kind of person who makes everyone feel at ease.'
Her mind was sharper than her years, and in the soft morning light she looked even more beautiful than usual.
'Did my confession yesterday change anything? She looks exactly the same as before...'
Yuseong watched her with a gentle smile, then tilted his head.
“Hmm? Did you ask me something?”
Namgung Yurin turned her head away in a hurry and wiped the corners of her eyes.
“No… nothing at all.”
She pulled a small mirror from her sleeve and checked her face for any trace of tears, then smiled again.
“Really? Nothing?”
“Not at all.”
“I was just wondering…”
Namgung Yurin swallowed the words she had almost spoken and gave her hair one quick shake, embarrassed.
To show how much she wanted him to love this place even more, she pointed out every landmark.
“That’s the Azure Dragon Hall. It’s where Father’s office is located.”
“As I suspected… it looks just like what I imagined. It’s breathtaking.”
A massive pavilion rose proudly in the center of the Namgung Estate, its walls carved with coiling dragon patterns.
Exactly the kind of grandeur you would expect from the family head’s residence.
The Yigak Clinic, Yuseong’s own workplace, was even more lavishly decorated.
“If you keep going this way, you’ll find the training ground where the guards practice.”
“Is it all right for me to watch them train?”
He could learn new martial arts, after all. Whether ascending or not, there was always something new to discover.
“Grandfather already let you watch our sparring. You can come with me.”
“Or… you could even go alone. With your skill level, nobody would dare say anything.”
Namgung Yurin gave a soft, teasing smile.
As she had said, every martial artist and servant in the Namgung Estate bowed politely when they saw him.
The news that he had healed Namgung Yuhyeon had spread far and wide.
After all, it was impossible for the estate’s people to miss the sight of their young master wandering around with his sight restored.
Then Yuseong noticed two familiar figures.
The Sword King walked ahead, with the Family Head, Namgung Hwan, following respectfully a few steps behind.
They were heading toward the Azure Dragon Hall.
Namgung Yurin hesitated.
“The Family Head’s office… but Grandfather actually uses it most of the time.”
The Sword King paid almost no attention to family hierarchy.
‘I don’t think he cares much about those kinds of things…’
He looked away.
He had no business interfering in someone else’s family affairs.
***
When he finished his work, he had planned to head back to the Murim Alliance right away, but Namgung Hwan asked him to stay a few more days.
‘He said he would send some elite guards so we could return together.’
Anhui Province lay to the east. It was the opposite direction of the Demonic Cult.
He had also learned that the Demonic Cult’s famous masters had all left the sect, so their escort team was surprisingly small—only two Transcendental-level experts.
Because of that, they had passed through several villages without doing any healing, and even with Namgung Yurin and the driver included, their protection was dangerously thin.
He had given up on treating the few patients he found, tears in his eyes.
Free healing work brought huge increases in divine power, yet…
‘If we return with the Namgung Estate’s elite guards, we’ll have plenty of time to make the most of every village we pass.’
Even during the few days he stayed at the Namgung Estate, Yuseong never rested.
While Namgung Hwan decided who would accompany him, he accepted every injured person from the estate as patients.
‘I have to work hard.’
The next skill he planned to obtain was the cheat-like skill called Courage.
He had no idea how useful it would be, but since it would be added to his collection anyway, it was better than nothing.
***
Namgung Yurin visited the Family Head’s office. She needed to officially announce her intention to join the Murim Alliance.
Her grandfather and father were already deep in conversation.
“What is it, Yurin?”
“Father, Grandfather… I want to join the Murim Alliance.”
Namgung Hwan tried to stop her.
“What are you talking about? With your talent and skill, joining the Murim Alliance would be a waste. Our Namgung Estate doesn’t need the Alliance’s backing, and Grandfather wants you to learn properly from him. You can quit the Martial Academy right now if you want.”
He was telling her to train seriously because her talent was precious.
Receiving direct martial instruction from the Sword King was an opportunity most warriors could only dream of.
If they weren’t family, Namgung Yurin would never have had such a chance.
But…
She had met Yuseong only after losing all interest in martial training.
Now she had recovered from the childhood wounds and was eager again, but her feelings had changed.
‘I like Yuseong more. I want to be by his side.’
Her priorities had shifted.
Before she knew him, she might have stayed with the family to care for Juyeon.
After all, nobody else would have looked after the girl everyone pointed fingers at.
But now Juyeon was marrying Namgung Yuhyeon.
They had spent the previous night crying and laughing, sharing every memory.
‘Sister said she really likes my brother.’
Was he kind? Did he treat her well?
From her perspective, Juyeon looked genuinely happy.
And as long as Namgung Yuhyeon did not marry her, she would not rest easy. Later she would naturally become the mistress of the Namgung Estate.
She had suffered through many hardships; even a small reward would feel good.
In any case, she no longer needed to take care of Juyeon.
She boldly voiced her opinion to her father.
“Since my brother is now the successor, I want to help him in the Murim Alliance. Please grant me permission.”
Namgung Hwan’s lips pressed tightly together.
He needed to understand his grandfather’s true intentions.
‘…He’s become quite stubborn.’
He analyzed the situation with a wry smile.
He had assumed the Sword King would oppose, yet the old man nodded.
“I have already acknowledged you. If that’s how you feel, then it’s fine. But…”
Namgung Yurin’s eyes widened in surprise. Her grandfather’s next words made her tense.
‘I wonder if Grandfather will set some difficult conditions…’
He was sorry, but her father had no real authority. She had to persuade the Sword King herself.
After a brief pause, the Sword King spoke.
“The Murim Alliance has many departments. Where do you plan to apply?”
“Surely not the military department?”
She asked carefully, confused.
“The military department is too dangerous. The situation in the jianghu is already tense, and I don’t want you to get hurt. If possible, apply to a department where you can stay inside the Alliance.”
She had been planning exactly that.
“Yes… I will.”
“Then it’s settled. Just remember one thing—never forget that you are a member of the Namgung Estate.”
“Of course.”
The Sword King turned away, unwilling to say anything more.
Although she was puzzled, Namgung Yurin felt relieved that her request had been granted so easily and stepped back.
After she left, the Sword King reflected on his duel with her.
At first, she had been strong and fast, but her understanding of martial arts was still childish.
She had been intimidating to others, but to the Sword King she was merely a quick, powerful opponent.
He had broken her rhythm and swept away her mysterious strength with a light wave of qi.
Namgung Yurin had been pushed into a difficult position in no time.
But as time passed, her swordsmanship grew rapidly.
The moment she entered the Mu-A state, flaws appeared in her blade and vanished one by one. A profound, mysterious force that even Transcendental masters could barely comprehend began to reside within her.
Her strength had skyrocketed.
By the time she finally fell after unleashing the Emperor’s Sword Form, she was no longer the same person she had been at the start.
The Sword King had rich experience in the jianghu and many contacts among the martial experts.
He knew that it was extremely difficult for even a Transcendental master to remain in the Mu-A state for long.
‘The latter half of the Emperor’s Sword Form guided Yurin into the Mu-A state.’
Only someone like Baek Yuseong could make that possible.
That was why the Sword King had wanted to keep her close to him.
‘I hope Yurin takes good care of him.’
If the Namgung Estate, which possessed the peerless Emperor’s Sword Form, could obtain Baek Yuseong as well…
‘Even if we looked at every sect and family in the world, the Namgung Estate might become the number one.’
The Sword King told Namgung Hwan he would take a short walk and headed toward the quiet pavilion he often visited when he needed to clear his mind.
He had not been able to use it yesterday because there had been guests.
***
Yuseong safely returned to the Murim Alliance.
Thanks to the elite guards sent from the Namgung Estate, he had also been able to perform healing services during the journey and had spent a very satisfying time.
But…
“Ah, no…!”
Namgung Yurin stared at the wall in dismay.
“What? What happened?”
Yuseong followed her gaze.
A wall used by the Murim Alliance members to post information was being cleared.
A martial artist was tearing down several sheets of paper.
‘It’s a bit hard to see from here. What could it be?’
He stepped closer. On the notice board he recognized his own name among the announcements.
The posters had been posted for several days and were now being removed.
‘The escort doctors at the Yigak Clinic were all reassigned. The announcement must have come out a few days ago.’
He had heard that the military department planned to recruit more escorts.
He had expected it to take a while, yet it had been completed during his stay at the Namgung Estate.
The medical staff who would work together with him was decided by his personal connection, but assignments for escorts were handled by the military.
‘Yurin wanted to join the Yigak too, but the timing was terrible. Why did it have to be so urgent?’