Preparation
A person without power has no weight to their words!
Those were the Sword King’s own words, spoken directly during the incident involving Namgung Yurin and Juyeon.
Back then, Namgung Yurin had failed to prove Juyeon’s innocence because she couldn’t perform the Changgung Muae Sword Technique.
But now, nearly ten years later.
Namgung Yurin steps forward once more, determined to prove herself to the Sword King.
“Sparring… Did I hear that right?”
The Sword King asked, lightly indicating the hilt of his sword. Namgung Yurin nodded.
“Yes. If my skills are to your liking, I hope you will allow things to proceed as my brother wishes.”
“Yurin, wait. This is my matter. Grandfather, please give me the opportunity.”
Namgung Yuhyeon stepped forward.
He could not allow his younger sister to shoulder his own affairs.
Besides, he too was a martial artist.
“Do you realize you cannot even match your sister’s current level? What opportunity are you asking for?”
The Sword King’s words scraped at his pride, yet Namgung Yuhyeon remained unshaken. He calmly conveyed his thoughts.
“Of course I know I cannot satisfy you immediately, Grandfather. But if you grant me the chance, I will grow until I do. Since I have set the sword aside for so long, from now on I will devote every ounce of my strength—”
“Then it is fine to leave your child as a bastard in the meantime?”
“Th-that…”
The declaration that if he could not demonstrate his worth at once, he would not even acknowledge Juyeon as a concubine.
Namgung Yuhyeon faltered.
He knew perfectly well that his current skills could not satisfy his grandfather right away.
While he stood trapped between options, the Sword King continued.
“Yurin, surely you are not planning to promise something for later like your brother?”
Namgung Yurin shook her head.
She had never intended that, and now she could not say such a thing.
“I wish to spar right now.”
The Sword King did not spare his grandson a glance, focusing entirely on his granddaughter.
How bold.
Even if she had contributed to capturing a master from the Demonic Cult, she was still merely a Peak Master.
Yet.
It is admirable.
Before earning the title of Sword King, he himself had faced countless challenges.
Not only formal requests for matches. During his journeys through the gangho, he had become a target for the evil sects.
They had seen him as a stepping stone to build their own notoriety.
Those confident in their strength clashed with him directly, while the less confident hoped for luck and launched ambushes.
He had crossed the line between life and death many times.
Overcoming every trial, he had reached this position, and now no one dared challenge him lightly.
The status of young master of the Namgung Clan had not protected him, but after becoming a Transcendent Realm expert, none could look down on him.
In the end, he had realized that for a murim warrior, personal strength must come first.
That was why.
His granddaughter, fearlessly throwing down the gauntlet after so long, looked different in his eyes.
She surprised me at the Murim Academy, and it seems she has grown even more during the Sichuan journey.
His grandson had been born with outstanding talent but had suffered a long blank period due to a single moment of carelessness.
Being injured in the eyes was certainly unfortunate.
But falling to a much weaker opponent through carelessness had been disappointing.
He studied his granddaughter’s eyes as though searching them.
He could feel true sincerity in her determined gaze.
I had thought the son should inherit the family unless there were unavoidable circumstances, but perhaps Yurin is the more suitable talent.
A small crack appeared in his conviction that the grandson must succeed the family now that his eyes were healed.
The Sword King spoke.
“Very well. In the end, martial artists speak with their swords. If you display such skill, I will permit Yuhyeon’s marriage as you wish.”
Namgung Yurin clenched her fist tightly.
It’s done!
She thought that if she revealed the latter half of the Emperor’s Sword Form and surprised her grandfather, she would earn his recognition. Her expression brightened.
However.
The Sword King’s next words shattered that hope.
“I trust you were not thinking of satisfying me with a few mere tricks. Use every means at your disposal. Try to defeat me. Only then will I be satisfied.”
Namgung Yurin’s face turned deathly pale.
Merely manifesting Sword Gang for a moment will never be enough to defeat Grandfather!
Her plan had suffered a severe blow.
Seeing his granddaughter’s complexion change, the Sword King’s gaze finally shifted to Yuseong.
I was curious about the method she used against that Demonic Cult master anyway.
He had heard Yuseong’s assistance had been involved. That was why he had deliberately said to use every means—drawing him in as well.
To see how far his granddaughter and Yuseong could go when pushed to the edge.
Without the slightest thought that he might lose, the Sword King reflected.
If his granddaughter showed something beyond his imagination, his grandson’s marriage might not be much of an issue after all.
The Sword King rose from his seat.
That simple movement alone made everyone tense, their eyes lifting to him.
He announced to the group.
“I will wait at my personal training ground first. Come when you are ready.”
Once the Sword King had gone, Namgung Hwan looked at Namgung Yurin with worried eyes.
“Yurin, I heard about your accomplishments in Sichuan, but why would you say such a thing to your grandfather?”
“Because I wanted to help my brother and Sister Juyeon. I’ll do everything within my power. Father… do you share Grandfather’s thoughts regarding Sister Juyeon?”
The question carried a thread of hope that he did not.
Namgung Hwan wanted to tell his daughter that he felt the same as she did.
However.
The words would not leave his mouth.
At some point he had become incapable of defying his father.
“...”
At his daughter’s disappointed face, Namgung Hwan felt more pathetic than ever today.
He quietly rubbed his face.
Namgung Yuhyeon glanced at his father, then patted his sister’s shoulder.
“Yurin, I’m grateful you stepped forward for me, but no matter how I think about it, this is too much. I’ll find another way, so stay out of it.”
“What other way?”
“That is…”
Seeing how he could not easily speak, Namgung Yurin realized her suspicion was correct.
“You’re thinking of leaving the family, aren’t you?”
“...If that is the only option.”
“What? You can’t!”
Namgung Hwan shouted, but Namgung Yuhyeon remained steady.
“How can I become a man who says one thing to his woman and does another? If I cannot persuade Grandfather, there is no other way.”
“Wasn’t that promise made before your eyes were healed?”
“My eyes being healed does not make my promise any lighter.”
On the contrary, now that his eyes were restored he had the confidence to live well even if he left the family.
He felt only gratitude toward Yuseong.
He then turned to Namgung Yurin.
“I’m sorry to you. You may end up carrying a heavy burden in my place.”
He knew his sister had no interest in becoming the family successor.
Even if he declared he was leaving, would Grandfather still oppose Juyeon?
It was impossible to know without trying, but if an alternative existed, Grandfather might refuse to bend.
The successor position would naturally fall to his sister.
Namgung Yurin shook her head.
“If it affects me, then this is my matter too. It is right that I step forward.”
He tried to persuade her several more times, but Namgung Yurin’s resolve was firm.
Namgung Yuhyeon could only say.
“...I understand. And thank you.”
The group headed outside to make their way to the training ground.
The sunset was already dyeing the sky. Soon the sun would set and darkness would fall.
Yuseong spoke to Namgung Hwan.
“I need to speak with Yurin for a moment. We’ll join you shortly.”
Namgung Hwan looked between Yuseong and Namgung Yurin, then nodded.
“Very well. We’ll go ahead.”
Namgung Hwan’s shoulders drooped as he walked toward the training ground with Namgung Yuhyeon.
As Yuseong headed toward the lodging, Namgung Yurin asked in confusion.
“Why are we going this way?”
“Before that… I think you’ll need to take off your clothes…”
The family head’s private training ground, now shrouded in darkness.
In the space illuminated by torches on all sides, five people had gathered.
The Sword King, the family head, Namgung Yuhyeon, Namgung Yurin, and Yuseong.
Yuseong had been permitted to attend on the grounds that he would need to provide healing if the sparring grew too fierce.
He had already overheard the raw, uncomfortable conversation that had made even Namgung Hwan uneasy.
Moreover, the Sword King—who was curious about Yuseong’s abilities—had not objected.
The two stood in the center of the training ground, maintaining distance.
With his sword lowered, the Sword King asked.
“Are you fully prepared?”
“Yes.”
With her face slightly flushed, Namgung Yurin felt Yuseong’s presence filling every corner of her body.
With this, I have a chance.
She raised her sword and assumed the opening stance of the Emperor’s Sword Form.