Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: The Perfect Reward
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Chief Steward Geum Gwangmo followed along with the tea and asked,
"So, what kind of reward do you plan to give him?"
Namgung Jangcheon stared blankly at his teacup before speaking.
"Aside from spirit pills and manuals, what else could we give that kid?"
"Hmm... That's tricky. Even if we gave him a fine sword or clothes, I doubt he'd be thrilled."
"Right. He already has more than enough, so he probably wouldn't appreciate it much. It's a bit ambiguous as a reward."
Martial artists, manuals, weapons.
The three things overflowing in the Namgung family.
With Namgung Hyeok's status, he could obtain all the weapons and manuals he wanted.
He had already accessed the Heavenly Sky Martial Vault and even entered the Emperor's Pavilion.
For Namgung Hyeok, who called the Soaring Dragon Sword and Eternal Autumn Divine Sword mere scraps of metal, no ordinary weapon would catch his eye.
"What about your son?"
Geum Gwangmo looked up.
"My son, you say?"
"Yes, what do you give your son when he does something commendable? Things he wants or would be happy to receive."
"Family Head, the last time my son did something commendable was when he was seven."
"Ahem."
Namgung Jangcheon subtly gazed off at the distant mountains.
Geum Gwangmo chuckled lightly.
"But I do know what that rascal likes."
"Oh? What's that?"
"Money."
"Huh? Money?"
"Give him money, and he handles things himself. It's convenient for both of us."
Money?
Namgung Jangcheon's mind flashed to the image of Namgung Hyeok beaming happily as he received his allowance.
"Would that work?"
"In the Young Master's case, it's a bit different, so we should still make a proper show of it."
Namgung Jangcheon nodded at Geum Gwangmo's words.
"I'll have to think on that. Ahem! We'll discuss it with Hyeok later."
He composed his expression and quietly asked,
"What do you think of Hyeok?"
"He's simply astonishing."
Geum Gwangmo had watched Namgung Hyeok from the moment he was born until now, but this incident truly shocked him.
No, it went beyond mere surprise—it was a shock.
"It's not something you can describe as just having exceptional talent."
"Indeed."
"A complete novice who didn't know a single stance or form defeated none other than Sword Tiger Namgung Jeong in just a month. I've spent decades in the martial world, but I've never seen anything like it."
"...It's not something even found in the history of the martial world."
"Even the Heavenly Wind Squad warriors couldn't have beaten Young Master Namgung Jeong that way."
Heavenly Wind Squad warriors could hold their own against the top experts of mid-sized sects.
Yet Namgung Hyeok, who had been struggling with this until recently, had accomplished what even those experts would find difficult.
It was nothing short of a miracle.
"When the Second Young Master proposed the spar, my honest feeling was that I wanted to grab him by the collar and stop him."
"It was quite sudden."
"But seeing the results, I understood why the Second Young Master was so eager for the match."
Geum Gwangmo continued.
"He must have been completely confident. It's impossible without absolute certainty in his martial arts. The boldness and composure to personally go to the elders' hall and request a spar are even more astonishing than the martial prowess itself."
"Heh heh hem!"
"I don't even know how to put it into words. I thought he couldn't even walk properly, yet here he is running, flying, and swinging a sword... He must have hidden it that well. It's mind-blowing."
"Heh hem! Hem hem! People usually call that a genius."
Geum Gwangmo grinned at Namgung Jangcheon's words.
"Yes, exactly. He's definitely a genius."
Twitch twitch.
The corners of Namgung Jangcheon's mouth twitched up and down.
He gulped down his tea and murmured lowly.
"This isn't just me saying it because he's my son. His martial talent is immense. Even if he weren't my blood, I'd have taken him as a disciple."
"I know."
"That's how extraordinary his talent is. It's impossible without being a genius. Isn't it?"
"Yes."
"This isn't because he's really my son..."
"Yes."
"It's not just because he's truly my son..."
"Family Head."
"Yes?"
"...Know when to stop."
"......"
Namgung Jangcheon awkwardly drained his tea.
"Ahem! In any case, it seems Hyeok was far stronger than we thought."
Geum Gwangmo nodded.
"Now you can finally relax."
Namgung Jangcheon's biggest worry had been Namgung Hyeok.
Living on medicine since childhood, bones breaking at the slightest thing—which parent wouldn't worry?
The Family Head's bloodline, unable to cultivate martial arts.
They might fear him to his face, but behind his back, the talk was inevitable.
That festering resentment had erupted in this elders' meeting.
Namgung Hyeok had turned the situation around—where even Namgung Jangcheon's position was at risk—with his own power.
By achieving the impossible, Namgung Hyeok had proven his true worth.
"If we can just cure the Nine Yin Blocked Meridians, what does one worry matter? We could let go of ten."
"He's improving, isn't he? No need to worry."
"Ahem, if I could, I'd fetch a Great Reversion Pill from Shaolin. He seems concerned about it too..."
"That's..."
"I know. It's nearly impossible."
Namgung Jangcheon wore a bitter expression.
"Most were lost during the Demonic Blood Tribulation, so what can we do? Even after sixty years, we haven't recovered those secret arts."
"...There will be another way."
"It won't work."
Geum Gwangmo tilted his head.
Namgung Jangcheon veined his neck.
"I've thought of something. We need to feed him."
"Feed him what, sir?"
"Procure every spirit elixir we can get and stuff him until he bursts. That way, my mind will be at ease. And if it helps his martial arts, even better!"
Geum Gwangmo smiled faintly at Namgung Jangcheon's words.
"I'll get the finest quality."
Namgung Jangcheon smiled contentedly at Geum Gwangmo's response.
Now, at last, he could give Namgung Hyeok spirit pills without anyone batting an eye.
Namgung Jangcheon sipped his tea while gazing out the window.
"Good."
* * *
"Kyaaah! Sooo good!"
Namgung Hyeok cheered at the sweet liquor sliding down his throat.
It went down smoothly, filling his mouth with sweetness before ending refreshingly.
Glug glug glug!
Namgung Hyeok kept tilting the bottle.
He drained the full cup in one long swig and marveled once more.
"Kraaah! This is the taste!"
As expected, premium liquor was different even going down the throat!
Namgung Hyeok spun two bottles in his hands like tops. The spinning bottles bowed toward the bowl.
Splash splash splash!
Grain wine and fruit wine mixed, filling the bowl.
He poured in the premium liquor he'd just drunk and stirred it round and round.
Plip!
He dipped his pinky in for a taste—perfect.
Gulp gulp!
Namgung Hyeok grinned as he ladled and chugged from the cup.
Slurp slurp slurp!
'Filling and sticky, just right.'
The liquor aroma enveloped his tongue in rich layers.
It softly wrapped his tongue, then hit hard at the throat before sinking heavily downward.
"Kuh, this is the golden ratio!"
How long had it been since he last had a proper golden ratio brew!
As the golden ratio liquor slid down his throat, Namgung Hyeok felt a touch moved.
He happily emptied cup after cup.
'After all that bullshit, I deserve at least this much!'
It was his own little celebration.
Now the Namgung family is mine.
'...Well, it's the Family Head's, but isn't the Family Head's mine too?'
Strictly speaking, Namgung Hyeok was Namgung blood, the Family Head's direct line.
Taking what he deserved wasn't so bad.
'After getting this old and scrapping with that hot-blooded punk, can't I get a few spirit pills?'
Jeez.
The Sword King's glaring face from underground faintly appeared, but Namgung Hyeok ignored it.
'If you're pissed, get reborn.'
Be content that he created peace in the Namgung family.
Namgung Hyeok roughly sorted the situation.
'For now, with the Family Head's position secure, I won't have to worry about spirit pills running out for a while.'
The most critical issue was resolved.
With his lifeline of spirit pills secured, one major worry vanished.
'Now, if I can just fix this body...'
Cure the Nine Yin Blocked Meridians and reinforce this porcelain body, and he'd run smoothly like a red-maned steed on the plains.
Perfect, perfect.
Gulp gulp!
Liquor flows in. Glug glug glug!
"Kruuuh! Great liquor taste!"
The snacks were top-notch too.
Namgung Hyeok wiped his mouth contentedly and smiled.
Recalling his Poison Fiend days, his current state wasn't great.
But just because it wasn't good now didn't mean it would stay that way.
"My body will get better, and my internal energy will build."
Using his past experiences, insights, and knowledge to grow stronger.
Namgung Hyeok chuckled.
"Compared to a month ago, my flesh is much improved, internal energy keeps accumulating, so now I just need a steady supply of elixirs."
Perfect, perfect.
It felt like something pent up inside for a month had burst open.
Gulp gulp!
Namgung Hyeok drained another cup happily and laughed.
"Kya, I'm sturdy now, sturdy! Chugging like this and still fine!"
Just a few weeks ago, one or two cups would knock him out—now this was tremendous progress.
A chick had become a phoenix.
And his body?
From worse than a mangy mutt, now flesh was filling out, muscles taking shape.
His dantian, once devoid of any internal energy, now held the world's purest Heavenly Sky Bright King Art.
All in just one month.
And this was merely the beginning.
"Curing the Nine Yin Blocked Meridians? Piece of cake."
His good mood led to more types of liquor mixed in.
Starting with three kinds, now seven.
Thus, the Seven-Colored Chaos Brew was complete.
Namgung Hyeok swallowed hard, then quickly downed more.
Thud!
He set down the cup and grinned.
"In any case, with the Namgung family's support, I can focus solely on martial arts and grow faster than before."
Then he could face those damn immortals again.
You bastards!
He'd make them pay for turning him into this!
Thinking of those arrogant immortal faces chilled his blood.
The air around him even seemed to freeze.
"...No. It's not just my mood—it's actually getting cold?"
Hmm, drunk?
Nah, his mind was so clear he could see ants crawling on the tavern floor.
As he smirked, his eyes caught his hand gripping the cup.
"...Huh?"
Weird.
Why is my hand purple?
Haha, really drunk?
"......"
But no matter how he blinked, the color didn't change.
"...N-No way?"
No, it couldn't be?
Hold on.
"W-What's going on with this?"
Namgung Hyeok's pupils shook like there was an earthquake.
He slammed down the cup like it burned him and sat cross-legged.
No way, right?
No?
Namgung Hyeok hurriedly began circulating his energy.
He examined the nine blocked points near his heart—the root of the Nine Yin Blocked Meridians.
The fiercely rising energy of the Heavenly Sky Bright King Art seeped slowly into the gaps of the Nine Yin Blocked Meridians.
After a long inspection, Namgung Hyeok's eyebrows twitched.
"Why... is this..."
A bewildered voice escaped his lips.
"W-Why is it blocked again? This is insane!"
No matter how many times he checked, it was the same.
The gaps had clearly narrowed compared to before. Not fully blocked yet, but at this rate, one point would seal shut soon.
"...Fuck, what the hell? When did I even open that pea-sized point?"
Not even a month ago! And it's closing?
I thought it'd hold for at least four months?
"What kind of body is this?"
No! No, this isn't the time.
In a panic, Namgung Hyeok bolted from the tavern and sprinted full speed toward the Namgung family estate.
"You damn immortal bastards! I'll get to you no matter what it takes!"
Namgung Hyeok's eyes blazed with fire.