Chapter 62
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: What Shall We Do?
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“What should we do?”
As Jeon-ga Su-beom let out a long sigh and asked, Yi Hak-seong, who had been standing by the window looking down below, grinned.
“What should we do?”
“There are so many suspicious things about him.”
“So? Shall we detain him and interrogate?”
“We can’t do that. The Imperial Tutor and the Sword King are involved... And within the Alliance, he’s suddenly the center of attention, isn’t he? He’s being hailed as the epitome of righteousness, the highest value in the orthodox martial world. It’d bring more harm than good.”
Yi Hak-seong, who had been smiling faintly, brushed his white beard as Jeon-ga Su-beom shook his head with a bitter expression, and gazed down at the pavilion below.
Yu Hyun, who had just stepped out of the pavilion, was asking the Azure Dragon Squad waiting outside and heading somewhere.
Judging by the direction, it was toward the medical quarters where Nangong Seong was receiving treatment.
Watching quietly, his gait was so irregular and off-balance that it didn’t even seem like he practiced martial arts, let alone exercised. It immediately caught the eye.
Yi Hak-seong fixed his gaze on him for a while, lost in thought.
No matter how he looked at it, it was utterly bizarre.
He stood calmly against the overwhelming pressure of his own presence, looking no different from an ordinary person...
And not only that—the movement when he attacked Jeon-ga Su-beom to make him understand the situation was anything but sloppy.
If it hadn’t been, would he have been caught off guard and stepped in himself?
“Truly a mysterious fellow. I can hardly sense any internal energy from him...”
“Pardon?”
“Didn’t you feel it?”
“Ah, I thought maybe he’s cultivated a concealment art...”
“Nonsense.”
Yi Hak-seong shook his head firmly.
“Even if he’s hiding his internal energy with a concealment technique, he couldn’t have evaded my senses in the same space.”
“......”
“That kid’s dantian is empty.”
“Pardon? You mean he has no internal energy?”
“No, he has internal energy. When I blocked that kid’s attack aimed at you, there was a slight rebound.”
Jeon-ga Su-beom tilted his head in confusion at Yi Hak-seong’s words.
“It must be a heart method that uses somewhere other than the dantian.”
“Pardon? Then does that mean the kid has learned a demonic path heart method?”
“Haha, my friend. Just because it doesn’t use the dantian doesn’t make it demonic. We shouldn’t dismiss it as such simply because it deviates from the established norms.”
“......My apologies.”
Realizing his mistake at the gentle rebuke, Jeon-ga Su-beom bowed his head.
He was right.
Ordinary people are not tolerant of things that deviate from standards.
Wrong, incorrect—they act as if living strictly within predefined laws is the only right way.
Even in the martial world, don’t they force their children and disciples to conform to those standards?
“It was a qi I’d never felt before, but it wasn’t insidious. It’s neither orthodox or demonic arts.”
“Is that so?”
“However, confirmation is necessary, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
Leaving Jeon-ga Su-beom, who bowed politely once more in response, Yi Hak-seong pondered for a moment.
What did the Sword King and Water Dragon King see in that kid? They wouldn’t take interest without reason...
“Su-beom.”
“Yes, Alliance Lord.”
“How about keeping him close instead?”
“Pardon?”
“Didn’t you say that the more suspicious someone is, the less you keep them at a distance and more by your side?”
“......”
“In my opinion, he might even be helpful for that plan you’re working on.”
At Yi Hak-seong’s words, Jeon-ga Su-beom stared silently at his desk.
A single document lay neatly there, titled the Latent Dragon Stratagem.
Jeon-ga Su-beom was pushing forward a plan to gather latent dragons from various places and form a single warrior unit.
But the process was more difficult than expected.
Most of those considered latent dragons were blood kin of their clans or core forces among the prime disciples.
Who would send key figures like young clan heirs to the Justice Alliance?
Despite all persuasion and coaxing, the only member secured so far was Gye Du-sin, the youngest disciple of the Beggars’ Sect Leader.
“Think about it. Nangong Seong, who consistently refused despite your earnest requests, suddenly came to the Justice Alliance.”
“......”
“Of course, clan ties can’t be ignored, but sending out the young clan heir—is that an easy decision?”
“Indeed.”
“I don’t know the full details, but I suspect it’s because of Yu Hyun.”
“......”
“I heard from the Divine Physician that Nangong Seong might have transcended the sublime realm.”
“Yes. Apparently with the Water Dragon King’s help.”
“Right. But suppose that’s packaged as Yu Hyun’s achievement?”
“Pardon?”
“Isn’t it great? A young warrior who single-handedly faced the Black Sublime Village to save people, met privately with the Water Dragon King and returned alive. From a renowned clan, friends with the Sword King, and handsome to boot—nothing lacking. Add one more rumor: Nangong Seong, who was with Yu Hyun, reached the transcendent realm...”
“Alliance Lord! Surely not?”
“It’s not exactly a lie, is it?”
“......”
“We’re just stating facts.”
Jeon-ga Su-beom looked at Yi Hak-seong, who smiled softly, and soon wore a sly expression.
“Truly, Alliance Lord, you’re no ordinary man.”
“My friend, you’re my teacher. Even if I can’t match the Blue Horizon Insight, I have to get close.”
“Anyone hearing would think I’m the con artist.”
“I’m just tossing the seed. You devise the details.”
“Indeed. The villain role has always been mine... If things go wrong, I’ll take all the blame.”
“You... Haha!”
Yi Hak-seong, who had been looking out the window, burst into hearty laughter, waved his hand dismissively, and left the office.
Left alone, Jeon-ga Su-beom stared blankly at the paper on the table.
“Keep him close and use him while observing...”
It was certainly one of the basic arts of employing talent.
Especially in this situation where even one was sorely needed.
Dismissing someone usable just because of suspicion was blatant incompetence. It ultimately came down to how to use them.
“Is anyone outside?”
“Yes, Grand Strategist.”
“Summon Little Beggar Dragon Gye Du-sin immediately.”
“Yes!”
A resounding reply was followed by the sound of footsteps rushing down the stairs.
The young dragon of the Beggars’ Sect, who maintained close ties with the later generation disciples through his warm and affable nature.
He and Nangong Seong were close, so he could observe without raising much suspicion.
* * *
“What a sight...”
“......?”
Nangong Seong, who had barely risen and was drinking the medicinal broth brought by the physician, whipped his head around at the familiar voice.
Leaning crookedly against the doorframe with arms crossed, staring at him—it was Yu Hyun.
Upon waking, he’d heard that Yu Hyun had been taken by the Water Dragon King but safely entered the Justice Alliance. How relieved he’d been?
“Uncle!”
“Tsk tsk, what a mess. Couldn’t overcome a bit of anger and nearly fell into qi deviation?”
At the joyful cry, Yu Hyun approached with furrowed brows and unleashed a mix of irritation and scolding.
“Th-that was...”
“Idiot. How can you claim enlightenment through another’s help when it should be self-realized?”
“......My apologies.”
“You’re still a long way off.”
“My apologies.”
Under the continued scolding, Nangong Seong cast his eyes down with a sullen expression.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes. Well...”
“Then why the long face?”
“......”
“Dolt.”
Yu Hyun lightly smacked the head of Nangong Seong, who kept his gaze down and mumbled.
“What did I tell you? The Seven Emotions must never tilt toward one side, I said it countless times.”
“But back then...”
“Excuses?”
“......No.”
“Feeling anger too intensely caused the backlash. In that situation, you should have neutralized joy and sorrow and released the excess force from your body.”
“But Uncle, it wasn’t as easy as it sounds.”
“Tsk tsk. Still making excuses after messing up?”
“But I did manifest qi...”
“Qi my foot. Who said that was qi?”
“......”
“Is qi some child’s play?”
“Isn’t it? According to the distinctions of 충, 현, 탄, 의, 강...”
Smack!
“Ugh!”
Yu Hyun, who had been listening, struck Nangong Seong’s head hard.
“......What’s that to a patient?”
“......”
It hurt more than expected, so Nangong Seong bristled with annoyance.
Of course, not loudly.
“Gonna sass your uncle when you’re about to burst?”
“No, that’s not...”
But seeing the fist slightly raised, Nangong Seong promptly shut his mouth.
“Seong. Listen well.”
“......”
“The transcendent realm isn’t what you think it is.”
“Pardon?”
“What pardon? Didn’t the Sword King tell you anything?”
“Not really... He only taught what was needed.”
“Tsk tsk, that elder is quite indifferent to his juniors’ futures. He could explain at least a bit.”
Yu Hyun clicked his tongue and shook his head.
Well, it wasn’t entirely incomprehensible.
Knowing in advance could poison growth.
Hadn’t he himself only learned the applications from his masters after personally attaining it?
But... Nangong Seong now fully qualified to learn. He’d already tasted it.
“Seong. The transcendent realm isn’t the next stage after 충, 현, 탄, 의 as people say.”
“......”
“From the moment you reach transcendent, martial arts flow in a completely different direction. The framework changes from usage and application onward? Those who haven’t reached it can’t even explain.”
“......”
Nangong Seong, listening quietly, tilted his head curiously.
If those who haven’t reached it can’t explain, how does he know?
In truth, Nangong Seong still didn’t know Yu Hyun’s exact realm. As unpredictable as his personality, impossible to pin down?
He’d always been puzzled.
Setting aside the insane talent to replicate Nangong Clan arts after seeing once...
Despite seeming not to cultivate internal energy, the absurd skill that easily defeated him, the source of power that shattered even his full-force transcendent qi—what on earth was it?
Utterly incomprehensible.
Clearly, he’d cultivated something other than internal energy. Vaguely, Yu Hyun might have reached transcendent.
But recalling fainting to his Exploding Thunder in Anpyeong, even if transcendent, it must be recent. Why speak like a veteran who’d experienced it long ago?
What exactly was his younger uncle hiding?
Countless questions arose, but Nangong Seong decided to open his ears wide and focus on Yu Hyun’s words.
Nothing he said had ever been wrong.
Everything he said became enlightenment for Nangong Seong.
“Your current state is very ambiguous. Neither true transcendent nor sublime—an incomplete condition? Like standing on a thin thread connecting two realms.”
“Hmm...”
“So don’t use it yet. Refine and polish it first. Only then can you wield it. Since the enlightenment stemmed from anger, mishandling it could plunge you into demonic influence again.”
“Yes......”
Nangong Seong nodded, grasping it somewhat, if not perfectly.
“Anyway, from now on, harbor no anger, only joy. Smile and smile more. Absolutely no fury. Got it?”
“Understood.”
“......”
Deciding to follow orders, Nangong Seong nodded solemnly, and Yu Hyun stared at him intently.
“Why?”
“Why? Didn’t you hear me?”
“Pardon?”
“Smile.”
“......”
“Always smile. Until the power from the two emotions balances evenly. ...What are you doing? I said smile.”
“How do I smile like that out of nowhere? Nothing to be happy about...”
“Crazy talk. Never heard that you smile to become happy, not happy to smile?”
“Who spouts such nonsense?”
“Hey! Anger again!”
“......”
“Smile, from now on. Even if forced. Got it?”
“......Yes. Ah, haha. Hahaha.”
As Nangong Seong forced an awkward laugh, Yu Hyun nodded in satisfaction.
It was then.
“Hey, Seong! Are you alright?”
A guest arrived for the two.
The person Yu Hyun desperately wanted to meet.
The man later called one of the Righteous Six Saints, the absolute master known as Beggars’ Sect Drunken Fire in the sect, and to Yu Hyun, his master called “that old fart”—Gye Du-sin......