Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Namgung So-yeon and the Black Moon Sword (11)
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So-yeon entered the mountain path, riding in Jin Ong’s carriage.
Though the carriage had few guards, Jin Ong didn’t seem particularly worried.
“The Namgung Clan’s main estate is not far from here, so we shouldn’t encounter any bandits. Please, rest easy.”
“Ahaha, yes.”
No matter how she looked at it, Jin Ong wasn’t treating her like a guard but rather like an honored guest. It was all so peculiar.
A thought even crossed her mind.
‘Did he find out I’m from the Namgung Clan?’
But she couldn’t be sure, so she decided not to bring it up first.
‘No, that can’t be it. I’ll just assume he’s a man of good character.’
So-yeon was quick to arrive at a comfortable conclusion.
Having been raised as the cherished daughter of a wealthy family her entire life, she was completely unaware that her every minor action screamed of a privileged upbringing.
From carrying only silver and gold coins to her impeccably maintained appearance—far too pristine for a martial artist wandering the rugged Central Plains.
Furthermore, for a young female martial artist, her conduct was exceptionally polite. Anyone with a modicum of perception would have noticed.
Her every action announced that she was the child of a noble house.
In reality, most female martial artists were unable to maintain their appearance and were often not particularly striking. The majority had quirky or sharp personalities.
This was because acting politely and gently in the harsh and unforgiving world of martial arts could easily lead to being looked down upon, so they naturally adopted fierce words and actions.
Thus, a change of clothes and some minor behavioral adjustments were not nearly enough to hide So-yeon’s origins.
‘I must serve her well and make a good impression. No matter what…!’
Jin Ong of the Red Heaven Merchant Guild had good instincts.
If his perception had been merely average, he might have missed this opportunity, never bothering to form a connection with So-yeon.
But he was a man with a supernatural talent for sniffing out money; there was no way he would let such a precious chance slip by.
As Jin Ong and So-yeon were each lost in their own thoughts while crossing the mountain path…
*Clatter.*
The carriage came to a sudden halt with a violent jolt.
Caught off guard, So-yeon slammed her head against the carriage wall.
“Oof…”
She let out a small groan of pain, rubbing the back of her sore head.
Seeing this, Jin Ong shouted in an irritated voice.
“What’s going on?!”
Just then, a coarse, menacing male voice yelled from outside the carriage.
“Halt!!”
The thunderous shout, like a crack of lightning, made Jin Ong realize something was seriously wrong.
‘What? Bandits? But the Namgung Clan’s main estate should be nearby, right?’
He hurriedly stepped out of the carriage to assess the situation.
What greeted Jin Ong was a horde of bandits dressed in dirty, crude clothing.
Facing them, his mind began to race.
‘What? Are they really bandits? Here?’
It made no sense.
‘This is the domain of the Namgung Clan, one of the Five Great Clans Under Heaven. How can bandits be so brazenly robbing people here?’
Any group that attempted such a reckless act against a merchant guild’s carriage would have been swiftly subjugated by the Namgung Clan’s warriors.
It was a situation he could not comprehend.
He wondered if they were novices who had just set up camp in the mountains, but a quick glance suggested otherwise.
They all had the classic appearance of seasoned bandits, and their eyes were as ferocious as those of wild animals.
‘This is bad…!’
To think that something like this would happen less than a day into escorting the scion of a powerful clan through the mountains.
But he wasn’t overly concerned.
‘The guild’s guards are all first-rate martial artists. They should be able to handle this.’
To an ordinary person, even a first-rate martial artist was a considerable expert.
In their eyes, the sword of a first-rate warrior was like a flash of lightning.
Of course, there were higher realms of mastery, like the superlative or the transcendent, but such peerless masters were exceptionally rare and seldom encountered.
He couldn't imagine two first-rate warriors being unable to handle a bunch of ruffians who did nothing but rob people in the mountains.
The two men in red martial arts uniforms, who had been in the driver’s seat, disembarked with grim expressions and immediately drew their weapons.
*Shing.*
Seeing this, the bandits scoffed and jeered.
“Ha! Have these bastards lost their minds?!”
“Do you dare stand against our Jeokbu Bandits? Hahahaha!”
The bandits brandished their rough, rusty weapons, advancing menacingly.
As the guild’s guards and the bandits engaged in a tense standoff, Namgung So-yeon emerged from the carriage and spoke.
“I will help too!”
“Pardon?”
“I came along as a guard, so it is only right that I face the bandits with them!”
She drew forth a blue aura from her Black Moon Sword and strode forward, full of spirit.
Jin Ong hesitated for a moment before nodding in response.
“I am simply grateful that the young lady has stepped forward so bravely. Please, I ask you to defeat these wretched thieves!”
Would a master-level warrior fall to mere bandits?
Truthfully, he hadn't been completely at ease with just two first-rate warriors, so he thought this was for the best.
Naturally, the bandits saw So-yeon’s sword energy and hesitated to advance recklessly.
To a martial artist who couldn't wield internal energy, a master was an immense threat.
The very power of their weapon was different, their movements faster and more ferocious. How could they dare to face her?
Sensing the tide turning in her favor, So-yeon smiled faintly and slowly advanced.
The bandits mirrored her movements, slowly backing away.
Seeing them, So-yeon thought to herself.
‘Hmph, so my skills are this effective out in the world? I was worried for nothing.’
The Demonic Sword also saw the bandits and sighed.
[They’re nothing but small fry. This won’t be any fun at all.]
Just then.
Another group of bandits appeared behind So-yeon and the merchant guild’s carriage, cutting off their escape.
“What…?!”
Suddenly surrounded, she looked around frantically with a bewildered expression.
*Thud. Thud.*
At that moment of heightened tension, a particularly burly man walked slowly through the crowd of bandits.
“Hoh, your beauty surpasses the rumors. You are truly worthy of being called Cheonghwa.”
So-yeon turned her head toward the voice.
There stood a massive man, heavily built with both fat and muscle, a great axe resting on his shoulder as he grinned.
“To think that information was true. They say life is full of twists and turns, and it seems they were right. I never thought an opportunity like this would come.”
Seeing his presence, So-yeon couldn’t help but be astonished.
He possessed a level of skill that was by no means inferior to her own.
‘How can a mere bandit possess such power…?!’
The guild’s guards also looked quite flustered.
So-yeon intensified her sword energy and threatened them.
“How dare you… Do you think you’ll get away with this?!”
Normally, she would have said, “Do you think you’ll get away with touching a member of the Namgung Clan?” but since she was hiding her identity, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
Seeing So-yeon’s fierce sword energy, the man with the great axe on his shoulder, Jeokbu Bandit Chief Im Jeok-san, laughed heartily.
“Hahahahaha! I heard you haven’t even come of age yet, but to handle sword energy of that caliber. You truly are the daughter of the Namgung Clan.”
At the mention of the name Namgung, So-yeon, Jin Ong, and the guards were all greatly shocked.
“Namgung?”
‘Wait, why is Namgung being brought up here?’
Jin Ong was the most surprised of all. He had expected her to be the child of a prominent clan, but he had never imagined she was a member of the Namgung Clan, considered the greatest of the Five Great Clans Under Heaven.
‘Wait, why would a daughter of the Namgung Clan leave Anhui alone, without any guards?! What is this…?’
So utterly confused, Jin Ong could only stand there, opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish, unable to utter a word.
So-yeon, on the other hand, scowled fiercely and shouted.
“You know I am a member of the Namgung Clan, and you still dare to block my path?!”
“My, my. As the saying goes, ‘To catch the tiger’s daughter, one must enter the tiger’s den.’”
Having resolved the previous night to use this exact phrase, Im Jeok-san, who had practiced late into the night, spoke each word clearly.
“Just as you cannot get the tiger’s daughter without entering the tiger’s den, how could I obtain the daughter of the Namgung Clan outside their territory?!”
As he finished speaking, Im Jeok-san’s face was colored with ecstasy.
He had managed to say the entire line he had practiced dozens of times alone late last night without stumbling once.
He subtly shifted his gaze to his subordinates.
He was hoping to see them looking at him with admiration.
Unfortunately, few of them understood what he had said, and they were merely staring at him with bewildered expressions, as if to ask what he meant.
What would bandits know of such things, anyway?
Even his vice-chief, who usually played along, was just staring at So-yeon with an impassive face, making Im Jeok-san feel even more awkward.
‘Tsk, it’s not “to catch the tiger’s daughter” but “to catch the tiger’s cub,” you idiot. Why does he keep trying to use phrases he doesn’t even know properly…?’
The vice-chief clicked his tongue internally, cursing his leader.
Oblivious to this, Im Jeok-san just cleared his throat exaggeratedly.
“Ahem, ahem! Anyway, Namgung So-yeon! You’d best throw down your weapon and follow me quietly!”
Even hearing Im Jeok-san’s threat, So-yeon showed no signs of backing down.
“You fool! Why would I listen to a lawless bandit?!”
“So you insist on seeing blood!”
As Im Jeok-san channeled energy into his axe, So-yeon charged forward first.
“You wicked thief! Take my sword!”
She rushed at the bandits, her anger at its peak.
*Swiiiiish!*
Her blue sword energy cut through the group of bandits, scattering crimson blood.
“Kuaaargh!”
“Aaaargh!”
Screams erupted from all sides, but a closer look revealed that all the victims were mere grunts.
The more skilled, executive-level bandits had all dodged, and Im Jeok-san, who was at the very front, had blocked the attack without a single scratch.
“Hmph! An attack like this is nothing! What’s done is done!! It’s no use begging for forgiveness now! The water is already spilled!”
The moment Im Jeok-san swung his axe to attack, the vice-chief beside him swung his sword as well, thinking to himself.
‘Dammit, it’s “spilled water can’t be returned to the basin,” you moron. Why do you keep getting one word wrong? I wish you’d just shut up and fight, but that blasted mouth of yours shows no sign of closing!’
And so, the battle between the bandits and Namgung So-yeon began.
Meanwhile, there were others watching them from the shadows.
It was Namgung Yeol and the clan warriors who followed him.
Namgung Yeol watched the situation sharply, waiting for the right moment.
‘These are clearly enemies So-yeon cannot handle alone. If I step in to save her when she’s in danger, she’ll be scared enough to want to come home. This is all for your own good, so don’t blame your brother too much.’
He knew that his strong-willed sister would never bend unless she experienced a crisis firsthand, which was why he had resorted to such drastic measures.
Of course, he could have just overpowered her from the start and brought her back, but that would only create more defiance.
It would be meaningless unless she realized it herself. Namgung Yeol hoped that this incident would finally break So-yeon’s stubbornness.
‘I hope this opportunity teaches you that life is tough once you leave home, little sister.’
Thus, within the dense forest, Namgung Yeol and his warriors waited, their sharp blades hidden in the darkness.