Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Father's Memento
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The history of the martial world spans thousands of years.
In all that history, no sect had held the title of 'Greatest Sect Under Heaven' for more than fifty years.
With but a single exception.
As if mocking the very history of the martial world, the Namgung Family had maintained its reputation as the 'Greatest Sect Under Heaven' for over a century.
And some would say.
That this prestige was certain to last for another hundred years.
Despite enduring countless challenges and attempts to undermine them, the Namgung Family stood unshaken.
Perhaps even the heavens grew envious.
The War of Orthodox and Demonic Factions began.
Overnight, the Kunlun Sect fell.
The Martial Alliance Leader, Moyong Gu, declared.
“Have no fear! If we can but capture the Heavenly Demon, victory will belong to the Orthodox Faction!”
And so, the Orthodox Faction united, vowing to crush the Demonic Cult in a single, decisive blow.
The plan proceeded smoothly.
But not for the Namgung Family.
The Grand Patriarch of the Namgung Family, the Sword Emperor Namgung Cheon—one of the Three Sovereigns—tragically fell at the hands of the Heavenly Demon.
But not before taking one of the Heavenly Demon's arms with him.
Fortunately, the Namgung Family still had Namgung Hyeok, the Family Head, to succeed the Sword Emperor.
“Go! Go now!”
Namgung Hyeok shouted at his younger brother, Namgung Yul, the commander of the Namgung Family's Azure Sky Sword Brigade.
“Damn bastards!”
The Namgung Family was collapsing in a brutal onslaught.
If the Murong Family and the Baekri Family had arrived as planned, the Sword Emperor would not have died, and the Namgung Family would not be facing near annihilation.
But the Murong Family—the family of the Martial Alliance Leader, Moyong Gu—and the Baekri Family, who had always been relegated to second place behind the Namgung in Anhui, were nowhere to be seen.
They had resolved to push the Namgung Family off a cliff.
They had deliberately orchestrated this situation to shatter the Namgung Family.
Namgung Hyeok shouted again.
“What are you doing! Go! If something happens to you too, the Namgung name could disappear forever! So, go now!”
“Brother! Then you must be the one to go!”
But Namgung Hyeok shook his head.
Namgung Yul knew as well.
The Namgung Family, on the brink of extinction, needed someone to lead them.
Namgung Hyeok believed Namgung Yul was the right person for that role.
Namgung Yul gritted his teeth.
So hard that they bled.
Hot tears streamed down Namgung Yul's face.
And so, Namgung Yul left.
No, he headed for the place where the Namgung had taken root.
“Namgung…!”
The Heavenly Demon, whose arm had been severed by the Sword Emperor, couldn't believe it.
His Blood Calamity Brigade was struggling against the Azure Sky Sword Brigade.
Were they truly this strong?
The enraged Heavenly Demon spoke.
“Today, the Namgung will perish beneath my fury.”
Namgung Hyeok met his fire with fire.
“Your fury will be cooled by your own blood.”
Without hesitation, Namgung Hyeok charged toward the Heavenly Demon.
Namgung Hyeok unleashed the ultimate technique of the Azure Sky Infinite Sword Art: the Emperor Sword Form.
The Emperor Sword Form.
A terrifying sword art that made its target feel as if time itself was slowing down.
A smirk.
“You think I'll fall for that again!”
The Heavenly Demon treated Namgung Hyeok like a mere fledgling.
But the Illusion Demon, one of the Demonic Cult's Demon Lords, had already died at Namgung Hyeok's hands. No one could have known. The fact that Namgung Hyeok's martial prowess rivaled that of the Sword Emperor.
The Heavenly Demon's eyes widened.
“You son of a bitch!”
The Heavenly Demon had never imagined that such a powerful Emperor Sword Form would ensnare him once more.
Immediately after, an azure sword energy flashed, appearing out of nowhere and striking toward the Heavenly Demon.
*Swish!*
“Kuhk.”
It was the Heavenly Demon's end.
However, the Sword Demon, another of the Demonic Cult's Demon Lords, was still alive, as were hundreds of demonic followers.
Driven mad by the unbelievable death of the Heavenly Demon, the demonic followers lost their minds.
Namgung Hyeok threw himself at the crazed demonic followers charging toward him.
***
The martial world was in an uproar.
Everyone celebrated the Orthodox Faction's great victory in the War of Orthodox and Demonic Factions.
Although the Kunlun Sect had been nearly wiped out, the Martial Alliance Leader's swift response had secured a major victory for the Orthodox Faction.
The Murong and Baekri Families made the absurd claim that they were the ones who had killed the Heavenly Demon and defeated his Blood Calamity Brigade.
Yet, many believed this lie. Those who knew the truth kept their mouths shut.
“Waaaaah!”
“Long live the Alliance Leader!”
Everyone cheered and shouted.
At that same moment, Namgung Yul returned to the family estate.
He brought with him news like a bolt from the blue. A story far different from the rumors circulating in the martial world.
For the Namgung Family, every day was hell.
A hellish pain followed them all.
The Namgung had fallen into the fires of hell.
There were no gleaming blades, no blood was shed.
But the screams and groans that echoed throughout the Namgung estate were enough to rival the War of Orthodox and Demonic Factions.
One day.
Another day.
And another.
Every day was the same.
The pain did not fade easily.
And so, one day.
And another.
As a month passed, the pain became deeply etched in their hearts.
It would remain a wound that would not heal even in death.
Just when it seemed forgotten, it would resurface.
But they had to endure.
For now, this unhealed wound would be what raised the Namgung back up, what made them stronger.
The estate grew quiet, and sorrow and pain took deep root in the land of the Namgung.
***
Namgung Hyeok's wife, Yeonhwa, entered the room of her son, Namgung Urin—the future master of the Namgung and the one who would lead them to reign over the martial world.
“These are your father's belongings. Keep what you wish.”
Namgung Urin's mother, Yeonhwa, left only Namgung Hyeok's mementos and departed from the room.
It was to give her son time.
Time to say his final farewell to his father.
“Father…”
Namgung Urin went through the belongings one by one, retracing old memories of his father.
The first thing that caught his eye among his father's possessions was a dagger he had cherished.
He had heard it was essential for traveling the martial world.
His father had said nothing was better than a dagger for gutting a wild animal you'd caught.
But then he remembered his father's words that a dagger was useless without salt.
For the first time in a long while, a smile touched Namgung Urin's lips.
Namgung Urin had always been a troublemaker, with a quirky personality that set him apart from others.
Despite that, his father had never once scolded him.
He always sought to make him understand, to soothe him.
This is wrong for this reason. That is wrong for that reason. But if your heart is steadfast, you can do anything.
It felt as if he could come running back at any moment. As if he would stroke his head and smile at him.
But that father was gone now.
The smile that had briefly appeared on Namgung Urin's face faded back into gloom.
“Sword Demon…”
His uncle had told him.
That his father had met his end at the hands of the Demonic Cult's Sword Demon. Of course, he'd also said his father wouldn't have returned alive anyway.
He had already lost too much blood, and his body was covered in sword wounds.
Still, Namgung Urin vowed revenge against the Sword Demon.
*Shing.*
He drew the dagger.
“Father. With this dagger you left me, I will end the Sword Demon's life.”
So, Sword Demon, you'd better not die. Wait for me. Until the day I find you.
And grow stronger.
So strong that it would be a maddening waste to kill you.
Only then will the joy of my revenge be doubled.
Namgung Urin sheathed the drawn dagger and once again looked carefully through the items his father had left behind.
In truth, there were only a few items among his father's belongings.
A single dagger and a few martial arts manuals.
The manuals were all from the Namgung Family. Ones Namgung Urin already knew.
“This is…”
A single manual lay at the very bottom. This, too, was a book that brought back memories of his father.
It was about three years ago.
‘Father. What is the strongest martial art in the world?’
‘Hahaha. You rascal. You already know, don't you? That there is no high or low in martial arts.’
‘I know that's what people say, but it's not the truth. Isn't it natural to become stronger by learning a superior martial art?’
‘Haha. That is true. My son already knows how to face reality, does he?’
‘So please tell me. Which martial art in the world is the most profound?’
‘Hahaha. Alright, I understand. Let's see. Which one is the most profound? Hmm… the Three Talents Sword Art?’
‘Father!’
‘Puhahaha. Alright, you little scamp. But keep this in mind. A gap certainly exists between a third-rate martial art and a superior one. However, that gap can be sufficiently narrowed by the talent and effort of the one who learns it. Take our family, for example. Not everyone who learns the Azure Sky Infinite Sword Art becomes as strong as your grandfather, do they?’
‘That's true. I'll take your words to heart, Father.’
‘Hahaha. What a good son. But, you know. There is a truly powerful martial art.’
‘What art is that?’
‘It's called the Primordial Chaos Art. It was discovered two hundred years ago, and I hear it caused a storm of blood to sweep through the martial world. But here's the thing. No one has ever actually mastered it.’
‘Wow. Then it's worse than the Three Talents Sword Art.’
‘That's right.’
‘But I still want to see it. What kind of martial art is it that no one could learn?’
‘It's a martial art possible only in the human imagination. Shall I show you?’
‘Yes? Really? You have it, Father?’
‘Of course.’
‘Then show me!’
‘Hahaha. You're so impatient. You're still too young. I'll show it to you when you turn thirteen.’
‘Hmph.’
‘Puhahahaha.’
The memory was still vivid.
The loving gaze in his father's eyes, his warm smile, and his hearty laughter.
“Father. I am thirteen years old now. Is this why you're showing me this Primordial Chaos Art?”
There was no chance of a reply.
He felt a surge of emotion for no reason.
Because of the memories his father had left behind.
Because of the father who had gone to a place from which he could never return.
Namgung Urin took out the Primordial Chaos Art and placed it on the table.
“Why couldn't anyone master it?”
Because it was a martial art of the imagination?
If you imagine and dream, won't it one day come true?
That's what Namgung Urin had been taught.
To never give up.
That you could only overcome a wall by constantly challenging and confronting it.
Perhaps that was why Namgung Urin had always undertaken reckless challenges and stirred up trouble since he was young.
There was a madness to Namgung Urin.
It was a source of concern for those around him.
They worried if someone like him could truly lead the Namgung Family in the future.
Wondering if he would grow up to be a madman.
That part of Namgung Urin's personality hadn't gone anywhere.
“What do you mean, it can't be done? If it can't be done, you make it possible.”
‘Hahahaha. That's right! My son is magnificent.’
It was as if his father was laughing from the high, high heavens.
As if saying, ‘Yes, give it a try.’
Namgung Urin opened the first page of the martial arts manual called the Primordial Chaos Art.
In that instant.
*Flash!*
Suddenly, it was as if his vision was burned completely white.
It was for a fleeting moment.
The blink of an eye.
“What was that?”
Namgung Urin blinked his eyes.
To check if there was something wrong with them.
But there was nothing wrong with his eyes.
It was nothing.
So, Namgung Urin turned his gaze back to the Primordial Chaos Art.
“Wh-what.”
What in the world was happening?
The characters that had densely filled the manual had vanished as if by magic.
All that remained was blank white paper.
It was truly a bewildering sight, enough to make a ghost weep.