Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Like a Beggar
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Namgung Urin lightly leaped over the high walls of the Namgung estate. He walked slowly, enjoying the night scenery as if he were out for a stroll. At the same time, he extended his senses to check if anyone was nearby.
“Just as I thought, no one's here.”
Five years ago, this place would have been bustling with people. Hundreds crossed the threshold of the Namgung estate every day.
And the surrounding area was always swarming with beggars from the Beggars' Sect. They came for good alms, but they also snooped around for new information.
Now, the Namgung estate had become a place even beggars wouldn't visit.
“Pathetic.”
It felt like just yesterday, yet five years had already passed. Time truly flew.
Namgung Urin flinched, startled. He never dreamed that the kind of phrase old geezers constantly spouted would pop into his own head.
“Truly pathetic.”
To think I'd have such an old-man thought.
It was then.
Just as Namgung Urin thought no one was around, his senses detected a formidable master. The presence belonged to an expert on par with his grandfather, the Sword Emperor.
In the Namgung estate, a place even beggars avoided?
He wondered if he should leave quickly, but then realized that if he had detected the master, an expert of that caliber would have surely noticed him long ago. So, he decided not to flee.
The master appeared before Namgung Urin in an instant.
“You rascal!”
In the Namgung estate that even beggars avoided, a beggar had appeared. And a king of beggars at that.
It was Jang Gae, the leader of the Beggars' Sect, which boasted the greatest intelligence network in the martial world.
“So you were alive.”
His tone implied, 'My grandfather, the Sword Emperor, is dead, but you're still alive and well?'
“Ahem. I am sorry.”
Jang Gae had approached him gladly, seeing him after so long, but Namgung Urin's words made him unable to lift his head. As the Sword Emperor's closest friend, Jang Gae had never imagined that the Martial Alliance Leader, Moyong Gu, would stoop to such a shameless scheme in that situation.
“You know you should be sorry, and yet you're still alive.”
“That sharp tongue of yours hasn't changed.”
Still, he seemed much improved. As a child, he'd seemed somewhat lacking, but now, that deficiency felt as if it had been filled to some extent.
“But you shouldn't be here right now, should you?”
The warriors of Namgung were under a ban on leaving, no different from sealing the family gates. Namgung Yul had taken this measure because they couldn't predict what misfortunes might befall them if they set foot in the martial world.
“You ask, even though you know why.”
Right, he wasn't the type to listen to anyone.
“I heard you entered secluded training?”
Jang Gae, leader of the Beggars' Sect, had his doubts, wondering why a monster like him would even need secluded training.
That a young lad, and a monstrous one at that, would enter seclusion when there was absolutely no reason for it.
Namgung Urin looked at him as if to say, 'What's it to you?'
“Don't tell me… you've mastered it?”
Jang Gae studied Namgung Urin again. He couldn't sense any energy from the monstrous boy. It was impossible for a lad not yet of age to have reached the same state of Returning to Simplicity as himself.
“You know of it?”
Jang Gae's eyes widened.
“…Have you truly… mastered it?”
“How do you know?”
“First, tell me whether you've mastered it or not!”
“First, you tell me if it's what I think it is.”
He was no ordinary boy.
The way he sought confirmation even from Jang Gae, knowing that no one was supposed to know about it.
“I'm the one who gave it to that fellow, the Sword Emperor. The Primordial Chaos Art. No, wait. That rascal took it from me.”
It was a long time ago.
As a martial artist, Jang Gae too had once coveted the Primordial Chaos Art. Everyone else had failed, but he believed he could succeed.
However, he ended up wasting two years. Still, he learned quite a bit about the Primordial Chaos Art. But when he finally gave up and decided to burn it, the Sword Emperor asked for it, saying he would give it to his grandson.
At the time, Jang Gae had handed it over half-jokingly, half-sincerely, thinking that perhaps the Sword Emperor's grandson might actually be able to do it.
“I see.”
“Now, tell me.”
“Yes, I've mastered it.”
“…A-Are you serious?”
“Don't make me say it twice.”
“Heavens…”
To think he actually mastered it.
‘Martial Alliance Leader. Do you have any idea what you've done!?’
You haven't just woken a sleeping tiger; you've woken a sleeping dragon!
A dragon that soars through the sky, breathing flames hot enough to melt iron!
It was clear the martial world would be engulfed in flames.
But he would not stop it.
After all, cutting out a festering wound requires pain and bloodshed.
“So, what brings you out here?”
It was no different from asking if he was already starting his revenge.
“Just wanted to see the outside world.”
“Remember that rash thoughts and actions can invite unnecessary danger.”
“You should have said that to the Martial Alliance Leader five years ago.”
“Damn rascal.”
His own concern had turned into a switch, whipping back at him.
To avoid the switch, Jang Gae changed the subject.
“Did you come out because you heard the news about Hefei?”
“That's why I'm here.”
“Then let's walk together for a bit.”
“Before that, please take care of this.”
Namgung Urin took out the Luminous Pearl from his robe.
“Haha. So this is why your mother has been so busy. Did you decide to clear out the secluded training grounds?”
“Yes.”
“That stubborn uncle of yours wouldn't listen to me, but it seems he listens to you.”
“No. My mother simply wasn't aware.”
“Hahaha. Right. So that's how it was.”
Jang Gae took the Luminous Pearl that Namgung Urin handed him.
“Right now.”
“…Now?”
“Yes.”
“You brat. Are you trying to order this old man around?”
“I know you have someone with you.”
“…!”
‘What a monster.’
Even Jang Gae, one of the Ten Great Masters of the world, couldn't fathom how it was possible at his age. It was almost frightening.
“Please have it done within an hour.”
“You rascal, the Beggars' Sect isn't some…”
“If you can't even manage that, don't bother visiting our family ever again.”
*Groan.*
Where had the leader of the Beggars' Sect, master of a hundred thousand members, ever received such poor treatment?
It was a situation that warranted a loud scolding, but he couldn't bring himself to do it in front of Namgung Urin.
“Ahem.”
Jang Gae used telepathy to call for Geolgae, the head of the Anhui branch, who had been secretly following them. As the leader's disciple, Geolgae was all but guaranteed to be the next leader of the sect.
Geolgae appeared quickly, his eyes full of questions.
“Why did you call me? If you were going to do this…”
“Shut up and turn this into money, quickly. Don't let them lowball you; get its proper value. Within an hour.”
“What? Within an hour… Leader, are you crazy?”
*Smack!*
Jang Gae smacked Geolgae on the back of the head.
“Damn it.”
With an annoyed expression, Geolgae glared at Namgung Urin. There was no doubt that the reason for the sudden pain on the back of his head was the young punk standing before him.
‘Who does this little brat, not even dry behind the ears, think he is!’
Geolgae's eyes blazed as he unleashed his irritation-laced aura at Namgung Urin.
But, huh?
Wasn't Geolgae's aura, though it wasn't dust, scattering like dust in the wind?
Who was he? He was Geolgae, the next in line to be the sect leader. He was filled with the pride of someone who possessed the skill and qualifications to be called a master in the martial world.
But that pride was shattered by a mere greenhorn. And what was this chilling sensation creeping up his spine?
The thought that he could die if he provoked him struck his mind with force.
‘…’
*Gulp.*
The chilling feeling made Geolgae's Adam's apple bob.
He was clearly just a greenhorn.
Jang Gae let out a hollow laugh in disbelief.
Jang Gae, who usually boasted about his disciple's excellence, was now keenly aware of the phrase "a world of difference" when comparing him to Namgung Urin.
“Stop it, you fool.”
“…Leader?”
His eyes widened as if to ask what was happening.
“Just do as you were told.”
“…Yes.”
Geolgae avoided Namgung Urin's gaze, quickly turning his back and disappearing.
Namgung Urin smirked at Geolgae, who was leaving as if fleeing, and spoke.
“Shall we walk?”
“Let's.”
They walked in silence for a while.
After walking for about half an hour, a bustling district came into view—the heart of Anhui, and the very reason the Namgung Family had established their home here in Hefei.
“…”
It used to be a place filled with beautiful lights and people…
Now it seemed desolate, filled only with a cold wind.
Even if the Namgung Family had fallen, had the city fallen this far with it?
Siyeon's words hadn't been a lie. He'd thought she was exaggerating a little.
Countless buildings stood empty, transforming the place into somewhere a ghost might appear.
Still, since people lived nearby, he could see scattered lights turned on here and there, and a few people walking by.
He couldn't understand how it had come to this.
It was the Namgung Family that had fallen, not Hefei, the most prosperous city in Anhui.
Of course, there would have been some impact, but there was no reason for it to become like this.
Jang Gae spoke up.
“This is all the work of the Baekri Family and the Hyeoncheon Sect.”
Right.
Unless someone had been pulling strings, there was no reason for Hefei to decline this much. The Hyeoncheon Sect was one of the top ten sects in Anhui.
“So the Hyeoncheon Sect sided with the Baekri Family.”
“Yes.”
“The Baekri Family and the Hyeoncheon Sect wouldn't have acted directly, would they?”
“Correct. The Hyeoncheon Sect made a move and created a small group. The Black Snake Faction. They roped in ronin and scraped together third-rate martial artists from all over. The Baekri Family got what they wanted without lifting a finger. As for the successful brothels and inns, they must have faced implicit pressure from the Baekri Family.”
In the entire martial world, Hefei was the only place that didn't collect protection money. But with the fall of the Namgung Family, they began collecting it in Hefei.
More than in any other region, using the Black Snake Faction. That's why everyone left.
“How predictable.”
It was no different from being forcibly driven out.
“After Hefei completely died out, they stopped paying attention. That's why you can still see a few lights illuminating the place.”
“Where is the Black Snake Faction?”
“You fool. Even if you kill them…”
“I'm not going to kill them. There's nothing to be gained from killing them, so there's no need to waste my energy.”
“Then?”
Didn't the people of Hefei leave because the dogs were barking so fiercely?
An eye for an eye.
A tooth for a tooth.
Since the dogs barked here in Hefei, he just had to do the same to them.
Make all of Anhui fill with the sound of barking dogs.
So much so that no one can sleep.
“Just tell me where they are.”
“It's about two hours that way.”
“How many of them are there?”
“Around fifty, I'd say.”
“That's a good number.”
“A good number, you say? There are some skilled fighters among them.”
“Even better.”
“Should I have some of my boys accompany you?”
“No, they stink.”
“Damn brat. Still, you must always be careful. You know as well as I do that Namgung didn't fall because it was weak. That's how the martial world is. A moment of carelessness can change everything.”
“No. The Namgung Family fell because it was weak.”
“…”
“If we had been stronger than the Demonic Cult, stronger than the Heavenly Demon, none of this would have happened.”
If they had been so powerful that no one would dare harbor such shallow schemes, would the events of five years ago truly have occurred?
“…You brat.”
“Isn't this the martial world? A place where only the strong survive. Or do you become strong by surviving? I don't know about that stuff. No, I don't even want to know. I'll just punish those who took what was precious to me. What I do from now on might be revenge, or it might just be the bizarre antics of a madman, but I don't care. If the martial world wants to point fingers at me, let them. I'll just destroy the martial world itself.”
The thoughts of Namgung Urin, not yet a man of age, sent a chill down Jang Gae's spine.