Chapter 18
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Ripples of Victory
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Gush!
A surge of blood rose in his throat, filling his mouth. He immediately spat it out.
Namgung Ban of the Namgung Family is victorious! Donghwi of the Pungun Martial Hall is defeated!
The 10th Elder, Namgung Ho, stood protectively in front of the young man named Donghwi. Gasping for breath, Donghwi had a wound on his shoulder; had it been just a fraction deeper, he would have been crippled, never to hold a sword again.
Had Namgung Ho not struck the sword away at the right moment and staunched the bleeding, the Sword Branch Assembly would have turned into a bloodbath.
...The Iron Sword Unit will take him to a physician at once!
Two members of the Iron Sword Unit, who had been standing by below the stage, moved with light-footed grace to support Donghwi and hastily disappeared.
A heavy silence settled in the space they had just vacated.
I felt eyes on me as I sheathed the dulled iron sword at my waist. I could feel Namgung Ho watching me intently.
In Namgung Ho's eyes, astonishment, disbelief, and a profound gravity swirled. He looked as if he was about to speak, but instead, he just nodded to himself.
Go down and prepare for your next match. Get treated as well. I will not speak of the Great Young Lords excessive force.
As you wish.
If Namgung Ho hadn't intervened at the right moment, I would have gotten another earful from my uncle. I was content that he had stopped it. If a mere mouthful of blood could spare me my uncle's nagging, it was a small price to pay.
I slowly descended from the bluestone stage, where no cheers or shouts could be heard. A powerful wave of exhaustion washed over me, as if I had truly become an ordinary person.
It'll be close, making it to the next match.
Ignoring the spectators who could only swallow nervously, I was making my way down when a single voice shook the Sword Branch Assembly.
Big brother! My big brother won! Thats my big brother! Hehehe!
What was so wonderful?
What was so joyous?
Seeing Namgung Byeok, beaming brightly and waving both hands in the air to announce his presence, the crowd finally snapped out of their stupor.
Clap, clap, clap-clap.
The sound of a single person clapping gradually spread, growing louder. This time, unlike any other, the applause was entirely for me.
You are the victor. It is the victor's destiny to savor their triumph, and the loser's to bear the full weight of their defeat.
Is that so?
Is this the kind of triumph my uncle spoke of?
The feeling wasn't half bad, so I straightened my shoulders and gave Namgung Byeok and Lady Baek a smile. Namgung Byeok beamed back at me, and Lady Baek bowed her head with a nod.
Thud.
As I sat down with a groan, I sensed someone lightly taking a seat beside me.
...Youve certainly stirred things up.
Wasn't that the arrangement you made for me?
Were you deceiving my eyes as well?
Didn't I say so? You asked how far I was looking. I told you I would look very far, and I still am. I had to do at least this much to be acknowledged. If I were mediocre, you would have surely cursed me for it.
...
My uncle's gaze was palpable.
I thought you were just a drunkard, but to think you were secretly raising a disciple like this. You're no different from a fox. A very old and cunning one at that.
Is that a compliment or an insult?
Let's say it's both. Ugh, my aching bones. More importantly.
I looked at my uncle, then glanced at Donghwi's retreating back as he was carried away.
Why is it that you raise disciples just like yourself? His stubbornness is truly something else. To not use his internal energy until the very end.
He dug his own grave.
Not at all. Anyone who wields a sword should have that much resolve.
...What's this? You're actually giving a compliment.
Which reminds me.
As I began to speak, my uncles eyes burned with intensity.
Surely not.
You guessed it.
Are you planning to steal my disciple now, too?
It's not like you have any use for him after raising him anyway.
This is absurd. What in the world is going on in that head of yours?
This isn't the first time you've seen it.
...
How could he be so brazen?
Seeing my uncle at a loss for words, I simply shrugged.
In any case, you are about to receive a great deal of attention.
It will be fleeting. There will be plenty who are not pleased. No, there will be more of them.
The old foxes, perhaps, but there must be others who have been waiting for the right time.
Well, they'll show up when the time comes.
You've finished reinterpreting the Ten Forms of the Iron Sword.
It's still a long way off.
Though I said that, I was confident I could execute them more perfectly once this immature body became a little more robust.
To have mastered the Ten Forms of the Iron Sword and the Great Expansion Art in just one year was the product of an insane, unbelievable talent combined with experience.
Dammit.
Thinking about it made me feel wronged for no reason.
To think that talent could be this absurd.
By the way.
Meeting my uncles gaze, I spoke softly.
Dont look at me like that.
Like what?
With that Im so proud of you look. Its disgusting.
At my words, my uncle spun around and vanished. Watching him go, I scratched myself all over. My whole body was itching.
He had even defeated the rising star from the Pungun Martial Hall known as Donghwi with a storm-like momentum. And he had done it by crushing him with overwhelming presence and power.
The crowd couldn't help but be astonished that someone could exude such majesty at the mere age of fifteen. But the ones who were most shocked were none other than the elders of the Namgung family.
It was as if someone who had been branded a scoundrel and ignored for ages had appeared like a comet.
...What is this?
Hah.
The Great Young Lord, since when...
The elders' expressions changed by the second, not unlike that of the 10th Elder, Namgung Ho.
The 2nd Elder Namgung Bons face, in particular, was twisted into a deep scowl. However, he quickly concealed his discomfort.
Nothing has been decided yet. Let us not act rashly and simply observe.
But what if the Great Young Lord actually wins and is appointed the Young Head...!
Hmph, even if he becomes the Young Head now, how could he possibly ascend to the position of Family Head with no backing? The 3rd Young Lord's faction will be busy as well. We must watch them and make our move. Let none of you do anything that could be used against us.
The 2nd Elder Namgung Bon calmly reined in the wavering hearts of the other elders.
The unshakable Namgung Mubaek of the Azure Sky Namgung.
The immense public support he commanded in Anhui.
Moreover, in this situation divided between the 2nd and 3rd Young Lords, making a premature move would only draw unwanted attention.
That was the last thing Namgung Bon wanted.
...But the Iron-Blood Sword Saint is personally backing him. Isn't that dangerous?
Do you think the world's prejudice will change so easily? Public sentiment is not something that can be flipped like the palm of a hand. One cannot win the hearts of the people with martial skill alone. To become the Young Head, and then the Family Head of the Namgung, one must be able to embrace even those hearts.
That was why he had been so meticulous in managing the public perception and rumors surrounding the 2nd Young Lord. Though the 2nd Young Lord, as known to the world, had never once shown his face, public opinion of him was exceptionally favorable. He was inwardly satisfied that his efforts had resulted in such a positive view of the 2nd Young Lord.
Time is on our side.
...Understood. We are all following your lead, 2nd Elder.
The 3rd Elder Namgung Hwamin and the 5th Elder Namgung Deok finally seemed relieved, nodding as they left their seats with stern faces.
At that moment, the 4th Elder Namgung Gun, 6th Elder Namgung Gil, and 7th Elder Namgung Je were so pale they looked almost blue.
It was because of the announcement Namgung Ho had shouted from the bluestone stage.
Namgung Gal of the Namgung Family is defeated!
It was the worst possible outcome.
The Great Young Lord of the Namgung Family had cast off his scoundrel days and was now basking in the limelight. At a time when they should have been steadfastly pursuing the goal of winning the Sword Branch Assembly, their candidate had already been defeated.
The three elders felt their world go dark.
Leaving the elders to their self-serving worries, Namgung Ho wore a grave expression.
Namgung Gal of the Namgung Family is defeated!
Although he had announced it himself, the scene before him felt unnatural. Namgung Gals opponent was certainly strong. He was skilled enough to prove he hadn't reached this stage by chance.
Even so, Namgung Gal was a member of the Namgung family, one whom the elders saw potential in and supported. The gap between them shouldn't have been so vast as to result in such an overwhelming defeat.
The man in question, Namgung Gal, could be seen twitching. He was even grinding his teeth, his bloodshot eyes scanning the surroundings.
The victor was already savoring his triumph as he descended the stage. Sensing Namgung Ho's gaze, Namgung Gal tried to explain the situation.
My, my internal energy...!
He was about to say more, but after meeting the eyes of the crowd, Namgung Gal forced his mouth shut. The moment he had tried to naturally draw upon his internal energy, he realized something was wrong. His hands and feet grew numb, and after allowing several attacks to land, he was forced to his knees.
The sense of futility and powerlessness that washed over him the moment he realized that the Azure Sky Great Expansion Divine Artthe pride of the Namgung Family and one of its most superior artswould not activate was indescribable.
How dare you. How dare you!
Namgung Ho also sensed something was amiss and rushed to Namgung Gals side.
What is it, 3rd Young Lord?
...My internal energy won't move.
What do you mean? Why won't your internal energy move?
Seeing Namgung Hos alarm, Namgung Gal voiced his own frustration and described his symptoms.
My internal energy has clumped into a stone-like mass in my dantian and refuses to obey, and a sense of lethargy is washing over my entire body...
Upon hearing this, Namgung Ho stopped him from speaking further, immediately grabbing his wrist and sending a stream of internal energy into him. Since the symptoms were described in such detail, it was clear something had happened to Namgung Gal.
Though only thirteen, Namgung Gal had been raised with the posture, attitude, and mindset befitting the 3rd Young Lord of the Namgung Family. Namgung Ho knew he was not one to speak carelessly.
This meant someone had done something to Namgung Gal.
Namgung Ho's mind raced.
Then.
He suddenly recalled the match that had just concluded.
I heard you cannot use your internal energy, so I shall not use mine either.
The one who had uttered those meaningful words was none other than the young man from the Pungun Martial Hall, Donghwi.
Based on the young mans words, he surmised.
...Even the Great Young Lord.
Following the Great Young Lord, now the 3rd Young Lord was having problems....
Something was going terribly wrong.
But he could not afford to make a scene. Countless eyes were focused on this place, including those from the Nine Sects One Union and the other Six Great Families.