Chapter 57
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: A Brotherly Request
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Under my bold proclamation that I would surely unite the Namgung, Namgung Han declared to Namgung Seok, Namgung Gamyeong, Namgung Daemyeong, and about one hundred fifty other warriors of the Namgung family.
That he would stand behind the Great Young Lord of the Namgung family.
Even as he said it, Namgung Han inwardly regretted it several times, wondering if he had spoken too hastily.
...Good grief. What's he on about now?
I thought he was about to give some grand speech.
You just wanted to say you're finally going to support the Great Young Lord?
Namgung Han was quite taken aback by the warriors' reactions. What kind of response was this?
Is there anyone here who doesn't support the Great Young Lord? If so, step forward.
It's a bit late to be jumping on the bandwagon now, Branch Head.
No, no. It's because the Branch Head always looked down on the Great Young Lord.
Ah, that's right. He did, didn't he?
One by one, they chuckled, scattering the serious atmosphere Namgung Han had created. Namgung Han's face flushed red.
But it was.
The trust shown by the Namgung warriors, who turned a heavy topic into a light one.
If it weren't for the Great Young Lord, I'd have been long dead.
I thought I was a goner with an axe in my back, but believe it or not, the Great Young Lord carried me on his back and fought.
That's the tenth time you've told that story. Enough already.
It's not just one or two of us. He's probably saved everyone's life at least once or twice.
Unknowingly, I had gained so much support. I had only been silently walking the path I had to take.
The members of the Namgung family were all looking at me with smiles. As if to say that supporting the Great Young Lord, as Namgung Han had just declared, was only natural.
That's what they were saying.
...Quite impressive.
At my uncle's words, I shook my head. I hadn't done anything. They had simply opened their hearts.
Keep this in mind. A promise of words alone will only inflict another deep wound upon them.
Don't worry.
In the Namgung family I will lead, there will be no stragglers, no losers. It is enough for us to become one and extend a hand to each other.
To ensure that what Namgung Byeok experienced in my past life never happens again.
That is all that matters.
Great Young Lord.
After the boisterous moment passed, Namgung Han approached me.
It seems everything I said was meaningless.
I shook my head at the abashed Namgung Han.
It is because you opened your heart and expressed it, Branch Head, that they too can show me their feelings so comfortably.
If you truly think so.
Reading the look in his eyes, I saw that his animosity had been replaced by goodwill, his negative reaction turned positive. I, too, was pleased by this change and couldn't help but lift the corners of my mouth.
The moment had finally come for me to put a period on my time at the Shandong branch.
My grandfather spent his entire life wandering away from the family.
...So I've heard.
Don't worry about it. He felt that roaming the martial world was more suitable for him than being cooped up in the stifling family, and acted accordingly.
As he spoke, Namgung Han took a rolled-up piece of paper from his robes and unfurled it. Its yellowed discoloration suggested it was older than I thought. Judging by the texture, it seemed to be traditional paper, yet for some reason, it felt thick.
...This is.
A record of the places my grandfather personally visited.
Judging by the marked spots, there seemed to be at least ten locations.
This is the only thing my grandfather left behind. I'm sure he traveled to many more regions, but if this is what he left for me.
Namgung Han said that to find the secret formula for the Heavenly Thunder Pill, there was no other way but to follow this trail.
Heilongjiang.
The Great Desert.
The Yangtze River.
Guangdong.
Kunlun Mountains.
The North Sea.
Sichuan.
Shaolin.
Hainan.
Shandong.
It was astonishing to think he had roamed so many places throughout the Central Plains. Just as I began to wonder if it was even possible to visit all these places in a year.
...Do you think I've been idle for the past decade?
Whether he knew of my concerns or not, Namgung Han began to speak, a smile playing on his lips.
I've done quite a bit of research. For a long time, I wondered what my grandfather was looking for as he traveled to so many places. As his grandson, I thought a lot about what he was trying to tell me by leaving this behind.
Then, he began to unpack the small boxes that were neatly stacked behind him. Each palm-sized box contained something unusual.
One box, he said, contained Nine-Leaf Grass, which grows only in Heilongjiang.
Another contained Black Pine Fungus, a moss that grows under old pine trees found only in the Kunlun Mountains.
He continued to take out the boxes and present them to me. There were a total of seven different kinds.
...Some I bought, and some I went to dig up or acquire myself.
This wasn't just about following the trail left by the Medicine Master Namgung Illyeo.
I want to ask you, Great Young Lord. Despite creating the legendary elixir known as the Heavenly Thunder Pill, my grandfather was ignored his entire life until his death. Is that truly right? Should he have been dismissed so thoroughly simply because a member of a Sword Family couldn't wield a sword?
At his words, I shook my head firmly. Not at all.
However, separate from my own thoughts, when I recalled the past.
When I thought back to the family during my time as Namgung Byeok in my previous life.
Simply for lacking talent in martial arts.
And for having an insignificant background.
Recalling the times when people were ostracized, it was certainly something that could have happened.
So I waited for the right time. For my grandfather's name to finally shine brilliantly.
Namgung Han looked at me. And I was the one who could give him the answer he wanted.
We must ensure his great achievement is honored.
I knew more about the Heavenly Thunder Pill than anyone. After all, I had taken it myself. As someone who had personally consumed one of the only three legendary elixirs, I hoped that the Heavenly Thunder Pill would not be dismissed for some other pathetic reason.
...Don't worry. I will make sure that the result of Namgung Illyeo's work can never be ignored. And the ownership of it.
...should belong to Namgung Han, I said. And I hoped it would become a weapon that Namgung Han and the collateral branches could wield.
Through it, you, Branch Head, and the members of the collateral branches will rise.
Namgung Han nodded at my words. He grasped my hand. He told me that by meeting me, he was achieving his lifelong desires, showing me his fervent emotions.
It is I who am grateful. For holding on so well all this time.
Shaking his head as if to say it was nothing, Namgung Han pointed to the paper again.
...At this point, what would I hold back, what more could I hide? The last ones are the North Sea, the Yangtze River, and the Great Desert.
The Great Desert, the North Sea, and the Yangtze River.
In the Great Desert, you must find the Five-Maple Grass. In the North Sea, the Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng. And in the Yangtze River, the Hundred-Year Fire Carp.
Each one sounded like an incredibly difficult ingredient to obtain. Nevertheless.
I'll have to go. You've worked hard finding the other ingredients over the past decade.
Namgung Han nodded.
If you can just find the remaining three ingredients, there will be no problem in concocting it.
It seems the insights were left behind.
I read and burned the insights my grandfather left, so I am the only one who knows them.
As he said this with great pride, I smiled. I could keenly feel Namgung Han's heartfelt devotion to Namgung Illyeo.
That's why I felt I had to find the ingredients as quickly as possible.
Just then.
Where do you plan to go first?
Where first, you ask.
The Great Desert, the Yangtze River, and the North Sea. Visiting all three will take quite some time, no matter where you start.
I thought of it. A way to save time.
Fortunately, I knew a way to save a great deal of time in the Great Desert and at the Yangtze River.
I will go to the North Sea.
So I chose to head for the North Sea.
A good idea. It's not a bad thing to visit the farthest place first.
Before that, let me use two carrier pigeons. I'll write the recipients' details clearly, so please just ensure they are delivered well.
Leave it to me.
After saying that, I wrote the letters.
With gusto.
With the force of a single, fluid brushstroke.
Crumple.
He hasn't changed a bit.
Hanyah tilted his head as he watched the young man who had crumpled the letter in one go. It was strange to see the usually expressionless young man show such emotion, so he spoke up.
What kind of letter is it that makes you so angry?
...It's better if you see it for yourself, Hanyah, than for me to waste my breath explaining.
Wondering what on earth it could be, Hanyah took the letter and unfolded it. He couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.
My dear brother, Hyeok.
Since when were they so close?
It was the kind of opening line that would make anyone mistake them for deeply affectionate brothers.
Six years have already passed. Have the sword wounds I gave you healed? I remember when you couldn't get your act together.
It was a tone that left no doubt as to the sender's identity.
Your big brother has a favor to ask. I need those carp fellas in the Yangtze River. They have to be the hundred-year-old ones. It'd be heartless to ask for just one or two, so I'd appreciate it if you could catch as many as your ability allows. As many as you can.
At the utterly shameless request, Hanyah instinctively glanced at the Second Young Lord, Namgung Hyeok. The Hundred-Year Fire Carp was not something that could be easily obtained, despite its name. But the letter didn't end there.
Don't want to do it? I'm sure you don't. But what can you do? My work here is done, and I could return to the main family right now, but I'm not.
At those words, Hanyah looked at the letter with an expression of disbelief. If this was true, the Great Young Lord was already pulling ahead in the competition for the position of Young Family Head. If that happened, all their hard work, rolling in the mud day and night with the bastards of the Waterway Fortress here in the Yangtze, would be for nothing.
However, if you listen to your big brother and get me those carp, I will consider my little brother's sincerity and refrain from returning to the main family early. I promise you that.
Gulp.
Hanyah looked at Namgung Hyeok. Now of age and exuding a manly air, Namgung Hyeok sighed.
...The Hundred-Year Fire Carp. Go look for it.
At those words, Hanyah also sighed and shook his head. This battle had been lost the moment the letter arrived.
And so, the Second Young Lord, Namgung Hyeok,
was once again defeated by the Great Young Lord, whom he hadn't even seen in six years.