Chapter 237
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 237
Chapter Title: Why Is This Happening?
"Th-this is..."
Namgung Ji-hu stared blankly, his sword dangling loosely from his hand.
He had performed it himself, yet he still couldn't believe it.
He was certain he had executed the Dayeon Sword Method.
But...
The more he moved his sword, the closer its path veered toward the Imperial Sword Form.
How could such a thing be possible?
He had already heard from Ha Mu-baek that the Dayeon Sword Method served as the nourishment to sprout the seed of the Imperial Sword Form.
Even so, executing the Dayeon Sword Method and having it lead into the Imperial Sword Form?
He couldn't have imagined it.
Something had changed.
And that change...
"That man."
It was undoubtedly because he had witnessed that person's swordsmanship.
The one-armed laborer who had displayed the Dayeon Sword Method in a way that held his eyes captive.
Just seeing it once had triggered this transformation.
Combined with the enlightenment from Ha Mu-baek, it had produced an immense synergistic effect.
Namgung Ji-hu immediately sat cross-legged and sank into meditation.
He tried his utmost to recall the Dayeon Sword Method he had seen just moments ago.
As he visualized it in his mind, it was clearly the Dayeon Sword Method, yet not the Dayeon Sword Method at all.
It had already transcended to a higher realm.
And that was precisely...
'Imperial Sword Form.'
Indeed.
The sword technique that had merely been fertilizer had evolved into a single vein of the Imperial Sword Form on its own.
Namgung Ji-hu opened his eyes.
Dawn's faint light was already breaking.
"I need to see that man."
Namgung Ji-hu's eyes sparkled as he rose to his feet.
The day at the Dragon Training Pavilion began as usual.
Wi Ji-gun swept away with a faint smile on his face, fully absorbed in his task.
He paused his sweeping when a visitor approached.
"What brings you to this old man?"
Standing before Wi Ji-gun was Namgung Ji-hu.
"I came because I have a request to make."
Namgung Ji-hu spoke politely.
"A request? For this old man? Heh, go ahead and tell me. Not sure if there's anything I can help with, though."
"It's about the new laborer who just arrived."
"Laborer?"
An odd way to phrase it.
Referring to a mere laborer with such respect.
Wi Ji-gun tilted his head curiously before asking with a subtle smile.
"You mean that friend Namhui, by any chance?"
"The one with many scars on his face..."
Since mentioning the missing arm might be sensitive, Namgung Ji-hu brought up the scars first.
"Ah, yes. That's Namhui. What's this about?"
"Could you introduce me to Hero Namhui? I didn't want to intrude by showing up unannounced."
"Hero? Why is a Hidden Dragon Corps cadet calling a mere laborer a hero?"
Wi Ji-gun asked, clearly amused.
"He is a hero."
His voice carried unwavering conviction.
"He should be over at the Fierce Dragon Corps grounds by now. Shall we go together?"
Wi Ji-gun said with a grin.
"Thank you."
Namgung Ji-hu bowed his head and followed behind Wi Ji-gun.
They walked a short distance along the path between the Fierce Dragon Corps training grounds, where they spotted a man diligently sweeping.
"Hey there, Namhui."
When Wi Ji-gun called out, Namgung Hwi stopped sweeping and looked up.
He flinched at the sight before him.
Because Namgung Ji-hu stood beside Wi Ji-gun.
"This is Namgung Ji-hu, a Hidden Dragon Corps cadet. He wants to meet you. You two talk."
With that, Wi Ji-gun turned and walked away.
Morning duties had already begun, so no one else was around.
The two faced each other alone on the narrow path.
Thump! Thud! Thump! Thud!
Namgung Hwi couldn't calm his wildly pounding heart no matter what.
He simply stared blankly at Namgung Ji-hu.
Then Namgung Ji-hu slowly approached him.
He performed a cupped-fist salute and bowed deeply.
"It's an honor to meet you again, Senior."
"Ah..."
"Please forgive my rudeness for spying on your training last night."
Namgung Hwi could only gape wordlessly.
"Wh-what business does a Namgung Clan cadet have with a worthless laborer like me...?"
He finally managed to speak in a trembling voice.
He thought the time wasn't right yet, and he desperately wanted to escape this situation.
His heart continued to thump furiously.
"The swordsmanship I glimpsed was unmistakably the Namgung Clan's technique. I don't know your circumstances, but you must be a senior from our clan."
Namgung Ji-hu shared the conclusions he had reached that morning.
Using the alias Namhui clearly indicated some special situation.
But that situation didn't matter to Namgung Ji-hu.
What mattered was completing the Imperial Sword Form.
Nothing else.
"Please teach me that Dayeon Sword Method."
Namgung Ji-hu bowed deeply once more with a cupped-fist salute.
"Wh-what are you talking about...?"
"I saw the path my sword must take in your technique. Please bestow your guidance upon this foolish junior."
Namgung Ji-hu remained bowed.
Namgung Hwi couldn't accept this situation at all.
It was just the Dayeon Sword Method.
As the eldest son of the Namgung Clan head, Namgung Ji-hu would have surely learned not only the Heavenly Bow Infinite Sword but also the Imperial Sword Form.
He couldn't understand why he was so fixated on the mere Dayeon Sword Method.
Of course, Namgung Hwi himself had reached a transcendent realm through endless practice of that one technique.
But with superior, faster sword arts available, why the Dayeon Sword Method of all things?
Thump! Thud! Thump! Thud!
His heart pounded even harder.
Before any questions, Namgung Hwi needed to extricate himself from this somehow.
So he had to give some kind of answer.
"A-alright. Let me think about it. I have other work to do."
With that, he hurriedly turned and left.
Only then did Namgung Ji-hu straighten up, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.
He had gotten a positive response, after all.
But then...
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
His heart suddenly began to race.
He couldn't understand why, but it beat wildly and rapidly.
Namgung Ji-hu's face flushed slightly.
Excitement from taking one step closer to completing the Imperial Sword Form, he thought.
With that in mind, he turned away.
"Tahat!"
With a powerful shout, he swung his sword.
But...
Thwack.
It was effortlessly blocked and sent flying back.
"Don't break formation and charge out on your own!"
Baek Ri-pyeong shouted at Sim Cheol-san.
He had been the one who just jumped out.
As Sim Cheol-san fell, the remaining four's coordination fell into disarray.
Baek Ri-pyeong exploited the gap and pushed in.
"Kuhk."
"Ugh."
The Wa Dragon Corps Squad Twenty cadets groaned.
"What are you doing? If your formation crumbles just because one person is out, you're done for! You have to hold it even with only two left!"
Baek Ri-pyeong swung his sword mercilessly while barking orders.
And so, Wa Dragon Corps Squad Twenty lost again today.
But their endurance time was steadily increasing.
The reason Sim Cheol-san had charged out was actually because Baek Ri-pyeong had deliberately exposed a gap to lure him.
"You can't just charge at a visible opening. It might be a trap."
Ju Wu-myeong kindly explained beside Sim Cheol-san.
"Yes..."
Sim Cheol-san replied dejectedly.
"Well, if Baek Ri-pyeong is setting traps like that, it means you've improved that much. And spotting those openings shows your eyes are sharper. So chin up."
Ju Wu-myeong patted Sim Cheol-san's back.
"How are they doing?"
Baek Ri-pyeong asked Dang Jin-san.
"Much better. Hard to believe it's only been ten days."
"We've been drilling them hard."
Dan Mok Un-roe answered.
"Then maybe it's time to move to the next phase?"
Everyone nodded at Dang Jin-san's words.
"Next phase?"
Eun Hwa-ryang asked.
"You five won't always survive as a full group. We need to train for when four are left, three, two, or even one. The goal is maximum survival time."
"Th-that means..."
"You'll do one-on-one spars too."
Dang Jin-san grinned.
"But will Ji-hu come today?"
Dan Mok Un-roe muttered, gazing outside the training ground.
The Namgung siblings hadn't been around lately.
And they had been a big help.
"Seems like he's focusing on something. Ji-yu said he even skipped morning class today."
Yeon Ha-min said.
"Probably the Imperial Sword Form, right?"
Everyone nodded at Dan Mok Un-roe's words.
That was currently the most important thing for Namgung Ji-hu.
At that moment, Namgung Ji-hu and Namgung Ji-yu were...
Heading to the Hidden Dragon Corps first-year Squad Twenty training ground.
"Does that even make sense? Some guy you don't know performed the Dayeon Sword Method beyond perfection? And his name is Namhui?"
Namgung Ji-yu walked beside him, her face full of disbelief.
"It's probably Namgung Hwi."
Namgung Ji-hu was absolutely convinced that Namhui was from the Namgung Clan.
Otherwise, that Dayeon Sword Method made no sense.
At his words, Namgung Ji-yu pondered deeply, searching her memory.
She knew the names of everyone in the clan.
But no matter how hard she searched, no such name came up.
Well, there was one, but that Namgung Hwi was still at the clan.
"As far as I know, there's no one like that in the clan..."
Namgung Ji-hu flinched at her words.
He knew his sister's memory well.
"He must have some circumstances. Some secret clan matter we don't know about."
"..."
Namgung Ji-yu had no response to that.
Because...
Even as the clan's daughter and son, there were certainly things they couldn't access.
They arrived at the training ground.
Namgung Hwi was out there.
Namgung Ji-hu's steps quickened.
Namgung Ji-yu matched his pace.
When they faced him with about three steps between them...
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Suddenly, Namgung Ji-yu's heart began pounding like a drum.
'Wh-why is this...'
He was clearly a stranger. Their first encounter had been just a glimpse a few days ago.
Yet it felt strangely familiar.
Unfamiliar, but familiar.
An inexplicable feeling.
"Have you given it some thought?"
Namgung Ji-hu asked with a joyful face.
"How did you...?"
Namgung Hwi had been frozen in shock since the two appeared.
In truth, those words might have been for himself.
He had anticipated Namgung Ji-hu might come here after this morning.
Even thinking that, he had come here first.
What were these contradictory emotions and actions?
Namgung Hwi couldn't understand it himself.
When he came to Muchang, he only hoped to watch from afar and leave quietly.
But after becoming a laborer at the Dragon Training Pavilion...
Seeing traces of the children, encountering them in person...
Greed kept growing.
He thought the time wasn't right.
Yet his feet had led him here.
"I figured you'd be training here again tonight."
Namgung Ji-hu replied as if it were obvious.
"Heh..."
Namgung Hwi let out a hollow chuckle.
Then, as if resolved, he spoke.
"What kind of help do you need from me?"
Namgung Ji-hu beamed at the acceptance.
And at the same moment...
Thump! Thump! Thump!
His heart raced wildly.
Namgung Ji-hu was bewildered by the sudden reaction.
But he couldn't let this opportunity slip.
"Please point out the flaws in my Dayeon Sword Method."
Namgung Hwi nodded at his response.
"Understood. Meet me here at ha-jeong tomorrow, around ten at night."
With that, Namgung Hwi turned away.
He could no longer bear looking at the two children.
"Uh..."
Namgung Ji-hu was momentarily flustered by the curt reply and swift departure.
But since he had agreed to teach starting tomorrow, the disappointment was lessened.
He glanced at Namgung Ji-yu.
Her face was slightly flushed, one hand pressed to her chest.
"What's wrong?"
Namgung Ji-yu shook her head at his question.
"I don't know. I don't get it. Why this is happening."
A response tinged with complex emotions.
Namgung Ji-yu gazed steadily at Namgung Ji-hu.
"Did your heart race fiercely too, by any chance?"
Namgung Ji-hu froze.
He stared at his sister with wide eyes.
That was his answer.
"Why is this happening?"
Another question settled upon Namgung Ji-yu.