Chapter 159: Murim Travelogue - 7

Namgung Chaegong let out a big laugh, then tilted his wine cup and spoke.

“It wasn’t a bad proposal... Although she was adopted, Seungah is properly registered in the Namgung family registry. Moreover, and I’m not saying this just because she’s my daughter, but she’s exceptionally beautiful.”

It might have been a burdensome topic. One wrong word and he could end up disparaging his daughter in front of her father.

However, the smile that remained on Namgung Chaegong’s lips seemed to be the Clan Lord’s consideration, indicating there was no need to feel burdened by such talk.

So Cheonghwi could also converse comfortably without reservation.

“First, for a marriage to be joyful without discord, both sides’ opinions must match. A marriage pursued only for gain without affection leaves only misery behind.”

Wasn’t that exactly his case?

The Duke of Redburn, without love, merely took in a concubine to mechanically bear children to raise assassins. That’s how Envers Redburn was born.

There was no family love there.

“Secondly, while I do not have a lover... there is a woman I have in mind. Promising marriage here without sorting out these feelings would be a betrayal to both parties, I believe.”

How could he be upright if he wasn’t sincere to his partner, thinking of Luna while with Namgung Seungah, and thinking of Namgung Seungah while with Luna?

Of course, he had no way of knowing what Luna was thinking. Whether that promise was a joke, if there was sincerity mixed in, if it was romantic feelings, or just feelings between friends - he couldn’t know until he confronted it.

Perhaps he was just drinking a bowl full of wishful thinking.

However, even so, one must keep their word.

Namgung Chaegong slapped his knee in delight at Cheonghwi’s pure love.

“Fair enough! Then I shall respect your wishes. Moreover... this is a place to repay a benefactor who has bestowed great favor on the Namgung Clan. If you do not wish to receive it, I have no choice but to prepare something else.”

“Seungah, if you keep glaring like that, Daoist Cheonghwi might die.”

“He’s so shameless, so he won’t die from just this much...!”

Namgung Seungah’s gaze was hot. Cheonghwi didn’t dare meet her eyes and pretended to be distracted. It felt like invisible rays were being shot at him.

“Well then, in that case...”

Namgung Chaegong closed his eyes tightly and pondered, then chose what to give.

“You gave up a precious Elixir to save Myeong’s dantian. You stepped forward without fear even in a situation where you could have incurred only resentment if things went wrong.” r�

“It was what I wanted to do.”

“Yes. You have already shown more devotion to my family than even family would. Following the principle of repaying kindness with kindness, I too shall consider you family. Will you accept the Namgung surname and become a brother to Myeong and Seungah?”

Thud.

Cheonghwi felt a sense of interlocking. The feeling when you learn by chance through someone else about something you didn’t even know you wanted.

Family, he says.

If he opened his mouth to utter that word, it would be full of bitterness. The more he reflected on past years, the more bitter juice seeped out.

Half-siblings fighting, competing, betraying each other. Being treated as a tool by his father, loved by his mother but in a pitiful situation.

Low-life, I told you when I thrust to the right, you need to block the left!

But Elder Brother, how can I keep up when you strike so fast?

...Well, I can’t help it. I’ll slow down by one tempo, so you better follow properly!

The true brotherhood he once thought he had found in that dark pit...

...Low-life, I’ve figured out how to use mana.

Shattered into dozens of pieces and mixed chaotically on a moonlit night.

So he should have been sick of the word family long ago, but it seems it was still lingering in a corner. It seems he wanted to feel that warmth again.

If only he could obtain it──

Cheonghwi nodded. He wanted to receive it.

“...Indeed, it is truly a precious reward. I shall gladly accept.”

“Then from this moment on, you are Namgung Cheonghwi.”

“Namgung... Cheonghwi...”

“The story of the Namgung Ancestor cutting the sky must have been fake. The Namgung Clan’s secret technique, the Emperor Sword Form (帝王劍形), is fiction. Otherwise, how could there not be even a single trace of a cut?”

The reason for not showing the secret chamber to Namgung Myeong and Namgung Seungah was the same. If they heard that the clan’s roots were actually an illusion, they would be deeply disappointed, so he intended to show them only after their hearts had matured sufficiently.

“You... are clear-minded enough to give up an Elixir, and as an outsider, your disappointment won’t be great. That’s why I showed you. Even seeing it again... it hurts my heart.”

Namgung Chaegong smacked his lips and turned around first to leave the secret chamber.

Namgung Cheonghwi felt a strange feeling and couldn’t easily take a step. There was certainly no trace in the secret chamber. But that fact... seemed to hold a different meaning.

“Emperor Sword Form... is it.”

It kept echoing in a corner of his mind.

===============================================================

The man standing in blue martial attire, called Hyungnim Zhao by Namgung Myeong.

Now that he had received the Namgung surname, perhaps he would become a brother to him too. Namgung Zhao (南宮昭), known as the Brilliant Sword of No-Mind (無心輝劍), was waiting for Cheonghwi.

He still wore a smiling face, but undisguisable anger could be felt in his protruding blood vessels. He was in a terribly irritable state.

However, Namgung Cheonghwi paid no mind.

“I hear you’ve become Namgung Cheonghwi. Congratulations, Daoist.”

“It happened somehow. Now we have become family.”

Namgung Cheonghwi didn’t stop walking even when Namgung Zhao called out to him, so Namgung Zhao had to follow. Thus, the two walked side by side down the corridor.

Creak. Creak.

Now, no sound came from Cheonghwi’s feet, while noisy sounds rang out from Namgung Zhao’s feet, whose mind and body were disturbed.

Perhaps feeling terribly insulted by this fact, Namgung Zhao’s hand quietly gripped his sword handle. And he gripped it so tightly that blood vessels stood out on the back of his hand.

It seemed like he wanted to draw his sword and kill Namgung Cheonghwi right away.

“...However, if a Semu claims the Namgung name and goes around... I’m worried it might cause unnecessary misunderstandings. Surely no one will believe it.”

“I do not care about outsiders’ views. What is important is that I now have two siblings with good hearts and excellent martial talents.”

“...The clan elders will strongly oppose this too. Perhaps they might even plead with the Clan Lord to drive you out.”

“Even if that happens, I have already become a brother to them in my heart, so it does not matter.”

Silence.

A silence neither too long nor too short.

Breaking that silence, Namgung Cheonghwi warned him.

“Do not do it.”

“...What is the meaning of this sudden Zen riddle, Daoist?”

“Whatever you are planning, do not do it. I will not pursue what has happened so far. But do not be mistaken. I am not saying this out of fear of you or concern for future troubles, but for Myeong’s sake.”

Cheonghwi took out the letter obtained from the Sleep-Killing Stepfather’s corpse and tossed it to Namgung Zhao.

“They say the handwriting is the same.”

“Such low-grade slander is...”

“I shall say it again. I will not pursue it. From now on, give up your lingering attachments, do not have malicious thoughts, be grateful for having family, and get along well.”

Namgung Zhao’s footsteps stopped.

When Namgung Cheonghwi had gone about ten steps ahead, the sound of a sword being drawn, shing, was heard from behind. Even so, Cheonghwi didn’t look back or panic.

Namgung Zhao growled, full of killing intent.

“What if I don’t? What if... I must fulfill my secret, earnest wish? What will you do then?”

“Then one ill-mannered, bad-tempered low-life will die.”

As Namgung Cheonghwi turned the corner, Namgung Zhao’s angry shout could be heard from far away. Along with the sound of the floor and walls being destroyed.

Trouble was not far off.

1. Nam means South in Korean.