“Why are you leaving so suddenly?”
Namgung Heon’s face, illuminated by the moonlight, appeared almost bewitchingly beautiful.
“Because if I don’t leave now, I won’t be able to.”
“I see.” Namgung Heon let out a sigh as he spoke.
“Then leave the Boeun Coin behind.”
Bu Eunseol raised an eyebrow.
Looking back, Namgung Heon had been the one to encourage the duel between Namgung Hwan and another. He was also a mysterious figure whose true martial prowess had yet to be fully revealed.
‘Could he truly be the masked enigma?’ Was that why he knew Namgung Un had been given the Boeun Coin and was now trying to seize it?
“The Boeun Coin is a treasure promised to my family by the Divine Sage,” Namgung Heon said.
Bu Eunseol let out a scoffing laugh. “What, you think I secretly stole the Boeun Coin?”
Namgung Heon replied with a bitter expression. “I know Un gave it to you. But… isn’t he still just an immature child?” Namgung Heon continued firmly. “The Boeun Coin of the Divine Sage is a priceless treasure, beyond the measure of gold. No matter how much you helped Un, isn’t it shameless to just take it?”
“So,” Bu Eunseol said coldly, scanning his surroundings, “you brought the Namgung family’s sword brigade to take it by force?”
Though unseen, Bu Eunseol had already sensed the sharp auras of some fifty warriors within a thirty-yard radius.
Namgung Heon, with an embarrassed expression, said, “This is my decision alone, so there’s no need to drag the family’s name into it.” Then, with conviction, he added, “But for the sake of the Namgung family, I’d endure being cursed a hundred times over.”
“Ha.” Bu Eunseol let out a sigh.
His gaze toward Namgung Heon was one of pity.
Through this conversation, all the mysteries had finally unraveled. He had uncovered which of the Namgung brothers was the masked figure.
‘It wasn’t him.’ Namgung Heon, the prime suspect after Namgung Su, was not the masked figure either.
‘He’s just a pawn.’
Namgung Heon, noticing Bu Eunseol lost in thought, asked, “Is giving up the Boeun Coin really so hard?”
“No. Honestly, if giving it up could settle things, I’d do it.”
“Then hand it over.”
“I can’t.” Bu Eunseol said firmly, “Not only will giving it up not resolve this, but Namgung Un is likely in danger.”
Namgung Heon’s expression twisted strangely.
“What are you talking about? Why would Un be in danger?”
“You wouldn’t know, being just his pawn.” Bu Eunseol turned away.
He was heading back to the Namgung estate to save Namgung Un, who was likely caught in a trap.
Swish.
But dozens of warriors descended from the air, blocking Bu Eunseol’s path.
They were the Emperor Sword Corps, Namgung Heon’s personal sword brigade.
“Cheap tricks,” Bu Eunseol said.
Namgung Heon smirked. “You’re planning to return to the estate, report this to the Palace Master, and slip away unscathed, aren’t you?”
Bu Eunseol let out a deep sigh. Namgung Heon was dazzling in appearance but, regrettably, lacked any brilliance in strategy or intellect.
“What a waste of your looks,” Bu Eunseol said.
“What?”
“With such a simple mind, no wonder you’re being manipulated by your younger brother.”
Bu Eunseol had already seen through everything.
The masked figure who had orchestrated the attack on Dan So-ok—it was none other than Namgung Pung, who was even manipulating Namgung Heon.
“You dare say I’m being manipulated by my brother?” Namgung Heon retorted, incredulous.
Bu Eunseol smirked and said, “Proposing the duel between Namgung Hwan and Namgung Un—you were following Namgung Pung’s orders, weren’t you?”
At the time, Bu Eunseol had been shocked when Namgung Heon suggested the duel. It was because someone had secretly sent a transmission to him right before he made the proposal.
Namgung Su, the eldest, would have no need for such secretive communication.
That left only one person who could have sent the transmission: Namgung Pung.
“I don’t know what kind of leverage he has over you to make you follow his orders,” Bu Eunseol said.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Namgung Heon replied.
“You received a transmission from him, didn’t you?”
Namgung Heon’s expression froze. Detecting a transmission was something only the greatest masters in the martial world could do.
And yet, this mercenary had sensed it?
“I don’t have time to waste. Step aside,” Bu Eunseol said, turning away.
But Namgung Heon made another foolish choice.
“Stop him!”
Clang, clang, clang.
The fifty members of the Emperor Sword Corps surrounded Bu Eunseol.
The Namgung family’s sword formations were unparalleled in the martial world, serving as the foundation for the formations used by the Martial Alliance.
Namgung Heon believed the Emperor Sword Corps alone could subdue Bu Eunseol.
Flash!
But that belief was shattered in a brilliant burst of light. With a single stroke of Bu Eunseol’s sword, the formation collapsed instantly.
Boom, boom, boom!
A radiant sword aura split into dozens of sword rings, striking the vital points of the warriors.
It was the third move of the Seven Blood Tear Forms, an adaptation of the Half-Life Half-Death form.
‘I have no time!’
Thud, thud, thud.
Having defeated the fifty warriors in an instant, Bu Eunseol unleashed his movement technique at full speed.
Thump.
Namgung Heon, watching him leave, fell to his knees.
Among the Namgung bloodline, he was the most striking in appearance and had a charismatic personality that won people over. He had believed he could surpass the cold and reserved Namgung Su to become the Palace Master.
But that confidence had been shattered.
Years ago, Namgung Pung had bared his hidden fangs at him.
“It seems I’ll need to make my second brother my ally if I’m to become the Palace Master,” Namgung Pung had said with a bright smile. “The eldest brother’s cold demeanor, the fourth’s arrogance, and the youngest’s reckless nature make them unfit for the role.”
Namgung Heon had tried to discipline Namgung Pung as an elder brother when he suddenly drew his sword.
But Namgung Pung’s swordsmanship far surpassed his own.
It was on par with the greatest masters in the martial world.
“How…?” Namgung Heon had stammered.
“I’m sorry, but from now on, you’ll need to follow me faithfully if you want to remain part of the Namgung family,” Namgung Pung had said with a crescent-eyed smile.
Namgung Heon was terrified.
Namgung Pung’s martial prowess was enough to kill him without a trace.
And worse, hadn’t he already won over the elders and stewards who supported Namgung Heon?
‘Pung has been hiding incredible martial skills and has skillfully won over many of the Namgung family’s elders and stewards,’ Namgung Heon thought.
Telling their father would only earn him mockery.
What father would dislike a son who was strong and capable?
“Second brother, don’t you see the way things are going?” Namgung Pung had said with a smile, reading his thoughts.
It was only natural for the most capable to become Palace Master.
Namgung Heon realized he could never surpass Namgung Pung, no matter how hard he tried. And soon, the same would be true for his eldest brother and the other siblings.
“If you follow my orders, I’ll ensure you have a prominent position,” Namgung Pung had promised.
The Namgung family had many powerful roles, even for those who didn’t become Palace Master.
And so, Namgung Heon had chosen to follow the tide.
“It seems Father has taken a liking to Un,” Namgung Pung had said later.
Then, unexpectedly, Namgung Un, the reckless troublemaker, had foiled a plot by the Beggars’ Sect and returned in triumph.
This seemed to have irritated Namgung Pung.
“Second brother, it’s time to deal with Un as well,” he had said.
Somehow, he had learned that Namgung Jeong had acquired the Boeun Coin and given it to Namgung Un.
‘Pung is colluding with external forces,’ Namgung Heon realized, seeing how closely he monitored even the Palace Master’s movements.
But it was too late to turn back.
Namgung Pung would inevitably become Palace Master and take control of the Namgung family. So Namgung Heon resolved to keep following him.
“It’s… futile anyway,” Namgung Heon muttered, shaking his head as he watched Bu Eunseol disappear.
No matter how formidable Bu Eunseol’s martial skills or intellect, he couldn’t stop Namgung Pung, who had the backing of external forces and years of meticulous plotting.
***
Wisdom Hall
This was the pavilion where the Namgung Palace Master resided.
Unlike other pavilions, its front courtyard was vast, with high steps leading up to it.
All ceremonies and events in the Namgung family were held in front of Wisdom Hall, where the Palace Master issued commands to departing troops or bestowed ranks on key figures.
But now, the courtyard was filled not with family members but with hundreds of bloodied warriors kneeling in defeat.
Atop the steps stood Namgung Jeong, towering over them.
“So, you thought the Namgung family was a laughingstock,” he said, his eyes radiating a mix of killing intent and disdain as he looked down at the warriors. “Did you think we were so lax that we wouldn’t notice external forces infiltrating us for so long?”
The Namgung family was the foremost of the Eight Great Clans, even earning the nickname “Southern Martial Alliance.”
Its intelligence network and influence were unmatched, allowing Namgung Jeong to oversee both the martial world and the internal affairs of the family from his study. He had long known that subversive forces had infiltrated the Namgung family.
He hadn’t rooted them out immediately for two reasons: first, he didn’t yet know their true purpose; second, he was waiting for the perfect opportunity to crush them all at once.
But something strange had happened.
As soon as the mercenary Seolso, who had been staying at the estate, left secretly, the infiltrated forces suddenly gathered and launched a surprise attack on Wisdom Hall.
However, Namgung Jeong, having anticipated their moves, had already deployed his forces and subdued them in one fell swoop.
The Namgung family—the head of the Eight Great Clans and the unifying force of the Central Plains’ martial world—could never be toppled by external forces. It was simply impossible.
“Who do you serve?” Namgung Jeong demanded.
The head of the punishment hall bowed. “No matter how much we interrogate them, they won’t talk. Their weapons, clothing, and shoes are all untraceable.”
Namgung Jeong narrowed his eyes.
There were about three hundred infiltrators in total.
Even with prior intelligence, it had taken the Namgung family’s elite warriors to subdue them, such was their martial prowess. What force could have sent so many skilled warriors?
“Heh heh heh,” chuckled the apparent leader of the captured warriors, a sinister smile on his face. “You’d better let us go, Palace Master Namgung.”
He bared bloodstained teeth as he grinned.
“Otherwise, your precious youngest son will lose his life forever.”
Namgung Jeong’s eyes widened.
“Punishment Hall Head.”
“Yes, sir.”
The head bowed and immediately sent subordinates to check on Namgung Un’s safety. Soon, a subordinate returned, his face ashen.
“There are signs of abduction.”
“Hu hu hu hu,” the leader of the masked men laughed confidently. “If you don’t release us, he’ll be dead within an hour. That’s the kind of place we’ve locked him in.”
“Where is that place?!” the Punishment Hall Head shouted, drawing his sword and holding it to the leader’s throat.
But the leader didn’t flinch.
“You think I’ll tell you?”
“You—!” As the Punishment Hall Head gritted his teeth, Namgung Jeong slowly descended the steps.
He grabbed the kneeling leader’s pulse point.
Crack.
The leader’s body twisted grotesquely, and he began to spit blood.
Namgung Jeong was using the Seven Organ-Severing Torture, one of the most brutal inner-energy-based interrogation techniques.
“Arghhh!” the leader screamed, yet still laughed. “No matter how much you torture me, you won’t save your son!”
As Namgung Jeong’s expression darkened, a voice called out.
“Father!”
A figure came rushing forward.
It was Namgung Pung.
“I’ve found where Un is being held!”
“What?”
“I tracked someone who infiltrated my quarters and found it. But my strength wasn’t enough to open the door…”
As Namgung Jeong’s eyebrows twitched, a loud boom echoed from the northern gate of the Namgung estate, followed by rising flames.
There were still remnants hiding within the estate.
“We need to hurry! If we’re late, we won’t be able to save Un!” Namgung Pung urged.
A flicker of doubt crossed Namgung Jeong’s mind.
Namgung Pung’s appearance was too convenient, and the idea that he had single-handedly tracked an abductor felt off.
‘What am I thinking?’
Doubting his own son?
Namgung Jeong shook his head and shouted to the head of the punishment hall and his retainers, “Eliminate the remaining intruders with full force!”
Then he turned to Namgung Pung. “Where is Un?”
Whoosh.
Namgung Jeong and Namgung Pung raced at breakneck speed to a clearing deep in a forest far from the Namgung estate.
“This way,” Namgung Pung said, pointing to a boulder in the clearing. “We need to move that boulder to open the door.”
As Namgung Jeong summoned his inner energy, a low rumble echoed.
Rumble.
A massive boulder, weighing over ten thousand pounds, slid aside without him even touching it, moved by his immense inner energy.
Creak.
As the boulder shifted, a mechanism clicked, revealing a passage leading underground.
It was an ingeniously hidden device.
‘To think such a mechanism was built so secretly near the estate,’ Namgung Jeong thought, unable to hide his astonishment.
To create such a device without the Namgung family’s knowledge? This force must have been planning this for years.
And targeting none other than Namgung Un suggested they had deeply researched Namgung Jeong himself.
Shing.
Drawing his sword, Namgung Jeong said to Namgung Pung, “Return to the estate and inform Chief Nam. Tell the Silver Radiance Sword Brigade leader to take command of all forces.”
Without looking back, he leaped into the underground passage.
Clank! Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!
As he sped through the winding passage, various hidden weapons shot toward him.
But Namgung Jeong, without even bothering to defend, used Sword-Body Unity to break through in an instant. At the end of the passage, he reached a sealed cave. There, chained to the wall, was Namgung Un.
“Palace Master,” Un said weakly.
“Are you alright?” Namgung Jeong quickly scanned the surroundings.
No enemies were hiding, and no hidden mechanisms were detected.
Clang!
He struck the cuffs binding Namgung Un’s wrists.
But with a loud metallic sound, only a deep gash appeared—the cuffs didn’t break.
“They’re made of black iron,” Namgung Jeong noted.
Raising his inner energy again, a white glow erupted from his sword.
Boom.
A thunderous sound shook the cave, and cracks spread across the stone wall.
Crunch.
The wall anchoring the cuffs collapsed entirely. Using a heavy sword technique, Namgung Jeong had shattered the stone wall in one strike.
Thud.
As Namgung Un collapsed limply, Namgung Jeong swiftly caught him.
“Are you alright?”
“Palace Master…” Namgung Un’s eyes were dim, and blood stained his lips.
He had likely fought a formidable opponent and sustained severe internal injuries.
“Don’t speak. Focus on circulating your energy,” Namgung Jeong instructed, placing his hand on Un’s Dazhui acupoint to channel his inner energy.
Tap, tap, tap.
But then, hurried footsteps echoed from the passage.
Namgung Jeong paused, gripping his sword tightly and staring toward the sound with a tense expression.
“Father!”
It was Namgung Pung, drenched in sweat, standing beside him.
“Why did you come back?” Namgung Jeong asked.
“It’s… the area is already surrounded by a massive force.”
“What?”
“You need to escape now.”
Namgung Jeong glanced at Namgung Un, whose eyes were barely open, and shook his head.
“Stand guard for a moment. I’ll channel energy to help Un recover.”
“Understood.”
Taking a deep breath, Namgung Jeong turned back to Namgung Un and placed his hand on his Dazhui acupoint again.
Flash!
Suddenly, Namgung Un’s hazy eyes widened, and he shouted, “Palace Master, watch out…!”
Stab.
Before the words were finished, Namgung Jeong felt an earth-shattering pain.
Turning, he saw a sharp dagger embedded deep in his Shenzhu acupoint.
And behind him, staring with narrowed eyes, was none other than Namgung Pung.
The one who had ambushed him was his own son.
“It’s a pity,” Namgung Pung said. “Your barrier aura was so strong that I couldn’t strike the Shenzhu acupoint precisely.”
He claimed the strike wasn’t precise, but Namgung Jeong’s body was already nearly paralyzed, and his inner energy was leaking with every breath.
The dagger’s blade had pierced near the Shenzhu acupoint, where vital nerves converged.
If his barrier hadn’t protected him, Namgung Jeong would have either died instantly or been left crippled.
“Pung, why…?” Namgung Jeong gasped.
“Why?” Namgung Pung’s face twisted with resentment. “Did you think I wouldn’t know that you killed my real father and raised me as your son?”
