Chapter 35
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“T-The Clan Lord will be fine, probably!”
“I hope so, but who knows.”
“No, the Clan Lord will definitely win! I just know it!”
I wonder what makes her so confident.
A small chuckle escaped him. Namgung Baek gently stroked Hong-seol’s round head as she continued to shout encouragingly.
“If we don’t go inside soon, Grandfather will scold us.”
Namgung Baek stood up first and extended a hand to Hong-seol.
It was a straight, handsome hand, but at the same time, it was covered in hard calluses from training.
Sniffling, Hong-seol took Namgung Baek’s hand and got to her feet.
Two small shadows set off toward Azure Sky Pavilion. The moment their figures disappeared, someone crept out from behind the wall of the Clan Lord’s Hall. He muttered in disbelief.
“That girl’s name is Hong-seol…?”
---
From early morning, the sky was filled with a flurry of colorful paper confetti.
All sorts of people had gathered near the dueling stage set up in the outer courtyard. There were even street vendors selling tea and roasted peanuts.
It was strange.
‘This seems too large-scale for a friendly family duel…’
Namgung Uigyeol, standing beside Hong-seol, seemed to be thinking the same thing, judging by the way he muttered a curse under his breath so she couldn't hear.
“Damn it, it looks like the branch family called in a crowd.”
Their intentions were obvious.
‘Are they trying to humiliate the Clan Lord after he loses the duel?’
If so, that was too cruel.
Hong-seol pouted and stood on her tiptoes, trying her best to get a better look at the dueling stage.
‘Is it because I’m too small? I can’t see the Clan Lord very well.’
At that moment, the scurrying Hong-seol was lifted high into the air.
Namgung Uigyeol had put her on his shoulders.
“Can you see well now?”
“Yes, yes! Thank you, Master of the Azure Sky Unit.”
Namgung Uigyeol smiled with satisfaction.
Hong-seol was the one receiving help, but for some reason, Namgung Uigyeol, who had offered his shoulders, looked even happier.
With a proud expression, he glanced over at the Grand Patriarch, Namgung Ho, who was seated among the distinguished guests.
‘Grandfather doesn’t seem to be in a very good mood today.’
In any case, perched atop the large man’s shoulders, even the young Hong-seol could see the dueling stage and the guest seating as if they were in the palm of her hand.
“Wow, those people are wearing some really expensive-looking clothes.”
The figures seated in the chairs in front of the dueling stage all looked like they held significant positions.
There was the local magistrate from the government office, next to him the head of the Golden Phoenix Escort Agency, which controlled all the logistics in the area, and next to him were people from a famous martial academy in Anhui Province…
The elders of the Namgung Clan were also seated with them.
“Thank you for coming and gracing us with your presence.”
Namgung Yeol, dressed in martial attire, was busy walking among them and offering greetings.
Displeased by the sight, Hong-seol puffed out her cheeks sullenly.
‘He’s acting as if the main house of the Namgung Clan is already his.’
After yesterday’s incident, Hong-seol couldn’t bring herself to like Namgung Do or his father, Namgung Yeol.
‘They’re both definitely plotting to take over the main family.’
Not a shred of tension for the upcoming duel could be felt from Namgung Yeol.
‘That man must think he’s going to win again today.’
According to the duel records she had spent days poring over in the musty library, his confidence wasn't entirely baseless.
‘He really did win by an overwhelming margin every time…’
Still, today would be different.
Hong-seol clenched her small fists.
“C-Clan Lord! You can do it!”
From atop Namgung Uigyeol’s shoulders, Hong-seol mustered her courage and shouted loud enough to shake the dueling stage.
Waaah!
Following her lead, the thunderous roar of the Changcheon Unit shook the grounds.
---
Namgung Yeol, tying a hero's headband around his forehead, glanced toward the cheering crowd.
The young girl on the shoulders of the Master of the Azure Sky Unit was the most conspicuous.
‘Is that the child Father brought in to raise?’
The sight of her, clenching her small fists and cheering for his brother at the top of her lungs, was extremely irritating.
After all, every cheer in this place should rightfully go to him, Namgung Yeol, whose martial skill was far superior to his brother’s.
He didn't know how his brother had managed to capture the little girl's heart in just a few days.
‘Once this duel is over, I’ll make you realize you backed the wrong horse. Both you, little girl, and those damn Azure Sky Unit bastards.’
Namgung Yeol leaped onto the dueling stage.
Following a brief opening address from Namgung Ho, the elder Namgung Muyeong waved a flag, signaling the start of the duel.
“Brother, I won’t be holding back.”
At his words, Namgung On, his sword drawn, gave a slight nod. The tension on his face was palpable.
“Come.”
It was his usual way of saying he would yield the first move.
“Such pointless pride.”
Namgung Yeol tapped his fists together. It was a clear provocation, but Namgung On’s voice remained calm.
“You’re not using a sword today.”
At Namgung On’s words, Namgung Yeol grinned.
“I didn’t think it would be necessary.”
Like most of the Namgung Clan's direct line, Namgung Yeol’s specialty was the sword.
For him to not use a sword, the intention was obvious.
‘Brother, prepare to be humiliated today.’
And Namgung Yeol had never once lost a duel in which he made the first move.
It didn't matter whether he used a sword or his bare hands.
‘This is for the Clan Lord position that was stolen from me, and for our Do, who was unfairly scolded yesterday!’
With that thought, Namgung Yeol shot his fist out like lightning.
“Hah!”
A fist tinged with a murky blue light shot toward Namgung On’s chest before he could even react.
‘Got him!’
The moment Namgung Yeol grinned inwardly, Namgung On lightly turned his body, letting the fist slide past him.
It was as if he had known the attack's trajectory in advance.
“Huh?”
This had never happened before.
Stunned, Namgung Yeol barely managed to turn and look back at his brother.
Namgung On stood with his lips pressed into a firm line and a fearsome expression, his sword aimed at him.
Recognizing the technique, Namgung Yeol let out an involuntary groan.
“The… the Imperial Sword Form…”
A secret martial art passed down only to the Clan Lord of the Namgung Clan.
Although Namgung On’s realm was low, the Imperial Sword Form wasn't called the ultimate art of the Namgung Clan for nothing.
His knees felt a little weak from its sheer presence.
‘I thought it would be over in the first exchange.’
And as luck would have it, he had foolishly left both his hands empty.
He had no sword to parry that heavy blade.
The moment Namgung On leaped forward with his sword aimed. Namgung Yeol thought.
‘In that case, I just have to dodge!’
Until his brother’s Dantian ran dry.
CRACK!
With a tremendous noise, three or four of the massive bluestone tiles where Namgung Yeol had been standing a moment before shattered into pieces.
“Hut!”
Dodging Namgung On’s unremarkable sword was a simple matter of leaping away.
But as fate would have it, several of the rock fragments that scattered in all directions shot toward his eyes.
“Damn it!”
In his panic, Namgung Yeol rolled ungracefully across the ground to avoid the fragments.
The Lazy Donkey Roll.
It meant a lazy donkey rolling on the ground. The move was so ridiculous that it was considered a disgrace among the people of the martial world.
“Damn it all!”
Of all places, this had to happen in front of all the invited guests.
The sound of the audience’s sighs and jeers reached Namgung Yeol’s ears.
“Still, what’s with that ugly Lazy Donkey Roll?”
“Indeed. And from someone bearing the name of Namgung, no less…”
Namgung Yeol pushed himself up, grinding his teeth.
‘I will make you pay for this humiliation today, Brother!’
But it was quiet behind him.
Realizing why, a sneer formed on Namgung Yeol’s face.
‘With just that one move?’
His brother’s shallow Inner Energy had clearly hit rock bottom.
There was nothing to fear now. A murky blue energy swirled around his fists.
“Now, I will show you all a real spectacle!”
Namgung Yeol shouted loudly to the crowd and turned to face Namgung On.
“Huh?”
His vision suddenly went black.
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