chapter 16
A matchmaker is someone who unites young men and women in marriage.
Typically, they frequent places where eligible youths gather, but sometimes they come early just to make an impression.
Just like the matchmaker who came to the Deng family today.
In fact, Namgung Ho had rushed to see Namgung Baek as soon as he heard about it.
“To push forward with your only daughter, whom you cherish so dearly, so hastily… It seems the Deng family is very eager to have you.”
And this was no ordinary person, but the direct heir of the Namgung clan.
Not only was his appearance striking, but his skill in both literature and martial arts was unmatched.
Moreover, he was almost certain to inherit the vast Namgung clan.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that every martial artist in the Central Plains was watching Namgung Baek.
“Was her name Deng Soso? That girl seems very fond of you as well.”
Still, Namgung Baek’s eyes remained empty despite those words.
Receiving attention from girls was nothing unusual for him.
Even the youngest daughter of the Emperor, who had traveled to Anhui, had fallen for the young Namgung Baek and begged to marry him.
‘This is very different from my case, huh.’
Namgung Ho, with his slightly rough appearance, spoke in a joking tone.
“If it’s already like this, there’s no need to worry about marriage.”
At that moment, a voice burst from Baek’s mouth, tightly clenched fists trembling, words he had tried to suppress finally spilling out:
“Then what’s the point? I won’t even survive until marriage as a suitable groom.”
With that, Namgung Baek turned away coldly.
The more he talked, the more he felt things rising inside him, impossible to hold back.
Namgung Ho’s desperate call caught his footsteps.
“Baek-ah.”
But Baek did not turn. He stopped in his tracks.
“…Won’t you have breakfast at Changcheon Pavilion tomorrow?”
Baek gave no reply.
He only lowered his head and quickened his pace.
Watching his grandson’s receding figure, Namgung Ho clenched his fist and turned his gaze to the distance.
Even a great warrior like him, one of the Five Kings of the World, had things he could not control.
His grandson, who had built walls facing the outside world, was one of them.
Slash horizontally, slash vertically, thrust forward.
These were the basics of all swordsmanship: the “Three Virtues Sword Technique.”
“Yah!”
Hong Seol struggled to follow the initial movements of the Three Virtues Sword Technique with her wooden practice sword.
The Namgung clan’s training swords contained iron cores.
No matter how healthy Hong Seol had become, she had endured years of poor nutrition. For a child smaller than her peers, it was still difficult to wield.
Thud.
No matter how hard she tried, the tip of the sword soon fell to the ground.
Watching her, Changcheon Grandmaster’s face showed a trace of concern.
‘Why does she strive so hard to learn martial arts when she can’t even swing a wooden sword properly…?’
“Miss, take a short rest.”
He plopped down and patted the spot beside him.
“Ha…ha. Yes.”
Catching her breath, Hong Seol placed the wooden sword aside and trudged over to sit beside Namgung Ui-gyeol.
After sweating together for several days, they had grown somewhat close.
Ui-gyeol looked at the crouching Hong Seol and carefully spoke.
“Um, Miss Hong Seol, you want to learn martial arts, right?”
“Yes!”
Her answer left no room for hesitation. He cautiously asked again.
“Why do you want to learn martial arts?”
“To become indestructible like diamond.”
Ui-gyeol nodded.
So, Miss Hong Seol wanted to learn martial arts to become indestructible.
But why here at Namgung, not Shaolin? Was it because they didn’t accept women…? No!
Why was her goal to become indestructible?
“My grandfather said that if I mastered external techniques to the extreme, I could become indestructible.”
“And what will you do once you become indestructible?”
“If I reach that level… even just with external techniques, I’ll be able to make a living.”
Ui-gyeol’s mind went blank for a moment.
“Right… Changcheon Grandmaster?”
The girl seemed to seek confirmation.
“That’s right. At the very least, you could work as a messenger or a wandering swordsman.”
“A messenger?”
“A job transporting goods or people for money. A wandering swordsman works for an employer whenever needed.”
“I see.”
Ui-gyeol observed Hong Seol nodding and asked carefully,
“But do you really intend to do such dangerous work?”
Hong Seol gave a shy laugh.
“I’m not truly a Namgung person.”
Her words struck a chord in Ui-gyeol’s chest.
“Miss…”
“I know many people must dislike me because I’ve been doing nothing while consuming food…”
Moreover, she was a cat demi-human, something Ui-gyeol didn’t yet know.
She couldn’t stay here forever hiding that truth.
“So, someday I’ll have to leave… I’m preparing for that day.”
Ui-gyeol was struck silent.
She was right. The elders already viewed her as a thorn in their side.
“Miss.”
He stood and bowed slightly.
“Until you reach adulthood, I will ensure you can stay comfortably within the Namgung clan!”
So she could safely succeed in this martial competition.
So that, guided by the teachings of the former Grandmaster, she could someday reach the level of indestructible.
‘I will teach her the Changgung Grand Sword Technique perfectly.’
His eyes shone with firm determination.
“Senior, hasn’t the Grandmaster been acting strange lately?”
“Hah… strange?”
A man training in the outer hall collapsed to the ground.
Around him, already exhausted men lay like empty sacks.
They were the elite warriors directly under the Namgung clan’s renowned Changcheon Grandmaster.
Even normally, their training was notoriously tough. Lately, it had only grown harsher.
Whenever someone tried to rest, the voice of the fierce Changcheon Grandmaster, Namgung Ui-gyeol, would thunder through the hall.
“Is this the time to rest?! Even those born with weaker bodies work this hard…!”
And a scornful glare as well.
Whenever he left, he always assigned extra exercises.
“Return in an hour. Maintain your stances.”
“It’s not that he’s strange—he’s just become like this.”
The man who had just collapsed twirled his finger above his head.
“Senior!”
A comrade lying nearby tried to cover the senior’s mouth.
“If the Grandmaster hears you say that, what will happen?!”
The senior shook him off.
“Hear what? The Grandmaster will be teaching that little girl inside anyway.”
At this, the junior’s expression changed.
“Oh… it’s been like that since then, right?”
“Like what?”
“Training has become so tough. Ever since the Grandmaster took that girl under his wing…”
The senior jumped up, checked the badge at his waist, and marched toward the inner hall.
“Senior! Where are you going?”
“I need to see for myself. Why does the Grandmaster return so furious from the inner hall?”
“Senior!”
The junior’s voice echoed through the outer training hall.
“Miss, try using this.”
Namgung Ui-gyeol handed her something.
It was the object he had wrestled with a dagger for several evenings.
“A training wooden sword?”
“Not just any wooden sword. Give it a swing.”
The sword in Hong Seol’s hands was quite light. Unlike the iron-core practice swords, she could wield it without much effort.
Feeling how it fit in her hand, she looked at Ui-gyeol.
“Did… did the Grandmaster carve this sword himself…?”
Embarrassed, Ui-gyeol scratched his head.
“Well… yes, for now.”
It happened in an instant.
Tears welled up in Hong Seol’s eyes.
“Your Grace!”
She ran and hugged him, barely reaching around one of his thick legs due to her small stature.
“Your Grace?!”
Ui-gyeol was flabbergasted.
“Since you gave me this sword, you must be my benefactor!”
Ui-gyeol leaped in surprise.
“This is hardly a favor! If you form debts in the martial world like this later, it’ll cause problems.”
“…?”
Seeing her blink innocently while holding onto his log-like leg, he sighed deeply.
“You don’t know much about the martial world, do you?”
She nodded enthusiastically.
He decided he would also need to teach her about the martial world.
“During breaks, I’ll tell you about the martial world as well.”
“Yes!”
Her face brightened.
Ui-gyeol smiled awkwardly. She probably thought the martial world stories would be like fairy tales.
In reality, they would be dry explanations about sects and political situations…
He worried she might get bored.
But first, he had a more pressing matter.
“Now, take the wooden sword.”
Hong Seol picked it up with a determined look, ready as if to slay a thousand demons.
Ui-gyeol lifted a sword and assumed a stance.
“I will teach you the First Form of the Changgung Grand Sword Technique.”
