chapter 12
“Is the Head of the Family still absent?”
He was someone who had constantly clashed with Namgoong Ho over the succession issue. Though now residing in a separate branch, he had apparently rushed over upon hearing the rumors about Hongseol.
“……”
Namgoong Ho said nothing. He simply held his teacup and cast a sharp glance around the Gajujeon hall.
It was as if to say: since the Head of the Family isn’t here, isn’t it the Grand Elder who should be receiving you?
And his expression clearly conveyed another message: don’t bother me with petty complaints just because you’re in a bad mood—get straight to the point.
“Hmph, hmph.”
One elder, nervous under the weight of the moment, tried to pretend he was distracted—but in his fluster, he bit his tongue.
“Ehh, hmph, kchhh.”
Namgoong Mu-Young, who had stepped forward, shot him a sharp glare. The tongue-bitten elder flinched and lowered his head.
“I heard that the Grand Elder has taken in a little girl.”
“It’s just that we took in a child with nowhere to go. I did not realize the elders would fuss over such a thing.”
“Of course we have to care! This is no ordinary child—we’re talking about someone staying in the Changcheon Hall!”
Namgoong Ho twisted his lips into a smile at Namgoong Mu-Young’s words.
The stubborn elders’ intentions were obvious.
They were worried that the Grand Elder might, in a moment of senility, impulsively adopt a child of unknown origin. That could potentially disrupt the power structure of the next generation.
Sure enough, Namgoong Mu-Young asked seriously,
“I must ask directly: what are the Head of the Family’s intentions for this child?”
A faint sneer tugged at the corner of Namgoong Ho’s lips.
“I have no plans to adopt her immediately, so the elders may rest easy.”
Relief visibly washed over the elders’ faces.
“Ah, that’s more like it!”
“There’s no way our Grand Elder would adopt an outsider, someone whose origins are unknown, into the main line as a potential heir!”
Seeing this, Namgoong Ho grinned mischievously.
“Instead of adopting her, I may take the child as my disciple.”
The room froze instantly.
It was one thing to take in an outsider as a lower-ranking martial servant after rigorous testing. But a disciple?
In the entire history of the Namgoong Family, neither the Head nor the Grand Elder had ever personally taken in a child unrelated by blood.
And Namgoong Ho—he was a powerhouse, recognized as one of the strongest in the long history of the Namgoong Clan. His martial skill would stand toe-to-toe even with the current Martial Alliance leader.
Yet despite his unmatched skill, Namgoong Ho had never had a single disciple in his life. The reasons were never made public, but it was assumed that no child had ever been worthy of his teaching.
And now he wanted to personally train a child of unknown origin?
Namgoong Mu-Young, one of the few who had once dared ask Namgoong Ho to teach their own children and been rebuffed, shivered.
“That cannot be! The Grand Elder cannot take in a rootless outsider as a disciple!”
“A rootless outsider?”
A vein throbbed sharply on Namgoong Ho’s forehead.
“Who is considered a Namgoong, and who is an outsider? Tell me—who here is truly Namgoong?”
The elders went silent.
Strictly speaking, even those who bore the Namgoong name were outsiders in this hall. Only the Grand Elder Namgoong Ho, the Head Namgoong On, and the three grandsons could be considered true Namgoongs.
“Pardon me for interrupting,” came a voice, breaking the tension. It was Chief Steward Namgoong Su-O, holding a letter in his hand.
“A letter sent by the Head of the Family, sir.”
“On?”
Namgoong Ho’s eyebrows twitched.
Hongseol was a prodigy destined to master Yin-Yang Divine Art. Yet the elders opposed taking her as a disciple simply because she was not a Namgoong.
He felt the urge to uproot the pillars of the hall. Reading some letter was the last thing he wanted to do. His temper was already frayed from Hongseol insisting on eating the fried Mannyeon Hasuo herself. Dealing with these schemers only fueled his anger.
Sensing the tension, Namgoong Su-O quickly sent a note:
The Head of the Family said this letter must be read in the presence of all the elders.
“Very well. Let’s read it.”
Namgoong On was as clever as any strategist in the Jegal Family. If he insisted the letter be read here, there had to be a reason.
Reluctantly, Namgoong Ho opened the letter.
To Father,
The power to take on disciples rests with the Grand Elder.
However, one cannot simply ignore the influence of the elders who sustain the Namgoong Clan.
Namgoong Ho let out a short laugh.
Even while away from the family, his son seemed to understand the situation here perfectly.
After reading the entire letter, Namgoong Ho lifted his head. His face, which had been red with anger moments ago, was now calm.
‘I understand the intention behind this letter.’
He knew Namgoong Ho would rarely bend his will, so On had offered a solution satisfying both sides: a martial duel for Hongseol.
‘He probably assumed Seol-ah would lose.’
A fair duel would settle the matter, pacifying both his temper and the elders.
‘But On misjudged this time.’ Namgoong Ho’s lips curled slightly.
‘Seol-ah will not lose.’
Her meridian channels had yet to fully recover enough to use her internal energy. Yet Namgoong Ho had faith.
‘Yin-Yang Meridian—this ailment that has long held her back will finally grant her victory.’
If only a few preparations were properly made beforehand.
With a confident expression, Namgoong Ho met the elders’ gazes and spoke.
“If you are unhappy that the Grand Elder would personally teach a child with no lineage, I shall let the child demonstrate her ‘qualification’ through a martial duel.”
The elders murmured among themselves.
“Her opponent… how about Namgoong Jong-woo?”
Namgoong Jong-woo was the only grandson of Elder Namgoong Mu-Young. At eight years old, he was already known for his remarkable achievements.
“If she can defeat Namgoong Jong-woo in a duel…”
The hall erupted into whispers of approval. Most seemed inclined to agree with the proposal.
“When shall this duel be held?”
“How about two months from now?” suggested one elder. Namgoong Ho nodded.
‘It would be better to delay longer, but this will suffice.’
He didn’t want to postpone teaching Seol-ah any further.
Namgoong Mu-Young, tense at having his grandson chosen as the opponent, suddenly blurted:
“The Grand Elder must not personally teach the child before the duel!”
He was wary that Namgoong Ho might impart some secret techniques to Hongseol in advance.
“Very well. The teaching shall be entrusted to others. But the results of the duel must be accepted without dispute.”
“Understood.”
The elders bowed and one by one withdrew. Watching them leave, Namgoong Ho’s lips curved into a scheming smile—a fearsome expression for anyone still daring to oppose him.
“Seol-ah, it’s time you start learning martial arts. What do you think?”
“Me… learn martial arts?”
Hongseol had only heard the news yesterday morning, right after finishing the fried Hasuo and circulating her energy.
“Having opened your meridians with Mannyeon Hasuo, your body should be quite healthy now.”
Hongseol tilted her head in confusion.
If Grandpa knew her condition, why would he say that? She was certain she had already told him she couldn’t use internal energy yet.
“I want to learn martial arts too, but…”
Before her eyes could fill with tears, Namgoong Ho quickly interjected:
“There’s a way. You can train external techniques.”
External techniques?
Surprised by the suggestion, Hongseol tilted her head.
Training external techniques meant strengthening the body and honing skills, didn’t it? Her mind conjured images of the burly Namgoong martial servants—external techniques were the first thing lower-ranked external disciples learned.
“But I thought you had to have internal energy to properly learn martial arts…”
Seeing her hesitation, Namgoong Ho added:
“Do not underestimate external techniques. When perfected, your body will be as unyielding as the Shaolin Vajra, impenetrable.”
Hongseol glanced at her slender arms, still puzzled.
‘Me… becoming like the Vajra?’
It was hard to believe, but if Grandpa said it, there had to be meaning behind it.
This was the martial art she had longed to master. And Namgoong Ho himself would teach her—how could she refuse?
Besides, learning martial arts would make it easier to stand on her own in the future.
‘I can’t afford to be picky right now.’
“I’ll do it!”
“Just as I thought.”
Seeing her determined expression, Namgoong Ho’s face broke into a full smile.
‘So Seol-ah truly wants to learn martial arts.’
He recalled the conversation he had with the elders at the Gajujeon recently.
