Chapter 35
“G-Grandmaster will be fine, probably!”
“I hope so, but who knows.”
“No, Grandmaster will definitely win! I know it!”
What on earth gave her the confidence to say that?
I couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle. Namgung Baek gently ruffled Hongseol’s round head as she shouted enthusiastically.
“If we don’t head in soon, Grandfather’s going to scold us.”
Namgung Baek stood up first and reached out toward Hongseol. His hands were straight and elegant, but toughened from years of training.
Sniffling, Hongseol took his hand and stood up.
The small pair set off toward Changcheon Pavilion. No sooner had their backs disappeared than someone cautiously crept around the wall of the Grandmaster’s hall, muttering in disbelief.
“Her name is Hongseol…?”
From early morning, colorful paper fragments swirled abundantly in the sky.
By the martial stage set up outside the main hall, people had gathered from all around. There were even street vendors selling tea and roasted peanuts.
Strange.
‘For a family’s friendly martial contest, this seems far too large in scale…’
Namgung Uigyeol, standing next to Hongseol, seemed to be thinking the same thing. He muttered curses under his breath, careful not to let Hongseol hear.
“Damn, looks like the branch family’s called people over.”
His true intentions were obvious.
‘Are they trying to embarrass Grandmaster, who lost in martial combat?’
That would be too cruel.
Pouting, Hongseol tiptoed, trying to get a better look at the martial stage.
‘Am I too small? I can’t see Grandmaster very well.’
At that moment, Hongseol was lifted up.
Namgung Uigyeol had given her a piggyback ride.
“Can you see better now?”
“Yes, yes! Thank you, Grandmaster Namgung.”
Namgung Uigyeol smiled warmly.
Though Hongseol was the one being helped, somehow Namgung Uigyeol looked even happier for giving his shoulder.
He straightened proudly, looking toward the elder Grandmaster Namgung Ho, seated among the distinguished guests.
‘Grandfather seems to be in a bad mood today.’
In any case, perched on the broad shoulders, little Hongseol could now see both the martial stage and the VIP seating as if they were in her palm.
“Wow, everyone’s wearing such expensive-looking clothes.”
On the chairs in front of the martial stage sat figures who seemed to have an assigned place: representatives from the authorities, the head of the Geumbong Trading Bureau who controlled local logistics, famous warriors from Anhui Province…
The elders of the Namgung family were also seated among them.
“Thank you for honoring us with your presence.”
Dressed in ceremonial uniforms, Namgung Yeol moved through the crowd, busy greeting everyone.
Hongseol puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.
‘He acts as if the main house of the Namgung family belongs to him.’
After yesterday’s incident, Hongseol couldn’t bring herself to like Namgung Do or his father Namgung Yeol.
‘Both of them are clearly trying to take over the main house.’
She felt no trace of tension from Namgung Yeol despite the upcoming martial contest.
‘He still thinks he’s going to win today.’
Based on the martial records she had studied for days in the dusty family library, it wasn’t unreasonable for him to be so confident.
‘He’s won overwhelmingly every single time…’
But today would be different.
Hongseol clenched her small fists.
“G-Grandmaster! Stay strong!”
From atop Namgung Uigyeol’s shoulders, Hongseol shouted with all her courage.
“Waah!”
Following her lead, the resounding cheers of Changcheon Grandmasters shook the martial stage.
Namgung Yeol adjusted the hero’s headband on his forehead and looked toward the cheering crowd.
Among them, the young girl riding piggyback on Namgung Uigyeol’s shoulders stood out the most.
‘Is that the child Father brought here to raise?’
Her tiny fists clenched tightly as she cheered for her older brother, and it irritated him greatly.
All the support here should have been for Namgung Yeol himself, whose martial skill far surpassed his brother’s.
He didn’t understand how his brother had managed to capture the child’s heart over the past few days.
‘Once this contest is over, I’ll make them regret taking sides the wrong way. You little brat, and that Changcheon fool too.’
Namgung Yeol leapt onto the martial stage.
After Namgung Ho’s brief opening speech, Elder Namgung Muyeong waved a flag, and the contest began.
“Brother, I won’t hold back.”
At these words, Namgung On, sword in hand, nodded slightly, tension visible on his face.
“Come then.”
As always, he was offering the first move.
“Useless pride…”
Namgung Yeol tapped his fists together. Clearly a provocation, yet Namgung On remained calm.
“Not using a sword today?”
Namgung On’s words made Namgung Yeol grin.
“No need, I suppose.”
Like most direct descendants of the Namgung family, Namgung Yeol’s specialty was the sword.
For him not to use it was intentional.
‘Brother, let’s see you get humiliated today.’
Namgung Yeol had never lost in his first move, whether with sword or bare hands.
‘This is for the Grandmaster seat that was taken from me and for our Doa, who was wronged yesterday!’
With that thought, Namgung Yeol’s fist shot forward like lightning.
“Ha!”
A slightly dull bluish aura surrounded his fist as it shot toward Namgung On’s chest.
‘Got him!’
But Namgung On lightly twisted his body, letting the punch pass.
It was as if he had anticipated the attack.
“Huh?”
This had never happened before.
Namgung Yeol spun around to look at his brother in disbelief.
Namgung On, with a fierce expression, held his sword ready.
Recognizing the form, Namgung Yeol couldn’t help but groan.
“J-Jewang Sword Form…”
A secret martial art passed only to the Namgung family’s Grandmasters.
Though Namgung On’s level was low, the Jewang Sword Form was rightly feared as a pinnacle technique of the Namgung family.
The sheer power made his knees tremble slightly.
‘I thought it would end with the first move.’
He had foolishly left both hands empty. There was no sword to counter the heavy blade.
As Namgung On leapt, sword raised, Namgung Yeol thought:
‘Then I just have to dodge!’
Until his brother’s energy was exhausted…
Crash!
With a tremendous noise, several huge blue gemstones shattered where Namgung Yeol had been standing moments before.
“Hah!”
Namgung On’s sword alone could be avoided, but shards of stone flew in all directions, some heading for his eyes.
“Damn it!”
In panic, Namgung Yeol rolled awkwardly on the ground, trying to dodge the stones.
Naeryeota-gon — literally “lazy donkey rolls on the ground.”
A comical and shameful move, notorious among martial artists.
“Damn!”
And of course, it happened right in front of all the guests.
From Namgung Yeol’s ears came the crowd’s mixed sighs and jeers.
“Even so, a naeryeota-gon? Ridiculous.”
“Exactly. And someone with the Namgung name…”
Clenching his teeth, Namgung Yeol straightened himself.
‘I’ll make sure to avenge this humiliation today, brother!’
Yet behind him, it was quiet.
Seeing why, a smirk spread across Namgung Yeol’s face.
‘All that from just one move?’
His brother’s shallow energy had been fully exposed.
Now, there was nothing to fear. His fists radiated a dull blue energy.
“Now, I’ll give you all a proper show!”
As he shouted toward the crowd, Namgung Yeol turned toward Namgung On…
“Huh?”
Suddenly, his vision went completely dark.
