Chapter 69

Great Law (1)

The main stronghold of the Changcheon Society welcomed back the martial artists returning from the Mount Song Gathering.

“You’ve all worked hard.”

Hall Master Ha Mujung of the Geukmu Hall praised the two rising talents standing before him.

His gaze remained as sharp and emotionless as jagged rock formations, yet there was a subtle softness to it now.

It was thanks to the interactions he had shared with Namgung Jun and Baekri cheong during the journey from Mount Song to Mount Huang after the gathering ended.

Calling it interaction was perhaps an exaggeration. They had exchanged very few words, spending most of their time sparring.

Still, it had been more than enough for him to understand the two young martial artists.

Namgung Jun and Baekri cheong.

Among the promising younger generation of the Ten Halls, these two stood out in particular. One day, they would undoubtedly rise to the rank of hall masters themselves.

Especially...

Ha Mujung’s gaze shifted slightly toward Namgung Jun.

Baekri cheong’s talent was extraordinary, but Namgung Jun was different.

There was something beyond ordinary standards about him.

A transcendent sword skill that seems detached from the passage of time. Can that even be called talent?

If a peerless swordsman who had lost most of his internal energy and whose body had become utterly frail could barely swing a sword, would it look like this?

Namgung Jun’s swordsmanship was that overwhelming.

Even now, the sword trajectories Namgung Jun had drawn during their sparring lingered vividly before his eyes.

Though Namgung Jun had clearly been weaker than him, their matches had been of immense help.

Ha Mujung had personally realized that the rumors were true—that the Lord of Ink had descended the stairs to watch Namgung Jun’s entrance examination.

I wonder how the Sword Lord will react.

Recalling the Sword Lord, who occasionally displayed rather peculiar behavior, Ha Mujung added,

“Namgung Jun. Expectations for you are very high. Continue to strive forward.”

“I will do my best to live up to them.”

Namgung Jun answered with a respectful fist salute.

“Then be on your way.”

At Ha Mujung’s words, Namgung Jun looked toward Baekri cheong.

“Brother Baekri. Let us meet again another time.”

“Ah. Who knows when that will be? Our duties keep both of us occupied. Take care of yourself, Brother Namgung.”

Parting ways with Ha Mujung and Baekri cheong, Namgung Jun headed directly toward the Heavenly Sword Hall.

Since Ha Mujung had taken responsibility for the in-person report regarding this mission, all Namgung Jun needed to do later was submit a written report.

It’s been a while.

As he returned to the Heavenly Sword Hall, he saw the familiar sight of swordsmen crossing blades.

Walking slowly, he carefully observed the swords of the hall members and smiled faintly.

He was not the only one growing and advancing.

Quite some time had passed, and it seemed the swordsmen of the Heavenly Sword Hall had each achieved their own accomplishments.

A few of them, in particular, had made remarkable progress.

Considering they swung their swords like madmen every single day, it was only natural.

As Namgung Jun stepped through the entrance of the Heavenly Sword Hall, one sword after another came to a halt.

“Oh! Youngest, you’re back!”

“So you finally returned. That took quite a while.”

“What were the younger generation talents gathered at Mount Song like?”

The senior disciples stopped their training and gathered around the youngest member of the hall.

Everyone was curious about Namgung Jun’s exploits at the Mount Song Gathering.

“Young Hero Namgung. Your bearing has changed. It seems you gained some significant achievement.”

Heo Il approached with his characteristic stealthy footwork, lifting his bamboo hat slightly and grinning.

Namgung Jun, observing his gait, let out a faint note of admiration.

“You’ve changed as well, Senior Heo.”

Had it been the enlightenment he gained last time, or perhaps the sparring during the competition?

There was a considerable difference in Heo Il’s demeanor.

Exactly what had changed would only become clear once they crossed swords, but it seemed he had found a path of his own.

“Heh. It’s thanks to you, Young Hero Namgung.”

“Namgung Jun! I finally mastered the Great Wind Sword Art!”

Passing by the proudly smiling Heo Il, Man Yewon hurried over and loudly interrupted.

Man Yewon was about to continue speaking when Gong Junam suddenly appeared and pulled him back.

“That’s enough. You can catch up later. Namgung Jun should report to the Hall Master first.”

Thanks to Gong Junam’s consideration in sending away not only Man Yewon but the others as well, Namgung Jun lowered his head in gratitude.

As he approached the Hall Master’s office, a faint bittersweet fragrance drifted outward.

His master had apparently sensed his return through perception long ago and was already brewing tea.

“Jun-ah. It’s been a while. Come in.”

“Master.”

Moving his head exaggeratedly from side to side, Lee Seha broke into a bright smile and clapped his hands.

“You’ve grown taller while I wasn’t looking. At this rate, you’ll be taller than me soon.”

“Is that so? You haven’t changed at all, Master.”

Smiling, Lee Seha rested his chin on one hand.

“How was the Mount Song Gathering? The younger generation over there tends to be quite arrogant.”

“The training and advice you gave me were of tremendous help.”

The smile on Lee Seha’s red lips deepened.

“Hm, hearing that only makes me more curious. Go on, tell me everything.”

Savoring the tea his master had prepared, Namgung Jun slowly recounted the events that had taken place at Mount Song.

Lee Seha’s expressions changed constantly as he listened.

At times he furrowed his smooth brow at certain details, while at others he smiled broadly, clearly pleased.

Then Namgung Jun reached the part about sparring with the Sect Leader of Wudang.

Lee Seha’s face immediately became serious.

“You sparred with the Wudang Sect Leader?”

“Yes. I don’t remember it clearly because I entered a state of enlightenment midway through, but I was able to achieve great progress with the Cloud-Stepping Wall-Crossing Technique.”

“To cross swords with one of the Five Greatest Masters Under Heaven. I’m a little jealous.”

Up until now, he had seemed like a master listening attentively to his disciple’s story.

Now, however, he looked like a martial artist whose curiosity had been genuinely piqued.

“Our disciple turned an opportunity into a fortuitous encounter.”

Resting his chin on his hand, the master looked at his disciple and extended a hand.

He intended to pat Namgung Jun on the head as praise.

But Namgung Jun subtly stepped back.

Having anticipated the reaction, Lee Seha simply laughed brightly even though his hand ended up waving through empty air, and continued speaking.

“Just because you spar with a peerless master doesn’t mean you can easily gain profound insights.”

“I believe the Wudang Sect Leader was considerate toward me as well.”

“Then I suppose I’ll have to pay special attention to any Wudang disciples you meet in the future.”

Having heard the entirety of Namgung Jun’s report, Lee Seha idly played with a strand of hair, looking thoroughly satisfied.

“You accomplished quite a lot this time. I was genuinely surprised when I saw the reward sent down from the Hall of Ink Fragrance, but now I understand why.”

“The reward has already been decided?”

“Of course. The Society Leader personally contacted the main stronghold.”

A faint anticipation flickered in Namgung Jun’s eyes.

Since it was a reward personally selected by the Changcheon Society Leader, it was impossible not to look forward to it regardless of the merits he had earned.

Seeing the unmistakable excitement in his disciple’s gaze, Lee Seha pouted slightly and tilted his chin.

“So the reward catches your attention more than the master you haven’t seen in a while? How disappointing.”

“How could that be?”

Laughing awkwardly, Namgung Jun reached for the teapot.

The master and disciple had fallen into a lengthy conversation the moment they met, and the tea had grown lukewarm.

Namgung Jun paid it no mind.

Blue lightning qi shimmered from his hand as he wrapped it around the teacup filled with tea.

Not long afterward, the tea, which had retained only a trace of warmth, gradually began to boil.

Namgung Jun handed the steaming cup to Lee Seha.

“Master. Please drink.”

“It boiled in just three breaths. Your control and utilization of internal energy have improved considerably.”

After tasting the tea, Lee Seha’s lips curved into a beautiful crescent moon.

“It’s not too hot. Just right.”

“It’s exactly the temperature you prefer, Master.”

“You remembered?”

“As your disciple, shouldn’t I?”

“My disciple may seem cold at times, but he’s surprisingly attentive.”

Smiling with his eyes, Lee Seha set down the now-empty teacup.

“You should head over to the Azure Medicine Pavilion.”

“The Azure Medicine Pavilion?”

Despite the question in Namgung Jun’s voice, Lee Seha merely nodded.

“Your reward should be ready by now.”

The Azure Medicine Pavilion.

The organization responsible for medical care within the Changcheon Society.

Its physicians were dispatched not only throughout the main stronghold but also to various branches, practicing their healing arts wherever needed.

The physicians of the Azure Medicine Pavilion were also quite knowledgeable in martial arts.

They could protect themselves and possessed considerable expertise in healing techniques that utilized internal energy.

“Now that I think about it, I’m probably going to get a lecture.”

Recalling the Pavilion Master, Namgung Jun smiled bitterly but continued on his way.

As the Azure Medicine Pavilion came into view, the rich scent of medicinal herbs drifted toward him from afar.

It was likely because so many martial artists returned from missions with injuries and recuperated there.

Namgung Jun was no exception.

The medicinal decoctions regularly provided by the pavilion had helped suppress the symptoms and flare-ups of his Nine Yin Severed Meridians as much as possible.

Upon entering the pavilion, he found a graying middle-aged man seated on the wooden veranda.

The Pavilion Master looked at Namgung Jun with clear disapproval.

“It’s difficult to see your face these days. No matter how important your missions are.”

“Yes. That’s how things turned out.”

“You mustn’t become complacent simply because your cultivation method has improved. You may feel fine now, but when you undergo meridian-opening treatments or future therapy, the suffering will only worsen. You need to take care of yourself while you’re still young. Martial artists tend to abuse their bodies, but you should learn to value yours as well.”

The Pavilion Master’s sharp voice poured forth one sentence after another, drilling into Namgung Jun’s ears like a relentless martial technique.

Despite carrying the force of a sound-based martial art, Namgung Jun endured it and bowed his head.

“I will keep that in mind.”

Clicking his tongue, the Pavilion Master rose and asked,

“You came because of the reward?”

“Yes.”

“First, let me examine your pulse.”

The Pavilion Master grasped Namgung Jun’s wrist and let out a thoughtful hum.

“At your age, the symptoms of the Nine Yin Severed Meridians should already be worsening significantly. Yet the balance of yin and yang within you is still stable. Is it because you opened the first of the severed meridians and achieved a high level in the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art?”

“Is that so?”

“Even so, you still have a long way to go. You’ve only opened a single acupoint so far.”

Namgung Jun nodded.

“Every time I examine you, I can’t help but lament the inadequacy of my medical skills. I cannot cure your severed meridians.”

“I’ve heard that even ordinary cases of the Nine Yin Severed Meridians are extremely difficult to treat. In my case, I was born with them despite being male, making me an even rarer constitution. Naturally, it would be harder.”

The Pavilion Master shook his head.

“That’s not important. What pains me is that my medical skill cannot reach you. All I can do is continue researching the Nine Yin Severed Meridians and prepare medicinal formulas.”

“Even that has helped me tremendously. If not for you, Pavilion Master, I would never have been able to properly utilize the manual I received from the Tang Family.”

There was no exaggeration in Namgung Jun’s words.

The manual given to him by Tang Yeojin of the Tang Family was closer to a medical text than a martial manual.

Naturally, the person within the Changcheon Society who could make the best use of it was the Pavilion Master.

In fact, through his own research, medical expertise, and the medical texts of the Tang Family, the Pavilion Master had greatly reduced Namgung Jun’s pain and physical burden.

Yet he still seemed dissatisfied.

“For now, your body is under no serious strain. I believe the Great Law can proceed.”

“The Great Law?”

“The reward the Society Leader prepared for you is precisely the Great Law.”

After hearing the explanation of the Great Law he was to receive, Namgung Jun slowly nodded.

Indeed, there could hardly be a better reward for me at this moment.

The Society Leader had accurately seen through exactly what he lacked.

Having finished his explanation, the Pavilion Master asked,

“Well? Will you accept the Great Law?”

“Yes. When can it be performed?”

“If you wish, we can begin immediately.”

Namgung Jun’s eyes gleamed brightly as he nodded.

“Then I would like to proceed right away.”