The Genius Grandson of the Namgung Family Chapter 54

The Genius Grandson of the Namgung Family

Chapter 54

Cold Blooded Sword Moyong Bi-san felt his blood run cold, just like his title suggested.

‘Remarkable.’

He sincerely admired in his heart.

Namgung Mu-ryong had stepped onto the training ground without taking any stance or gathering any energy, simply standing there.

But his presence was overwhelming.

‘Was it true… that the divine might he showed at the Murim Alliance a year ago was just a greeting?’

The Sword Saint’s eyes were completely calm.

Looking at those eyes devoid of any emotion, Moyong Bi-san felt chills run down his spine.

‘Unreachable…’

Seeing the Sword Saint who had come up to fight seriously, Moyong Bi-san briefly thought he was unreachable.

*Grip*

But Moyong Bi-san quickly tightened his grip on his sword and calmed his mind.

Though he might be one generation below other family heads, he had rightfully become the head of the Moyong Family, one of the Five Great Families, through his skill.

He couldn’t show such a fearful appearance to his family members and the watching commoners.

“Begin!”

It was the Gentleman Sword’s sixth starting declaration.

As soon as the words fell, Moyong Bi-san kicked off the ground and charged.

‘First strike leads to victory!’

Whether he won or lost, Moyong Bi-san wanted to end this match quickly.

He wanted to avoid becoming everyone’s spectacle by dragging it out.

That’s why he used his most powerful sword technique from the very first move.

Heaven and Earth Hundred Severance Sword Technique

The most profound sword technique passed down through generations in his family unfolded from his hands.

Having recently attained the fifth-level enlightenment, he clearly remembered what his father had said.

‘Mu-ryong is undoubtedly a sword genius. He’s incomparable to the thousands and tens of thousands of warriors I’ve seen. However, the Heaven and Earth Hundred Severance Sword Technique is not at all inferior to the Namgung Family’s sword techniques. If you can just attain fifth-level enlightenment, you should be able to exchange several moves with Namgung Mu-ryong.’

The moment Namgung Mu-ryong stepped onto the training ground, Moyong Bi-san’s plan changed.

‘Even if I lose, I should show something before losing.’

He thought that if he could exchange moves equally with the renowned Sword Saint Namgung Mu-ryong, that alone would be enough to save face.

Swoosh-!

Moyong Bi-san’s sword poured toward Namgung Mu-ryong like light.

True to its name containing heaven and earth, the sword technique seemed to embody the harmony of sky and ground, yin and yang in one strike.

“Wow-!”

“Indeed, not just anyone can become the head of the Moyong Family!”

Even to commoners who knew nothing of martial arts, Moyong Bi-san’s sword seemed mysterious.

Though it was clearly a single thrust, it appeared to split into several paths.

Moyong Bi-san was certain.

That Namgung Mu-ryong would either deflect or dodge this sword.

The true terror of the Heaven and Earth Hundred Severance Sword Technique begins then.

If deflected, it sticks to the enemy like a tick, and if dodged, it naturally follows as if traveling its original intended path.

“Hoho. Not bad. The Heaven and Earth Hundred Severance Sword Technique. It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen it.”

*Swish*

Namgung Mu-ryong spoke leisurely as he raised his sword that had been hanging down by his side until now.

He didn’t even raise it forcefully.

He lifted it naturally, as if stretching.

‘Got him. If he tries to block like this, the next move will… Eh?!’

Clang!

Moyong Bi-san couldn’t continue his thought.

The Heaven and Earth Hundred Severance Sword Technique is a sword that embodies the principle of taichi, using the deflecting force in reverse.

But Namgung Mu-ryong’s sword didn’t deflect Moyong Bi-san’s sword – it completely stopped it.

“Haha. You’ve trained well. Just looking at sword technique alone, you’re far better than Brother Hwi.”

Looking at Namgung Mu-ryong who was laughing heartily, Moyong Bi-san recalled what his father had said after mentioning that mastering five levels would be enough to exchange moves with Namgung Mu-ryong.

‘However, this is just an assumption based on Mu-ryong not progressing any further. Well, it would be difficult to gain new enlightenment at that age. So if you want to face Mu-ryong, you must make sure of this one thing. Check if there are any variables that could overturn all my plans.’

The word ‘variable’ flashed through his mind.

And why did Ha Hyeon, who had just defeated Moyong Cheong, come to mind at that moment?

‘That could have been dangerous.’ Namgung Mu-ryong recalled the small enlightenment he had gained while training the Changgung Mu-ae sword technique with Ha Hyeon not long ago.

If he hadn’t gained that enlightenment then, he might have been exchanging blows with Moyong Bi-san by now.

What he considered dangerous wasn’t that he might allow an attack, but that he had almost shown the appearance of stepping back several steps.

Namgung Mu-ryong’s purpose in this martial arts match wasn’t simply victory.

His purpose was to win overwhelmingly enough that the Moyong family would never dare to challenge the Namgung family’s position again.

Grab!

Namgung Mu-ryong grabbed Moyong Bi-san’s sword with his hand after blocking it with his own sword.

Moyong Bi-san hadn’t anticipated this outcome and couldn’t hide his shocked expression.

Namgung Mu-ryong’s hand was wrapped in powerful energy.

Because of this, even if it had been a real sword instead of a wooden one, he would have grabbed it just as fearlessly as if holding its handle.

“Ugh?”

Though Moyong Bi-san tried to pull his sword back, it didn’t budge at all.

“Hand over the sword.”

“Wha?!”

Namgung Mu-ryong finally took the sword from Moyong Bi-san’s hand and threw the wooden sword far away.

“Wh-what strength…! Sword Saint, are you saying you’ll attack me now that I’m disarmed?”

“Me? Of course not.”

Whoosh-

Namgung Mu-ryong casually replied while throwing his own wooden sword far away as well.

At this action, the commoners watching their match, the Moyong family members,

and even Moyong Bi-san, whose sword had been grabbed by Namgung Mu-ryong, couldn’t understand what he was doing and opened their eyes wide.

“The sword fight would end too quickly, you see.”

“What do you mean?”

“This match, I mean. If I were to use my sword seriously, you might end up dead.”

“…What?”

“I have no intention of killing you.”

“Wh-what is this.”

“However, as I said earlier? Let’s exchange some hits.”

Crack

Namgung Mu-ryong clenched his fist.

Then he drove that fist straight into Moyong Bi-san’s abdomen.

Thump-!

“Kugh!”

It was such a powerful strike that Moyong Bi-san’s body lifted into the air before falling.

He barely held back the rising nausea as he rolled backward to escape to a distance beyond Namgung Mu-ryong’s reach.

“Head of the Moyong family. As your senior in the martial world, I’ll teach you two things.”

Namgung Mu-ryong spoke slowly while approaching one step at a time.

However, Moyong Bi-san couldn’t respond as he was trying to endure the pain.

“First. Make sure you know your opponent’s level before picking a fight.”

Smack-!

Namgung Mu-ryong instantly used his footwork technique to kick Moyong Bi-san’s thigh.

Unable to endure the sudden pain, Moyong Bi-san fell to his knees.

“Second. If you intended to teach someone a lesson… You should do it until they’re paralyzed with fear.”

Namgung Mu-ryong’s fists began to fly towards Moyong Bi-san in earnest.

Thump-! Crack!

“Argh!”

Though he tried to block with his arms, the pain in those arms was unbearable.

Coincidentally, it was exactly the same spot where Moyong Cheong had injured Ha Hyeon with his sword.

“Ah yes. You won’t disgrace yourself by surrendering here, will you? Come now. The Moyong family must have some fist techniques or palm techniques. Come at me.”

“Kugh! Haap!”

Thwack!

Thud!

Namgung Mu-ryong somehow anticipated Moyong Bi-san’s path as he came in with his movement technique and tripped him, causing Moyong Bi-san to sprawl disgracefully on the ground.

“My, my. It seems Brother Hwi taught you all sorts of schemes but didn’t properly teach you fist techniques?”

Namgung Mu-ryong sneered with a smirk.

‘Ah, so there was a reason why the Sword Saint was close friends with Chwiwol Geolgae. Father warned me to be careful of those two…!’

That was Moyong Bi-san’s last conscious thought.

* * *

For about an hour, the martial arts match… no, the one-sided beating continued.

Moyong Bi-san tried to rush at Namgung Mu-ryong using various family-transmitted fist and palm techniques he had learned, but there was no way he could match up.

Though it didn’t seem like he was using any particular fist or palm technique, the Sword Saint’s strikes were truly mysterious in their level.

‘Wow… So sword techniques can be applied like that too.’

However, Ha Hyeon alone fully understood how the Sword Saint was currently employing his martial arts.

Namgung Mu-ryong was beating Moyong Bi-san by converting the Changgung Mu-ae sword technique into fist techniques. ‘Well, since I was able to convert footwork techniques into sword techniques, it’s certainly possible to modify sword techniques into fist techniques.’

Ha Hyeon nodded slightly.

While doing so, he began mentally practicing the sword techniques he had learned so far as fist techniques.

Clearly, the presence or absence of a weapon makes an enormous difference.

Using fists or palms instead of a sword to execute forms.

It sounds easy, but in reality, there are numerous factors to consider.

However, Ha Hyeon focused on one absolute truth that would never change.

‘A sword is, in the end, merely an extension of the hand.’

A fist has a much shorter range than a sword.

Ha Hyeon’s solution to this was surprisingly simple.

‘Take one more step.’

If the fist is too short to reach, you just need to step that much closer.

In fact, while Namgung Mu-ryong appeared to be handling Moyong Bi-san very casually, he was executing his footwork techniques intensely.

A moment later, when Ha Hyeon slowly opened his eyes, he smiled naturally, seemingly having organized his thoughts well.

‘Huh, perhaps I should name it the Moonlight Fist Technique?’

Then Ha Hyeon suddenly looked back at the training ground.

Thud- Thud-

Namgung Mu-ryong’s kicks continued.

Moyong Bi-san’s appearance was already beyond description.

His clothes, which had been clean before the match began, had long since been dirtied from being stepped on and kicked by Namgung Mu-ryong, and his neatly grown and tied hair had come loose and was now disheveled.

“E-enough… I admit defeat.”

Words of surrender finally flowed from Moyong Bi-san’s mouth.

This was the first time in his life he had been beaten this badly.

If he had just fainted like Moyong Cheong who lost consciousness from Ha Hyeon’s single strike, it would have ended earlier, but Namgung Mu-ryong’s beating was truly mysterious – while he felt the pain fully, his consciousness became clearer with each hit.

“The winner is Namgung Mu-ryong of the Namgung family!”

The declaration of victory fell from the moderator’s lips, who had been watching for the opportunity to speak.

“You worked hard.”

Namgung Mu-ryong stopped his advancing fist, patted Moyong Bi-san’s shoulder a few times, and returned to his place.

His expression showed the relief of having a troublesome tooth pulled.

Moyong Bi-san stood up and staggered off the training ground.

“Family Head!”

“Family Head, are you alright?!”

“I’m fine. Everyone return to your seats without making a fuss.”

Defeat. And not just any defeat, but a perfect defeat showing a difference like that between heaven and earth – Moyong Bi-san couldn’t raise his head.

This was an occasion that took several years to arrange.

An occasion he had endured despite hearing comments about being unlike a righteous sect or being underhanded.

‘Where did it go wrong?’

When his thoughts reached this point, he naturally looked toward the Namgung family’s side.

His gaze naturally went to the child stuck close to Namgung Mu-ryong, who was laughing carefreely as if the match with him had never happened, without a single sign of disorder.

‘That child was the first variable.’

Ha Hyeon’s existence was a variable that even Moyong Hwi, who had prepared this scheme, hadn’t considered.

When Namgung Mu-ryong accepted the family challenge last year, they naturally learned of Ha Hyeon’s existence.

And they had also heard well that Ha Hyeon was a once-in-a-millennium talent.

But he hadn’t thought much of it.

He had been complacent, thinking how strong could a mere twelve-year-old be.

‘In the end, my complacency brought all this about…. And…’

The second variable was the Sword Saint himself.

He was strong, too strong.

No other thought came to mind.

Moyong Bi-san was a renowned warrior in the martial world.

This meant he wasn’t at a level to be defeated so thoroughly, as if an adult playing with a child, no matter who he fought.

‘They said when the Sword Saint gets angry, he could annihilate an entire sect in one night…’

Moyong Bi-san closed his eyes.

At this point, after he had already lost, regret was of no help.

“The victory in this match goes to the Namgung family with four wins and one loss! However, according to the previously agreed rules, we will proceed with the final match regardless of the outcome!”

In some ways, this might have been better for Moyong Bi-san.

The spectators were now focusing all their attention on Namgung Min, who had already stepped onto the training ground.

Namgung Min’s expression was calm as he faced the Moyong family warrior.

His face was indifferent, as if the match’s outcome didn’t matter.

It looked somewhat similar to Namgung Mu-ryong’s expression before his match earlier.

“I am Moyong Ju-san, an elder of the Moyong family. Although our family has lost today, I don’t intend to go easy in this match as I aim for at least this victory.”

“Please teach me, senior.”

Namgung Min spoke very respectfully.

For some reason, Moyong Ju-san felt uncomfortable with Namgung Min’s response.

“Begin!”

The moderator called out the start without delay.

Namgung Min and the Moyong family warrior rushed toward each other.

Crack!

A sound that should only be heard when lightning strikes rang out.

Slash-!

“Kugh!”

Moyong Ju-san barely managed to block Namgung Min’s sword that tried to cut through him unawares.

“Wh-when did you get there!”

Namgung Min had somehow already reached behind Moyong Ju-san.

Neither the spectators watching the match nor Moyong Ju-san himself could hide their surprised faces.

However, Na

mgung Min’s face showed some dissatisfaction.

He turned back to look at Moyong Ju-san and muttered.

“Not yet… It seems I still can’t match Master. I wanted to end it with the first move too.”