Chapter 31: Covenant of Cao Mo (3)
“……!”
Namgung Pa was greatly shocked.
Today was the first time he saw his father, the world’s Namgung Cheon, speak weakly.
Was Namgung Cheon not the supreme sovereign of the Orthodox martial world who was like the sky, just as his name suggested?
An infinitely strong, and also infinitely proud man. Sword King Namgung Cheon.
To think that such words would actually come out of the mouth of someone he respected and revered as a martial artist even before being his father.
It seemed the same was true for the spectators, as everyone could not shut their wide-open mouths.
However, Namgung Cheon went a step further and was even saying this.
“Perhaps if the weapon that fellow used was a spear rather than a staff, I would have died.”
“……!”
“The Ink Bamboo Staff that fellow carried around was probably also taken after killing the Staff Ghost. That fellow must have surely died to a spear. Hmmm—”
Namgung Cheon stroked his beard and clicked his tongue.
“In any case. Drawing the sword in the last move was not a mistake. What else could I do to live? Is life not more precious than face?”
“……I simply cannot believe it.”
“Neither can I. Frankly, I still cannot believe it. If possible, I want to try once again to block that fellow’s final attack with my bare hands… but he ran away before I could even bring it up, so now there is nothing more I can do. Tsk—all because of that nonsense about conceding!”
Namgung Cheon grumbled as if resentful.
Since it was also the first time seeing his father like this, Namgung Pa had only felt the current situation to be unfamiliar from earlier.
Meanwhile, Namgung Cheon, who had been acting as if no one was around, only then raised his head to look at the crowd.
“Ohohoho. Today is completely a day for losing face. I ended up speaking two or three words with one mouth, and I was hit continuously by a young fellow. This old man of Namgung is truly embarrassed to face the fellow heroes of Anhui. I have no face to show.”
At that, the spectators gathered around Namgung Cheon were startled and bowed their heads.
Saying he is embarrassed to face them means a polite request for the guests to leave.
Indeed, the grand banquet had already turned into a mess and the Blood Oath Ceremony was invalidated, so the crowd gathered here had no reason to stay here any longer.
Namgung Pa clasped his hands toward the crowd.
“The Namgung Clan wishes to wrap up all matters here. The main family will surely compensate for today’s trouble. I apologize, and seek the understanding of the fellow heroes gathered here.”
The celebration was over.
Who would dispute this?
There was no such guts, nor any reason to.
People exited from the collapsed walls and the devastated manor.
The crowd scattered like a flock of ducks finding their way home, returning to where they originally came from.
Beyond the servants busily moving around to clean up, the dawn sun was rising before long.
* * *
The father and son returned to the clan.
Namgung Cheon was continuously massaging his wrist and forearm.
Because he would throw a temper if anyone offered to massage them instead, no one could approach near him.
Namgung Pa kept murmuring next to such a Namgung Cheon.
“Three Calls of the Yellow Springs. It is the first time I see such a strange expert. His master’s sect, affiliation, age, and face are all unrevealed… Who on earth is he?”
At those words, Namgung Cheon also nodded.
“His combat style is that of a scoundrel. His spear art is third-rate. His martial arts are at the peak realm. His lightbody art is at the ultra-peak realm. His schemes are at the Transcendent Realm. He is a fellow who is simply incomprehensible.”
“Since we sent such a person away alive, we have completely failed. The Namgung Clan’s face has fallen to the ground.”
“Frankly, you are happy about it, are you not?”
“Pardon? Why would I be happy?”
“Paeng-saeng had his head smashed and died, did he not? Since he acted as the representative of the Council of Elders and tripped up the Clan Leader’s path at every turn whenever a meeting was held, how much of a thorn in your side must he have been all this time? And you probably could not do anything about him because he was an old vassal used by your father.”
“No, Father! What kind of words are…”
“Always interpret the situation to your advantage. Since Paeng-saeng is dead, all the black money he hoarded will belong to you. The finances that can be used directly under the Clan Leader will become even more abundant, so how good is that?”
“……”
Namgung Pa shut his mouth.
Namgung Cheon continued speaking with an expressionless face.
“Long ago, there was a historical anecdote where Cao Cao executed Wang Hou, the officer in charge of military rations. You know why he did that, right?”
“You are talking about the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. I know that because the military rations of Cao Cao’s army were insufficient, the distribution to the soldiers decreased, and when the soldiers raised complaints, he framed the ration officer and executed him. By executing the officer who embezzled the rations, to boost morale as if to say they need not worry anymore… school is out!”
Namgung Pa, who was answering his father’s question, nodded.
Namgung Cheon said.
“It is a fact that Paeng-saeng engaged in evil acts such as embezzlement or taking kickbacks. Conduct a thorough and close investigation, and remedy all the damages caused by this. You can take this opportunity to pin all the mistakes loosely made by the main family onto Paeng-saeng’s faults. Then, the Namgung Clan’s prestige will stand upright even more, far exceeding the face damaged today.”
Just as Cao Cao used Wang Hou as a scapegoat to make his position even firmer, Namgung Pa would also be able to use Namgung Paeng-saeng in that way.
Cutting off the tail.
In any case, interpret what has occurred as advantageously as possible, and if there is a crisis, turn it into an opportunity.
It was indeed a solution worthy of an old martial artist who had experienced all kinds of hardships in the martial world.
Toward his admiring son, Namgung Cheon let out a broad laugh.
“The beast caught as a sacrifice in this Blood Oath Ceremony was precisely Paeng-saeng.”
Namgung Paeng-saeng, who had caught the wolves to use as sacrifices, was ultimately offered as a sacrifice himself.
It sounds self-contradictory, but is that not also what human life is.
At that time.
Namgung Cheon asked Namgung Pa, who was contemplating the future.
“By the way. Is Yul-ah alright?”
“Yes. Thanks to Father driving out the toxic energy, she is fine. She has probably regained consciousness by now.”
Suddenly, Namgung Pa raised veins on his forehead as he recalled the wolf-masked mysterious man kissing Namgung Yul.
But regardless of that, Namgung Cheon scraped Namgung Pa’s insides once more.
“I see. That child will soon reach marriageable age, right?”
“……?”
Why is this topic coming up now?
To Namgung Pa, who wore a bewildered expression, Namgung Cheon said with a beaming face.
“Order Yul-ah. Tell her to capture that fellow called Three Calls of the Yellow Springs alive.”
“Pardon? There is no way that is possible. No matter how outstanding Yul-ah is, she is still a child who has not even reached twenty.”
“That fellow looked even younger though?”
“……”
Namgung Pa opened his mouth to say something, but stopped and shut it.
Judging by the shape of his physical frame, it seemed certain that the one called Three Calls of the Yellow Springs was hiding a youthful face inside the wolf mask.
Namgung Cheon said nonchalantly.
“I will dispatch as many necessary personnel as you want, so tell her to catch him directly with her own hands.”
“Father. Though it is a presumptuous question… why must Yul-ah do that?”
“What do you mean why! How can a grown maiden be held in a strange man’s bare body before even getting married! Know that her marriage path is completely ruined now!”
“No, Father! What era is it nowadays…!”
When Namgung Pa opened his mouth in absurdity, Namgung Cheon clicked his tongue.
“You said the Ascending Heaven Academy is currently on vacation, right? She can go around catching her husband candidate during that time. Tell her to catch him alive without fail. I will attach several special operation units to her, so let me know if you need more personnel.”
“Father! Sigh, I would rather go myself, how can we send Yul-ah! And husband candidate! I have repeatedly said that I will look into Yul-ah’s marriage match…!”
Namgung Pa’s protest was fierce.
It was a firm momentum, as if he could not concede this at least.
However, Namgung Cheon merely clicked his tongue.
“Do you know the meaning of Gluing the Frets to Play the Lute?”
“……It means gluing the bridges of a lute with glue.”
“Right. The strings of a lute produce different tones depending on how they are tuned. But if you glue the bridges tightly with glue just because you found a good tone once, what will happen? You won’t be able to use it in other environments, right? Humans must always be open to change.”
Namgung Cheon stroked his chin and continued speaking.
“In my youth, I once met a primitive tribe in Nanman.”
“You always said so.”
“There was a unique custom in that tribe. If they welcomed a guest from the outside, they would surely make him sleep with the house owner’s daughter.”
“I hear that for the first time. It feels somewhat uncivilized. What do they think of a daughter…”
“It was a custom that originated from being wary of the tribe weakening by only repeating consanguineous marriages. It was to avoid genetic diseases due to incest by mixing blood flowing in from the outside. It is not uncivilized. It is merely their own way of responding to a rapidly changing environment.”
Only now did Namgung Pa also understand Namgung Cheon’s meaning.
However, he was still in a position of being unable to agree with his father’s words.
“Is that not the story of barbarians? Thinking that simply mixing blood is enough is too simple a way of thinking.”
“Sometimes the simplest thing is closest to the answer. Our spirit is Namgung. Namgung means a surname transmitted through blood. Spirit is blood, and blood is spirit.”
The face of Namgung Cheon, which was always gentle, had hardened stiffly before he knew it.
Namgung Pa was quietly listened to his father’s words, intimidated by that expression.
“If those with similar states of mind are entangled for a long time, a mental genetic disease occurs. That is also why I do not look favorably upon a grandson-in-law from the Orthodox path. They are too similar to us.”
“Then do you mean a son-in-law affiliated with the Heterodox or Demonic paths is also fine?”
“Indeed. My point is, do not limit making associations and learning only within the Orthodox path. If young blood from the outside looks useful, you must be able to transfuse it at any time. Only then can you survive the shifting waves of the martial world.”
“Are you not being too hasty? The Namgung Clan is a giant tree. It does not fall to a few ripples. I do not think it is time to pursue such extreme changes yet.”
“Do you think so?”
“……?”
At his father’s question, Namgung Pa tilted his head in wonder.
Seeing that, Namgung Cheon let out a soft sigh.
“The martial world is like the sea. When it is calm, it is calm without end, making it good to cast a fishing rod and have a drink, but… once a storm blows, it fluctuates terrifyingly to the point that the sky and the sea mix.”
Soon, Namgung Cheon’s pupils directed toward his son.
“I heard that Xinjiang’s movements are unusual lately.”
“……!”
Xinjiang. A rugged terrain where countless peaks of the Tianshan Mountains were aligned and deployed.
The Demonic Cult existed there.
Namgung Cheon spoke in a low voice.
“Prepare for change. If there is lively young blood, you must bring it in without distinction. Since a large wave will rise soon, you must mobilize whatever method can cross it.”
“……”
Namgung Pa quietly bowed his head.
Because no one in this world could dispute his father, who had put the word Demonic Cult in his mouth, nor should they.
It was a cataclysm warned by a giant tree who had lived through the era of old martial arts, the Nine Mountains and Eight Seas of blood and corpses.
Unrivaled Spear Ghost