Chapter 37
First Solo Mission (2)
The boy’s single remark brought silence.
It was a different kind of heaviness from the oppressive atmosphere that Blood-Bead Sword had dominated earlier.
A mixture of awe, shock, and anticipation spread through the air, centered around the young swordsman.
Just who is that boy...?
Merchant leader Jang Il-su stared at Namgung Jun’s back with wide eyes.
The boy had always been diligent and hardworking, never cutting corners, and he was competent at whatever task he was given.
If this caravan journey ended successfully, Jang Il-su had planned to officially accept him into the merchant group and properly nurture his talents.
Yet the side he had suddenly revealed was utterly shocking.
He had no idea where the boy had hidden it, but even the sword hanging at his waist looked completely natural.
He was every bit a young swordsman.
The noble bearing that could not be concealed even beneath a laborer's worn clothes only enhanced his martial aura.
Changcheonhoe?
Hearing Blood-Bead Sword utter the name, Jang Il-su swallowed hard.
He had heard rumors of Changcheonhoe before.
A gathering of righteous warriors who opposed the Sun Moon Demonic Cult and practiced justice. Many even claimed it was better than most orthodox sects.
After all, there were quite a few sects that wore the name of orthodoxy while behaving no differently from evil factions, or secretly cooperating with the Sun Moon Demonic Cult for the sake of preserving their own sects.
What incredible fortune.
The fact that a hero of Changcheonhoe had been traveling with the merchant caravan while concealing his identity was a blessing beyond measure.
But can that boy really handle Blood-Bead Sword?
The appearance of a young hero from Changcheonhoe was certainly welcome, but the presence of Blood-Bead Sword, a Peak Realm master, was simply too overwhelming.
His savage aura spread in every direction, tearing through the air with ruthless force.
By contrast, nothing at all could be felt from Namgung Jun.
Even the sleeves fluttering gently in the breeze looked fragile and precarious.
Blood-Bead Sword is a vicious bastard.
Once he drew his sword, blood had to be spilled.
And if money was involved, he would accept any commission without hesitation.
Rumors even claimed that Blood-Bead Sword had been involved in several murders that had recently occurred in Hefei.
Watching Namgung Jun standing directly opposite such a man, Jang Il-su fell into deep thought.
At this rate...
He had not been able to clearly see the exchange of blades moments ago, but it had looked as though Namgung Jun was being pushed back.
After all, he had reacted late to Blood-Bead Sword's surprise attack.
Even the bold words he had spoken afterward sounded more like an attempt to encourage himself and resist being intimidated.
Gripping his collar tightly, Jang Il-su suddenly shouted.
“Young Hero! There is no need to risk yourself because of us! Preserve your life!”
Even as he shouted, guilt gnawed at him.
Instead of desperately begging for help, he was urging the boy to flee.
Yet he could not simply stand by and watch an outsider die because of their troubles.
Especially not a young hero with such a bright future ahead of him.
It was a terrible waste for such courage and youthful spirit to be thrown away in a place of certain death.
At Jang Il-su’s cry, Namgung Jun slowly turned his head.
A faint smile curled at the corner of his lips.
“Do not worry. It will be over soon.”
Whoosh!
The moment Namgung Jun turned back, a vicious tearing sound exploded through the air.
Blood-Bead Sword instantly crossed six paces, twisting his waist fiercely as he thrust his sword forward.
This is my chance to seize the initiative!
Blood-Bead Sword found Namgung Jun both irritating and grateful.
The boy had actually looked away despite standing before him.
Until that moment, Blood-Bead Sword had not found even the slightest opening.
Clang!
A clear metallic ring echoed.
Blood-Bead Sword’s thrust had been stopped by the sword Namgung Jun held before him.
More precisely, it had been stopped by the blade's edge.
The sight made Blood-Bead Sword's jaw twitch.
“You crazy bastard...!”
The sword tip and the blade edge.
A single point meeting another single point with absolute precision.
Had it been off by even the slightest fraction, his throat would have been pierced.
Yet Namgung Jun had done it without even looking.
It was an astonishing display of perception and swordsmanship.
The technique was so exquisite that Blood-Bead Sword could not even imagine imitating it.
Was it luck... or skill?
To find out, Blood-Bead Sword violently flicked his wrist and launched a barrage of thrusts.
They were killing strikes aimed at every vital point, beginning with Namgung Jun’s eyes.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Yet Namgung Jun merely moved the hilt of his sword.
Every strike was blocked.
Just like before, he used only the narrow edge of his blade to knock aside Blood-Bead Sword’s sword tip with uncanny precision.
More than ten attempts failed completely.
At last, Blood-Bead Sword bit down on his lip and retreated.
Only then did Namgung Jun turn fully to face him.
Meeting the fiercely flickering blue light in Namgung Jun’s eyes, Blood-Bead Sword suddenly felt his back dampen.
After witnessing that incredible sword technique, cold sweat had somehow begun pouring down his spine.
As Blood-Bead Sword hesitated and merely stared, Namgung Jun quietly asked,
“Is that all?”
“Don't be ridiculous!”
If he lost momentum now, it was over.
Blood-Bead Sword roared and charged forward like a madman.
Shrrrk!
His sword danced wildly, unleashing countless strikes.
Every attack dripped with murderous intent.
Allow even a single one through, and the result would be fatal.
Nine streams of sword light split apart chaotically, spreading in all directions.
Then, as if by prior arrangement, every one of them abruptly changed course and converged toward a single direction.
To Jang Il-su and Geo Jeong-do, who were watching from behind, it looked as though a massive crimson sphere had formed around Namgung Jun.
Blood-Bead Fourteen Swords
Blood Deception Great Bead
Blood-Bead Sword immediately unleashed his strongest ultimate technique.
It was because he sensed an immense threat from Namgung Jun.
If I drag this out, I'm the one who dies.
That first clash alone had been enough for him to gauge Namgung Jun's level.
Though he could not determine the exact realm the boy had reached, it was obvious that his innate swordsmanship transcended age and experience.
Blood-Bead Sword decided to stake everything on the advantages he still possessed—his internal energy and deadly combat experience.
Crackle!
Blue lightning erupted violently through the crimson sword lights that surrounded the area.
Like a sprouting shoot bursting from the earth, the blue sword aura grew larger and larger before streaking horizontally across the battlefield.
Cut through the three strikes from the upper-left, draw them to the side, and block the central sword path.
Having read the flow of the technique, Namgung Jun stomped heavily onto the ground.
Lightning Flash Thirteen Sword Paths
First Form.
Single Flash
It happened in an instant.
The sword strike that shot forward like a bolt of lightning completely split apart Blood Deception Great Bead.
It pierced directly into the flaw of the technique and severed its momentum.
Even after doing so, it seemed to have power to spare.
The streak of lightning continued forward and brushed across Blood-Bead Sword's throat.
Click.
As Namgung Jun returned the drawn sword to its scabbard—
Blood-Bead Sword erupted in a fountain of blood from his throat.
Unable even to scream, he collapsed in utter futility.
The duel to the death had ended in an instant.
Yet everyone nearby had seen it clearly.
The young swordsman had utterly crushed Blood-Bead Sword.
It was a duel in which the difference between master and inferior fighter had been unmistakably revealed.
The spotless blue martial robe of the youth seemed to embody the gulf between the two swordsmen.
“Blood-Bead Sword died that easily?”
“Are all heroes of Changcheonhoe this strong?!”
Jang Il-su clenched his fist in excitement, his chest swelling with admiration.
Geo Jeong-do, meanwhile, flushed red with embarrassment after realizing he had spoken of taking such a person as a disciple.
“Hm.”
Meanwhile, Namgung Jun calmly searched Blood-Bead Sword's corpse.
There was nothing particularly remarkable.
A healing medicine for wounds and several bottles that appeared to contain poison.
A money pouch filled with banknotes, silver taels, and coins.
And finally, a small scroll tightly rolled up with string.
Namgung Jun unrolled it.
So Blood-Bead Sword was definitely acting on someone's commission.
The scroll was a contract.
Several assignments were listed inside, and some had already been crossed out in red ink.
Hyeongyong Escort Agency, Samrang House, Ilseon Sect, and Yeongjun Merchant Company.
After examining the contents, Namgung Jun brought the scroll to Jang Il-su.
Surely someone as familiar with the situation in Hefei as Jang Il-su would recognize the common thread immediately.
“Merchant Leader. Does anything come to mind when you see this?”
Though the question was sudden, Jang Il-su calmly examined the scroll.
Soon, his hands began trembling.
“These are incidents that have occurred recently in Hefei. And all of them share hostility with a single sect.”
“Is that sect Hyeongjung Sect?”
After a brief hesitation, Jang Il-su nodded heavily.
Hyeongjung Sect
It was the largest orthodox sect based in Hefei.
“So Hyeongjung Sect is the one behind this.”
Even at the possibility of facing an orthodox sect, Namgung Jun's eyes only gleamed colder.
After dealing with Blood-Bead Sword and the other corpses, the Yeongjun Merchant Company halted its journey and took a temporary rest.
“Merchant Leader, do you intend to continue the caravan route?”
“No. We now know that Hyeongjung Sect's schemes were not merely a suspicion. How could we continue onward? We must return first.”
Jang Il-su's judgment was correct.
Once Hyeongjung Sect learned that Blood-Bead Sword had failed, there was no telling what they might do next.
Returning to the merchant company and laying low was the safer choice.
“What do you intend to do, Young Hero Namgung?”
After learning Namgung Jun's identity, Jang Il-su treated him with the utmost respect.
“Would it be possible for me to continue traveling with the caravan back to Hefei? It should make it easier to avoid Hyeongjung Sect's attention.”
Rather than troubling him, Namgung Jun's request delighted Jang Il-su.
“With Young Hero Namgung accompanying us, I have nothing to worry about.”
“Thank you for understanding. I concealed my identity and joined your caravan.”
“Oh, please don't say such things. It would be difficult for me if my benefactor behaved so formally.”
After finishing the conversation and turning away, Namgung Jun lifted his gaze.
Standing awkwardly beside a tree some distance away was Geo Jeong-do.
It seemed he had been waiting for him.
As Namgung Jun approached, Geo Jeong-do deeply bowed and clasped his hands.
“Young Hero, I behaved rudely before. My eyes were too shallow to recognize your ability.”
His courtesy was sincere.
What he had done earlier could easily have been taken as a grave insult to Namgung Jun's pride.
Under such circumstances, even a challenge to a duel to the death would not have been surprising.
“It is nothing. Please do not concern yourself with it.”
Instead, Namgung Jun returned the salute.
“When Blood-Bead Sword appeared, you were the only one who stepped forward. I admired that courage.”
“Courage? No. I was merely trying to earn my keep as a man who lives by the blade.”
“But risking your life is even harder for one who lives by the blade.”
As Namgung Jun smiled gently, Geo Jeong-do shook his head awkwardly.
“It was merely loyalty bought with money. It is completely different from practicing chivalry as you do.”
Namgung Jun replied firmly.
“I do not believe xia is something grand. If one practices martial arts according to what one believes is right and helps the weak, is that not enough?”
“You give me too much credit. I hardly know how to respond.”
Only then did Geo Jeong-do smile, his tension finally easing.
“Chivalry...”
He watched Namgung Jun's retreating figure.
Though it was the back of a young boy, it somehow seemed incredibly large.
Then, gazing at the blue sky, Geo Jeong-do suddenly remembered his youth.
There had once been a time when he dreamed of becoming a wandering hero.
Back when he had first picked up a blade.
But after learning the realities of the world, he had become consumed with earning money and improving his martial arts.
There had been no room for righteous deeds.
His only comfort was that he had never sold his sword for truly dirty work.
“Perhaps it's not too late even now.”
Staring blankly at the sky, Geo Jeong-do finally made up his mind and hurried after Namgung Jun.
“Young Hero!”
“What is it?”
“I think I would like to help you. Would that be possible?”
Looking at the scroll in Namgung Jun's hand, he continued.
“I know the drifter market of Hefei like the back of my hand. If you show me the contents, I can find the people behind the commission—or other martial artists who received the same assignment.”
Namgung Jun looked at him steadily.
“You could die.”
“Hah! Have you already forgotten that I nearly died today? You saved my life, did you not? Allow me to repay that debt.”
After lowering his eyes for a moment, Namgung Jun clasped his hands in salute.
“Then I will gladly accept your help.”
“Thank you for trusting me.”
And so, Namgung Jun returned to Hefei together with the Yeongjun Merchant Company.