Make the Namgung Family Great Again – Chapter 23

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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“Focus.”

At Namgung-Woo’s command, the Yang brothers closed their eyes and concentrated on the pressure of his palms against their lower backs.

“Breathe. Memorize the flow of Lightning Qi.”

They didn’t respond.

He hadn’t expected them to.

If they had, he would have scolded them for not focusing.

A thread of his Heavenly Thunder True Qi flowed into their Mingmen acupoints, the Gate of Life, located in the center of their lower backs, closely connected to the lower dantian.

At first, the brothers had flinched at the unfamiliar sensation, even though it was the same type of energy they cultivated.

However, now they expertly guided his True Qi, opening their meridians to its flow.

“Constantly visualize the Twelve Regular Meridians as a single, interconnected network. Let the Lightning Qi flow freely. Its instantaneous surge from the lower dantian throughout the twelve meridians is the foundation of the Lightning Sword.”

Namgung-Woo had accepted the brothers as both his followers and his students.

And he was teaching them the Lightning Flash Thirteen Sword.

A peerless technique for manipulating Lightning Qi, it was perfectly suited for the Yang brothers, who cultivated the Thunderbolt True Qi.

“Your arms and legs are one. When your hand moves, your foot follows. When you step, your hand extends.”

The secrets of the Lightning Flash Thirteen Sword flowed from his lips.

As he recited the verses, he guided their Lightning Qi with his own, tracing the pathways of their meridians.

Like a guide leading travelers, his Heavenly Thunder True Qi showed their Thunderbolt True Qi the way.

The recitation and the True Qi guidance continued for some time.

The brothers were just beginning their journey with the Lightning Flash Thirteen Sword.

They’d never practiced a high-level technique with proper form and intent before.

That was why he was teaching them so meticulously, starting with the fundamentals.

“I think I’m starting to understand the flow of True Qi. The more I learn, the more I realize how carelessly I’ve been wielding my saber.”

Yang Jeong, who’d finished first, exhaled slowly and shared his thoughts.

“It’s strange. I’m learning a sword technique, but my inner energy feels stronger, too.”

Yang Kwai spoke next.

“That’s how it works. High-level techniques reinforce each other, accelerating your progress. It’s the opposite of what happens when someone with a righteous cultivation technique tries to learn a demonic sword technique; their progress stagnates.”

“That makes sense, considering we’ve been searching for techniques compatible with our inner energy.”

No cultivation technique circulated True Qi through every meridian and acupoint.

Not even the Muscle-Tendon Changing and Marrow-Cleansing Classic of the Shaolin Temple, which was said to utilize all the meridians in the body.

So, martial artists used different techniques to train the meridians and acupoints not covered by their primary cultivation method.

High-level techniques often served as moving meditations, strengthening the body and mind.

“Now, shall we move on to practical application?”

Namgung-Woo grinned, and the Yang brothers, steeling themselves, gripped their weapons.

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“Argh, I can do the first three forms, but I can’t seem to grasp the fourth.”

Yang Kwai, frustrated, replayed his recent spar with Namgung-Woo in his mind.

Their training consisted of two parts:

First, the theoretical lessons in the inn, with Namgung-Woo guiding their True Qi and reciting the verses.

Then, the practical lessons, sparring against Namgung-Woo together.

Of course, he always won, but Yang Kwai had been growing increasingly anxious about his lack of progress.

He and Yang Jeong had always been close in skill, with Yang Kwai, the older brother, holding a slight edge.

But now, while he was stuck on the fourth form of the Lightning Flash Thirteen Sword, Yang Jeong had mastered the fifth and was working on the sixth.

Seizing the opportunity, Yang Jeong chided him.

“That’s why I told you to switch to a sword.”

He patted the hilt of the sword at his waist.

He’d apparently sold his saber and acquired a sword similar to Namgung-Woo’s.

As its name suggested, the Lightning Flash Thirteen Sword was fundamentally a sword technique.

Naturally, it was easier to learn with a sword.

But it wasn’t exclusively for swords.

It also taught the principles of bladework, so it could be adapted for other weapons.

That was why Yang Kwai had stubbornly stuck with his saber.

“This was Father’s saber. I can’t just abandon it.”

“It’s not like it’s a divine weapon.”

Their father had bequeathed his saber to Yang Kwai, the elder twin.

Yang Jeong didn’t mind.

It was a well-crafted saber, made of good steel, but nothing extraordinary.

Their father had actually left Yang Jeong more money to buy his own weapon.

Of course, he’d used that money to buy a sword.

“It seems I was meant to use a sword. You should try it, Brother.”

“No. I’ve decided to use a saber.”

“Stubborn as always. If you hold back Boss, I won’t forgive you, even if you are my brother.”

“Don’t worry. I’d rather die than hold him back.”

Yang Jeong shook his head.

If only his brother’s stubbornness were channeled entirely into his training.

“Hey, let’s go. Boss is here.”

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While the brothers were diligently training under Namgung-Woo’s guidance, he, in turn, was learning from them.

While the martial arts lessons took place in static environments, like inns or campsites, the brothers’ lessons were conducted on the move.

They traveled on foot, training their leg strength and stamina.

They practiced projecting their voices with True Qi to communicate clearly while on the move, another form of training.

Integrating training into everyday life.

It was a familiar practice for martial artists.

“There’s a clear reason why the righteous sects aren’t helping the Namgung Family. It’s because… it’s justified.”

Yang Jeong finally addressed the question that had been plaguing Namgung-Woo.

“Justified?”

“Yes. You might think killing people and wiping out a family is never justified, but there’s an unspoken law in the martial world that makes it so.”

“Look, he’s taking too long to get to the point. Boss, to put it simply, the Namgung and Dugu families publicly declared a blood feud, and the Martial Alliance and the Black Martial Union agreed not to interfere. So, the Dugu Family’s pursuit of the Namgungs is simply a continuation of that feud, and the Martial Alliance is turning a blind eye.”

A blood feud with the fate of their families at stake.

The two families had entered the feud with the consent of their respective alliances, and the Dugu Family had won.

“But the reason they’re still ignoring the death warrant is that they’re afraid of another Righteous-Black Path War.”

“The Namgung Family is gone. There’s no benefit to protecting them, only unnecessary risk.”

“…But the Dugu Family is the strongest in the black path, right?”

“Exactly.”

“The leader of the Black Martial Union isn’t affiliated with a specific family.”

“Then why did the Namgung Family accept the blood feud?”

The Dugu Family’s reputation was formidable.

Aside from the Xuanyuan Family, no righteous sect would dare claim to be stronger.

So, why had the Namgungs accepted the challenge?

Simple.

“They thought they could win.”

The Namgung Family was known as the greatest sword family in the world.

In the midst of the Righteous-Black Path War, eliminating the Dugu Family would enhance their reputation and minimize their losses.

That seemed to be the Namgung Family leadership’s reasoning.

“Before the Righteous-Black Path War, the Dugu Family wasn’t even considered a major martial arts family.”

“They had some reputation as martial artists.”

The Dugu Family was practically unknown in the martial world.

The Namgung Family, on the other hand, rivaled the Xuanyuan Family for the title of the strongest righteous sect.

It was only logical to assume the Namgungs would win.

“The problem was that the previous Family Head, the strongest in the Namgung Family, died fighting the Demonic Cult…”

“And his successor wasn’t as strong.”

The previous Family Head, Namgung Jin, had disappeared during the war with the Demonic Cult, and his successor, Namgung Hyu, known as the Azure Sky Hero, had been killed by the Dugu Family Head during the blood feud.

That was how the Namgung Family, having lost two consecutive Family Heads, had fallen.

Having finished his explanation, Yang Jeong looked at Namgung-Woo with a knowing glint in his eyes.

“There are rumors that the Family Head secretly sent his child away…”

The implication was clear.

The Namgung Family’s downfall twenty years ago.

The rumors of the Family Head’s child escaping.

And now, a Namgung survivor, barely twenty, stood right before them.

Even Namgung-Woo could see why they’d jump to that conclusion.

“I’m twenty-three.”

“I didn’t say anything, Boss.”

Yang Jeong glared at Yang Kwai, who feigned innocence.

Namgung-Woo stored the information about the Namgung Family Heads in his mind, then asked another question.

“But why did the Imperial Court allow it? I heard they intervened to end the Righteous-Black Path War.”

“That’s… complicated.”

“The Dugu Family were loyal to the Imperial Court.”

“The Dugu Family?”

“I mentioned they had some reputation as martial artists. They were originally a family of military officials.”

That was unexpected.

Weren’t black path sects typically opposed to the Imperial Court? Namgung-Woo couldn’t reconcile the conflicting concepts of Imperial loyalty and black path affiliation.

This time, Yang Kwai explained.

“Boss, you know about the Imperial succession struggles.”

The Ming Imperial Court had been in turmoil recently.

The Zhengtong Emperor, Zhu Qizhen, had been captured in the Tumu Crisis, and his brother, Zhu Qiyu, had become the Jingtai Emperor.

Then, taking advantage of the Jingtai Emperor’s illness following the death of his heir, the Zhengtong Emperor had staged a coup and reclaimed the throne, becoming the Tianshun Emperor.

“The Dugu Family served in the military until the Tumu Crisis. They were loyal to the Zhengtong Emperor, so they were purged by the Jingtai Emperor’s faction. Disillusioned, they turned to the martial world.”

“Even after the Zhengtong Emperor returned as the Tianshun Emperor, they remained in the martial world. The current Emperor is the Tianshun Emperor’s legitimate heir, so he’s lenient towards the Dugu Family’s actions.”

A family of generals loyal to a deposed emperor.

The current Emperor sympathized with the Dugu Family, who’d been exiled for their loyalty.

“Besides, as long as they don’t openly defy Imperial law… aside from the death warrant, they’re still obedient to the Imperial Court.”

“They’re quite active, too. They send out their martial artists to deal with threats to the martial world and seal Ghost Gates… Apparently, they can be repurposed as assassins if needed. Ruthless bunch.”

“Since most of their retainers also came from the military, they operate more like a military unit than a martial arts family.”

That was the extent of the brothers’ knowledge about the Dugu Family.

This level of information was readily available to anyone who paid attention to current events. Deeper insights would require more specialized sources.

“The Beggars’ Sect, the Hao Clan, the Nine Dragons Society… These are the three main information brokers in the Jianghu.”

They represented the righteous, neutral, and black paths, respectively.

“The easiest to deal with is the Hao Clan. They’ll sell you any information for the right price.”

“But the quality of their information is the lowest. They don’t have their own intelligence network; they’re just middlemen.”

“Still better than nothing.”

Their task in Beijing was clear.

They continued their journey, teaching each other, making their way leisurely towards Beijing.

That was why they didn’t encounter the Peng Family members who were rushing to the capital to find Namgung-Woo.

Peng Ha-ryeong, eager to thank her savior, never imagined he’d be traveling at a snail’s pace, enjoying leisurely meals and resting at inns along the way.

Time passed.

“We’re finally here.”

“That’s Beijing, Boss.”

Finally, Namgung-Woo had arrived in Beijing.

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