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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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Unlike Namgung-Woo, who was surprised by the woman’s dark glasses, she seemed intrigued and turned to face him directly.
He initially assumed she was indifferent to others, but the opposite was true.
His presence had actually unsettled her.
‘What was that just now? I felt… exposed… That’s impossible…’
Despite her outwardly calm demeanor, her mind was in turmoil.
But Namgung-Woo, momentarily startled by the unexpected eyewear, quickly regained his composure.
The Ethereal Void Divine Art, which he practiced whenever he had a moment, cleared his mind of distracting thoughts.
With renewed clarity, he reassessed the woman.
She was indeed a Transcendent Realm expert.
But there was something… off.
While Peng Ja-ryeong felt like he was still on his journey to mastery, his status as a Transcendent Realm expert was undeniable.
This woman, however, felt like she had only just entered the Transcendent Realm.
‘Similar to the Black Tortoise Guardian. She’s just barely reached the Transcendent Realm.’
Even so, it was an impressive feat.
It might seem strange coming from him, but it was truly remarkable.
But something else caught his attention even more.
‘What are those glasses? Did glasses exist back then?’
The woman wore round, dark-lensed glasses.
They looked exactly like sunglasses.
Unbeknownst to him, such dark-lensed glasses had existed in the Central Plains for centuries, since the Song Dynasty.
Back then, judges and military officials used smoked quartz lenses to conceal their gaze.
Now, they used polished obsidian.
Unaware of this, he could only speculate that they were some special artifact created through martial arts or sorcery.
His thoughts were interrupted by Hwa Yeok-pil, who, having observed their mutual appraisal, finally spoke.
“I am Hwa Yeok-pil, Master of the Guya Workshop. I was initially considering three commissions, but yours were the most intriguing.”
Wi Seong-ha muttered under her breath,
“Three? So we actually had a shot?”
“Hmm? Where did the young miss behind you come from?”
“Huh? Oh, I-I apologize. I’m from the Clear Water Sect…”
“Ah, yes. The Clear Water Sect was among the three. You brought a fine material. Unfortunately, these two brought something even more special. Are you two together?”
Responding to the implied question about why they had submitted overlapping requests, Wi Ji-ryang answered sheepishly.
“We are traveling together, but not as close associates. We hired young master Nam’s Azure Sky Group. We intended to entrust our commission to him if it was accepted.”
“Hmm?”
Even Namgung-Woo was unaware of this arrangement.
But the other two Clear Water Sect members seemed to have already discussed this, as they remained silent, tacitly supporting Wi Ji-ryang’s statement.
“I don’t know the details, but it sounds like a valuable item. Why would you give it to me…?”
“I’m ashamed to admit it, but this experience has shown me my limitations. A valuable item without the strength to protect it is just a curse. So, I decided to use it to forge a valuable connection instead.”
Namgung-Woo was slightly impressed by Wi Ji-ryang’s candid explanation.
Greed was natural.
It was normal to desire a valuable item, especially one recognized by the Guya Workshop.
As a martial artist, the prospect of having it crafted into a weapon would be even more tempting.
Yet, Wi Ji-ryang had objectively assessed himself and decided to invest in a connection with him.
The Clear Water Sect’s Junior Sect Leader was a well-rounded successor, willing to sacrifice something small for something greater.
“Will you accept it?”
Now he understood why Wi Ji-ryang had brought the Dragon Eye Orb.
His assumption that he’d brought it because it was too precious to leave unattended was wrong.
He had brought it from the start with the intention of giving it to Namgung-Woo.
“Gladly.”
As Namgung-Woo accepted the offer, Hwa Yeok-pil suddenly clapped his hands.
Clap, clap, clap.
“Excellent. A fine display. A Dragon Eye Orb imbued with spiritual energy… it would make a perfect scabbard.”
This could have been the end of the story, a happy ending straight out of a fairytale.
But there was a third party present.
“Master Hwa.”
Her voice was flat and emotionless, devoid of inflection.
“Hmm?”
“I thought you said to come alone. Did you call me here just to show me this and send me away?”
While her words sounded cold and devoid of emotion, someone with Hwa Yeok-pil’s experience could detect the underlying irritation and anger.
A displeased noblewoman could be terrifying, but Hwa Yeok-pil maintained his usual relaxed tone.
“Not at all. The commission hasn’t been decided yet. You still have a chance.”
As the Guya Workshop Master, he had dealt with far more troublesome and violent individuals.
He wasn’t intimidated by a mere display of displeasure.
He was subtly asserting his superior position.
But the woman didn’t react.
Having lost interest in her posturing, he offered a brief explanation.
“I told the young man to come alone as well. But they came together. Such differences can be quite telling. I was merely testing which of you would inspire my creativity.”
“…I understand.”
‘I don’t think so,’ Hwa Yeok-pil thought to himself.
But there was no point in antagonizing her further.
“Now, to the main event… I was impressed by the display you two just showed, but ending it here would diminish the significance of this meeting. So, I have a proposition for both of you.”
Show him your skills as swordsmen.
The implication of his words was clear.
A duel.
“Ah, I almost forgot. No True Qi.”
Namgung-Woo’s eyes widened.
He had seen through his strength?
That hadn’t happened since he mastered controlling his Qi.
How could Hwa Yeok-pil, whose Qi cultivation was inferior to even Peng Ja-ryeong’s, have sensed it?
It was more surprising than Wi Ji-ryang’s offer of the Dragon Eye Orb.
He wasn’t the only one surprised.
“You both look surprised. Haha, if a skilled swordsman can recognize a skilled swordsmith, shouldn’t the reverse also be true?”
His explanation was vague, but both Namgung-Woo and the woman accepted it.
It was a shared understanding among those who had reached a certain level of mastery, a glimpse into the grand flow of the universe, the principle of convergence and divergence.
“Right here?”
Namgung-Woo looked around.
The courtyard was flat and empty, devoid of any decorations or plants, as if prepared for a duel.
“Is that a problem?”
“Not at all.”
His body was no longer bound by the constraints of time.
Unless they were fighting for days on end, it wouldn’t be an issue.
“Neither is it for me.”
The woman agreed.
Even after hearing that her opponent was also a Transcendent Realm expert, she didn’t flinch.
“Bring the young man’s companions over here.”
Ju Yang-hong, seeing that Hwa Yeok-pil was focused on the upcoming duel, guided the others.
Without any prompting, Namgung-Woo and the woman took their positions, facing each other.
“Nam Woo of the Azure Sky Group.”
“…Dugu Bin.”
At the mention of her name, Namgung-Woo’s brow twitched.
“Dugu… Bin.”
He recognized the name. It was a name he could never forget.
It was the name of the family that had annihilated the Namgung family in this world.
“Of the Dugu Family?”
“So what?”
Her response was curt and dismissive, as if she disliked being defined by her family.
But he pressed on.
“I have a question.”
“…”
She didn’t answer.
But her sword remained sheathed.
He asked,
“Do you remember the Namgung Family?”
This time, her brow twitched.
It was a question she hadn’t anticipated.
“…I won’t answer.”
The Namgung Family.
How could she not know?
It was a name no member of the Dugu Family could forget.
Even those born after the bloody conflict with the Namgung Family had ended.
Shing—
With a clear ring, she drew her sword.
“If you want an answer, defeat me.”
He gripped his sword hilt.
“Then, you’d better have an answer ready.”
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