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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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From the moment he decided to rebuild the Namgung Family.
Namgung-Woo had anticipated a clash with the Dugu Family.
As long as the Dugu Family did not retract the extermination order against the Namgung Family, friction between Namgung-Woo, who intended to re-establish the Namgung Family, and the Dugu Family was inevitable.
However, that didn’t mean he would immediately declare himself a Namgung and fight the Dugu Family.
If the Dugu Family Head was of a martial level comparable to the Zhuge Family Head, he could launch a decapitation strike with a small elite force, or openly send a life-and-death duel challenge.
However, the Dugu Family Head, Dugu Wol, was a peerless expert.
Moreover, a peerless expert who was even evaluated as the strongest in the Black Martial Alliance after the Alliance Lord.
No matter how fully Namgung-Woo had mastered the Transcendent Realm, it was difficult to rate his chances of victory highly.
The reality was that if they clashed in their current state, there was no proper method other than relying on a miracle.
Therefore, Namgung-Woo began to prepare.
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.
From that time, Namgung-Woo collected information about the Dugu Family.
Information gathering was not difficult.
The Dugu Family was so famous that more was revealed than hidden.
The Yang brothers visited the Beggar’s Sect, Myorin bought information from the Hao Gate, and Namgung-Woo pieced together information about the Dugu Family.
And the Dugu Family he learned about was stronger and larger than Namgung-Woo had vaguely imagined.
However, he couldn’t keep avoiding them forever.
Because the time of conflict would come at a moment Namgung-Woo did not expect.
The Namgung Family and the Dugu Family.
The fight between the two families was not one-sided.
It was a two-sided battle where either side could launch a preemptive strike at any time.
‘My name has already been revealed to Dongfang Hua. Those who would even join hands with the Imperial Family for survival would not have failed to sell my name to the Black Martial Alliance.’
It was reasonable to assume that Namgung-Woo’s own identity had already spread to the Dugu Family.
It was a bit puzzling that the Dugu Family had not shown any particular reaction yet.
However, even if it hadn’t reached the Dugu Family yet, optimism was forbidden.
Perhaps they had already started moving beneath the surface.
Furthermore, Namgung-Woo himself had already met Dugu Bin and let slip a clue.
Given the Dugu Family’s persistence in maintaining the extermination order for over a decade, they would surely catch Namgung-Woo’s tail.
“As I said before, we needed to build up our strength as quickly as possible.”
It was for that purpose he had come to the league meeting, and for that purpose he had sought contact with the survivor.
If he intended to prepare for the Dugu Family, he had to explosively expand his forces in the remaining time before they made their move in earnest.
Thus, Namgung-Woo chased fame.
Like the Hebei Peng Family, like the Zhuge Family.
Just as all sorts of people had sent support upon seeing their names alone, he intended to gain assistance by putting forward the three characters of his name, Namgung-Woo, instead of the forgotten name of the Namgung Family.
He had considered the martial arts tournament a rather good stepping stone, but seeing the Murim Alliance Lord Gakwon’s statement, it seemed difficult to achieve the expected results.
It would be better than not participating, but there would surely be those who would cling to the fact that he participated despite knowing the clear difference in skill.
Above all, there was a part that bothered him more than the martial arts tournament.
“According to the initial plan, I was going to win the martial arts tournament and use that opportunity to recruit members for the Azure Sky Group, but my thoughts have changed. I will tentatively postpone participation in the martial arts tournament.”
The first to raise a question at Namgung-Woo’s words was Yang Jeong.
“Then are you saying you will accept members for the Azure Sky Group based solely on existing fame?”
“If that’s the case, it would have been better to recruit when we were in Huguang.”
“Oppa’s words aren’t finished yet. Let’s ask questions after listening to the end.”
Peng Ha-ryeong, who had silenced the Yang brothers, sparkled her eyes as if asking, “Didn’t I do well?”
Namgung-Woo, expressing his gratitude with a glance, continued.
“I am the only one not participating in the martial arts tournament.”
“…It sounds like you’re telling us to participate in the martial arts tournament.”
“It’s not a compulsion. I’m saying I won’t stop you if you voluntarily participate. And anyway, Geum-shin, you would have participated even if I had stopped you, right?”
“Ahem, if the Leader had forbidden it, I would have restrained myself… probably.”
Geum-shin was cracking his knuckles as if his hands were itching even now.
“It might seem more realistic if members of the Azure Sky Group show moderately outstanding skills rather than the Leader going out and be like some dragon rampaging in a lake, but it would be difficult to expect a dramatic effect.”
Myorin’s point was also valid.
It wasn’t that Namgung-Woo didn’t expect such an effect, but the expectation itself was not high.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m not particularly allowing participation in the martial arts tournament hoping for such things. And for the time being, we won’t have much time together.”
“Yes? Suddenly?”
“I met a survivor of the Namgung today.”
At those words, thoughts about the martial arts tournament were demoted to distractions and faded from the assembly’s attention.
“Already…”
“How was it? Are they strong?”
“If there’s one more person like the Captain, can’t we just fight them as we are and somehow manage?”
“How would that work? Even if the Captain takes over as Family Head, how many heads are left in the Dugu Family?”
Namgung-Woo, rather than resolving their questions one by one, mentioned the most noteworthy matter first.
“The Dugu Family’s extermination order is currently ongoing. But there’s something strange. I found that out in this meeting.”
The reaction of Namgung Sol, the Namgung survivor protected by the Murim Alliance, was somewhat strange.
While fearing the Dugu Family, she also showed a peculiar confidence that they couldn’t do anything to her.
Namgung-Woo, who had been observing her carefully from the first moment they met, saw through even those subtle emotional lines.
“The Murim Alliance Lord seemed to know to some extent, but I need to confirm that first. First, I’ll find that out, and then I’ll decide on a course of action.”
“Still, talent scouting is always ongoing, right?”
“That’s right. Whichever path we take, expanding our forces is something we must go through.”
As he voiced the contents of his mind, Namgung-Woo’s thoughts naturally organized themselves.
And finally, he was about to speak on a matter that remained purely in the realm of speculation, but then he swallowed his words.
‘Perhaps, my name might be revealed through this incident.’
If that happened, the Dugu Family would no longer remain silent.
Because it would mean a force openly defying them had emerged.
However, Namgung-Woo was not considering such a thing without any countermeasures.
The north was the territory of the Righteous Path Murim.
Although there were exceptions like the Shadowless Sect located in Shanxi, the power of the Righteous Path Murim was generally overwhelming.
No matter how strong the Dugu Family was, it would be difficult for the Family Head himself to move in such a place.
Although both sides had officially acknowledged that the Sword Family Blood Feud was a separate fight from the Righteous-Unorthodox Great War, restrictions on their range of activity were inevitable.
It would be especially troublesome for the Dugu Family Head himself, a walking strategic weapon, to come.
‘Rather, luring out pursuit teams in that way and defeating them individually might not be bad.’
He had never played strategy simulation games even in his past life, but the thought of having to conduct an actual war made Namgung-Woo’s head feel stuffy.
‘First, let’s meet Namgung Sol and then think.’
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From the next day, Namgung-Woo moved to approach Namgung Sol.
Although they had become acquainted, they hadn’t made any separate appointments, but it didn’t particularly matter.
Namgung Sol’s Qi wave and Qi were already in Namgung-Woo’s mind.
Luoyang was wide, but considering the Murim Alliance was sheltering Namgung Sol, she would be somewhere not too far from the Murim Alliance, and finding Namgung Sol by wandering around a bit wouldn’t be too difficult.
‘It feels a bit like I’m tailing her, though.’
Since there were so many people around who recognized him, Namgung-Woo bought a bamboo hat that covered his face.
Then, as he moved around, suppressing his Qi wave as much as possible, the surrounding gazes decreased sharply, as if he had become invisible.
‘Found her.’
After walking around for several hours, Namgung-Woo discovered Namgung Sol’s Qi wave in a certain training ground.
The place Namgung Sol was staying was not the Murim Alliance’s guest house for visitors but an ordinary inn.
It seemed she was worried about attracting suspicious gazes if she stayed in the Murim Alliance’s guest house.
‘Isn’t it more suspicious to enter from outside the Murim Alliance than from within?’
Though such a thought occurred to him, wouldn’t the Alliance Lord and the Sangpyeondang Hall Master have handled it well?
They would have created an identity for her that wouldn’t seem strange even if she frequently went in and out of the Murim Alliance.
‘And the inn itself is already not an ordinary inn.’
It was common for inns in Luoyang to have many martial artists.
However, if all the internal guests were experts at or above the Peak Realm, wasn’t that a bit suspicious?
Figuring it was probably a secret lodging or safe house used by the Murim Alliance, Namgung-Woo stepped into the inn.
Surprisingly, no one blocked Namgung-Woo’s path.
Not because they didn’t recognize his presence, but it felt like they already knew he would come.
‘The Alliance Lord must have given a heads-up.’
If they were going to offer convenience, there was no need to avoid it.
Namgung-Woo passed by the people inside the inn who didn’t stop him and headed towards the training ground inside.
Namgung Sol, diligently swinging her sword in the middle of the training ground.
Namgung-Woo, who had been silently watching her, revealed his presence by lightly tossing out a word.
“Your sword is too hasty. There, it’s better to utilize the soft sword principle than to blindly pursue only a strong sword.”
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