Chapter 1 . The Honored Guest of Waryong Manor
Waryong Manor is the greatest martial family in the eastern part of Luoyang. Located in the Yeon clan’s residence village, the master of Waryong Manor was a swordsman named Yeon Muryong.
Known in the Murim as the True Moon Swordsman.
He was known as the True Moon Swordsman because he slashed the ancient witch, the Lunar Fairy.
Just as the name of the True Moon Swordsman was beginning to be known in Murim, he suddenly returned to his hometown, established the Waryong Manor, and went into hiding.
He was thirty-four years old.
Despite his family’s objections, Yeon Muryong never returned to Murim, and it wasn’t long before his name faded from people’s memories.
One day in early May.
The normally quiet Waryong Manor was in an uproar.
His wife, Baek Mijoo, was standing in the middle of the courtyard, barking orders at her servants nonstop.
“You will sweep the courtyard once more, and the governor?”
“Yes.”
Governor Yeon Moo-dok quickly stepped forward in front of Baek Mi-joo.
“I want you to find the children and send them to the main house immediately.”
Baek Mijoo asked politely, even though he was the governor, it was not easy to deal with him, not only because he was older than her, but also because he was the cousin of her husband, Yeon Muryong.
“All of them?”
Yeon Moo-dok looked at Baek Mijoo with meaningful eyes.
Yeon Muryong had three children, one male and one female. The top three of them are Baek Mi-joo’s children.
But the youngest, now six years old, was a concubine and the child of Baek Mi-joo’s servant.
Since Baek Mi-joo didn’t usually take care of her servant’s child, Yeon Moo-dok needed to check.
Baek Mi-joo nodded with a calm expression.
“Yes, it should be. If there is even a rumor that Waryong Manor disrespects bastards, it will harm his reputation.”
“All right. Brother-in-law.”
Yeon Moo-dok made a slight bow and then retreated.
Baek Mi-joo bit his lip and watched Yeon Moo-dok walk away.
She didn’t have the heart to call Yeon Jeokha on a day like this.
However, she also doesn’t want to hear him gossiping about her ‘narrow mindedness’ behind her back.
“Ha!”
A thin sigh escaped from Baek Mi-joo’s mouth.
Today is a day when she wants to stay away from Yeon Jeokha more than ever.
It’s the day that Sword Emperor Namgung Byeok, the patriarch of the Divine Sword Family, is scheduled to visit Waryong Manor with his family.
The Divine Sword Family is the honorific name for the Namgung Family of the Southern Wall. The five strongest martial families that influenced murim were called ‘sega’ by the people.
Namgung Sega is the highest among them.
Its name alone could almost settle any dispute.
Suddenly, Baek Mi-joo turned her head and looked around the manor.
She could see a panoramic view of the small Waryong Manor.
It was small.
Right now, it was just one of the countless martial houses.
‘For now…….’
Baek Mi-joo wanted to make Waryong Manor the ‘Sega of Murim’.
The first person to dream of it was Yeon Muryong.
But that dream was shattered.
The person who broke that dream was her own servant, Ibu Yong, the mother of the Yeon Jeokha.
During his short time on the murim, Yeon Muryong was fortunate enough to be connected to the Namgung Sword Emperor.
Passing by, he found Yeon Muryong, who was struggling against a cult known as the Demonic Cult.
With his help, Yeon Muryong was able to defeat the Demonic sect and earn the title of True Moon Swordsman.
Afterward, he developed a sworn brother with the Sword Emperor, the Origin of Murim.
That was six years ago. That was it.
After returning home and treating his internal and external injuries, Yeon Muryong fell in love with his servant, Yi Buyong.
Pathetically in love with her, he abandoned his grandiose dreams of establishing the Murim Sega Family.
He even took Yi Buyong as his concubine, and despite the objections of the Yeon clan, he announced his retirement from the murim.
‘Ungrateful humans…….’
Thinking about the two of them, Baek Mijoo gritted her teeth.
The more he thought about it, the angrier she became.
His lips no longer whispered love to themselves.
As much as he hated to admit it, it was for Yi Buyong’s sake that he had built this waryong Manor. When the Yeon clan’s nagging became too much, he had set up a manor in the middle of nowhere.
The Yeon Clan believed that Yeon Muryong was cursed by the Demonic Cult, otherwise, a man who promised to create a Martial Sect would not go into hiding for a mere servant!
However, the love affair between Yeon Muryong and Yi Buyong didn’t last long. Yi Buyong died in childbirth pains while giving birth to Yeon Jeokha.
At the time, I thought that Yeon Muryong would return to his former glory.
But I soon learned otherwise. His mind had died with her.
Yeon Muryong lost interest in everything.
For some time, he hadn’t taken a single step outside of the Manor.
Then he received a visit from his sworn brother, the Namgung Family.
He hadn’t visited him since he was in hiding six years ago. Yet, somehow, the wind had blown him to this remote place.
Baek Mijoo muttered to herself as she slowly walked to the main house.
“Is this an opportunity given to me by the heavens…….”
Namgung Cheon, the eldest son of the Namgung Family, is eighteen years old and is already an outstanding martial artist who has earned the title of Azure Cloud Sword. In comparison, the second daughter is only eight years old.
“Should we pair her with Namgung Cheon?”
But the age difference is too great.
The third daughter, Seoljoo, is now nine years old, so there’s no way she’ll be able to breed with him.
The only thing left to do is to mate her with his son.
Mu-baek is fourteen and Seung-baek is eleven, just the right age for Namgung Yeon, who is now eight.
The problem is that we don’t know how close her husband, Yeon Muryong, and the sword emperor are.
His final destination wasn’t Waryong Manor; he said he was stopping by on his way to the Wudang Temple. Furthermore, he hadn’t contacted him before.
“Hmph!”
Baek Mijoo gritted her molars as she stewed in her own thoughts.
“I have to find a way to make a marriage between my sons and Namgung-yeon.”
And if that doesn’t work?
Then I’ll ask the Namgung Family to guide the eldest, Yeon Mubaek.
After all, Yeon Muryong are of no interest to the Murim Sega.
If that’s the case, then I’ll have to do it through Mubaek.
In the future, I plan to laugh at the shabby old Muryong.
When you’re lying on your back in the skirts of your mistress, I’ve fulfilled the dream you gave up.
***
A man sat in a carriage drawn by four horses.
This is the sword emperor Namgung Byeok, the patriarch of the Namgung family, his wife Zhang Ha Eun, his son Namgung Cheon, and his daughter Namgung Yeon.
Twelve swordsmen on brown horses guard the front and back of the chariot.
Each with a prominent solar plexus, their piercing eyes scanned all around them.
Judging by the word “Heaven” on the windshield, they were the Changchun Corps, the most powerful force the Namgung Family could boast.
Under the escort of the Changchun, the carriage looked peaceful.
Looking out the window with a bored expression, Namgung Cheon cautiously asked.
“Father, why has Uncle Yeon gone into hiding? He’s still in the prime of his life.”
Hearing his son’s words, Namgung Byeok burst into a hearty laugh.
“Hehe, you’re the one in the prime of life. Uncle Yeon is now forty years old.”
“But my father is older than Uncle Yeon, and yet he’s still pecking at Murim.”
“That’s because I have your mother by my side.”
With his temperament, he always traveled with his wife.
“Eh, doesn’t Uncle Yeol also have an wife?”
Namgung Byeok looked at his son with a puzzled expression.
“Hmph, I’d better tell you in advance. You two, Cheon and Yeon, listen carefully to your father’s words and make sure you don’t make any mistakes in the Waryong Manor. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“…….”
The energetic Namgung Cheon replied loudly.
On the other hand, the normally silent Namgung Yeon only nodded.
Unlike the curious Namgong Cheon, Namgong Yeon’s expression was dull. Still, her black-and-white eyes remained fixed on the face of Namgung Byeok.
“Uncle Yeon had two wife. The big aunt you see here and the little aunt. But Uncle Yeon was especially close to the little aunt. It was because of her poor health that he went into hiding.”
“Ah! Is Little Auntie healthy now?”
Namgung Cheon, who was very affectionate, asked urgently.
On the other hand, Namgung Yeon, who was now eight years old, still had an unfriendly face.
“Tsk!
Namgung Byeok shook his head excitedly as he looked at the two children’s very different expressions.
The older one is as chatty as a little girl, while the younger one is as speechless as an old man who has seen it all.
For a moment, he wondered if their personalities were reversed, but then he burst out in a long sigh.
“Hah! Little Auntie died giving birth to a child six years ago, and Uncle Yeon has lost interest in the world ever since.”
Namgung Byeok glanced out the window.
That was the end of the story in Yeon Muyong’s letter from long ago.
“So even if you go to Waryong Manor, don’t bring up Little Auntie’s story. For the sake of Uncle Yeon and Big Auntie, it’s best to keep it a secret. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I will be careful.”
“…….”
The girlishly sensitive Namgung Cheon replied with a sad face, while Namgung Yeon only shook his head with the eyes of an old man.
Namgung Byeok gently stroked his little daughter’s hair.
This child resembles his own childhood.
Although she was now labeled as a eccentric, but he himself lived with his heart closed until he was over 20 years old.
If he hadn’t spent his life confronting people with a sword, he might still be like his daughter.
But in the process of mastering martial arts and reaching the peak of his powers, he broke his ego countless times.
The new personality that emerged is the confident one we see today.
“You will also break out of your shell one day.”
Namgung Byeok felt sorry for Namgung Yeon, who was precocious for her age.
Meanwhile, his wife, Zhang Ha Eun, who sits across from him, looks like she’s having fun.
Her husband, who has the title of “Sword Emperor,” is urging her to be careful in the Waryong Manor.
This means that her husband truly respects the Yeon Muryong.
Why hasn’t he visited such an important person for the past six years?
“I’m surprised that someone as picky as you would have a sworn brother in the Yeon Clan.”
“I’m picky?”
“Hoo hoo, isn’t it?, you met with the patriarch of Sun Woo Clan’s so often, but you didn’t become sworn brothers. But you only met with the Yeon Muryong once, and you become sworn brothers?”
“Only met once? Who says that…….”
“You’ve had many fights with Sun Woo’s patriarch over it, don’t you remember?”
“That’s because he made it up. I’ve been living with Yeon’s brother for seven days.”
Zhang Ha Eun smiled wryly.
“But you and the patriarch of the Sun Woo Clan have known each other for more than twenty years, yet you always call each other ‘patriarch’ and keep your distance.”
“Because knowing each other is not the same as being on good terms.”
“Well, it seems to me that you’re on good terms with the patriarch of the Sun Woo Clan.”
“There is a qualitative difference between being on good terms with Yeon’s brother and being on good terms with Sun Woo’s clan.”
“How?”
The entire family’s gazes turned to the Namgung Byeok.
Seeing their attention, he coughed awkwardly.
“Humph, to put it simply, if the exchange with brother Yeon is a matter of life and death……. In the case of the Sun Woo clan, it can be said to be a matter of sharing highs and lows.”
“Tsk, tsk, since you have such a mindset, the head of the Sun Woo Clan doesn’t like it.”
“Hmph, they don’t like it? I have other things to be greedy about.”
The Namgung Byeok was an absurd argument.
A life-and-death relationship is not something that either person wishes for; it’s a fate bestowed by the heavens. He was confident that he and the Yeon Muryong had such a relationship.
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Murim : World of Martial Arts