The Sword Emperor's Way of Establishing the Namgung Clan

Chapter 39 - The First Solo Mission (4)

Namgung Jun entered the Heavy Punishment Gate in the capacity of Jang Il-su’s escort.

As he entered the grounds of the Heavy Punishment Gate, a widely spread training ground filled his vision. Behind it, tall pavilions were built in a row.

It seemed the rumor that they boasted the largest scale among the Orthodox Faction sects of Hefei was not an empty one.

“Hah!”

A powerful kiai erupted from the center of the training ground. When he turned his head, he saw the disciples of the Heavy Punishment Gate gathered and in the middle of training.

Good quality martial arts uniforms and well-maintained longswords.

An orderly bearing, and even a fairly unified aura.

They were displaying the military might of the Heavy Punishment Gate just as it was.

Originally, for an outsider to watch a training session was a taboo in the Martial World.

But the Heavy Punishment Gate was revealing its martial arts as if to show off to everyone who was entering to attend the banquet.

They were openly flaunting their strength.

‘Their basic martial art?’

It appeared to be the basic sword style of the Heavy Punishment Gate, created by moderately mixing a few forms into the Three Talents Sword Style.

They must have judged that if it was only of this level, it would not matter if they showed the training scene to an outsider any number of times.

Since the main martial arts of the Heavy Punishment Gate would still be kept tightly hidden.

“Haap!”

The main purpose of the Heavy Punishment Gate seemed to be to break the spirit of those attending the banquet.

In fact, Jang Il-su, who was not a martial artist, would flinch his shoulders every time the disciples of the Heavy Punishment Gate let out a sonorous kiai.

The reaction was similar even for the martial artists who had learned martial arts.

The expressions of the middle-aged men, who appeared to be the leaders of the small and medium-sized sects of Hefei or the masters of martial arts halls, were not good either.

The intention of the Heavy Punishment Gate was working quite well.

“Caravan Leader. Please breathe slowly.”

“Ah. I understand, Young Hero.”

Jang Il-su, who had been reminded anew of the fact that Namgung Jun was beside him, relaxed his mind.

“You are from the Bright Talisman Caravan. Please enter.”

As they showed the invitation card, a disciple of the Heavy Punishment Gate guided Jang Il-su and Namgung Jun inside.

In the circular banquet hall, a dozen or so small drinking tables, on which food and alcohol were set, were arranged in a circle.

And at the head seat, which directly faced the entrance, was, as expected, the Heavy Punishment Gate Master, sitting in an arrogant and insolent posture as if putting on airs.

The Heavy Punishment Gate Master welcomed Jang Il-su.

“Caravan Master Jang. Welcome. I heard you went through a difficult time on your recent trade journey, it is a relief you are safe.”

Jang Il-su’s eyebrows twitched, but he could not refute anything. He could only try his best to nod his head and offer up some appropriate words.

“I was lucky. Though the trade journey failed, I consider it a great gain to have saved my life.”

Jang Il-su found his seat and sat down, and Namgung Jun, who was performing the role of an escort, stood behind him.

Though a few showed interest as they saw the unfamiliar face escorting Jang Il-su, they soon withdrew their gazes.

‘A newly hired escort? He’s young.’

‘The aura he gives off is insignificant. Did he bring a cheap swordsman?’

While no one was grasping Namgung Jun’s true abilities, all the empty seats of the banquet hall were filled.

The Heavy Punishment Gate Master, as if he had been waiting, immediately opened his mouth.

“Everyone. Thank you for attending the banquet and gracing us with your presence.”

“Since it is a banquet hosted by you, Gate Master, is it not only natural that we attend?”

“I saw on the way in, but the spirit of the Heavy Punishment Gate’s disciples is incredible. I am truly envious.”

Those who followed the Heavy Punishment Gate, or wished to get close to it, continuously painted the Heavy Punishment Gate Master’s face in gold.

In contrast, those who were at odds with the Heavy Punishment Gate merely remained silent and consistent in their attitude with crumpled faces.

The Heavy Punishment Gate Master, who had been making idle talk for a few rounds asking about each other's recent affairs, set down his cup.

Tap!

A faint trace of internal energy was laden in the end of the cup, so everyone in the banquet hall focused their attention on the Heavy Punishment Gate Master.

“The reason I have invited you all here and held this banquet is to discuss the great cause of Hefei.”

“The great cause, you say?”

The Heavy Punishment Gate Master nodded his head.

“Of late, the Unorthodox Faction of Hefei has been showing signs of gathering amongst themselves and moving together.”

The Heavy Punishment Gate Master scanned the faces in the banquet hall with a rather serious expression.

“I believe that we too must combine our strength and respond.”

As the Heavy Punishment Gate Master finished speaking, the middle-aged men right beside him responded on cue.

“For something like this, the faster the better.”

“Creating an alliance is a matter of great importance. Everyone must gather.”

Of course, not everyone was in agreement.

An opposition faction to the Heavy Punishment Gate clearly existed.

Jang Il-su, one of the opposition factions, asked.

“And what of those who do not wish to join the alliance?”

“If you will not join the alliance, does that not mean you intend to join hands with the Unorthodox Faction? We are not so soft as to stand by and watch those who are with our enemies.”

It was no different from saying that if they would not join the alliance, they would be turned into enemies of all.

The heads of the groups at odds with the Heavy Punishment Gate, including Jang Il-su, retorted all at once.

“Is that not the same as forcibly compelling us to join the alliance?”

“How can you conduct matters in such a brutish, by-force manner? And by putting your strength at the forefront, at that!”

The Heavy Punishment Gate Master let out a cold smile and stroked his cup.

“Then you can just join, can’t you. Our sect is taking the lead to discuss a great cause; if you turn away from this, you are no different from the Unorthodox Faction.”

“Such sophistry!”

The Heavy Punishment Gate Master did not listen to any more opinions. As he clapped his hands, four swordsmen revealed themselves.

The top masters representing the Heavy Punishment Gate.

They were the Four Swords of the Heavy Punishment Gate.

In the hand of the man called the First Sword, the eldest of the Four Swords, was a pledge sheet.

“Sign it.”

The Heavy Punishment Gate Master looked around the banquet hall.

“If you do not join the alliance, then be prepared to face us starting from tomorrow.”

“Grrgh! Where is the law that says you can proceed with things so unreasonably?”

“For the sake of a great cause, decisiveness is necessary.”

It was then.

There was someone who suddenly stepped out into the center of the banquet hall.

It was Namgung Jun.

“How laughable. Is this paltry swindle all you can do while wearing the mask of the Orthodox Faction?”

“Who is that man?”

“What does a young bastard like that know to be running his mouth!”

Namgung Jun took off the black grand robe he had been wearing on top and threw it aside. At that, his blue martial arts uniform showed off a clear light.

Two white clouds, embroidered on the sleeve.

The eyes of the Heavy Punishment Gate Master, who had recognized the Azure Sky Society uniform, grew large.

“Why is the Azure Sky Society suddenly here?”

His bewilderment was only for a moment. The Heavy Punishment Gate Master schooled his features and rebuked Namgung Jun.

“You bastard. Do you know where you are, to be stepping forward like a reckless fool?”

“Was this not the place to discuss the great cause of the Heavy Punishment Gate?”

“That young bastard.”

CRACK!

As the Heavy Punishment Gate Master was trailing off his words, Namgung Jun drew the sword from his waist, scabbard and all, and plunged it into the floor of the banquet hall.

“Heavy Punishment Gate Master. Is the Heavy Punishment Gate truly worthy of discussing a great cause?”

“By what right do you make such reckless remarks?”

Namgung Jun took out a certain document from within his robes.

“This is a ledger in which is written a record of you entrusting your dirty work to the Unorthodox Faction martial artists and wandering warriors, including the Blood Master Sword.”

Namgung Jun opened the document and spoke so that all could hear.

“The Vast Spirit Gang, the Silent Mountain Iron Gang, the Long Forest Escort Bureau, the Flourishing Martial Hall, the True Azure Sect, and the Bright Talisman Caravan. You’ve caused quite a lot of trouble.”

The Virtuous Saber had dug deep into the wandering warrior network of Hefei and obtained the list of requests, and with Jang Il-su’s resourcefulness, they had succeeded in tracking the bank drafts and had even finished cross-verification.

The document held in Namgung Jun’s hand was the proof born from the cooperation of the two middle-aged men, The Virtuous Saber and Jang Il-su.

“Heavy Punishment Gate Master! Are the words of that boy true?”

“I was suspicious, but since you are nominally of the Orthodox Faction, I thought there was no way!”

The heads of the places Namgung Jun had called out all retorted at once, but the Heavy Punishment Gate Master did not even pretend to listen.

His blazing eyes were fixed only on Namgung Jun.

‘He came knowing everything. Even so, I cannot murder him to silence him. There are too many eyes watching, and the Azure Sky Society will know.’

If he were to rashly kill Namgung Jun, there was a high probability that a righteous warrior of an even higher rank from the Azure Sky Society would come again.

The best course of action would be to resolve the matter at the level of the boy swordsman who bore merely two clouds, rather than letting the issue grow.

The Heavy Punishment Gate Master tried his best to show a composed smile.

“What is it that you want?”

“The normalization of all things. And the sealing of the Heavy Punishment Gate.”

“Let us talk first, it seems there is a misunderstanding.”

Thump!

Namgung Jun once again struck the floor with his sword.

“For a martial artist, is the most certain conversation not the Martial Arts?”

After contemplating for a moment, the Heavy Punishment Gate Master made a proposal.

“Let’s do this. We will abide by the proposal of the side that wins through a formal duel.”

As Namgung Jun nodded his head, the Heavy Punishment Gate Master gestured with his hand. The Four Swords of the Heavy Punishment Gate, who had been on standby at his side, stepped forward.

“From our sect, we will send out the Four Swords of the Heavy Punishment Gate. What will your side do?”

If the opponent sent out four people, it was right for this side to also send out four people. But it had not even been decided who would step forward from this side.

The Heavy Punishment Gate Master had immediately seen right through the fact that Namgung Jun was the only righteous warrior from the Azure Sky Society in this place. The Heavy Punishment Gate Master intended to use the formal duel as an excuse to chase Namgung Jun away for the time being.

‘I just have to get past this situation, one way or another.’

If he could just chase Namgung Jun from this place, the Azure Sky Society would have to face not the Heavy Punishment Gate, but the Righteous United League, the alliance of the Orthodox Faction sects of Hefei.

If that happened, no matter how great the Azure Sky Society was, they would not be able to carelessly meddle with the Heavy Punishment Gate.

But the answer that flowed from Namgung Jun’s mouth went far beyond the Heavy Punishment Gate Master’s expectations.

“I will step forward alone.”

……

KREANG!

The sword of the Second Sword of the Heavy Punishment Gate, which had been plunging down diagonally, shattered. It was something that had happened in merely seven exchanges.

“Kugh.”

The Second Sword let out a low hum as he looked at Namgung Jun’s sword aimed at his neck.

The Third Sword and the Fourth Sword had been defeated with their swords broken in the exact same way. For that reason, he had infused his sword with as much internal energy as possible and fought, but it had been meaningless.

‘To think that young bastard’s sword is this heavy.’

His admiration for Namgung Jun’s sword power was only for a moment. Now, among the Four Swords of the Heavy Punishment Gate, only one remained.

If even the First Sword were to be defeated, the event hosted by the Heavy Punishment Gate would suffer a great setback. This, at least, had to be prevented.

“Heo-eo.”

“The Four Swords of the Heavy Punishment Gate, this easily?”

“No. The head, the First Sword, still remains.”

When the formal duel had begun, the majority of the crowd had been watching with interest to see how long Namgung Jun would last.

But at the sight of the Four Swords of the Heavy Punishment Gate being thoroughly shattered, only silence flowed through the crowd.

Only the heads of some of the factions at odds with the Heavy Punishment Gate did their best to hide their pleased expressions.

‘Ah. Young Hero Namgung!’

Jang Il-su’s heart pounded at Namgung Jun’s splendid performance. Though he knew that Namgung Jun’s martial prowess was not ordinary for his age, he had not known it was to this extent.

‘The Four Swords of the Heavy Punishment Gate are individuals who would not be lacking no matter where they were placed in Hefei!’

A situation that was no different from Namgung Jun blocking the path of the Heavy Punishment Gate all by himself. Jang Il-su waited for the beginning of the final duel with a pounding heart.

Unlike Jang Il-su, whose face was bright, the Heavy Punishment Gate Master was openly crumpling his expression.

‘At this rate, the plan will be completely ruined.’

In the end, only one method came to the mind of the Heavy Punishment Gate Master, who had been driven to the edge of a cliff.

He had tried to lead the situation with a formal duel, restraining himself because of the great risk, but in the end, it had come to this.

‘At this rate, everything will come to nothing anyway. I’d rather!’

In the end, in an all-or-nothing situation, the Heavy Punishment Gate Master called the First Sword over with a gesture, without hesitation.

“First Sword.”

“Yes, Gate Master.”

The First Sword stood on the dueling stage only after he had exchanged a telepathic message with the Heavy Punishment Gate Master. Namgung Jun watched that scene intently.

At last, the final duel of the formal duel began.

The duel between Namgung Jun and the First Sword.

While Namgung Jun raised his sword to pay at least the minimum of respects, the First Sword, in contrast, was busy assuming his starting stance with just a hardened face.

The two swordsmen, who were observing each other with fierce eyes, threw their bodies forward at the same time the moment their gazes exchanged.

Both swordsmen had chosen a bold offensive.

KREANG!

The two swords crossed diagonally and began to push against each other.

‘Kuk?’

The First Sword once again fiercely gripped the hilt that he had almost lost for a moment and drew up the strength of his entire body.

He felt he could now understand how his three younger brothers had lost their swords so helplessly. The heavy pressure that Namgung Jun’s sword was emitting was terrifying.

He felt a certainty that he would have lost if the duel had proceeded by the book. But the First Sword was not worried.

For all he had to do was carry out the matter he had been instructed to by the Heavy Punishment Gate Master.

Vwoom!

The First Sword pushed his sword in just as it was and infused it with internal energy.

The internal energy of the First Sword, which had climbed up the body of his blade, immediately began to spread to Namgung Jun’s. The eyes of Namgung Jun, who had felt this, narrowed.

‘Inducing an internal energy contest? No.’

Namgung Jun’s gaze went past the First Sword.

The moment the First Sword of the Heavy Punishment Gate induced an internal energy struggle and tied down Namgung Jun’s feet, there were those who kicked off from their spots on the left and right and rushed onto the dueling stage.

Judging by the auras that were felt in that instant, they were Peak Realm masters who had risen to the Peak Realm. And among them, one was the Heavy Punishment Gate Master, who had proposed the formal duel.

“You naive bastard!”

The sneer of the Heavy Punishment Gate Master pierced the nape of Namgung Jun’s neck. Despite this, Namgung Jun’s breathing was only tranquil.

Following the clear pupils of Namgung Jun, a blue lightning fire began to distort.