Chapter 340: A Visitor
On a day when Hyun Gong was busy coaxing Hwa Yeon-shin for guidance, Namgung Myung awoke with a start from a nightmare.
“Haah… haah…”
His heart pounded so fiercely that he had to clutch his chest and take deep breaths to calm down. The sheets were soaked with sweat, and his clothes felt as if they’d been dipped in water.
Sitting up, he was still dizzy, the world spinning around him. He quickly checked on Hong Geol-gae, who was sleeping soundly, breathing evenly. It seemed no one had come to poison him in his sleep.
“Was it sleep paralysis again?”
His limbs were stiff, and his back and shoulders ached as if he’d been beaten.
“I rarely had sleep paralysis as a child…”
What frustrated Namgung Myung the most wasn’t the paralysis itself, but the fact that he couldn’t remember the dream. All he recalled was something approaching him with heavy steps.
The episodes were getting worse. Initially, it was just restless sleep, but now he was waking up drenched in sweat.
He remembered a story his uncle, Namgung Jinya, had told him as a child: Sleep paralysis often occurs when you’re uncomfortable or something’s weighing on your mind, so there’s no need to be afraid.
Namgung Myung pondered deeply.
“It’s not like my sleeping conditions suddenly changed. I’ve been staying at the Tang Manor for more than a day or two. So, it must be something on my mind.”
He began to sift through his inner anxieties and guilt.
If only he were someone who could live without a care, but he was far from it. Namgung Myung had many things that pricked his conscience.
Jung Ok-ryeong, who was anxiously waiting for his return.
His uncle, Namgung Jinya, who might be resenting him and leading the Namgung family.
The countless thefts, big and small, he’d committed.
And many other incidents.
Namgung Myung had caused more trouble than most could in a lifetime.
Yet, he shook his head.
“No, that’s not why I’m having these nightmares.”
He had been accumulating karma for a long time, like someone who builds strength over time to carry a heavy load. For Namgung Myung, bearing such karma wasn’t difficult. Until a few days ago, his dreams had been quite peaceful.
“So why is this happening all of a sudden?”
He couldn’t figure it out.
Since the nightmares began, he hadn’t done anything particularly wrong.
“Am I missing something?”
Surely he was. But he decided not to dwell on it. If it were something he could remember by thinking about it briefly, he wouldn’t have forgotten it in the first place.
He gently nudged the sleeping Hong Geol-gae aside and took his place, closing his eyes.
Evening came as usual, and like any other household in the city, dusk crept over the Tang Manor.
Patients who had visited the manor left before dinner, and the physicians hurriedly ate, eager to return to their martial arts training.
But Namgung Myung, feeling as if a stone weighed on his chest, picked at his food.
Hong Geol-gae, dining with him, asked, “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. I just haven’t had an appetite these past few days.”
Of course, neither Tang Mujin nor Hong Geol-gae showed much concern for Namgung Myung.
They clicked their tongues in unison.
“You’re spoiled, that’s what.”
“Lying around doing nothing and still getting three meals a day, you’re living in luxury.”
Namgung Myung didn’t pay much attention to their reactions.
“These restless dreams… it feels like something’s about to happen.”
“You’re just overthinking because you’re too comfortable. Start brewing some herbal medicine from tomorrow. You know how to do that, right?”
Just as Tang Mujin was about to lecture on the virtues of hard work, a low sound came from the front gate of the Tang Manor.
Thud, thud, thud.
Unlike other households, the Tang Manor didn’t station guards at the gate, fearing it might intimidate the local patients. The philosophy of Tang Jeseon and Tang Mujin was that a physician’s door should always be open.
So, after the gate closed in the evening, anyone wanting to enter had to knock or call out. Except for Namgung Myung, who enjoyed climbing over walls.
A martial artist from the Demonic Sect, passing by the gate, approached.
“Who’s there?”
It was a somewhat perfunctory question. The martial artist opened the gate even before getting a response. After all, who could threaten the Tang Manor?
But as his hand touched the gate, Namgung Myung’s heart began to race. The anxiety he’d been feeling reached its peak.
When the gate finally opened, Namgung Myung realized what he’d been missing.
Standing there was none other than Namgung Jincheon.
”…!”
Namgung Myung’s judgment wasn’t as quick as Hyun Gong’s. Few in the world could match that. But his response was just as swift.
Unlike Hyun Gong, who considered every possibility, Namgung Myung acted on the bare minimum of thought.
“Does Father know I left the Namgung family?”
“Probably not. I left much later than he did.”
“What will happen if he finds me? Will he worry about the family and leave?”
”…No way. I’ll be dragged back to the Namgung family.”
As soon as he finished his brief assessment, Namgung Myung melted into the shadows. Tang Mujin, sitting across from him, was startled.
“Hey, where are you going?”
A low voice came from the darkness.
“My most trusted friend, I leave the rest to you.”
“What the…!”
But before Tang Mujin could finish, Namgung Myung’s presence vanished completely.
Swallowing his frustration, Tang Mujin turned to the gate.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Namgung Jincheon hadn’t noticed Namgung Myung.
“What on earth is going on…?”
To make matters worse, the atmosphere around Namgung Jincheon was tense.
Several martial artists from the Demonic Sect surrounded him, not just to intimidate but ready to clash if he made a move.
Yet Namgung Jincheon seemed unfazed, merely observing the martial artists with interest.
With no other choice, Tang Mujin set down his spoon and approached Namgung Jincheon.
A faint smile appeared on Namgung Jincheon’s lips as he saw Tang Mujin.
“We met at my family’s place not long ago, and now here at your home. Quite the coincidence.”
Tang Mujin replied with the appropriate respect for an elder.
“I should have greeted you at the gate, but I had no idea you were coming.”
“This is all because of my sudden visit. Don’t hold it against yourself.”
Namgung Jincheon’s response was unusually warm. Even considering they were at the Tang Manor and not the Namgung family, his demeanor was different.
Tang Mujin asked, “May I know the reason for your visit to the Tang Manor?”
In truth, Tang Mujin found Namgung Jincheon somewhat intimidating. Not just because of his formidable skills, but because he was Namgung Myung’s father. Few people are comfortable around a friend’s parent.
Namgung Jincheon answered without hesitation.
“I didn’t come with ill intentions. I’ve been wandering, looking for someone to discuss swords with. I arrived at the Emei Sect a few days ago, and Xiang Baeksa suggested I come here instead.”
In short, the head of the Emei Sect had passed Namgung Jincheon off to the Tang Manor. Tang Mujin couldn’t help but sigh.
Namgung Jincheon surveyed his surroundings.
The martial artists from the Demonic Sect, Tang Mujin, and Hong Geol-gae—all were intriguing to him.
“I see why Xiang Baeksa sent me here.”
But Namgung Jincheon’s expression remained confident. Tang Mujin and Hong Geol-gae were both a step below him.
Tang Mujin glanced at Jang Il-nam.
‘Could Elder Jang handle Namgung Jincheon?’
But Jang Il-nam had no intention of fighting Namgung Jincheon.
He quickly gathered some side dishes onto his rice bowl and retreated into the clinic, preferring to enjoy the children’s antics over a potential sword fight.
Fortunately for Jang Il-nam, Namgung Jincheon hadn’t noticed him.
Namgung Jincheon’s gaze shifted between Tang Mujin and Hong Geol-gae before settling on Tang Mujin.
“Tang Manor’s master.”
“Yes.”
“Now that I think about it, I owe you something.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I promised you a sparring match, but something came up, and I couldn’t keep my word.”
Dang Mujin pondered for a moment, trying to recall what this was about, and then remembered an old promise.
In the past, when Dang Mujin visited the Namgung family with Gwaeui, Namgung Jincheon had promised three favors in return for covering up Namgung Myung’s misdeeds.
The first favor was access to the Heavenly Martial Arts Library to learn Yudogong, and the second was receiving a poison pouch from Chilbosa. The last promise was a sparring match.
However, Namgung Jincheon had to leave unexpectedly, and the sparring match was forgotten.
Dang Mujin waved his hand dismissively.
“There’s no need to worry about that. I haven’t held onto such an old matter, and I’m not yet skilled enough to cross swords with you. Instead—”
Just as Dang Mujin was about to change the subject, Namgung Jincheon interrupted him.
“No, the truth is, I want to spar with you.”
”…”
The straightforwardness of Namgung Jincheon’s words left Dang Mujin speechless.
In truth, Dang Mujin also needed a suitable sparring partner, but he wasn’t eager to face Namgung Jincheon right now.
The attention from onlookers was overwhelming, and he felt his skills weren’t yet on par with Namgung Jincheon’s.
“How about we spar tomorrow or the day after? It’s getting dark…”
Namgung Jincheon’s expression soured slightly. He seemed eager to spar immediately.
At that moment, a low voice interrupted Dang Mujin.
“No.”
This time, it wasn’t Namgung Jincheon.
A large, dark figure emerged from beside the Dang family annex. It was Sam Anbul.
Sam Anbul tilted his head as he approached Namgung Jincheon.
“It seems you’re itching for a fight. How about a match with me?”
“Of course!”
Namgung Jincheon’s face lit up with excitement.
He had previously clashed with Sam Anbul without reaching a conclusion, and it had been weighing on his mind.
The two didn’t bother to move to a different location. As the martial artists of the Demonic Sect stepped back about twenty paces, a suitable space opened up.
Namgung Jincheon naturally drew his sword. It was a sharp, gleaming blade. Whether real or practice, swords were dangerous, so masters often used real swords even in sparring.
“I’ll attack first.”
Namgung Jincheon swung his sword horizontally.
It was a familiar technique to Dang Mujin. The Flying Swallow Sword of the Namgung family.
The Flying Swallow Sword was known for its speed and agility among the Namgung family’s techniques.
The strategy was to probe the opponent with light attacks, read their moves, and then strike decisively with a heavy blow.
That’s why the first move in a duel with a Namgung swordsman was always the Flying Swallow Sword.
However, Namgung Jincheon’s mastery of the technique was exceptional. It wouldn’t be surprising if an ordinary person lost their head or had their heart pierced by that strike.
Sam Anbul reached out with his right hand toward Namgung Jincheon’s sword.
The sword’s trajectory shifted smoothly, like a swallow in flight, evading Sam Anbul’s grasp. The sword, initially aimed at Sam Anbul’s chest, redirected toward his collarbone.
Watching this, Dang Mujin thought, “That’s a difficult sword path to block.”
Sam Anbul’s left hand intercepted the sword aimed at his collarbone. But once again, Namgung Jincheon anticipated this and twisted the sword’s path toward Sam Anbul’s right shoulder, specifically targeting the trapezius muscle.
Injuring the trapezius would make it difficult to move one arm, potentially deciding the match.
However, as Namgung Jincheon’s sword touched Sam Anbul’s trapezius, something unexpected happened.
The sword did cut into Sam Anbul’s skin.
But that was all. The blade barely penetrated further.
Sam Anbul chuckled.
“Looks like you’ve been slacking off these past few years. Your sword’s gotten rusty.”
Sam Anbul’s left hand seized Namgung Jincheon’s wrist.
”…!”
Namgung Jincheon tried to pull away, but unless he cut off his own wrist, there was no escape.
Sam Anbul yanked Namgung Jincheon toward him with his left arm and swung a massive right fist at Namgung Jincheon’s face.
The dark fist connected with Namgung Jincheon’s face.
Thud.
With a dull sound, Namgung Jincheon collapsed.
Turning away, Sam Anbul addressed the martial artists from the Demonic Sect.
“Take him somewhere inside and finish your meal.”
“Yes.”
The Demonic Sect martial artists dragged Namgung Jincheon away. Dang Mujin watched in awe.
Meanwhile, beyond the wall, Namgung Myung realized something.
He wouldn’t be able to return to the Dang family estate for a few days.