Chapter 157

After completing his breathing technique, Namgung Woo opened his eyes again, and standing before him was Deung Jong-yu, who had been guarding him.

“The Emperor’s Sword Form of the Namgung Family. It was an honor to witness the martial arts I had only heard about in rumors.”

“…Thank you for guarding me.”

“Don’t mention it. I’m actually embarrassed that this is all I could do. Well, I’ll take my leave now. No need to call the others… It seems unnecessary.”

As soon as Deung Jong-yu confirmed that the barrier he had set up for protection was lifted, he chuckled softly at the sight of the people rushing in and stepped aside.

“Master! This time, it was really dangerous!”

“Y-yeah… I almost felt like I needed two hearts to handle it…”

The ones who quickly took their places in front of Namgung Woo were Paeng Ha-ryeong and Jegal Seon-a, who had tacitly been acknowledged by everyone as the ladies of the house.

Following them, members of the Namgung Family and the original members of Changcheon Pavilion showed their faces.

“It’s a relief you’re safe.”

The words sounded blunt, but Namgung Woo spoke them with genuine relief.

Although he had confirmed they were alive, there was no telling what might have happened while he was immersed in his breathing technique. Though not commonly used, poison was still a thing in the martial world. Even if it wasn’t the kind of extreme poison that could affect a Peerless Master like the Blood Sect’s main poison, minor poisons often appeared during the Unmong Great War.

Fortunately, the Dokgo Family didn’t use poison. Their pride as a sword family likely kept them from resorting to such methods.

“Could you step aside for a moment?”

Namgung Woo’s heart ached to hug Paeng Ha-ryeong and Jegal Seon-a to reassure them.

But for now, showing that he was alive and well was enough.

Though the two might feel disappointed, Namgung Woo’s priority wasn’t them.

“…I’ll wait.”

As the crowd parted to make way for Namgung Woo, Namgung Baek spoke to him.

He too knew that now wasn’t the time for discussions about the Namgung Family or romantic affairs.

Namgung Woo nodded and walked past Namgung Baek.

Where had the absolute master who once ruled the world with the Emperor’s Sword Form gone? Namgung Woo’s steps were heavy. With short strides, he walked along the blood-stained path he was destined to tread.

He took in the lifeless bodies lying on the ground, one by one.

“…Is this all of them?”

In response to Namgung Woo’s quiet question, Geumshin, who had been reciting a brief sutra while tending to the bodies, answered in a somber voice.

“Yes. Nine dead, fourteen injured. A total of twenty-three casualties.”

The first thing Namgung Woo had to do was face those who had died fighting for him.

“Now I’m entangled too.”

As much as he had severed bonds, new ones formed, wrapping around Namgung Woo’s hands like tangled vines. Finally, he too was caught in the cycle of grudges and debts.

The Dokgo Family had become Namgung Woo’s enemy, and Namgung Woo had become theirs.

“I’m sorry.”

He knew he couldn’t protect everyone, but the reality was more bitter than he had imagined. His chest felt heavy, making it hard to breathe.

So this is what the martial world’s grudges feel like.

If the deaths of comrades he had only known for a few weeks hurt this much, how much more painful would it be to lose family members he had spent decades with?

The strange thing was Namgung Woo himself.

He was the one who didn’t understand the world or its people.

“What about Dokgo’s pursuit squad?”

“We killed eleven of them, but we couldn’t capture any prisoners. The Black Sword Ghost also managed to escape.”

“But we did catch this guy.”

At Yi Ho-yeong’s voice, Namgung Woo turned his gaze.

In his hand was a sword—the sword of the Ice Soul Sword Lord, Geum Cheolmyeong.

Though Song Woojeol, who had just entered the Transcendent Peak and hadn’t fully recovered, had done his best to capture the Black Sword Ghost, Yi Ho-yeong had taken Geum Cheolmyeong’s life.

No matter how powerful the Dokgo Family was, the value of a Supreme Peak Master was absolute. Geum Cheolmyeong had been a significant asset to the Dokgo Family.

In the final moment, though it was only an instant, Dokgo Pil had unraveled his tangled state and reached a state of enlightenment. While it couldn’t compare to that, capturing Geum Cheolmyeong was still a significant gain.

“Thank you for your help.”

“I just did my job.”

“And though it might sound presumptuous, have you reconsidered your stance? After this incident, you’ve truly made an enemy of the Dokgo Family. It’s embarrassing for me to say this since I couldn’t protect my own members, but it would be safer to travel together than alone.”

“Sorry, but my answer remains the same. A skilled fortune-teller once told me I’m not destined to die abroad. I’ll live to see my grandchildren. Anyway, don’t worry about me. Just take good care of that guy.”

Yi Ho-yeong placed Geum Cheolmyeong’s sword beside Namgung Woo and left without looking back. Though he might stay for a few more days, his departing figure seemed to hint at an impending farewell, leaving Namgung Woo uneasy.

“Geumshin.”

“Yes, Great Master.”

“Can we preserve and take their bodies with us?”

“…It would be difficult. The weather has warmed up too much.”

Namgung Woo asked.

After gathering their belongings and promising to deliver them to their families, Namgung Woo began digging their graves himself.

Seeing this, others joined in one by one. Though they had no shovels or hoes, they willingly used their trained bodies and internal energy to drive their weapons into the ground, creating graves for their fallen comrades.

There had been casualties during the Unmong Great War too, but those had been outside Namgung Woo’s responsibility. This was different.

The first loss he experienced in this world seeped into his soul as the sun set.

§

The funeral didn’t end until the sun had completely set.

After roughly gathering and cremating the bodies of the Dokgo pursuit squad, they prepared to camp for the night.

While everyone except the night watch fell asleep in exhaustion, Namgung Woo, along with a few others, faced someone who had been waiting for him.

Namgung Baek performed a bow salute instead of a fist salute.

“I am Namgung Baek, the Small History Elder of the Namgung Family.”

“Small History Elder?”

Seeing the question in Namgung Woo’s eyes, Namgung Baek continued.

“It seems you’re not familiar with the Namgung Family’s organizational structure. That’s understandable. It’s been so long since the family’s destruction…”

Perhaps because he had lived in seclusion for so long.

Namgung Baek unknowingly muttered to himself, lost in memories of the past.

Meanwhile, Jegal Seon-a whispered softly to Namgung Woo.

“The Small History Elder is a recorded position in the family’s genealogy, responsible for managing the family’s records and the ancestral order.”

The ancestral order (昭穆) refers to the arrangement of ancestral tablets in a family shrine. The shrine (祠堂) is where the ancestral tablets are kept, and the tablets (神主) record the deceased ancestors.

The ancestral order also governs the inclusion of adopted sons, sons-in-law, or external descendants, making the Small History Elder the living history of the family itself.

In other words, the Small History Elder oversees the entire history of the family.

“As the lady said. To put it simply, the Small History Elder manages the family’s genealogy.”

Genealogy (報牒). In simpler terms, it’s the family registry.

“Combined with the unique nature of martial families, the Small History Elder also manages the family’s martial arts compendium.”

“Does that mean you know all of the Namgung Family’s martial arts?”

“Yes. Except for one.”

The martial art passed down only to the family head—the Emperor’s Sword Form.

Even the young master couldn’t learn it unless he officially ascended to the position of family head. It was a martial art reserved solely for the family head, something even the Small History Elder, who managed the family’s martial arts compendium, didn’t know.

“Of course, even that genealogy is no longer complete…”

Even Namgung Woo and Namgung Sol, sitting before Namgung Baek, weren’t recorded in the genealogy. Unlike Namgung Ju, whose name was naturally inscribed in the family registry as a member of the main family, even if they were from a branch family.

At least Namgung Sol, as the daughter of Namgung Si-hee, could be recorded as an external descendant according to the ancestral order, but Namgung Woo was someone whose origins were completely unknown.

However, there was a clue to his origins.

The martial art he had mastered—the Emperor’s Sword Form.

A clear symbol of the family head, surpassing even the family’s divine sword.

Though Namgung Baek had never witnessed the Emperor’s Sword Form himself, he had records of its forms in the martial arts compendium. Above all, the soul of Namgung had spoken. That was undoubtedly the Emperor’s Sword Form.

‘If what he has mastered is the true Emperor’s Sword Form…’

Then he is undoubtedly the current head of the Namgung Family.

The Namgung Family is a martial family. The World’s Greatest Sword Family.

Even without the family head’s seal or the family’s divine sword.

That martial art proves his position as the family head.

‘The lineage of the Emperor’s Sword Form, severed when Sword Emperor Namgung Jin disappeared, has been restored. Perhaps…’

Namgung Woo. Could this young man be the hidden descendant of Sword Emperor Namgung Jin, who disappeared during the Blood Sect’s calamity?

If so, all the questions would be answered.

Mastering the lost Emperor’s Sword Form, his unbelievable martial prowess at such a young age.

If he were the descendant and direct disciple of Sword Emperor Namgung Jin, it would all make sense.

But even this isn’t a perfect answer, as it raises another question.

Why would Namgung Woo, aiming to rebuild the family, not know about the Small History Elder, himself?

Did Namgung Jin not teach him about the family? Or did he simply think the Small History Elder had died when the family was destroyed?

‘Perhaps there wasn’t enough time to teach him anything beyond martial arts.’

Namgung Baek himself had spent 20 years tirelessly focusing on martial arts to reach the Supreme Peak.

To create a Peerless Master at that age, one can only imagine the hardships he must have endured.

“However, one thing is certain.”

“What is it?”

“You are undoubtedly the current head of the Namgung Family.”