The Return of the Namgoong Clan's Granddaughter-Chapter 57

Nomoen’s face turned red, then pale.

Thud!

He slammed his palm on the table.

Namgoong Cheongun stepped forward, about to protest, but Seolhwa reached out and stopped him by grabbing his hand.

"Are you trying to twist my words now?"

"If Mount Hua simply proves that they paid Shaolin for the Great Return Pill, there’s no need for you to be so upset, is there?"

"You insolent—!"

Rumble...

With a deep growl, the entire Celestial Guest Courtyard trembled.

He had unleashed his immense energy without restraint—no doubt, the Namgoong warriors would come rushing in soon.

But Nomoen didn’t seem to care at all. He made no effort to withdraw his aura.

“M-Master...”

Yu Gang tried to stop him, but Yu Pyo blocked his path.

Yu Gang looked nervously at Seolhwa.

Even as the overwhelming pressure in the room made his mouth go dry just from sitting nearby, she remained completely composed.

"You’re an elder of a prestigious sect like Mount Hua. I’m sure you know how dangerous it would be if something like the Great Return Pill ended up in the hands of the unorthodox path."

The energy Nomoen emitted caused Seolhwa’s hair to flutter. Just a bit sharper, and the aura would be enough to slice her skin—she stood at the edge of a blade.

"As I’ve said, I took the item from the unorthodox. I didn’t steal it from Mount Hua. If anything, I covered up Mount Hua’s mistake. Shouldn’t you be grateful to me instead?"

"You’re flaunting Mount Hua’s disgrace to elevate yourself—so you are trying to humiliate our sect."

"I’m merely stating the truth."

Nomoen’s eyes narrowed.

The aura from the Namgoong girl was barely second-class. She had clearly only just stepped into the martial path.

And yet—how could someone with only a second-class cultivation face the pressure of nearly half a Gapja of internal energy head-on without flinching?

“So she truly is the Sword Emperor’s granddaughter...”

"You are right. The Great Return Pill originally belonged to Shaolin, and the fact that it didn’t fall into the hands of the unorthodox is nothing short of divine fortune."

“...”

"However! If you know to whom that item rightfully belongs, then it is only right to return it. Are you saying you intend to give the Great Return Pill back to Shaolin?"

If the pill returned to Shaolin, they would likely turn it over to Mount Hua again.

Though Shaolin would never admit to a secret deal, any scandal arising would be equally troublesome for them.

Seolhwa lowered her gaze. After staring silently at the ripples in her teacup, she gently shook her head.

"I’m sorry, but I don’t have the Great Return Pill."

“...What?”

Shock washed over the faces of the Mount Hua delegation.

With a sharp sound, Nomoen’s teacup shattered to pieces.

"Are you saying... you dared insult our sect without even possessing the pill?!"

His energy flared even more violently. The aura swirling throughout the room now felt like it would devour Seolhwa whole.

Seolhwa calmly took out a small box from her sleeve and placed it on the table. Instead of replying, she opened the lid.

“...!”

Nomoen’s gaze locked onto the inside of the box she had opened.

“That’s...!”

He recognized it instantly.

The Golden Dragon Jade Blood Treasure—an elixir said to be found perhaps once in a few hundred years!

The Great Return Pill was renowned for its mysterious properties, even said to bring the dying back to life. But it wasn’t known for a specific effect.

It was more akin to a panacea—vague in purpose, mythical in power.

The Golden Dragon Jade Blood Treasure, however, was a potent detoxifying elixir.

“It’s exactly what we need right now...!”

Nomoen’s oppressive energy dissipated almost instantly.

His mind cooled.

“The Golden Dragon Jade Blood Treasure is more than enough to replace the Great Return Pill. But there’s no way that cunning girl would give it up for free.”

Everything about her up until now made it clear—this was no ordinary child. No one could mistake her for a mere thirteen-year-old. Her mental depth was impossible to measure.

She’d likely argue that unlike the Great Return Pill, the Golden Dragon Jade Blood Treasure didn’t belong to Shaolin—so there’s no reason to give it to them.

In the end, if they wanted it in place of the Great Return Pill, they’d have to prove the existence of the secret deal between Mount Hua and Shaolin.

In that case—

"Very well. What is it you want?"

Better to give her what she wants and take the elixir in exchange.

“She’ll probably ask for the obvious—like that Namgoong boy, she’ll want some formal exchange between Namgoong and Mount Hua. Fine. I’ll offer just enough to get what I need.”

Seolhwa’s lips curled into a faint smile. She shut the box with a soft click.

Nomoen’s face tightened.

"Shouldn’t martial artists settle matters through martial arts?"

His expression darkened even further.

"Are you suggesting a martial duel with me?"

"That would be far too shameless of you."

A duel between the best sword of Mount Hua and a thirteen-year-old girl?

Nomoen’s hand twitched slightly.

"Ahem! That was such an absurd thought, it slipped out before I could stop it. Then, who exactly do you mean to duel?"

Seolhwa turned her gaze to one person.

The one at the end of her line of sight was Yu Pyo, Mount Hua’s First Disciple.

He had been glaring at her the entire time, ever since the exchange began. Now, realizing she was looking straight at him, his face contorted with fury.

Nomoen followed her gaze, then burst out laughing.

"Hahaha! I may lack shame, but you have no fear. That child is one of Mount Hua’s finest. He’s not someone °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° you can take on."

She was just second-class. And Yu Pyo was a seasoned Peak Realm martial artist. Did she really intend to face him?

“Even if we need the Golden Dragon Jade Blood Treasure, if this duel were to become public, it would disgrace Mount Hua.”

"Let’s do this, then."

Nomoen turned to Yu Gang.

Yu Gang, who had been silently watching the verbal sparring unfold, flinched and jolted in surprise.

“Me? M-me...?”

No way. No way, right? Master...

"Yes. Yu Gang, you’ll be the one to duel."

Gasp.

Yu Gang sucked in a breath.

"M-Master... shouldn’t Senior Brother Yu Pyo be the one to—"

"Stop with the excuses. You’ll do it."

—There’s nothing to fear. She’s barely second-class.

Those words, both spoken and transmitted telepathically, shocked Yu Gang twice over.

How could Master call her second-class?

Did he not see the energy radiating from her body?

At that level... second-class? Not even close. She had already surpassed first-class by far!

Yu Gang hastily sent a telepathic reply.

— Master. I already lost to Lady Namgoong...! Please, I beg you to reconsider.

— Yu Gang. Do you not trust your teacher?

— But it’s true...

— There must have been some reason for it at the time.

Ignoring how Yu Gang’s face had gone pale, Nomoen turned to Seolhwa with a kindly smile.

“This child is no ordinary talent either. He truly represents the future of Mount Hua. In my opinion, even he may be too much for you. What do you say? Will that be acceptable?”

Seolhwa blinked her round eyes and turned to look at Yu Gang.

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Startled, Yu Gang flinched and quickly looked away.

A soft smile touched Seolhwa’s lips.

“Yes. Of course. Sounds good.”

The future of Mount Hua, was it?

“I’m the future of Namgoong, too.”

“Hahaha!”

Nomoen couldn’t hold back his laughter.

Calling herself the future of Namgoong? And she had only just returned to the clan!

“Very well. Excellent!”

So the future of Namgoong shines bright, does it?

Hahaha!

“Let’s see, then—which future burns brighter, shall we?”

Hahahahaha!

****

The martial duel was to take place in the training courtyard of the Celestial Guest Courtyard.

There was no need to delay or relocate.

Both Seolhwa and Yu Gang were always ready to draw their swords.

Around the Celestial Guest Courtyard, the Namgoong warriors had already begun to gather.

Sensing Nomoen’s energy, they had been about to storm in, only to be barely restrained by Cheongun pleading with the Chief Overseer.

“Haaah...”

Yu Gang let out a sigh deep enough to collapse the earth.

Seolhwa tilted her head as she looked at him.

“What’s wrong? Wasn’t this your wish? To duel the Sword of Blue Sky?”

“Let’s spar! Swordsman to swordsman. I always dreamed of facing the Sword of Blue Sky.”

That had been what Yu Gang said before.

And judging by his expression, he remembered it too. His brows knit into a grimace.

“That was back when I stood a chance.”

“And now you don’t?”

“No. What the hell did you do to get so strong in such a short time?”

Oh?

A spark of amusement lit up in Seolhwa’s eyes.

She was undeniably a completely different person now from who she had been then.

Back then, her bloodline had been unstable, her energy still second-class. Now, she stood firm in the Peak Realm.

“You’ve got a good eye.”

“Yeah. I hear that a lot.”

The kind of answer only a genius could give.

Seolhwa let out her first genuine smile.

Even if the world changed, people didn’t. The proof of that stood right in front of her.

“Even after coming back to life... you’re still the same.”

“You haven’t changed a bit.”

Blood soaked the world. Corpses littered the land.

In the middle of the battlefield, reeking of blood—

A man and a woman stood facing each other, swords drawn.

Aiming to kill.

“How long has it been since Mount Hua destroyed itself and faded into obscurity? Yet your sleeves are still embroidered with wilted plum blossoms. That twisted old tree has quite the tenacious life.”

The man’s white robe had long since been dyed crimson with blood. Yet the blood that had drenched the world, that had soaked him to the bone, could not touch the white smile on his face.

“I hear that a lot.”

The man tightened his grip on his sword with a relaxed expression.

Veins bulged in the hand that held the blade.

“But even if only one plum blossom still blooms, no matter how gnarled and withered the tree may be—it's still alive and breathing.”

In that moment, the man smiled a smile like a blooming plum blossom.

“So long as I live, the plum blossoms will never fall.”