chapter 14
The Celestial Heaven Master, Namgung Uigyeol
Namgung Uigyeol, from a collateral branch, was the head of the Celestial Heaven Sect directly under the Supreme Family and a formidable martial artist known by the nickname “Heavenly Axe Swordsman.”
The bear-like man swept his stern gaze across the training hall.
Even without displaying any aura, the children felt goosebumps all over their bodies. Even the tails they didn’t usually show when in human form seemed to curl instinctively.
“Today, I will be training with Miss Hongseol. So please step aside, Lord Namgung Heuk and Lord Namgung Jeok.”
One person was missing.
Curious, Hongseol turned around.
“Where did Senior Brother Namgung Baek go?”
By now, Namgung Baek had disappeared, leaving only the wooden sword he had been holding propped against one wall.
Seeing it, she suddenly recalled the image of Namgung Baek swinging his sword like the wind across the blue sky.
Hongseol tried hard to calm her fluttering heart.
It seemed it would take a long time to forget that image.
Namgung Ho was dumbfounded.
Hongseol had already finished her second bowl of dinner.
“I’m going to eat three bowls today!”
She shoveled the food into her mouth as if her cheeks would burst—her energy in the training hall clearly showing.
“Very well, eat as much as you like.”
Encouraged by his words, Hongseol shoved a piece of duck into her mouth.
But it was only for a moment.
The exhausted child soon began nodding off at the table, eventually letting her head fall onto it.
“Waaah… I still have more rice to eat…”
Regrettably, it seemed she wouldn’t manage three bowls.
‘It’s her first day of training, so it’s understandable.’
Namgung Ho chuckled quietly and called out:
“Maeran.”
Maeran, who had been waiting outside, came in and lifted Hongseol in her arms.
“Also, make sure every night before she sleeps, she wears the bracelet with the green jade stone.”
It was Namgung Ho’s consideration to relieve some of the fatigue from Hongseol, who had just started learning martial arts.
“Yes, I will remember.”
Only after Maeran left did Namgung Ho bring in the guest he had been waiting for.
“Come in.”
A large man standing outside entered and bowed his head.
“Celestial Heaven Master Namgung Uigyeol, greetings to the Supreme Family Head.”
“Heh, yes. How is Seol-ah today?”
Though a casual question, Namgung Uigyeol’s face stiffened.
“Supreme Family Head, I beg you to rescind the order for me to teach Miss Hongseol.”
He had never disobeyed the Supreme Family Head before.
Namgung Ho’s expression turned serious.
“Why is that?”
“Miss Hongseol has no talent for martial arts.”
“…”
“Even her basic physical strength is a problem. At this rate, participating in the upcoming duel two months from now would be meaningless.”
“Ah, so that’s the reason.”
Hearing that, Namgung Ho felt relieved.
When Namgung Uigyeol requested the rescinding of the order, Namgung Ho had secretly worried if there might be another reason—perhaps the pride of the Celestial Heaven Sect was offended by being commanded to train a child not of direct lineage.
If that were the case, he too would have been disappointed in Namgung Uigyeol’s character.
‘If the problem is merely Seol-ah’s talent, there’s nothing to worry about.’
“Do not worry, Uigyeol.”
“But Supreme Family Head! Teaching her martial arts is just—”
“You mean to say it is merely my whim?”
“It was a slip of the tongue! Punish me!”
Namgung Uigyeol prostrated himself on the floor.
“Tch, get up.”
He rose, but his expression remained grim.
“If we continue teaching her martial arts like this, she will undoubtedly suffer.”
“Listen, Celestial Heaven Master.”
“Yes, Supreme Family Head?”
“Did you ask Seol-ah herself?”
“Excuse me?”
“Ask her if she truly wishes to learn martial arts, and why, if so.”
“Ah!”
Indeed, he had never properly asked Hongseol. He had merely assumed she wouldn’t want to learn because it would be difficult.
Namgung Ho looked past the window into the distance.
“I will not force anything upon her—whether learning martial arts, staying with the Namgung Family, becoming my disciple, or….”
He closed his eyes with a worried expression.
‘Yes, everything must be left to Seol-ah’s choice. That is the natural order.’
“If she wishes to learn martial arts, have her start with the basics of the Changgung Great Sword Techniques.”
“Excuse me?”
Namgung Uigyeol furrowed his brows.
It was difficult for him to understand the Supreme Family Head’s order.
He was being told to teach the Changgung Great Sword Techniques to Miss Hongseol, who didn’t even know the basic Samjae Sword Techniques.
“Miss Hongseol can’t even properly swing a wooden sword yet…”
“You are not to teach her how to strike. Teach her how to evade.”
That idea triggered a memory in Namgung Uigyeol’s mind—something Elder Namgung Muyeong had recently bragged about in passing:
“Well, our Jong-woo has already begun learning the Changgung Great Sword Techniques.”
Duels draw all eyes.
If it were Elder Gra, he would undoubtedly boast about his grandson’s rapid progress.
‘For the next two months, the strategy is to focus solely on evading Namgung Jong-woo’s sword path.’
But there was a flaw.
“Supreme Family Head, one cannot win a duel without attacking.”
“Heh, you need not worry about that. Do as I say.”
For a moment, Namgung Uigyeol nearly said, “What nonsense are you talking about?” but he held back.
“Yes, I understand.”
Though he had retired from his official post, Namgung Ho was a master recognized as one of the Five Kings of the Martial World. There must be a reason behind such clear instructions.
‘The Supreme Family Head surely has his own purpose.’
Trusting that was Namgung Uigyeol’s loyalty.
That was exactly why Namgung Ho commanded him to teach Hongseol.
The next instructions would likely seem even more incomprehensible to anyone unaware of the context.
“Oh, and under no circumstances should she be allowed to use internal energy, even by accident.”
“Excuse me?”
Namgung Uigyeol unconsciously asked back in a loud voice.
The next day, Namgung Uigyeol came to the training hall with a troubled expression. Hongseol, clad in her martial uniform, was trembling before him.
“P-please… take care of me…”
Her voice, tiny as an ant, made Namgung Uigyeol’s mouth tighten.
‘She did the same yesterday.’
He wondered if she was frightened by his rugged face, adorned with a thick beard.
Suppressing his mixed feelings, he tried to reassure her.
“Fuh… you need not fear me just by looking at my face…”
“Ah, oh my!”
But seeing her tense up even at the sight of Heuk and Jeok peeking through the door, he understood.
‘She fears everything around her.’
A warrior should have determination, yet Hongseol had already hidden behind a chair far from the window where Heuk and Jeok were spying.
“Sigh.”
Namgung Uigyeol felt his energy drain.
‘Two months until the duel… will this really be alright?’
He wasn’t even sure if Hongseol should be learning martial arts at all.
Yet teaching her was the Supreme Family Head’s strict order. He could not disobey.
‘Perhaps it would be better to make her quit here. That might be the best path for her.’
So Namgung Uigyeol decided to make her training deliberately harsh.
With a stern expression, hands on his waist, he addressed her:
“From now on, you will tie this log to your waist and run one hundred laps around the training hall.”
He then watched quietly to see how she would respond.
It was a kind of test.
Children learning martial arts for the first time dislike basic physical training.
Those from the Namgung direct lineage even more so—they had grown up seeing Namgung Ho wield a sword as if it were part of his body.
Talented children could start learning sword techniques immediately without issue.
‘If I ask her to do physical training, she’ll probably pout.’
It was predictable that she would give up learning martial arts after a single day of hardship.
Namgung Uigyeol asked to confirm:
“Is this training acceptable to you?”
“Yes, yes!”
Hongseol’s eyes were wide, and her voice full of resolve.
The log Namgung Uigyeol brought to the hall was taller and thicker than Hongseol.
Yet she didn’t complain once.
She clumsily tied the rope around her waist.
‘Why is she so obedient?’
Namgung Uigyeol watched her, puzzled.
Unaware of his thoughts, Hongseol struggled forward, determined to move.
“Ucha!”
But no matter how hard she pushed, the massive log didn’t budge.
‘She’ll probably give up by tomorrow morning. Her sore muscles will scream all night.’
Yet the next day, Hongseol came to the training hall again, dressed in her blue martial uniform, without fail.
