Chapter 50
Meanwhile, Namgung Baek suddenly looked a bit disappointed.
“Ah… now that I think about it, there’s no scabbard.”
The second form of the Changgung Daeyeon Sword Technique requires a pair of a sword and its scabbard.
But in Namgung Baek’s hands were only a wooden ladle and a round duck egg.
Seizing the moment while Namgung Baek hesitated, Eunmyung whispered to Geummyeong.
“Brother, use that!”
“Are you talking about the Fierce Tiger Divine Claw? But if I use that, it could—!”
Among the claw techniques that involve raising the nails sharply, the Fierce Tiger Divine Claw is lethal.
Even during his training at Myogajang, he had been warned never to use it recklessly.
Terrified, Geummyeong looked toward Myojungsan in the distant pavilion.
Focusing his internal power, he noticed his father subtly nodding.
‘Permission granted!’
Bolstered by courage, Geummyeong raised his claws and charged.
“Here I gooo!”
Whiiing.
However, Namgung Baek dodged the first attack effortlessly, without using much strength.
The trajectory of Geummyeong’s claws sliced through the air in vain.
“What? You dodged my Fierce Tiger Divine Claw so easily?”
While Geummyeong trembled, Namgung Baek stared at his own palm.
He seemed to be pondering how to execute the second form with a wooden ladle and a duck egg instead of a scabbard.
“Ah, this will do.”
Slipping the duck egg into his sleeve, Namgung Baek grinned at Geummyeong.
“What… what—!”
Feeling a sense of foreboding, Geummyeong shouted even louder.
Crack.
In Namgung Baek’s hand was the wooden ladle, snapped in half.
His well-shaped lips curved into a smile.
“Changgung Daeyeon Sword Technique, Second Form: When the wind blows in succession, it becomes a storm.”
Using the Namgung family’s Cheonpung Divine Art to quickly close the distance, Namgung Baek swung the broken ladle.
Tensed, Geummyeong jumped to avoid the first strike.
“Wahaha! Look at that! You’re no match!”
Geummyeong twisted gracefully in midair, claws ready, and lunged again.
Flash!
His sharply filed claws glinted in the sunlight.
“This time, take my Fierce Tiger Divine Claw!”
But in the next instant, the remaining half of the wooden ladle struck Geummyeong’s jaw.
Thwack!
Geummyeong, thrown into the air, landed on the ground writhing.
Conversely, Namgung Baek landed lightly, his sleeves fluttering in the wind.
“Told you… I said it before.”
The wind would blow in succession.
Looking down at Geummyeong lying helplessly below, Namgung Baek muttered, pity in his voice.
Geummyeong mumbled something from the ground.
“I can’t hear you.”
Namgung Baek kicked lightly and flipped Geummyeong over.
Geummyeong groaned and struggled for breath.
“Still… your foolish younger brother, Namgung Jeok, won’t be winning.”
Namgung Baek snorted at that.
“Better worry about your own brother.”
At that moment, something caught Namgung Baek’s eye.
Eunmyung, who had run ahead, was trying to grab Hongseol’s sleeve.
Geummyeong, still on the ground, chuckled.
“That’s it for Namgung Jeok!”
Despite the urgent situation, Namgung Baek appeared completely unflustered.
Seemingly anticipating the situation, he lowered his body and whispered to Geummyeong.
“You must have underestimated my younger sibling.”
His tone was light, as if it were no big deal.
Crawling toward the finish line, Hongseol suddenly felt a chill on her back.
Glancing behind, she saw Eunmyung following like a demon, eyes blazing.
“Eek!”
“Stop right there, little one!”
In those glaring eyes, obsession mixed with malice could be seen.
“Since Geummyeong is holding your eldest brother’s foot, don’t expect to be saved!”
“What did you say?”
Hongseol froze.
Eunmyung was neither the clever second son of the Namgung family nor the famously foolish youngest. He likely thought he could easily win in a direct confrontation.
“If you hand over your duck egg nicely, I’ll spare you a nasty fate.”
“I can’t do that.”
Hongseol shook her head, gripping her wooden ladle tightly.
‘I’m here representing the Namgung family. I can’t disgrace our name by backing down.’
“Take this!”
At that moment, Eunmyung swung his fist violently.
“Ah!”
Hongseol leapt back in place, a skill gained from her training in external martial arts.
“What the—!”
Eunmyung aimed for Hongseol’s ankle. When she jumped back, he tried to seize her face with his claws.
“Momma!”
But Hongseol’s quick ducking only left his hand grasping air.
“Not bad. But you won’t be able to avoid the next move.”
Eunmyung readied himself to strike again.
Tension hung between them.
Though scared, Hongseol thought quickly.
‘I can’t just keep dodging forever!’
But all she knew were the Changgung Daeyeon Sword Technique and the Cheonroe Divine Strike.
She had only practiced the sword technique’s path and had never executed it herself.
And she couldn’t risk using the Cheonroe Divine Strike recklessly.
‘If I mess up, everyone will know I’m not truly an enemy.’
Moreover, her grandfather Namgung Ho had strictly forbidden using internal power until her Yin-Yang meridians healed.
But…
“I won’t let the Namgung name be tarnished!”
Hongseol shouted and slipped the duck egg into her sleeve, pointing her wooden ladle at Eunmyung.
It was the initiation form of the Changgung Daeyeon Sword Technique.
The tip of the ladle trembled slightly in her grip.
A soft chuckle followed.
“Ha, what a strange sense of courage!”
Eunmyung leapt toward her like a demon.
“Take this, brat!”
‘I won’t lose!’
Hongseol planted her feet firmly and bit her lip, ready to swing the ladle.
Crack!
The white of a rotten duck egg dripped down Eunmyung’s head.
“Quite a fitting head accessory.”
“Ugh…”
Behind Eunmyung, Namgung Baek’s cold blue eyes appeared.
He had dashed here using Cheonpung Divine Art, after dealing with Geummyeong.
Thanks to Hongseol’s bravery in holding Eunmyung off, he had arrived just in time.
“Huh… when did you get here?”
Namgung Baek looked down at Hongseol, who was frozen with the wooden ladle in hand.
“You’ve got quite some courage, little one.”
His large hand patted her head firmly.
Hongseol stammered, overjoyed.
“B-Brother! Why… are you here…?”
“As your elder, protecting my sibling is only natural.”
Though slightly different from his usual demeanor toward enemies, Hongseol let it slide.
‘Of course, once we’re outside, Namgung Baek will care for his siblings too.’
They both turned to look at Eunmyung.
He was venting complaints like a demon.
“Geummyeong can’t even deal with a brat like this! Just a big dumb brute!”
The stench from his complaints was unbearable.
It was the smell of the rotten duck egg Namgung Baek had carefully chosen before the match.
It was far worse than the foul herbal water Hongseol had drunk.
“Ah, ptooey!”
Opening his mouth to complain, Eunmyung swallowed the thick rotten egg white.
“Ugh! Guhhh!”
In his vomiting frenzy, the precious duck egg fell from his hands.
It rolled across the floor and stopped at Namgung Baek’s feet.
Tears welled up in Eunmyung’s eyes as he noticed it.
Namgung Baek lightly lifted his foot.
Crack!
“Nooo…”
A rumbling sound came from Eunmyung’s throat as he was eliminated.
Namgung Baek gently patted Hongseol’s back.
“Now, head for the finish line.”
“But Brother! What about you?”
“My duck egg is already spent.”
“Then I’ll give you mine!”
“No, that would break the rules.”
Namgung Baek’s gaze shifted to the finish line beneath the pavilion.
There, Yuseong Moonju waited for the winner, holding a golden mouse.
“Now, go ahead.”
“Th-thank you, Brother!”
Hongseol, still in a daze, placed the duck egg on the wooden ladle and ran.
Amid a shower of applause, she crossed the finish line.
