As Namgung Myung was going about his usual day, an unexpected guest arrived.

"Who... might you be?" Namgung Myung asked.

“I am the great-granduncle of the young lord,” the man replied.

“Oh...!” Namgung Myung's eyes widened in surprise.

He had heard of this man before. Namgung Hyeok—the one who had left the family long before Namgung Myung was even born, abandoning the clan and vanishing.

Though he was supposed to be centuries old, there were no signs of aging on him. Namgung Myung guessed that Hyeok had reached the Hwa-gyeong, the stage where martial masters could defy the natural passage of time.

Regardless, Namgung Myung smiled widely and bowed deeply out of respect, simply because of who this man was.

“I’ve heard of you! Have you returned?”

“No, not permanently,” Namgung Hyeok said, shaking his head. “I’ve just stopped by for a while. I still haven’t reached the place I seek, so I must leave again soon.”

“Ah, I see...”

“But, young lord, I’ve heard something truly unbelievable.”

Namgung Hyeok began to speak about the Sovereign Sword Form.

Namgung Myung was already aware of the matter. When his father had decided to pass the Sovereign Sword Form to Namgung Su-a and her husband, Seo-jun, he had been informed.

Namgung Myung himself had agreed to it.

“I know about that too...” Namgung Myung began, but Hyeok cut him off.

“This is an outrageous act, young lord.”

“Father...”

“It is a disregard for the Namgung family's legacy. The family head must be made to correct this.”

Namgung Myung hesitated, unsure of what to say. As one of the family's elders, it was hard for him to argue with Namgung Hyeok, and it seemed the older man was ready to storm off and confront his father immediately.

Realizing this might be for the best, Namgung Myung nodded.

“I don’t think this is something I can decide on my own.”

“If you express your opinion to the family head, he cannot ignore it.”

“Perhaps we should discuss it together with my father first?” Namgung Myung suggested.

“A good idea,” Namgung Hyeok agreed, nodding as if he had been waiting for this. He took the lead, with Namgung Myung following closely behind.

 

Meanwhile, Seo-jun was having his usual “fun” training session with the Fist King, Pae Jin-gwang.

Boom!

Seo-jun hurled a boulder about three times the size of a person and laughed to himself.

‘This is so annoying,’ he thought.

While martial arts training was generally enjoyable, this kind of brainless physical labor was nothing but tedious. It didn’t suit him, and simply lifting heavy things with no thought was boring.

“Huff...” he sighed.

The only reason he continued was because his regeneration made it quite efficient, and because of his unyielding desire to finally beat Namgung Su-a in arm wrestling.

As Pae Jin-gwang watched him, he suddenly spoke up.

“Kid.”

“What?”

“Ever think about learning my martial art?”

The unexpected offer made Seo-jun raise his eyebrows.

“Your martial art? What is it?” he asked.

“It doesn’t really have a name. But people in the martial world seem to call it Pa-ryeok-gwae-shin-gong.”

This was the martial art that Pae Jin-gwang had created, and it was also the reason he was considered a second-rate martial artist, despite his power approaching Hwa-gyeong. The martial world’s perception of ranking was based on internal energy cultivation, but Pa-ryeok-gwae-shin-gong focused on external strength, leaving Pae Jin-gwang outside the usual definitions of mastery.

Unlike most martial artists, who centered their cultivation on internal energy and supplemented it with external techniques, Pae Jin-gwang’s martial art reversed this. His martial art focused on external strength, with internal energy merely serving to contain his power within his body.

That was why, despite his overwhelming physical prowess, he was still considered second-rate.

“You can just teach that to anyone?” Seo-jun asked skeptically.

“Why not? It’s my martial art, and I’ll teach it to whoever I want.”

“Hm...” Seo-jun glanced over at Chun-bong and Namgung Su-a, who were both nodding vigorously.

Receiving training from the Fist King? Only a fool would refuse.

And Seo-jun was always ready to play the fool.

“No way! Chun-bong is the only master I need!” he declared.

“You idiot!” Chun-bong flew at him with a dropkick, sending Seo-jun rolling on the ground.

“Urgh!”

“I told you, I don’t want to be your master! Now hurry up and say yes!”

“But—!”

“No buts!”

As Seo-jun got beaten up, Pae Jin-gwang let out a hearty laugh.

“Don’t worry, I don’t plan on being your master anyway.”

“Then why offer to teach me?” Seo-jun asked, looking up at Pae Jin-gwang from the ground.

The old man grinned, flashing his teeth.

“Because you’ve got potential, kid. Even Namgung Jin-cheon taught you the Sovereign Sword Form, didn’t he? This is nothing compared to that.”

“Oh... in that case, should I teach you the Heaven-Reversing Sun and Moon Art?” Seo-jun offered.

“Your martial art?”

Pae Jin-gwang tilted his head, considering the idea, then shook his head.

“No, thanks. Do you know why I created Pa-ryeok-gwae-shin-gong in the first place?”

“Isn’t it just because you could? You make something, and it exists. Simple.”

“Hah, you idiot. Not everyone in this world is like you. If they were, there’d be Supreme Stage and Hwa-gyeong masters everywhere.”

“Oh, I see.” Seo-jun nodded. What a cocky jerk, Pae Jin-gwang thought.

“I’m no good with internal energy cultivation. If I’d tried to balance Pa-ryeok-gwae-shin-gong with internal cultivation, I wouldn’t have even reached this level.”

“The Heaven-Reversing Sun and Moon Art isn’t that hard.”

Seo-jun’s boast earned him another kick from Chun-bong.

“Ow... okay, fine, it’s hard. I admit it. It’s probably harder than the Sovereign Sword Form if you’re starting from scratch.”

“Is it really that hard?” Pae Jin-gwang asked, intrigued.

Chun-bong, who knew the technique's formula, nodded.

“I guarantee that no one but him can master it.”

The Heaven-Reversing Sun and Moon Art had two key entry requirements:

First, the practitioner had to successfully create the mixed energy of yin and yang. Second, they had to be able to convert it into every kind of internal energy possible.

Chun-bong had been stuck on the first step.

Though it was called “mixed energy,” it wasn’t just one type of energy. In truth, it encompassed all the energy in existence.

Hearing about it was confusing enough, but actually trying to master it made one even more skeptical of its very possibility.

“I’m pretty sure if you published a manual on this, it would be dismissed as nonsense,” Chun-bong added.

“Well, that makes me even more curious,” Pae Jin-gwang said. “Mind explaining it?”

Seo-jun decided to explain the formula in full. Namgung Su-a hesitated but agreed to give it a try, just out of curiosity.

An hour later, everyone gave up completely.

“What the hell is this? This isn’t even martial arts. It’s just a description of things only you can do,” Chun-bong grumbled.

“No, I swear it works if you follow it,” Seo-jun insisted.

“It only works if you can already do it,” Pae Jin-gwang said, frustrated.

“You’ve got to be kidding me...” Pae Jin-gwang’s temple throbbed as he added, “How about we make a bet?”

“What kind of bet?”

“Let’s see if Namgung Jin-cheon can understand this technique or not.”

“Oh, come on. Of course my father-in-law will understand it.”

“You’re okay with teaching him your unique technique?”

“Well, he taught me the Sovereign Sword Form, didn’t he?”

“That’s true... he’s crazy too, isn’t he?”

Seo-jun immediately dashed over to Namgung Su-a.

“Sister, did you hear that? He’s badmouthing your father!”

“What a petty jerk!”

With that, they all decided to take a break from training and headed to the family head’s residence.

 

“Hm... the senior is right. This is too vague to be called a martial art. I don’t think I can learn it either...” Namgung Jin-cheon admitted, surprising Seo-jun and relieving Chun-bong.

“Phew, so it wasn’t just me after all,” Chun-bong said, satisfied.

“Of course not. Our Chun-bong is a genius,” Seo-jun said.

“Shut up.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

As they exchanged banter, Namgung Jin-cheon watched them with a gentle smile before turning to Seo-jun.

“By the way, son-in-law...”

“Yes?”

“I’ve already given you a warning, but I’ll remind you to be careful.”

“A warning? What do you mean?”

Namgung Jin-cheon explained. He told Seo-jun about his great-uncle, Namgung Hyeok, and the fact that there were likely others in the family who were dissatisfied with the idea of teaching the Sovereign Sword Form to an outsider.

Even though Namgung Chang-hwi had worked hard to keep the news from spreading, rumors had already begun to circulate.

“Oh, and what about my younger brother? Is he okay with this?”

“You mean Myung...?” Namgung Jin-cheon replied.

“Yeah. If anyone should be upset, it’s him, right?” Seo-jun asked.

Namgung Myung, the heir to the Namgung Family—sometimes referred to as the “Namgung Capybara” due to his relaxed nature—would be the most likely person to object. After all, the Sovereign Sword Form was a symbol of the family’s leadership.

“Indeed, you are right,” said a voice from behind them.

Seo-jun turned around and saw Namgung Hyeok standing there, with Namgung Myung following behind him, scratching his head awkwardly.

“Does the young lord think it is proper to teach the Sovereign Sword Form to an outsider?” Namgung Hyeok asked.

“I...”

“My thoughts are simple. While Namgung Su-a may remain within the family as a direct descendant, her fiancé is still an outsider. His internal energy should be sealed, his hands and tongue severed, and the technique kept within the family.”

At this, Namgung Myung sharply raised his head. That was going too far.

“We can’t...”

“Young lord, I’ve said this before. The Sovereign Sword Form is not just any technique. It is a symbol of the Namgung Family’s history and authority. Do you truly believe it should be passed on to an outsider?”

“......”

Namgung Myung’s expression hardened as his black eyes locked onto Namgung Hyeok.

After a moment of hesitation, he opened his mouth, choosing his words carefully.

“Great-granduncle.”

“I’m listening.”

“We are the Namgung Family, not the Namgung Clan, nor the Namgung Sect.”

For once, Namgung Myung’s normally mild eyes held a sharp edge. While he was generally gentle and composed, he was still a direct descendant of the Namgung Family—someone who carried the bloodline of kings.

As he asserted his will, the energy around them stirred slightly.

It was a manifestation of the Sovereign Sword Form. Despite only being at the Absolute Stage, Namgung Myung had managed to draw out a small fragment of the aura of Hwa-gyeong.

The space seemed to grow heavier, pressing down on Namgung Hyeok, who furrowed his brow.

“When did the Namgung Family start valuing martial arts more than family?” Myung asked.

“That’s been the case for a long time...” Hyeok began.

“What is a family? It is the foundation of a clan. The family comes first, and the martial arts come second. Not the other way around.”

The Sovereign Sword Form had long been passed down exclusively to the family head and their successor, but that wasn’t an absolute law. If Namgung Jin-cheon, the greatest family head in Namgung history, wanted to change that, he had every right to.

Especially since his successor, Namgung Myung, agreed with him.

“You said the Sovereign Sword Form is the symbol of the Namgung Family? You are mistaken. The symbol of the Namgung Family is the name Namgung itself.”

Namgung Myung stared down Namgung Hyeok with a resolute gaze. While there was an overwhelming difference in skill between them, Namgung Hyeok found himself unable to interrupt or counter the younger man’s words.

“Even if the Sovereign Sword Form were to be taught to the masses, do you truly think that would tarnish the Namgung name?”

“......”

“Namgung is Namgung. Our sword will never break, and our brilliance will never fade, even without that technique. Who would dare act arrogantly in front of the Namgung name?”

It was an arrogant statement, yet no one could deny its truth.

It was the name Namgung that made such confidence possible.

Namgung Hyeok remained silent as he took in Namgung Myung’s words.

Watching all of this, Seo-jun had his own thoughts.

‘Honestly, he’s not wrong,’ Seo-jun mused.

There were potential problems with teaching a technique as significant as the Sovereign Sword Form to an outsider. After all, it was a symbol of the family’s authority—like an emperor casually handing his seal to his son-in-law.

Even if Namgung Jin-cheon could easily quash any internal conflict that might arise, it made sense for Seo-jun to prove his own worth and prevent such issues from occurring.

While there would always be people who talked, it would certainly be better than before.

Helping to ease the burdens on Namgung Jin-cheon and Namgung Myung, while also repaying their trust, wasn’t a difficult task.

After all, Seo-jun had already accomplished quite a bit.

“Well, I wasn’t going to brag, but...” Seo-jun grinned as he began to list his accomplishments.

He had created two new martial arts that would significantly boost the family’s overall strength, achieved notable military victories, laid the groundwork for mass-producing the elixir that the family had spent ten years developing, and even come up with a technique that could easily break through the Life and Death Gates—although it wasn’t complete yet.

‘Wait, I’ve really done all that?’

Even though he summarized it briefly, any one of these accomplishments would be enough to make him a hero within the family.

As Seo-jun finished listing his achievements, the room fell into stunned silence.

The silence was finally broken by Namgung Hyeok’s furious shout.

“Are you trying to mock me using the Namgung name as your shield?”

“What?”

“If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable! I see no reason to entertain your nonsense any longer!”

“But I’m telling the truth...”

Seo-jun was utterly baffled.