The Return of the Namgoong Clan's Granddaughter-Chapter 11

Lately, a strange current had been flowing through the Central Plains of the continent, centering around the regions of Shaanxi, Henan, and Hubei.

Villages were vanishing overnight, and underworld factions were on the rise—each sign unmistakably a harbinger of danger.

Even the escort bureau operated by the Namgoong Clan had suffered an attack while passing through Henan, ambushed by a group of black-path martial artists and incurring losses.

Namgoong Mucheon ordered the Secret Wind Sword Corps to investigate the incident. During their inquiry, they obtained intelligence regarding a secret deal between Shaolin and Mount Hua.

“We couldn’t determine why Mount Hua and Shaolin would conduct such a transaction, but...”

Seop Mugwang scratched the bridge of his nose and let out a low groan.

“This so-called ‘Black Cloud Sect’ turned out to be nothing special. A little runt was enough to throw them into chaos. For them to defeat Mount Hua’s elite and steal the goods... there must’ve been someone else involved—”

Seop Mugwang, in the middle of his report, abruptly stopped speaking.

Something was off.

Even though he was reporting a matter of significance, Namgoong Mucheon’s reaction was strangely indifferent.

“Clan Head?”

Seop Mugwang waved his hand in front of Namgoong Mucheon’s eyes.

“Are you listening?”

Namgoong Mucheon sat with arms crossed, staring forward with a grave expression.

“Hm...”

He rubbed his rough chin with his thick hand.

In that serious expression, there was a chilling sharpness.

It was the kind of expression one made just before cutting down an enemy.

Seop Mugwang and the chief steward swallowed dryly.

‘It must be because this concerns the major factions of Shaanxi and Henan—he’s being cautious.’

‘Did he already catch on to something from the report?’

As those thoughts crossed their minds, both of them clenched their sweaty fists.

“When that child was born, people said she looked just like me.”

But the words that came from Namgoong Mucheon’s mouth had nothing to do with Seop Mugwang’s report.

“Back then, I couldn’t see how that tiny thing resembled me. But now that I’ve seen her grown up, I understand.”

Seop Mugwang and the chief steward exchanged glances.

Even without saying a word, they both knew exactly what Namgoong Mucheon was talking about.

The chief steward offered a strained smile.

“Clan Head... with all due respect, I wouldn’t say she’s grown up just yet...”

Who in their right mind would call a thirteen-year-old “grown up”?

She wasn’t even particularly large for her age.

“Well, yes. She’s even smaller than Cheonmyeong.”

Cheonmyeong was the name of Namgoong Mucheon’s sword.

He had named it that because, whenever he swung it, the heavens would roar.

“I should feed her well. She ought to be taller than Cheonmyeong, at the very least.”

“Of course she should be taller than Cheonmyeong.”

Even if Cheonmyeong was considered a large sword, it was only about two hand spans taller than the girl.

“If she’s shorter than a sword, that’d be a real problem. But more importantly...”

“More importantly?”

Namgoong Mucheon raised an eyebrow and looked toward the steward.

‘She doesn’t look like you.’

...was what the steward wanted to say. But the fierce look in Namgoong Mucheon’s eyes felt like it would devour him whole.

So instead, he smiled and sealed his lips shut.

Thankfully, Seop Mugwang shifted the conversation.

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“Right. Why not ask the little one herself?”

‘Thank you, Secret Wind Sword.’

‘I also agree she doesn’t look like you.’

Namgoong Mucheon turned to Seop Mugwang.

“Ask what?”

“She took the Great Return Pill, didn’t she? Since that little one used to be the lord of Huaoru, she might know something about the current situation.”

“Have you looked into this Huaoru place?”

“After taking out the men who were tracking the child, I sent a team straight to Yunnan. We should hear from them soon.”

The ones tailing the child had been assassins from Huaoru.

It had been five days since several members of the Secret Wind Sword Corps were sent to Yunnan after neutralizing them.

“Do you trust the child’s words?”

At Namgoong Mucheon’s question, Seop Mugwang hesitated for a moment.

Trust wasn’t something to be given or received lightly. And the girl in question had once been the young master of a faction with an unknown background.

She had claimed her reason for coming to Namgoong was to return home—but who could say what truly lay in her heart?

Even if she was the granddaughter of the Clan Head.

It wasn’t something one should take lightly.

“Giving up all the inner power she had built up... that’s not an easy decision. Honestly, if I were in her shoes, I couldn’t have done it.”

Peak-level cultivation couldn’t be achieved in a single day.

Wherever one went in the Central Plains, it was enough power to dominate a region. Giving up such strength wasn’t something anyone could do lightly.

“And yet she abandoned that power to choose Namgoong. What other motive could she possibly have?”

There was not a trace of hesitation in Seop Mugwang’s voice.

That affirmation also meant he was willing to take responsibility should the girl ever betray the clan.

The chief steward asked, astonished,

“Secret Wind Sword... Have you already grown fond of the child from spending time ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) with her?”

“Fond? Hardly. She just acts cute in contrast to how she looks.”

“...Hah.”

Seop Mugwang was famous within the Namgoong Clan for not opening his heart to anyone easily.

In terms of skill, he was strong enough to contend with one of the Ten Grandmasters of the martial world. The only reason he had joined Namgoong was because of Namgoong Mucheon himself.

In other words, he didn’t belong to any faction within the clan. He was a singular power whom everyone wanted to claim as their own.

And yet, this was the first time he’d spoken kindly of any of the many so-called “granddaughter candidates.”

“Live long enough, and you’ll see everything.”

“Heh heh...”

The chief steward supported Seop Mugwang’s opinion.

“I also agree with asking the child about Mount Hua. And since it’s customary for the Clan Head to offer a meal to guests staying in the Celestial Guest Courtyard, wouldn’t this be a good opportunity? Whether we trust her or not can be decided afterward.”

At their suggestion, Namgoong Mucheon nodded.

“A meal, then.”

A faint smile curved at the edge of his lips.

****

Ilhwa looked down coldly at the Red Dragon squad leader kneeling before her.

In her past life, she had taken lives without purpose. The more she killed, the more enemies she naturally made.

Among them were those who sent assassins, and others who tried to kill her themselves.

She had survived all those countless attacks—why would she be afraid of a wooden sword swung by a second-rate warrior, one that didn’t even contain inner power?

“You can go again if you like. But this time, don’t underestimate me—use your full strength.”

Ilhwa nudged the wooden sword lying on the floor with her foot, pushing it back toward him.

The Red Dragon squad leader stared blankly at the wooden sword now lying at his feet.

‘What...’

What the hell had just happened?

Why was he kneeling in front of this little girl?

He hadn’t even seen her swing her sword properly. What stung more was the fact that he hadn’t even realized he’d dropped his own weapon.

And all of that had happened in just two seconds.

In the distance, the murmurs of the spectators could be heard.

The squad members reacted with a mix of shock and confusion, but the young trainees and idle onlookers who knew nothing of martial arts simply burst into laughter, not understanding the gravity of the situation.

To their eyes, it was just a large adult kneeling before a child—of course they found it funny.

With his face contorting in frustration, the Red Dragon squad leader snatched up the wooden sword.

“Fine.”

He hadn’t seen it—so he couldn’t believe it.

And if he couldn’t believe it, he needed to confirm it himself.

His pride wouldn’t allow things to end like this.

The squad leader rose to his feet and assumed a proper stance, facing Ilhwa directly.

“Let’s go again, properly this time, you arrogant little brat.”

His eyes had changed entirely from before.

He no longer looked down on her as a mere child.

He wasn’t a fool—by now, even he could see it.

‘She’s strong.’

This child was strong.

Her presence might feel small, but she possessed skill that far surpassed her size.

Maybe even more than his own.

This was not someone he could afford to take lightly.

In response to his seriousness, Ilhwa also took her stance, gripping her sword properly.

If her opponent was going all out, then there was no reason for her not to.

‘Since it’s come to this anyway...’

Might as well entertain him for a bit.

Truthfully, she was curious—could she really change Namgoong?

The Namgoong Clan was strong.

So strong that enemies rarely dared to challenge them.

But in truth, it was only the Clan Head and a few supreme masters who were truly powerful— not every martial artist in Namgoong was strong.

That meant most of them were protected simply by the name "Namgoong."

‘Without enemies, there’s no need to fight.’

And without the need to fight, complacency sets in.

Prolonged comfort dulls a blade. But it isn’t the blade itself that truly dulls—it’s the mindset of the wielder.

‘Can I really sharpen their hearts again?’

Could she heat and hammer these people, soaked in peace, until they were sharp once more?

Did they even have the will to change?

That was what she wanted to know.

That was why Ilhwa had accepted the squad leader’s challenge.

“Hah!”

The Red Dragon squad leader charged in first.

This was the child who had forced him to his knees twice in an instant. There was no room for mercy or holding back.

Clack! Clack-clack! Clack!

Ilhwa lightly parried his rapid attacks, one after another. She didn’t block them head-on—she redirected his force and let it flow away.

‘What the...!’

In the flurry of strikes, the squad leader began to panic.

He had swung with all his strength. He hadn’t treated her like a child, hadn’t held back, hadn’t underestimated her.

And yet she was deflecting every blow with ease.

How could this be?

How could a child that young parry his sword so effortlessly?

Crack—!

“Guh!”

Just as the squad leader was starting to spiral into confusion, Ilhwa’s wooden sword struck his wrist.

He almost dropped his sword again, narrowly avoiding the humiliation of losing it twice. Gritting his teeth, he tightened his grip.

“Focus.”

Beads of sweat had already formed on his forehead.