NOVEL NEXT I Will Raise It as the Best Family in the World
Chapter 33
It was shortly after Woonyeong joined the Murim Alliance.
– Hey, Rakshasa. For days, someone had been circling around Woonyeong like a restless puppy, and finally spoke up. With her keen senses, Woonyeong knew it was Namgoong Hwi, but she didn’t pretend to know him first. After stepping into the martial world, Woonyeong was always alone, yet never truly alone. There were enemies and even swindlers around her. – Why. Woonyeong merely tilted her chin up slightly, signaling him to speak. Namgoong Hwi narrowed his eyes at her appearance and spoke. – Let’s spar. – You want to spar? – Yes. – A life-or-death fight? Namgoong Hwi was startled by Woonyeong’s brief question. – No, what do you mean life or death fight? I want to test my sword technique. – So… let’s fight, not kill? – Yeah. The concept of sparring was unfamiliar to Woonyeong. Of course, Woonyeong knew that sparring was a match to test each other’s martial skills. It was a match where both parties promised not to take each other’s lives. However, Woonyeong had never participated in such fights. How could a promise not to kill each other be guaranteed? – When you meet a master, it’s only natural for a martial artist to want to test their sword against theirs. – Is that so? Then that must be it. Woonyeong was unfamiliar with martial artists from typical sects or families. – So? – Let’s try, well. She easily agreed. There was no other reason. It was simply because Woonyeong knew that Namgoong Hwi wouldn’t be a match for her. No matter what tricks Namgoong Hwi used, Woonyeong could avoid them. Because Woonyeong was stronger. Woonyeong could instinctively sense her opponent’s martial prowess. She was capable of that. Woonyeong raised her sword and charged at Namgoong Hwi, skipping the formalities. Flustered, Namgoong Hwi quickly drew his sword and deflected Woonyeong’s attack. And a few hours passed. – Stop, stop. Hey, you Sword Demon, stop! Breathing heavily, Namgoong Hwi shouted for her to stop. It was impressive enough that he had managed to hold out for a few moments with all his strength. – Yeah. With a refreshed expression, Woonyeong sheathed her sword. Wielding a sword with the intent not to kill wasn’t so bad. It was enjoyable to face Namgoong Hwi’s sword. Woonyeong had also read the martial arts manuals of the Namgoong family in Old Man Teng’s study. The conclusion she reached after understanding the essence of the Namgoong family’s martial arts was. The Azure Sky. Those crazy guys in the sky. The martial art had characteristics that were too distinctive, so she hadn’t tried it out herself. However, having faced Namgoong’s sword, she found that it was a much more excellent martial art than she had imagined. Namgoong Hwi had mastered various martial arts of Azure Sky and used a sword that properly embodied the essence of Namgoong’s swordplay, specifically the concepts of ‘Power’ and ‘Weight’. A strong and heavy sword. Woonyeong got the impression that he and his sword were a good match. – Are you ambidextrous? Even though it was the first time encountering the Namgoong family’s swordsmanship, there was no mention of using both hands. However, Namgoong Hwi used both hands. The moment he lost hold of the sword, he grabbed it with his left hand and swung it. His proficiency with the left hand was quite impressive. It was the most dangerous moment for Woonyeong while facing Namgoong Hwi. – Ah. Namgoong Hwi let out a short sigh. – I’m originally left-handed. Namgoong Hwi seemed to have more to say but only mentioned that he was left-handed. Although Woonyeong was awkward with conversation, she wasn’t a person without sense. She sensed that he had something he didn’t want to reveal. She simply nodded and responded. – I see. At that moment, Woonyeong found a new path. The Harmony Principle was a martial art meant to align with the world’s balance. Although she was a body that was born with a deadly poison, she had found that path. Mother. It was the strong will of Woonyeong, who didn’t want to discard the poison left by her mother. The process of recognizing the poison as energy and turning it into a tangible force was painful. However, through this process, Woonyeong established and developed the foundation of the Harmony Mind Technique, which emphasizes the harmony of the body. Harmony. – Yes, there was no need to use just one hand to wield the sword. Left and right, harmony. It’s the natural order that the right side exists because of the left, and the left exists because of the right. Woonyeong, holding the sword with her left hand, slowly brought it down. It was a simple downward slash. While it didn’t match the downward cut delivered with the right hand, it was nonetheless a perfect cut. And Woonyeong fell into a state of selflessness. – Crazy. Selflessness? Just from that one phrase? Namgoong Hwi felt wronged. It was Namgoong Hwi who first requested the sparring, and it was also him who was perfectly defeated. Seeing Woonyeong enter a state of selflessness from just that one remark, made him feel bitter. However, he soon stood up and took a defensive stance. Realizing the benefits of sparring, Woonyeong sought out Namgoong Hwi every day, who was always avoiding her. * * * “…It was better than hitting a scarecrow.” Woonyeong muttered as she recalled the past. But, really, Namgoong Hwi was indeed a perfect sparring partner. He wielded a sword well, had mastered various martial arts, and his high internal energy meant he didn’t tire easily. “Still, he was an ungrateful guy. He asked me to help him over the wall, but then he just ran away every day.” Woonyeong looked at Namgoong Hwi, who was training once again. The sword moved smoothly with a whooshing sound, as if drawing patterns in the sky. Boundless Sky Sword Technique.. The young Namgoong Hwi was demonstrating the Namgoong family’s rising sword techniques, which Woonyeong had seen countless times in the past. The techniques he displayed were executed with extreme control of his internal energy. Considering he was only twelve years old, his achievements could be deemed remarkable. The Namgoong family, one of the prominent sword families in the Central Plains’ martial arts world, has countless sword techniques. The basic sword technique that depicts the high sky is the Azure Sky Sword Technique. The grand and expansive sword technique aiming to resemble the boundless sky is the Great Expansion Sword Technique. After mastering those two sword techniques, one could then learn the Ascendant Martial Art, Boundless Sky Sword Technique. It is a sword technique that draws the boundless sky. “If you’re already mastering the Boundless Sky Sword Technique, your progress is indeed fast… but why are you wielding the sword like that? Ugh, it’s frustrating. After dealing with Old Man Teng, now it’s you. Sigh, this is my fate.” Observing someone else’s training was prohibited. So, Woonyeong immediately made her presence known and tried to engage in conversation with Namgoong Hwi. Because Woonyeong was also a young lady from a prestigious family who knew proper etiquette. However, as she watched Namgoong Hwi’s sword technique, which was strangely off, she couldn’t help it. A very small discrepancy that no one could detect unless they had seen the Sword King’s technique in the past. Whoosh. The sword cut through the air again. The heavy sword unfolded without hesitation and it was refreshing. “Oh, I see. The left hand. His left hand was the problem.” At that moment, the sword stopped. ‘Ack, was that loud?’ Woonyeong held her breath and widened her eyes. Namgoong Hwi’s gaze, as he turned his head, was directed towards Woonyeong. “…Young Miss.” A cold voice called out to Woonyeong. Despite still having a babyish face and a sharp gaze, there was strangely no awkwardness. A cold and unpleasant demeanor. It was reminiscent of the Sword King from the past. To Woonyeong, that was rather reassuring. “Observing a warrior’s training is prohibited.” “Yes. That’s what they said.” Seeing a trace of familiarity, Woonyeong smiled and responded. It was unusual for the Sword King, who usually had a cheerful smile, to be so serious. At Woonyeong’s response, the character ‘川’ was drawn onto Namgoong Hwi’s proud forehead. ‘Oh my. If you had also mastered the Heavenly Thunder Qi, you would have been shooting lightning as well. The Sword King was skilled at handling Heavenly Thunder.’ “I thought you might not know since it’s been only a short time since you began practicing martial arts.” Indirectly pointing out the rudeness of the other party was truly fitting of the demeanor of the Namgoong family’s Great Young Master. However, Woonyeong, guessing his true intentions, grumbled to herself. ‘I’ve been swinging my sword for 30 years, you rascal.’ Namgoong Hwi secretly saw this as an opportunity to reprimand Woonyeong. He was wondering how to discipline a child who had been meddling with Jegal Dam, and the start seemed promising. “‘However, if you did it knowing the consequences, the crime is not minor, Young Miss.’” “I’m sorry.” Woonyeong’s apology was as light as a feather. Namgoong Hwi, taken aback, was at a loss for words. No one had ever treated him like this before. “‘…I will forgive your rudeness, Young Miss.’” Namgoong Hwi gritted his teeth and barely managed to reply. It was because he had been taught that the Namgoong family always maintained proper conduct. ‘As expected, even though he’s young, Namgoong is impressive. That arrogant demeanor must be innate.’ Despite Namgoong Hwi’s efforts, it only seemed laughable to Woonyeong. “‘By the way, Young Master, why are you holding the sword with your right hand?’” Why on earth would she ask such an obvious question? After mentally drawing the character for ‘patience’ and taking a deep breath, he finally opened his mouth. “That’s of course.” “Of course?” “The Heavenly Sword is fundamentally based on the right hand.” “Really? But the Young Master is left-handed, right?” “What about that?” “What’s important is not that. What if you hold the sword with your left hand?” “‘…How could that even be possible!’” Namgoong Hwi, who had raised his voice, couldn’t finish his words. For a moment, as if possessed by something, he moved the sword to his left hand. Then, holding the sword with his left hand, Namgoong Hwi slowly struck downward. It was a clumsy strike compared to his right hand. Once again, and again. As the number of times he slashed down repeatedly, he gradually became closer to perfection. Namgoong Hwi quickly fell into a state of selflessness. ‘I paid my debt.’ Woonyeong smiled gently and stood in a defensive posture.
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