Chapter 3: The Clan’s Rascal

Stomp. Stomp…

Yeon was wandering alone through the Moyong Clan grounds.
Collapsed halls and cracked floors due to lack of maintenance.
It wasn’t a good place for a stroll, but he had no choice.
Cooling the fever that had risen in his head from the recent conversation was his top priority.

‘…Namgung Gi is alive.’

The shock was considerable, as Yeon had planned to die only after killing him.

‘And he became the Namgung Clan Head?’

Yeon’s expression darkened.
Namgung Gi becoming the Clan Head meant that Yeon was still bearing the blame for his crimes.

“This is f*cked.”

Crunch.

He felt disgusted.
Namgung Gi had killed the Clan Head and made Yeon’s friend point a sword at him.
Not only that, he was the one who sent countless people to their deaths for his own ends.
Yet, instead of paying for his crimes, he had reportedly risen to the position of Namgung Clan Head.

‘I never thought the world flowed according to logic. But this is too…’

Like a dog.

The picture he had envisioned was for Namgung Jehyun to become the Clan Head and lead the Namgung Clan someday.
Namgung Jehyun.
Even in chaotic situations, he would wisely overcome problems.
But?
When Yeon asked about Namgung Jehyun’s whereabouts, Il-Woo replied:

– Azure-Robed Immortal Guide? Are you perhaps referring to the Azure Ghost…?

– Azure Ghost?

Yeon was stunned by the absurd alias.
The Namgung Jehyun he knew was nowhere to be found, surrounded by strange rumors.
All the rumors—that he was confined by his father and became a killer—were absurd.
But what plunged Yeon into confusion was the most plausible of the stories.

‘He’s chasing Blood-Hand Sword Ghost Namgung Yeon.’

As rumors circulating in the marketplace, not all of them would be true, but for Yeon, who had been asleep for ten years and just woken up, these were all hard to accept.
Namgung Jehyun’s peculiar rage.

‘I hoped it would end with my death…’

All sorts of thoughts swirled in his boiling head.
Had something else happened to the Namgung Clan in the meantime, or was Namgung Gi using his kind-hearted son again…?
What on earth was going on?

“D*mn it!”

He felt stifled.
He desperately wanted to confirm the current situation.
Confirming it with the person himself would be the fastest way, so it would be great if he could go find Namgung Jehyun.
But he realized that was impossible through what just happened.

– Clan Head, where are you going!

When he shook off Il-Woo’s hand and came out, he had intended to leave this place.
However.

– Gasp, gasp…!

He hadn’t even reached the main gate after running just a few li, yet he was panting heavily.
His heart ached as if being squeezed.
His hands and feet tingled from lack of blood circulation.
His vision blurred as if he would faint.

Moyong Yeon was too weak.
He had a body that would fall ill for days even after a simple stroll through the neighborhood, let alone setting out to find Namgung Jehyun.

“…Leaving with this body is suicidal.”

Yeon recalled the earlier situation and blurted out.
Even if he was lucky enough to find Namgung Jehyun, it was doubtful whether Namgung Jehyun would meet the young Clan Head of a fallen clan.

“Sigh.”

A sigh escaped him.
If he had his original body, this kind of problem would have been solved in an instant.
Even if Namgung Jehyun refused to meet, couldn’t he just force him to sit down and tell him to shut up and listen to him?
After all, he was one level higher in cultivation.
But now.

‘…I have nothing to show for myself.’

To think he had fallen to such a state.
Of course, it would be a lie to say that his life as Namgung Yeon had been entirely satisfying.
After awakening his innate martial talent, he had lived with an arrogant attitude, but in truth, it was a lonely life surrounded by enemies.

But a different life?

He never wished for it.
Moyong Yeon’s life was no better.
No, it was rather worse.
If there was anything remotely acceptable.
It was his lineage, different from his own as a servant’s child, even though he had Namgung blood.
Thanks to that, he was still acting as the Moyong Clan Head, despite their ruin.
But the boy, who cried himself to sleep every night, was not a Clan Head but merely a child longing for love.

“Tsk.”

Yeon clicked his tongue.
How many people grow up without parents, yet he couldn’t overcome it and just gave up?
Hadn’t he, too, lost his parents early, just like Moyong Yeon?
He had never seen the face of his father, who only passed on Namgung blood and then ignored him.
His own mother didn’t have a benevolent nature like Moyong Gamoo (Moyong Clan mother), so he had no good memories.

She even died away from home when he was ten.
If Namgung Cheon hadn’t taken him in, he would have starved to death soon after.
Therefore, most people’s complaints would sound like mere whining to him.
Why then, did his mouth taste so bitter?
D*mn it…
It seemed the body’s memories had affected him as well.
He had inadvertently assimilated with Moyong Yeon.
An uneasy thought crossed his mind.

‘What if I just grant Moyong Yeon’s wish and then pass on?’

The resurgence of the Moyong Clan.

“…”

…Hold on.
Come to think of it, it’s quite good.
What he needed most right now was to regain his strength.
In such a situation, the nameplate of the Moyong Clan wasn’t bad at all.

Though it was currently failing, it was still a renowned clan.
Hereditary martial arts, historical legitimacy, and connections spanning the entire martial world.
If he could revive it, it would be a stepping stone for rapid growth in many ways.
Moreover, he also thought.

‘Is this the time to be picky?’

In a way, he might have died without even knowing that Namgung Gi was alive.

‘He even lent me his body, so I can at least do this much, right?’

This was an opportunity to get revenge on Namgung Gi.

And one more thing.

– H-How could I forget that b*stard! We ended up like this because of that monster…

Il-Woo’s words bothered him.

‘I made the Moyong Clan like this?’

It was an absurd claim.
No matter how wild his life had been, he had never crossed the line of human morality.
But even so, a memory bothered him.
Was it really because of that incident?

“…”

No way…?

“Clan Head.”

“?!”

He flinched.
Someone suddenly appeared.
Normally, he would have known immediately, but he was still not used to the body and had let his guard down.
He stepped back a step or two.

Then he saw the other person’s entire body.
A sturdy, tall physique with noticeably broad shoulders.
Arrogant dark gray eyes seemed to analyze Yeon, scrutinizing him.
The man’s deep-set mouth was stubbornly closed, as if he hadn’t called Yeon at all.

‘Oh, ho. This guy…’

The corners of Yeon’s lips curled slightly.
The moment Moyong Yeon’s memories flowed in, he had become aware of the man’s presence, but seeing him with his own eyes felt different.

The man, named Muyoung, had a handsome appearance while exuding a chilly aura, as if frost had settled upon him.
He was one of the three remaining subordinates in the Moyong Clan, and Moyong Yeon’s bodyguard.
And ‘Namgung Yeon’ also knew ‘Muyoung’.

‘To think I’d see him again here.’

Of course, he couldn’t say he knew him well, but seeing a familiar face at least brought some sense of reality.

‘How strange.’

The Muyoung he knew was a young man who had just passed his coming-of-age ceremony.
But now, after ten years, he had a quite mature appearance.

‘His eyes seem sharper now.’

Even then, he didn’t look kind, but he seemed a bit more delinquent now.
Had he suffered a lot during that time?

…No.

Yeon fell into thought for a moment at the idea that came to mind.

The relationship between ‘Moyong Yeon’ and Muyoung was not good.

‘Moyong Yeon was afraid of Muyoung.’

While the timid Moyong Yeon was naturally scared, it was also true that Muyoung gave him reason to be.

‘He practically treated him like he didn’t exist, didn’t he?’

Muyoung, as a bodyguard, protected the Clan Head, but he insisted on a cold attitude, not even approaching him unless necessary.
There was something strange about his perpetually taciturn demeanor.
Moreover, the occasional look of disdain.

‘What is it?’

Even the gaze directed at him now was not pleasant.
At least, it wasn’t the look one would give to their ‘Clan Head’.

‘Is he inspecting the quality of an item?’

Though it was less than usual, perhaps because he had heard something from Il-Woo.

“Are you alright?”

Muyoung’s tone was more akin to confirmation than concern.

“Well… I’m fine.”

Yeon, who had debated how to answer for a moment, replied unenthusiastically.

“…You’re fine?”

“Yes. If I have all my limbs, I’m fine.”

“…”

Muyoung’s eyes narrowed for a moment, and his expression became subtle.
Thinking about it, Moyong Yeon would usually be intimidated by Muyoung in such a situation and wouldn’t even be able to answer properly.
But since he answered so boldly, Muyoung seemed to find it strange.

However, for the Blood-Hand Sword Ghost to tremble and answer like Moyong Yeon?
That made even less sense.
The possibility of his identity being discovered was faint.
As long as he wore Moyong Yeon’s skin, it would be hard to imagine that another soul had possessed him, even if he was thought to be insane.

Unless one had spent every moment with him.
It would be more realistic to believe that the Clan Head had gone mad and his behavior had changed.
Still, he couldn’t keep being suspected, so Yeon decided to change the subject.

“By the way, what are you doing here? If you have something to do, why don’t you mind your own business and go do it instead of worrying about me?”

Regardless of being glad (?), Yeon wanted Muyoung not to pay attention to him.
Muyoung disliked Moyong Yeon, and Yeon was Moyong Yeon now, wasn’t he?
There was nothing good about being with Muyoung.

Normally, Muyoung would leave Moyong Yeon alone once his safety was assured.
Therefore, Yeon thought Muyoung would leave him today as well.

“…”

But Muyoung stood rooted like a stone statue, unmoving.
What’s with this guy?

“Why?”

“…I will guard you until you return to your quarters.”

Yeon couldn’t hide his exasperation.

“What? No, why?”

Muyoung didn’t answer, just stared.
He was an absurd guy.

“I’m really fine, I tell you!”

Yeon, who had planned to think a bit more before going in, met Muyoung’s stubborn eyes and sensed he couldn’t break his will.
The thought of Muyoung’s gaze following his every step made him shudder.

“Ah, sh*t, he’s making me so uncomfortable.”

“…”

It was a mumbled thought, but it was loud.
Muyoung’s expression became subtle once again.
Regardless, Yeon, who was standing with his arms crossed and a dissatisfied expression, suddenly called out to Muyoung.

“Hey, let’s go back. Let’s go!”

He had changed his mind, thinking it was better to go back and rest rather than be watched.

The inside of his quarters, now empty, was quiet.

‘This is better.’

Just a moment ago, Il-Woo had been quite a handful.

– Ugh, Clan Head…!

Il-Woo seemed quite surprised by the Clan Head suddenly rushing out.
He clung to Yeon like a d*mn dog, endlessly, until Muyoung pulled him off, Yeon couldn’t move.

– Clan Head, please rest for a moment.

And then Muyoung took Il-Woo outside.
They seemed to have something to talk about amongst themselves.
Perhaps they would discuss his changed demeanor.
Yeon flopped onto the bed.

‘Ugh, I’m tired.’

As the tension eased, his whole body ached.
It seemed the chronic fatigue Moyong Yeon felt was combined with muscle pain.

‘It’s amazing that he was even alive in this body!’

Yeon, blinking at the ceiling, recalled his decision from earlier.

‘I must become stronger.’

Yeon was an expert in building strength and honing techniques.
The position of Emperor Sword Unit leader, symbolizing the Namgung Clan, was not acquired lightly.
His training was rumored to be brutal, but no effort was wasted.
At that time, the Emperor Sword Unit was one of the most formidable military units in the Central Plains.

‘…I don’t think I could endure such training with this body.’

Just a moment ago, Yeon realized a surprising fact.
That Moyong Yeon’s body actually had internal energy.

‘It was so tiny I thought he had none!’

And as a result of circulating the qi, he realized that all the acupoints were blocked by turbid qi, preventing proper circulation.

‘It’s not about building basic stamina; the priority is to change this rotten constitution first.’

However, changing one’s inherent constitution required several times more time and effort compared to building stamina.
Yeon was impatient by nature.

‘When would I ever wait for that?’

So, he thought of a shortcut.

‘Eating spirit medicines should work.’

It was a good idea.
However, that shortcut required paying an expensive toll.
In other words, he needed money.
Yeon pondered for a moment.

‘Spirit medicines aren’t cheap, and the Moyong Clan, on its last legs, couldn’t possibly have that kind of money.’

Muttering.

‘Hm?’

Suddenly, a commotion was heard from outside.
Yeon listened to the situation outside.

“Clan Head… what on earth…”

A middle-aged man’s voice, unfamiliar to Namgung Yeon but familiar to Moyong Yeon, was faintly heard.
The face of a middle-aged man, with a bearish, dull physique and a somewhat stubborn expression, flashed through his mind.

‘The steward.’

He was a person with strong pride in the Moyong Clan, and thus harbored the greatest dissatisfaction with the incompetent Clan Head.
Although he didn’t openly criticize him, his thoughts were so transparently visible on his face that Moyong Yeon often felt intimidated in front of the steward.

‘Will I be able to get along with him?’

It wasn’t a concern.
Although they were currently forced to live together since they had no other choice, these were people and a place he would eventually leave without regret.

‘Actually, it’s obvious I won’t get along with him.’

Yeon knew his own personality.
The steward also seemed to have a strong personality, but when it came to being strong-willed, Yeon was no slouch either.

‘He won’t run away because of me, will he?’

It wasn’t an exaggeration.
If one were to line up all the members of the Emperor Sword Unit who had run away because of Yeon, there would be enough to build a city wall and still have some left over.

– …At this rate, you’ll be left alone. For the Clan Head’s dignity, why don’t you temper your temper and be kinder to the kids?

Namgung Jehyun’s nagging, unable to bear it any longer, was familiar to his ears.

“…Maybe I’ll take that advice this time.”

Wow.

Yeon marveled at himself.

‘You live and learn, don’t you? I’ve totally matured, haven’t I?’

Muttering.

The quiet outside became noisy again.

‘Hm?’

It seemed someone had arrived.

‘Should I go out?’

He thought for a moment, but Yeon shook his head.

‘They’ll handle it.’

His plan was to dump all the complicated matters onto his subordinates.

Crash!!

But suddenly, a loud roar came from the sky.
Yeon looked up at the ceiling.

Crack.

“Hm?”

Yeon blinked once.
A crack had appeared in the ceiling.
Yeon blinked once more.
It seemed light was seeping through the cracked ceiling.

Rumble!

Before he could blink again, the roof collapsed, and debris rained down on Yeon’s head.
Yeon, covered in dust in an instant, slowly opened his eyes.
The bewildered look in his eyes quickly transformed into a blazing, furious glare.