Chapter 74. The Clan Head’s Direct Descendant

Everyone had different thoughts about the Outer Regions Branches, but when it came to the Blood Sect, their opinions were united.

The pillars of the noble clans who had enjoyed peace were plagued with complicated thoughts.

Now that the era of peace was coming to an end, if they failed to stop the Blood Demon, those children who played without a care would be in danger.

The noble clans and the Murim Alliance could only survive as long as they were alive.

They deliberated, caught between the honor of the previous generation and the future of the next.

Peng Sihyeon, displeased with the silence, pressed them for an answer.

“This isn’t about recognizing the Outer Regions Branches as part of the Murim Alliance. For now, we just need to secure the Extreme Ice Grass urgently.”

At that, the Zhuge Clan Head was the first to speak.

“I understand Elder Peng’s words well. I deeply sympathize with the Leader’s thoughts as well. However—”

At the calm voice, a faint line formed between Elder Peng’s brows.

“This is not something we can decide among ourselves. The elders gathered here do not represent the opinions of the noble clans.”

With a smile, the Zhuge Clan Head brushed off Elder Peng’s proposal.

“At the very least, our Zhuge Clan must return and gather opinions first.”

Unable to hold back, the Peng Clan Head spoke in place of his sister.

“If this were about anything else, I’d have taken my time, too. No, I’d have been the first to oppose exchange with the Outer Regions Branches. But Zhuge Clan Head, isn’t the situation urgent right now? We can’t wait until the Murim Alliance meeting at the end of the year.”

“I apologized. Even if you say that, I cannot make a decision here and now.”

The members of the other noble clans also remained silent.

While their hearts may have sided with Peng Sihyeon, like the Zhuge Clan Head said, they couldn’t make a decision immediately.

At that moment, Namgung An, who had been quiet until now, spoke up.

“Isn’t the Martial Tournament for rising talents being held at headquarters next month?”

Namgung An, who usually treated Peng Sihyeon like she was invisible, now looked directly at her and said,

“How about we decide again on that day? Thanks to Elder Peng, we’ve come to grasp the situation, so once we return, we’ll discuss it.”

“Yes. That sounds good.”

The Hwang Bo Clan Head also nodded in agreement.

With that, the burden seemed to lighten, and the faces of the clan heads and elders representing the Five Noble Clans brightened. Seeing their reactions, Peng Sihyeon made her request once again.

“Then once you return, please discuss the exchange with the North Sea Branch.”

“Yes, we will do that.”

Namgung An responded to Peng Sihyeon’s words.

From the beginning, Peng Sihyeon hadn’t expected them to make a decision on the spot.

Her goal was to prevent them from using the excuse of needing to “gather opinions from the clan” at the next meeting.

She gave a slight nod in thanks to Namgung An’s assistance. Namgung An turned his gaze away, pretending not to notice.

Peng Sihyeon suppressed a laugh.

‘That man can hold a grudge for decades.’

Still, since the suggestion came from the Namgung Clan Head, who got along worst with her, it held more weight. It had been worth seeking his help in advance.

“Then let’s conclude this gathering.”

No sooner had the discussion ended than Tang Ji-ha spoke while pressing his temples. The heavy conversation had left a deep fatigue. It seemed the same for everyone present.

With Tang Ji-ha’s words, the meeting naturally came to a close.

As Tang Ji-ha descended the pavilion, he saw a martial artist standing at the entrance and finally remembered So-hwa. The gravity of the matter had caused him to forget family affairs for a moment. Whether that was good or bad, he wasn’t sure.

The martial artist approached Tang Ji-ha with a grave tone.

“There is something I must report.”

“…That expression of yours is making me uneasy.”

Unbothered by the clan head’s concern, the martial artist gave his report in a low voice.

“Young Lady So-hwa is currently engaged in a bimu at the Red Radiance Hall.”

Tang Ji-ha narrowed his eyes, unable to comprehend what he’d just heard.

“…Who’s doing what? A bimu? So-hwa?”

Tang Ji-ha’s gaze dimmed. The child who had been holed up in the Nine Turns Pavilion, frequently skipping training, was now involved in a bimu?

At the clan head’s sharp look, the martial artist clarified.

“It’s not martial arts she’s competing in, but a literary bimu. However, it’s not a test of literary knowledge either — I hear it’s a contest of calligraphy.”

“What are you saying? Why would So-hwa be competing in calligraphy? No, I’ve never even heard of a calligraphy bimu in my entire life.”

“It’s something created by the Young Lord Zhuge Ji-hwi. He set it up, claiming to prove that Young Master Namgung Hyun and Lady So-hwa conversed about calligraphy in the study.”

Step.

At those words, the Zhuge Clan Head halted. As he was walking down the steps, he turned and looked at the martial artist.

“What are you talking about?”

The martial artist replied in a calm voice.

“At the lakeside, Young Lord Zhuge Ji-hwi, Young Master Namgung Hyun, and Young Lady Tang So-hwa are engaged in a calligraphy bimu.”

Namgung An, who had just descended to the entrance, furrowed his brows upon hearing his clan’s name mentioned. Strangely enough, even the Peng and Hwang Bo clan heads, who had nothing to do with the matter, also came to a stop.

They simply couldn’t pull themselves away from such an entertaining story.

The Tang Clan Head let out a deep sigh.

“That child used to be so obedient… why did she have to grow up and start causing trouble…”

Covering his temples, the Tang Clan Head turned and began walking toward the lakeside, with the Peng and Hwang Bo Clan Heads following as if entranced.

They had wanted to treat it as someone else’s problem, but since it involved their own clans, the heads of the Namgung and Zhuge Clans also reluctantly began to walk.

***

The lakeside near the Red Radiance Hall was in an uproar.

It was the sound of people explaining the situation to latecomers, or whispering as they placed bets on who would win or lose.

Namgung Gangchang pushed his way through the murmuring crowd, panting. Only when he spotted the three individuals standing before a large table did he finally stop walking.

“Brother, wait up! Let’s go together!”

A follower who had arrived late with Namgung Gangchang spoke in a disgruntled voice.

But the words didn’t reach Namgung Gangchang’s ears. Even though he knew he’d be severely scolded for leaving the pavilion, he couldn’t contain himself and had run all the way here.

Until now, Namgung Gangchang had always dismissed the rumors about Namgung Hyun.

But when he heard that Namgung Hyun was publicly displaying his calligraphy, he couldn’t stop himself from rushing over.

‘Damn it!’

What’s more, Namgung Hyun was standing right next to Tang So-hwa.

The change in the elders’ attitude was also bothersome. Clearly, their gaze toward Namgung Hyun had shifted. A warmth, similar to affection, permeated their once cold glances, and their sharp tones had subtly softened

‘No way… no way… no way!’

Confronted with the thoughts he had tried to ignore, Namgung Gangchang’s vision began to darken.

‘What if… What if that bastard Namgung Hyun really becomes the Tang Clan Head’s son-in-law?’

If things kept going this way, and that bastard ended up being dispatched to headquarters under the Tang Clan’s name, what if, when Gangchang later arrived there, he had to serve him as a superior?

Namgung Gangchang looked at the three people in front of him with growing unease.

The Young Lord of the Zhuge Clan, the Tang Clan Head’s eldest daughter, and the second son of the Namgung Clan Head.

‘…Second Young Master Namgung Hyun.’

What he had tried so hard to deny and ignore now stood clearly before his eyes.

The direct descendant of the Namgung Clan Head — his legitimate heir in blood.

In an ordinary noble clan, even if he were illegitimate, no retainer would dare to look down on the second young master.

If they had grown up together as close friends, they might speak casually in private, but for a retainer to outright torment the second young master was unthinkable.

This had been the punishment handed down to Namgung Hyun by the clan head.

Not acknowledging him as his son. Allowing his nephew, Namgung Gangchang, to torment him and crush his footing. Not just lowering his rank, but effectively erasing him entirely. Ensuring he would never hold any position in the Namgung Clan even after he came of age, having no ties or standing.

A beating would’ve been better. This was a slow, suffocating death — a truly cruel punishment.

Seeing the Namgung Clan Head show no mercy even to his own son, the retainers became all the more careful not to cause trouble for the Young Lord. Even the Namgung branch, stripped of funding, didn’t dare speak ill of the Young Lord.

All that suppressed fury flowed toward the more vulnerable second son, and the clan head allowed it through silence.

Namgung Gangchang clenched his fists.

‘No. No. Why now of all times…!’

If Namgung Hyun were to defeat those three, everyone present would come to recognize him as a legitimate direct descendant.

To Namgung Gangchang, crushed beneath the weight of his inferiority complex, there was nothing more dreadful.

But no one gave a moment’s thought to his insecurities.

“Whoa, whoa, it’s starting.”

They simply watched the game between the three with eyes full of curiosity.

As the three direct descendants seated at equal distances finally lifted their brushes, the murmuring voices grew louder.

“Honestly, I’ve been curious about Namgung Hyun’s calligraphy. Just what kind of script does he have that the Alliance Leader personally requested he be sent to the Summer Pavilion?”

“Exactly. Guess we’ll finally find out today.”

Most of the youth from the Five Noble Clans had gathered at the lakeside. Even those who had been elsewhere had come upon hearing the rumors, making the crowd immense. The spectators kept a respectful distance, about one jang away, and observed.

The direct descendants of the three clans sat around a circular table, surrounded by the retainers of the Five Noble Clans.

Across that clear boundary, an unprecedented calligraphy bimu had begun.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep