Dark and Light Martial Emperor

Chapter 8. What is more important than addition (2)

Namgung Daesan’s face turned red like a ripe persimmon.

“How dare you call her a worthless girl? Watch your mouth!”

“You should watch your words too.”

Yeonwi did not get excited or raise his voice like Namgung Daesan.

He was calm and composed. His characteristic blunt expression remained unchanged.

“Did you verify the cause and effect of the incident?”

“Cause and effect? Is this the time to talk about that?! What did you hear? How could you break the arms and legs of a girl who is not even a year old? How did you raise your son?”

It was rude, but Yeonwi understood Namgung Daesan’s anger.

He was not his own child, but he was a beloved niece who became a half-wit. Anyone would be angry.

Yeonwi sympathized with Namgung Daesan in his heart.

But he could not tolerate his words and actions, nor Namgung Sanghwa’s.

“I am dissatisfied with the restraint of my son who ended it at that level.”

“What?!”

“If it were me, I would never forgive someone who not only insulted my family, but also tried to kill them.”

Yeonwi’s voice became a bit cold.

“My son’s mercy saved your family’s daughter. Be grateful.”

“This… this is outrageous!”

Namgung Daesan trembled with extreme anger.

But he could not vent his anger any further.

He had ignored the words he heard for the first time, but Yeonwi repeated them again. That repeated content cooled Namgung Daesan’s head a little.

‘She insulted my family and tried to kill my son? What does that mean?’

As if he had read his mind, Yeonwi said.

“Your family’s daughter, Sanghwa, was drunk and said that Namgung never considered his family as one of the seven great families.”

Namgung Daesan gritted his teeth.

“So you think she insulted your family? Just for that reason…!”

“I don’t think the words of a young child who can’t control her emotions are Namgung’s will. Let alone being drunk, you can dismiss it as a drunkard’s nonsense.”

Even though he thought it was true, Namgung Daesan felt more angry. Yeonwi was saying that his precious niece couldn’t control her emotions, and that she was a drunkard.

How could he not be angry?

“But if she showed her killing intent and tried to subdue your family’s children, the story changes.”

“What, what did you say?”

“That act of trying to kill and insult them, I don’t know how Namgung’s family taught their children.”

Namgung Daesan’s eyes shook.

No matter how short their history was, Byeoksan Yeon family was one of the pillars of the seven great families.

They were ranked among the seven great families with a history of only fifty years in the Central Plains, which meant that Yeon family’s power was not inferior to other families.

No, their potential could be seen as more than that. They wouldn’t mention a weak family with the best families in the martial world.

Namgung Sanghwa tried to kill and insult the children of such a family.

“I can’t believe it!”

Namgung Daesan’s face turned red again.

“Do you have any evidence? If you insult Namgung by just listening to your son’s words…”

“This is a matter between the children of the seven great families. Do you think I investigated it carelessly?”

“Then, call the parties! Let me hear your son’s words myself…!”

“Look here, Namgung’s leader.”

Yeonwi’s eyes deepened.

“Do you think I’m joking right now?”

“…”

“My children were insulted and even threatened. I want to cut off your niece’s neck with my own hands.”

“My words are!”

“Even if Namgung’s family came and apologized, I wouldn’t calm down, let alone an outer leader like you. Is this a joke?”

Yeonwi didn’t say anything more.

“Do you want to die?”

Flash!

A faint killing intent emanated from Yeonwi’s eyes, who had not lost his composure and calmness.

Namgung Daesan felt a delusion that he had entered an ice cave. He didn’t know how cold and fierce it was, and his inner power wriggled.

“If this is Namgung’s will, fine. Let’s see how fierce Namgung’s sword is. I’ll cut your neck and go to Namgung myself.”

Namgung Daesan shouted without knowing.

“Wait, wait!”

“Do you have anything to say?”

Namgung Daesan swallowed his saliva.

He only showed a dense killing intent, but he didn’t feel any more momentum. Yeonwi was still blunt and calm.

But Namgung Daesan knew from that killing intent. Yeonwi’s martial arts had reached a level that he could not overcome.

“Wait a minute. I think I made a mistake.”

“A mistake? Do you think you can spit out such nonsense in front of me?”

Namgung Daesan bit his lip.

He thought it was a very humiliating and petty response.

But he had no choice. He couldn’t handle Yeonwi in front of him, and if Yeonwi’s words were true, this could turn into a huge mess.

‘Damn it!’

He regretted it. His brothers were all in Namgung’s important positions, but he was still an outer leader.

He was treated as a leader in the family, but he was still a leader. His brother, the family leader, didn’t give him much power.

He was too hot-tempered. He was afraid of messing up the external affairs, so he was a leader until this age.

He had been resentful of his brother more than once, but he wondered if his brother’s judgment was right.

“For now…”

His lips were dry.

Namgung Daesan, who had a strong pride, clenched his teeth and said.

“I apologize for coming in without considering the situation.”

“…”

“My niece was in such a state that I lost my mind. I have no face to show to the family leader.”

Yeonwi silently watched Namgung Daesan.

His eyes were clear like glass. Namgung Daesan’s mouth opened involuntarily.

“I’ll look into the situation again. So today’s matter…”

“Don’t worry. I won’t forget it.”

“Family leader!”

“I will make this fact known to everyone in the martial world. If your family does not apologize properly.”

Namgung Daesan’s face turned pale.

This was it. This was what he was afraid of.

If Yeonwi’s words were all true, Namgung family’s reputation would be stained. And the responsibility was on Namgung Sanghwa, as well as himself.

It was a big deal. He was angry and rushed in, and because of his hot-tempered personality, he tarnished the family’s reputation.

“Fa-family leader…”

“I don’t want to see you anymore, so get out.”

“…”

“I’ll see how your family comes out.”

Yeonwi turned his body.

Namgung Daesan, who bit his lip, left the south gate. The entrance he broke and entered, now looked like the mouth of hell.

That’s how Namgung Daesan left Yeon family.

Yeonwi looked at the broken south gate and shook his head.

“What a waste.”

It was a waste, but it was better.

“Where is the chief?”

“Did you call me, family leader!”

From afar, a burly man ran. He had learned martial arts, but he didn’t seem to have cultivated deeply.

The man, who was probably in his mid-thirties, was Yeon family’s chief, Taegyeong.

“Ask the old man of the carpenter’s shop to make a new gate. Tell him to use better quality wood than before.”

“Ah, yes!”

Taegyeong said with a somewhat anxious face.

“But family leader. Are you okay?”

“Hmm?”

“Did you go too hard…”

He seemed to have watched everything from afar.

Yeonwi shook his head.

“Clean up here, and find out tomorrow.”

“Ah, yes! I understand.”

Yeonwi left the surroundings to Taegyeong and walked alone to the inner court.

Then, a shadow appeared.

It was Yeonhojeong.

“Father.”

Yeonwi was not surprised. He had already felt the presence of his eldest son.

“It’s late. Go to bed.”

“I can’t sleep.”

Yeonwi stopped and looked at Yeonhojeong.

It was a particularly bright night. The eldest son’s eyes, which received the moonlight from the shadow of the building, looked very deep.

Yeonwi, who was about to tell him to go to bed again, suddenly wanted to ask his son a question.

“What do you think?”

“What do you mean?”

“What do you think Namgung family will do?”

He didn’t know why he asked such a question.

But Yeonwi was surprised by Yeonhojeong’s answer.

“The important thing is not Namgung family, but our family.”

“What do you mean?”

“Even if Namgung family doesn’t apologize, you will bury this matter.”

“Why do you think so?”

“You don’t need to light a fire to shake off some dust on your clothes.”

He didn’t expect him to think like that.

Aside from the awkward analogy, Yeonwi thought his son’s insight was not bad. No, it was hard to describe it as a leap of progress compared to what he had shown before.

Maybe, he was arrogant to think he knew his son well.

Yeonwi, who was watching Yeonhojeong, turned his body again.

“Do you think this is a trivial matter that can be easily resolved?”

“Yes?”

“You are my son.”

Yeonhojeong blinked his eyes.

Before he knew it, Yeonwi had walked far away. His walk was no different from usual.

Yeonhojeong looked at his father’s back with curiosity.

“Who doesn’t know that?”

* * *

The next day.

“Ugh.”

The cool autumn breeze didn’t cool his body.

The sweat that dripped down had already made a puddle. But Yeonhojeong’s posture didn’t change.

Creak.

The door opened, and Yeonjipyung appeared.

“Brother, I came… Huh?!”

Yeonjipyung’s eyes widened.

“Brother, what are you doing?”

“Can’t you see? It’s mabo (horse stance) training.”

“Ma-mabo?”

Yeonjipyung was shocked.

Mabo, which strengthens the lower body, is the core of all martial arts. However, there was no need for his brother, who had mastered biyeonsimbeop, to do the basic of the basics, mabo training. If he wanted to train his physique, there were many other methods.

Yeonhojeong frowned.

“It’s a punishment from father.”

“A punishment with mabo? Wait, how long have you been doing this?”

“From myosi (5 a.m.).”

“Wow! It’s been almost two hours?!”

“Not much left.”

Yeonhojeong’s body was not yet recovered. He didn’t use any inner power and did mabo for half a day. Anyone would die.

Yeonhojeong grumbled to himself.

‘This won’t change anything.’

He received the scorpion from his father early in the morning from the chief, Taegyeong.

‘Considering the situation, you didn’t do anything wrong. But you have one sin. The sin of being ruthless. A cruel hand will bring blood, and that is not the white path. Recover your original intention with two hours of mabo training.’

If his temperament changed with mabo training, he wouldn’t have survived in the black path.

At first, he wondered what this was, but he still trained hard. He also reviewed biyeonsimbeop and checked the things he had to do in the future.

Yeonjipyung whispered softly.

“Brother, stop now. It’s about two hours.”

“I’m fine.”

He didn’t think it was a sin, but what could he do about the atmosphere of the family. He thought he would complain a lot, but he tried to get used to it as much as possible.

A little later, when it was a little over two hours.

Then Yeonhojeong released mabo.

“Oof, I’m exhausted.”

“Are you tired? Wait a minute, I’ll bring you some food.”

That was when,

Thud. Thud.

Someone knocked on the door.

“Is the crown prince here?”

“Uh, who is it?”

“The family leader is calling for the crown prince.”

Yeonhojeong grumbled as if he was disgusted.

“He probably wants to check my homework. Ugh, geez.”