Heavenly Martial God - Chapter 5
Looked around the room with hazy eyes.
Bloodstains dotted the luxurious, almost extravagant, golden bed.
“Ah….”
The image of blood spurting like a fountain through his veins came to mind.
He couldn’t even remember how long it had been since blood had gushed from his body.
Namgung-hyuk took a deep breath.
“Hah.”
He tried to calm his racing heart, but it wouldn’t settle.
“Damn it, huh, huh.”
If only he were dreaming, that would be great.
But both the porcelain body and the nine celestial meridians were real.
And…
“Is it true that I only have this week left to live…?”
How long had it been since he woke up, and he was already facing death?
“Not even a mayfly. Huh.”
He couldn’t close his mouth in disbelief.
He could understand his fragile porcelain body that broke easily with just a slight bump.
No, he could even accept the nine celestial meridians if he gave in a hundred times.
But accepting that he had only this week left to live was something he couldn’t concede, even if he made a hundred concessions.
What were those immortal bastards thinking, locking him in such a body?
‘No, they probably don’t think at all. They just sent me here to die, that’s for sure.’
Namgung-hyuk bit his lips tightly… and almost bled again, but he held back.
He was angry and wronged, but that wouldn’t change the current situation.
He calmly regulated his breath that had surged up.
It was to check his physical condition once more.
‘Let it just be an illusion. I can’t be making mistakes. Please….’
…was nothing but a load of bull.
The nine blood vessels near his heart were blocked like an iron wall.
Only one vessel was open, but it was so narrow that the flowing energy was weak, and it wouldn’t be strange if it closed at any moment.
Even if it closed tomorrow, he would nod in agreement.
Right now, Namgung-hyuk’s life was barely sustained because of that one open vessel.
“Ah… it’s true.”
After confirming once again the lifespan of his body, Namgung-hyuk felt a sense of despair.
‘Overcome the nine celestial meridians within fifteen days?’
No matter how much he had been called the best in the world, this was impossible.
The nine celestial meridians weren’t some common cold; how could he fix this in just one week?
“I’m going to meet a grim reaper, not an immortal.”
Even if he ascended to become immortal and gained eternal life, that wouldn’t solve his predicament.
“Is it possible for me to start cultivating from now?”
No, it was impossible.
Even with his nearly perfect internal martial arts, he couldn’t create the energy needed to overcome the nine celestial meridians within fifteen days.
…But should he try just once?
He had to live, regardless of whether those immortal bastards would accept him or not.
“Yeah, if it’s my martial arts, it might be possible…”
The expression on Namgung-hyuk’s face soured.
“…But it won’t work because of this body.”
Why did he use Cheongmyeong Hyunshin Gong and Simgeun Naejeong Gong?
Wasn’t it to soothe and comfort this pathetic body that was like porcelain?
But if he used the ultimate martial arts of his true self, his body would burst before he could gather any energy.
No, it would burst.
‘This is maddening.’
He had no energy, and his body was as fragile as porcelain.
He had to gather energy before dying from the blocked nine celestial meridians, but this reality was hopeless.
“…”
He thought of other methods, but there were no answers.
If it were his past body, he would have easily broken through the nine celestial meridians.
In this situation where he couldn’t do anything, Namgung-hyuk felt beyond frustration to the point of despair.
“I need energy, I need energy…”
Namgung-hyuk muttered and then tilted his head.
“Wait a minute. But how has this guy survived until now?”
He was also groaning without any answers, yet this desperate body had somehow remained alive was nothing short of a miracle.
“Yeah, is this because I’m from the Namgung family? Even if I’m a living corpse, I can still hold onto life.”
Seeing how he had clung onto a life that should have ended long ago…
Wait a minute.
Namgung family?
Namgung-hyuk’s pupils widened.
“Oh, the Namgung family!”
Where is the Namgung family?
It was one of the five great families, known as the symbol of the righteous faction, and a martial arts house standing shoulder to shoulder with the Gu Daemun faction, as well as a pillar of the Jeongcheong Alliance.
Moreover, they were rich.
The Namgung family was one of the five great families famous for their wealth.
Jokingly, it was said that they could fill a warehouse of ten thousand pyeong with gold.
‘That bastard, the Sword King, bragged about how rich he was every day. If so….’
The color on Namgung-hyuk’s face brightened slightly.
“Maybe I can get one or two elixirs right away?”
Though the elixirs had dried up during the chaos of the martial arts world, surely the Namgung family could procure at least a couple immediately!
If he had energy, he could operate Cheongmyeong Hyunshin Gong and Simgeun Naejeong Gong more effectively, improving both his nine celestial meridians and his body.
Gulp.
Namgung-hyuk swallowed hard.
His family was the kind that had eaten three meals a day with elixirs that had considerable efficacy and had wild ginseng as a side dish.
Even the rich may go bankrupt, but the Namgung family did not, so they would still be strong.
Namgung-hyuk pictured the elixir storeroom somewhere in the Namgung family in his mind.
‘Let’s eat.’
Now was not the time to quibble over whose is whose.
He was about to die; why bother distinguishing such trivial matters?
‘It’s fine as long as I can pay for it with that Sword King’s life.’
What does friendship mean?
It means sharing even a single bean.
Didn’t they share the Great Hwan Dan as well?
He recalled the memories of the past.
– What’s that?
– …Great Hwan Dan.
– Bring it here.
– …this?
– Bring it here. Let’s share.
– This is not okay.
– Do you want me to hit you and give it all, or do you want just half?
– Half.
– Smart.
Even now, thinking about it brought him a little joy.
‘Enjoy it, my friend.’
He would have to hear about the Sword King, but Namgung-hyuk was not in a position to worry about that.
Namgung-hyuk looked around for the golden attendant.
“Hey! Hey, you!”
Bang!
The door burst open, and the golden attendant peeked in.
“Master!”
Seeing Namgung-hyuk halfway out of bed, the golden attendant rushed over.
“What are you doing? Be careful, or you’ll break your leg again. And what is this blood?!”
“That’s not important; I…”
“What do you mean it’s not important?! Just lie down!”
The golden attendant quickly tidied up the surroundings and carefully pulled Namgung-hyuk’s legs under the covers.
Once Namgung-hyuk was covered with the blanket, he naturally lay back.
Namgung-hyuk gave up on raising his upper body.
Every time the golden attendant fussed, the blanket got rearranged, and he couldn’t move a muscle as if he were chained.
‘Is this human strength?’
He couldn’t even shake off one hand that was covering him with the blanket.
As he reflected on the level of his newly updated porcelain body, he opened his mouth.
“I need elixirs. Bring them to me.”
“Yes, it seems you spat out blood again, so you need to take your medicine quickly. But first, tidy up a bit and eat breakfast…”
“Not medicine, elixirs!”
“E-exixirs?”
“Yeah, elixirs.”
Namgung-hyuk poked his head out from under the blanket and looked at the golden attendant.
He nodded, urging him to hurry up with his eyes.
The golden attendant stared back, shaking his head.
“You had one four days ago. Just wait until later.”
“Four days?”
“Yes. You took a Heavenly Gold Pill. It was said to have considerable efficacy.”
“Heavenly Gold Pill?”
Namgung-hyuk remembered hearing about the Heavenly Gold Pill before.
Wasn’t it an elixir that raised one’s internal energy by ten years?
Considering the elixirs had dried up due to the fight against the martial arts, it was impressive that he had taken a Heavenly Gold Pill.
‘So where did all the energy from those elixirs go?’
It was clear that he had used the energy of the elixir solely to treat the nine celestial meridians.
But still, to have drained ten years’ worth of energy in just four days.
As he recalled the almost empty Danjeon, cold sweat ran down Namgung-hyuk’s back.
‘If I’m not careful, I might die today, not in fifteen days.’
*Thud*
It felt like my heart sank at the thought that the calculation could be wrong.
There was no time to waste.
If I hesitated, I would be buried underground forever.
As I felt a chill run down my spine from the instinct for survival and the sense of crisis, the voice of Geumcheomsang continued.
“The medicinal sect master warned that you shouldn’t take the elixir recklessly.”
“Is that quack serious? With my body like this, he wants me to stop taking the elixir?!”
Namgung-hyuk’s eyes widened.
“Guide me to where the elixir is!”
“The sect master said no! He warned that moderation is key; too much of Cheonggeunhwan can be harmful.”
“No, I’m going to die, you know?”
“The sect master said it would be fine for a month, so you can rest easy.”
“Tomorrow, I’ll be lying in a coffin! You quack!”
Namgung-hyuk pushed Geumcheomsang’s hand away.
“This isn’t a conversation with you. Just show me the way.”
“Calm down, sir. If you’re in pain, you shouldn’t move recklessly. I’ll assist you.”
“Forget it. I…”
Just then,
*CREEEAAK*
the sound of the door opening reached Namgung-hyuk’s ears, drawing his gaze.
‘What the hell?’
Around the door stood about a dozen people.
In the middle was a tall middle-aged man dressed in a splendid silk blue robe, a striking figure among the crowd.
His face, as cold as carved ice, and his unreadable eyes evoked a sense of eerie intimidation, reminiscent of an abyss.
“What are you doing here?”
A voice that resonated with immense power seemed to press down on the room.
It was the aura of an absolute being ruling over many.
Just his voice could freeze the air in the room.
Namgung-hyuk instinctively realized.
‘It’s the head of the family.’
Geumcheomsang, who was next to him, confirmed this.
“We greet you, head of the family!”
Namgung-hyuk’s eyes brightened.
“Get out of the way!”
He forcefully shoved Geumcheomsang aside and stumbled toward the family head.
His awkward posture, walking with his legs spread wide due to the splint, looked rather comical.
*THUMP THUMP THUMP*
The splint made lively sounds as it hit the ground.
“Ugh…”
“…”
A moment of solemnity enveloped the room.
Namgung-hyuk, struggling to walk, fell to the ground.
*THUD*
“Ugh!”
The shock reverberated, causing Namgung-hyuk to gasp.
As he groaned in pain, the family head Namgung-Jangcheon’s voice boomed.
“What are you doing lying down? What a disgrace for the bloodline of the Namgung family!”
His reprimand was like thunder.
Namgung-hyuk looked up at Namgung-Jangcheon, wiping his nose with a dazed expression.
‘…Even the Sword King never yelled at me like this.’
It was absurd and strange that a descendant was now yelling at him.
The followers who had come with him were equally startled by the booming voice.
“F-family head!”
“Hold on! This young master is a patient right now!”
“Family head!”
Namgung-Jangcheon turned sharply to the followers, shouting sternly.
“Everyone, step outside! I will teach this lad the way of the king today!”
“Family head!”
“Everyone, get out!”
At Namgung-Jangcheon’s commanding voice, the followers flinched and hurried outside.
Geumcheomsang hesitated for a moment but had no choice but to step back.
As they left, they cast anxious glances at Namgung-Jangcheon.
‘What on earth is he planning to do?’
‘Oh, his fiery temper is coming out again. This young master is different from the others…’
‘Huff, I hope he doesn’t faint again.’
‘Please, be gentle this time… He doesn’t have a healthy bone in his body.’
With anxiety in their hearts, the people exited Namgung-hyuk’s chamber.
Namgung-Jangcheon peeked out the door, ensuring the presence of others had faded away.
And at that moment,
“Hyuk-ah! Oh, my son!”
The imposing aura vanished completely as Namgung-Jangcheon rushed to support Namgung-hyuk.
Namgung-hyuk was once again dumbfounded.
Was this really the same person who had just yelled at him?
Where did that kingly aura go?
The pressure he had first felt had completely evaporated.
‘What’s going on?’
Namgung-hyuk glared at Namgung-Jangcheon with a puzzled expression.
“Don’t move suddenly! Your leg isn’t healed yet!”
Namgung-Jangcheon worriedly checked Namgung-hyuk’s body.
“Is something else hurting? Are you feeling chills? No, you look so pale. How much pain are you in?”
Seeing Namgung-Jangcheon fussing, Namgung-hyuk found it amusing.
Looking at the situation, he realized it was a good environment to roast the family head.
“I feel like I’m going to die, so I need the elixir…”
“Did you just say you’re dying?! Didn’t I tell you not to say such things? I won’t let you die like this!”
“So, if you give me the elixir…”
Before Namgung-hyuk could finish, Namgung-Jangcheon shouted out the door.
“Is it really this cold in here? Bring in the firewood! Twice as much! Where’s the brazier?”
‘What’s a brazier? I need the elixir!’
The room was hot enough; why would he need firewood or a brazier? Oh?
‘…It is cold?’
Namgung-hyuk subtly pulled the blanket closer.
Geumcheomsang, waiting by the door, hurried to find the brazier.
Namgung-Jangcheon, looking worried, patted Namgung-hyuk’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry. I’ll find a way to cure your illness, even if I have to scour the world.”
“No, I mean the elixir…”
“I’ve told you many times, be careful! If you need anything, tell Geumcheomsang immediately. You mustn’t move alone; always seek help. Do you understand?”
…Does he not want to give me the elixir?
Why does he keep interrupting me?
Namgung-hyuk frowned at the abrupt interruptions.
“Oh dear! Your body is already cold! Why hasn’t the brazier come yet?”
Namgung-Jangcheon pressed Namgung-hyuk’s forehead gently, anxiously looking outside.
Namgung-hyuk chuckled softly.
‘Just listen to me for once.’
Stop worrying so much.
‘He’s completely different from the Sword King.’
The Sword King was sharp and decisive.
Tsk tsk, as he clicked his tongue inwardly, Namgung-hyuk gazed quietly at Namgung-Jangcheon.
He began to form a rough picture of how this man had managed to survive.
Father, father.
This is a bit odd, isn’t it?
‘How old is this guy?’
He looked no older than half the age when I just retired from the martial world.
Since I’m over one hundred and fifty years old now…
‘He was born during the Demon Blood Disaster and wouldn’t even have been conceived then?’
It was an astonishing age gap.
With a sudden twinge.
Pain rose from his chest, signaling a threat to his life.
‘Damn, does age even matter when I’m about to die?’
What can’t I do to survive?
After a moment of hesitation, Namgung-hyuk opened his mouth.
“…Father, I have a request.”
The threat to his life had a remarkable effect.
How could he call a complete stranger ‘father’ and make a request?
Namgung-Jangcheon’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked outside anxiously.
“Really! Do you need anything? If you do, just say it. I will get it for you!”
I’ve been trying to tell him for a while, but since my life is at stake, I could say it ten more times.
Namgung-hyuk put on a pitiful expression.
“I need the elixir. My body is shivering, and I can’t feel better even after taking medicine. I’m coughing more now. Cough! Cough! Cough!”
Namgung-hyuk discreetly glanced at Namgung-Jangcheon and coughed even harder.
Namgung-Jangcheon’s pupils trembled.
“…The elixir?”
“Yes, the elixir. The Namgung family can easily get one or two elixirs, right?”
Namgung-Jangcheon flinched, his gaze evasively drifting.
“Well, um…”
‘Why is he avoiding my gaze?’
Namgung-hyuk tilted his head at Namgung-Jangcheon’s strange reaction.
“Is that true?”
His pupils shook again, violently this time, before returning to normal.
He thumped his chest confidently.
“Just trust this father! I’ll definitely get it for you, so don’t worry about it! Huh huh huh!”
While his voice was filled with determination, his eyes wandered uncertainly.
Deep furrows formed on Namgung-hyuk’s brow.
‘He’s already worrying me…’