Chapter 481: Damned Bastard (5)

The Heavenly Venerable had four children.

Three of them were from his primary wife, and the last was from a concubine.

Surprisingly, it was the concubine’s child who became the Lord of the Namgung Clan after the Heavenly Venerable.

His name was Namgung Jeohui.

He wasn’t at the top when it came to talent, but he was able to emerge victorious in the battle for the Lord’s throne thanks to his political skills.

It was similar to other clans as well, but the Namgung Clan was particularly violent when it came to the blood relatives battling for the Lord position, and it wasn’t any different that time.

When Namgung Jeohui won and became the Lord, the other defeated siblings ended up dying.

This shocking news eventually led the Heavenly Venerable’s primary wife to kill herself as well, but the Heavenly Venerable himself wasn’t too bothered by it.

He was instead satisfied that his child was able to become the Lord after winning the battle.

That was the person he was.

Whether it was his child from his primary wife or a concubine, he respected those who were worthy. That was his belief.

After Namgung Jeohui became the Lord, he ended up having two children from his primary wife and one child from a concubine.

The second child from his primary wife was the person who was currently known as the Sword King, Namgung Jin.

No one objected to the idea of Namgung Jin becoming the Lord after Namgung Jeohui.

Unlike the battle Namgung Jeohui had with his brothers, it wasn’t difficult for Namgung Jin to become the Lord.

The first child died at a young age due to an illness, and the third child was a bastard, so he was treated poorly.

Because of that, Namgung Jin was naturally chosen to become the next Lord as he was being called a genius prodigy.

Along with the Heavenly Venerable, the Elders of the clan didn’t show any objections either.

Until ‘that’ incident happened, of course.

What happened was that the Thunder Fang chose a different blood relative instead of Namgung Jin.

There was a will that was passed down by the ancestors of the clan.

The person the Thunder Fang chooses will become the ruler of the Namgung Clan.

Those were the words left by the Thunderous Sword, Namgung Myung, before he died.

However, those words became meaningless starting with the generation that was right before the Heavenly Venerable’s.

They became the Lord of Namgung Clan despite the Thunder Fang not choosing them, and it was the same for the Heavenly Venerable.

After a certain point, they didn’t even know what it meant for the Thunder Fang to choose a person.

The Heavenly Venerable didn’t bother to think deeply about the matter.

He was able to become the Lord without it, and the Namgung Clan only became more glorious as time passed by.

After some time, however, an incident broke out.

[Fu…ck…]

In a storage painted with blood, a young man glared at the Heavenly Venerable while holding Namgung Jin’s collar, who became a bloody mess.

[Whatever, I’ll just not do it you fucking bastards.]

He had eyes filled with resentment, and he held his sword in a harsh manner.

His hair was glowing with the energy that resonated from his blade, enhanced with explosive lightning.

The Heavenly Venerable was able to realize after seeing the sight.

That was the true power of the Thunder Fang, and that’s what it meant for the treasure to choose a person.

However.

[I’m leaving myself. This shitty clan I swear. I am never coming back.]

The person chosen by the Thunder Fang left the Namgung Clan to join a Taoist Clan.

This was one of the few regrets that the Heavenly Venerable had.

His first regret was the fact that he failed to realize the potential this child had.

His second regret was that he didn’t stop the child from leaving the clan.

And his third regret was that the Clan was slowly meeting its downfall, but it was too late by the time he realized it.

“So, what the hell do you want me to do?”

The Heavenly Venerable moved his head towards the voice he heard.

In that spot, a man who looked like a beggar was gulping down water.

“Why do you keep on chasing after me to annoy me like this?”

“Chasing you? Don’t get it twisted.”

The man clicked his tongue when the Heavenly Venerable responded with a smile.

“Don’t get it twisted my ass. I’m running away because I don’t want to see your face, so what is this if it isn’t you chasing after me?”

“Hyung, my dear child.”

Namgung Hyung showed a disgusted frown when the Heavenly Venerable called him as such.

“Ugh, don’t call me that way. It bothers and annoys me.”

“Shouldn’t you return to where you belong now?”

A place he should return to.

After hearing those words, Namgung Hyung gulped down the rest of his water as if he were still feeling thirsty.

“You still didn’t let go of that?”

“You belong to the Namgung Clan. You should return when it is time to do so.”

“Bullshit. Why do I belong to the Namgung Clan?”

Namgung Hyung started digging his ear canal with his finger, almost as if he had misheard.

“I threw that identity of mine ever since I left, and I am a person who belongs to the Wudang Sect now.”

Namgung Hyung gazed at the Heavenly Venerable with a disgusted expression.

He had no other choice.

On the day he left the Namgung Clan, he threw away everything, including his surname.

It included the clothes he wore and the surname he got from his clan.

He was never treated well in the first place, so he didn’t even have much to throw away anyway.

With that thought, Namgung Hyung smiled bitterly inside.

There was one thing he got wrong.

He failed to throw away one thing, which was why that old man was currently pestering him.

Namgung Hyung took something out and threw it towards the Heavenly Venerable.

Thud.

What fell on the ground was a handle with a gem stuck on the top.

It looked like some junk, but it was far from it.

The Thunder Fang.

It was the treasure of the Namgung Clan, but also a curse for Namgung Hyung.

“It’s obvious you came here for that, so just take it and screw off already.”

“…”

The Heavenly Venerable didn’t deny Namgung Hyung’s words.

Instead, he lowered his body and reached out for the Thunder Fang on the ground.

Then,

Zaaap-!

An incredible amount of lightning exploded out from the Thunder Fang, making a bright flash.

The Heavenly Venerable immediately retrieved his hand and stood back up.

“…”

He checked his hand, which still burned from the impact.

It was a force strong enough to shake the Qi barrier that the Heavenly Venerable had around him.

“Unfortunately, the Thunder Fang still seems to disagree.”

When the Heavenly Venerable spoke with a smile,

Swish-!

The Thunder Fang that was on the ground suddenly levitated in the air and flew towards Namgung Hyung.

Namgung Hyung didn’t use his Qi to lure it towards him.

It was the Thunder Fang’s own will.

Tap-!

After catching the Thunder Fang, Namgung Hyung frowned in response.

“How tiring, can’t you just screw off after all this time?”

“It still seems like the Thunder Fang finds fond of you.”

Find fond of huh. Namgung Hyung smirked after hearing the Heavenly Venerable.

This old man still knew nothing.

He wouldn’t be saying such a thing if he knew this junk’s true personality.

Only he knew about the Thunder Fang’s nasty personality.

Namgung Hyung was certain that the Heavenly Venerable wouldn’t act that way if he was also aware of it.

Because he was unaware of how the Thunder Fang really was,

“You should return now. You don’t belong in this place.

He was able to say such words.

How many times has it been by now?

Namgung Hyung lived his life alone with the Thunder Fang after running away, but the Heavenly Venerable visited him from time to time to pester him.

It was getting really old now.

“How can you decide where I belong? I’ll say it again, but I belong to the Wudang Sect.”

“Do you really love Wudang Sect that much when they threw you out here without respecting you?”

“…Sigh.”

He couldn’t hold in his sigh.

“Like you could say such a thing with the treatment you gave me.”

“…”

The Heavenly Venerable had nothing to say against those words.

It was true that Namgung Hyung was treated poorly in the Namgung Clan when he was young.

“It might be better for you to kill me instead of the Thunder Fang.”

“Hey, how could I do such a thing to a grandchild of mine?”

“Fucking hell. How can you say such a thing when you never acted like a grandfather towards your grandchildren? You must be getting rather old.”

Chuckle.

The Heavenly Venerable almost scowled after hearing Namgung Hyung, who had just crossed the line, but he was able to manage his expression.

“Even if I return to the clan now, how would the Sword King react to that? Does that guy even know that you’ve been doing this?”

“Don’t worry about Jin. What’s important is you, Hyung.”

“Don’t worry my ass, my life is on the line.”

Namgung Hyung wondered if Namgung Jin would easily accept this reality even if he was able to return to his clan.

He didn’t think so, as it was his own fault that Namgung Jin’s reputation wasn’t the best.

Especially more so considering how Namgung Hyung remembered Namgung Jin.

After hearing Namgung Hyung’s words, the Heavenly Venerable responded while gazing at him.

“If you really become serious about this matter, I’m willing to make you the Lord over Jin.”

“…”

Namgung Hyung’s eyes widened after hearing a rather shocking comment.

He was offered the Lord position if he returned to the clan.

This meant that the Heavenly Venerable still had the most influence in the Namgung Clan over the Sword King, and that he was able to easily make changes.

“Haha.”

Namgung Hyung laughed after hearing him.

He instead felt glad about the whole thing.

“I really am thankful towards you, grandfather.”

His grandfather kept reminding him that the decision he made in the past wasn’t a false one, so how could he not be thankful?

“You still are a piece of shit.”

Namgung Hyung barely managed to stop laughing and responded to the Heavenly Venerable while showing a middle finger.

“Fuck off.”

“…”

“Even if it means I’ll die with all my limbs being cut off my body, I won’t return to the clan.”

Crack.

Did he finally reach his limit due to Namgung Hyung’s harsh remarks?

Cracking noises came from the Heavenly Venerable’s body.

Was he going to pull his sword out?

That wasn’t a bad idea. Namgung Hyung was more than willing to fight him.

Although he didn’t know if this was what the Thunder Fang wanted.

Right as Namgung Hyung was about to charge his Qi first,

Swish.

The Heavenly Venerable turned his body away from Namgung Hyung.

“…I’ll be leaving for today.”

Namgung Hyung spat on the ground after seeing him leave just like that.

“Don’t come back. I’ll be hiding again.”

“The next time we see each other again, I hope you give me a different answer.”

Zap-

After finishing his sentence, the Heavenly Venerable disappeared with an explosive flash of lightning.

Finally, having achieved silence again, Namgung Hyung went back to shoving his leftover rice into his mouth.

“I’ll have to see my disciple in a different place.”

His disciple let him know that he was going to visit him.

Because of that, Namgung Hyung decided that it was better to switch the meeting place.

He thought that meeting his disciple here was only going to leave a bad memory because of what happened here.

Qi Body Transformation Technique.

Not only was it capable of changing a person’s body, but the technique was even able to change one’s gender and age.

I had learned this technique as a gift from Tang Jaemoon, and it was about to help me immensely right now.

My body changed a fair bit after I went to a different world, and it was going to be hard to explain this to everyone, considering not much time had passed in the real world, but now I was able to hide this fact using this technique.

It feels a bit strange, but it’s not too bad.

Besides the fact that the technique used a fair amount of Qi and strength to maintain, there wasn’t any other problem.

What a fascinating technique.

Of course, the difference between using and not using it was huge, but I was able to manage it.

However.

I don’t think I could change my gender.

Unlike Tang Jaemoon, I wasn’t able to change my gender like her.

Perhaps it was because I didn’t know how to yet, or Tang Jaemoon didn’t give me that part of the technique.

But that part doesn’t matter anyway.

I didn’t want to become a girl anyway, so it wasn’t a problem.

I only felt thankful towards her. In a way, this was a form of enlightenment.

Though this thing unfortunately still remains with me.

I thought to myself while staring at my hand.

This was the biggest change that happened to my body.

My left arm and shoulder, covered in blue scales, didn’t go away even if I used the transformation technique.

I was able to get it somewhat smaller, but I wasn’t able to completely get rid of the scales.

Tsk.

The bandage that was now blue was hiding these scales, but I still couldn’t help but feel bothered by it.

Oh, and there was one more thing that was extremely important.

Shaaaak-!

I nodded after seeing the bastard who cried out quietly from my pocket.

This is the part I’m most glad about.

I was able to apply the transformation technique not only to myself, but the Red Water Snake as well.

I was worried about how I was going to deal with the bastard as it became too big after it changed form, but I was able to make it smaller using the technique, which was a huge bonus.

Just like before, I was able to put the bastard inside my pocket.

I’ll check the rest later…

There were a ton of other things I needed to test other than these things, but I had to put those aside for now as I had to deal with other problems right now.

“…Young Master Gu, what did you just say?”

I smiled a bit after hearing a very confused voice that even shook.

“Could you repeat yourself? What did you just say?”

“…I mean, um.”

The man’s expression started to worsen, seemingly because he became angry at what I just said.

It was none other than the ruler of the Tang Clan, the Poison King.

I was currently confronting him in the Lord’s room.

I had a few things to discuss with him, which included the matter about the lake.

What did he just ask me again?

To repeat my words, right?

That wasn’t very hard for me to do.

The problem was…

“I think I’ll have to kill the Elders of the Tang Clan. Is that okay with you?”

It was rather strange for me to say that of all people.

As I expected, the Poison King showed a terrifying expression, and the room started to be filled with his killing intent.