Chapter 189: Brotherhood Bound in Gold and Orchid (1)

Azure Sky Martial Arts Hall was so renowned that there was one in every provincial capital.

When elite martial artists of the Namgung Clan’s Azure Sky Sword Unit retired or returned to their hometowns, they were granted the right to operate a martial arts hall under the name Changcheon, their status formally recognized.

Since this also tied into the Namgung Clan’s interests, the clan often supported the halls directly.

Azure Sky Martial Arts Hall shocked other clans by implementing a bold personnel strategy: sending outstanding talents from their halls to train at the Namgung Clan and even promoting them to become official martial artists of the clan.

The Namgung Clan had come to terms with the fact that they could not sustain their lineage on blood ties alone and began drawing in exceptional talents from outside the clan.

Thanks to that, the Namgung Clan had always been able to stay a step ahead of the others.

Their mindset was flexible enough to even employ jiangshi, enabling them to respond dynamically to crises.

That was why it wasn’t strange for Namgung Yoo to share her inner insights with someone outside the bloodline.

Instead, the Namgung Clan pursued a pragmatic approach: if there was something to be gained, they made sure to gain it.

This was also why people didn’t take lightly the fact that the clan operated martial arts halls.

The Heavenly Central Sect also maintained its legacy by accepting outstanding individuals from nearby martial halls and raising orphans in-house over the years.

Sects and clans that tried to resolve everything internally eventually hit their limits, fell behind, and vanished from the murim world.

Upon entering Azure Sky Martial Arts Hall, children and young men were shouting with vigor as they trained in swordsmanship.

They were practicing Wind Wing Sword Art, which I had seen during my time with the Namgung Clan.

Although Wind Wing Sword Art radiated a similar energy to Wudang Sect’s Flowing Cloud Sword Art, Wudang emphasized softness, whereas Namgung Clan’s sword art fused sharpness within that softness.

Wudang Sect’s Flowing Cloud Sword Art had influenced many sword techniques across different martial households, often being adapted to fit each clan’s unique traits.

Namgung Clan’s Wind Wing Sword Art was one such example, characterized by its sharp edge.

Because the Namgung Clan existed within the secular world and leaned heavily toward practical combat, Flowing Cloud Sword Art had evolved and specialized to match their nature.

While I was watching the trainees execute Wind Wing Sword Art with flawless discipline, an instructor approached.

There were over a hundred trainees, so they even had an instructor on-site.

The instructor scanned me up and down before asking a question.

There was a hint of wariness in his eyes.

He had tensed upon seeing I had a sword at my waist. Occasionally, martial artists would request a duel from the hall’s head.

“How can I help you?”

“I’m here to meet Lady Namgung.”

“Ah, are you by chance Yong Sohyeop of the Heavenly Sword Hero?”

The instructor’s posture and tone immediately turned respectful, as if he had been informed in advance.

“Yes, that’s me.”

“She told me to escort you to her if you came looking.”

Following the instructor’s lead, I headed toward a separate building within Azure Sky Martial Arts Hall.

Namgung Yoo smiled brightly as she saw me approaching from afar.

Her guard, standing beside her, remarked,

“You’re making your delight far too obvious. You’re still a descendant of the great Namgung Clan. Please maintain some decorum.”

Of course, the words were half in jest, but the guard genuinely disliked how Namgung Yoo—usually expressionless—only ever smiled brightly when it came to me.

Namgung Yoo looked up at the guard and said,

“Yeong Hoi, don’t you smile when meeting a friend you like? Because you’re happy?”

“Of course, I do smile when I meet a friend I like.”

“Exactly that. I smiled because I was glad to see a friend I like after a long time.”

“You haven’t been apart from Yong Sohyeop for very long though.”

“When it’s a friend you like, even being apart for a day feels like meeting again after a year. Don’t they say men are like that? When they see their wives after a day, it feels like they met two hours ago. But when they see their lovers after a day, they already start thinking about their next date. Seems like Yeong Hoi doesn’t have any friends he likes.”

Yeong Hoi scratched the back of his head awkwardly, regretting having said anything first and only ending up scolded.

Namgung Woo, the imposing escort standing beside Yeong Hoi, asked,

“Are you planning to take Yong Sohyeop with us for this meeting?”

Since all of them were cousins or distant relatives of the Namgung Clan, they interacted with Namgung Yoo without reservation.

“If we take him with us, I think I’ll feel much more at ease.”

“We’re more than enough on our own.”

When Namgung Woo replied with a slightly displeased tone, Namgung Yoo shook her head.

“Of course, since it’s the family’s matter, there’s no real need to bring Young Master Yong. However, according to the letter that arrived yesterday, people searching for the Division Leader of the East Evil Division have gathered in Jeongju. Isn’t that why the Division Leader delayed the appointment by two days from the originally promised date? If it had gone as scheduled, we would have already met and finalized the contract two days ago. For the Division Leader to postpone the meeting means those people aren’t ordinary. In such a situation, wouldn’t it be reassuring to have Young Master Yong accompany us? We’re essentially getting to travel with a martial artist beyond the level of the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect—for free.”

Namgung Yoo’s reasoning was sound from beginning to end, leaving the three escorts without a rebuttal.

In the first place, trying to convince Namgung Yoo with words had been a mistake.

“But who’s looking for the Division Leader of the East Evil Division?”

“There have always been forces aiming to take control of the East Evil Division. They desire its Jiangshi techniques. But the East Evil Division is shrouded in secrecy, just like Ihwa Palace, and their Division Leader is so elusive that no one has been able to catch them.”

While they conversed, Yong Hwarin arrived at Namgung Yoo’s location with the instructor.

“Seeing Lady Namgung makes me strangely crave a drink.”

Meeting a friend he missed lifted Yong Hwarin’s spirits.

“What’s difficult about that? When you come from afar with a friend, of course you should share drinks and unwind.”

When Yong Hwarin smiled faintly, Namgung Yoo gave instructions to her escort.

“Yeong Hoi, bring out a table of drinks.”

“In the middle of the day?”

“You must not know how delicious midday drinking can be.”

Namgung Yoo had shared drinks with her grandfather Namgung Bi during the day many times and knew the charm of midday drinking well.

“Let’s go. Though it’s not as nice as the pavilion in Akun Garden, there’s a pretty delightful one here as well.”

“That sounds wonderful.”

When Yong Hwarin raised both hands in welcome, the three escorts shook their heads in disbelief.

“What do you think of the saying that a man and a woman cannot be just friends?”

After emptying a bottle of wine, Namgung Yoo suddenly brought up an out-of-the-blue question.

Hearing her, Yong Hwarin chuckled inwardly.

The issue of platonic relationships between men and women had been debated since ancient times.

Namgung Yoo wanted to hear Yong Hwarin’s answer to this question.

“I believe they can be.”

“But many say it’s impossible. When we’re children without gender awareness, we can be friends with the opposite sex. But once we become aware of gender, friendship becomes impossible. Do you really believe that?”

Yong Hwarin downed a cup of wine in one go and set it down.

“Those people are truly pitiful. To think only same-gender friendships are possible is to deny the fact that this world is made of yin and yang. There are many women who possess greater character and intelligence than men. Even in martial arts. To see them only as women is truly a shame. I, for one, would want to be friends with such people.”

“Right? As expected, Young Master Yong’s way of thinking is different from those narrow-minded types.”

Namgung Yoo, in a pleasant mood, raised her voice slightly.

A characteristically feminine high tone flowed out.

But Yong Hwarin didn’t mind. After all, what’s wrong with a friend having a high voice?

“I dislike the claim that men and women can’t be friends because at some point, a female friend becomes a woman, and a male friend becomes a man. I don’t like that notion.”

“But realistically, those sayings are often true. Most people can’t step outside those boundaries. So they come to accept the idea that men and women can’t be friends as a kind of truth.”

“Exactly. That’s why I said I dislike it. A friend is just a friend. Gender shouldn’t factor into it.”

“Then, Young Master Yong, what do you think a friend is?”

Yong Hwarin smiled faintly and brought the cup back to his lips.

Though his eyes looked slightly intoxicated, Namgung Yoo stared at him intently after posing the question.

“To me, a friend is someone who can know everything about me and still like me.”

“Ah, that’s so difficult. Young Master Yong’s standards for friends. Can’t I just like you?”

“It’s not difficult. You can like me. But if you want to share a true friendship with me, you have to still like me after knowing everything about me. And I will treat you the same.”

Namgung Yoo nodded.

“Perhaps that’s why even Pang Gongja found it difficult to make lifelong friends. And me as well. If I could still like you after knowing everything about you, would you be my friend?”

“Of course.”

Hearing that, Namgung Yoo’s cheeks flushed pink.

“I really like you, Young Master Yong. Not as the opposite sex, but as a friend. You’re the first person I’ve ever felt like I wanted to make into a friend. So please, tell me something. Even something strange is fine. Then I’ll see if I can still like you afterward.”

Yong Hwarin opened his mouth with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Very well. Then I’ll say one thing, and Lady Namgung will say one too. If we each say ten things and still understand each other, let’s become friends."

Tang!

Namgung Yoo downed her liquor in one go and set the glass on the table.

"That sounds good. If we still like each other after saying ten things, let’s become friends. But instead of good traits, let’s talk about the strange parts of ourselves. Young Master Yong, you go first."

Even though she was drunk, Namgung Yoo’s mind was perfectly clear.

Curious about what Yong Hwarin would say, her tipsiness faded away.

"Perhaps I’m a bad person."

"I might be a bad woman too."

"I’m very selfish."

"I have a selfish personality too."

"I used to be fat."

"I like fat people."

"My body is haunted."

"Heh, I’ve seen a ghost before."

"In my past life, I was a merchant."

"I like money, and I like people who make money."

Before they realized it, each time Yong Hwarin spoke, Namgung Yoo would respond by saying she liked it.

At last, Yong Hwarin stared straight at Namgung Yoo and smiled softly.

"I like Namgung Yoo."

"Wow, that’s quite the confession."

"Answer me."

When Yong Hwarin asked seriously, Namgung Yoo responded with a face that had already sobered up.

"I like Yong Hwarin. More than liquor."

Namgung Yoo, who had come to know the taste of alcohol by drinking with her grandfather Namgung Bi, counted drinking good liquor among life’s true pleasures.

To her, there weren’t many things better than liquor.

That’s why she liked comparing people to drinks.

"Even if I’m a fat and ugly man, would you still like me as a friend?"

Namgung Yoo gave a faint smile.

"Love may consider appearances, but friendship only sees the heart. Love might mock someone for being fat, but friendship would work out together. Love may grow jealous of an exceptional lover, but friendship feels proud of an exceptional friend. That’s why I like friendship more than love."

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