Ch. 31 Murim Psychopath Chapter 31

Chapter 31: The Nameless

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The interior of the Hall of the Emperor was surprisingly plain.

There were no extravagant decorations, nor were there many people inside. There was simply one enormous hall, with long passageways running along both sides that led to other rooms.

At the far end opposite the entrance stood a low platform, upon which rested a rather large chair made of cedar. It was the only piece of furniture in the entire Hall of the Emperor.

Seated upon that chair was a refined-looking middle-aged man in his fifties, dressed in blue robes.

He was none other than Namgung Byeok, the Head of the Namgung Family.

He had been conversing with a beautiful woman standing beside him, clad in pale blue silk, when he noticed Tang Wu approaching.

The moment he saw Tang Wu, his face lit up with delight, and he practically flew down from the platform.

“Welcome, Uncle Tang. It has truly been a long time.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. The Head of the Namgung Family, running around without a shred of dignity. Hmph.”

Although he spoke that way, even Tang Wu's cold face bore a faint smile.

“My apologies. But how could I help being happy to see you? Hahaha.”

“I couldn't attend your eldest daughter's wedding, so I thought I should at least come send off your younger daughter. Otherwise, how could you keep calling me your uncle if I didn't even wipe away your tears on the day she left?”

Namgung Byeok called Tang Wu "Uncle Tang" not because they were blood relatives, but because Tang Wu and Namgung Byeok's father, the Sword Immortal Namgung Pae, had been sworn brothers.

That was also why Tang Wu had looked meaningfully at the very last sword embedded atop the roof of the Hall of the Emperor earlier.

After Namgung Pae's death, Tang Wu had secluded himself within the Tang Family, refusing all contact with the outside world.

This was his first journey into the martial world since then.

“Hahaha. I'm truly glad you came. Though… how is it that you look younger than I do?”

“Tsk. You've turned into a proper old man while I wasn't looking. That's what comes from neglecting your martial arts.”

“Well, being the family head keeps one rather busy. It's been so long since I've held a sword that I wonder whether it's grown rusty.”

Indeed, at first glance, Namgung Byeok appeared older than Tang Wu.

That alone demonstrated just how profound Tang Wu's martial accomplishments had become.

As the two old friends reminisced, an incomparably beautiful young woman, who looked to have only just turned twenty, approached them.

She was the same woman who had been speaking with Namgung Byeok moments earlier.

Graceful eyes.

Dark eyebrows reminiscent of the night sky.

A nose so sharp it almost seemed cold.

Lips and a well-defined jawline as though meticulously sculpted by the greatest artisan in history.

Long, lustrous hair.

Rosy, flawless skin.

A slender neck and elegant figure.

Could Daji or Yang Guifei truly have been this beautiful?

If there truly existed a beauty capable of toppling kingdoms, the phrase would surely refer to this woman rather than those legendary beauties.

“Greetings, Great-Uncle Tang. This young lady is called Hye.”

Holding the edge of her pale blue silk robe, she gracefully lowered both her head and waist as though she might float away.

Every man gathered within the Hall of the Emperor looked upon her with admiration.

Only Dong Bong-su appeared unmoved.

Outwardly, he looked no different from the others, but inwardly, his gaze remained as tranquil as ever.

Unless one was an oddity like Dong Bong-su, anyone who saw her could only gasp in admiration.

She was none other than Namgung Hye, Namgung Byeok's second daughter, famed as the greatest beauty of Anhui, who was soon to enter into a Hundred-Year Marriage Pact with Do Heo-ok.

A smile, balanced perfectly between warmth and coolness, appeared on Tang Wu's face as he accepted her greeting.

“So you're little Hye. The last time I saw you, you were nothing but a tiny child. Now you've grown into such a beautiful young lady. You're every bit as lovely as our Hwa. Hoho.”

Tang Wu's praise deepened the blush upon Namgung Hye's cheeks.

The sight of her bashfulness was so captivating that it once again set the hearts of every man in the hall aflame.

“Hahaha. Uncle Tang, you should only say that after showing everyone Hwa's face beneath her veil. My daughter is already famous as the most beautiful girl in all of Anhui.”

“That won't do. Our Hwa is simply too beautiful. Without that veil, I'm afraid some ghost might carry her away.”

Whoever said parents boasting about their children were hopeless fools?

The atmosphere quickly became warm and cheerful, as though proving that this much doting was perfectly acceptable.

Afterward, Tang Wu and Namgung Byeok exchanged a few more casual pleasantries before heading together to the Family Head's office inside the Hall of the Emperor for a private conversation.

Before leaving, Tang Wu gave Tang Hwa a few instructions and took Danri Kang Hae away with him.

He intended to keep his promise.

Seeing this, Gi Dae-hyo and Gi Man-ji both sighed in relief after successfully completing their mission.

The two of them also departed for the Guest Hall under the guidance of a Namgung Family martial artist.

Now, only Dong Bong-su, Tang Hwa, Do Heo-ok, and Namgung Hye remained inside the Hall of the Emperor.

Only then did Tang Hwa approach Namgung Hye and greet her.

“Unni Hye. It's been a long time.”

“Yes. It's been a long time, Hwa-mae.”

The two had been close since childhood, their families visiting one another often enough that they had long addressed each other as elder and younger sisters.

“It's been so long, and you're not even going to show me your face?”

“Ah, I'm sorry, Unni. I've grown so used to wearing this that I completely forgot I even had it on. Hoho.”

Only after Namgung Hye's playful reproach did Tang Hwa finally remove her veil.

Her willow-leaf brows and sharply defined nose rivaled Namgung Hye's.

Her slightly fuller lips, jade-like skin, and large owl-like eyes gave her an appearance that somehow carried the exotic charm of someone from the Western Regions, unlike Namgung Hye's pure and delicate beauty.

Yet nothing about her features was excessive.

Everything existed in perfect harmony, making her breathtakingly beautiful.

If Namgung Hye possessed a gentle, innocent beauty, then Tang Hwa possessed an intelligent, cool elegance.

Both were so stunning that no one could easily judge which was more beautiful.

Had the men of the Danri Family seen the face hidden beneath Tang Hwa's veil, they surely would have been unable to sleep tonight.

No,

There would undoubtedly already be men unable to sleep simply from having seen Namgung Hye's face.

The instant Tang Hwa removed her veil, Do Heo-ok stepped forward as though he had been waiting for that very moment and cupped his fist in greeting.

“Things were rather chaotic earlier, so I failed to greet you properly. My name is Do Heo-ok.”

“My name is Tang Hwa. Brother-in-law, may I call you Brother-in-law?”

“H-Hwa-mae… it's still…”

At Tang Hwa's use of the word 'Brother-in-law', Namgung Hye blushed once more, both cheeks turning crimson.

“Hahaha. Brother-in-law. I rather like the sound of that.”

“I honestly never imagined a shy person like Unni Hye would get married before I did.”

“Y-You…!”

Blushing once again, Namgung Hye hurriedly hid behind Do Heo-ok.

Looking at them, one could hardly tell which of the two was the older sister.

“Hoho. At this rate, I wonder how you'll ever get through your wedding night while blushing like that.”

“H-Hwa-mae! H-How can you say something like that!”

“Hahaha. Miss Tang, that's enough. If Hye-mae runs away on her wedding night, you may have to take responsibility.”

“Hohoho. I'm sorry. Though surely she wouldn't do that?”

“There's a saying that it's always the 'surely not' that gets people into trouble. Hahaha.”

Namgung Hye lowered her head even further, growing more embarrassed with every teasing remark from Do Heo-ok and Tang Hwa.

“Hwa-mae… that's enough…”

Her face had become so red it resembled a ripe strawberry, and at last Namgung Hye glared at her in protest.

Tang Hwa merely stuck out her tongue playfully.

“Well, who told you to get married so early?”

“By the way… who is this gentleman?”

Apparently deciding enough was enough, Namgung Hye forcibly changed the subject.

She gestured toward Dong Bong-su with her eyes.

Tang Hwa looked at Dong Bong-su and frowned slightly.

“Ah, this person is…”

She trailed off.

She wasn't quite sure how she should introduce him.

Tang Wu seemed to have high expectations for the man, but to be honest, Tang Hwa still wasn't convinced.

Above all, no matter how heaven-blessed his talent might be, he was simply too old.

To begin learning martial arts at such an advanced age and still reach greatness?

She had never seen such a person.

Perhaps there had been a few throughout the entire history of the martial world, but at least within the limits of her knowledge, there had been none.

Furthermore, the approval of the family's elders had not yet been granted.

Just as she continued hesitating,

“My name is Sosam.”

Dong Bong-su introduced himself.

The reason he introduced himself as Sosam was simple.

It was the answer Tang Hwa wanted.

And secondly, the longer Tang Hwa hesitated, the more Do Heo-ok's attention would naturally be drawn toward him.

Even so, Dong Bong-su had already expected that he would be unable to avoid Do Heo-ok's interest.

Whether he was Sosam or Tangsam, either way, he was bound to appear as nothing more than a strange individual in Do Heo-ok's eyes.

“Sosam? And what is your surname?”

Hearing the introduction, Do Heo-ok asked curiously.

Most people in the Central Plains had surnames.

Even those of humble birth usually possessed one.

“I… do not have one yet.”

Dong Bong-su deliberately let his words trail off as he lowered his head.

“Not… yet?”

For the first time, an unusual gleam appeared in Do Heo-ok's eyes.

His gaze swiftly swept over Dong Bong-su from head to toe.

Though he wore clean black clothes that looked newly purchased, they seemed strangely ill-fitting.

A body emaciated from long-term hunger.

Hair so disheveled that birds could probably build nests in it without anyone finding it strange.

By every measure, he looked nothing like someone who ought to be accompanying Tang Wu or Tang Hwa.

'No… that's not it.'

He didn't even look like someone who belonged in the Temporary Reception Pavilion.

Servants, laborers, or escort guards transporting congratulatory gifts were not considered guests of the Namgung Family and therefore had no need to enter the reception pavilion.

Only martial artists with sufficient ability or reputation to stay in the Guest Hall as honored guests of the Namgung Family or those accompanying them were permitted inside.

Unsightly though he appeared, Dong Bong-su had nevertheless been brought personally by Tang Wu.

Moreover, when the members of the Danri Family departed for the Guest Hall, he had not accompanied them.

That could only mean he belonged to the Tang Family.

'Yet he has no surname?'

'Just who… is this man?'