The leading family members of the Namgoong Clan are currently seated around the round table of Namgoong Clan's meeting hall.
They are currently discussing some really important matters about their current clan patriarch, Namgoong Seiryuu.
One of the strongest men in Murim, Namgoong Seiryuu boasts the title of the Martial Lord for his peerless mastery of their clan's swordsmanship and uninterrupted winning streaks in the martial arts world.
He is also the current leader of the Murim Alliance, the longest-standing organization that maintains order in the central plains.
"The patriarch has decided to do a closed-door training for the next ten years. We are now here to discuss the affairs that need to be settled before he leaves for the—" The introduction of Namgoong Dan, Namgoong Seiryuu's trusted assistant, was cut shortly by the raised arm of one family member.
Although startled, the old man graciously showed his hand and asked, full of respect, "What is it, Master Yoon?"
The valiant man's full name was Namgoong Yoon, the patriarch's only and beloved son.
Like his father, Namgoong Yoon is a peerless sword genius. He reached the level of Transcendental Realm and earned the title "Sword God" at just the age of thirty.
He has three talented sons who greatly support the prestige of their long-established clan, and they, too, have a famous moniker that is well-known in the Murim.
These are the many reasons why Namgoong Yoon is such a respected elder within the clan. His words are significantly valued. Nobody will take offense if he accidentally interrupts the introduction of the clan meeting.
"Why did he suddenly decide that? I never heard about this until now. Did he suddenly have an enlightenment and find himself on the verge of breaking through?" Namgoong Yoon asked, ecstatic.
The cultivation levels in this world are divided by different ranks, and Namgoong Seiryuu's was considered the peak of strength humans could reach in the Unrestrained Realm.
Presently, there are only three masters in the Murim that are in the Unrestrained Realm— Namgoong Seiryuu included. All three are gunning to break through that level and be a living legend in the Murim.
How much prestige would it bring to the Namgoong Clan if that is really the case? Well, their family will surely rise from being part of the Five Great Families!
The members of the Namgoong Clan are filled with excitement.
"The patriarch didn't believe that that was the case," Namgoong Dan replied, bursting everyone's bubble. "He—" The old assistant is suddenly hesitant, trying to continue his statement.
"H-he just feels that something big is going to happen in the Murim, and he must gather enough energy to face it."
Everyone's positive feelings not only feel, but they also feel the cold creep their hearts.
If those words came from the Martial Lord and the leader of Murim Alliance, then the gravity of the approaching situation is big. It might be a crisis that will shake the order of things in the Murim.
"What is it? Will there be a war? Did the demonic sects bond together again to launch a war against the orthodox sects?" Namgoong Yoon fired one after another. His face is getting ugly with each question.
The leading members of the Namgoong Clan are also at the edge of their seats, waiting for an answer.
"T-That's…" The old, trusted assistant of Namgoong Seiryuu is sweating bullets due to pressure, and his words are stuck in his throat.
How can he explain that the reason is not that serious? In fact, it is much more pitiful and personal. Everyone will question it.
Namgoong Dan is on the edge of collapsing due to self-inflicted pressure when suddenly…
Bang!
The door of the clan meeting hall burst open.
"Ha! I knew it! You are here!" A young man in his late teens appears before the leading members of the Namgoong Clan.
The man is dressed in navy blue hanfu, dotted with ink blots in the sleeves. His long, sleek black hair is messily tied in a bun, revealing his tiny face.
Despite his unkempt style, the young man looked beautiful, and anyone in the room would agree that he had a big presence.
"I went to the Murim Alliance but didn't see my grandfather. Where is he, Grandpa Dan?" Asked the young man as he sashayed into the meeting hall.
"Third Young Master!" Namgoong Dan and the other members of the Namgoong Clan exclaimed.
Only then did the young man noticed the other people.
"Oh, hello, guys! What's up! What's up!" He greeted the clan elders with great energy instead of brushing up on his behavior. "It seems like my beloved elders are in a meeting today. So, what's the agenda? Just kidding. I'm not interested. There are still years before I finally stress myself with clan problems."
He confidently approached the table and shook everyone's hands one by one. All of them are looking at him, gaping.
"Ohh! Look at that. Elder In grew his beard long and shiny. I told you! A little bit of eucalyptus oil will help you grow the beard that you wanted."
"Elder Seon-hye! Your eyebrows look sharp! Let me guess. You used the threading method I taught you. Hahaha. Figures. There's no way I am wrong when it comes to beauty." The man whispered inaudibly. "Thanks to my past life."
"Namgoong Mir!" The only person who was unshaken was Namgoong Yoon. If he looked terrible minutes ago, he now looks like he has aged ten years instantly.
"Father!" The third young master, Namgoong Mir, grabbed Namgoong Yoon's hand and shook it. "You looked stressed. Want me to massage your temples? Maybe later? I still need to meet my grandfather for something. I have a business that will surely blow the mind of everyone in the Murim."
"You—" Namgoong Yoon feels like all the veins in his head are about to pop out now. "We are in the middle of an important meeting. Now, can you go outside and wait, youngest?"
Despite his rowdiness, Namgoong Mir is a respectful son towards his father.
"Okay!" He made a finger heart, then, snap! He whipped his head towards Namgoong Dan, who was already taking a step to escape.
"But before everything else, where is grandfather anyway, Grandpa Dan?" He asked.
Namgoong Dan stiffened, halting his escape.
Instead of the old assistant, Namgoong Yoon answered his youngest son's question, "Your grandfather is probably preparing for his reclusive training. Don't bother him."
That answer instantly caused a big reaction from Namgoong Mir.
"What? No! That's absolutely impossible!" Namgoong Mir's voice thundered.
It grated his father's nerves, so Namgoong Yoon immediately shut him up with a dagger-like glare, prompting him to close his mouth.
However, the youngest son is unwilling to drop the matter; thus, he explained in a low and more controlled tone, "I spoke to grandfather yesterday, and he didn't say anything about leaving! In fact, we talked about business and his willingness to cooperate with my new venture as the leader of Murim Alliance—"
"Third Young Master! That is entirely false! The patriarch—" Namgoong Dan quickly contradicted Namgoong Mir's statement. However, since going into details will inevitably reveal the current helpless situation of the respected patriarch, he smartly covered his mouth before saying anything.
However, this act made it easy for Namgoong Yoon and the other to understand what was happening. Why did the patriarch suddenly announce he would block others for the next ten years…
"Namgoong Mir! What outlandish things are you making this time?!" It was Namgoong Yoon who screamed.
"Geez! Father, I could almost see your uvula and tonsils from here. Calm down, okay? I'm not into some shady business. I'm into enriching the spirit of the entire Central Plains. I plan to become the emissary of truth in this war-torn land." Namgoong Mir declared passionately, arms raised and chest up, as though he's some congressman scamming for a few votes for the next election.
It should be inspiring to hear that from a young man. However, considering his current clothing, which is only slightly better than that of the homeless members of the Hao Clan, and his history of pulling absurd ideas, everyone felt a chill in their spine.
No, that statement is just a prequel of something evil.
"Spare me all the details. I am not interested in your new invention or whatever. I believe it would be nothing good if your grandfather opted to go to reclusive training rather than deal with you," Namgoong Yoon said firmly.
But despite the harsh rejection, Namgoong Mir,, still fawnin,g, smiled at his father.
"Come on, Father. That's the tone you used when you saw me working on the moveable type printing press with our family's artisan. But what happened to the machine I spent years putting together? The Murim Alliance is using it effectively to disseminate information throughout the entire central plains." Namgoong Mir winked at his unimpressed old man. "Grandfather gave me tons of gifts for that."
"Do I also need to remind you how I lead the top papermakers of Anhui Province to create the new and refined paper?"
"You didn't lead them, Mir. You forced them." Namgoong Yoon corrected.
"Okay. Fine. I forced them, but I also gave them salaries throughout the time we fumbled about how to create high-quality paper. And as you know, we successfully created and mass-produced that under our family's workshop."
"I know that we, as a martial arts family, should focus on building every member's strength. However, you can't deny that because of me and my absurd ideas, our gold and silver coffers are full and happy," Namgoong Mir continued confidently. "I guess with my many successful endeavors, my ideas deserve to be heard and realized."
Nobody knows why, but Namgoong Mir's speech is compelling to some, and one elder raised her hand, "The Third Young Master is right. He earned that chance to be heard. Let's give it to him."
Namgoong Mir, also known as the Third Young Master of the Namgoong Clan, has the title Little Golden Dragon of Anhui.
It isn't because of his swordsmanship or cultivation that he was called as such. Instead, it's because of his "mad" ingenuity in making money. He is the brains behind the rising riches of the Namgoong Clan.
With his spontaneous personality, creativity, and persistence, he created several things that later became sought-after products that generated hundreds of thousands of silver tael.
However, people don't know that Namgoong Mir didn't deliberately do all these things to gain money. He didn't really invent any of that.
He's just recreating the inventions from modern times as a frustrated attempt to vent out his missing for the world he was once part of.
Yes, he is a reincarnated soul from the modern age with a little bit of skill. And now, he's about to blow the minds of his dear family.
'Later, I'm going to rock the world of all unsuspecting martial artists in this world of Murim.' Namgoong Mir's devious smirk flashed on his face as he had that thought.
Namgoong Yoon silently held on to his seat. He's got a bad feeling about this.