After subduing Jang Myeong-cheol, Namgung Geom surveyed the situation around him.
His peers, having caught up by now, were locked in combat with the black-clad figures.
The black-clad figures outnumbered his peers.
Yet his peers were not being pushed back in the slightest.
Namgung Geom saw no need to step in.
This was the first real battle his peers had ever experienced.
Unless they were in danger, it was better to leave things in their hands for the sake of experience.
Still, he watched the fight to the end, just in case.
He was ready to move the instant any of his peers found themselves in trouble.
But his peers subdued the black-clad figures without any serious danger.
A few sustained injuries, but they were minor wounds that would heal in a matter of days.
Namgung Geom had no intention of shielding his peers from every last scratch.
Getting hurt in a fight was an everyday matter for a martial artist.
As long as they did not lose a limb or suffer life-threatening injuries, even wounds were lessons that strengthened bone and flesh.
That was why he had not intervened unless the danger was truly dire.
Even so, his peers had fought remarkably well for their first real battle.
A first battle is always difficult, regardless of one's skill.
No matter that they are enemies, cutting and killing another person is never easy.
Plenty of martial artists had hesitated to attack out of fear of killing, only to fall to opponents weaker than themselves.
In that regard, Namgung Geom's peers had fought exceptionally well.
It meant their resolve was as sturdy as their martial arts.
Namgung Geom was reminded anew of just how strong his peers were.
They possessed talent worthy of being called the Golden Generation.
On top of that, they had deepened their comprehension under Namgung Geom's training.
As a result, their skill surpassed that of any rising prodigy in their age group.
If they continued to grow like this, they would become an immense asset to Namgung Geom.
"Well done, everyone. That was your first real battle, and you all fought brilliantly."
Namgung Geom praised his peers.
"You talk like it isn't your first real battle too."
Namgung Chang said, looking incredulous.
"The gap in skill was too wide for mine to really count."
Namgung Geom replied with a shrug.
"It's true that the Class Leader is too skilled for this to count as a proper first battle."
Namgung Cheon-sang acknowledged with a nod.
Namgung Chang said nothing more and let it go.
"Still, we never would've thought to break through an arrow volley with a cloak. That was truly amazing."
Namgung Cheol-ung spoke with admiration in his voice.
The other peers nodded in agreement.
"What's so amazing about that? If you train while imagining all kinds of situations, anyone can pull off that kind of quick thinking."
Namgung Geom brushed it off as if it were nothing.
"That kind of thing is only possible for geniuses like you."
"No. Anyone can do it with enough effort. So when you all train, make sure you visualize plenty of scenarios in your heads."
His peers nodded at Namgung Geom's words.
Every piece of advice he gave was invaluable for their training.
When it came to training, they could not afford to take his words lightly.
"Still, be more careful from now on. Don't try to do everything by yourself like you did this time. If you get hurt doing that, who are we supposed to blame?"
Namgung Chang said gruffly.
But beneath his words lay genuine concern for Namgung Geom.
"Are you worried about me right now?"
"Worried? I just couldn't stand watching you show off all by yourself."
At Namgung Chang's prickly response, Namgung Geom shook his head with an amused smile and said,
"Then hurry up and improve so you can fight by my side."
"That's exactly what I'm planning."
Namgung Geom let Namgung Chang's stubborn reply pass and approached Jang Myeong-cheol.
Jang Myeong-cheol wore an expression of agony.
With his paralysis point sealed while the cold still lingered inside his body, the cold qi was rampaging unchecked through his meridians.
Every time the cold passed through, it felt as though thorns of ice were tearing through his meridian channels.
The pain was beyond words.
He wanted to at least scream for some relief, but his mute point had been sealed along with his paralysis point, leaving him unable to utter a sound.
"You look like you're in a lot of pain. Promise me you'll answer my questions truthfully, and I'll make the pain stop."
At Namgung Geom's words, Jang Myeong-cheol blinked his eyes rapidly.
It was unmistakably a signal that he would tell the truth.
Namgung Geom pressed several pressure points along Jang Myeong-cheol's body.
Then he released his mute point.
"Gah!"
Jang Myeong-cheol let out a pained gasp.
Namgung Geom waited a moment for him to catch his breath.
"Ready to talk?"
"I am."
Jang Myeong-cheol answered obediently.
Having already seen Namgung Geom's skill firsthand and having just endured that agony, any thought of resistance was far from his mind.
"Let's start with your affiliation and name. And just so we're clear—lying would be a bad idea. Unless you want to experience that pain for the rest of your life."
Jang Myeong-cheol's body trembled at Namgung Geom's words.
"I am Jang Myeong-cheol, vice gang leader of the Black Bear Gang."
Jang Myeong-cheol revealed his true identity.
Even if he wanted to lie, the people of the Yi Family Manor would recognize his face on sight.
He had no desire to endure that agony over a lie that would be exposed anyway.
"Were the previous raids also carried out by the Black Bear Gang?"
"They were."
Jang Myeong-cheol answered without resistance.
"Then where is the stolen tea being kept?"
Namgung Geom was certain the Black Bear Gang had the stolen tea stored somewhere.
"It's kept in our gang's secret storehouse."
"Where is that?"
"Tiger Head Valley on Mount Huang."
Tiger Head Valley was named for a rock formation that resembled a tiger's head, and it was within the Black Bear Gang's territory.
"That had better not be a lie."
"What good would lying do me at this point? But even if you go to Tiger Head Valley, you won't be able to open the storehouse without the key."
Jang Myeong-cheol, as if resigned to his fate, volunteered information he had not even been asked.
"The key to the storehouse would naturally be with the Black Bear Gang Leader."
"That's right."
"Then we'll need to head to the Black Bear Gang first."
At Namgung Geom's words, Jang Myeong-cheol's eyes flickered for an instant.
But it was so fleeting that Namgung Geom did not catch it.
"What about those guys?"
Namgung Chang pointed at Jang Myeong-cheol and the Black Bear Gang members.
"We hand them over to the Yi Family Manor for now."
Namgung Geom turned the subdued Jang Myeong-cheol and Black Bear Gang members over to the Yi Family Manor's transport crew.
The crew bound them and promptly escorted them back to the Yi Family Manor.
The convoy had been in the middle of transporting tea.
But the tea they carried was low-grade stock, unfit for delivery to the Taeho Tea House.
The entire shipment had been a decoy to draw the Black Bear Gang out.
Now that they had proof the Black Bear Gang was responsible for the raids, all that remained was to recover the stolen goods and deliver them to the Taeho Tea House.
And that task rested on the shoulders of Namgung Geom and his peers from the Azure Dragon Pavilion.
***
Namgung Geom and his peers from the Azure Dragon Pavilion raced straight for the Black Bear Gang's stronghold.
Once the Black Bear Gang learned the raid had failed, they would prepare for retaliation.
It was better to end things with a swift strike before that happened.
"Is everyone ready?"
Namgung Geom's peers nodded with resolute expressions.
"Then let's go."
Namgung Geom moved toward the Black Bear Gang's estate.
His peers followed close behind.
The guards at the entrance of the Black Bear Gang's estate were startled when they saw Namgung Geom and his peers approaching.
Roughly thirty armed individuals had shown up without warning.
Anyone could tell they were not here for a friendly visit.
"Who are you?"
A Black Bear Gang member barked out with a guarded expression.
"We're from the Namgung Family."
"What?"
"Go inside and report. Tell them the Namgung Family has come to hold the Black Bear Gang accountable for raiding the Yi Family Manor's goods."
The gang member at the gate scoffed at Namgung Geom's words.
Namgung Geom and his peers looked nothing like Namgung Family martial artists.
"Who do you think you're trying to fool? You think dropping the Namgung Family's name is going to scare us?"
"Talking really doesn't work, does it?"
Namgung Geom shrugged and thrust his sword forward.
The Sword Wind that erupted from his blade shot forward like an arrow.
The gang member let out a yelp and threw himself sideways.
CRASH—!
The Black Bear Gang's main gate shattered into pieces.
The gang member stared at Namgung Geom with a look of horror.
Namgung Geom paid him no mind and walked into the Black Bear Gang's estate.
The gang member scrambled to blow his signal horn.
"Just stay down."
But Namgung Cheol-ung, passing by, struck the back of his head and knocked him out cold.
As Namgung Geom and his peers entered the estate, a gang member who spotted them frantically blew his signal horn.
Namgung Geom did not rush, moving steadily deeper into the grounds.
Before long, Black Bear Gang members came pouring out from inside the estate.
Namgung Geom and his peers waited for the gang members to gather.
The Black Bear Gang members surrounded Namgung Geom and his peers.
Their numbers were roughly fifty.
Nearly double Namgung Geom's group.
"Who are you to dare attack our gang without a shred of fear?"
The one among the gang members with the strongest presence stepped forward and demanded.
He was Jang Hyeon-ung, the corps leader of the Black Bear Corps, and his realm was at the mid first-rate level.
"You speak as if the Black Bear Gang is some great power."
When Namgung Geom spoke with open contempt, Jang Hyeon-ung unleashed a fierce aura.
"You dare look down on our gang? You must be out of your mind with a death wish."
Jang Hyeon-ung's aura was decent enough to acknowledge.
But it was no threat whatsoever to Namgung Geom.
"If you knew who we were, you wouldn't be saying that."
"And who are you supposed to be?"
Jang Hyeon-ung scoffed and asked.
"We are the Azure Dragon Sword Company of the Namgung Family."
Namgung Geom produced the Sword Company name he had already prepared.
"Ha! The Namgung Family's Azure Dragon Sword Company?"
Jang Hyeon-ung let out a derisive laugh.
"If you're going to impersonate the Namgung Family, at least do your homework. I've never heard of an Azure Dragon Sword Company in the Namgung Family."
At Jang Hyeon-ung's words, Namgung Geom smiled faintly.
"That's to be expected. This is the Azure Dragon Sword Company's first mission since its founding."
To Namgung Geom, the Azure Dragon Sword Company was as good as already established.
He was going to succeed in this mission no matter what.
"A Sword Company made up of brats barely past the Age of Twenty? You expect me to believe that?"
Jang Hyeon-ung still refused to believe Namgung Geom.
"Believe what you want."
Namgung Geom spoke as if it made no difference to him.
His composed demeanor made Jang Hyeon-ung furrow his brow.
"So what's the reason for attacking our gang?"
"To hold you accountable for daring to raid the tea of the Yi Family Manor, which is under the main family's protection."
"Our gang raiding the Yi Family Manor's tea? I have no idea what you're talking about."
At Jang Hyeon-ung's denial, Namgung Geom scoffed.
"Playing dumb won't help. Your vice gang leader already confessed."
Jang Hyeon-ung's expression hardened at Namgung Geom's words.
The fact that he had mentioned the vice gang leader by title meant it was no bluff.
And if it was true, the vice gang leader and the other gang members had most likely been subdued by these people.
'Are they really Namgung Family martial artists?'
If so, the situation had become dire.
"It seems you're finally grasping the situation. I'll give you one last chance."
"A chance?"
Namgung Geom unleashed his aura toward the Black Bear Gang members.
A cold yet overwhelming force seized the space and bore down on their bodies.
The gang members flinched and stepped back under that pressure.
Namgung Geom advanced one step toward them and spoke.
"Drop your weapons and surrender, and I will spare your lives. But if you resist, you will not escape death."