Heaven-Defying Hero - Chapter 108

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#108

It was deep winter with heavy snowfall.

Ja-gang-cheon left the manor, stepping through snow that reached his ankles.

“I’ll go visit the Deungmyeong Sect.”

Ja-gang-cheon went to the Deungmyeong Sect located in the village.

“I wonder how well they’re raising the instructors.”

The Deungmyeong Sect was currently focused on training new instructors.

They needed instructors to teach children at the Deungmyeong Martial Arts Schools that would spread nationwide in spring.

Currently, those capable of being instructors included Mugyeong, Han Dae-woong, Jin Hwajin, and three others who had been with them since the Jinjuk Martial Arts School, all of whom had disciples.

That was only six people in total, and they couldn’t leave Jiao-nan.

‘These people are instructors who must stay at headquarters.’

They had to teach the elite selected from across the nation. That’s why they were putting so much effort into training new instructors.

Ja-gang-cheon entered the Deungmyeong Sect to help even a little.

Clang! Clang!

But when Ja-gang-cheon entered, a sparring match was in full swing.

‘It’s amazing every time I see it.’

There were lovers who conducted their romance through sparring.

Those were Pansuk and Jin Hwajin.

Clang! Clang!

Pansuk wielding a staff and Hwajin holding a sword were sparring with all their might.

But why was it?

Despite the fierce exchange of techniques, no killing intent could be felt at all.

Strangely, there was no sense of danger, and the reason was simple.

Attacks aimed at vital points always lost power at the end, and despite holding real swords, there was always about a finger’s width of distance from the skin.

Though both believed they were giving their all, the instinct in their hearts wouldn’t allow even the slightest injury.

“Hyeongnim! Sister-in-law Hwajin!”

“Oh? Hyeongnim!”

“Hello, Lord.”

The two stopped sparring and greeted him.

The fact that they could stop sparring meant it was at an intensity they could quit anytime.

“Hyeongnim. When will you hold the wedding ceremony?”

“What?”

“Gangcheon! Stop it!”

Cheon-gu, who had appeared at some point, interrupted the conversation.

“Gangcheon. I told you not to talk about romance.”

“Huh? I was talking about marriage though.”

“That’s also an extension of romance. And don’t interrupt their sparring either. They conduct their romance like this once a day. You shouldn’t interfere with that.”

“Ah! Is that how it is?”

“Do you really understand?”

“Sort of?”

“Then what should we do now?”

“I think we should leave here quickly.”

“Exactly. Come with me.”

Ja-gang-cheon said to Pansuk and Jin Hwajin.

“I still hope you two become a family soon.”

“Gangcheon.”

“Alright.”

Ja-gang-cheon and Cheon-gu left the Deungmyeong Sect together.

They took a walk through the port after a long time.

Though it was a day with heavy snow, the port still had many people coming and going.

“Lord! Subordinate! Good day to you!”

After passing several people who greeted them, they arrived at the Labor Office.

The warm heat from the wood stove could be felt cozily.

Around the stove where various relief crops were being roasted, about ten people including So Yeon-dok were having a conversation.

“Oh? Lord. Please come in.”

“I came because I had nowhere to go. I was kicked out for being tactless.”

“Who would dare kick out the Lord?”

“The Subordinate.”

When he pointed to Cheon-gu beside him, So Yeon-dok laughed.

“Please have some of this.”

Roasted sweet potatoes and regular potatoes were placed in front of Cheon-gu and Ja-gang-cheon.

“May I eat this despite being tactless?”

“There’s plenty.”

Having naturally mixed in among the workers, Ja-gang-cheon began chatting while eating the winter delicacies.

“But I heard that the Lord and Chief knew each other even before the manor was established. How did you meet?”

Ja-gang-cheon wasn’t the only tactless one. This could have been an embarrassing past for So Yeon-dok.

“It was when I was living foolishly.”

“I think I was even more foolish though.”

So Yeon-dok recalled that time for a moment.

“That was true, but the Lord was confident in everything. And you always showed amazing results. When you killed Gwimyeon Ssangssal, it really felt like I was dreaming.”

Was it because of the snow falling outside the window?

Was it because of the warm air inside the room?

In any case, with the current atmosphere, it seemed like all memories could be shared as reminiscences.

“If it weren’t for Cheon-gu, I’d probably be living a completely different life now.”

Saying that didn’t have any great significance.

It was simply a gift that the deep winter night had given Ja-gang-cheon to rest for a while.

***

After taking a brief rest in the morning, Ja-gang-cheon returned to the manor and resumed training.

It was usually time to go to the internal energy training room, but he didn’t do so today.

For some reason, he wanted to be hit by the snow.

So he began training in the open space in front of the rear garden.

Drawing Mukryeomdo, he deployed the Chamgeuk Sword Technique he had recently become absorbed in.

If the Bukcheon Sword Technique was destructive and rough with a taste for devouring opponents, the Chamgeuk Sword Technique focused on the essence of the blade.

It slashed opponents with its sharp edge, stabbed them with its pointed tip, and sometimes broke enemy weapons with its solid spine.

The eighteen techniques flowed like water in connection, with excellent harmony between offense and defense.

As he began deploying the sword technique, a snowstorm started swirling around him. The snow accumulated on the ground and falling from the sky was being deflected by his energy waves.

Though he himself was unaware, it was a scene that could be called spectacular without exaggeration.

“Whew.”

The sword technique that had continued for half a shichen finally stopped. He had repeated it three full times.

“It’s definitely a good sword technique.”

Though physical fatigue was unavoidable, his mind had actually become clearer. This meant the profound principles contained in the sword technique were that pure and clean.

With heat rising in his body from one training session, he could feel the coldness of the snow touching his hands even more vividly.

At that moment, a playful mood struck him.

“Should I try using the Heat Flame Dagger in a cold place?”

Curious about how it would feel, he drew the Heat Flame Dagger. Then he deployed the swordsmanship he knew.

It wasn’t dagger technique.

It was the Yeonhwa Sword Art, a soft sword technique. It was also the swordsmanship that So-cheong-bi had said was perfect for assassination when Ja-gang-cheon was doing odd jobs.

When using a dagger, the technique’s effectiveness diminished somewhat, but since he could inject his inner energy more powerfully, he chose the Flame Blossom Sword Technique.

As expected, choosing the Flame Blossom Sword Technique in the cold weather made its warmth feel even more pronounced.

It was like deploying a sword barrier that blocked out the cold. But something was strange.

‘Huh?’

It was when he stepped on unmelted snow.

For a moment, cold energy climbed up through his feet and mixed with the warm energy that had started from his arms.

Then cold and hot energies alternately circulated through his energy channels. In that process, he could clearly feel the minute details within his body.

‘Harmony.’

Ja-gang-cheon witnessed perfect harmony.

As a result, he clearly perceived how his inner energy was dormant within his body.

‘My inner energy wasn’t completely integrated.’

From childhood, he had absorbed various spiritual medicines and learned multiple types of martial arts.

Until just a year ago, he hadn’t felt any problems, but when the harmony of yin and yang swept through his body, he felt a sense of discord.

His senses had momentarily become hypersensitive. Only then did Ja-gang-cheon realize that the energies within his body had not perfectly unified.

Now, especially the energy from Gongcheong Seokyu was clumped throughout his body like hardened mud.

‘Let’s try it in the Bingokgo.’

He rushed to the coldest Bingokgo and immediately sat in lotus position. Then he placed his palms in a taiji formation in front of his dantian and placed the Flame Dagger between them.

The cold energy circulated through his body and entered the Flame Dagger, transforming into warm energy.

As cold and hot energies began circulating through his body, the hypersensitive sensation from earlier returned.

‘I need to make it completely mine.’

Ja-gang-cheon slowly circulated his inner energy. As his energy channels became clearly perceptible, his mind seemed to empty completely.

That’s when it began.

He clearly examined his own body and delivered inner energy to where it was needed.

The ocean-like energy in his dantian covered the scattered energies and gradually drew them in.

The process was very slow, but Ja-gang-cheon had the ample time of winter.

-The Lord is taking his winter sleep again.

The manor’s household members adjusted all schedules on their own. Thanks to this, Ja-gang-cheon could enjoy a comfortable winter sleep.

Time enriched Deungmyeong Manor.

Even during winter when most people rested, they moved busily.

However, it was true that they had reached their limits with just Deungmyeong Divine Medicine and elixirs. Medicine was already being supplied nationwide, and the volume going overseas by ship was enormous.

They had reached a situation where increasing supply volume would bring little benefit. This also meant they were seeing tremendous profits.

In this situation, what shone were the personnel gathered by the East Sea Merchant Guild Leader.

Talents flocked to them due to rumors that people with business aptitude were well-treated, and investments in them bore fruit.

-The distribution network spread nationwide makes money just by existing.

Since just moving regional specialties brought in big money, they created a logistics distribution system based on seasons and timing.

The East Sea Merchant Guild competitively sent their overflowing talents to regional branches.

As if profit competition had begun, they threw themselves into distribution, and every time people and carriages moved, the guild’s money multiplied.

This distribution business was possible because of the trust built with Deungmyeong elixirs and ice. And Deungmyeong Manor as backing played a decisive role.

The East Sea Merchant Guild’s branches spread this way numbered sixty, and beside fifteen of those branches, new buildings were erected.

Deungmyeong Martial Arts Academy.

It was a branch format directly operated by Deungmyeongmun in Jiao-nan.

-The number of instructors we can dispatch there is still small. We plan to increase branches as instructors are secured.

Despite making plans and training with focused effort, the number of instructors capable of managing branches was only fifteen.

-Don’t focus on increasing members. Initially, it’s important to teach Deungmyeong training in detail to people who came interested in Deungmyeong exercises.

So they were given one mission.

-Go out to the public square every morning and teach Deungmyeong exercises and training for free. East Sea Merchant Guild members will help you.

The key was having many people do Deungmyeong exercises, just like in Jiao-nan now.

The well-prepared winter passed this way,

And finally the new year began.

Nineteen-year-old Ja-gang-cheon looked quite mature.

“You seem to have grown taller.”

Though not as tall as Pansuk, he was quite tall. Standing next to Cheon-gu, there was a head’s difference, and compared to average adults, he was about two foreheads taller.

“Lord. You’ve really become handsome now. The ladies must be getting their hearts stirred.”

“Many aunties say that, but there aren’t actually any ladies with stirred hearts. I guess only aunties like me.”

“That can’t be. They’re just too shy to say anything.”

“For now, let’s take care of our household members before the ladies.”

The New Year feast had become a given.

Many people came every year, but this year they had to lay out seats and prepare food throughout the entire manor courtyard.

They considered not accepting outsiders, but Cheon-gu opposed it.

“It’s once a year. Endure it.”

Even Cheon-gu, who always reflected Ja-gang-cheon’s opinions, told him to coldly fulfill his role as lord when it came to New Year.

“Many outsiders will come.”

“Many came last year too.”

“This won’t even compare.”

“Hmm…”

“No.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“I heard you. Running away is not allowed.”

Ja-gang-cheon, whose inner thoughts were discovered, finally decided to give up.

“Just endure the morning. All visitors were told to come in the morning. Only close people will come in the afternoon, so you’ll be able to relax.”

“Got it! I’ll endure it well!”

Ja-gang-cheon shouted confidently, but he received visits from so many people that it was hard to even remember their names.

‘Now I’m the master of Shandong Province.’

The sealing of the Hwangbo Clan.

The foremost of the Seven Lords of Gangho.

Here, another rumor spread.

-Deungmyeong Jangju disbanded the Death Curtain.

Though the rumor spread late due to verification of its truth, it inevitably became known.

For these reasons, the perception that Deungmyeong Manor was the master of Shandong Province solidified.

‘Huh? Did I underestimate too much?’

Cheon-gu, watching the visiting guests, realized he needed to add one more title.

“It’s an honor to meet the East Sea Azure Dragon directly.”

Ja-gang-cheon was being called by yet another name.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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