Heaven-Defying Hero - Chapter 35

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

#035

 

February, when winter had passed and full spring could be felt.

 

Ja-gang-cheon stood facing Cheon-gu today as well, holding a wooden sword.

 

“It’s been three months as of today.”

 

“Whew. Good. I’ll begin.”

 

Cheon-gu raised his wooden sword and took the basic stance of Wolha Geombeop.

 

In contrast, Ja-gang-cheon simply stood tall with his wooden sword hanging loosely.

 

“Haaap!”

 

Cheon-gu operated the Moonlight Swordsmanship and unleashed the first technique of Wolha Geombeop, Moon Shadow Under Clouds.

 

Seeing this, a smile formed on Ja-gang-cheon’s lips. The technique’s power was finally being properly displayed.

 

While he was happy about his friend’s achievement, facing Wolha Geombeop itself after so long was interesting.

 

‘Though not as much as Father.’

 

The reason Ja-gang-cheon could teach Wolha Geombeop to Cheon-gu was because his research had already been completed on the uninhabited island.

 

Father, who was said to have no equal in swordsmanship talent, had personally researched it, and Ja-gang-cheon passed on that interpretation and movements to Cheon-gu exactly as they were.

 

‘So this is Cheon-gu’s Wolha Geombeop.’

 

Swish.

 

Cheon-gu, who had been advancing quickly with footwork, turned his wrist and drew in his sword. Then the wooden sword disappeared, leaving only an afterimage.

 

The moment he felt alarmed, a swift sword suddenly unfolded.

 

The single strike aimed at his solar plexus was quick and fast, but not enough to reach Ja-gang-cheon.

 

Thwack!

 

Just as he stepped back and deflected the sword to counterattack, Cheon-gu increased his speed and followed up.

 

It was excellent Bicheon Shinbo.

 

The secretive and fast Wolha Geombeop was enhanced with the variation of Bicheon Shinbo.

 

‘Footwork, mental cultivation, swordsmanship.’

 

Completely different forms emerge depending on the combination.

 

‘Weapon, build, mindset.’

 

The power differs again according to these factors.

 

‘Proficiency, internal energy, health.’

 

When all of this is combined, there are no identical martial arts.

 

Moreover, Cheon-gu possessed one more thing.

 

‘He’s smart.’

 

While he was briefly lost in other thoughts, Cheon-gu didn’t miss the opening and thrust his wooden sword diagonally downward.

 

A strike aimed at the top of his foot, extended straight out.

 

When Ja-gang-cheon instinctively pulled back his foot, the tip of Cheon-gu’s sword bounced off the ground and shot upward.

 

When the wooden sword coming under his chin reached close range,

 

Thwack!

 

Ja-gang-cheon swung his arm and deflected the sword. It looked like he hit it with his fist, but he actually deflected it with the handle of his wooden sword.

 

The moment his confident strike missed,

 

Tap.

 

Ja-gang-cheon’s wooden sword was aimed at Cheon-gu’s neck.

 

“I lost.”

 

Even though Cheon-gu’s skills had improved dramatically, it was still too much for him to have an intense duel with Ja-gang-cheon.

 

“That last technique was really good. This is the third technique, right?”

 

“Wolha Cheongmyeong. I thought I’d succeed this time.”

 

“Then let’s try it with Pansuk this time.”

 

With Pansuk joining them, they spent a full two hours repeating duels and research.

 

This was the scene that unfolded every morning after breakfast.

 

“It really looks like they’re playing.”

 

“So it looks that way to me too. In the world, those three are probably the only ones who train like that.”

 

“But is it okay for us to watch like this?”

 

At Han Pilsaeng’s question, Song Ja-in nodded.

 

“We’ve already been invited. They said to come and play together anytime we’re bored.”

 

“Playing with martial arts. I should have learned martial arts too.”

 

“Since your complete recovery isn’t far off, trying it wouldn’t be bad either.”

 

“Do you really think so? Watching those three makes me want to do it.”

 

Han Pilsaeng, who had been speaking, suddenly fell into thought.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“It’s nothing.”

 

Song Ja-in was not one to not understand her son’s heart.

 

“They’re very different from me, aren’t they?”

 

“Yes. Mother, you were always suffering. You said if you went back, you would never learn martial arts again…”

 

“For me, martial arts were pain and karma. I never once thought they were fun.”

 

That’s when it happened.

 

“Auntie! Pil-saeng! Come quickly!”

 

His expression looked like someone who had been washing by the river and called his friends.

 

But surprisingly, Song Ja-in moved.

 

Song Ja-in, who had pushed her son’s wheelchair to arrive among them, smiled with her characteristic gentle laugh and said,

 

“Shall I join in once too?”

 

“Great!”

 

Ja-gang-cheon was truly excited and stood opposite Song Ja-in.

 

“Could the others please step back a bit? When the duel is over, I’ll explain everything you were curious about.”

 

Hearing those words, Han Pilsaeng could understand the reason Song Ja-in accepted the invitation.

 

‘She’s trying to teach martial arts.’

 

Ja-gang-cheon still held his wooden sword as he faced off against Song Ja-in.

 

“I’ll go in first!”

 

Like a child who couldn’t wait over a toy, Ja-gang-cheon ran toward Song Ja-in.

 

Seventeen years old this year.

 

Though he smiled innocently, he was already old enough to be called a young man without shame.

 

And Song Ja-in was genuinely amazed by that momentum.

 

Whoosh!

 

A sword filled with tremendous internal energy passed by Song Ja-in’s head.

 

He had deliberately thrust it so she could dodge.

 

At that movement, competitive spirit flared up in Song Ja-in’s heart.

 

‘How dare he test me?’

 

He had thrust it as a feint because he couldn’t be certain Song Ja-in could dodge.

 

“Lord, you may go all out.”

 

“Really?”

 

Ja-gang-cheon was excited.

 

It was the first time since dueling with his parents.

 

“Then here I go!”

 

That’s when it began.

 

Thud! Thud! Thud!

 

Completely different sounds from before burst out.

 

Every time the wooden sword and hand collided, heavy noise like falling rocks echoed.

 

“Gasp!”

 

Ja-gang-cheon, who had been building momentum with the advantage of wielding a weapon, saw Song Ja-in’s foot enter the spot he should have stepped on first.

 

With that single movement, Song Ja-in reversed the offensive. And she immediately pressed forward, putting pressure on Ja-gang-cheon.

 

But in that situation, neither made the first move.

 

Song Ja-in advanced, and Ja-gang-cheon retreated. To anyone watching, it looked like dance movements.

 

But in reality, Song Ja-in was applying pressure, and Ja-gang-cheon couldn’t strike recklessly because he couldn’t find any weaknesses.

 

Eventually, Ja-gang-cheon couldn’t hold back and thrust his sword. At that moment, Song Ja-in extended her arm toward Ja-gang-cheon’s wrist as if she had been waiting for this.

 

With the distance so close, the sword couldn’t exert its full power.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

Thunk!

 

Once again, Ja-gang-cheon struck Song Ja-in’s palm with the pommel of his sword. As Song Ja-in stepped back in surprise, Ja-gang-cheon quickly followed up and swept his sword from top to bottom.

 

The force was so tremendous that it resembled saber techniques more than swordsmanship.

 

Thud!

 

When Song Ja-in couldn’t dare to meet it head-on and retreated once more, this time the sword that struck the ground shot forward in a straight line.

 

A martial technique that struck diagonally upward from below the knees.

 

‘This is spear technique.’

 

Dagger, saber techniques, spear arts.

 

All of this was being executed with a wooden sword.

 

‘Normally this should be clumsy, but for that moment, it was perfect.’

 

Song Ja-in thought.

 

‘If I let my guard down carelessly, I’ll be humiliated.’

 

From that point on, the sparring became even more intense.

 

To any observer, violent sounds erupted as if they were fighting to the death, and those watching couldn’t help but feel anxious.

 

Then, after a moment had passed,

 

Crack!

 

Ja-gang-cheon’s wooden sword broke.

 

“Ah!”

 

At the same time, Ja-gang-cheon stepped back and said.

 

“I lost.”

 

“It seems you could fight splendidly even without a weapon.”

 

“But since I couldn’t win even with a weapon, it’s right that I lost. Next time, let’s try without weapons.”

 

Ja-gang-cheon had a refreshed expression.

 

“That was so much fun.”

 

Seeing that expression, Song Ja-in couldn’t help but smile too.

 

“Could you include me in your morning exercises?”

 

“You’re welcome to join!”

 

Song Ja-in deliberately didn’t say she would teach him. Playing together would naturally allow her to teach him through physical experience.

 

‘Still, this is truly surprising. His foundation is solid, yet there are no limitations in application. To think such martial arts could exist.’

 

Even Song Ja-in, who had experienced countless life-and-death battles, had never encountered such sparring before.

 

‘I’d like to see where this leads.’

 

Pure curiosity arose within her.

 

***

 

Loud fireworks exploded at Gyeonam Port.

 

This was a scene not uncommon when new ships set sail or new shops opened.

 

However, today’s fireworks were on a scale not commonly seen.

 

Three shops facing the sea had been demolished, and a single building now stood in their place.

 

-Shandong Trading Guild Gyeonam Branch.

 

The greatest trading guild in Shandong Province, backed by the Hwangbo Clan, had opened a branch in Gyeonam.

 

New flags announcing this were hung high, and hundreds of fireworks echoed throughout the entire port.

 

“The Shandong Trading Guild really has arrived.”

 

“Looking at the scale, it makes sense they’d come. Hasn’t Gyeonam Market grown tremendously in size lately?”

 

“It’s just like Hao-mun. I heard they closed their Hwangdo branch and moved it here.”

 

“Hwangdo will be wailing again.”

 

“Come now. Let’s stop worrying about useless things and go get some food.”

 

Many people also called the Shandong Trading Guild the Hwangbo Trading Guild.

 

“Come, come! Please, everyone come in!”

 

The Shandong Trading Guild opened its doors wide with the opening and held a feast.

 

It was natural for ship owners, sailors, and nearby merchants to crowd the entrance.

 

This wasn’t simply to eat good food.

 

Since the Shandong Trading Guild had arrived, they needed to establish connections with them somehow.

 

Jo Pilseong, the leader of the East Sea Merchant Guild, was one of them.

 

At least Jo Pilseong wasn’t in a position to worry greatly compared to others.

 

‘Since our merchandise doesn’t overlap, there’s no reason to suffer losses.’

 

The East Sea Merchant Guild’s main products were Deungmyeong elixirs, ice, and Donghaejoo.

 

They had focused on these areas during the past winter and were now preparing for medicinal distribution.

 

Since these were items they manufactured directly, there wasn’t much concern even if the Shandong Trading Guild moved in.

 

‘Let me just go pay my respects.’

 

Jo Pilseong entered the Shandong Trading Guild carrying a jar of Donghaejoo and a box containing Deungmyeong elixirs.

 

When he mentioned the items he was gifting at the entrance, the guest reception leader personally wrote down his name.

 

“You’re from the East Sea Merchant Guild. The guild leader has been requesting to meet you. I’ll guide you.”

 

“Ah! It’s an honor.”

 

Though he answered with a smile on the outside, inwardly he was puzzled.

 

‘Me?’

 

Just looking around, there were tremendous guests, and among them were countless people offering expensive gifts while seeking to meet the guild leader.

 

To bypass all those people and meet with him?

 

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t guess the reason.

 

“This way.”

 

The place he was guided to was a small separate building in the courtyard behind the trading guild.

 

Upon entering, there sat a middle-aged man in his late fifties whose broad shoulders and straight back reminded one of a warrior. Seeing Jo Pilseong, he rose from his seat, gave a warm smile, and pointed to the chair across from him.

 

“Please, sit. I’ve been wanting to meet you. I’m Hwangbo Jeong.”

 

“It’s my first time meeting you. Though humble, I’m Jo Pilseong, who leads the East Sea Merchant Guild.”

 

Despite being fellow guild leaders, Jo Pilseong humbled himself.

 

Hwangbo Jeong personally poured tea and then stated his purpose for calling Jo Pilseong.

 

“I’ve heard well of the East Sea Merchant Guild’s recent activities. Among them, the response to your elixirs has been tremendous. So, how about joining forces with our Shandong Trading Guild?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“The Deungmyeong elixirs, ice, and even Donghaejoo. We’ll purchase all of these items in their entirety.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“I mean that if you just handle quality inspection, we’ll take responsibility for sales. Using our trading guild’s distribution network, sales volume will increase several times over what it is now.”

 

Jo Pilseong’s mind became complicated at this unexpected proposal, but Hwangbo Jeong didn’t give him time to think.

 

“You’ll be fully satisfied with the price as well. If you just adjust the current selling price by 10%, we’ll not only purchase everything but also invest in infrastructure to increase sales volume.”

 

It was an incredibly sweet proposal.

 

‘Just receive the goods and hand them over, and I can sell them at only 10% less than the current price. No need for distribution networks, shops, or workers for sales.’

 

This way, it would be profitable business even with a 30% reduction, let alone 10%.

 

Moreover, borrowing the Shandong Trading Guild’s name would dramatically increase the products’ credibility.

 

It meant they could be sold nationwide in an instant.

 

‘But I’d lose one thing.’

 

Jo Pilseong realized the hidden meaning.

 

‘I’d no longer be able to function as a trading guild.’

 

To be precise, he would become neither a producer nor a trader, but an inspector managing product quality.

 

“Hmm.”

 

This was an indirect way of buying out the East Sea Merchant Guild.

 

‘It’s the only way to get access to Deungmyeong Manor’s goods.’

 

What if he just sold the East Sea Merchant Guild outright?

 

Deungmyeong Manor could stop supplying elixirs and ice. If that happened, the Donghai Merchant Guild would become worthless.

 

So he proposed this indirect acquisition by positioning the Donghai Merchant Guild as an inspector.

 

“I must decline.”

 

His deliberation wasn’t long. Jo Pilseong met Hwangbo Jeong’s eyes and clearly expressed his refusal.

 

Then Hwangbo Jeong’s gentle smile disappeared. Instead, sharp eyes that seemed ready to tear his opponent apart remained.

 

“I’m someone who always gets what I want.”

 

It was a clear warning.

 

Only then did Jo Pilseong realize that the Shandong Trading Company’s expansion into Jiao-nan was a major crisis for the Donghai Merchant Guild.

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