Heaven-Defying Hero - Chapter 70

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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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#070

Ja-gang-cheon, who had returned to Jiao-nan, spent peaceful days.

He devoted most of his time to martial arts training and research, spending much time examining the martial arts of Jingeuk Martial Hall as Cheon-gu had advised.

“Hmm. There’s a big difference in the level of interpretation and understanding of each martial art. It seems you focused mainly on footwork and swordsmanship.”

At Ja-gang-cheon’s first assessment, Jin Hyeon-pil felt both shame and surprise simultaneously.

“It was the limitation of a single-successor sect. It was also the most difficult part when I established a proper sect.”

“Usually, the martial arts of a sect have complementary aspects. Even when using a sword, understanding the formulas of blade techniques allows you to burst forth with fierce momentum in an instant, and learning fist techniques teaches you how to use a blade at close range. Footwork becomes not just a means to create distance but also to control the flow, and hidden weapon techniques help you quickly recognize an opponent’s weaknesses.”

In large sects, young disciples are exposed to various martial arts until they reach adulthood.

While this helps discover their talents through diverse martial arts, there was also the intention to have them acquire the characteristics of each martial art, as Ja-gang-cheon mentioned.

“Just looking at the formulas, these martial arts are too valuable to simply be lost. At minimum, the Chamgeuk Blade Technique, Gwiguk Fist Technique, and Jingeuk Chain Step. These need to be restored. To become a sect beyond just a martial hall, you need at least that much.”

“Would restoration be possible?”

“If Aunt helps, it’s possible.”

“Dok-ja-mo?”

This was a different matter. Ja-gang-cheon had already acknowledged him with the position of sect leader and revealed the formulas, but Song Ja-in was different.

“The decision is yours to make, Sect Leader.”

“What is your judgment, Sect Leader?”

“If Aunt helps, I couldn’t ask for more. Additionally, I hope Cheon-gu and Brother Pan Seok-i will join us. Then there would be no secrets in martial arts training at the manor.”

“You mean to completely open it to the manor?”

“You won’t regret it.”

Jin Hyeon-pil pondered for a full day and eventually accepted. And five days were enough for him to realize what an excellent decision it had been.

Their martial arts research that continued from morning until night was both study and play.

They quickly found answers through various opinions and actually established the old martial arts in even more advanced forms.

‘Was there ever this kind of martial arts research?’

Jin Hyeon-pil felt like he was seeing a new world.

He had thought martial arts research was something done by a few people who had learned the same martial arts, with pain and endurance as collateral.

But Deungmyeong Manor was different.

People who had learned completely different martial arts analyzed the techniques from their own perspectives and even experimented with their own bodies.

Since Song Ja-in and Ja-gang-cheon provided a solid foundation, any opinion could be freely expressed, resulting in countless interpretations.

They incorporated the strengths of other martial arts and boldly corrected what became weaknesses.

Watching them, Jin Hyeon-pil summarized Deungmyeong Manor’s martial arts research with two meanings.

-Without preconceptions and stubbornness, they don’t prejudge.

-Without obstinacy and self-righteousness, they aren’t narrow-minded.

Knowing how difficult this was, the martial arts research wasn’t simply a place to learn martial arts.

‘One should live life this way too.’

The middle-aged man in his forties who had lived only fiercely finally felt like he was finding the path of life.

“Father. How is it?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean Brother Pansuk. Please acknowledge him now.”

“Ahem!”

Everything was to his liking, but the one thing that bothered him was the relationship between Pansuk and his daughter.

However, after spending a month at the manor, he was able to see Pansuk’s true nature.

“He’s not a bad man.”

This was equivalent to saying he was good.

“Don’t be too obvious about it. Even though they’re young, there are many people we must serve.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

The father and daughter knew what they had to do as members of Deungmyeong Manor.

***

After the harvest season passed and winter came, Jiao-nan also became quiet.

The ships that had been constantly increasing finally began to decrease little by little, creating a tranquil atmosphere.

Nevertheless, the Donghai Merchant Guild was still busy, but many workers entered a period of rest while waiting for the new year.

Deungmyeong Manor was also focusing on internal growth in quiet tranquility, as if it had entered winter hibernation.

If the six-foot giant hadn’t climbed over the wall, that day would probably have been peaceful too.

“Jangju Hyeongnim!”

“What’s wrong? Did someone attack?”

Ja-gang-cheon, who had been researching martial arts in the rear garden, came running using lightness skills.

“It’s not an attack.”

“Really? Then who’s in danger?”

“No one.”

As Ja-gang-cheon tilted his head in confusion, Pansuk shouted.

“North Cheon City has come!”

Surprised by those words, Ja-gang-cheon closed his mouth.

During the quite long silence, Ja-gang-cheon’s mind was filled with the words “North Cheon City.”

The place young Ja-gang-cheon had imagined most was North Cheon City. It was because he had heard the most stories about it from his mother.

Mother’s stories were always interesting and full of tension. So when he left the island, North Cheon City was the place he most wanted to visit.

After being hurt at Wudang, he had forgotten about North Cheon City and lived his life, but like fate, it had suddenly come to him.

“You mean North Cheon City came to Jiao-nan?”

“What? No.”

Ja-gang-cheon blinked his big eyes.

“Am I dreaming now? Is this a dream where you appear as a ghost?”

“Me? No.”

“Then what exactly do you mean by North Cheon City has come?”

“Geumgang-gae Hyeongnim suddenly left while we were sparring.”

Pansuk called everyone he respected “Hyeongnim.” Even so, the fact that Geumgang-gae had accepted this title was surprising. Not stopping there, he had been meeting once a day since their first encounter to provide guidance and sparring.

While Song Ja-in taught detailed aspects, Geumgang-gae taught momentum and fighting spirit. Thanks to this, Pansuk’s skills were improving day by day.

“Brother. I’m not understanding this at all right now. Tell me step by step from the beginning.”

“Yes, Hyeongnim. I was sparring when other beggars came and reported to Geumgang-gae Hyeongnim. I didn’t eavesdrop, I just happened to hear.”

“What was the content?”

“They said a key figure from North Cheon City is on a ship going from Dalian in Liaoning Province to Yonggu Port.”

Though it was the hegemon of the North and the center of the Demonic Sect, to Ja-gang-cheon it meant more as his maternal family’s home.

“I heard it’s no ordinary person. They said they must find out the purpose of his visit.”

The tension between the orthodox and demonic sects was growing even more.

Gaebang establishing a branch in Jiao-nan to check Hao-mun was in the same context, so monitoring North Cheon City was natural.

“Didn’t you hear who was coming?”

“No. I couldn’t hear that much. I’m sorry.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. Finding this out is already amazing. Thank you for running here right away.”

After saying that, Ja-gang-cheon fell into deep contemplation.

‘Who could be important enough for even Gaebang to take action?’

He could just ignore it, but he was very curious about who the key figure from North Cheon City might be.

As he repeated the same question countless times, Cheon-gu approached.

“If you’re that troubled by it, how about checking directly?”

“Would that be okay?”

“It’s something you’ll have to face eventually anyway. You have family in North Cheon City.”

“Family…”

“Your blood relatives are there. This is an undeniable fact.”

At Cheon-gu’s words, Ja-gang-cheon thought of his mother.

-No matter how much we fight, we’re still blood relatives. They might slap my cheek, but they won’t stab me in the back.

The Hwangbo Clan Brothers would readily stab with knives, but Mother had clearly drawn a line.

‘Blood ties.’

Strictly speaking, the Wudang Sect wasn’t connected by blood. On the other hand, North Cheon City had his maternal grandfather and other relatives.

“Whatever decision you make, I’ll go with you, so decide comfortably.”

When Cheon-gu said he would accompany him, his mind was put at ease. Finally, Ja-gang-cheon was able to make a decision.

“First, let’s find out who the key figures coming to Yonggu are.”

Ja-gang-cheon began following his fate toward North Cheon City.

***

Shandong Province and Liaoning Province had a unique relationship with each other.

This was because they shared a pond-shaped sea that curved deeply inland.

A simple example was that the route from Dalian in Liaoning Province to Yonggu in Shandong Province was starkly divided between boat and horse.

By boat, it took one day.

By horse, it took a month.

Naturally, trade through the port had to be active.

Because of this, Yonggu gave the feeling of two cultures mixed together.

Especially in autumn when cool winds blew, the difference became even more distinct, as people from Liaoning Province who lived in cold regions wore lighter clothes compared to people from Shandong Province.

-The wind is cool and nice.

If someone said this, they were from Liaoning Province,

-It’s getting a bit chilly now.

People who said this were from Shandong Province.

And now, a group of people wearing light clothes entered the port.

Dressed in gray light armor with no special accessories, they naturally blended into the busy port. However, the swords at their waists and blades on their backs revealed that they were martial artists.

Composed of four men and one woman, they were led by a woman who appeared to be around twenty years old, with the men following behind.

“Miss. This way.”

A sturdy-looking bearded man in his late forties slightly bowed his head to the woman as he spoke.

Just from the fact that he wouldn’t even make eye contact, one could tell the woman’s status was by no means low.

“Don’t be so obvious. There’s no point in hiding our identities if we act like this.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“And everyone, relax your expressions. Did we come here to kill someone?”

The woman lightly scolded them as if nagging. Even so, when all four men bowed their heads in unison, she sighed.

“People are staring.”

“That’s not because of us, but because of your beauty, Miss.”

For flattery, the bearded man’s expression was quite serious.

Indeed, despite not being dressed up at all, the woman’s appearance was beautiful enough to brighten her surroundings.

Like her personality, she had boldly drawn eyebrows with eyes and lips that seemed to hold laughter, and her white skin contrasted starkly with her red lips, creating a power that drew gazes.

“She’s not called the greatest beauty of the Demonic Sect for nothing. No amount of not dressing up could hide such beauty.”

“Could you not say that with such a serious expression? It sounds like you’re about to confess.”

“I have a duty to teach you things you don’t know, Miss. And I’m already married and love my wife.”

“Alright. I get it! Why did you have to come anyway? You’re past the age for escort duty.”

“It’s because this place isn’t the North. Since our North Cheon City’s influence is weak here, that’s why I came.”

“I know! I said I know!”

“If you shout like that, people will stare even more. Instead of doing that, please wear a veil.”

“Fine! Nagging uncle!”

Eventually, the woman took out a black veil and covered her face. Then she left the port following the bearded man’s guidance.

Once they left, the port returned to its daily routine as if nothing had happened.

However, someone appeared where the woman had been.

It was Geumgang-gae, who had rushed over after hearing the news from Jiao-nan.

“Yowol-nyeo from North Cheon City came in person?”

Yowol-nyeo Cheon Seol-hwa.

True to her nickname meaning “Enchanting Moon Woman,” she was famous for her outstanding beauty, but her martial arts level was by no means lacking either.

Seven promising young talents responsible for the future of Gangho were commonly called the Seven Successors of Gangho.

Though the members changed each time, most people distinguished between men and women, selecting Five Dragons and Two Phoenix.

Among them, the person called the First Phoenix of the North and one of the Twin Phoenix of Gangho was none other than Yowol-nyeo Cheon Seol-hwa.

However, more important than these flashy titles was her status.

“What kind of matter would warrant the Lord of North Cheon City’s granddaughter to come in person?”

Cheon Seol-hwa was the granddaughter of the Lord of North Cheon City, the leader of the Sapa Martial World.

“Daehobbeop. What should we do? The people guarding her are stronger than expected, so it will be difficult to get close.”

The four people protecting Cheon Seol-hwa were masters called Yohwasaseong.

Though they were currently serving as escorts, once Cheon Seol-hwa returned safely, they were the masters responsible for the four gates of east, west, south, and north within North Cheon City.

“First, it’s important to understand their intentions. Don’t move rashly and focus on who they meet and what they investigate.”

“Yes, Daehobbeop.”

The Gaebang Bangdo began moving busily.

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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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