The Reformed Genius of the Sichuan Tang Clan - Chapter 10

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 10
At Dang Yu-hyeon’s words, Dang Han-su’s eyes widened in confusion. He stammered, glancing around nervously at those watching.
He’d patched his fragile pride with others’ approval, so every gaze cut through him.
Rather than swallow his pride and retreat, he craved some kind of rebuttal—and his eyes betrayed that hunger. He couldn’t refuse to answer.
“Are you threatening to shut me up with force?”
“Threatening?”
Dang Yu-hyeon tilted one corner of his mouth up in a crooked smile.
“Why would I bother with that?”
……!
Dang Han-su’s face flushed crimson.
“I just want to talk. But whenever you ask me something, you fumble your words—so I figured we’d use your body instead to communicate.”
“Is that, so?”
“And we’re the same age anyway. Why the formal speech? Talk comfortably. This is Yeonhakgak—everyone here is equal in learning.”
The unbridgeable gap between Direct Branch and Collateral Branch.
Touching the inferiority he’d always harbored beneath the surface, his easy smile vanished.
Throb.
A vein bulged across Dang Han-su’s brow.
He’d realized Dang Yu-hyeon was toying with him completely.
‘Look at his reaction.’
The honest, unguarded way he responded to each jab was entertaining.
“I’d appreciate a quick answer. I don’t have much patience.”
“What?”
Dang Han-su shook his head slowly, his expression darkening, buying himself time.
‘What was his Martial Arts Ability again?’
Pathetic.
If even he—who scorned every member of the Direct Branch—paid no attention to it, you could imagine how poor it was.
‘But he did complete the Sword Technique. That much is true.’
He’d watched from right beside him as the sword path connected smoothly—there was no denying that achievement.
But anyone with even a passing knowledge of Martial Arts could accomplish that.
Why?
‘Because I did it too.’
It wasn’t a secret art.
But with his grandfather’s help, he’d pretended to have completed his Martial Arts himself, pretended to have grasped something he’d never seen before on the first try, pretended to be brilliant in every possible way.
Aside from bloodline, everything about his current position and ease came from that lie.
So naturally, he assumed the same must be true of Dang Yu-hyeon.
‘Who the hell is helping that useless bastard? Did his grandfather lose his mind eating poison?’
Dang Han-su nodded along with his bitter thoughts.
“Sure. It’s been a while since I’ve had a good warm-up.”
“I wish you’d answered that way from the start.”
At his mocking tone, Dang Han-su ground his teeth.
“What’ll we use? Sword? Or dagger?”
“Are you joking? In the Sacheon Dang Clan, masters of the Dark Assassin Techniques, you dare mention swords?”
“Getting cocky, aren’t we.”
Dang Yu-hyeon laughed quietly.
Learn everything, kid.
Picky eating gets you killed.
“Back in my day, whether you picked up a sword or a dagger, everyone clawed their way to mastery because they didn’t want to die. The world’s gotten so comfortable, hasn’t it?”
‘When was that supposed to be?’
Everyone wore baffled expressions at his cryptic words.
“So you want to use daggers?”
“That’s right.”
“Then it can’t happen right now.”
“Why? Getting nervous all of a sudden?”
“We have classes to attend.”
Dang Yu-hyeon stepped closer and brushed dust from Dang Han-su’s shoulder.
“How could the fifth-ranked student of Yeonhakgak commit such a breach?”
“You……!”
Dang Han-su’s face contorted with rage.
Dang Yu-hyeon grabbed his collar and yanked him forward.
“Bring as many spectators as you can muster. If you can even pull in the influence of that illustrious grandfather of yours, I wonder if we could fill the entire Yeonmujang.”
Then he let go abruptly.
“You’re quite good at drawing people in, aren’t you?”
……
Dang Han-su tapped the fabric of his robe in indignation, still held by Dang Yu-hyeon’s grip.
“Is there somewhere far you need to go?”
He quickly composed himself into an easy expression.
“Now, while we’re taking a brief rest, is the perfect moment.”
“As you say.”
Dang Yu-hyeon turned and walked toward Dang Jong-cheon.
“Elder Thirteenth, I have a request.”
“What is it?”
“Might I use the Bimudae for a moment?”
“No.”
Is the Bimudae yours to use?
Just for a brief sparring session during rest time!
The children watching Dang Yu-hyeon’s instant rejection burst into snickers.
Dang Han-su waved a hand as if to calm things and stepped beside Dang Yu-hyeon.
“Elder Thirteenth, we wish to conduct some light sparring during our rest period. Would you grant us permission to use the Bimudae?”
“Very well.”
This time the answer came promptly, after only a moment’s consideration.
Dang Han-su tilted his head slightly and grinned.
So it’s permitted for me but not for him?
At this stark contrast, Dang Yu-hyeon’s face fell into bewilderment.
‘Why does he only treat me this way? Does he think I’m unreliable?’
He was unreliable.
An undeniable past kept dragging at his heels.
‘If I were him, I’d suspect any ruffian who suddenly claimed to have come to his senses overnight.’
No matter what circumstances lay behind it, there was a history of behavior to account for.
“I will serve as judge. Any objections?”
“None, sir.”
At Dang Jong-cheon’s gesture, waiting attendants brought over Training Robes.
Dang Yu-hyeon and Dang Han-su dressed quickly and ascended the Bimudae.
“Woooah!”
“Dang Han-su! Dang Han-su!”
“Crush him!”
Since this wasn’t an official match, the surroundings were chaotic.
Dang Han-su waved in response to the noise.
He tossed back his silken long hair and faced Dang Yu-hyeon squarely.
His handsome features hardened with youthful determination.
With one corner of his mouth twisted upward, he spoke through gritted teeth.
“I’ll make you regret ever looking down on me.”
“Try, if you can.”
Beneath his feigned composure, veins stood out on his neck.
Dang Jong-cheon observed this silently for a moment, then spoke.
“Then we begin the sparring match between Dang Yu-hyeon and Dang Han-su! Victory goes to whoever renders their opponent unconscious or reaches one inch from a vital point!”
Whish!
The moment Dang Jong-cheon finished speaking, a dagger flew toward him.
Dang Han-su moved first.
He had already gripped his dagger before the match even started, infused it with Internal Force, and released it in an instant.
Dang Yu-hyeon, by contrast, merely held his dagger in hand—he had not infused it with power nor thrown it.
Crack!
Dang Han-su’s dagger fell at Dang Yu-hyeon’s feet.
“That was a warning. If you value your life, you’d better do your best.”
“Hmm?”
Whish!
A second dagger flew toward him.
Dang Yu-hyeon watched it calmly, then tilted his head slightly to avoid it.
“…!?”
Dang Han-su, flustered, poured even more Internal Force into another dagger and released it.
Whish!
A soft whisper of movement.
This time, Dang Yu-hyeon shifted his body a single step to the side.
Crack!
The Blade, robbed of its target, embedded itself in the floor of the Yeonmujang.
‘What? Surely he didn’t read my move?’
It was impossible.
After all, this was none other than Dang Yu-hyeon himself.
That useless wastrel who cared nothing for Martial Arts and did nothing but idle away his days!
“This can’t be happening!”
Dang Han-su drew forth a surge of Internal Force from his core.
As the energy overflowed through his entire body, those watching the bout gasped in admiration.
“Such deep Internal Force at his age!”
“Ahhh. He’s so brilliant. How can he be so extraordinary?”
“Wow! Look at that! It’ll be over in one strike?”
“Dang Yu-hyeon is finished now. Hah! All that big talk, and look at this fool!”
The children shrieked with fervor.
Dang Han-su, basking in their expectations, grinned wide.
A roaring sound tore through the air.
Explosive force gathered upon the Blade resting in his palm.
When Dang Yu-hyeon made no further movement, he aimed for his opponent’s head.
Whoosh—!
The Blade flew forward at a relatively measured pace.
Then it sharpened into a screech.
In an instant, its speed surged.
A deafening roar erupted.
The Blade spun ferociously, drawing in the surroundings like a vortex.
A thick cloud of dust obscured the view.
“That… that’s the Dark Burst Blade!?”
Someone’s cry sent the crowd’s admiration soaring higher.
“Has he already mastered the Dark Burst Blade?”
“Exactly. Did you think Han-su ranked top in his year for nothing? He’s perfected part of the Dark Assassin Techniques taught here at Yeonhakgak!”
“That’s right! Truly unmatched—.”
A sharp metallic shriek cut through all voices.
As the dust settled, Dang Yu-hyeon retrieving his Blade and Dang Han-su with eyes wide open came into view.
A thin line of blood traced down.
A thread-like wound appeared on Dang Han-su’s cheek, and blood began to flow.
“What…?”
The question came out like a hiss.
Dang Yu-hyeon did not answer.
He only drew his lips into a smile.
Like a predator that had caught the scent of prey.
“You’ve never trained properly, have you?”
His eyes remained unmoved while only his mouth smiled—it was eerie.
“Since you’ve never trained properly, you play games with the Blade.”
“Games? Are your eyes broken? This is the Dark Burst Blade!”
“Your dirt-scattering nonsense isn’t the Dark Burst Blade. You know that yourself, don’t you?”
“You bastard!”
Dang Han-su’s fury meant nothing as Dang Yu-hyeon continued in an indifferent tone laced with mockery.
“Someone like you could never master the Martial Arts of the Sacheon Dang Clan.”
“Shut your mouth!”
Struck where it hurt most, Dang Han-su lost all reason and hurled his Blade wildly.
A sharp whistle cut the air.
Dang Yu-hyeon merely twisted his body and slipped past it again.
“Why won’t it hit! Why! Why! Why!”
Blinded by rage, Dang Han-su shrieked and unleashed his Blade in rapid succession.
Whoosh!
And the next,
Whiiish!
The outcome remained the same.

Dang Yu-hyeon evaded the blade Dang Han-su hurled with his full strength using only the slightest movement.
“Aaaaaaagh!”
With a howl, Dang Han-su threw out his arm.
But there was no blade left in his hand.
“Huh?”
He fumbled through his sleeves in confusion.
There was nothing but saliva and a few bottles of poison where his blades should have been.
“All out?”
Dang Yu-hyeon smiled wickedly.
His eyes gleamed beneath crescents of lids curved like half-moons.
He looked like a predator waiting for exhausted prey to surrender.
“Now, come to your senses. You fool.”
Dang Yu-hyeon pinched a blade between his thumb and forefinger, channeled his Internal Force into it, and flung it.
Crack!
Though he’d tossed it gently, the sound was worlds apart from what Dang Han-su had produced.
Thud!
The blade struck his forehead dead-on.
“Ugh……!”
Dang Han-su collapsed with a cry that sounded like his last breath.
Dang Yu-hyeon brushed his hands clean and looked down at him.
“You’re nothing special, yet here you are showing off.”
“What? This……!”
“Watch your tone.”
Dang Yu-hyeon flicked the blade away and caught it with two fingers.
“Let’s fix your habits today, shall we?”
Crack! Crack-crack!
“Aaaaaagh!”
The bright sound of impacts and piteous screams filled the training hall.
* * *
After the sparring ended, while Dang Jong-cheon stepped out to tidy up, the children were given a rest period.
Dang Yu-hyeon sat with his legs crossed, watching the whispering children with amusement.
He was perched atop Dang Han-su.
“Han-su.”
“Yes.”
“Your waist is sagging.”
“Ugh. I-I’ll fix it.”
At that, Dang Han-su clenched his teeth and straightened his drooping back.
His forehead bore several marks swollen red as if stung by wasps.
Every last one was Dang Yu-hyeon’s handiwork.
“You’re sincere now. Why couldn’t you have been like this from the start?”
“Wheeze, yes!”
Dang Yu-hyeon deliberately put more weight on him and chuckled.
See? Once you beat them all, they straighten right up.
“Do your best, yes?”
“…Yes.”
“Your voice is too quiet?”
“I understand!”
Giggling, he savored this rare taste of victory.
Then Dang Jong-cheon approached, his expression suggesting he was looking at an insect.
Still, he was an elder of the household—one had to mind one’s manners.
Dang Yu-hyeon hopped down from Dang Han-su’s back.
“Oof.”
Dang Han-su went limp and collapsed as though fainting.
Dang Yu-hyeon didn’t spare him a glance and asked brazenly.
“What brings you here, sir?”
“…The patriarch is asking for you.”
Ah. A parent conference.
The Sacheon Dang Clan’s Genius Reformed
Author |
Yi Il-yeong
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(주) Samyang C&C
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Editorial Department
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G720:N+A063-20260615052
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No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means without the written permission of (주) Samyang C&C – Dream Books.

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