The Patriarch of the Northern Heavens - Chapter 27

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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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Master of the Bukcheon Sword Family – Chapter 27

“You… how dare you…!”
Lee Tae-gyeom’s voice trembled with fury as he spoke.
It wasn’t simply that Sa Gong-cheon, a master of the peak realm, had blocked his strike.
After all, he hadn’t channeled his inner force or killing intent into that attack.
What shocked him was that Sa Gong-cheon—whom he’d treated as nothing more than a hunting dog—had dared to defy him.
Sa Gong-cheon had never shown such defiance to him before.
“Please stop, Elder Won-ju.”
“What… what did you say?”
“I am not some wooden puppet for you to strike whenever you please. And yet you resort to violence like this?”
“You… you dare…!”
“As for this matter, I’ll be honest—I knew about it. I even participated in the operation with him. But there’s no reason I should have reported it to you, is there?”
“…!”
“I am the bodyguard of the Young Master, not yours. I’ve already pledged myself to him, so there’s no obligation for me to report to you.”
“Ungrateful wretch! Do you forget whose support has kept your daughter alive all this time?”
“I’m truly grateful for that. But haven’t I repaid that debt by serving as your hunting dog for years? I believe that’s sufficient compensation.”
“Fool! Without my support, your daughter dies!”
“That’s no longer your concern. So don’t expect me to obey your orders any longer.”
“You wretch! Do you wish to die?”
Boom!
The room shook violently.
Lee Tae-gyeom had unleashed his power to crush Sa Gong-cheon beneath it.
The title of Elder Won-ju was no mere formality—his cultivation had reached the Harmony Realm.
By rights, Sa Gong-cheon, despite being a peak master, should have been unable to breathe.
By rights, that is.
Shing!
Sa Gong-cheon drew his blade in an instant, infusing starlight into the steel.
A resonant hum filled the air.
From his luminous blade, sword force erupted outward.
“Sword force!? How did you…!”
Shock flooded Lee Tae-gyeom’s face. He’d never imagined Sa Gong-cheon had become a transcendent master in the interim.
Sa Gong-cheon spoke, his face slightly pale.
“Of course, if you truly wish it, you could kill me easily. But I won’t simply accept that fate. At the very least, I can create enough commotion to draw others here.”
“What!”
“If that happens, your sinister scheme to use me to monitor the Young Master will become known throughout the entire clan. Do you understand what that means?”
“You… you dare blackmail me?!”
“It’s not blackmail—merely stating what will occur. So please, think wisely.”
Sa Gong-cheon’s threat was effective.
Lee Tae-gyeom gnashed his teeth, but he had no choice but to suppress his fury. He pointed accusingly at Sa Gong-cheon and roared.
“You ungrateful wretch! Get out of my sight this instant!”
Despite Lee Tae-gyeom’s pointed finger, Sa Gong-cheon didn’t so much as flinch.
“Yes. I shall take my leave.”
And just as Sa Gong-cheon turned to depart with composure, Lee Tae-gyeom unleashed a curse in a voice twisted with malice.
“You will pay dearly for daring to betray me. I suggest you take good care of your family.”
“Elder Won-ju.”
That was the moment.
“…!”
From Sa Gong-cheon emanated a killing intent so fierce and overwhelming that even Lee Tae-gyeom, a master of the Harmony Realm, could not ignore it.
Lee Tae-gyeom flinched and stared at Sa Gong-cheon. Sa Gong-cheon’s face was more savage than ever as he glared at him.
“I would advise you not to even think of laying a hand on my family.”
“…!”
“If you so much as attempt to bring harm to my family….”
Sa Gong-cheon radiated a terrifying aura as he delivered his warning, making it abundantly clear this was no empty threat.
“I will make you taste hell itself.”
*Sheathe.*
Sa Gong-cheon sheathed his blade.
“By any means necessary.”
With that, he left Lee Tae-gyeom’s chamber.
What remained was a shattered table, a ruined room, and Lee Tae-gyeom, who had been utterly overwhelmed by Sa Gong-cheon, if only for a moment.
“Damn it!”
*Crash!*
He kicked aside the table that was already in ruins. And his mind turned to the root cause of all this turmoil.
“Jin Muyeol…!”
That cursed bastard who had suddenly changed and begun sabotaging his plans.
Everything was his fault. Had it not been for him, Lee Tae-gyeom would never have suffered such humiliation.
“I won’t let this slide!”
He bellowed alone in the chamber. But there was no one to hear him.

* * *

The next day.
“Hmm. So that old man said such a thing.”
I fell into contemplation as I listened to Sa Gong-cheon’s report.
“You did well, first of all. Hearing your account puts my mind at ease.”
“To be honest, I do regret it. If only I had endured a bit longer and continued to relay Elder Won-ju’s plans to you, sir….”
“No, there’s no need for that. You’ve already done more than enough of your duty. There’s no reason to bear insults when you needn’t.”
“Master….”
“Besides, now that this matter has come to light, Lee Tae-gyeom wouldn’t have trusted you anyway. Whether you stayed or left, it makes little difference in the end.”
Thus, Sa Gong-cheon’s decision to leave his post was the right one. At least, that’s what I believed.
“The concern is whether Lee Tae-gyeom might make a move against your family.”
Hmm.
What should I do about this?
After a moment’s thought, I clapped my hands together.
“Why not relocate your residence?”
“Pardon?”
“Move out of your current home and bring your wife and Rin-ah into the Bukcheon Sword Family compound itself. That way, you’ll be safer from any potential kidnapping or assassination threats.”
It’s not as though he couldn’t act within the Bukcheon Sword Family grounds, but there would certainly be more witnesses inside the bustling family compound than outside.
“Many of our main family’s martial artists already live within the Bukcheon Sword Family compound with their families. You could do the same. And of course, I’ll have the Saeying Division keep a closer watch over your situation.”
“B-but, that would require funds, and we’d need to find a new house….”
“Don’t worry about the money. I’ll cover all expenses. As for housing, there should be something available. We haven’t built a settlement as large as the Tang Family Village, but we have what we need.”
“M-master!”
Sa Gong-cheon dropped to his knees, visibly moved.
“I don’t know how to repay such kindness….”
“Stand up. Your service as my guard has already been invaluable. And lately, you’ve been helping with my training as well.”
I personally helped Sa Gong-cheon to his feet, though he remained kneeling.
His eyes had reddened.
“We’ll handle your family’s situation this way. Does that suit you?”
“Yes. I shall follow your word, Master.”
“Good then.”
I crossed my arms and pondered what lay ahead.
“For now, Elder Won-ju’s faction will remain quiet. They’ll keep their heads down and hide to avoid this tense atmosphere.”
“Then do you intend to eliminate them all at once, sir?”
“No, I don’t think that’s wise. Right now, they’re busy covering their tracks. It won’t be easy to uncover their wrongdoings.”
Moreover, even if I did expose them, there was another problem.
If I tried to uproot everything at once, there was a risk they might resort to extreme measures.
Sa Gong-cheon, having listened carefully to my explanation, spoke with a hardened expression.
“You’re concerned about a rebellion from the elders, sir.”
“Yes. The elders have accumulated considerable power over the years. If they unite against me, the Bukcheon Sword Family could be torn in two.”
Of course, such a thing was unlikely to occur.
The elders themselves would know that the Bukcheon Sword Family is necessary for their own authority.
But one could never be too careful.
It was always wise to prepare for contingencies.
“For now, Hani, I think it’s best to strengthen our foundation. Rather than pushing the elders to their limits, I should establish my own authority as the Young Patriarch alongside the Patriarch, increase my martial prowess, and resolve both the accumulated problems within the family and those we’ll face ahead.”
“Whatever you decide to do, Young Patriarch, I will follow with unwavering loyalty.”
Sa Gong-cheon spoke with a solemn expression.
He was surely sincere.
I let out a soft chuckle and nodded. Having an ally like Sa Gong-cheon gave me great reassurance.
“Then, what should I tackle first….”
I fell into thought for a moment.
Not because there was nothing to do, but because there was far too much.
Then something came to mind.
“I need to visit the Patriarch.”
“It seems something has occurred to you.”
“Yes.”
As I calmly recalled memories from the past, one thing came to me.
A way to strengthen the family’s overall power while also greatly advancing my own martial cultivation.
“I must meet with my Great-Uncle.”

* * *

I immediately sought out my father and informed him of my plan.
That I would leave the family for a time to meet with my Great-Uncle, my grandfather’s elder brother.
Naturally, my father was quite startled.
“Muyeol. How do you know of him? His existence should have been hidden….”
“When you were bedridden, Father, I studied the secret history of our family. I learned of him through a fortunate opportunity.”
“That’s not information one could discover by mere chance….”
My father spoke with a hint of bewilderment.
Yet he did not press further.
Regardless of how I obtained the information, he trusted me.
‘I apologize for not being truthful, Father.’
I silently asked for his forgiveness in my heart.
But how could I tell him I heard it directly from you in the past?
‘This information was what you told me just before you passed away.’
I recalled those distant memories and waited quietly for my father to speak.
My father let out a light sigh and began his explanation.
“Since you seem to know quite a bit, I’ll be honest with you. Your uncle… or rather, your great-grandfather to you. He is currently guarding the Sacred Ground of our Bukcheon Sword Family.”
“The Sacred Ground?”
“It is the place where our Bukcheon Sword Family’s founder, the Wind God, is buried.”
My father looked directly at me as he spoke.
“When those of our Bukcheon Sword Family… the Jin clan… go there, they can undergo the trials that our ancestor has prepared.”
“I’ve heard tales of it, and the rewards one can obtain by passing through that trial as well.”
“Hah, you certainly know a great deal.”
“So Great-Uncle is guarding that place, then?”
“Indeed. He voluntarily maintains his post to prevent outsiders from entering the Sacred Ground. Though the formation is already in place, so he could return to the family and live in comfort… yet he persists.”
“There must be purpose in his choice. In any case, I shall visit there briefly.”
“You intend to challenge the Sacred Ground?”
“Yes.”
I nodded immediately at my father’s question.
I met his gaze and continued with utmost seriousness.
“It is the only way to master the lost Wind Divine Technique.”

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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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