The Patriarch of the Northern Heavens - Chapter 8

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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 8

I withdrew a single root of Polygonum multiflorum that I had secretly hidden in my robes.
According to Nam Cheon, it was a hundred-year-old specimen.
It was a precious medicinal ingredient that would be treated as a miraculous elixir anywhere in the world.
Surely I could gain at least five years’ worth of inner energy from it?
‘Normally, I would brew it into a decoction and drink it.’
But for now, I simply washed it thoroughly and decided to chew it raw from the root.
Crunch!
A bitterness so intense it made my tongue tingle surged forth, and the essence of the century-old Polygonum multiflorum began to flood through me.
I immediately activated the Vajra Yaksha Divine Art to absorb it directly.
The energy circulated through every corner of my meridians before flowing into my dantian.
The absorption rate of the energy was impressively high.
Every bit of incoming energy transformed into my own.
‘At this rate, I might gain ten years’ worth instead of five.’
The energy I obtained began to transform my body according to the incantations of the Vajra Yaksha Divine Art.
It reshaped my physical form to be even more suited to the Vajra Yaksha state.
Crack. Crackle.
Accompanied by the sound of bones and muscles shifting, my skeleton hardened and my muscles grew more resilient.
Considerable pain surged through me, but I bore it without complaint.
I understood this was a necessary process.
How much time had passed?
“Exhale.”
I released a light breath.
The essence of the hundred-year-old Polygonum multiflorum had been completely absorbed.
My physical condition had improved beyond measure from before.
Perhaps it was time to begin sword training in earnest?
Having absorbed such potent energy, I decided to continue my cultivation.
I unrolled the Phantom Thief King’s Footwork Technique that I had obtained from Nam Cheon’s hideout.
Thanks to having reviewed it throughout the night, I had already memorized the incantations, but….
I had not yet internalized the finer details.
I activated the Vajra Yaksha Divine Art while simultaneously executing the Phantom Thief King’s Footwork Technique.
It truly lived up to the reputation of a legendary thief’s movement technique.
Despite my considerable build, each step I took while executing the footwork was remarkably light.
My movements were so fluid that they produced almost no sound.
Moreover, by channeling energy into the Yongquan acupoint on my sole, I could achieve sudden bursts of acceleration.
A speed that even I, the practitioner, found startling.
‘If I ever need to conduct an ambush or pursuit, this will prove invaluable.’
The only issue was that my proficiency was still too low for practical combat application.
But that was something I could resolve through continued practice, so there was no issue.
As my thoughts reached this point, I found myself breaking into an amused smile at a rather funny realization.
‘Aren’t I picking things up far too quickly?’
It seemed I truly possessed a talent for thievery.
If I had formally studied under Phantom Thief King, wouldn’t there be a chance I’d be called a divine thief?
Either way, it was a good thing for me.
The more cards I could play, the better.
Shing!
I stopped mid-movement through Phantom Thief King’s footwork technique and drew my sword instead.
Since I had nearly finished building the foundation of my physical body, it was time to begin earnest sword training.
True to the name Bukcheon Sword Family, our clan was renowned for our swordsmanship.
At one point, we would have ranked among the top five greatest sword schools in the entire Central Plains.
‘Of course, that was before I was even born.’
Regardless, the mere fact that we stood on equal footing with forces like the Mudang Sect, Huashan Sect, Jongnam Sect, and the Namgung Clan was extraordinary.
That must be why the Dark Shadow Force had spent so much time weakening us.
I had no intention of playing along with their schemes any longer.
I would shatter their plans with Bukcheon’s sword.
“Huu.”
I steadied my breathing lightly and focused my mind.
What followed was the opening form of the Gale Chain Sword technique.
Gale Slash.
The most fundamental and essential technique that formed the foundation of martial arts.
Its core essence lay in delivering a swift slash worthy of the name “gale.”
Crack!
In an instant, the wooden target I had set up before me was cleaved cleanly in half.
It was so clean that even the cross-section was razor-sharp.
I was momentarily startled by the power of the slash I had unleashed.
‘This much power?’
Since this was the first time I was executing it after returning to the past, I had been in a highly concentrated state.
But even accounting for that, the power was stronger than I had anticipated—far beyond what I could have imagined at this point in my original timeline.
‘It seems multiple factors have worked in my favor.’
The experience and enlightenment accumulated in my first life.
And the physique honed by the Diamond Yaksha Divine Art.
Combined with the inner energy I had gained from the century-old Polygonum multiflorum.
All of these elements harmonized to produce such formidable power.
Realizing this, I began dancing with the sword like a madman.
Until I had completely exhausted the inner energy gained from the century-old Polygonum multiflorum.
After swinging the sword for quite some time, I felt a pleasant sense of fatigue wash over me.
“Huff, huff, huff.”
After wielding the sword for so long, I stretched out in a wide stance.
Sweat poured down like rain, drenching my clothes.
Yet the power of the Vajra Yaksha Divine Art continued to drive my body forward relentlessly.
‘Finally, this feels like genuine training.’
The true strength of the Vajra Yaksha Divine Art grew stronger the more one pushed oneself to the brink of one’s limits.
In other words, the more I endured such brutal cultivation, the greater my growth would be.
‘At this pace, I’ll reach my former level within a few years.’
Once I achieved that, I could then pursue what lay beyond.
The Celestial Martial Earthly Realm—the pinnacle my grandfather, whose face I had never seen, had supposedly attained.
Reaching that realm was my primary objective.
With such power, the Dark Shadow Force would not dare handle me carelessly.
‘Now that I think about it, I should begin preparing countermeasures against them.’
If my instincts were correct, they would not welcome my growth to such heights.
They would likely interfere multiple times.
They might even threaten my life directly.
‘I cannot rely solely on Sa Gong-cheon as my protector. I must simultaneously strengthen my martial power while making myself untouchable.’
But how?
It was an extraordinarily difficult problem.
They rarely revealed themselves in the Central Plains, but when they did act, they struck with ruthless precision.
I needed to possess at least one or two methods to counter their schemes.
And I knew the answer.
‘Connections.’
I simply had to ensure I was not alone.
Of course, this did not mean marriage; rather, it meant expanding my circle of relations to make myself difficult to touch.
After all, was it not common sense that a renowned figure was far harder to target than some nameless nobody?
Especially if I possessed ties to powerful masters who could shake the martial world of the Central Plains, I would become nearly untouchable.
And fortunately, I knew someone nearby with whom I could forge such a bond.
‘Moyong Hyun-rak, the Jade-Eyed Sword Demon.’
He would make an excellent ally for me.

* * *

At the same moment.
Sa Gong-cheon stood apart from Jin Muyeol, who was training alone, delivering his report to Lee Tae-gyeom, the Elder Council Chairman.
“Hmm.”
Lee Tae-gyeom, who had set aside a steaming cup of tea to read the report, appeared visibly displeased.
“So you’re telling me that thief really said such a thing?”
“Yes. I heard it clearly. He said he would provide a substantial sum of money if I would put the Young Master in a difficult position….”
“That matches what was written in the letter. Then it wasn’t the boy’s fabrication after all?”
Lee Tae-gyeom tilted his head in confusion.
He had believed this theft incident was Jin Muyeol’s own orchestration to expand his influence.
Indeed, if it were a fabrication, much of it would make sense.
But according to Sa Gong-cheon’s report, it seemed someone had actually made such a proposal.
“How foolish. To leave evidence behind while committing such an act.”
Lee Tae-gyeom muttered irritably. Sa Gong-cheon then asked him cautiously.
“I… Elder Council Chairman. This truly wasn’t something you ordered, was it?”
After all, Lee Tae-gyeom was a person seriously suspected of being the culprit in this incident.
At Sa Gong-cheon’s words, Lee Tae-gyeom’s expression became peculiar for a moment.
Rather than answering immediately, he gestured toward Sa Gong-cheon.
“Come here.”
“Yes? I understand….”
Crack!
Lee Tae-gyeom struck Sa Gong-cheon’s cheek with a sharp blow.
Thud!
With a loud sound, Sa Gong-cheon’s body rolled across the floor.
Lee Tae-gyeom spoke in a cold voice.
“Get up.”
“…!”
Sa Gong-cheon rose without even a whimper and assumed a rigid stance.
Lee Tae-gyeom raised his finger and jabbed it sharply into Sa Gong-cheon’s chest.
“Listen, Sa Gong-cheon. Do you still not understand your position?”
“….”
“You are a dog that I raise. When I tell you to bark, you bark; when I tell you to bite, you bite. That is your existence. So why do you harbor such questions?”
“…I apologize.”
“Even if this were something I had done, you should never have asked me such a question. It is not your place to do so. Remember this well. Unless you wish to receive another slap.”
Lee Tae-gyeom spoke thus and let out a derisive laugh.
Sa Gong-cheon simply bowed his head.
Negative emotions surged within him toward Lee Tae-gyeom, but he suppressed them completely.
Perhaps his emotions had loosened somewhat, for Lee Tae-gyeom continued speaking.
“Well, to answer your question—this incident was not something I ordered. It was likely the work of some fool beneath me acting on his own. I suspect it was Wang Jin, that wretch… though I cannot be certain.”
Lee Tae-gyeom clicked his tongue in disapproval. His attitude made it clear he was truly displeased.
“If I interrogated them now, they would all deny responsibility. The only saving grace is that the thief hasn’t been captured. Though if he had been, I would have killed him to silence him anyway.”
“….”
Sa Gong-cheon clamped his mouth shut.
In truth, he knew full well that Nam Cheon had once been captured by Jin Muyeol.
He also knew that he himself had released Nam Cheon to save his life.
‘How starkly he contrasts with the Family Master.’
The Jin Muyeol that Sa Gong-cheon had witnessed was a great hero—someone who, even toward those who had wronged him, felt such compassion that he would exhaust every means to preserve their lives.
The Elder Council Master before him now, by contrast, was a petty, small-minded wretch who valued human life as nothing—a villain of the basest sort.
The very thought of serving beneath such a person made his stomach turn.
‘But I must endure. For my daughter’s sake, I….’
It was precisely as Sa Gong-cheon harbored these thoughts.
Lee Tae-gyeom sat with his chin resting on his hand, lost in contemplation as if something had just occurred to him.
After a moment of deliberation, a sinister smile crept across his lips.
“Very well. That should suffice.”
“Pardon?”
“The Family Master, I mean. Why not eliminate him before he grows any stronger? Of course, we cannot leave traces, so we cannot act directly ourselves.”
“…!”
Sa Gong-cheon’s face drained of all color.
What Lee Tae-gyeom was suggesting now was tantamount to ordering Jin Muyeol’s death.
Yet, oblivious to Sa Gong-cheon’s reaction, Lee Tae-gyeom continued with a cheerful laugh.
“I wonder if there are any suitable fellows nearby. Rogue sects would do nicely, or those dark faction dogs either way. Let me think… Ah! Those would be perfect.”
Lee Tae-gyeom turned to the guard beside him with gleeful eyes and issued his command.
“Contact the Red Wolf Gang. Tell them we have a job that needs doing.”

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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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