The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 575

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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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The Youngest Son of the Eun Hae Trading Company Chapter 575

Chapter 575. The Martial Arts Grand Conference (4)

A short while later, they emerged from their rooms with their belongings gathered.
Since their luggage consisted of nothing more than a single bundle, we departed from the inn faster than expected.
Dae-nok Warrior’s face remained flushed crimson.
No matter how much he thought about it, his anger refused to subside.
Beyond the matter of broken limbs, he had nearly been forced to abandon his life as a warrior altogether.
“Arrrgh!”
He swung his fist toward a nearby tree.
Thud!
If venting his rage this way brought him relief, it would be fortunate… wait?
Crack! Crunch! Thud!
That single punch brought down five or six trees in succession.
That’s strange… that’s not the kind of power a first-rate warrior should possess.
I spoke to Dae-nok Warrior.
“Dae-nok Warrior, if I may be so bold, might I examine your pulse for a moment?”
“Pardon?”
“There is something I wish to verify.”
He hesitated at my words before nodding. Given that I had helped him thus far, he was willing to trust me.
He extended his wrist, and I grasped it, feeling for his pulse.
This is… utterly absurd.
Just moments ago he had been at the level of a first-rate warrior, yet now he stood at the threshold of a peak-realm warrior.
Could this be…?
Still holding his pulse, I spoke to him.
“Take a deep breath and calm your mind.”
“Hahhh…”
“What is your favorite food?”
“I… I favor Dang-ho-ro most of all.”
“Then imagine yourself eating Dang-ho-ro.”
At my words, he closed his eyes, and his rapidly racing pulse began to settle.
Simultaneously, something remarkable occurred.
As his anger subsided, he reverted to the level of a first-rate warrior once more.
Then, shall I test this once more?
“But imagine that Namgung Ho stole that Dang-ho-ro and trampled it.”
“Grrr!”
I heard the grinding of his teeth as his realm surged back to the threshold of peak mastery.
Indeed, that confirms it.
I nodded and withdrew my hand from his wrist.
So is this a personal trait, or a characteristic of the martial art itself?
I spoke to Su-am Warrior.
“Would it be permissible for me to check your meridians for a moment?”
He readily extended his wrist to me, and I examined his inner energy.
Then I tested him identically to how I had tested Dae-nok Warrior.
Similar results emerged, and I withdrew my hand from his wrist as I posed a question.
“Is it possible that the martial arts of Yeon Gyeol Sect possess a characteristic where their power intensifies when one is angered?”
In response to my question, they shook their heads.
“I am not entirely certain of that myself.”
“I have never heard Master speak of such a thing.”
The Master—the Sect Master of Yeon Gyeol Sect—did he truly not know and thus remained silent about it?
Or was he genuinely unaware?
Their martial arts grew dramatically more powerful when they were angered.
But nothing in this world comes without a price.
There must be a corresponding cost….
Grrrrowl.
Growwwl.
There it is.
In exchange for increased strength, they rapidly deplete their vital energy.
We had stopped at an inn on the way here and eaten a meal, so I was not hungry at all—yet already their stomachs were protesting like this.
Perhaps they deliberately refrain from mentioning this because anger causes rapid depletion of vital energy, which wastes provisions?
The circumstances of Yeon Gyeol Sect are not particularly favorable, after all.
Could it be….
I dismissed the thought.
“From what I have observed, the martial arts you both have cultivated possess a characteristic where their power becomes significantly stronger when one is angered.”
“When one is angered, you say?”
“Indeed. If you utilize this well, you should be able to achieve excellent results on the Main Ship.”
“Then we can take our revenge as well?”
I posed a question to him.
“This revenge you speak of—is it directed at Young Master Namgung On?”
He did not answer my question, but that silence was answer enough.
I offered him counsel.
“To strike back as many times as you were struck is the way of the novice. True mastery lies in revenge that ensures your opponent never dares to lay hands upon you again.”
“I do not understand.”
“Even if you take revenge, if your opponent later harms those around you, then your revenge becomes worse than useless.”
“Ah….”
They nodded as if they understood.
Dae-nok Warrior clenched his fists and asked a question.
“Then, are we weak ones simply supposed to endure everything without being able to do anything?”
“That is not the case.”
I shook my head.
“Everyone carries anxiety in their hearts. When that anxiety reaches its peak, people suffer the most.”
I continued speaking.
“When someone I’ve struck possesses the means to take revenge on me, yet refrains from touching me, they cannot fathom my intentions—so they must be dying inside with each passing day.”
“You’re telling us to work hard and climb higher… but the Yeon Gyeol Sect is a small faction that few even know of. No matter how hard we try, we cannot compare to the Namgung Family…”
“Is there anything in this world that cannot be done?”
I cut off his words and spoke with conviction.
“There is nothing in this world that cannot be done. People simply lack the method, or even knowing it, they hesitate to act.”
I grinned wickedly.
“Of course, that’s a matter for later. Right now, you must be burning with the desire to strike them.”
“That’s true.”
“You cannot strike them, but what of a revenge equivalent to that? If you find that acceptable, I shall assist you.”
“Why? Why do you bestow such kindness upon us?”
“Kindness? I do not offer help without compensation.”
“Then you desire something from us?”
“In exchange for my assistance, become a strength for the Eunhae Trading Company in the future.”
“That is all?”
“It is sufficient. So, what will you do? The choice is yours. However, you must be prepared.”
The two exchanged a glance and bowed respectfully toward me.
Snap!
“We humbly accept your offer.”
Their eyes burned with fierce determination.
Excellent eyes.
“Gwak Vice-Manager. Let us draw up a contract.”
.
.
.
We returned to the Yeon Pung Inn.
I instructed Dae-nok Warrior and Su-am Warrior to have their meal, then visited my parents and explained everything from beginning to end.
“My! Such a thing happened!”
Naturally, my parents were furious.
“It’s fortunate that Jin-ho is not here.”
“Yes. That is why I speak of this when my Elder Brother is absent.”
Father chuckled softly.
“Very well. Since you seem to have a plan, do your best.”
“Thank you.”
I lowered my head and changed the subject.
“By the way, I have entered the friendly martial arts competition at the Martial Arts Grand Conference. Why have you said nothing about this?”
This time, my Mother spoke with a smile.
“You’ll handle it well on your own anyway—what good would my advice do?”
“I’ll cheer you on.”
“Hahaha.”
Both of them truly knew me far too well.
“Still, I’m worried about Jin-ho.”
My Mother let out a sigh.
“I’m afraid he might get badly hurt if he stubbornly insists on competing.”
“Ah….”
I laughed awkwardly and gazed into empty space.
Jin-ho. See….
My parents already know.
This is something my Elder Brother will handle himself.
I know nothing of it.
.
.
.
I immediately set about my work.
Judging by the pace of the friendly martial tournament, the remaining preliminaries would conclude in roughly five days.
And that meant I had to elevate Dae-nok Warrior’s abilities within that timeframe.
I brought him to the backyard of the Yeon Pung Inn.
The reason our Eunhae Trading Company rents out the Yeon Pung Inn is precisely because of this backyard.
It’s spacious enough to make for excellent training grounds.
“Then, we shall begin special training now.”
“Yes!”
“We will do our utmost.”
Dae-nok Warrior and Su-am Warrior clasped their fists in salute as they responded.
“First, let’s assess your basic physical conditioning.”
I pointed to the iron structure I had constructed nearby.
A rectangular frame formed by connecting pillars with horizontal bars at chest height—a structure shaped like the Chinese character for “frame.”
I had requested it from the Baek Yeom Merchant Guild under the pretense of it being for my own training, and the Guard Warriors had gone to considerable effort to bring it here.
Everyone knew that I had entered the martial tournament on the League Master’s recommendation, after all.
“I’ll demonstrate first. You hook your legs over the bar connecting the two pillars like this, clasp your hands at your chest, then bend and straighten your body.”
“That seems simple.”
“We’ve done this exercise many times during our training.”
“Good that you’ve practiced it before. Do as many as you can manage.”
“Understood.”
They began performing sit-ups with their legs hooked over the bar.
“Ah! I forgot to mention something important. Do not use your inner energy.”
“Pardon?”
“I’m checking your basic physical fitness. If you use your inner energy, I won’t be able to assess it properly, will I?”
“I see. Understood.”
Beside me, the Yeo Eung-am Warrior and Lee Pil Warrior counted out the numbers.
Hmm, how many times would he manage?
Even without using inner energy, he’d said he’d been training all this time, so a hundred repetitions should be easy enough… or so I thought.
“Sixty-two.”
“Huff, huff, huff, more, I can’t… anymore…”
“Push through! Just one more!”
“Grraaahhh!”
“Sixty-three.”
I clicked my tongue and shook my head.
“How can you be exhausted after merely sixty-three repetitions?”
“…”
He didn’t even have the strength to speak.
The Seo-woo Warrior, who had been training alongside us, spoke with an awkward expression.
“This is going to take longer than expected.”
“Well, it’s fine. We’ll make it work.”
At that moment, the Myeong-jong Warrior and Chang-un Warrior approached.
“Young Master, if it’s not too much trouble, we have a request.”
“What is it?”
“We would also like to undergo special training.”
“Both of you as well?”
“Yes. We’ve come to realize that things cannot continue as they are. If we don’t push forward more fiercely, we’ll only fall behind.”
The eyes of the two men gleamed with desperation.
But I refused firmly.
“That’s not possible.”
“However…”
“There is nothing you two would gain from participating in this training now. It would be a waste of time.”
I sent them a telepathic message.
– From what I can see, both of your basic physical fitness is already sufficient. You’re already training diligently as it is. To add more basic physical conditioning on top of that would be excessive.
“…”
– As I’ve said before, what matters most for you two is enlightenment and opportunity.
Still, the two men looked unconvinced.
I turned my head toward Lee Pil Warrior.
He too was someone genuinely committed to cultivating martial arts and advancing his realm.
At first, he seemed like someone just drifting through each day, but at some point, he changed.
“Lee Pil Warrior.”
“Yes.”
“Why haven’t you asked me to undergo special training together with these two warriors?”
Lee Pil Warrior’s answer was concise.
“That’s because I trust my lord.”
I smiled.
“My lord is someone who prioritizes his own safety above all else. That’s precisely why he considers strengthening the capabilities of us Guard Warriors—to ensure he himself doesn’t fall into danger.”
Well… that’s not an insult, is it?
“If such a lord didn’t recommend that we participate, the answer is clear: we have no need to. After all, isn’t he someone who values efficiency above all else?”
“That’s correct.”
I looked at Myeong-jong Warrior and Chang-un Warrior.
“Could it be that you two don’t trust me?”
“Ah, no!”
“Absolutely not!”
“I understand. I was merely joking.”
I laughed lightly to ease the tension and continued.
“Impatience is the greatest obstacle that ruins endeavors. If impatience leads you into demonic cultivation, then all your efforts until now will have been in vain.”
“…”
“What you all need is, as I’ve said before, enlightenment and opportunity. So wouldn’t you trust me just this once?”
At my gentle tone, they knelt and apologized.
“We apologize. We were too impatient.”
“Please reprimand us for our hastiness.”
“Please, stand up. There’s no need to go that far. You’ll damage your knees.”
Despite my words, they remained on their knees.
These Dae Moon Sect disciples are certainly rigid in their thinking.
“Then if I were to kneel as well…”
“Ah, no! We’ll stand up!”
They sprang to their feet immediately. They should have done so from the start.
“If you cannot trust me as a person, then trust me as a merchant. As Lee Pil Warrior said, I don’t engage in unprofitable ventures.”
I turned my head and spoke.
“So then, Dae-nok Warrior. Su-am Warrior.”
The two warriors were still lying on the ground, breathing heavily.
“These remaining five days will become unforgettable memories for you both.”
I ordered the two warriors to perform the basic sword forms ten thousand times each, then asked Palgap to procure medicinal herbs.
“Here, I’ve obtained the medicinal herbs, but what do you intend to do with them?”
“What else? I’m going to prepare a medicine for the two warriors. This is something I happened to learn about.”
From my previous life, that is.
“It’s called Tiger-Bear Elemental Body Decoction—a medicinal brew that forcibly enhances physical stamina.”
“So if they drink this, their stamina will increase?”
“Yes.”
“But… the fact that you haven’t drunk this yourself suggests there’s a reason.”
Palgap’s perception is as sharp as ever.
“Correct.”
There were several reasons why I hadn’t consumed this decoction myself.
“First, you’ll suffer from terrible muscle soreness.”
“Then I should rest… ah, no, that won’t work.”
I nodded.
“You have to keep moving regardless. That’s what doubles the effect and reduces the pain.”
“What else is there?”
“Ah, this… it tastes absolutely vile. Chewing on bile would be preferable.”
“Really… to that extent?”
“Yes. And for four days, you drink only medicinal broth three times a day. Nothing else touches your lips. Do that, and you’ll see results equivalent to three months of training.”
“Pain and terrible taste. Both things you despise, Young Master.”
That’s precisely why I don’t drink it.
I’d rather train every day instead.
But time is scarce now, so I’m using this as a last resort.
Some might call it unfair, but we’re scions of the Three Great Families—we’ve grown up consuming precious tonics since childhood.
So isn’t this the bare minimum for fairness?
“I’ve already warned you.”
You need to be prepared for this.
“You could always run away.”
“Run? Think that’s possible?”
“Squeak!”
If you run, you’re saying you’ll drag me back?
Fine. I’m counting on it.

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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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