Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 112

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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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Third-rate Martial Arts Family, Greatest Under Heaven – Episode 112
Han Supervisor collapsed.
Not feigning—he genuinely fell.
His vital energy had reversed course from sheer overwhelming joy.
“Han Supervisor!”
“Loosen his collar and lay him down comfortably so the blood flows freely!”
“Come to your senses!”
Amid the commotion, I simply smiled.
Because I had one certain method to revive Han Supervisor.
“Han Supervisor, but we must give half to the Tang Family.”
“What, what!”
Han Supervisor, who had been lying down, sprang to his feet.
“Why! How could that be!”
“We suffered together, so I cannot take it all alone.”
“Hmm… Must I? Truly? Is it absolutely necessary?”
“Strictly speaking, since I was the one who brought the gold, Elder Dang and his sister won’t say anything…”
“Ooooh!”
Han Supervisor’s face brightened instantly.
Then he began preparing to collapse again.
“Still, we must share. I’m already sorry for taking so much separately, so my conscience won’t rest unless I give them money too.”
Even half—five thousand taels—was more than enough.
“….”
Han Supervisor stared blankly at the ceiling with the expression of one who had lost family.
He posed his question in an anguished tone.
“If you took much else, for example? Things of monetary value, Young Master Hwi?”
“Unfortunately not money. It’s already in my belly.”
I explained about the iron rings that had sealed the Blood Demon Sword at the end of the Sword King Spear, and the arrangement of the Heaven Piercing Sword Technique.
“I see. So the Sword King Spear was actually a seal for a demonic beast.”
“Eight spirit pills consumed. Remarkable, even with weakened strength. You’ve gained tremendous inner power.”
He chuckled and patted his lower abdomen where the dantian resided.
“Yes. In terms of capacity, this exceeds one tier.”
“Ooooh!”
“Inner power of this capacity at fifteen years old! Ah, the sun has set, so I’m sixteen now.”
“Remarkable indeed!”
Suddenly Baek Moo-ryang’s expression grew worried.
“Gaining fortune is auspicious, yet excess brings ruin. Can you bear this burden?”
I nodded with confidence.
“Yes. I have devoted myself to body tempering from the start, so my physique endures without issue.”
The more perfect one’s physical cultivation, the more inner power one can contain.
This capacity of power was substantial, yet posed no problem.
“Then I’m relieved. I would appreciate it if you could explain more about the sword technique you’ve obtained.”
True to his nature as the patriarch of the Baek Family, Baek Moo-ryang showed the greatest interest in the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique.
‘Unfortunately, I cannot teach Father about this.’
The reason was simple: only those who possessed Seon-gi could fully unleash the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique.
Well, through endless research, one could eventually weave the enlightenment contained within it into other martial arts.
‘Hmm? Wait a moment. Could it be…?’
In my past life, the Namgung Family monopolized everything about the Sword King’s Legacy.
The first move of the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique, Heavenly Pressure—a technique embodying the imagery of a vast and boundless sky pressing down upon all things.
‘Originally, the Namgung Family’s signature technique was the Spear Heaven Unobstructed Sword Technique.’
However, around the time of the Demonic Cult’s rise, the Namgung Family shocked the world with a newly created exclusive martial art.
‘The Emperor’s Sword Form. Could it have originated from Heavenly Pressure?’
The Emperor’s Sword Form—a sword technique so superior it surpassed even the Spear Heaven Unobstructed Sword Technique, a supreme art counted among the finest in all the Martial Arts World.
If I considered the imagery and martial principles contained within it, my suspicion seemed likely to be true.
But how did they derive the Emperor’s Sword Form from Heavenly Pressure?
It would be impossible with ordinary martial talent… but then again, there was Namgung Cheon-yeong.
A peerless genius called the greatest swordsman of the Namgung across generations, Namgung Cheon-yeong.
With him as the progenitor, deriving the Emperor’s Sword Form from Heavenly Escape would be well within his capabilities.
‘If that’s the case, then the current Namgung won’t obtain the Emperor’s Sword Form. How amusing.’
Unintentionally, I had broken one of the wings of those Namgung bastards.
“Hehehehe.”
“Young Master Hwi. Why do you suddenly laugh?”
“Ah, my apologies. In any case, regarding the Sword King’s Legacy, I will interpret and analyze it as thoroughly as possible, then apply it to the Baek Family’s martial arts.”
“Hwi, do you think it’s possible?”
“I’ll make it possible. If successful, I can assure you that the Baek Family’s martial arts will rise to the next level.”
If Namgung Cheon-yeong created the Emperor’s Sword Form from Heavenly Pressure, there was no reason I couldn’t achieve the same result.
“Ohhhhh!”
“The Hwa-cheon-i-won-gong and Gae-cheon-bak-pal-geom already contain wondrous principles. To think they could develop further—how exciting.”
Baek Moo-ryang asked with gleaming eyes.
“Is there nothing this old man can help with? Perhaps advice on the enlightenment of the supreme realm or how to handle sword qi?”
Ah, now that I think about it, I forgot to mention something.
I pulled my lips into a wide smile and subtly raised one finger.
“Hah! Sword qi!”
“Hwi! Have you reached the supreme realm!”
“That is correct.”
Everyone present fell into astonishment—no, shock.
“This cannot be!”
“At sixteen years old, reaching the supreme realm? Surely there is no precedent for this in the current Martial Arts World?”
“Impossible! Even the direct descendants of the Nine Sects and Five Great Families are called unprecedented geniuses if they reach the supreme realm in their youth!”
“And to think you can already manifest sword qi without even drawing a blade. Hwi, you truly are a genius!”
I smiled contentedly, savoring the torrent of exclamations and praise.
‘It’s all true and obvious, but it still feels good.’
At sixteen years old, possessing such formidable inner strength and having already reached the pinnacle realm?
This meant that the Baek Family had given birth to the greatest prodigy under heaven.
Perhaps the greatest even across the past hundred years, or even two hundred.
“With three peak masters now belonging to the Main Residence, our influence will expand exponentially.”
“Our reputation will soar, so it’s only natural.”
“If this is the case, we must drastically revise our plans for family expansion!”
“Work increases yet we’re this delighted—truly wonderful!”
Hearing such sweet words was pleasant, but at this rate the meeting would drag on until nightfall.
Yang Hwi brought up the final agenda at an opportune moment.
“However, there is one problem. We must decide what to do with the demonic blade I brought back.”
I lifted the Blood Soul Demonic Blade from the floor and unwrapped the cloth that had been tightly bound around it.
Immediately, a blood-red blade gleamed forth, and a sinister aura filled the entire space.
“Tch, one can feel the malice just by looking at it.”
“It truly deserves to be called a demonic artifact of this generation.”
“Those with weak resolve would suffer harm merely from gazing upon it.”
The characteristics of the Blood Soul Demonic Blade had already been shared beforehand.
Therefore, no one stepped forward to touch it.
“Hwi, since it’s your spoils of war, I’d like to hear your thoughts first. What do you wish to do with the demonic blade?”
“It must be destroyed.”
“Indeed. That’s certainly what we should do.”
It was an artifact that should never exist in this world.
Though it was sturdy and held a sharp edge, considering the potential malevolent influence, it would be best to destroy it without hesitation.
“The problem lies in the method. I’ve tried countless approaches on the way here, yet it remains intact.”
Even when I struck it with sword energy refined to the absolute limit, not a single scratch appeared.
Though it was a demonic blade, it truly deserved to be called a divine artifact.
“Hmm. We’ll need expert opinion on this.”
I called a servant and ordered him to bring Baek Cheol.
Shortly after, Baek Cheol entered with a timid expression.
“You called for me, Family Head…”
Baek Cheol, whom I had rescued from slavery after he was kidnapped by the Heukrang-pyoguk and became the blacksmith of the Baek Family.
Though several years had passed, Baek Cheol remained timid and easily intimidated by trivial matters.
Still, despite this, he was brilliantly developing his exceptional talent for blacksmithing, so it was of little concern.
“Blacksmith Baek, examine it and tell me how to destroy it. Don’t touch it.”
Baek Cheol stared at the Blood Soul Demonic Blade for a long time.
Sometimes he asked me to flip the blade, and at other times he examined it from every angle while groaning.
“I… I apologize, but I’m afraid I have nothing to tell you at this moment…”
“Why is that?”
“All metals have different properties depending on their type. My knowledge is insufficient—I cannot even determine what metal this was forged from.”
In other words, there was currently no way to destroy the Blood Soul Demonic Blade.
“Then, Baek Yajang, I need you to dedicate yourself fully to researching the Demonic Sword and finding ways to break it. If necessary, reach out to the blacksmiths of the Tang Family for assistance.”
“Yes, understood….”
With this, all the matters arising from my external journey were finally resolved.
The core members’ council began discussing future plans that would change based on what we had gained.
“First, it’s important to solidify our hegemony over Wuzhou….”
“Coordinate with Jeong Wol-mun to pressure the Southern Heaven Martial Arts Sect….”
“Soon we should begin discussions about advancing into Wonzhou, Gilzhou, and Nanchang….”
About half an hour had passed when it happened.
One of the household members burst through the council chamber door.
“Family Head!”
“Hmph. Can’t you see we’re in a meeting?”
“Urgent news! The Young Master has returned!”
Yang Hwi and Baek Moo-ryang both wore expressions of confusion.
Meanwhile, Yeo Un-hyeok and Han Supervisor looked as though something had struck a nerve.
“Returned? Where had the boy gone?”
“That brat—where did he go instead of training?”
“Ahem. Family Head. Allow me to explain.”
Han Supervisor paused for a moment, considering how to convey Baek Heon-so’s absence as gently as possible.
In the meantime, Baek Heon-so entered the council chamber.
“I… Father….”
“Heon-so. Tell me yourself. Where have you been?”
“That is….”
I observed the fidgeting Baek Heon-so quietly for a moment.
‘I closed myself off for cultivation and then immediately left on my journey, so it’s been half a year since I’ve seen the boy.’
At an age when one grows rapidly, he had changed quite noticeably.
His height seemed to have increased by half a foot.
From what I could sense, he’d been training diligently.
But why does he seem so hesitant?
“Heon-so. Elders are present. Compose yourself and speak.”
“Ah, yes, Elder Brother.”
Baek Heon-so took a deep breath and continued.
“I… went on an external journey.”
“An external journey? For how long?”
“That is… about two weeks….”
“Heon-so, is that true! What in the world could possibly require you to be away from home for two weeks!”
As the shocked Baek Moo-ryang questioned him, Baek Heon-so’s gaze turned toward me.
“Because Elder Brother was on a journey… I wanted to do something for the Main Residence as well.”
I suppressed the urge to press my palm to my forehead.
‘The boy felt hurt that I left without telling him. And he even took Chu Dal along with him.’
Moreover, judging by his demeanor and expression, it was clear he hadn’t simply gone on a journey—he’d gotten into some kind of trouble.
“So. Tell me what happened while you were away. What did you do?”
“Elder Brother. That is… I visited Soaksan.”
It was an answer that made my brow furrow involuntarily.
Soaksan was home to Namcheon Martial Hall, which competed with the Baek Family Estate and Jeong Wol-mun for dominance over Wuzhou.
Unlike Jeong Wol-mun, whose relations had recently improved somewhat, we were currently in constant friction with Namcheon Martial Hall.
To be precise, Namcheon Martial Hall had been sharpening their blades and applying pressure against the Baek Family Estate.
“Surely not. Did something happen with Namcheon Martial Hall?”
“…I promised a martial duel. Somehow, a wager ended up being made…”
“A martial duel! And with a wager on top of it!”
The exact sequence of events was as follows.
Wandering about pondering how to create something beneficial for the Main Residence, I found myself in Soaksan.
There I met people from Namcheon Martial Hall and arranged a duel with their hall master.
“What did you wager? Speak at once.”
“After one year of cultivation, we will duel, and the loser will grant the winner one wish.”
On the surface, it seemed merely a childish wager between young prodigies.
But this could become an opening that provided Namcheon Martial Hall with justification and opportunity.
Given that Namcheon Martial Hall already had their hackles raised against the Baek Family Estate, it was obvious they were scheming something.
“The hall master of Namcheon Martial Hall is two years older than the young master, and it is known that he has already reached the peak of the second-rate realm.”
“Since the young master’s martial prowess has only just entered the second-rate realm, even with a year’s time, it will be difficult to close the gap.”
“If the duel takes place, defeat is more likely.”
Baek Heon-so, who had been listening to the conversation, hung his head low.
He was well aware that he had made a grave blunder.
But.
“Heon-so.”
“…Yes, Elder Brother.”
“Well done.”
“…Pardon?”
Yang Hwi smiled with amusement and glanced around at those gathered.
“It seems the young master has created a favorable pretext for the Main Residence.”
“How so, Young Master Hwi?”
“Is there some advantage to this?”
The reason was simple.
“If we win the duel, we can demand something from Namcheon Martial Hall.”
“But the young master is clearly inferior to Namcheon Martial Hall’s hall master.”
“Even after a year, the young master will be merely sixteen years old, while Namcheon’s hall master will be eighteen—fully grown. The odds of victory will only diminish further.”
It was all sound reasoning.
At this point in time, it was true that the young master’s chances were indeed lower.
But then again.
‘It’s time I took a hand in this.’
“One year. Within exactly one year, I will make the young master a first-rate master.”
“Hmm? Is such a thing even possible?”
“To reach the First-Rate Realm from the very threshold of the Second-Rate Realm in merely a year? It’s inconceivable.”
“Young Master Yang Hwi. It pains me to say this, but Young Master Baek is not a prodigy of your caliber.”
A First-Rate Master at merely sixteen years of age?
Even for one blessed with transcendent talent, such an achievement would be extraordinarily difficult to attain.
Thus, it was only natural that people harbored doubts about such a claim.
And yet.
‘There’s always a way to make it happen.’
I gazed at Baek Heon-so and smiled knowingly.

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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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