Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 121

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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 121
While everyone stood mesmerized as if they’d witnessed a celestial maiden descending from heaven, I casually threw out a remark.
“Why are you trying so hard to look pretty? How annoying.”
Jegal Seol-ha’s brow furrowed sharply.
“Senior brother! I haven’t seen you in a year, and that’s your first greeting? Annoying? Really?”
“What else can I say? It’s the truth.”
Jegal Seol-ha pressed her lips together and glared at me.
“Hmph. I heard your voice in the commotion and eagerly made my way here. If I’d known this was coming, I should’ve just stayed alone drinking wine.”
“Are you upset?”
“I’m not.”
“You’re upset.”
“I said I’m not!”
“Welcome. It’s good to see your face. It’s been a long time, Seolha.”
Only then did Jegal Seol-ha break into a bright smile.
An extraordinarily beautiful smile. The men around us found themselves staring at her once more in a daze.
“By the way, where’s your veil? It seems like it would suit you well.”
“Oh. I took it off while drinking alone. I forgot about it.”
“You’re always so careless.”
“Well, as long as I have a senior brother to catch me if I stumble, it’s fine.”
Despite her beauty rivaling that of a celestial maiden, her manner of speaking with me was no different from that of a young girl of this mortal realm.
Because of this, the men gradually came to their senses.
“Ahem. Hehe! Miss, who might you be?”
A man asked while striking a pose with his fists clasped, trying to appear impressive.
He was the same one who had been ordering So Wol-hyang to pour wine.
Jegal Seol-ha’s gaze turned toward him.
Her eyes were cold as ice—utterly different from how she looked at me.
“When introducing oneself, a well-bred person doesn’t skip the courtesy of letting the other person speak first.”
In other words, his behavior was that of an ill-mannered fool.
The man’s face flushed red with embarrassment, but her beauty was too overwhelming for him to express his anger.
“Dazzled by such peerless beauty, I’ve forgotten my manners. I am Jeong Yeong-sang of the Jeong family in Hangzhou.”
“I see.”
“And you, miss?”
“I’d rather not say.”
She had spoken of introductions requiring self-introduction first, but she had never agreed to exchange names with him—such was Jegal Seol-ha.
Despite being rebuffed repeatedly, Jeong Yeong-sang did not give up.
“Names matter little anyway. But I never imagined such a refined lady would be acquainted with that rude fellow. This must be fate—how about we enjoy some refined entertainment together this evening?”
“How old are you? I’m sixteen.”
“….”
Jeong Yeong-sang was exactly twenty-six this year. The age difference was far too great for a first meeting to involve such intimate entertainment.
Yet he continued speaking without shame.
“I’m ten years your senior, so if you’d like, you may call me older brother, haha!”
Yang Hwi, watching this unfold, curled his lips into a slight smirk.
This bastard—it seems I don’t even register in his eyes anymore.
Well, it was only natural to lose one’s wits upon first encountering Jegal Seol-ha’s beauty.
Even if he’d overcome his heavenly curse, the fact that she possessed a peach blossom physique remained unchanged.
“In ten years, even mountains and rivers transform, yet you wish to be called older brother?”
“My admiration for Miss Wol-hyang is as unchanging as diamond, haha.”
Jegal Seol-ha, suppressing words that nearly burst from her throat, glanced sideways at Yang Hwi.
“….”
Simply letting it pass would only irritate her further.
Instead of speaking aloud, she sent a transmission of spiritual energy to him.
-What nonsense.
In an instant, Yang Hwi’s eyes blazed like fire lanterns, fixed upon Jegal Seol-ha.
“M-Miss…?”
-What are you staring at? Have you lost your mind? Do you have a death wish, you shameless bastard?
Diamond, of all things? What diamond?
The true diamond is… Jegal Seol-ha’s gaze turned toward Yang Hwi.
Steadfast and resolute—the very image that had allowed her to change, the catalyst that made her yearn to follow him.
An eternally scarred rock that never wavered.
‘That’s the true diamond.’
Even now, wasn’t it so?
While everyone else was mesmerized by her beauty, he told her not to pretend to be pretty.
This was why Jegal Seol-ha cherished her peer and senior brother.
“Senior brother. What are you doing here? Come down and catch up with me.”
“I still have business to attend to. Wait a moment.”
“Instead of waiting, you’ll buy me expensive wine, right? I couldn’t order any because I was short on funds.”
“Sure. I’ll treat you well.”
“Awesome! But what business is it?”
Yang Hwi pointed toward So Wol-hyang.
“I want to escort her.”
“Ah, I see. From the atmosphere, I can roughly guess what this is about.”
Jeong Yeong-sang stared at Jegal Seol-ha with bewildered eyes.
Her demeanor was entirely different from the transmission of spiritual energy that had echoed in his ears.
What was absurd was that his pride wasn’t wounded, nor did anger surge within him.
Rather, he wished she would treat him the same way, hoping to hear more of her voice.
Though it was their first meeting, and the time was brief, genuine admiration and yearning for Jegal Seol-ha had already taken root.
This was the function of the peach blossom physique—to influence the spirit of others.
“Sister. Come with us. You seem quite knowledgeable about music—wouldn’t you like to discuss kindred spirits together?”
Jegal Seol-ha looked toward the men and made her request without hesitation.
“Is it alright if I come along?”
“Well, that’s…”
“For now, Miss Wol-hyang should remain here, but…”
“If you wish to leave…”
Jeong Yeong-sang and the other men couldn’t bring themselves to refuse Jegal Seol-ha.
Even the security guards of Wol-hang Tower couldn’t stop her as she led So Wol-hyang away.
‘I was planning to make a scene, but things are working out nicely.’
Sending that letter to Gok-ryeol Mountain was indeed the right call.
While I hadn’t anticipated this particular use, Jegal Seol-ha was proving her worth perfectly.
‘Helping the master’s ten-thousand-person strategy while also persuading Miss Seo. This is killing two birds with one stone.’
That was precisely why I had invited Jegal Seol-ha to Hangzhou.
“Yang Hwi, you’re back? This tastes amazing!”
As So Wol-hyang and I returned to the original guest room, Adu called out cheerfully.
A smile bloomed naturally on my face. This fellow had been making such a fuss beside me, yet here he was contentedly filling his belly.
“Yes. Enjoy it.”
After my brief response, silence settled over the room.
We hadn’t even introduced ourselves yet, so awkwardness was inevitable.
It was I who broke the silence first.
“Drinking by the lake, first clear then rainy. The scenery of West Lake truly seems incomparably beautiful.”
A poem composed long ago when Su Dongpo gazed upon West Lake and marveled, drawing comparison to the beauty of Xi Shi through the tale of the sinking fish.
As I spoke while looking down at West Lake beyond the window, So Wol-hyang also turned her head.
“It seems you are fond of Su Dongpo, Young Master.”
“One cannot help but admire him if one enjoys poetry.”
“…”
She didn’t respond, but I caught a glimpse of her true feelings.
‘I’ve scored a few points. Well, that’s natural.’
With that thought, I spoke again.
“Miss Seo. The master did request conversation, but if you’re unwilling, you may leave.”
“No. I’ll stay for a while.”
I knew it. So Wol-hyang hated being indebted.
Though, considering what she desired, she might have wanted to build rapport with Jegal Seol-ha.
‘She’s someone who is sincere above all else when it comes to music and dance.’
As expected, So Wol-hyang looked toward Jegal Seol-ha.
Within her characteristically calm gaze lay warmer emotion.
“The Spring Night melody you were humming, miss—I listened and genuinely marveled. For one so young, you possess remarkable skill.”
“Thank you for the praise, sister.”
“For a mere courtesan to be called sister is excessive.”
“What else would I call my sister but sister? Anyway, your own skill seems far from ordinary as well?”
As Jegal Seol-ha spoke, her gaze turned toward So Wol-hyang’s hands.
Delicate and fair, yet upon closer inspection, hidden beneath were rough calluses.
They were traces revealing just how diligently So Wol-hyang had cultivated her mastery of instruments.
“Sister, what instrument do you like best?”
“I’ve learned many, but the seven-stringed zither is what I’m most confident with.”
“Oh, what a coincidence! I love the tone of the seven-stringed zither too. I just don’t carry it around because it’s so heavy.”
I watched the two young women chatting away softly.
Well, calling them women was a stretch—both were quite young.
Even So Wol-hyang, the older of the two, still had three years before reaching adulthood.
‘Like a painting come to life.’
So Wol-hyang, one of the three great beauties of Hangzhou.
In terms of appearance alone, Jegal Seol-ha was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen throughout my entire life.
Watching the two of them discuss music beneath the moonlight streaming through the window, I couldn’t help but think this must be what a celestial maiden painting by a master artist of the age would look like.
As I gazed, Jegal Seol-ha felt my stare and turned her head, our eyes meeting.
“By the way, Senior Brother, who is that monk over there?”
Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t introduced Adu to them.
“He’s a Shaolin Monk. His name is Adu.”
“Wow, a Shaolin Monk? I’ve seen quite the spectacle right after coming down the mountain. Hello, Monk?”
Adu, who had been eating without paying attention until now, tilted his head.
“Hmm…? Half-good person.”
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
“Good, but only half good.”
“…?”
Jegal Seol-ha looked at me with eyes seeking an explanation.
Hmm. It’s not easy to say someone’s a bit lacking right in front of them.
“Our monk is just a bit simple-minded. Don’t mind it. You’ll get used to it once you spend more time with him.”
“You’ll keep traveling together?”
“Yeah. He clung to me and won’t let go.”
Adu grinned widely and shouted.
“Yang Hwi, good person!”
“…I’m only half-good, but why is Senior Brother a good person? That seems odd. It should be the opposite.”
“Seol-ha, there’s substance to your words?”
Still, I was curious why Jegal Seol-ha was only half-good.
‘I can explain myself being good because I possess Seon-gi. But Seol-ha doesn’t have Seon-gi, so why is she half-good?’
“Adu. How is Seol-ha good? What do you mean by half-good?”
Adu scratched his bald head and pondered for a moment.
“Could have been bad, but became good.”
“Hmm?”
That was a remarkably meaningful statement.
‘The soul-seizing demon of my past life. And Seol-ha of this life. Could it be…?’
No, that couldn’t be. Even if I could see through Seon-gi, there’s no way I could discern the differences between past and present lives.
While I was thinking such thoughts,
Jegal Seol-ha and So Wol-hyang had already returned to their original conversation topic.
“Sister! Won’t you show us your skills? I’m so curious.”
“Of course.”
Hearing the eager cry, So Wol-hyang smiled gently and began plucking the seven-stringed zither that sat in the corner of the guest room.
Ting, ting, tinging.
Her voice began to blend with the delicate melody.
“The sound of flowing streams becomes the Buddha’s teachings, and the voice of valley waters swollen by night rain is like the eighty-four thousand Buddhist sutras.”
Su Dongpo’s enlightenment song. It seemed she had chosen a poem specifically related to Buddhism since Adu was present.
Soon So Wol-hyang’s melody ended with a lingering final note.
“Having heard such beautiful music, I should offer a response song, shouldn’t I?”
It was then that Jegal Seol-ha began untying the knots of her sleeve.
“Seolha. Will you do it with me?”
“Huh? With you, senior brother?”
“Yeah. I’m in the mood for it too.”
To be honest, it was to leave a stronger impression on So Wol-hyang.
She tended to open her heart more easily to those versed in music.
Just as she had quickly become close with Jegal Seol-ha.
“Sounds good. This will be fun.”
“I’ll play. You sing. That works?”
“It’s not just okay—it absolutely has to be that way. Your singing is terrible, senior brother.”
“I’m not that bad, am I?”
“It’s rotting, to my ears.”
This girl.
I’d have to straighten out her manners soon and restore my authority as senior brother.
“Miss Wol-hyang. Forgive my intrusion for a moment.”
When I first met Eum Hu, I was completely ignorant about music, but as the saying goes, even a dog learns something after three years at a village school.
The years I spent as Eum Hu’s disciple were enough to change me.
“It is humble skill, but I hope you will judge my effort rather than my ability.”
Drawing my sword, I stood the seven-stringed zither upright.
“Why do you hold a sword in your hand?”
“I lack confidence in plucking the strings, so I thought I’d use my specialty—the sword.”
I brought the sharp blade close to the strings.
Remarkably, not a single string broke.
Then, moving gently left and right, the blade rubbed against the strings.
In other words, I used the sword as a bow to play the strings.
A clear, crystalline melody began to resound—different from the sound when played by hand.
Ching, ching, chinging!

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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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