Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 161

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Third-rate Martial Arts Family, Greatest Under Heaven – Episode 161
I had prepared three secret strategies to face the Black Sword.
Every move played its role, and we succeeded in drastically reducing the enemy’s numbers.
But.
Objectively speaking, the disparity in overall strength still favored them.
It couldn’t be helped.
From the start, we were outnumbered and outmatched by three to four times over.
They say defense holds a threefold advantage over offense.
I had maximized that advantage, and as a result, morale surged and we fought evenly in this moment—or so it seemed.
‘In the end, the Martial Arts World grants victory only to pure strength.’
Pure strength. Martial force alone.
Therefore, my final move against the Black Sword had to be martial prowess itself.
‘Otherwise, I would never earn the world’s recognition.’
Why had I met the Black Sword with only our current forces, knowing we were at a disadvantage?
The greatest reason was to prove the Baek Family’s qualifications.
To announce to all that we possessed the strength to claim the title of prestigious family without aid from the Namgung or Tang families.
‘In that sense, a victory won through stratagem would only tarnish our glory.’
Overcoming numerical inferiority through formation arrays, combined formations, and the power of hidden techniques to seize victory?
That would merely prove we possessed superior tactics.
The world would praise the Baek Family’s strategies as rivaling the Jegal Family’s.
But.
They would never grant us the title of prestigious family.
To become a prestigious family—a clan worthy of discussing the world—we must prove strength above all else.
“Forward! Today, the Main Residence claims the title of prestigious family!”
Only martial prowess would suffice for this final moment.
With the Main Residence’s martial strength, we would crush our enemies beneath our heel.
“Uooooooh!”
Adu charged forward with the ferocity of a bear that had conquered an entire mountain.
The brilliant golden light radiating from his entire body repelled the Black Sword assassins’ approach, carving open a path worthy of being called a grand avenue.
Of course, the Black Sword bastards attempted to seal the passage once more.
“Young Master! Advance!”
“Brother! Leave our rear to us!”
Yeo Un-hyeok and Chu Dal, who had held back until now, wielded twenty strands of heavenly silkworm thread between them.
Hidden Shadow Silk Binding, Returning Current Bundle Leaf.
Like a single gust of wind wrapping around leaves, twenty strands of thread created a tempest, denying all approach.
Thus, the two warriors of the Divine Pivot Meridian protected the path Adu had carved.
Yet, it was still insufficient.
“Now it is my turn! All members of the Gengsheng Pavilion, follow me!”
Gu Ak, who had fought harder than anyone at the frontlines.
Now, he who was called the Pavilion Master of the Gengsheng Pavilion wielded two axes, unleashing axe energy in a torrent.
“Back off, you black path bastards!”
A dike is needed to hold back the waves.
Those who were once of the black path but had been whitened by the Baek family’s will now stood against them.
Thus, a dike formed along the assault route that Adu had created and the Divine Thrust Meridian maintained.
“Go, Junior Seo!”
The very front of the frontmost line.
A formation sharp as an awl, piercing toward the enemy commander himself.
Death could come at any moment without surprise.
Yang Hwi did not hesitate.
He ran along the assault route without looking back.
-Kiiiiaaah!
Gripping only a single blade imbued with purpose in his hand!
‘I trust them!’
Everything the Baek family had built up through effort against the current of time now stood before me.
I believed without doubt.
Simply running, ever running, I aimed for Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol ahead.
“Adu!”
“Yes! Uoooh! Hundred Step Divine Fist!”
I leaped off Adu’s shoulders.
Along with the fist energy of the Hundred Step Divine Fist sweeping away the black path before us.
Thus I arrived.
Within striking distance of Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol.
Yang Hwi smiled wickedly and raised his blade with flourish.
“The Young Master of the Baek family, Yang Hwi! The Ascension Sword Dragon challenges Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol, Sect Master of the Hyeong-san School, to a life-or-death duel!”
A lion’s roar that rang out across all directions.
For just a brief moment, everyone forgot to swing their blades and swords.
In other words, everyone present recognized the challenge to a life-or-death duel.
‘No retreat, bastard.’
“Laugh. The enemy commander made a foolish decision. Your victory is right before your eyes.”
“….”
Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol said nothing, instead glaring with bloodshot eyes.
“Baek Yang-hwi… You… How dare you, how dare you!”
“You can refuse if you wish. I, the enemy commander, stand before you. You could simply have your subordinates kill me and claim victory.”
A chilling sound of grinding teeth echoed from Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol’s jaw.
Yang Hwi laughed once more at the sight.
“Too ashamed to do it?”
The black path has no pride.
It is the nature of the black path to rush at strong warriors like a pack of dogs.
But.
Even the black path possesses something that must never be lost.
It was face—or rather, the qualifications of a leader.
In other words, the right to stand at the top.
A sixteen-year-old boy had wagered a life-or-death duel against an old man who had lived far longer than his years.
By any rational standard, my action was no different from a suicide pact that would drag the entire family down with me.
‘But if I refused and joined forces with my subordinates instead?’
In that moment, I would have to relinquish my position as the Hyeong-san Sect’s Master.
Because in the Martial Arts World, a leader who cannot prove their dominance becomes nothing but prey ripe for the taking.
“If you won’t refuse, then let’s fight!”
It was irrational, but that was the Martial Arts World.
A realm where people lived by the blade alone.
War, politics, schemes—in the end, everything in this world of swordsmen came down to proving one’s martial prowess.
“How dare a wretch who barely survives by unleashing his latent power attempt such a thing?”
The battle resumed.
Between us, our blades clashed, each strike carrying our intent.
Yang Hwi and Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol exchanged words.
“That’s right. I dared to do this. So let’s fight. If things turn against me, I’ll call my subordinates and use them.”
Led by Adu, we pierced through like an awl, reaching Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol at the center of the Blackblade formation.
In other words, the formation’s advantage now tilted toward Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol.
Therefore, he had to prove himself.
“Good. Young fool, I’ll teach you clearly that there exists a heaven above your heaven.”
‘Even if I unleash my latent power… I must crush him in a single breath.’
“Is that possible? For me, there is only one heaven.”
My form extended gracefully.
The Gicheon Step, which I had created ten years ago and had now reached its pinnacle.
Layering only speed and swiftness with each step, I swung my blade.
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
“Impossible!”
Though it was the collision of steel and flesh, a metallic ring erupted.
Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol’s hands, masterful in close combat, possessed the strength to crush iron itself.
“I don’t know how you recovered your true energy so quickly, but today is your death anniversary!”
Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol’s hands moved according to mysterious principles, pressing inward.
Though it was called a sparse technique of the Blackblade sect, the enlightenment it contained could not be underestimated.
But.
‘What good is enlightenment? You’re merely at the peak realm.’
-Screeeech!
“Hey, old man. Let me ask you something. Have you attained even one of the three enlightenments?”
“Silence!”
Clang-clang-clang!
“Actually, I already knew the answer. You never attained any of them.”
Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol’s temples throbbed with fury.
That bastard’s lost his mind.
‘It’s strange. If I think about my past life, I should have grasped one or two insights by now.’
During our previous clash, I could only face Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol after awakening my latent power.
He certainly possesses martial strength among the highest echelon of the peak realm.
But it falls short.
The Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol of my past life was never merely this weak.
Which means in the remaining five years, he’ll achieve enlightenment at an absurd pace.
‘Never mind. This isn’t the time to think about that.’
“I suppose this senior must teach you a lesson.”
“I told you to shut up!”
As if defying Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol’s cry, my blade began to sing.
-Kiiiiiii!
-Kiiiiiii!
As if possessed by will itself.
‘Living Vital Qi.’
What is Living Vital Qi?
Simply put, it is this.
Why, if you look at those miscellaneous texts commonly found in the Martial Arts World, don’t certain scenes appear?
Where the protagonist who consumed poison loses consciousness, yet their qi moves of its own accord, refining their body.
‘In other words, making the qi move on its own.’
Moving on its own—in other words, let us contemplate what ‘movement’ truly means.
All things that move possess one essential requirement.
Will itself.
A human whose spirit shatters and intellect is lost becomes an idiot, unable to sustain life.
Conversely, to move—whether human or qi—one must possess will.
Living Vital Qi.
Qi that lives and moves, imbued with will.
‘The first condition for qi to embrace will is… spirituality.’
Here, spirituality means.
Intention and mental imagery.
-Kiiiiiii!
The Gae-cheon-bak-pal-geom’s fourth form, White Feather Suppresses Stability.
The new variation, Heavenly Wing Suppresses Peak.
A single strike descending with the momentum to cleave all between heaven and earth.
The new variation that even melted the enlightenment of Geom Seon.
Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol’s face contorted.
Heavenly Wing Suppresses Peak contained a force that even Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol, who had trained in martial arts for over sixty years, could not withstand.
“Krraaaagh!”
I attempted to split him in two from head to groin, but even a rotten fish can evade—he dodged.
‘Well, this much is sufficient.’
I lifted the corner of my mouth as I stared at the arm of the one writhing on the ground.
“A practitioner of hand techniques loses an arm? I’ll wait, so go pick it up and reattach it.”
“You! You bastard!”
Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol spewed out his desperation.
“How! How! How could a mere child like you!”
This young brat was certainly no match for him just months ago.
He had been overwhelmed for a moment, but hadn’t he failed to trigger his latent power?
And yet, it took only one second.
His arm was severed in a single second.
An unbridgeable gap had opened between them.
“Impossible! Absolutely impossible!”
No matter how much sword energy was infused into a single strike, it should be impossible to pierce through a body tempered for decades and wrapped in protective energy.
Not unless the energy itself had gained life and taken form.
“Living Vitality Energy cannot be achieved in mere months!”
“Ah, but the greatest martial talent under heaven can do it.”
Should I continue playing with him?
“G-get away from me!”
As Yang Hwi pressed forward again, fear settled across Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol’s face.
As he wildly swung his remaining arm, his guards began a coordinated assault.
“I expected this. Seolha!”
-Yes, Senior Brother!
A transmission of sound arrived from afar. Simultaneously, a melody rang out.
Ding-ling! Ding-ling-ling!
A celestial melody that clashed with the battlefield awash in blood and flesh.
“Krraaagh!”
“Kugh!”
The melody not only damaged those black-robed bastards, but struck Yang Hwi as well.
In that instant, the sword in his hand began to cry out madly.
-Kiiiiiaaaaah!
Ding-ling! Ding-ling!
The hawk’s cry and the beautiful melody harmonized as one.
The melody became one with the cry, unleashing it upon the enemy.
Combined technique, Jade Sound Hawk’s Roar!
‘This is the combined technique of Senior Brother and me, you bastards!’
One of Seong Cheol’s abilities—amplification.
Sound meeting sound creates resonance.
Resonance is amplification itself, and the combined strike of two peak masters swept forward with a force beyond belief.
“Krraaagh!”
“Kraaagh!”
Blood sprays and chunks of flesh filled the space in all directions.
I stepped on the Gicheon-bo once more.
Before I knew it, Yang Hwi stood before Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol, who had been fleeing.
“P-please… spare me…!”
“It’s over, bastard.”
The White Hawk swept its wings.
Each feather embedded with perfect precision carried the essence of a blade.
Shing—!
A thin line appeared across Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol’s neck.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————