Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 165

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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 165
When Yang Hwi arrived at the Baek estate’s main grounds.
As expected, crowds of people had gathered like mountains in the surrounding area.
‘Beyond the distinguished guests I summoned, spectators who heard the news have flocked here in droves.’
At times like this, one truly feels the saying that rumors travel faster than arrows loosed from a bow.
We fought a great battle against those Black Blade thugs in the dead of night, and now merely half a day has passed—roughly six hours at most.
I glanced sideways at Namgung Cheon-hu.
Him, surrounded by his subordinates.
It wasn’t for protection. Those who had been his subordinates were now escorting him under guard.
Bound in rope, Namgung Cheon-hu gazed at the assembled crowd.
His eyes appeared empty, yet simultaneously so full that they seemed hollow instead.
‘A blank canvas painted pitch black is also a black canvas with nothing painted upon it.’
Before the main gate, its ornate patterns beautifully embroidered by our ancestors.
Baek Moo-ryang, spotting Yang Hwi, immediately rushed forward.
“Hwi.”
“Father… haha.”
Yang Hwi answered awkwardly with laughter.
‘Now, is it time to pay the price?’
There were truly many things I’d done without Father’s knowledge.
I could wager that he would certainly impose a punishment of at least solitary confinement and writing the Five Relationships ten thousand times.
‘But who am I?’
Though no one knows it, I’m the greatest prodigy under heaven who even defied the passage of time itself.
I’ve thought through every countermeasure.
‘Strike first and victory is assured. One cannot spit at a smiling face!’
I deliberately smiled even wider and exclaimed.
“Your son has returned!”
“…”
Baek Moo-ryang said nothing.
Like Namgung Cheon-hu, his eyes seemed both empty and full, merely gazing at me steadily.
‘Huh… I didn’t anticipate this reaction.’
I expected him to pour out emotions half-worry, half-anger.
Yet his demeanor was so calm and composed.
“We can talk between father and son later. First, it seems you have something to say.”
“Ah, yes.”
I turned my head toward Beop-gak and continued.
“Monk, this is my father and the Family Head of the Baek family. Father, this is the Shaolin elder, Monk Beop-gak.”
“It is an honor to meet you. I am Baek Moo-ryang of the Twin Blade Sword Association.”
“Amitabha Buddha, I am Beop-gak. The many people have graciously bestowed upon me the title of Jeong-sim Arhat.”
After exchanging names briefly, he gazed at the assembled distinguished guests, spectators, and even Namgung Cheon-hu, then looked back at Baek Moo-ryang.
He was seeking permission.
-Do what you have planned.
My father’s voice transmission. I had initially intended to explain through voice transmission, but there was no longer any need.
‘Tsk. This makes me even more anxious. Does he trust me and grant permission, or is he telling me to see this through to the end?’
Either way, the water had been spilled. I drew upon my inner energy and shouted loudly.
“I, the Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon, humbly report to the assembled martial artists of the Baek Family!”
Immediately, whispers erupted amid the commotion.
“The Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon—I’ve heard rumors about him recently, but he’s truly young. Or rather, ‘young’ doesn’t even begin to describe it.”
“To think such a youth defeated the notorious Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol!”
“Bah, surely he received help from other martial artists.”
“You fool! Over a hundred people witnessed the battle that took place last night!”
‘They seem to know everything already. I have to admit, the speed at which rumors spread is impressive.’
“Last night, a grave matter occurred at the main family!”
After explaining the events that had transpired since the Baek Family declared all-out war against the Black Sword of Gangseong, and the suspicions that had accumulated.
I pointed deliberately at Namgung Cheon-hu, bound in rope.
“Namgung Cheon-hu! Though I harbored doubts, I chose to believe, and thus I desperately tried to deny the truth. Yet he stood behind all the mysteries that have occurred!”
A lie. In truth, Namgung Cheon-hu had done little of consequence.
I had blocked or destroyed everything beforehand.
Just as I had defeated Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol and Lee Baek of the Black Sword who sought to annihilate the Baek Family last night.
“Namgung Cheon-hu colluded with the Black Sword and acted as a hidden manipulator, and at dawn today, he even attempted to murder me!”
I deliberately refrained from stating Namgung Cheon-hu’s true motives for his misdeeds.
It was to maximize people’s questions and curiosity.
Only after building sufficient suspense did I point to Namgung Seong-il and continue.
“Namgung Seong-il. Explain why your family head committed such acts.”
The reason I had him speak instead of explaining directly was simple.
Namgung Seong-il seemed to have guessed the reason, and he opened his mouth with a darkened expression.
“Our family head was… consumed by inner demons, making sound judgment impossible. Therefore…”
“Everything!”
I cut him off at precisely the right moment.
There was no need to listen to the Namgung Family’s excuses about how they had recognized the situation and assigned subordinates, or how they had monitored to ensure he didn’t cross the line.
“Everything stemmed from one man’s inner demons!”
A brief silence. Not a soul among the spectators dared speak.
They didn’t even dare whisper.
The Namgung Family’s reputation was too illustrious, and carelessly adding words could invite their displeasure.
-Monk Beop-gak. Would it be possible to ask for your testimony? Hehehehe.
Upon receiving my voice transmission, Beop-gak stepped forward.
“Everything Namgung Cheon-yeong has said is true. I am a witness to these facts.”
Only when a member of Shaolin vouched for me did the silence break.
The commotion erupted even more vigorously than before.
“Inner demons? Consumed by inner demons, a martial artist of the Baek Way—and the Namgung Family Head no less—joined hands with the Black Sword?”
“Inner demons?”
“Consumed by demonic influence, betraying their own Baek Do martial family and even attempting to kill them…”
“That’s just a misunderstanding—”
“Silence!”
“Demonic influence or not, such atrocities cross every line! He must have been wicked from the start!”
“Outrageous! The Soga-joonim of Namgung would commit such acts!”
“The Namgung Family must make reparations for this incident!”
“Of course they should! The Namgung Family is among the most prestigious clans in Baek Do!”
Listening to the murmurs rippling through the crowd, Namgung Cheon-hu closed his eyes quietly.
Today’s events would spread across the realm like gossip with wings.
Embellished by rumor upon rumor, it would tarnish the Namgung Family’s name.
‘The Family Head has achieved what he desired.’
Family Head Namgung Il-geom, who wanted his son’s hands stained.
One way or another, they were stained.
‘But black isn’t just ink…’
Charcoal is black as well.
The moment Baek Moo-ryang’s voice reached him, Namgung Cheon-hu understood instinctively.
The rumors would become charcoal to set the Baek Family ablaze.
“To the righteous warriors of all directions, the Family Head of Gaecheon Baek Family has words to share.”
Baek Moo-ryang’s gaze swept across the assembled masses.
It was heavy. Not the heaviness of his eyes, but the weight of Baek Moo-ryang himself as a person.
And people called such presence authority.
“The Baek Family’s declaration to eradicate the Black Path in days past—though success is whispered, I dare proclaim it now.”
The crowd fell silent, waiting for Baek Moo-ryang’s words, just as they had when the Namgung Family’s authority had cast its shadow.
‘Father has… truly grown so much.’
Baek Moo-ryang, who could imprint authority upon the masses with merely a glance, was more than adequate as the Family Head.
“The five Black Path factions of Gilju, and the support of the Honam Black Path led by the Hyeong-san School.”
Baek Moo-ryang’s voice grew louder, resonating thunderously across all directions.
“We of the Baek Family! The main house that follows the righteous path of Gaecheon! Have achieved victory!”
That was the moment.
“Uwaaaaaaaah!”
A roar like thunder erupted from the crowd.
All around, only cries praising the Baek Family filled the air.
“Gaecheon Baek Family!”
“When was the last time a martial school truly stood for us common folk!”
“Not since the Heavenly Sword Immortal Baek Cheon!”
“Hahahaha! Baek Cheon was of the Baek Family, after all!”
“The founder who opened the Baek Family!”
“Now that those who have inherited his righteous will have grown so mighty, it is the fortune of Gangseong!”
“Twin Blade Swordmaster! Twin Blade Swordmaster!”
“Twin Blade Swordmaster! Twin Blade Swordmaster!”
The crowd began to chant Baek Moo-ryang’s epithet in unison.
The excitement that had continued for a while shifted to another.
“Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon! Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon!”
“Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon! Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon! Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon!”
“At merely sixteen years old, displaying the bearing of a hero—this is truly a blessing for us people of Gangseong!”
“Not even of age yet, and he defeated that Hyeong-san Eum-hyeol!”
“Honestly, when I first heard the epithet ‘Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon,’ I thought he was too young to even be a lesser dragon, let alone a true one!”
“I felt the same way! I thought the rumors were exaggerated!”
“But he is already a dragon, is he not!”
“Truly, he deserves to be counted among the dragons of the realm!”
In the martial world, the epithet of dragon carries special significance.
Like the phoenix, only young prodigies who demonstrated excellence beyond their years could earn the epithets of dragon and phoenix.
Today, Yang Hwi had truly become a dragon in the truest sense.
“Does the Baek Family have only the Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon as a hero! Are there not others! Il-il-il-hyeop!”
Gu Ak, who had been listening contentedly to the cheers, suddenly wore an expression of surprise.
“Though he dwelt in darkness, he has reformed and now displays such heroic bearing!”
“Indeed, it is far harder to become clean from what was once black than from what was originally white!”
“Was it not because of Great Wanderer Gu Ak that the Baek Family began to rehabilitate those from the dark path! They saw potential in him!”
“Il-il-il-hyeop! Il-il-il-hyeop!”
“Il-il-il-hyeop! Il-il-il-hyeop!”
It was at that moment.
“Friends, is ‘Il-il-il-hyeop’ not rather difficult to pronounce!”
It was the cry of a renowned connoisseur in Gangseong, famous for his love of crafting epithets for warriors.
“Quite right!”
“It does sound awkward!”
“Allow me, Master Chang, to offer a suggestion! Since he has transformed from black to white and displayed great righteousness, how about we call Great Wanderer Gu Ak henceforth the ‘White-Transformation Great Wanderer’!”
“That’s excellent! It sounds perfect both to hear and to say!”
“White-Transformation Great Wanderer! White-Transformation Great Wanderer! White-Transformation Great Wanderer!”
Gu Ak’s mouth split into a wide grin.
Yang Hwi seized the opportunity and sent a transmission of qi.
-Elder Brother Gu, are you truly so pleased? You’re acting like a child, being so delighted over an epithet.
I had caught a chance to tease him, but unexpectedly, Gu Ak nodded readily.
-Hehe, it’s wonderful. By the way, Little Brother Seo.
-Yes?
-I’m truly grateful that you suggested I join the Baek Family back then. Truly… it was the best decision of my life.
Yang Hwi fell silent for a moment.
Gu Ak’s sincerity had reached his heart.
-I was trying to tease you, but if you express gratitude so earnestly, what does that make me.
-What does it make you? A person with no manners and no sense, who only enjoys pestering others—a character of ruin.
I took one hit. Yet I felt neither ill will nor any desire to retaliate.
I simply smiled.
Today was the moment I would reap the fruits of over a year’s careful planning and scheming.
‘Perfect couldn’t describe it better.’
That’s what I thought, but then perfection gained another dimension.
“I am Gyeong, a guest merchant from Gilju, and I have words to present to the Family Head of the Baek Family!”
Everyone’s gaze shifted in one direction.
Baek Moo-ryang’s eyes gleamed with recognition as he identified the speaker.
“You are not Gyeong Ju-san, the association leader.”
I immediately sent a sound transmission to Chu Dal.
-Chu Dal, who is this man?
-The guest merchants are scattered throughout the vast lands of Gilju, yet they form associations to look after one another’s bloodlines. Gyeong Ju-san is one of the leaders of such associations.
“Family Head Baek. First, I offer my boundless gratitude for the eradication of the Black Blade gang in Gilju.”
Upon hearing Gyeong’s words, I grasped a crucial truth.
The guest merchants had indeed rejected the Baek Family’s protection.
Yet, judging from Gyeong’s demeanor.
‘The timing has aligned perfectly, as if by fate itself.’
Such a thought crossed my mind.
Today was truly a day blessed by heaven’s fortune.

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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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