Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 185

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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 185
The conference bringing together all the core members of the Dang Family continued unbroken for a full four days.
Not a single person slept, they sustained themselves with hastily made rice balls, and even suppressed their biological needs—all to focus intensely on one singular topic.
‘Why do I have to be trapped here too?’
Because of that, I had asked Baek Heon-so to prepare a meal for me, but I never made it there to eat.
Well, I understood their sentiment.
It would be strange to hold a conference without the very person who established the martial theory.
“The Samyang-gwiwon-gong. Baek Gong-ja. I acknowledge it.”
The one who spoke was Dang Seok, one of the core members of the Dang Family.
After establishing the theory of independent cultivation, most of the Dang Family had taken a cooperative stance toward martial arts exchanges with the Baek Family, but the Grand Elder—highest in rank and equally conservative in valuing tradition.
The very person who had opposed sharing the incantations of the Samyang-gwiwon-gong now wore an expression of genuine admiration for me.
“I thought sharing the core secret techniques of our main family was a decision that made no sense. But this old man was wrong.”
If anything, Grand Elder Dang Seok was the highest-ranking figure among the opposition faction.
That Dang Seok spoke thus meant there was no longer anyone in the Dang Family who viewed me unfavorably.
“Converting the three elements of the inverse tai chi into the six harmonies of the true tai chi. It sounds simple, but how did such a thought even occur to you…”
“The harmony with the other martial techniques of our main family is flawless. Since the foundation itself is rooted in the harmony of six elements, it is only natural.”
“To form tai chi from three energies biased toward extremes, and through this to insert the path of six-harmony accord. Truly, it is a stroke of genius!”
It was martial theory, not martial technique.
What I mean is, while I had established the mysteries of the Three-Origin Return, it remained in a state where it could not yet be practiced as an actual martial technique.
That was natural, since I had only assembled the pieces with the initial incantations to create the foundation and groundwork.
‘Right now, I haven’t even determined which elements correspond to earth and yin among the three origins.’
However, even with just this much, there should be no problem in hearing the latter half of the Samyang-gwiwon-gong incantations.
Once I revealed it, they would surely feel in body and spirit that it would produce extraordinary results.
“As Grand Elder, I propose this: Family Head, would it not be fitting to transmit the latter half of the Samyang-gwiwon-gong to Baek Gong-ja?”
Grand Elder Dang Seok, who had held the most conservative position,
Yet his heart for the Dang Family was no different from anyone else’s.
Only until now, that devotion had been directed differently.
Not only the Grand Elder but all the Elders raised the same request to the Family Head in unison.
‘Mm, this feels gratifying.’
It was no simple matter—sharing the most core martial technique of the Dang Family, a clan counted among the top ten in all the realm.
I had been recognized as valuable enough to warrant taking such a risk.
“Silence. Everyone, be still.”
Dang Seong regarded me with eyes that conveyed depth and weight.
“Baek Gong-ja.”
“Please speak, Family Head.”
Dang Seong slowly bowed his head.
“I am moved, I am grateful, and therefore I offer my sincere thanks.”
“You are too kind. Please, think nothing of it.”
“It is not excessive. With what you have given, our Dang Family can be reborn anew.”
His words were not wrong. With the foundation and groundwork provided, if the talents of the Dang Family were mobilized in full, success in creating the new technique could be achieved in no distant time.
So, roughly twenty years or so would suffice?
‘I cannot wait that long.’
Therefore, I must learn the latter half of the Samyang-gwiwon-gong’s secret techniques.
I need to actively assist and elevate the Dang Family’s true martial art to the rank of divine techniques as swiftly as possible.
However, Dang Seong did not immediately discuss the transmission of these secret techniques.
Instead, he brought up a different matter.
“Our Dang Family prides itself on possessing several secret transmissions in the art of poison and antidote that rank among the finest under heaven. As for elixirs—well, they are medicines too. We know numerous superior elixir-refinement methods.”
There was only one reason he suddenly broached this subject.
“I shall reveal them all. Not a single one hidden away. Moreover, should you ever require new elixir-refinement methods, I shall mobilize our main family’s poison and antidote chamber to create them for you at any time.”
Upon hearing this proposal, a thought arose.
Indeed, not just anyone can serve as the Family Head of a great clan.
‘He sees through exactly what our Baek Family needs most.’
The Baek Family, newly transformed and advancing toward the ranks of the great clans, harbored one fatal weakness.
An absolute shortage of masters.
Huashan’s Plum Blossom Swordsmen.
Namgung’s Changtian Sword Brigade.
Shaolin’s One Hundred Eight Arhats.
Thus, ancient prestigious sects possessed elite martial forces that represented their schools.
Yet the Baek Aidan, whom the Baek Family was cultivating as their elite force, fell short in every aspect—experience, martial prowess, all of it.
‘The finest means to compensate for a shortage of warriors is Inner Qi.’
However, with a short history and young individuals, their internal cultivation reserves were severely lacking.
Therefore, what was needed were elixirs.
And the Dang Family stood among the finest under heaven in elixir production.
Though they could not craft martial sect treasures like the Shaman’s Taicheon Pill or Shaolin’s Great Restoration Pill, they could produce over ten varieties of spirit elixirs capable of advancing one’s Inner Qi by ten or twenty years with a single pellet.
This was also the secret behind how the Dang Family became one of the top ten great clans under heaven in merely a hundred years.
‘He fills the very void we lacked most, the need we felt most acutely.’
In truth, for any warrior, nothing matters more than Inner Qi.
Thus, elixir-refinement methods are guarded as strictly as true martial arts.
With this, the Baek Family could now advance faster and higher.
‘Three years. In just three years, we shall truly be called a great clan by all.’
But there was more. Dang Seong continued.
“Furthermore, as we have said the Dang and Baek Families are friends. Beyond that, our Dang Family shall become both physician and blacksmith for the Baek Family.”
Medicine to treat wounds and fine weapons to wield.
These are things so vital to warriors they might be called a second life.
Having collapsed utterly before rising again, the Baek Family lacked so very much.
In forging arts, they had taken the genius blacksmith Baek Cheol as a retainer, yet much remained insufficient, and in medicine, there was no need to speak.
‘From elixir arts to poison and antidote arts, even forging arts—he grants them all.’
Dang Seong was offering all the Dang Family’s core secret transmissions.
“Is this compensation?”
“No. It is gratitude.”
Compensation is the price paid for doing something for another.
Gratitude is the desire of one who has received a favor to repay it.
The difference between the two lies in whether there is an exchange of value or not.
‘He’s offering to teach me the second half of the Samyang-gwiwon-gong without even asking me to fix anything in return.’
No matter how close two people are, if one side habitually takes without giving, resentment inevitably grows.
Such rifts deepen into cracks, becoming the reason why relationships drift apart.
“If there is anything else you desire, I shall provide it without hesitation. Please, speak freely.”
From the atmosphere, it seemed he would gladly give even a million nyang if I asked.
If I changed my surname to Dang, I could push out Dang-gun and become the Soga-joonim myself.
It would have been an excellent opportunity for the main branch to grow even faster, but….
“There is one thing I desire.”
“Please, speak freely.”
“I wish to learn the second half of the Samyang-gwiwon-gong.”
Dang Seong immediately grasped the meaning behind my words, his eyes brightening with understanding.
Seeing his reaction, I smiled.
“Furthermore, I would like to work together with several members of the Dang Family to fill the one remaining gap among the three elements.”
Since he showed no sign of asking first, I decided to take the initiative and make the offer myself.
With the Dang Family, I wished to become the kind of relationship where we willingly gave each other what we needed, without even having to ask.
“…Thank you. Truly.”
“Hwi….”
Looking into the eyes of Family Head Dang Seong and Soga-joonim Dang-gun, my mood naturally lifted.
It felt as though I had already received adequate compensation just from that.

* * *
Dang Seong immediately prepared to send an envoy to the Baek Family, but Yang Hwi persuaded him to postpone the schedule.
‘Even if I had the Elixir Refinement Method right now, I couldn’t use it. There’s no rush.’
The Baek Family had expanded their territory far too rapidly in a short time.
For the time being, all finances had to be devoted to digesting what they’d gained.
When I checked before departing for the Dang Family, I wondered if they might go bankrupt soon.
Even if the Elixir Refinement Method appeared, they couldn’t afford to purchase the spiritual herbs needed as materials.
‘I’ll need the help of… no, Jin Dae-in.’
As the saying goes, speak of the tiger and it appears—Jin Yeong-gil sent his son, the Supervisor, to us.
I received the Supervisor in the reception hall together with Dang-gun.
“Supervisor. It’s been a while.”
“Three months and eight weeks exactly. The preparations took considerable time. My apologies.”
When I spoke with Jin Yeong-gil, we discussed whether to hire Jeomchang or not, but that was a plan for after I recovered and handled the accumulated affairs of the Jin Family.
In fact, arriving within three months felt remarkably swift.
“Jin Dae-in was in critical condition, unconscious for quite some time, so time was needed to set things in order.”
“Please don’t apologize—I consider this perfectly natural.”
“I’m grateful for both of your consideration.”
“But then, the reason the Supervisor has come here is…?”
“Precisely.”
The Supervisor, Jin Dal-bong, sent forth eyes blazing like flames.
His desire to retaliate against the forces behind his father’s critical illness was evident.
“My father and I have laid all the groundwork, but would you care to play a round with us?”
‘This should be entertaining.’
“Dice games, gambling with dice, or tile games?”
All three were forms of gambling, but dice games relied on psychological warfare, dice games depended on luck, and tile games required excellent calculation to win money.
“Strictly speaking, it’s a dice game.”
“Interesting. Dice games are what I’m most confident in.”
“Would you explain in detail, Supervisor?”
“First, I must inform you. The impostor claiming to be Sosineui’s disciple has found another patient with the Wangjin Syndrome.”
Dang-gun and I both stroked our chins simultaneously.
“Well, if one wants to profit as a physician, curing the wealthy’s illnesses is certainly the most efficient approach.”
“Did he go with Jeomchang again this time?”
“Yes. Jeomchang vouched for his identity.”
From Jeomchang’s perspective, he might be stepping in to gain a share of the profits.
But suspicion was undeniably growing.
“So I sent people to Jeomchang and hired one First Disciple, three Second Disciples, and six Third Disciples.”
The purpose of hiring from Jeomchang was twofold.
First. To use as bait to uncover information about the forces behind this.
Second. If Jeomchang proves innocent, to establish connections with Jeomchang, a renowned sect outside Sichuan.
A First Disciple would rank just below the Elders in hierarchy—the perfect choice for both objectives.
“What form will this employment take?”
“Since the Supervisor has overcome death’s threshold, we wish to offer sacrifices to Amitabha Buddha to ward off misfortune and invite blessings.”
“The nature of the sacrifice would be of utmost importance, then.”
“Indeed. The sacrifice is Chuk Rang Chaek.”
“Chuk Rang Chaek?”
Dang-gun’s eyes widened slightly.
“The foremost establishment of Sichuan? One of the Seventy-Two Bandit Strongholds?”
There could be repercussions from offering such a place as sacrifice.
But the Supervisor nodded with an air of supreme confidence.
“We have already hired Ami and Cheongseng. And now, we are also seeking the aid of the Dang Family.”
The three great schools of Sichuan are Cheongseng, Ami, and the Dang Family.
Along with Jeomchang from Yunnan.
The Dang Family aside, with three of the Eight Sects now involved, there is no need to fear repercussions even if we annihilate Chuk Rang Chaek entirely.
In other words, this was it.
“On this stage of bandit suppression, you wish for me to be the hawk and the rat watching over Jeomchang.”
“Precisely. What say you? Ah, as for compensation… I had this amount in mind.”
We had already agreed to cooperate, and now he was offering payment on top of it.
I could only feel grateful.
With such thoughts, I opened my pouch and counted the wooden tokens within.
One hundred… two hundred… five hundred….
“You are most generous.”
“I accept with gratitude.”
“…Is ‘generous’ truly your only impression?”
The Supervisor, who had worn a slightly disappointed expression, suddenly struck his palm as if he had realized something.
“Ah. If you examine the reverse of each token, you will find the character for ten (十) engraved upon it. It signifies ten bolts of silk.”
“So you mean ten times the number of tokens?”
“Correct.”
“…?”
“…?”
Yang Hwi and Dang-gun stared at the Supervisor with eyes wide as saucers.
“You will naturally accept, yes?”
Jin Dal-bong, the only son of the Three Greatest Magnates Under Heaven, smiled with pride that bordered on arrogance.
“We welcome you, honored patron.”
“We shall serve with utmost devotion, esteemed guest.”
We had uncovered what truly lay between Jeomchang and the Ming Sect, and earned a substantial fortune as a bonus.
A true killing of two birds with one stone.

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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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