Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 193

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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 193
On that very day, three factions with different objectives dreamed the same dream and were bound together under a single name.
The leaders guiding the Dang and Jin families each held lengthy conversations with their successors.
“You say it is called the One-Wing Alliance?”
“Yes, Family Head.”
Dang Seong, having heard all the discussions from Dang-gun, fell into deep contemplation.
“Indeed. Our benefactor is remarkably clever.”
The One-Wing Alliance. What a beautiful name.
Many feathers gathered to form wings that soar through the heavens.
Was the grand ambition contained within it not enough to make a man’s heart tremble?
But that was not all.
“Was the symbol of the Baek Family not the White Hawk?”
“That is correct.”
A name symbolizes much. If the world were to learn of the One-Wing Alliance’s existence, what would they think?
They would surely regard the Baek Family as the leader of the alliance.
“The Baek Family and the Dang Family. And the Jin Trading Company. The Baek Family is the weakest of the three pillars.”
Dang-gun, thinking it was a rebuke, explained why he had not objected to the name One-Wing Alliance.
“Hwi’s Younger Brother presented a blueprint for what the alliance should pursue. Moreover, he will place in our hands the tools to draw a picture that seems impossible. Furthermore, our Dang Family owes Hwi’s Younger Brother a great debt, so we deemed the matter of naming it unimportant.”
“My son, I am not reproaching you.”
The weakest faction had become the representative, yet that was unimportant.
There was no intention to make an issue of it.
Why? Appearances only matter once you have built sufficient reputation to back them.
For now, the name itself was irrelevant.
“I hope that later, when we have achieved much, we might grow dissatisfied with this name.”
A change of heart would mean they had accomplished much and gained comfort.
It also meant that a name now worth nothing would one day carry immense value.
“The name is unimportant for now. What matters is substance. My son, the currents of the era are shifting. Do you feel it?”
“Yes, Family Head.”
“Gu-pa and the Five Great Families are moving. The balance and structure are changing.”
Dang-gun immediately understood what Dang Seong had in mind.
“You speak of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, sir.”
The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering. A festival of the Baek Do martial realm held once every ten years, a place of exchange.
True to its name, it centers on dragons and phoenixes—the young rising talents.
“This Dragon-Phoenix Gathering will be held in Hubei. The Shaman has agreed to take the lead in overseeing the entire event.”
“The Shaman, you say?”
Until now, the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering had no particular faction overseeing it.
The major sects merely circulated invitations to determine where to gather.
Though it bore a grand name, there was no compulsion behind it.
That was how it had been, but now it would change.
“The Shaman does not wish to miss this opportunity. If this Dragon-Phoenix Gathering concludes well, she can solidify her position as the leader of Gu-pa.”
The Shaman sect had only been established for a mere hundred and twenty years.
Looking purely at history, they stood at a similar level to the Dang Family.
Yet the Shaman sect was ascending with such momentum that the saying “Shaolin in the north, Shaman in the south” circulated throughout the martial world.
Considering that Shaolin, despite its massive scale, was regarded as half a mystical faction due to its culture of humility and restraint.
The Shaman sect was practically closest to being the greatest sect under heaven.
“The Shaman sect is aggressively pursuing its ambitions, causing difficulties for the Jegal Family in the same Hubei region. Since the Shaman sect is one of the Nine Sects and the Jegal Family is one of the Five Great Families, the two pillars of the Baek Do martial world have no choice but to move their heavy foundations.”
On a small scale, it was merely the affairs of one sect, but viewed broadly, it was upheaval in the martial world itself.
“Surely the Taeguk Sword Master and the Great Sea Dragon King, though transcendent beings beyond the mundane world, will respond if their subordinates cause trouble.”
The Invincible Sword Sovereign and the Great Sea Dragon King—there was little need to elaborate on these two.
Cheonmu-sip-jon. Those four characters alone represented both of them.
Absolute masters capable of single-handedly annihilating either one of the Nine Sects or the Five Great Families.
“Moreover, Namgung will also increasingly exert itself to reclaim the title of the greatest family under heaven.”
The current Namgung, unlike the past, had lost the name of being the greatest under heaven.
The reason was simple.
To seize the title of greatest under heaven in the martial world, one must prove one’s martial prowess, but they were no longer the strongest.
“The one truly desperate to escape their position is not the last-place family, but this one here. Because it seems that with just a bit more effort, I could grasp the seat of greatest under heaven. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“You mean crossing the line makes one second-place. Indeed, nothing makes people more desperate and extreme than something visible yet beyond their grasp.”
Dang Seong continued with a satisfied smile.
“My boy. I sent you to the Baek Family and to Bun-pa to the Bun Sect so you could accumulate experience for the future.”
Originally, Dang Seong was scheduled to enter seclusion in a few years.
It was his predetermined fate to dedicate his entire life to reforming the martial techniques of the Dang Family.
Sssssss—!
Dense toxic energy drew patterns across the empty air.
Three hidden weapons that began floating from Dang Seong’s hands harmonized with the toxic energy.
The spiritual qi of Empty Air Absorption at its peak.
“It has been some ten years since I mastered Vivid Energy and Empty Air Absorption. One more step forward and I reach the pinnacle.”
Of the three enlightenments, the remaining one was Unity.
In the case of swordsmen, it was called Sword-Spirit Unity.
“Did you say the Baek Young Master spoke of completing Samyang-gwiwon-gong?”
“Yes. He suddenly requested ice essence.”
“Samyang-gwiwon-gong is the key to achieving unity, which was inherently impossible.”
The Samyang-gwiwon-gong, which carried the limitation of never reaching the pinnacle no matter how much one trained.
From there, it evolved into Samwon-gwiwon-gong, which seeks to return three energies to their origin.
Though currently only a framework, if it were truly completed.
The secret technique of the Dang Family would be called Divine Art.
“One wing is blind. One wing is blind, my boy.”
“Yes, Family Head.”
“If the Baek Young Master truly transforms Samwon-gwiwon-gong from theory into actual martial art… it will be a hundred years.”
Though the words came suddenly, Dang-gun responded immediately.
“Yes. A hundred times over, a thousand times over. The Dang Family will never betray its bonds. After Uncle Baek, I will become Family Head, and even after passing the position on.”
The two of them suddenly laughed together.
“By the way, I’m curious.”
“I share the same sentiment.”
How far would he wish to soar?
Would Il-ik-maeng become wings capable of riding the winds and ascending through the turbulent, ever-changing currents of ambition and transformation?
No one could know. The future is ever-shifting by nature.
A similar conversation unfolded between two people at the Jin Ga as well.
Though the tone differed somewhat.
“Father. I cannot comprehend this at all.”
“What troubles you?”
“Is it truly right to simply leave Jeomchang be?”
“And if we do not?”
“You could have perished. I cannot suppress my anger.”
Together we had grasped hands to uncover the vicious beast behind Man-geum-jeung, yet the Young Master of the Baek Family arbitrarily decided there was no further need to deal with Jeomchang.
This was an overreach, and for Jin Dal-bong, who had nearly lost his father, it was impossible not to harbor resentment.
“My son.”
“Yes.”
“And if we do not?”
“Yes?”
“Had Jeomchang not been the only clue leading to the vicious beast, I would never have remained idle either.”
But Jeomchang is Gu-pa.
“I accepted the Young Master’s unilateral decision with magnanimity. Yet is your father truly a magnanimous man?”
“That is….”
As his son, he could not nod in agreement.
The father Jin Dal-bong beheld was among the most ruthless men in the world.
“I tolerated his overreach. I bestowed favor upon the Young Master. While in truth, I could do nothing at all.”
“….”
“My son. Tell me of Gu-pa.”
“The Ten Sects of Gu-pa are counted alongside the Five Great Families as the two pillars of the Baek Do martial realm.”
“A single-thread answer. Your father shall provide a ten-thread answer. Gu-pa is a collective that holds in its grasp the qualification to discourse upon all under heaven.”
It is not that we overlook Jeomchang’s involvement in atrocities.
We simply have no choice but to overlook it.
Because there is nothing we can do.
If Jeomchang, one of such Gu-pa, had colluded with demonic forces spreading pestilences like Man-geum-jeung through sorcery,
then the demonic forces behind them must surely possess tremendous power.
“Therefore, now we must endure and set this aside. This is the time to think only of ascending to greater heights.”
“I heard you are providing one million yang merely as a contract fee. Did you see possibility in the Dang Family and Baek Family, Father?”
“I did see it. And I have wagered. Even far greater and more dangerous than you anticipated.”
One of those wagers was the command I would now issue.
“Supervisor Jin Dal-bong.”
“Yes, Father.”
“From today onward, I appoint you as the Supervisor of the Jin Ga Trading Company.”
“Father!”
Jin Dal-bong was overwhelmed with emotion.
Until now, Jin Dal-bong had only learned work at his father’s side without ever holding a concrete position.
Without a proper title to call him, he had been referred to as Supervisor for over ten years already.
“Supervisor. Go to Kangso. It seems we need to understand the Baek Family better. We must earn greater favor from them.”
He had joined the Yi-ik Alliance while discussing the future ten years hence.
However, Jin Yeong-gil was fifty-four this year.
In ten years, he would be past sixty.
‘The waves of the Yangtze River push forward the waves before them.’
Thus, his own son must become a more powerful wave than anyone else alongside the others.
He would make this journey to Kangso the beginning of that.

* * *
Yang Hwi gazed at the pile of ice crystals before him.
“Ready, Dang-yeon?”
“Yes.”
Dang-yeon, tensed considerably, nodded her head.
Though Dang-yeon’s temperament was rather reckless and she rarely grew tense, there was no helping it now.
“Today, the Samyang-gwiwon-gong will be reborn as the Samwon-gwiwon-gong.”
Of course, there was one prerequisite condition.
“Only if we succeed.”
“…Hwi’s Younger Sibling. When you say things like that, it only makes me more anxious. Can’t you just quietly begin?”
Dang-gun, who had been watching from the side, could not help himself and stepped forward.
“Hwi’s Younger Brother. I think it would be better if I did it.”
“Get permission from the Family Head first. You volunteered before and got scolded, then were cut off.”
The martial art of Samwon-gwiwon that had been established previously was based on the principle of returning three supreme forces to their origin.
It was a martial technique that aimed to circulate and achieve unity through gwi—return.
“Two of the three are already determined. Yang Qi and Poison Qi. The problem is the remaining one.”
Considering balance, Yin Qi seemed the most manageable.
However, the problem was that Yin Qi and Yang Qi were completely opposite forces, making them quite difficult to handle together.
‘It’s no wonder the Shaman’s Yin-Yang Divine Art is counted among the greatest divine arts.’
With such thoughts, I continued speaking.
“From the start, the Dang Family cannot hold cold Yin Qi in their dantian unless they completely expose their inner force.”
“A small seed would be crushed and scattered immediately, after all.”
“But if we plant a tree from the beginning, we might somehow endure it, nurture it, and achieve balance.”
This was why Yang Hwi had requested and obtained ice crystals from Jin Yeong-gil.
If ice crystals, the essence of cold Yin Qi, could occupy one of the three origins, then it would work.
…In theory, at least.
“Yeon-a. Are you truly certain about this? It’s far too dangerous. Let us take our time and find another method….”
Dang-yeon cut off her brother’s words.
“There is a method available, so why turn back? Elder Dang, just watch from the sidelines.”
“Very well.”
“…Hwi’s Younger Brother. If anything happens to my body, I won’t let it slide.”
“Don’t worry.”
If I’m careless, I could invite demonic possession.
But if I handle the Spiritual Qi properly, it should be fine.
After all, I initially thought of this martial theory lightly, so I’m just trying to confirm whether it actually works.
“Then let’s begin.”
“Yes.”
“Start the Grand Circulation with Samyang-gwiwon-gong, then establish the three origins using the principle of returning three origins to one.”
As Dang-yeon circulated her inner energy as instructed.
Yang Hwi tossed the ice crystal in his hand once and caught it.
“Elder Dang, I’m counting on you.”
Dang-gun took the ice crystal and brought it to Dang-yeon’s abdomen, directly above her dantian.
The ice crystal melted and seeped in smoothly.
Since the ice crystal was formed from yin-cold energy so densely compressed that it achieved materialization of qi, this was not an unusual phenomenon.
‘Now it’s my turn.’
As external energy suddenly seeped in, Dang-yeon’s qi began to rage wildly.
If I expelled it immediately, there would be no major harm, but then I would simply waste this precious ice crystal.
“Endure it, Sister Dang. Create a flow.”
Yang Hwi placed his hand in the middle of Dang-yeon’s back and began guidance, drawing out Hwa-cheon Seon-gi.
The Hwa-cheon qi that follows the principle of harmonizing all energy beneath heaven.
Spiritual Qi possessing the function of properly guiding all things under heaven.
A full six hours had passed.
As Yang Hwi withdrew his hand, Dang-yeon slowly opened her eyes.
A brilliant radiance flashed, illuminating the room for an instant.
“Yeon-a! What is the result!”
“Elder Brother….”
Dang-yeon’s tears streamed down her cheeks.
She too was a member of the Dang Family, one who could dedicate everything to the family’s long-cherished wish.
Overwhelming emotion transformed into tears that flowed freely.
“We succeeded!”
“Is that truly so?”
“Yes! I properly established it in my dantian!”
“Aaaaaaaaa!”
Dang-gun could not contain himself and roared.
The Dang Family’s century-old wish had been realized.

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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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