Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 195

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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 195
A Taoist temple located at the highest point of Wudang Mountain.
A stern-faced Taoist master set down his teacup after sipping it with refined elegance.
“So, you require the assistance of our Wudang.”
Even as the Jang Moon-in of Wudang, one could not speak in such a manner with two Cheonmu-sip-jon seated before them.
But.
“Geom-ong. This is a matter for the peace of all under heaven. Why do you speak of assistance when performing righteousness?”
Cheonmu-sip-jon Taeguk Sword Master. The greatest elder of Wudang.
Though the world had tried to bestow upon him the title of Geom Seon, he claimed only to be an old man growing ancient with a blade in hand, and so he called himself Geom-ong.
Great Sea Dragon King Peng Fan glanced at Pacheon Eumhu’s face and wore an expression of resignation.
‘Eum Hu still dislikes Geom-ong. Well, the paths they wish to walk are entirely different.’
Peng Fan spoke in place of Eum Hu, who showed no sign of opening her mouth.
“Geom-ong. You know as well as I do that Eum Hu and I cannot compare to Wudang in terms of information networks. Could Wudang step forward?”
Since hearing of the Blood Assassin Alliance members who appeared at Geom Wang Chong in the past, Eum Hu and Peng Fan had been pursuing them.
They achieved modest results, slaying one young creature called Bishop and some two hundred horses, but it ended there.
“They move with thorough cell-like organization. Moreover, whatever sorcery they employ, their command structure seems to operate in ways that defy the principles of the mortal world.”
“Even Pacheon Eumhu, who possesses no faction, and the children of the Peng Family could find no clues. What difference would it make if Wudang stepped in?”
It was a refusal. Unable to contain herself, Eum Hu bristled.
“Growing old while devoted to nurturing your sect, yet it seems insufficient.”
Taeguk Sword Master was the sole disciple of Jang Sam-bong the Immortal, the first to be called Geom Seon since Yeo Dong-bin.
He was also the founding patriarch of Wudang, established a hundred years prior.
“Did you not say you would create the greatest sect under heaven to nurture more and benefit the world? How laughable.”
Despite the sharp words, Taeguk Sword Master did not lose his composure.
“In performing righteousness and pursuing chivalry, how could there be only one path? Wudang follows the Way.”
To Eum Hu, it was an answer that provoked a scoff.
Seongeumok Ryeongmun was also a Taoist sect that cultivated the Immortal Way, but the Way was such a vague thing—like a nose ring if hung from the nose, an ear ring if hung from the ear.
“You have always been this way from the beginning.”
It was not that Taeguk Sword Master refused to aid in performing righteousness. He simply wished to act in Wudang’s manner.
Yet despite such words, the path Taeguk Sword Master walked always benefited Wudang.
This was why they now stood on the threshold of becoming the greatest under heaven.
A path that Eum Hu could not comprehend.
“So it is. Our paths do not intersect at all. I shall take my leave, Yongwang-do.”
“Hmm. Understood. Then take care, Geom-ong.”
When Eum Hu and Great Sea Dragon King rose to their feet.
“Then shall we make them intersect once?”
The soft voice of Geom-ong resonated through the air.
“This old man intends to make this Yongbong Gathering a place where all under heaven recognizes that righteousness stands truly upright.”
“I heard from the children that Wudang has taken on the hosting of the Yongbong Gathering.”
“Yongwang-do. Have you found a disciple worthy of your legacy?”
It was common knowledge that Great Sea Dragon King Peng Fan sought a disciple to inherit everything he possessed.
“Eum Hu. You also went into seclusion to find a disciple. Seeing you wandering about, it seems you’ve succeeded.”
The sudden mention of disciples left me uncertain of his true intent.
“Declare that you will send your disciple to the Yongbong Gathering and spread word of it. If you do so, I will unleash my disciples to search for traces of the Blood Cult.”
The moment rumors spread that a disciple of Cheonmu-sip-jon would participate in the Yongbong Gathering, interest in the event would explode.
With such attention drawn from the masses, the work of stirring public interest would become easier, and the resulting resources could be devoted to tracking the Blood Cult.
Though it was reasonable, Eum Hu flatly refused.
“I have no desire to become a supporting actor for the Shaman.”
“Then what of this Yongwang-do’s disciple instead? Though not entirely satisfactory, I have raised a child.”
Geom-ong, who had been quietly observing Eum Hu, stroked the sword placed beside him.
“I took on a disciple not long ago. Though ‘not long ago’ means twenty years have already passed.”
Considering the ages of the three, it truly was recent.
“Remarkably talented. Perhaps this old man’s disciple might accomplish what I could not. He cares for nothing but the sword and has no desire to venture into the bustling secular world… but as his master, I intend to ask him to participate in the Yongbong Gathering.”
Yongwang-do’s expression became intensely intrigued.
“Is the current Shaman’s sect leader in his fourth generation? That means the child’s talent is so exceptional as to be worthy of becoming the Shaman’s great-great-master!”
If he were Geom-ong’s disciple, it meant he was Hyeon Ja-bae.
And the current Shaman’s second-generation disciple was Hyeon Ja-bae.
A deviation that skipped an entire generation. An unprecedented breach of propriety and law—something unimaginable for the Shaman sect, which valued tradition above all.
“Eum Hu. Our paths have never aligned. How about we test ourselves once more? To see whose choice was correct.”
Eum Hu had no intention of playing along with such frivolous provocation.
Yet Geom-ong gave her no time to respond.
“Simply send your disciple. Even if she only participates in the preliminaries and forfeits, it matters not. Victory is impossible anyway.”
Frivolous provocation indeed. She had intended to refuse.
But.
No warrior could tolerate such a challenge.
“Even Shaolin’s fat monk is presenting his disciple. Isn’t it amusing?”
This referred to Rak-bul, one of the Cheonmu-sip-jon from Shaolin.
In other words, two disciples of the Cheonmu-sip-jon were already committed to participating in the Yongbong Gathering.
“Eum Hu. You never despised the path this old man chose. Your way and Geom-ong’s way—let us compare which comes closer to the truth. Ah, unless you lack confidence…”
“Hehehehe! Geom-ong, you’ve always had terrible luck!”
Yongwang-do burst into hearty laughter as Eum Hu vanished in a whirlwind.
Yet Geom-ong recognized that his stratagem had succeeded.
It was only natural—they had known each other for over a hundred years.
‘Eum Hu. Your path is like that of Yu Gong. A single man cannot move a mountain.’
But if it were not an individual, but a collective.
If ten thousand Yu Gongs gathered together.
‘The Shaman sect will move that mountain.’
“This will be truly entertaining. Though not entirely satisfactory, I shall also send the child I’ve invested the most effort in to the Yongbong Gathering. Let’s have some real fun, Geom-ong!”
Cheonmu-sip-jon Pacheon Eumhu, disciples Baek Yang-hwi and Jegal Seol-ha.
Cheonmu-sip-jon Daehaeyongwangdo, Peng Wang, Family Head of the Peng Family of Hebei.
Cheonmu-sip-jon Taeguk Sword Master, Shaman sect disciple Hyeon Geom.
Cheonmu-sip-jon Yeo Il-rak Buddha, Shaolin disciple Adu.
Yongbong-ji-hoe participation confirmed.

* * *
After hearing Eum Hu’s explanation, I barely maintained my composure.
‘This is absurd, truly.’
So right now, someone of Cheonmu-sip-jon’s stature is grinding his teeth over such a shallow provocation?
‘No matter how I think about it, this is ridiculous….’
“Aaaah!”
My body was launched over ten zhang into the air.
Standing atop a cliff, I was at least a hundred zhang above the ground.
‘Why does this feel familiar? When we first met, he threw me off a cliff without warning too, I remember.’
Unlike that time, I couldn’t embed my sword in the cliff face to slow my descent.
“Seo. If you tell me honestly what you were thinking, I’ll help you.”
Turning my head, Eum Hu was falling at the same speed.
She must have already attained enlightenment in emptiness-grasping long ago, so she could stop herself anytime with emptiness-stepping.
“I’m wronged!”
“Hmm. You seem confident.”
“….”
In truth, I didn’t really need her help.
Even a warrior at the pinnacle would die falling from a hundred zhang.
Gi-cheon Step, continuous-flowing circulation.
Upon landing, I redirected the impact of the fall in all directions.
The principle of flower-grafting and four-direction heaven-root.
My robes fluttered from the qi energy bursting outward.
“Your divine movement technique has reached quite an achievement. I thought at least one bone would break.”
“Thank you for the praise, Master.”
Satisfaction lingered on Eum Hu’s face.
“Depending on your progress, I’ll focus on teaching you for a few months at minimum, or up to a year. As my disciple, you must do your utmost to meet your master’s expectations.”
“Master. I have something to tell you.”
“I’ll listen.”
“I apologize, but the main family has much work for me.”
“That’s fine.”
“Pardon?”
It’s not fine with me, though?
“Just because there’s much work doesn’t mean you must do it all yourself.”
“Master. Please listen to what I’m saying….”
Eum Hu cut me off.
“That child Baek Moo-ryang—he’s quite clever. Here, a letter.”
I accepted the letter Eum Hu offered and read it.
To summarize, the gist was this.
Preparations for Jeo-un were already underway. Father would handle the role of martial arts instructor.
As for martial arts, develop them well under Master’s guidance.
‘How… did he know?’
I hadn’t yet mentioned that the objective of the ten-year pact was the Yangtze River’s Jeo-un.
I had planned to return with Jin Dal-bong this time and discuss it then.
“Exceptional individuals like Namgung Cheon-yeong often fall into traps.”
Yang Hwi fell silent and gazed at Eum Hu.
A sense of satisfaction welled up within me.
“Master, your words are correct. I am grateful for your guidance.”
I was not leading the Baek Family forward alone.
We were moving forward together.
‘At this rate, in just a little more time, the family might even be guiding me.’
A satisfied smile naturally rose to my lips.
Since things have come to this, I should dedicate myself to training properly for once.
“Master! Your disciple is ready!”
“Excellent posture. Shall we begin training right away?”
“Before that, I have one question. You said there would be an opponent to overcome—could I know who it is?”
Eum Hu’s answer was completely unexpected.
“The Shaman’s Hyeon Geom.”
“Hyeon Geom? The Shaman?”
A name I’d never heard before. The rude face I’d met at the Geom Wang Fortress came to mind.
Later, Hyeon-hyeon would become the Shaman’s greatest swordsman, but…?
“Hyeon-hyeon? Who is that?”
“I understand that Hyeon-hyeon is the most outstanding among the Shaman’s Hyeon lineage disciples.”
“Ah, I see. He’s from the previous generation of the Hyeon lineage.”
“What?!”
Typically, disciples are taken between twenty and thirty years of age, and the Shaman’s lineage cycles through four generations in one rotation.
“That means a lineage from a hundred years ago, but I believe the age limit for the Yongbong Conference is thirty-six. Moreover, if he’s from the previous Hyeon lineage, wouldn’t he be the same generation as the Shaman’s second Sect Leader?”
‘A disciple of the Shaman Sect Leader’s master’s master’s master—what business does he have at the Yongbong Conference?’
“That’s right. He’s a disciple of the Shaman Sect’s founding patriarch. You could say he’s the great-grandson of the famous Jang Sam-bong.”
Then why did such a person gain no renown in my previous life?
Come to think of it, that Hyeon-hyeon fellow seemed rather naive and immature for someone who would become the Shaman’s greatest swordsman in the future.
The saying “a knife concealed in a sheath” exists for a reason. He was superior to his peers, certainly, but to become the Shaman’s greatest swordsman seemed far too ambitious for him.
“Is it possible this Hyeon Geom is obsessed with the sword or disdains worldly affairs?”
“How did you know?”
‘Ah, could it be? Perhaps behind the renown Hyeon-hyeon gained in my previous life, there was Hyeon Geom.’
It was while I was thinking such thoughts.
—Keeee-aaaaa!
The cry of a hawk echoing from afar.
Soon after, a pure white hawk revealed itself and descended to perch beside Yang Hwi.
“Won-woo.”
Sensing the bird’s boredom, I had sent it out hunting not long before arriving at the main family estate.
As my captors’ presence faded during the abduction, it seemed the hawk had traced the severed spiritual thread connecting us and found me.
Yet Eum Hu’s reaction was peculiar.
“That bird… could it be…?”
“Master, do you perhaps know Won-woo?”
Won-woo was presumed to be a spiritual creature raised by Geom Seon Yeo Dong-bin.
If the sect leader of the Seongyeum Okryeong School, which cultivated the immortal path, knew anything, it would be something passed down through the ages.

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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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