Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 205

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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 205
How many martial sects throughout the realm could truly be called powerful?
Those who heard such a question would offer a single number.
Thirty-six!
The reason was simple.
Across the entire martial world, the number of sects receiving Heaven-rank certificates from the Dragon-Phoenix Conference had remained thirty-six throughout the generations.
The martial realm called these the Thirty-Six Heaven-Rank Sects, or simply Heaven-Rank Martial Sects.
Among tens of thousands of sects, only thirty-six.
In terms of proportion, it was an honor achievable only by the top martial sects—one in ten thousand.
“Hwi’s Younger Brother. You’re not actually planning to raid the Shaman sect, are you?”
It was absurd, but Yang Hwi had a history of doing absurd things without hesitation.
‘Everyone really doesn’t trust me at all.’
Yang Hwi, receiving anxious glances from all sides, shrugged his shoulders.
The gaze of Dang-gun, the eldest among the group and arguably their leader, was particularly piercing—even for someone as shameless as Yang Hwi, he had no choice but to offer a face-saving excuse.
“Don’t worry, Elder Dang.”
“How could I not worry?”
“I have a plan.”
“Then let me hear this plan of yours first.”
“You don’t trust me that much?”
“Consider it from my perspective.”
I reflected briefly on past events.
Hmm.
“Even I wouldn’t provoke the Shaman sect just to obtain a Heaven-rank certificate. Not yet, anyway.”
“…Setting aside the ‘not yet’ part. Then what’s your plan?”
“There are twenty-one Heaven-rank sects besides the Nine Sects and Five Great Families. Let’s just visit one of them.”
“You mentioned the Shaman sect because you had the Taiji Sect in mind, didn’t you?”
“Correct!”
The Taiji Sect was a subsidiary sect of the Shaman, newly designated as one of the Heaven-rank sects starting from this Dragon-Phoenix Conference.
“Trying to wrest a certificate from a subsidiary of the Shaman sect is essentially the same as making an enemy of the Shaman itself.”
Generally speaking, Dang-gun’s words were sound.
“The Taiji Sect will gladly accept us and grant us martial matches.”
“How can you be so certain?”
Chu Dal provided the explanation instead.
“The Taiji Sect has announced that it will temporarily open its doors and accept unlimited martial challenge requests from rising talents.”
“Hmm? Why would they make such a choice?”
“Because they must prove themselves, Soga-joonim. The Taiji Sect hasn’t yet accumulated sufficient reputation and achievements.”
The current Hubei martial realm was divided between the Shaman in the west and the Jegal Family in the east. The Taiji Sect was a subsidiary sect of the Shaman built near the Jegal Family’s stronghold.
“Was the sect itself born to check the Jegal Family?”
“Exactly. They provided full support to apply greater pressure, and even rushed to make it one of the Thirty-Six Sects.”
Precisely because it was promoted hastily, the Taiji Sect had to prove its caliber to avoid accusations of favoritism.
That’s why they were accepting challenges without restriction.
“Though that’s what they say, if we humiliate them, there will definitely be consequences.”
“But it’s fine. This much can be smoothed over just with Master’s influence alone.”
Jegal Seol-ha wore a wicked smile.
To the Jegal Family, Taeguk Sect was like a dagger held beneath the Shaman’s chin.
The thought of humiliating such a Taeguk Sect seemed to thrill her already.
“However, Seolha. We can’t go to Taeguk Sect right away. There’s still work to be done.”
“What kind of work?”
I explained the facts about the Hyeol-gyo Cult to Jegal Seol-ha.
“So the Hyeol Gyoju will hide within the Dragon Phoenix Gathering, and you’ve been taking the heavenly-grade manuals to prevent innocent people from suffering?”
“Yes.”
True to her Jegal Family nature, Jegal Seol-ha didn’t ask whether I had informed Eum Hu of this fact.
Instead, Chu Dal asked.
“Brother. I’ve been curious about this for a while—couldn’t we just send one Jeon Seo-gu to Eum Hu and solve everything?”
“Chu Dal, Chu Dal, the Chu from ‘to pursue’ and the Dal from ‘water otter’.”
“Ah, why! What did I do wrong again!”
“Tsk. The Dragon Phoenix Gathering is a great festival of the righteous martial world held once every ten years. Do you think the dark path and heterodox sects would have left it alone before?”
“Huh?”
Dang-gun elaborated for Chu Dal, who wore a vacant expression.
“Throughout history, all sorts of riffraff have tried to slip into the Dragon Phoenix Gathering and cause chaos. There’s nothing special about this time.”
“Is that so?”
The Hyeol-gyo Cult is a massive demonic force that will plunge the world into blood calamity in the future.
If the wise men of the righteous path learned this fact, things would be different.
But at this point in time, only I knew about the heterodox teachings.
‘Even if I warn them, it won’t take root. Besides, the Shaman, controlled by the dark path’s spies, will absolutely prevent the Dragon Phoenix Gathering from being postponed or cancelled.’
“No matter how we inform them, the Dragon Phoenix Gathering will proceed. Security and surveillance won’t become particularly strict. Small heterodox forces slipping in is something that always happens.”
Of course, I would give Eum Hu a hint.
But separate from that, it was also important to do what we could.
“We have about three months until the Dragon Phoenix Gathering. During that time, we’ll roam the four directions.”
“To find the Hyeol Gyoju?”
“To find the Hyeol Gyoju.”
“That’s quite like searching for a lost ring in a river.”
Chu Dal’s words were a lament, yet undeniably true.
Finding one Hyeol Gyoju in the vast martial world would never be easy.
But.
“It might not be as difficult as we think. A Hyeol Gyoju of that caliber would appear with a heavenly-grade manual.”
“Hwi’s younger brother. I suspect one of the heavenly-grade martial sects might already be in the Hyeol-gyo’s grasp.”
“I’ve been considering that possibility.”
“Do you have any places in mind?”
I fell silent for a moment, weighing the possibilities.
“A martial sect that once enjoyed glory but has now declined or fallen.”
During our previous encounter, I had extracted from those Hyeol-gyo Cultist bastards the fact that their plan was to make the Baek Family Head into a tool of the Hyeol-gyo.
This was a deduction drawn from that.
“For example, would that be Huashan?”
“….”
Instead of answering immediately, I fell silent, and Dang-gun sent me a puzzled look.
“Hwi’s Younger Brother?”
Yang Hwi narrowed my eyes sharply and thought to myself.
‘I hope it’s not Huashan.’
If it were, things would become difficult in many ways.

* * *
The greatest Buddhist sect under heaven is undoubtedly Shaolin.
Then, where is the greatest Daoist sect under heaven?
In the present day, opinions vary, but in the past, there was only one greatest Daoist sect under heaven.
Huashan.
Huashan School was truly worthy of being called the singular Daoist lineage of all the Central Plains.
Just among the Nine Great Sects, Zhongnan, Cheongseng, Wudang, and even Hengshan—now extinct—
Four sects either originated from Huashan School or maintained deep ties with it, which is proof of this.
Yes. That was how it was.
In the past.
“Master Okcheon? You are a master…?”
At the mountain gate of Huashan School, a Disciple of Hwasan who had been standing guard caught sight of a swordsman in shabby clothes and broke into a bright smile.
The one called Okcheon grinned widely and opened his mouth.
“That’s right! It’s been so long! I am Okcheon! The man who shall attach the title of ‘Greatest Under Heaven’ before the name of Huashan School! The peerless swordsman who shall restore the Plum Blossom Twelve Techniques to Twenty-Four Techniques! And also, your master! I have returned!”
“Master! How long has it been!”
Five years ago, Okcheon had left the mountain gate, declaring he would restore the lost sword techniques of the ancestral teachings.
It was truly the return of a wayward disciple.
“Please wait a moment. I shall inform the elders and return!”
Okcheon possessed talent that exceeded his generation, becoming an Okja Disciple at a young age.
Upon learning of his return, the Jang Moon-in of Huashan School immediately summoned Okcheon to his residence, the Okmaegwan.
“Okcheon. Five years have passed.”
“Baek Jang, my senior! No, Jang Moon-in! It truly has been ages! Throughout my travels in distant lands, I have given thanks every single day for the profound grace of Huashan School and the guidance of Jang Moon-in! I am truly delighted to see that Jang Moon-in’s complexion remains unchanged from before—it seems my devotion has borne fruit!”
Baek Jang furrowed his brow and plugged his ears while smiling faintly.
“Your voice is still as loud and resonant as ever. So it really is you, Okcheon.”
“Yes! My voice has been so clear since childhood that they call me Okcheon! That very Okcheon is me!”
“Inseok, did I not tell you repeatedly that your Daoist name is Okcheon because you possess the clearest gaze among all the Okja Disciples?”
“Yes! A possessor of such clear eyes that even my senior brothers cannot compare! That is why Okcheon! I am indeed Okcheon!”
Okcheon’s gaze was certainly clear. So much so that it seemed tinged with a subtle madness.
“Well then, did you enjoy seeing the world these past five years?”
“Yes! Truly, it was a time to see much with my eyes, hold it in my heart, and transform it through my blade!”
“Then I suppose you’ll need to be confined to the Wall-Facing Cave now?”
“Yes! Yes…?”
Five years ago, Okcheon left the Hwasan sect gates, determined to recover twelve of the lost twenty-four plum blossom sword techniques.
The expression “left without permission” naturally meant he had not received authorization.
“You departed from the sect without the elders’ consent. If this were a place with strict discipline, we would have sent trackers to capture you and severed your meridians.”
Baek Jang’s expression turned stern. Okcheon glanced nervously before straightening his posture.
“Disciple Okcheon! If the Sect Leader commands it, I shall immediately proceed to the Wall-Facing Cave! However! I believe the Sect Leader might find greater use for this disciple, and so I humbly wish to speak one word!”
Baek Jang shook his head slowly.
“Enough, you rascal. From your demeanor, it’s clear you timed your return deliberately, isn’t it?”
“Hahahaha! I haven’t the faintest idea what the Sect Leader is speaking of!”
“You returned to coincide with the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, didn’t you? To avoid punishment.”
“I truly haven’t the faintest idea!”
“Your mouth certainly has a life of its own.”
Normally, if a young disciple’s mouth ran so freely, one would feel displeasure.
Yet Baek Jang felt only admiration and affection as he looked at Okcheon.
Okcheon was that kind of person.
Despite surpassing his peers in talent, he never incited their jealousy or envy.
All the disciples genuinely cherished him, and harbored thoughts of wanting to help when Okcheon would eventually lead Hwasan.
Oddly enough, he was the disciple most beloved by all—Hwasan’s most treasured student.
“Okcheon. The Shamans seek to crush our Hwasan. This Dragon-Phoenix Gathering is the turning point.”
Baek Jang’s face carried the weight of concern as he spoke.
The Shamans, who had walked an undaoistic path of tyranny ever since their founding.
For them, Hwasan—called the greatest sword sect under heaven—was an opponent that absolutely had to be suppressed.
The reason was simple.
“Throughout all ages, the only one ever called Geom Seon was Yeo Dong-bin, and he… inherited our Hwasan’s martial lineage.”
The most famous legend about Yeo Dong-bin was that he received instruction from Hwa-ryong Jin-in of Mount Hua in Shaanxi.
Hwa-ryong Jin-in was the immortal whom Hwasan revered as its founding ancestor, making Hwasan itself a lineage of the Sword Immortal.
“Moreover, Jang Sam-bong Jin-in as well. According to oral tradition, he was a disciple of either Hwa-ryong Jin-in or Yeo Jin-in.”
In other words, the Shaman sect was, in a sense, born as a junior branch or disciple sect of Hwasan.
So how could the Shamans possibly overlook Hwasan?
“From this Dragon-Phoenix Gathering onward, much will change. Okcheon. Among disciples thirty-six years old and under—the age limit for the Gathering—you are the finest. Will you participate in the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering?”
Okcheon sprang to his feet and bowed respectfully with confidence.
“Disciple Okcheon accepts the Sect Leader’s command and shall participate in the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering! Hwasan has always been a sacred mountain cradling dragons, as evidenced by Hwa-ryong Jin-in’s patronage! I shall become Hwasan’s other dragon—a new dragon! I shall personally change much and return!”
Crying out with a smile, Okcheon silently repeated it once more in his heart.
Yes, much will be different.

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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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