Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 214

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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 214
Something gratifying had come to pass.
Chu Dal had uncovered Nang Hon’s whereabouts in merely a single day.
“Elder brother. About five alleys east from here is where Nang Hon is located.”
“You found out quickly?”
Chu Dal shrugged his shoulders and replied.
“I’m the disciple of the main family’s information director, after all. This much is expected of me.”
“That’s true.”
The moment I nodded in agreement, Chu Dal’s expression deflated.
It seemed he had been hoping for at least a word of praise.
Well, truthfully, I wanted to praise him.
But praising Chu Dal like this made my skin crawl.
‘Still, it’s impressive, I suppose.’
Just a few years ago, without our own intelligence network, we had relied on the thieves’ network, the Tou Network.
Now we had succeeded in locating someone unknown in merely a single day.
Moreover, I was confident that in terms of exchanging information, we were not inferior to any great family under heaven.
“That’s right, isn’t it, boy?”
-Kee-aah.
As I spoke and scratched his chin, Won-woo cried out contentedly.
It was Won-woo who had made the greatest contribution to constructing the Baek Family’s current intelligence network.
Thanks to dozens of hawks that had nested in the Baek Family alongside him, we could exchange information overwhelmingly faster than the carrier pigeons, the fastest means of information exchange.
“Here, dried meat.”
-Kee-ack!
Won-woo snatched the dried meat I tossed into the air.
I left the guest quarters with the bird perched on my shoulder, nibbling away.
“Elder brother, where are you going?”
It was Jegal Seol-ha.
“There’s someone I need to see in person.”
“That assassin called Nang Hon? You found him, then.”
“Yes.”
“Can I come with you?”
“Are you bored?”
“Killing two birds with one stone?”
I paused briefly before nodding.
After all, there was a need to periodically display affection with Jegal Seol-ha.
To provoke the late-stage masters of the Yeon-wol Faction.
“Fine. It’s not far anyway.”
Though there was a possibility of danger arising… this place was Muhan, one of the largest cities under heaven.
Even if we held out for half a moment, the Taeguk Sword Master would emerge.
-In your thinking, is the probability high that this person Nang Hon is the Hyeol Gyoju?
Seolha sent a whispered transmission, as this required secrecy.
I nodded in acknowledgment.
-Not certain, but a prime candidate.
-Why do you think so? I’ve never even heard the name Nang Hon before.
In my past life, the Dragon Phoenix Conference drew rising stars from prestigious clans like Jeon and Kira, all rushing to claim glory.
However, after the Dragon Phoenix Tournament concluded, the entire martial world was thrown into upheaval.
The title of First Dragon had been claimed by an assassin with no name.
‘Now that I think about it, I feel somewhat cheated.’
At that time in my past life, Yang Hwi had left his family and was wandering the martial realm.
With the ambition to transform third-rate family martial arts into divine techniques, the Dragon Phoenix Conference was an excellent opportunity to witness countless martial arts.
I had naturally decided to participate in the Dragon Phoenix Conference.
‘But I never did.’
Even then, I was already a master at the peak, but Yang Hwi from Gangseong—considered a remote backwater in the martial world—had never left his family.
It meant I couldn’t objectively assess my own martial prowess.
At that time, Yang Hwi had challenged an assassin to a duel to obtain a human-grade manual, only to suffer a humiliating defeat.
‘I was utterly crushed. Every single bone in my body.’
I had been confident in my martial skills. At the early stages of the peak realm, few in Gangseong could match my sword.
Yet under heaven’s gaze, I was nothing.
Defeated by a mere assassin.
Having learned that lesson, Yang Hwi of my past life turned away from the Dragon Phoenix Conference.
He became an assassin to gain enlightenment at the edge between life and death, and to advance his martial arts.
A story that was the future but became the past.
I couldn’t tell Seolha this truth, so I simply threw out a joke.
“I saw it in a dream.”
“Really? Ha ha.”
Jegal Seol-ha laughed lightly instead of pressing further.
This was one of Seol-ha’s strengths.
“Here it is.”
A small manor with neglected maintenance, showing shabby spots here and there.
“Brother, it looks just like a bandit den.”
“It actually is one.”
What was it called again, the Shadow Banner Sect? Anyway, it was a small bandit gang with some name like that.
Nang Hon had thoroughly beaten the Shadow Banner Sect into submission and kept them under his thumb, forcing them to do menial work.
‘In a way, that’s quite fitting for an assassin.’
“Come here!”
At my loud shout, several bandits came rushing out.
Not wanting the bother of trading blows, I simply flicked my finger.
In that instant, the momentum of the Righteous Qi spread outward.
The bandits had no chance to admire Jegal Seol-ha’s beauty before they were forced to their knees.
“Is Nang Hon here? Tell him I’ve come to see his face, having heard his martial skills are quite exceptional.”
It was merely a pretext to offer on the surface.
On the eve of the Dragon-Phoenix Clash, the late-stage masters of the Murim were constantly engaging in martial bouts to hone their skills.
“There’s no need for such formality.”
A soft voice drifted from within the building. A man emerged from the structure and walked across the garden.
In that instant, my eyes widened slightly.
‘That face.’
Should I say I’d realized something I hadn’t known, or simply that I was at a loss for words?
‘Ha, so this is how things unfold.’
In my past life, I suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of a mere assassin, learning how high the walls of the martial world truly were.
That assassin who had stripped away my arrogance when I reached my peak at merely twenty years of age.
He was Nang Hon.
‘Did I mistakenly believe that after losing to the Dragon-Phoenix Clash champion, there must be many other remarkable late-stage masters among the rising stars?’
Coincidence at this level bordered on absurdity.
I’d thought Nang Hon was someone I was meeting for the first time, yet he was someone I already knew.
“Who might you be… Ah, I see. The celestial maiden of Inse has graced us with her presence. And the gentleman beside her must be the Young Master of the Baek Family.”
Nang Hon, contrary to his nature as an assassin, offered a respectful bow with proper etiquette.
I returned the courtesy and asked a question.
“It’s natural that you recognize Seolha, but isn’t it correct to assume the man beside her is Yeon-wol-dae-ju?”
“It’s a famous rumor, is it not? That only the Young Master of some minor family can walk alone with the most beautiful woman under heaven.”
That wasn’t entirely wrong.
-See? Just have tea with Hyeon Geom.
-Why would I do that with someone I’m not interested in?
-Want to go have tea after this?
-Sure.
-So you are interested in me?
-It’s different with you, brother. We’ve been through all sorts of things together.
That wasn’t entirely wrong either.
“So, what brings you two to seek out this humble assassin? From your calling out, it seems you know my name.”
I had two prepared excuses in mind.
But before I could speak.
‘Let’s see what happens.’
I heightened my spiritual perception. My already keen senses, sharp enough to claim supremacy under heaven, were further strengthened as I accepted Seon-gi.
If Nang Hon were Hyeol Gyoju, if he harbored corrupt qi within.
I would detect it immediately with my perception.
“It seems you’re curious about me?”
“….”
My face hardened. I felt nothing.
Moreover, it was clear that Nang Hon had noticed.
‘How?’
My spiritual perception didn’t work by unraveling threads of true qi to probe the opponent.
Like a dog sensing scents beyond human perception, I merely detected the aura drifting toward me.
But the fact that he noticed.
“Hahaha!”
Yes, if I’m Jaeillryong from my past life, I should be at least this level.
This bastard Nang Hon is at minimum a perfected peak master.
Vivid life force. Grasping emptiness. And sword-spirit unity.
It was clear he possessed all three enlightenments and had opened the eye of conceptual vision.
“Indeed, you two came because you were curious about me. If you’re curious, you should see. I shall reveal it.”
Nang Hon smiled subtly. Simultaneously, what hadn’t been felt began to manifest.
He had been perfectly suppressing his own qi, more completely than most assassins, and now released it.
It was natural to feel embarrassed in such a situation.
Yet Yang Hwi responded shamelessly.
“Since you’re showing us, I’ll look my fill.”
This time I released my true qi completely and probed Nang Hon’s entire body.
No matter how keen one’s senses, touching and caressing is always more accurate than merely observing.
I thoroughly examined everything within the aura Nang Hon possessed.
‘Not a trace of demonic qi.’
For an assassin, his aura was pure and vast, yet I sensed no principle of reversal.
An reclusive master operating as an assassin, or perhaps a disciple of a mysterious sect.
That was the extent of the aura I perceived.
“Have you seen enough?”
“Thank you. Shall I show you as well?”
“Since I’m an assassin, I prefer mixing and testing rather than merely observing.”
A simple proposal to exchange sword techniques.
I shook my head.
“We’ll see plenty of each other at the Dragon-Phoenix Contest. Why rush?”
“…Haha! That’s true indeed. We’re bound to meet.”
“Hahaha!”
The laughter of two men filled the courtyard.
Bound to meet.
For a decisive match to occur in a tournament with countless participants, one condition must be satisfied.
Reaching the finals.
Just as Yang Hwi had deduced my martial prowess, the assassin had likewise read mine.
Interesting, this bastard.
I’m not sure if his true identity is Hyeol Gyoju, but he’s certainly an interesting one.
“There’s a good chance of that. Unless someone with a hidden identity gets exposed and flees.”
“What do you mean by that… Ah. You two came to confirm that I was hiding my identity. When the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering opens, all manner of connections from the entire martial world gather. I’ve heard that Yeon-wol Tower has begun unlimited security operations.”
His reaction was casual.
A preemptive move that removed the bait I was about to cast.
Sharp mind, excellent eloquence. And martial prowess at least matching Adu and Hyeon Geom.
‘If he’s not the Hyeol Gyoju, I’ll have to bring him back to the main family for certain.’
“What is your true name? Not some alias like Nang Hon.”
There must have been some reason for concealing his identity, but Nang Hon answered readily enough.
“The Baek Family’s Young Master Gaecheon Geomryong received the name Yang Hwi, meaning to shine brightly in the light of day. My name is Min-eum, written with the characters for ‘effort’ and ‘shadow.’ Since it carries rather inauspicious connotations, I took to calling myself Nang Hon instead.”
Effort and shadow—certainly not a name one would bestow upon a child.
Somehow, the name suggested a troubled past.
“I see. Very well then. At the Dragon-Phoenix Struggle.”
“I shall await that day.”
We exchanged brief farewells and departed the estate.
Glancing back over my shoulder, Nang Hon waved with a smile on his face.
“Brother, it seems we gained little of value.”
Had I detected anything truly amiss with my own nature, I would have caused a scene immediately.
Jegal Seol-ha understood this well enough.
“True enough. Still… I should keep watch on him. For various reasons.”
“At the very least, he’s a new competitor to consider, isn’t he?”
“Yes.”
Jegal Seol-ha’s eyes widened slightly.
If she knew me at all, I would have brazenly declared something like, “No, he’s hardly a match for me.”
“To receive your acknowledgment… I’ve only seen that with Adu and Dang Soga-ju before.”
“Is that so?”
In any case, it wasn’t a wasted trip, though the gains were smaller than expected.
“I suppose I’ll need to search for new candidates.”
With so much changed from my past life, this would prove quite arduous.
Even Hyeon Geom and Adu alone didn’t participate in the Dragon-Phoenix Struggle in my previous life.
“Ugh. My head aches.”
“What can we do? It’s simply what must be done.”
Those are words befitting the direct heir of a prestigious family, yet it grates that the elders sit idle.
Telling them that the Hyeol Gyoju is no mere minor demonic sect but the backbone of the Cult of Heavenly Calamity, the greatest crisis in the martial world, would only fall on deaf ears.
“You’re right. As you say, it cannot be helped. I must search for new candidates.”
“I’ll mobilize the main family’s intelligence network to help, brother.”
“Thank you. I need to think about where to begin.”
But then.
Whether by fortune or misfortune.
The moment I returned to the inn where we were staying, I realized there was no need to ponder further.
The reason was simple.
“Brother! Urgent news! The successor of the Hyeol Sa-ryeon has declared participation in the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering!”
“What?”
The current martial world’s foremost heterodox sect.
A force whose scale as a single organization is sufficient to be called the greatest sect under heaven.
The Hyeol Sa-ryeon.
The giant shifted his massive frame.
‘This never happened in my previous life. Could it be…?’
Yang Hwi’s expression hardened.

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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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