Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 226

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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 226
The Hyeol Sa-ryeon So-ryeon-ju, Namgung Cheon-yeong, harbored a single dream since his days as a destitute orphan beggar.
A vow sworn when he served as a punching bag for street thugs, beaten all day long, only to have his meager three coins stolen by the beggar king.
‘I will stand at the very top. I absolutely will!’
A dream he would pursue by any means necessary, even if it meant abandoning his humanity itself.
Years passed, and the six-year-old beggar boy became thirteen, earning recognition for his innate talent and ruthlessness, eventually becoming a disciple of a renowned heterodox sect within Guizhou.
“Namgung Cheon-yeong. This presentation will be a great opportunity for you as well. So make certain you catch their eye. Do you understand?”
The sects within Guizhou and its surrounding regions, all within the Hyeol Sa-ryeon’s sphere of influence, presented disciples to the Hyeol Sa-ryeon once every few years.
In a sense, it was talent plundering, yet many accepted the presentation as an opportunity.
At the lowest level, one could become a warrior affiliated with the Hyeol Sa-ryeon; at the highest, one might even catch the eye of the Hyeol Bu Gu-ak himself, one of the Cheonmu-sip-jon.
“Catch their eye without fail. Should you fail, I will flay you. Do not forget that I taught you martial arts when you were nothing but a common beggar precisely for this day.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
Namgung Cheon-yeong answered with apparent loyalty, yet his true thoughts were far different.
‘You will bow your head and speak respectfully to me. I will make it so, without fail.’
Namgung Cheon-yeong prepared for the presentation with the resolve to offer even his organs if necessary.
And thus, among thousands of talented individuals, he achieved results placing him within the top ten.
“Worthless wretches, commit no rudeness whatsoever. In receiving the Supreme One, you need only feel reverence.”
The Hyeol Bu Gu-ak, who occupied the first seat among the Cheonmu-sip-jon himself.
An opportunity to meet him had come.
Namgung Cheon-yeong bit his tongue, forcing himself to focus.
‘Today will determine whether my lifelong aspiration can be realized.’
He yearned to climb to a height where no one could stand above him.
If he became the disciple of the Hyeol Bu Gu-ak and inherited the position of sect leader, his dream would become reality.
“The top ten from this presentation… none of them particularly stand out.”
The Hyeol Bu Gu-ak had arrived. Namgung Cheon-yeong found himself utterly paralyzed by shock, incapable of any action.
A Cheonmu-sip-jon, an absolute being who had ascended to the Heavens Beyond Heaven—such was his nature.
“Is this all? They look frozen stiff. Not a single amusing one among them.”
“Our selection was inadequate! I shall atone with my death, Sect Leader!”
“Don’t actually kill yourself—stop exaggerating. That reaction bores me too, you bastards.”
The Hyeol Bu Gu-ak waved his hand dismissively, his expression clearly showing his waning interest.
It was unmistakably a gesture to remove the selected ten, and in that instant, Namgung Cheon-yeong’s mind snapped into clarity.
“Accept me as your disciple!”
“Hmm? Interesting.”
An exclamation tinged with amusement.
Like a young child standing before a tiger, Namgung Cheon-yeong forced strength into his trembling legs.
“You will not regret it! If you accept me as your disciple, I will do anything!”
Words spoken through gritted teeth.
The standing elders were taken aback, yet the Hyeol Bu Gu-ak laughed as though entertained.
“Unremarkable, yet audacious. You may prove useful.”
Thus, a disciple of a mere heterodox sect became the disciple of the Hyeol Bu Gu-ak.
Among the hundred-plus disciples of the sect, I was merely one.
Yet Namgung Cheon-yeong did not surrender.
Since fortune had smiled upon me this time, I vowed that it would come again, and I lived each day giving my absolute best.
“Namgung Cheon-yeong. I appoint you as Sect Leader.”
“Your Eminence, did I mishear?”
“You heard correctly, you bastard. Sort out your understanding of reality later with one of the Elders.”
“Y-yes, Your Eminence….”
“I intend to put to use the potential I saw in you.”
The Hyeol Sa-ryeon leader issued several commands along with my appointment as Sect Leader.
‘Fortune… has been granted to me once more!’
A path for my dream to become reality had opened.
No matter how treacherous the road, I was prepared to walk it—yet instead of a thorny path, I saw one swept clean before me.
That was why.
My head floated in the clouds, lost in dreams, unable to face reality.
‘That’s right. From the start, it was a disposable role—the purpose His Eminence assigned to me.’
I went to Mu-han as commanded, provoked the Taeguk Sword Master as commanded, and was punished for it.
To be humiliated so publicly before everyone was to tarnish the honor of Hyeol Sa-ryeon, and it was no wonder the leader’s punishment fell upon me.
As I felt that rage and fear, someone unknown sent me a transmission.
-Hey, scarecrow, trash Heo, windbag Heo! All three fit so perfectly that your father must surely be surnamed Heo. If not, tell your father to change his name!
I could not contain my fury. I was determined to tear that bastard to shreds.
Only today did I learn that the one I had vowed to make suffer was a master strong enough to mark me as a target in a single second.
-Hey, I’ve postponed your death once. If you understand, come to my quarters tonight.
An incomprehensible transmission—or rather, one I did not wish to comprehend.
Namgung Cheon-yeong was no fool.
From a mere beggar to a disciple of the Hyeol Sa-ryeon leader, had I been foolish for even a moment, I would have been dead long ago.
‘Namgung Cheon-yeong, Namgung Cheon-yeong. How dull you are. Even knowing that dullness is a sin worthy of death.’
I should have noticed when His Eminence’s words and the Taeguk Sword Master’s reaction differed.
I made the mistake of ignoring the discord, too delighted and intoxicated by my appointment as Sect Leader.
‘His summons means he wants something. At minimum, he has things to say and things to learn.’
Though I had been marked as a target in a single second, I still had confidence in my martial prowess.
‘If I were truly worthless, His Eminence would not have even bothered to speak with me.’
The one who had knocked me unconscious in a single second.
He was worth grasping or utilizing.
Moreover, I desperately needed information now more than ever.
So I went. My pride being wounded mattered little.
“Well, even if I am a scarecrow, I’m still the Sect Leader of Hyeol Sa-ryeon. Let me hear the thanks a Sect Leader offers.”
Though it seemed I would need to be wounded far more than I had anticipated.
‘This too is a battle. I lost in martial skill, but I won’t lose easily with words!’
“Your tone has changed.”
Namgung Cheon-yeong fixed Gaecheon Geomryong with a hard gaze.

* * *
“Your tone has changed.”
“Hm? Ah.”
The moment I heard him say thanks, he immediately pointed out my change in speech.
This bastard sees right through me.
I let out a quiet laugh and continued.
“It hasn’t changed—I’ve simply returned to my original manner. There were many eyes watching on the martial stage, but I’ve never shown respect to heterodox sect bastards.”
‘What a transparent display of qi-clash this is.’
If I don’t extend my hand right now, the moment he returns to Hyeol Sa-ryeon, he’ll be purged.
“True, it seems I am indeed a mere figurehead as you say. However, I remain the Sect Leader of the Great Hyeol Sa-ryeon. Show proper courtesy.”
“I refuse.”
“…?”
The problem with these bastards is they’re inconsistent and lack empathy.
Well, it’s not a virtue I’d expect from heterodox sect scum anyway.
“You were the one speaking casually to me when we first met, you bastard.”
“It seemed warranted at the time. Consider what you yourself said.”
“If I had revealed my martial prowess, would you still have spoken so casually?”
“….”
The Sect Leader could not bring himself to deny it.
“Courtesy must be shown independent of what the other possesses. There must be unwavering standards. Mine are these: heterodox sect bastards deserve no courtesy. Refute me if you can.”
“….”
The Sect Leader, silent, abandoned his rebuttal and changed the subject.
“You said you delayed my death. If you wish to receive my gratitude, make me want to give it.”
“You probably figured it out already?”
“Whether I’ve discerned something and whether I’m moved to express gratitude are separate matters.”
His game is transparent—he’s curious what information I possess.
“The Shaman and Hyeol Sa-ryeon are joining hands to plan the Righteous and Unrighteous Great War. You’ve been marked as the starting point.”
The Sect Leader’s eyes widened considerably. He seemed shocked that the board was far larger than he’d anticipated.
“Is… is that the truth?”
“Yes. Though it’s my conjecture.”
“…? You called me a braggart, but it seems you’re the one who is.”
“You fool, would there be evidence for something like this? What, did the Hyeol Sa-ryeon leader and the Taeguk Sword Master exchange letters saying, ‘Let’s go to war together’? Is that what you think happened?”
I said they’re joining hands to plan the Righteous and Unrighteous Great War.
But the actual form it takes would be quite different.
However.
‘I’ve confirmed they’re drawing the same picture.’
“One piece of evidence is the rumors about us. You’ve heard them too, haven’t you?”
“…Rather than making you a hero, it made me look like a fool. Contrary to expectations.”
“Strange, isn’t it? I won’t go into details, but it’s to check the growing influence of our Baek Family.”
“Why?”
“Because I need to consolidate the opinions of the Baek Family’s prestigious sects into one voice. But if Lakbul noticed it, there’s no way the Taeguk Sword Master wouldn’t have.”
“…Lakbul? And the Taeguk Sword Master on top of that?”
If they knew the Dang Family had slipped its leash, they would naturally be on guard.
The Baek Family was openly allied with the Dang Family, and their connections with the Jegal Family and Pacheon Eumhu ran deep.
“Think about it. The prettiest picture would be lifting me up and letting Hyeon Geom win. But instead, I’m being pushed down. There has to be another agenda.”
“That’s true.”
“Besides, there’s more evidence. Do you know what the Shaman’s objective is?”
“The Deity said he intends to establish something called the Martial Alliance.”
“Exactly. What’s the best way to bind multiple sects together into one?”
“…Since ancient times, we’ve prevented internal strife through external threats. War.”
“Correct.”
In fact, the Shaman who organized the Martial Alliance battles the Hyeol Sa-ryeon under the command of the Taeguk Sword Master, who serves as the alliance leader.
With their forces depleted in that state, they face the rise of the Three Demonic Sects, and that catastrophe becomes the greatest blood calamity in martial arts history—the Demonic Sect Rebellion.
‘But there’s something that feels off. The overall flow is the same as my past life, yet something feels subtly different.’
Even if I pondered it now, I wouldn’t understand, so I decided to unravel the source of this discomfort later, bit by bit.
“Well, now I should offer my thanks.”
“…It is mere circumstantial evidence, yet I understand your intent. I am grateful for your willingness to save my life.”
Not particularly grateful, but given the circumstances, I’ll accept the thanks anyway—that kind of feeling.
The way he speaks so ambiguously suggests he’s only half-acknowledging it.
‘Well, it doesn’t matter what this heterodox bastard thinks.’
“I wish to ask you something. Separate from saving me, I would know the reason you summoned me to this place today.”
I took a moment to gather my thoughts before continuing.
“First, let me make this clear. I don’t join hands with heterodox bastards. No matter how profitable it might be, absolutely not.”
Seeing his expression stiffen, he must have thought I was about to propose an alliance.
Fat chance.
“I called you here because I have something to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“A justification so you won’t be purged when you return to the Hyeol Sa-ryeon.”
His expression changed once more.
This time, what appeared was desperation mixed with curiosity.
Seeing that he grasped his situation, he’s clearly no fool.
“It’s simple. Listen to what I tell you, memorize it, and relay it to that bastard, the Hyeol Sa-ryeon leader.”
Yang Hwi continued speaking.

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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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