Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 249

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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 249
“A clever move indeed. Would you explain it?”
“Of course. It’s simple. I intend to erase all trace of the assassination attempt.”
I heightened my senses to their maximum and surveyed the surroundings.
Thanks to suppressing the noise by extending my energy barrier, no one seemed to have noticed the commotion.
‘If those Salsoo bastards had properly unleashed their demonic energy, things would have been different. But I killed them all before that.’
“It appears they’re trying to provoke an unexpected situation and observe our reaction.”
“Yes. Since this has become troublesome, we should aim for their weakness as much as possible.”
They commanded that if captured, I should reveal the client was the Namgung Family?
Once things unfold this way, it becomes unclear what to trust and what to doubt.
‘I thought only Namgung would commission an assassination at this point, but now the situation changes.’
It could be a scheme to frame Namgung when suspicion naturally falls upon them.
In that case, it’s best to erase all evidence first and then watch for any additional movements.
‘And besides… this is far too coincidental.’
Today was when I probed Nang Hon about whether he belonged to the Hyeol Gyoju.
Yet now the Muk Myeon Hyeol Mun, a subordinate organization of the Hyeol Gyoju, attempts an assassination?
Though the martial world hasn’t uncovered the connection between Muk Myeon Hyeol Mun and the Hyeol Gyoju.
That makes it even more suspicious.
‘Ah, whether it’s this bastard or that one, they’re all enemies anyway. Let me think simply. If they move, it’s those sons of bitches. If no reaction comes, it’s those bastards.’
“What do you think, Father?”
“Regardless of anything else, considering how people would be shocked, it seems best to handle the aftermath quickly.”
A response befitting my father.
“Understood. Then, Father, you’ll handle the bodies.”
While Baek Moo-ryang gathered the assassins’ corpses in one place, I methodically wiped away every trace of blood.
Though Sammaejinhwa is fundamentally a technique of extreme ascension, my inner energy level was so high that erasing numerous traces posed no particular difficulty.
‘Still, once we return, I’ll need to send Chu Dal immediately.’
Despite working as meticulously as possible, since this wasn’t my specialty, there were likely rough spots.
“Let’s go now, Father. It seems we have one more matter to discuss.”
“Indeed.”
I returned to our lodgings with Baek Moo-ryang.
“You’ve returned already?”
“We thought you were spending time together as father and son, yet you’ve come back so soon.”
“There’s much to be done. Besides, we’ve enjoyed ourselves sufficiently.”
Baek Moo-ryang, offering a vague excuse, headed straight to the guest quarters with me.
Since we decided to maintain secrecy, we kept it from the retainers but summoned only a select few to the room.
Shortly after, Chu Dal and the Young Scholar entered and bowed respectfully.
“Both of you, sit. Hwi, explain.”
“Yes, Father.”
Chu Dal and the Young Scholar, hearing about the Muk Myeon Hyeol Mun’s assassination attempt, widened their eyes in shock.
“An assassination attempt? Here in Mu-han?”
“Four of the Cheonmu-sip-jon, and the Demonic Path’s Salsoo received a contract? That’s suspicious.”
It was a reasonable doubt. Based on the conditions alone, they should have demanded tens of times the fee, yet someone had accepted those terms anyway—which was itself strange.
“More puzzling still is how the Cheonmu-sip-jon failed to notice anything.”
I shared the Young Scholar’s confusion.
Even if they’d tried to minimize disturbance… could it really be that the Cheonmu-sip-jon’s senses detected nothing?
“One of three possibilities.”
Even those of Cheonmu-sip-jon caliber had limits to their perception.
Or they noticed but chose not to intervene.
Or measures were taken to deceive the Cheonmu-sip-jon’s senses.
“Hmm. Still, something feels off.”
The Young Scholar continued, resting his chin on his hand.
“The first two both have variables and limitations. So the third seems most plausible, but if they went to such lengths, then the two of you should already be…”
“Dead?”
“Ahem. I said nothing of the sort.”
This brat had a sharp mind, but his manners were lacking—a trait that persisted even as he aged.
“Kid.”
“Kid?! I’ve already come of age!”
“Doesn’t matter. You’re still shorter than me.”
I continued, watching the Young Scholar bristle indignantly.
“I suspect it’s the third. There may be an entity within Mu-han capable of deceiving even the Cheonmu-sip-jon’s senses.”
My information regarding Hyeol Gyoju remained uncertain, so I hadn’t yet reported it to the family.
“The reason Father and I survived and repelled the assassins so easily was likely because the Salsoo and that entity’s intentions didn’t align, or because they wanted a quiet failure.”
“Hmm… too many variables. Complicated and troublesome.”
The Young Scholar’s expression turned irritated—a thoroughly scholarly response.
Father stepped in to organize the situation.
“When the truth eludes us, we must set it aside. Let us discuss what lies before us.”
“Agreed. Ah, Chu Dal. Go to the assassination site and erase all traces. Then keep watch on the Namgung.”
“Yes, brother.”
We’d worked together for over a decade.
Chu Dal needed no lengthy explanation to grasp my intentions completely.
“If the Namgung seem confused about the assassination not occurring or attempt contact, I’ll report immediately.”
“Good.”
Chu Dal slipped out of the guest quarters.
“Hwi. First, tell me about your next opponent. Have you decided?”
“No. I intended to take revenge for Seo against Nang Hon, but he refused.”
Only sixteen competitors remained for the True Dragon Tournament.
It was worth considering how the matchups might be arranged based on selections and choices.
“To add the finishing touch to this game, aiming for semi-final and final contenders through designation seems wise.”
The three of us began serious discussion following the Young Scholar’s suggestion.

* * *
The spacious banquet hall was filled with the surviving late-stage experts and prominent members of their respective sects.
The Taeguk Sword Master, seated at the highest position, rose to his feet.
“Four days have passed since the last match. I believe our young heroes have had sufficient time to select their next opponents.”
The moment of designation had arrived once more.
“Those who have reached an agreement, please come forward and announce your matchups.”
As the Taeguk Sword Master finished speaking, the late-stage experts rose one by one.
Okcheon was the first to raise his voice.
“I am Okcheon of Hwasan! I wish to witness the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms of the Gaebangs!”
Okcheon had never once fought against a weaker opponent until now.
He always selected only late-stage experts with superior strength who had mastered the martial techniques he wished to observe.
This time was no exception.
‘That’s just like Okcheon, as expected.’
The announcements continued.
“Heuk Yeong-seung of the Zhejiang Heuk Family will face….”
“…Hyeon Geom of the Shaman’s sect will face the Zhongnan Sect….”
Several pairs of late-stage experts were matched, leaving four remaining.
“Dang-gun of the Dang Family, Yang Hwi of the Baek Family, Nang Hon the Assassin, and Mo Yong-mo of the Moyong Family. You four late-stage experts must now choose your opponents.”
‘That bastard Nang Hon said he’d choose Elder Dang, but he hasn’t spoken yet?’
I turned my head. When I met Nang Hon’s gaze and saw him smile faintly, irritation surged through me.
Should I just publicly designate him right now?
-Do not do so, Yang Hwi. If you reject his designation of you and then designate Dang Soga-ju, it will appear strange.
“….”
‘Damn bastard.’
I rose and offered a respectful fist salute in all directions.
“I, Yang Hwi of the Baek Family, declare that I shall compete with whoever remains last.”
Soft exclamations of admiration echoed throughout the hall.
This choice was the result of discussion with the Young Scholar and Baek Moo-ryang.
If there was no opponent I desperately wanted to face, it was better to create a legend of being indifferent to whoever the opponent might be.
“A noble aspiration.”
“That friend has always overflowed with spirit since before the True Dragon Tournament.”
“So it comes down to the choices of the remaining three.”
When I glanced at Nang Hon, he wore an expression of surprise.
‘Does he think I’ll stop Elder Dang because I know his abilities?’
I had never entertained such a thought from the beginning.
No matter that Nang Hon was Jeil-ryong in my past life, Dang-gun was no easy opponent either.
Having shed the shackles of the Dang Family’s martial arts tradition, Dang-gun had bloomed brilliantly.
Even I, who remembered my past life, was astonished at how far Dang-gun had come.
“Dang-gun. Would you not honor me with a match?”
Thanks to the prior hint, Dang-gun showed no surprise whatsoever.
No, even if I hadn’t been told, I wouldn’t have been flustered.
“I am grateful for the nomination. I hope we can share this time exchanging valuable teachings together.”
“Haha, I too wish to learn much from this.”
And so, naturally, my opponent was decided to be Mo Yong-mo of the Mo Yong Family.
“Well then, I look forward to it.”
“Likewise, Mo Yong Seo.”
Mo Yong-mo appeared quite timid for a direct descendant of one of the Five Great Families.
Hmm… the fact that I have no particular recollection of him suggests he didn’t leave any notable mark in my past life.
“Thus, all sixteen matches have been determined. Beyond the pairings, there is one more announcement to make.”
All eyes turned toward the Taeguk Sword Master.
“One of the important aspects of any competition is the spoils of victory. Our Shamanic Sect has overseen the Yongbong Assembly and the Yongbong Competition, yet we have not yet revealed the rewards to be given to Jeil-ryong. We wished to carefully determine a reward truly befitting the greatest prodigy of this generation.”
Most of those gathered listened intently to the Taeguk Sword Master’s words.
Of course, everyone except me.
‘Old master, isn’t the preamble a bit long?’
What’s the point of speaking as though one of the Cheonmu-sip-jon is present?
I already know what’s inside.
‘It must be the Taecheong Pill.’
The Shamanic Sect’s greatest spiritual elixir, said to rival the Grand Restoration Pill.
Upon consumption, one could gain at least a decade’s worth of inner power depending on one’s cultivated martial foundation?
The Daoist’s characteristic essence of expelling demons and extinguishing evil seeps into one’s inner power, and with luck, one might even gain enlightenment regarding the principles of Taeguk.
“Bin-do and our Shamanic Sect’s disciples have deliberated together on what reward would be most fitting for the greatest prodigy under heaven. And finally, we have reached a decision.”
‘Just say it already.’
The Taecheong Pill is a treasure all would desire.
Even more so if the recipient is a prodigy who necessarily lacks inner power in relative terms.
Moreover, with the Taecheong Pill, even those with inner power reserves of two or three decades could expect meaningful gains.
“What is a prodigy, after all? One who must strive further, learn more, and advance ever onward, is it not? Thus, our Shamanic Sect has decided to bestow upon Jeil-ryong the traces left behind by Geom Seon Yeo Dong-bin, the true lineage of the martial path…”
‘The Taecheong Pill originated from Geom Seon’s alchemy? No wonder the Shamanic Sect, with a history of merely a hundred years, produces effects rivaling the Grand Restoration Pill.’
“The records personally written by Geom Seon during his time in this world—the Geom Seon Records—we have decided to bestow upon Jeil-ryong!”
At that moment, my eyes widened in shock.
‘Yeo Dong-bin’s records? Not the Taecheong Pill?’
My past life, and my present life.
The outcome and the flow have changed.

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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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