Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 258

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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 258
Yang Hwi, who had been grinning at this unexpected windfall, suddenly came to his senses.
‘Wait? Why is there Seon-gi coming from Seolha…?’
Even if he had infused Seon-gi into her through the Seonran Hwayong-sul, that didn’t mean Seolha could wield Seon-gi on her own, did it?
“Seolha, come here.”
Startled, I grabbed her wrist and pulled her close.
“Yelp! What’s wrong?”
Instead of answering, I checked her pulse.
I could definitely feel the Seon-gi.
To be precise… this transformation was…
‘So that’s what it was.’
I infused Seonran into Seolha once more.
Unlike before, the Seonran didn’t quietly fall dormant in her dantian—it awakened.
“Huh? Brother?”
Seolha’s eyes widened in surprise. She too had noticed the change.
Rather than explain in detail, I straightened my shoulders and puffed out my chest.
“See? Heaven has chosen a hero—that’s me.”
“…I can’t deny it. I never imagined your realm could accomplish such a thing.”
“Incredible, right? It’s not urgent since I have no immediate use for it, but still.”
“I’ll answer yes to everything before and after.”
She really won’t concede a single point.
“Seolha. Tell me what happened while I was unconscious. Especially about the Dragon-Phoenix Clash. Did I get disqualified?”
In that instant, Seolha’s expression darkened.
‘No way? It ended this pathetically?’

* * *
The Dragon-Phoenix Struggle for Supremacy had an incredibly tight schedule due to the participation of numerous late-stage cultivators.
Even the relatively more flexible True Dragon Tournament couldn’t postpone matches without good reason.
Unless there was a legitimate cause, that is.
“I have an announcement for the True Dragon Tournament participants and their affiliated sects. Last night, Gaecheon Geomryong of the Baek Family suffered severe injuries at the hands of the villain Nang Hon.”
The Cheonmu-sip-jon did not reveal the existence of Cheonma or what had transpired that night to the world.
Instead, Nang Hon was portrayed as a spy from the demonic forces who had appeared once before, and had abandoned his pursuit of the Four Strongholds to flee.
“We will postpone the match between the eight late-stage cultivators until we can ascertain the full circumstances.”
When the Taeguk Sword Master made this declaration, no one dared to object.
The other three members of the Cheonmu-sip-jon even expressed their agreement through silence.
Of course, an indefinite postponement was impossible given that so many sect elders had gathered.
Seven days was already an excessively long time, and the Eight Strongholds Tournament had already concluded.
“Phew, what a relief.”
As Yang Hwi, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief at this turn of events.
After all, I had advanced to the Four Strongholds by default victory since Nang Hon had been paired as my opponent.
‘I thought everything had fallen apart without gaining anything.’
“How does it feel to have become such a pathetic commoner, ambushed like that?”
“Feels absolutely wonderful, hehehehehehe.”
“Tch, I’m dying of regret.”
Such were the four survivors of the True Dragon Tournament.
Yang Hwi of the Baek Family.
Adu of Shaolin.
Hyeon Geom of the Shaman sect.
And finally, Okcheon of Hwasan.
In other words, Jegal Hwa-un, the Young Master of the Jegal Family, had failed to advance to the semifinals.
“That bastard Hyeon Geom was incredibly strong. Brother, you’ve clearly surpassed the level of late-stage cultivators, yet….”
The match between the Shaman sect and Jegal swordsmen was said to have been nothing short of earth-shattering.
The direct descendants of the two major sects representing Hubei Province—the Shaman sect and the Jegal Family.
After a thousand exchanges, the victor emerged.
Hyeon Geom once again proved himself to be the strongest candidate for the position of First Dragon.
‘Considering the fierce conflict over Mu-han, this victory carries considerable significance.’
This was also why Jegal Seol-ha’s expression had grown dark.
“Don’t worry too much. Your older brother of the same generation will exact proper revenge for you.”
“You’re targeting Hyeon Geom?”
“Of course. I can’t fight Adu, after all.”
Brother Okcheon, my sworn brother from my past life.
Adu, my friend in this lifetime.
If I had to fight both of them, I wanted to meet them in the finals.
Hyeon Geom was also the opponent from whom I could gain the greatest advantage at this point.
And furthermore….
“I, Yang Hwi of the Baek Family, became curious about what the Sword Master would do if I defeated the Current Sword Daoist.”
Seolha failed to grasp the true meaning behind my words.
She tilted her head and scratched her cheek.
“Now that I think about it, Master… why haven’t the Cheonmu-sip-jon lords summoned us?”
“Hmm? That’s true.”
The Cheonma had made an appearance, after all.
Others might not know what the Cheonma truly was.
But they would certainly have felt the magnitude of the darkness he carried and the height of his boundless martial prowess.
“Since we were the first to witness it, it wouldn’t be strange for them to summon us and interrogate us thoroughly. The fact that even Master hasn’t given us any hint…”
“Hmm. Well, those who’ve lived long have their own reasons, I suppose.”
I was somewhat bewildered, but it wasn’t something to dwell on.
“Anyway, a match between the Current Sword Daoist and my brother. That should be entertaining.”
“It certainly will be. There will be plenty to enjoy watching.”
“If he loses to the Current Sword Daoist, I won’t let it slide. You understand?”
“Understood.”
That was the moment.
A clear voice rang out from the distance.
“Baek Je. I’ve come to make a request of you.”
A man bounded forward, closing the distance with great leaps.
It was Okcheon.
“Brother Okcheon. Welcome. What brings you here?”
I approached with a warm smile, then stopped short.
Thanks to my keen intuition, I sensed a distance in Okcheon’s demeanor.
‘What’s this? There seems to be a gap between us now.’
“Brother Okcheon.”
“…Baek Je. Since you call this Okcheon your brother, I would hope you might grant me one request.”
“Please, speak. What is it?”
Okcheon’s gaze briefly dropped to the sword at my waist before rising again.
“While you were unconscious, I fought the Black Family Prince in a match.”
“I’m aware.”
A family where Il-gwon Hyeol-gang, one of the Five Divine Generals of Yeokcheon Singyeo, would later serve as an elder.
Heuk Yeong-seung of the Zhejiang Black Family was defeated by Okcheon so easily it was almost anticlimactic, and the entire family vanished.
‘It must be connected to the Cheonma somehow. Well, since they conveniently disappeared on their own, I’ll set that aside for now.’
“I heard something interesting from him.”
“It seems it concerned me. I’m curious.”
“First, let me tell you what my request is. Fight me in the semifinals.”
A match. It was a request typical of Okcheon—whenever something piqued his interest in martial arts, he wanted to test himself first.
But.
“My apologies. I’ve already decided on my opponent.”
“Forgive me, but I overheard your conversation with Jegal Sojeo. Since you haven’t made your selection yet, there should be no problem fighting me.”
“….”
I couldn’t allow that.
‘If I face Okcheon, then Hyeon Geom will be matched against Adu. For me, there’s no scenario where I can afford not to face Hyeon Geom.’
“My apologies. It seems I must face Hyeon Geom instead.”
“May I ask your reason?”
I remained silent. There was only one reason I could give.
Facing Hyeon Geom would be more advantageous.
In the end, it was merely a scheming excuse—one I didn’t want to voice to Okcheon, who had always been sincere about the blade.
“Is it perhaps because you think fighting someone else would be more enjoyable than facing me?”
That wasn’t it. The time I spent exchanging blades with Okcheon had always been a precious memory.
He was the first person I would name as my master in my heart.
And yet.
“If I were to face you, it would be nothing short of exhilarating. But this younger brother does not live for pleasure alone. That is not my path.”
As I finished speaking, words Okcheon had once said in my previous life came to mind.
-Devoting your life to an impossible task, restoring the forgotten Twelve Techniques? No, that’s not it, Baek Je.
-Isn’t it thrilling! How could pursuing a greater blade not be joyful!
What Okcheon had wanted to say, even going out of his way to find me.
Words I wanted to hear from the one I now called my younger brother, even if they were half-forced.
Because he had been both my elder and younger brother in my past life, I understood.
But I couldn’t speak it aloud.
“Then I shall take my leave.”
Okcheon slowly turned his body.
“Take care, Baek Dou.”
In that moment, I realized.
Okcheon had likely come to the same realization.
The way he addressed me—returning to “Baek Dou”—was the proof.
‘In this life. The paths of Okcheon and I are… different. They have changed.’
Okcheon’s figure receding into the distance.
I could only stare blankly after him.
‘Okcheon.’
-Hahahaha, Baek Je! You always bring such joy to this brother! With you by my side, I feel as though I could achieve the pinnacle of the blade! Hahahaha!
My sworn brother from the past life. My master in spirit.
The time spent with him had always been joyful, a treasure beyond measure.
In this present life, that person—Okcheon—was drifting away.
“….”
Since reversing the flow of time, I had changed many things.
Then there must also be things that will inevitably change, whether I wish it or not.
No matter how precious they may be.
“Brother! Brother!”
“…Yes. Seolha.”
When I came to my senses, Seolha was pressing her face close to mine.
“What’s this? It’s not like you to wear such a forlorn expression and just stare blankly.”
“….”
“You’re looking away from the finest cuisine under heaven? My, this man is something else. Now that I’m treating you kindly, you don’t even appreciate how precious Pye Wol-ok-bong is?”
This girl was deliberately speaking in a playful and cheerful manner.
‘Is this her way of comforting me?’
In other words, I must look like I need comforting.
Was it just the fact that Okcheon had left that made me like this?
‘This isn’t the time for this.’
I recited Geom Seon Yeo Dong-bin’s advice once more.
“Simply walk your own path and that is enough.”
So someone departed because our paths diverged?
Then I must continue forward.
If I keep walking, perhaps one day those diverging paths might converge again.
“Seolha.”
“Yes?”
I was about to flick her forehead the way I did with Chu Dal.
But the disciple of Cheonmu-sip-jon was different from Chu Dal.
“Watch out for surprise attacks!”
She dodged and flicked the air instead, then replied with an embarrassed laugh.
“You’ve gotten quite skilled? You used to be such a small child back then.”
“We’re the same age now as we were then, aren’t we? Whether you call me older brother or senior brother, I use those titles because I’m grateful to you.”
“Right, right.”
Thanks to Seolha, my mood had cleared up.
“Path. Path. The Way.”
A sudden thought occurred to me, so I searched my robes.
A jade pendant engraved with “The Way, The Way” on its surface. I tossed it into the air and caught it—the weight was substantial.
It was so heavy that despite its small size, it weighed more than a sword.
“The Way, The Way… could it mean ‘the Way within the Way’?”
“You said when you woke up, it was there, and it seemed like someone from the heavens had given it to you.”
“Right.”
“In any case, you have a naive side to you. That’s the kind of thought you’d have.”
Think whatever you want, you brat.
Even if I tried to tease you, you wouldn’t fall for it anyway.
‘Hmm. I have no idea what to use this for.’
But one thing was certain.
Obtaining this pendant was an enormous gain.
Why? Because just by possessing it, my Seon-gi was gradually increasing.
‘It’s practically like consuming one spirit pill from the Iron Ring every year.’
Why did they give this to me? They didn’t even say they were giving it.
Well, I’ll figure out the reason once I get there.
With that thought, I pushed myself to my feet.
“We’re getting quite a few uninvited guests today.”
“Indeed.”
Seolha turned her head. Her expression had already shifted to something cold and utterly emotionless.
That sudden transformation whenever others were present.
By now, there was no point in being surprised anymore.
“Current Sword Daoist.”
With a rustling sound, the Current Sword Daoist parted the undergrowth and appeared.
Unlike Okcheon, he closed the distance with slow, deliberate steps.
Then he came to a halt.
I noticed that the Current Sword Daoist’s gaze had landed on Jegal Seol-ha first.
“Baek Sohyeop.”
After giving a casual wave, the Current Sword Daoist continued.
“Let us face each other in the semifinals.”
‘This bastard is challenging me, yet his eyes are only on Seolha.’
Moreover, it was an unexpected situation.
Of all people, it was the Current Sword Daoist who stepped forward and made the nomination.
“Did the Geom-ong Venerable instruct you to do so?”
“No. However, it seems he would wish to face Baek Sohyeop.”
I nodded silently for a moment.
‘Hmm. I definitely saw him throwing and catching cards while playing.’
Judging by that first remark, the Shaman doesn’t know about the cards either.
Or perhaps only the Taeguk Sword Master knows.
‘Still, this is good. The first button of the new semifinals has been properly fastened.’
And since the button came into the buttonhole on its own, what could be better than this?
“Let us test which martial art is superior—the Shaman’s Taeguk or the Baek Family’s Gaecheon.”
“Very well.”
In that moment, the Current Sword Daoist bared his teeth in a fierce grin.
The Current Sword Daoist, who had always shown only quiet composure.
‘There’s something to this.’
This is genuinely becoming interesting.
I smiled wickedly as well.

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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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