Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 26

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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 026
While I pondered, Jegal Seon opened his mouth.
“In any case, brother. I suppose I should explain the reason for visiting the Baek Family Estate.”
“Now that you mention it, you did say you had a request. Let me hear it.”
“Would it be possible for myself and my escort to remain at the Baek Family Estate for a few months?”
Jegal Seon intended to search Gok-ryeol Mountain to find Eum Hu.
Considering supplies and rest, he would need a base of operations nearby.
The Baek Family Estate was the perfect choice.
“Stay as long as you wish. There’s no need to call it a request.”
“Thank you, brother.”
“Between us, there’s no need for such formality.”
Jegal Seon’s request was actually a proposal that benefited the Baek Family.
The young master of the Jegal Family would be staying as a guest with his escort, after all.
‘I no longer need to worry about Gyojin-bang’s interference.’
Moreover, with Jegal Seon staying here, no sect in Ak-an County would dare trouble the Baek Family.
I could now pursue expansion of influence without concern.
“Ah, there is one more request, brother.”
“What is it, younger brother?”
“Could you provide me with a guide who knows the geography well—from the Baek Family Estate to Gok-ryeol Mountain, and even the terrain of Gok-ryeol Mountain itself?”
The moment Jegal Seon finished speaking, I interjected immediately.
“I have no assigned duties anyway, so this works out well. Uncle, I will serve as your guide.”
“Hmm? You, Yang Hwi?”
“Yes. As you know, before becoming Father’s son, I was a beggar. I’ve wandered through wind and frost, sleeping under the stars, and there’s nowhere I haven’t been. I know the geography around Gok-ryeol Mountain like the back of my hand.”
This worked out perfectly. If I took on the role of guide, I could offer my opinion when determining the direction of the search.
With memories from my past life, I could adjust the search direction appropriately if danger seemed imminent.
“Then there’s no need to find a separate guide. I’m counting on you, Yang Hwi.”
“I’m the one counting on you, Uncle.”
Afterward, I greeted Jegal Seol-ha as well.
“Seol-ha. I look forward to traveling with you.”
…She nodded.
“Hmm?”
“What?”
I flinched, and surprise crossed Jegal Seon’s face.
Because Jegal Seol-ha had responded to my words.
For reference, this was the first time she had reacted to anyone other than Jegal Seon since visiting the Baek Family Estate.
“Seol-ha, did you just nod?”
“….”
Feeling the weight of attention, Jegal Seol-ha hid her face in Jegal Seon’s embrace.
Thus the composition was complete.
The search party formed to find Pacheon Eumhu, one of the Ten Absolute Martial Masters of the Martial Arts World.

* * *
The next day, the search party for Eum Hu—composed of myself, Jegal Seon, Jegal Seol-ha, and ten escort warriors—completed all preparations and departed from Baek Manor.
Instead of taking a position among the escort warriors, I volunteered to serve as the coachman for the carriage carrying Jegal Seon and Jegal Seol-ha.
“Yang Hwi, how could I have my brother’s son sit as a mere coachman? Come inside and sit with us.”
“Before being your nephew, I came as a guide. To properly fulfill my duty, I believe it’s right that I hold the reins.”
Finding my words reasonable, Jegal Seon responded with a hint of admiration.
“Then this uncle shall sit on the coachman’s bench as well. Let us travel while sharing pleasant conversation.”
It was a display of his insistence on joining me inside, but I smiled faintly and bowed my head.
If Jegal Seol-ha appeared tired, I would certainly enter the carriage immediately regardless.
“Uncle, might I ask what basis led you to suspect that Pacheon Eumhu is at Gok-ryeol Mountain?”
“Ah, now it’s time I told you. The intelligence division of the Main Residence has obtained clues through painstaking effort.”
Jegal Seon’s explanation that followed was as follows.
First: Pacheon Eumhu’s official movements disappeared after Nanchang in Jiangxi Province.
Second: During those final movements, Pacheon Eumhu was inquiring about a place of seclusion through acquaintances.
And finally, third:
“There is a rumor that a dragon has made its nest at Gok-ryeol Mountain. Whenever it rains, thunder echoes from deep within Gok-ryeol Mountain.”
I adopted an expression of plausibility.
“Thunder naturally follows rain, so there is nothing particularly remarkable about the sound being loud….”
“But combined with the first and second clues, it certainly forms a convincing hypothesis.”
Eum Hu is an absolute master of sound arts. Such exceptionally loud thunder might be a trace of sound art manifestation.
“Then, how specifically do you intend to conduct the search?”
“That is….”
Jegal Seon released a small sigh.
Even he, the young master of the Jegal Family renowned for strategy, lacked a suitable method.
‘It seems there is no concrete plan after all.’
Indeed, this was a search for one of the Ten Heavenly Masters.
It could hardly be easy.
“For now… we shall search Gok-ryeol Mountain thoroughly like hunting rats, looking for any traces Eum Hu might have left behind.”
As expected, there was no particular strategy.
Moreover… it seemed Uncle’s judgment had grown somewhat clouded.
It was natural, given that his daughter’s fate hung in the balance.
“Uncle, Gok-ryeol Mountain is far too vast for ten warriors to search thoroughly.”
“Hmm? How large could a mountain in Jiangxi Province possibly be?”
Jiangxi Province was mostly flatland with rivers and canals flowing throughout, a region that subsisted on trade and transportation.
So I understood why Jegal Seon held such a prejudice.
“The name Gok-ryeol itself indicates the mountain terrain is deep and treacherous.”
Gok-ryeol meant a ravine torn devastatingly deep.
Gok-ryeol Mountain was exceptionally large and tall for a peak in Jiangxi Province.
“Ah, I should have brought more warriors.”
“No, Uncle. I don’t think that would be wise.”
“Why not?”
“We shouldn’t make finding Eum Hu our objective, if I may be so bold.”
Though my judgment had momentarily clouded, I was still the young master of the Jegal Family, known as the Crouching Dragon of the Martial Arts World.
Jegal Seon immediately grasped the meaning behind my words.
“Ah, I see. Thank you, Yang Hwi. I nearly committed a grave discourtesy toward Eum Hu.”
“Not at all, Uncle.”
Pacheon Eum Hu was one of the Ten Celestial Martial Experts, renowned for transcending the limits of humanity.
If we were to search Gok-ryeol Mountain for someone of her caliber, what would she think?
No person would fail to resent someone who crossed their walls without permission.
“In truth, I believe that unless one is among the Ten Celestial Martial Experts themselves, finding Eum Hu would be impossible in the first place.”
“That is also sound reasoning. If our search were to expose our presence, then we would not be among the Ten Celestial Martial Experts.”
The essence of searching for Eum Hu lay in one thing.
Not in finding her traces, but in opening her heart.
In that sense, our approach would need to differ from ordinary searches.
‘For now, I cannot think of a clear method either.’
I had searched through all my memories from my past life, yet I possessed no particular information about Eum Hu.
At best, I knew that roughly twenty years from this point, a young master claiming to be her disciple would emerge.
‘Still, I can be certain of one thing—that Eum Hu seeks a disciple.’
I had set out on this journey to beseech her to accept Jegal Seol-ha as her disciple, so I possessed the most crucial information.
If, after great hardship in meeting Eum Hu, she were to refuse to take a disciple, all would be for naught.
“I cannot think of a clear method.”
“Nor can I, sir.”
As I pondered how to win Eum Hu’s heart, we had already reached the foot of Gok-ryeol Mountain.
Jegal Seon, noticing that Jegal Seol-ha was nodding off from exhaustion, adjusted her position in his arms and looked toward me.
“If you know of an inn nearby, take us there. Let us ease Seol-ha’s weariness and satisfy our hunger.”
“There is a village not far ahead, and an inn even closer along the mountain pass.”
“Then the mountain pass would be best.”
“Understood.”
About an hour had passed since I guided the horse toward where the mountain path widened.
A building bearing the sign “Hugok Inn” came into view.
“Uncle, we have arrived at the inn.”
Jegal Seon, carrying Jegal Seol-ha, stepped outside and glanced at the inn before speaking.
“Wailing Valley—an unusual name for an inn.”
As we entered the inn, the innkeeper came to greet us.
“Welcome. Have you come to dine?”
The innkeeper’s face was tense, likely because martial artists had suddenly rushed in.
Remembering my days as a beggar when I would fear encountering martial artists, I quickly stepped forward.
“Innkeeper, I’ll place the order.”
“You honor me with such courtesy, young master. I am merely an innkeeper.”
“The Five Relationships speak of proper order between superior and inferior, yet I wonder if I’m overstepping. Brother, what dishes does this inn do well?”
Yang Hwi asked with a playful tone, and the innkeeper’s face relaxed further as he replied.
“At an inn, it’s dumplings and thin noodles. Our head cook doesn’t neglect the fundamentals.”
“Then bring us dumplings for two and a bowl of thin noodles each.”
Yang Hwi glanced at Jegal Seon, who reached into his money pouch and tossed out a silver ingot worth the value of ten silver coins.
“Keep the change.”
“Oh my, thank you so much! Noble sir!”
Since the meal cost only about five silver coins, this was an extraordinary windfall for the innkeeper.
Yet Jegal Seon’s generosity wasn’t thoughtless—throughout the meal, he peppered the lingering innkeeper with questions and listened intently to his answers.
The result was clear.
“It seems finding Eum Hu won’t be easy after all.”
That the innkeeper at this mountain pass knew nothing meant that even with inquiries, quick progress would be difficult.
“That was our expectation from the start, wasn’t it?”
“Even so, it’s disappointing.”
Jegal Seon gazed with tender eyes at Jegal Seol-ha, who sat nestled in his arms nibbling dumplings.
After observing him for a moment, Yang Hwi spoke up.
“Then, Uncle, what if we tried this approach? Rather than seeking Eum Hu directly, we offer devotion as one would to a deity.”
This time too, Jegal Seon required no further explanation.
“A sound idea. First, I’ll have the martial artists sweep through the surrounding bandits and Black Island gang members.”
I was certain Eum Hu remained somewhere nearby.
“After showing sincerity by caring for the common people, I must climb Gok-ryeol Mountain daily with Seol-ha to offer our devotion.”
“As your guide, I shall accompany you, Uncle.”
He would demonstrate such earnestness, ascending an unfamiliar mountain with two children in tow.
The aim was to move Eum Hu’s heart, or at the very least, to open it to them.

* * *
Ten days had passed since then.
After thoroughly eliminating the Black Island gang members from the surrounding area, I climbed the mountain daily, yet there was no sign of Eum Hu whatsoever.
Jegal Seon descended the mountain today as well, having spent the entire day wandering with Seol-ha in his arms, and let out a heavy sigh.
“Sigh. With Eum Hu giving no word at all, I cannot even tell if this method is working.”
“Sincerity typically requires a hundred-day devotion as its foundation. Until a better approach comes to mind, let us continue with this.”
“You speak wisely. Let us go to the inn.”
Recently, our party had been sleeping at Baek Manor but stopping by Hugok Inn daily to take our meals.
Even at such proximity, the round trip took two hours, so it was more convenient to handle our hunger before moving on.
“Innkeeper, we’ve come again… Hmm?”
Yang Hwi called out cheerfully as he entered the inn, but suddenly paused.
Today, instead of the innkeeper I had grown quite close to, a young girl was working in his place.
“Are you an acquaintance of Wang Pal’s? Welcome. He’s not feeling well today and is resting.”
A girl who appeared to be around fifteen years old bowed her head respectfully upon seeing me.
Considering that innkeeper work was typically done by boys, this was quite unusual.
“Hmm?”
Having thought this far, I realized something.
‘Ah, my sincerity has borne fruit.’
I was born with an exceptionally sensitive perception of qi that could only be described as transcendent.
For instance, I could estimate a martial artist’s inner power dwelling in their dantian merely from the lingering resonance it leaked.
No, it went beyond that.
I could even detect the innate true qi that all living beings possessed.
But.
‘I sense absolutely nothing from this girl.’
This fact meant only one thing.
‘No matter how I searched for clues or conducted investigations, I could never have succeeded.’
The reason was simple. The physical description I would have assumed for Eum Hu in my search would have been completely wrong.
‘In the martial arts world, they say to beware of women, the elderly, and children.’
Before me stood a monster embodying all three—an absolute being who had undergone Pacheon Eumhu’s Return to Youth.

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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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