Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 275

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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 275
“Young Scholar.”
“Yes?”
“Requesting aid from the Nam Family? Is there even such a clan?”
“No, I said the Namgung Family.”
“Ah. So I heard correctly?”
“That’s right!”
“The Namgung Family?”
“Yes!”
“….”
“….”
“….”
Every senior member of the Baek Family fell silent.
Requesting aid from the Namgung Family?
I couldn’t fathom what nonsense this was.
Young Scholar snapped open his fan with a flourish and seemed to relish their reaction.
“Hehehehe, exceeding the expectations of ordinary folk is the mark of a true strategist. In that sense, I believe I am more than worthy of the title.”
“Stop your boasting and explain yourself properly, boy.”
“….”
Hearing Yang Hwi’s words, the chastened Young Scholar continued with his explanation.
Though calling it detailed would be generous—it was far too brief.
“Simply put, we’re giving the Namgung Family, whose face has been dragged through the mud at the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, a chance to restore their honor.”
“Would the Namgung Family truly align with the main branch? It seems more likely they’d coordinate with the Suro Alliance to strike at us.”
“Fighting alongside the legendary Gae-cheon Jeil-ryong against the same enemy and achieving superior results—wouldn’t they seize such an opportunity to prove the Soga-joonim’s excellence?”
In that instant, a glimmer of interest crossed everyone’s faces.
“Hmm?”
“An opportunity to prove themselves.”
“I see….”
“This….”
“It’s clearly nonsense… sophistry….”
Everyone shared the same thought.
It actually makes sense?
“What’s the concrete method? A careless proposal will be torn apart instantly.”
Young Scholar tapped his fan thoughtfully before responding.
“We must first address the current situation. After the Soga-joonim’s elimination, the Namgung all retreated to their home province. Consequently, they not only failed to establish the Martial Alliance but also couldn’t gain a foothold in the subsequent Shaman-led coalition—what I’ll provisionally call the Shaman Alliance. This was a critical misstep for the Namgung Family.”
Indeed, it was their blunder.
Though they must have received assurances from the Shaman regarding the Martial Alliance, pride and face led them to depart for their home province immediately after their elimination.
“Come to think of it, we should also reach out to the Shaman’s side. We can subtly flatter them by framing it as giving Hyeon Geom an opportunity.”
Though the circumstances differed slightly, Hyeon Geom found himself in much the same position as Namgung Cheon-yeong.
Didn’t he also need to prove himself superior to the Gae-cheon Jeil-ryong?
“From the beginning, the Shaman sect sought to create the Mu-ling Alliance to control Baek Do. Even if only partially, they’re eyeing an opportunity to strengthen their influence within the Shaman coalition.”
“Your words are correct, Family Head. On a smaller scale, it appears to be a conflict between the main branch and the Suro Alliance, which seems disadvantageous. But on a larger scale, there’s certainly an opportunity to transform this into a battle between the Suro Alliance and Baek Do.”
In other words, the board is too small, so they want to enlarge the game itself.
Using the reputation of Gae-cheon Jeil-ryong as bait.
“Some might think that mere reputation wouldn’t move anyone.”
“But if we add a few more reasons, they’d move readily enough.”
“Yes, exactly. The title of Gae-cheon Jeil-ryong that the Young Master obtained carries sufficient value.”
The Jeil-bong and Jeil-ryong of the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly are sometimes called candidates for the next Greatest Under Heaven.
To martial artists whose eyes turn at the mention of Greatest Under Heaven, this is an irresistible bait.
And Gae-cheon Jeil-ryong was particularly special among them.
“Through talent alone, he became a disciple of Cheonmu-sip-jon, and as someone from a minor martial family, he surpassed the greatest talents of Shaolin, Namgung, and the Shaman sect. A late bloomer. No—a hero.”
Baek Moo-ryang added his words carefully.
“Until the final Dragon-Phoenix Grand Assembly, I met and conversed with many. They. The martial world. They regard Yang Hwi as the next Greatest Under Heaven.”
This generation’s Jeil-bong and Jeil-ryong are Pye-wol Jeil-bong and Gae-cheon Jeil-ryong.
But unlike Pye-wol Jeil-bong, who merely earns the title of candidate for the next Greatest Under Heaven, Gae-cheon Jeil-ryong
was not simply a candidate.
He had proven so much, and because of it, everyone was certain he would reach the highest position.
He was the future Greatest Under Heaven.
This is why so many sought out the Baek Family of Gae-cheon.
“Defeating the next Greatest Under Heaven. While the Dark Path might not care, for Baek Do, which values reputation greatly, this carries considerable persuasive power. Do you all agree?”
“What matters as much as reputation is profit. Without offering profit, we cannot persuade the Shaman sect or Namgung. We need a more enticing approach.”
The Young Scholar seemed to have already thought this through and immediately proposed a scheme.
“What if, in addition to the prestige gained, we consult with Jin Yeong-gil, the Greatest Merchant of Sichuan, and offer the Namgung family business opportunities?”
“Explain in detail.”
“According to what I heard from Yeo Un-hyeok, the elder of Baek-ri Pavilion, the Namgung family is establishing a new merchant guild and seeking to expand their influence in the commercial world.”
For the current Baek Family of Gae-cheon, the Namgung Family is as certain an enemy as the Dark Path and heterodox sects.
Naturally, they devoted considerable resources to their intelligence network and had obtained this information.
“That sounds like offering our flesh to a provisional enemy. No matter how necessary for survival, it falls short of being called a strategy.”
“Moreover, throughout generations, the Five Great Families, especially the Namgung Family, have maintained close relations with Hwi Sang of An-hui. There’s no need for Jin Yeong-gil’s assistance.”
Jin Sang of Shan-xi and Hwi Sang of An-hui are two massive merchant groups that dominate the realm.
Because they aligned with Gu-pa Il-bang and the Five Great Families respectively, Jin Yeong-gil became a member of Il-ik Alliance.
Though struck by the pointed truth, the Young Scholar remained composed.
“There is a method for that as well, Family Head.”
“Speak then.”
“Yes! I ask of you, Young Master!”
All eyes turned toward Yang Hwi.
“Me?”
“Yes!”
“But this scheme is yours?”
“Since I’ve already sketched the outline, the honor of adding the final touches should go to the Young Master!”
This bastard?
I thought he was offering a solution, but instead he’s passing the buck.
I frowned as I looked at him, but the Young Scholar brazenly raised his chin.
“Surely you don’t mean to say you lack one? Our Young Master is hardly the type to—”
Even a cheap provocation?
So his head’s gotten too big during all this time, has it?
It’s been a while since I properly reminded him of the hierarchy.
“If we’re talking about the Shaman, that’s one thing, but there are ways to persuade Namgung. If the Namgung Family of the Five Great Families joins forces, the Shaman won’t be able to sit idle either.”
“Tell me what you’re thinking, Hwi.”
“Yes. First, allow me a moment to gather my thoughts.”
I gazed at the ceiling and recalled events from my past life.
‘The Namgung Family… I was planning to wait until they destroyed themselves.’
In the final days of my past life, the Namgung Family was indeed called the greatest clan under heaven.
Yet it was also true that around this time, they experienced turbulence that could hardly be called anything less than collapse.
This was because while they were in the midst of expanding their power, Family Head Namgung Il-geom suddenly died, and Soga-joonim Namgung Cheon-hu at the time went missing.
‘In a year or two, Namgung Il-geom dies from an illness of unknown cause.’
A mysterious plague that even the great Namgung Family, mobilizing all their resources, could neither treat nor even identify.
Suddenly, the Mangeumjeung that had rendered Jin Yeong-gil’s fate unknown came to mind.
Considering that the mysterious Mangeumjeung that only afflicted the wealthy was a scheme concocted by those Cult bastards, could it be…?
‘First, let me set aside speculation and start from the beginning.’
After Namgung Il-geom’s death, the Namgung Family was engulfed in internal strife.
After even Soga-joonim Namgung Cheon-hu went missing, the elder who held the greatest power within the household ascended to the position of Family Head.
It was called internal strife, but it was essentially a rebellion, and after years of chaos, the Namgung Family’s wealth was halved.
‘Originally, I had planned to sever their lifeline then. But if there’s a use for them now, I should make use of them.’
“I will go to the Namgung Family myself.”
“What? Hwi, that’s absolutely out of the question.”
“What kind of sight do you think you’ll see going there yourself!”
“Absolutely not! This is a disaster!”
‘Huh?’
I had said it lightly, but the opposition was stronger than expected.
Even my father Baek Moo-ryang wore an expression that seemed to say it was absolutely impossible.
“Why not? It would be more efficient for me to go and settle this myself.”
“You could go to settle things and end up with your own lifeline severed, Young Master!”
“Have you forgotten what you’ve done to Namgung all this time?”
‘Hmm. Did I really do something that deadly? I don’t recall doing anything particular.’
At most, I’d become a thorn in the Namgung Family’s side.
I did make Soga-joonim Namgung Cheon-hu out to be a villain colluding with the Black Sect, but that was something the Namgung Family Head wanted anyway.
I did humiliate the new Soga-joonim Namgung Cheon-yeong, but that was his own incompetence.
“I don’t think I’ve done anything particularly significant.”
“…”
“….”
“….”
“Hwi.”
“Yes?”
“If the Namgung Family Head commanded your father to prostrate himself with his forehead to the ground, what would you do?”
Yang Hwi’s eyes immediately blazed with fury.
“You seem eager to die?”
“What you’ve done to the Namgung Family is precisely that.”
“….”
Hmm. Is that all?
“In any case, as your Family Head and father, I declare this: you will never go as an envoy to the Namgung Family.”
I paused briefly, gathering my thoughts.
My father’s heart was so grateful and warm.
Yet going myself remained the simplest path.
“Father. Your words are just. If the Baek Family sends an envoy, Namgung might send back only his head.”
“You understand this, yet still insist on going yourself. Did you wish to drive a spike through your father’s heart?”
“Whether anyone goes, death is possible. It is right that I go. I will not die—I will find some way to survive.”
“….”
Baek Moo-ryang could not deny it.
There was not a shred of falsehood in Yang Hwi’s words.
My son had proven himself through his actions thus far.
“If the Five Great Families move under Namgung’s lead, the Shamans and Gu-pa cannot remain idle either. Thus, visiting the Namgung Family is the first step. Please trust your son.”
Baek Moo-ryang’s voice grew solemn.
“Gae-cheon Jeil-ryong Baek Yang-hwi.”
He rose and bowed formally.
“The retainers of the Baek Family receive the command of the Gae-cheon Baek Family Head. What is your order?”
“Sometimes I think this. You… my son… you bear far too great a burden.”
“….”
“I resent my own inadequacy in deciding to place yet more burden upon the shoulders of a son already burdened.”
The Baek Family now faced total war against the Janggang Water Route Alliance, one of the Three Great Factions.
This was undoubtedly a crisis that threatened the very existence of the Gae-cheon Baek Family.
Thus, the Family Head leading the retainers must maintain a clear distinction between public and private matters.
Baek Moo-ryang’s voice carried profound emotion.
“Hwi.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Go forth and unleash your cunning. Realize your ambitions.”
“I accept your command.”
“Yet remember this well. You are the Young Master of the main house, and should even a single hair upon your head be harmed, the main house will exact vengeance even at the cost of annihilation.”
“I receive that with gratitude and will hold it in my heart.”
Permission had been granted.
It hadn’t been long since I returned from Mu-han, yet the decision to visit An-hwi had already been made.
‘At this rate, my training will have to wait. Well, what can I do? With the greatest talent under heaven, I’ll find a way somehow.’
The destination of this path was none other than the Greatest Under Heaven.
This journey was to affix the title of “Greatest Under Heaven” before the name of the Baek Family.
So there was no regret, and being busy was a blessing in itself.
The faster I advanced, the sooner I could reach it.
In my previous life, it was something I could never achieve even if I devoted my entire existence to it.
A newly granted life. A second chance.
I would move forward without regret.
‘It will certainly be dangerous. I should go alone.’

* * *
“You’re going to the Namgung Family alone? Have you lost your mind, brother?”
Seolha still called me brother, yet here she was asking if I’d gone mad.
“Brother, you’ll die before your time. You’ll surely meet a violent end somewhere.”
Had Chu Dal witnessed my death in a mountain skirmish in my previous life?
“Yang Hwi! I want to go too!”
This isn’t a pleasure trip, you fool.
“Bin-do is an arrow that has been shot. This time, it seems to have been shot toward An-hwi.”
Neung-o, I never even mentioned this—how did you already prepare to depart?
“Ahem, I too have a debt to the Namgung Family.”
I had only thought it to myself, but when Dang-gun spoke, I couldn’t help but say something.
“Just be honest, Elder Dang. You’re worried and want to come along.”
“Ahem, ahem!”
Dang-gun, embarrassed, kept clearing his throat.
Jegal Seol-ha with her stubbornness written across her face, and Chu Dal lamenting his fate.
Adu with an attitude as if going for a casual stroll, and Neung-o examining a map without even responding.
I looked around at them all.
Five loyal companions who had volunteered for a path that could lead to death.
‘If I had gone alone, I could have escaped if things went wrong. I tried to sneak away, but got caught red-handed.’
Damn it.
Yet my mood wasn’t bad at all.
To be honest….
“Alright then, let’s all storm the Namgung Family together!”
Yang Hwi let out a loud shout, his lips curling into a grin.

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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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