Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 276

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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 276
I had planned to leave alone, but in the end, I gained a traveling companion.
A thought suddenly occurred to me.
Since we’re going together anyway, shouldn’t I make thorough use of this situation?
“Adu.”
“Huh?”
I jumped up and climbed onto his back. Adu instinctively extended his arms backward, and I ended up being carried piggyback.
“Carry me on your back and run the whole way.”
“Sure! But why?”
“I need to train.”
I had obtained the martial arts of two of the Cheonmu-sip-jon.
I intended to spare the mental effort needed for walking and running, immersing myself in meditation and contemplation instead.
‘Adu’s back is stable enough that it won’t shake.’
“Oh!”
Seolha’s eyes gleamed as she looked at me, then she climbed up onto Adu’s back as well.
I was startled and shifted my body to the right, and after some awkward shuffling, we both ended up sitting comfortably on Adu’s shoulders.
“This is pleasant and nice. Monk Adu is really wonderful at times like these.”
“I like Seolha too.”
“Right? If you get bored, just tell me, Monk. I’ll sing for you.”
I could only stare at this scene with my mouth slightly agape.
When did she become so shameless?
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Never mind. Let’s all go then.”
“Okay!”
Adu gathered his energy and kicked off the ground.
Even though the earth was firmly packed, it cracked under his feet, and his body soared far higher than the tallest tree, carrying both of us on his shoulders.
“Ahahaha! So high!”
Was this bastard a horse in his past life?
Why was he so thrilled carrying two people on his shoulders?
“Speed is good, but don’t let us shake.”
“Got it!”
The shaking vanished as if it were a lie. Considering he was running with bounding leaps, it meant his lower body training was stable beyond belief.
‘This will make training much easier.’
I closed my eyes. The wind felt against my skin faded away, and the sounds of mountains and fields brushing past my ears ceased.
I concentrated all my consciousness inward, sinking deeper and deeper within myself.
Il-do Cheon. The Gyeongsin Jeol-hak of Cheonmu-sip-jon Pacheon Eumhu.
Hwa-hwa Daehaeshin-gong. The true heart method of Cheonmu-sip-jon Daehaeyongwangdo.
‘The Cheonmu-sip-jon… truly beings who have touched the heavens.’
I had never felt a sense of endless limits in learning martial arts.
I had confidence that if given the opportunity, I could master them all.
It was only natural that I believed without a doubt in my own talent as the greatest under heaven.
But.
‘Indeed, I was able to resurrect Ilbo-cheon and Hwahwae Daehaeshin-gong as my own martial arts.’
There was too much, making it profound and mysterious.
It was too deep, leaving me bewildered.
Such was the martial arts of the ten greatest masters under heaven.
‘Well, I have no intention of despairing over merely this much.’
Cheonmu-sip-jon. Ten absolute beings beneath the heavens.
In other words, there were as many as ten of them.
If I dreamed of being the greatest under heaven, I had to transcend the profound and the bewildering.
‘Besides, compared to Geom Seon’s Cheondon Sword Method… it’s not profound or deep.’
It was simple and shallow.
Having already digested one stroke of the Cheondon Sword Method, wouldn’t Geom Seon in heaven frown if I hesitated over this degree?
So I would accomplish it.
No matter if time was lacking and the situation was urgent, I would surely grasp it.
‘Ilbo-cheon-byeon (One Step Thousand Changes), Pung-ui-byeon-byeon (Wind Intent Transformations)… Daho-jeung-bae (Many Tigers Doubled), Daehaeil-do (Great Sea One Path)….’
When I opened my eyes, the sun was dimming in the distance.
Since I had departed in the morning, half a day had already passed.
‘Indeed, the comfort of an unwavering mind. I trained quite well.’
I patted Adu’s shoulder and leaped down.
Before my eyes flowed a river as thick as a dragon’s body.
“Is this the Yeong River?”
“Hwi’s Younger Brother. It seems you’ve finished your meditation.”
It appeared we had arrived at the Yeong River some time ago.
“You waited until I woke up?”
The answer came from Neung-o.
“That is correct, Baek Dou. To be precise, we were hidden while discussing our approach.”
A method, after all, is a means to resolve something.
I could tell without asking who the target that needed resolving was.
“Patrol boats.”
A single boat floated several hundred zhang upstream.
Flags bearing insects that looked round and hard-shelled.
It appeared they were conducting patrols or searches.
“If we cross the river, we will surely be discovered. We must decide whether to avoid combat and turn back, or to break through directly, Baek Dou.”
Though his words seemed to offer a choice, looking at Neung-o’s eyes, he had already made a decision.
After all, an arrow once shot doesn’t turn back.
“Elder, it seems an alert has been issued in the vicinity since they launched such a large-scale assault on the main family.”
“What’s your evidence?”
“Those bastards aren’t mere sentries or small-time patrol soldiers. From the flags, they must be from Guguryong Seol-chae.”
Guguryong Seol-chae—I had heard of those bastards’ notorious reputation even in my previous life.
“Yongseul? Isn’t that just a water beetle? Calling themselves insects—these bastards certainly know their place.”
Chu Dal shook his head upon hearing Jegal Seol-ha’s words.
“Lady Jegal, water beetles are the most ferocious and savage creatures among insects that dwell in water.”
The Guguryongseul Fortress—ninety-nine water beetles.
Water beetles were also famous for practicing cannibalism among their own kind.
This was precisely why they called themselves Yongseul.
“The Guguryongseul Fortress is renowned for always maintaining exactly ninety-nine members in their organization.”
“What happens if someone new wants to join?”
“One of the existing members must be killed.”
Thus, for the bastards of Guguryongseul Fortress, bloodshed was daily life, and they tempered themselves through blood and death every single day.
“They’re certainly no small-time thugs, then.”
“With one ship, there should be roughly thirty of them.”
“To be precise, you should count on thirty-three. I’ve heard the Guguryongseul Fortress operates three main vessels.”
“Given their elite status, we should consider them equivalent to a force of a hundred men.”
The Yingjiang River here was a tributary of the Yangtze and connected to Poyang Lake, a famous landmark of the region.
The width was absurdly vast, meaning a boat was absolutely necessary to cross it.
Unless one had reached the pinnacle of Void Grasping Water technique or achieved the realm of Water-Surface Flight, that is.
“Hmm….”
Yang Hwi, frowning in contemplation, drew out the Geom Seon’s Decree from the bundle on his back.
‘Tang’s Blade Virtue… still the same. No particular changes. Geom Seon must want to grow stronger by eliminating water bandits.’
“Let’s just slaughter all those bastards and steal their boat.”
“What’s your reasoning for that, Hwi’s Younger Brother?”
“We need a boat to cross the river. Plus, we should probably divert some attention elsewhere.”
There was no telling when swarms of these insects might come crawling back to invade the main house.
So it was better to redirect their focus and lower their concentration on the main house.
“Water is their domain, so it would be a battle fought at a geographical disadvantage.”
“How would we even reach a boat in the middle of the river in the first place?”
“If we’re determined, there’s no path we can’t take. But we should minimize internal energy consumption. Let’s cut down trees, throw them in, and use them as stepping stones to approach.”
The most orthodox method when martial artists engaged in water combat.
Since no particularly ingenious ideas came to mind, I decided to proceed with this plan.
‘Still, it would be good to set up some precautions.’
“Elder Dang. Handle any underwater attacks they might launch from below the water.”
“Don’t worry.”
Dang-gun replied confidently, tucking both hands into his sleeves.
Surely they were filled with all manner of poisons.
“Then, let’s go.”
As Neung-o thrust his sword, a massive tree split into dozens of pieces.
“Heave!”
The moment Adu threw all the wooden planks into the river, Yang Hwi launched his body forward first.
Or rather, he was about to.
“Heh, this time I’ll take the lead!”
Seolha, having unleashed her Ilbo-cheon, bounded across the water’s surface like a sharp-clawed weasel.
Why was the Sound Master, who only needed to sing from the rear and pluck her strings, stepping forward as the vanguard?
I couldn’t comprehend it at all.
“Hey, you reckless fool!”
I tried to follow with my shout, but someone grabbed my shoulder and pushed me back.
“Neung-o?”
“Baek Dou, just watch. You’ve had plenty of entertainment so far.”
Neung-o suddenly stepped forward.
He advanced in a straight line, his sword aimed directly ahead, becoming like an arrow shot through the air.
‘Neung-o. If he’s referring to the Yongfeng Gathering, when it comes to having the most fun, I’d say it was Neung-o who fought Jang Moon-in to the death…’
‘Damn it. Our main family was attacked by these water bandits, yet everyone steps forward before me… what?!’
My expression changed abruptly.
From the water bandits who noticed us and were attempting a counterattack, an strange aura was emanating.
‘What kind of energy is this?’
It was an aura I couldn’t feel from the small-time thugs who attacked the main family.
Like tangled thread whose beginning and end were incomprehensible, as if heavy makeup had been applied to hide one’s true nature.
Simultaneously, an intense sense of rejection and contempt washed over me.
Yes, demonic energy.
Even if an enlightened master had been present, I doubted they would have recognized it as demonic energy, so corrupted had it become.
But it was unmistakably demonic energy.
“Everyone, be careful!”
These mere water bandits—not just one or two, but all of them—possessed demonic energy?
‘What the hell!’
A sense of crisis rang out like a warning bell. I immediately unleashed my inner force and propelled myself upward.
High and powerful enough to reach the boat with a single leap.
That was when it happened.
“Krraaaaaaagh!”
“Kraaagh!”
“Murky energy! Murky energy! Why on earth!”
My strength drained away in disbelief.
I landed on the water’s surface as I fell.
A one-sided battle that made my sense of crisis seem meaningless.
My entire group was displaying overwhelming martial prowess against the water bandits.
‘No, that’s not it. It’s not because we’re stronger.’
If we were to compare strength, we were indeed the stronger side.
But the true cause of this situation lay elsewhere.
I heightened my senses to their maximum and observed the collision and cancellation of energies.
‘Murky energy, they called it? A dark aura. Now that I observe it, I understand. It seems to originate from demonic energy, but it’s an aura that can no longer be called demonic energy.’
To those unfamiliar with it, it would feel like a somewhat turbid and foul-quality aura.
Even my companions didn’t seem to sense any demonic aura at all.
In other words, they weren’t taking any countermeasures against demonic aura.
‘Ah, I see.’
I recalled my encounter with Cheonma—the conversation with Yeo Dong-bin that took place in a dreamlike realm when I lost consciousness.
“When one’s aspirations are rooted in goodness and righteousness, and those aspirations are established with a correct heart, one naturally undergoes fitting transformations.”
At that time, Hwa-cheon Seon-gi had undergone changes even she herself couldn’t perceive.
When I asked about this, Geom Seon praised the Seonran Hwayong-sul as an excellent technique.
‘I thought it was answering a question from the east with an answer from the west, but it turned out to be answering an eastern question with an eastern answer.’
Seolha. Chu Dal. Adu. Dang-gun. Neung-o.
They all possessed Seonran.
Knowing how exceptional Seon-gi’s abilities were, there was no reason not to use the Seonran Hwayong-sul.
‘The Seon-gi of Seonran is moving.’
By nature, Seon-gi is a force that guides naturally and righteously.
It inflicts extreme suffering upon those bearing demonic aura, but not because it opposes demonic aura—rather, such is the characteristic of Seon-gi itself.
However.
Now it was different.
Seon-gi itself was opposing and attacking demonic aura.
The change was so profound that even the vital essence of the cultivators born from demonic aura had become targets.
‘This… perhaps…’
The sensation was so exhilarating that my fingertips tingled.
I gazed blankly at the battle, thinking to myself.
After the war with the Janggang Water Route Alliance ends, perhaps the Gae-cheon Baek Family could transform the Five Great Families of the realm into the Six Great Families.

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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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