Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 289

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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 289
The first day of reversing time.
There was one thing I had been contemplating since then.
‘It takes at least thirty years to cultivate a warrior of respectable caliber.’
Generally, a warrior’s peak years arrive around forty.
In the early days when the Baek Family Head was incapable, there was only Kwak Beom among the warriors worth nurturing, so the road ahead was long.
‘Select the seeds, nurture the sprouts, and make the well-grown saplings and young trees into retainers of the Baek Family.’
It was easy to say, but it would require an extensive passage of time.
The problem was simply that I didn’t know how much time the Baek Family would be given.
Regardless of the Nine Sects and Five Great Families, the nearby Honam region, and moreover the Black Sword and Heterodox Sect bastards would certainly be watching.
Even just the Demonic Cult wouldn’t wait thirty years.
The Baek Family had to grow stronger rapidly through methods beyond simply cultivating warriors.
Therefore, Yang Hwi moved.
I kept Jegal Seol-ha alive and maintained the bond with the Jegal Family strong, unlike in my previous life.
For matters of siege warfare, I recruited Baek Cheol as a retainer—one who would prove in the future that he possessed talent second to none under heaven.
‘The recruitment of Baek the Siege Master proved effective. Not even twenty yet, and already creating such a device.’
Combined with Eum Hu’s counsel, the Jegal Family’s mechanical techniques, and the Dang Family’s siege warfare arts, the Brilliant Resonance Piercing Cannon was more than half realized by Baek Cheol.
Thunk! Thunk!
As I tapped the upper portion of the Brilliant Resonance Piercing Cannon, a clear metallic ring echoed forth.
The sound did not cease after a single strike, but sustained itself with unusual duration.
Self-resonance created by the reverberating tone.
This was the characteristic of the Brilliant Resonance Piercing Cannon.
“Seolha! Make it ring more vibrantly!”
“Yes, brother!”
The Brilliant Resonance Piercing Cannon.
A cannon that shatters enemies with the resonant cry of harmony.
Its function was simple.
The maximization of water-merged resonance.
That is, the amplification and transmission of sound meeting water.
Boom! Boom-boom! Boooooom!
The drumstick struck the drum portion of the Heavenly Sound Jade Lute with force.
The drum sound that arose was drawn into the rounded head of the Brilliant Resonance Piercing Cannon instead of reverberating through the surroundings.
The head extended thick, forked legs below—metal rods in the shape that craftsmen commonly called tuning forks—and soon water droplets began bouncing from the surface.
Grrrrrrrooooom!
“Brother! The mercenary bastards are approaching!”
The tactics of the mercenary henchmen who intercepted the boat were actually simple.
They would dive using their unique aquatic techniques, approach from below, and use the hook attached to one end of the harpoon to tear away the planks beneath the boat.
They would board the slowly sinking vessel, kill the people, and plunder the valuables.
But.
“As expected of these dim-witted mercenary bastards. Seems they haven’t learned their lesson yet.”
“Exactly right, hehehehe.”
I had made a clear declaration.
That water was no longer their domain alone.
“Come on, go! Bright Sword Cannon!”
Yang Hwi shouted cheerfully and brought his sword, brimming with inner qi, down upon the water’s surface.
KWOOOOSH!
KWOOOOSH!
The water’s surface churned violently. It wasn’t vaporizing from heat, but purely from the sound and vibrations.
“Glub glub glub!”
“Glub glub glub!”
When you throw a large boulder into a shallow stream, dozens of minnows float up unconscious.
The henchmen bobbing on the water’s surface looked exactly like that.
“What a catch! Haul them all in!”
“Yes sir!”
“Understood!”
Il-ik-chae’s mercenaries cast out a wide net.
True to form for mercenaries, sharp steel spikes protruded from the edges, allowing them to rake in all the unconscious bodies.
“Damn it! What kind of technique is that!”
A roar erupted from the front lines of the Ssang-yang vessel.
Judging by the momentum contained in that shout, it was at least a master at the peak of transcendence.
“Brother! That bastard is the leader of the Ssang-yang vessel!”
“That Ssang-sal-su-jang or whatever?”
“Yes! Should I kill him?”
“You?”
“I’m a non-combatant, sir. Neung-o has already gone!”
I turned around. Neung-o, who had been standing with his sword drawn, had vanished without a trace.
Ever since Neung-o became the Jeomchang leader, he seems to have grown even more impatient.
Back then, he always felt composed and measured.
But then again, now that he’s freer, his true nature is showing.
“Neung-o! Don’t kill him!”
“Got it, Baek Dou!”
Though Neung-o boarded the Ssang-yang vessel alone, no one in our group worried.
This was a man who had killed a transcendent master at the peak of martial prowess—mere mercenaries couldn’t possibly be a match.
He would tear through them like a wolf among chickens.
“Seolha! I’ll handle the left side Bright Sword Cannon!”
“Understood! Let’s perform a duet!”
Since Seolha triggered the Bright Sword Cannon with her drum, I should produce sound with percussion as well.
I drew my sword and brought it down upon the cannon’s head.
CLAAAANG!
BOOOOM!
The drum stick and drum. The sword and metal head.
Different as they were, their clear tones merged into a single resonance that was sucked into the Myeongjin-pa-jeok-po.
My spirits naturally soared.
‘Perhaps I should perform a sword dance.’
The Gae-cheon-bak-pal-geom, Third Form.
Hawk Wing Returning.
Defensive in nature, yet among all the moves in this form, it boasted the highest frequency of sword strikes.
Clang-clang-clang-clang-crash!
The metallic sounds cascaded endlessly.
And when I further infused inner qi into the blade’s edge—
—Shrieeeeeek!
The hawk’s cry too was sucked into the Myeongjin-pa-jeok-po.
I rotated my body with fluid grace and unleashed another sword form.
Shrieeeek!
Clang-clang-clang-clang-crash!
The unbroken succession of sword forms finally converged into one.
The secret technique of the Gae-cheon sword, Hawk’s Roar Covering Heaven, unfolded.
True to its name, a resonant hawk’s cry that seemed to blanket the sky filled the Myeongjin-pa-jeok-po completely.
The cannon fired.
Boom-crash-crash-crash-crash!
“I cannot lose!”
With that cry, Jegal Seol-ha also swung her drum stick with tremendous force.
Flying Immortal Jade Sound Single Path Technique, One Strike Becomes Myriad Forms!
Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom!
Two Myeongji-pa-jeok-po cannons. The water of the lake, with its locked iron legs, vanished in a circular formation.
Sound. Resonance. Vibration. Melody.
Or perhaps, sonic bullets.
The water’s surface was pushed back by the tremendous force expressible through all of these.
“Go!”
“Destroy it all!”
Boom-crash-crash-crash-crash!
Boom-crash-crash-crash-crash!
Could mere sound destroy an object—and a massive ship dozens of times larger than a person at that?
Sound martial arts were never meant for destruction in the first place.
Their primary purpose was transmitting inner qi through sound, manifesting the penetrating force of inner qi circulation.
Yet the answer was.
If sound became concentrated and condensed into what was called a sonic bullet—
Then yes, it could destroy.
Of the three ships in the Ssang-yang-chae fleet, the nearest one was split in half.
It seemed that a single moment would be enough for it to sink completely.
“This is the power of the Bright Water Combined Technique, you bastards!”
“It grows several times stronger in water!”
Yang Hwi and Jegal Seol-ha cried out in unison, laughing heartily.
“Krraaaagh!”
A scream so unusually loud and agonized that it reached all the way to Il-ik-chae’s battle line in the distance.
I turned my head in alarm to see Neung-o’s Sa-il Sword piercing through Ssang-sal-su-jang’s solar plexus.
“….”
“….”
“Elder Dang. Think we can save that one?”
Dang-gun shaded his eyes with his palm and furrowed his brow while straining his vision.
“The solar plexus was struck, but it seems the vital organs were avoided… I’ll need to treat him to know for sure.”
“I’ll trust the Dang Sect’s medical skills. Let’s keep him alive and put him to work.”
“Understood, Hwi.”
About an hour passed like that.
Three ships from the Ssang-yang Fleet—well, one was destroyed—so it took that long to completely seize the remaining two vessels.
“Keep as many alive as possible, but kill every last one who went out raiding.”
“Yes, Family Head!”
“Krraaaagh!”
“S-save me and I’ll work like a dog, krragh!”
“R-run! Everyone run!”
In the midst of the chaos, I pressed my blade against the throat of the kneeling Ssang-yang Fleet Head, Ssang-sal-su-jang.
“Listen, Fleet Head. Die or become my slave.”
“….”
This bastard ignoring me?
Maybe he doesn’t have a tongue at all.
“Should I cut out that useless tongue of yours right now?”
“…Krkrkrkuk.”
Ssang-sal-su-jang suddenly began laughing darkly.
“I already know about the schemes of you bastards—Il-ik-chae or whatever. Even if I surrender, I’ll just become a sword-bearer.”
“Isn’t it better than having my life cut short right now?”
“Even in defeat, I’m still a Fleet Head. Would I crawl between a man’s legs just to survive?”
“Is that so? Then die.”
I was about to swing my blade.
“Do you know why I came out on a raiding operation when I should be facing you in battle?”
It had been somewhat strange. Even with preparations and battle readiness, why resort to banditry?
“You probably thought henchmen like us were blinded by greed. Or perhaps you assumed we came to plunder and flee, so you launched a surprise attack.”
Interest flickered across my face.
“Neither is correct. Keep talking.”
“The sudden raid was to gather tribute to present.”
Tribute. In other words, we needed wealth to offer to someone above us.
Chu Dal brought his fist down hard on the Ssang-sal-su-jang’s head.
“You think we’d move without knowing? I’m aware that masters from the Water Route Alliance will arrive soon, you bastard.”
“Kekeke, then why aren’t you running away?”
The answer flowed from Neung-o.
“An arrow once loosed does not change its course out of fear of the enemy.”
“You wretches are nothing but insects to be crushed between their fingertips?”
Jegal Seol-ha, her arms crossed, delivered her conclusion.
“In short, a strong one is coming. This bastard is just puffing his chest out, relying on his backing.”
“A strong one? Kahahaha! The heroes of the Water Ghost Brigade! We’ll slaughter you all and still have strength left! Kahahaha, if you kill me, they’ll tear you to shreds… cough, hack, gag….”
The Ssang-sal-su-jang collapsed, blood spraying from his mouth.
It happened with a single light flick of Jegal Seol-ha’s bowstring.
“Did I kill him too hastily? It leaves a foul taste in my ears.”
“We heard everything we needed to. Well done, Seol-ha.”
“It was nothing.”
Chu Dal began reciting information about the Water Ghost Brigade.
“The Yangtze Water Route Alliance’s elite military force bears the name Water Ghost. The weakest among them are said to be Transcendent Masters.”
“The strongest one?”
“It’s not known, but… I’d guess they’re stronger than Namgung’s Changtian-dae-ju, perhaps?”
These bandits have the Cheonmu-sip-jon at their head, and the Yangtze Water Route Alliance is a force as large as several of the Gu-pa and Five Great Families combined.
If a warrior ranks among the elite of the elite, they would naturally be as strong as the Changtian-dae-ju.
But.
Jeomchang, Jegal, the Shaman, Namgung, plus the Dang Family as Baek Do’s decisive weapon, and the Baek Family growing with recent momentum of ascension.
The Yangtze Water Route Alliance faces four of the Gu-pa and two families of the Seaga rank.
Would the Water Route Alliance really make the foolish decision to send a Transcendent Master to a mere brawl between late-stage masters?
“Transcendent Masters, at most around ten. If we prepare in advance, we can definitely win….”
“Wait, Elder Dang.”
That was the moment.
Yang Hwi’s eyes sharpened as I gazed toward the northern shore of Lake Payang, where it connected to the Yangtze.
“I think I overestimated these bandits’ intelligence.”
“What do you mean?”
Instead of answering Dang-gun, I raised my voice and shouted.
“Kill every enemy we haven’t suppressed yet! Reorganize the formation quickly!”
I felt the aura.
Nine sharp, blade-like auras.
And….
“Seol-ha! Prepare the Myeong-jin-pa-jeok-po! Maximum power!”
“Understood, Elder Brother!”
Boom boom boom boom boom boom!
Boom boom boom boom boom boom!
A massive ship approaching from far away.
A banner embroidered with the characters for “Water Ghost” fluttered in the wind.
Before it, the auras of those rapidly closing the distance.
“Strike first, strike to win! Open fire!”
Boom-crack-crack-crack-crack!
Boom-crack-crack-crack-crack!
The Mingzhen Sect’s cannons fired their sound-dampening projectiles.
The water surface shattered as a thick mist blanketed dozens of zhang ahead.
Unlike a natural phenomenon, the mist dispersed swiftly.
The ripples subsided and the water surface grew calm.
Ten figures standing upon the water were revealed.
“Impressive bastards.”
“In merely a month since deployment, you’ve swallowed half of Payang Lake?”
“Such drive—you’re exactly the talent our Water Ghost Alliance needs.”
“From this day forward, you water ghosts will become true Water Ghosts like us.”
‘Nine that I read beforehand. Plus one more.’
A sense of crisis rang its alarm bell.
Because of the nine elder-class masters?
No, that’s wrong.
Just one.
The sensation emanated from that bastard standing at the very back in silence.
‘That bastard definitely broke through.’
When one reaches the limits of humanity, this is called the Transcendent Realm.
Thus, for most warriors, the Transcendent Realm is a wall that cannot be crossed in a lifetime.
It was, quite literally, the boundary of human capability.
Then, what should one call those who have overcome even such limits?
The answer is simple.
When a person between heaven and earth inscribes their own spirit into the heavens and earth themselves, they transcend the human realm.
Having shed and surpassed it—the Transcendent Master.
“Subdue them. Don’t kill them. We have questions.”
“Understood.”
“Understood.”
“Understood.”
A Transcendent Master had arrived.
“Scatter!”
‘I have to face that bastard. Otherwise, we’re all dead!’
Wrapping a thousand winds around my body, I charged toward the Transcendent Master.

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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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