Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 306

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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 306
A person’s inner nature can transform.
When the human heart changes hundreds of times in a single day, how could one’s inner nature remain immutable?
The form of the mind, solidified enough to take shape, is what we call inner nature—yet it can change entirely given sufficient catalyst.
Her shock stemmed from something else entirely.
‘My brother’s inner nature… I’ve never seen anything like this.’
Yang Hwi’s inner nature had been immovable.
A boulder with edges worn smooth and its surface etched with countless scars.
Even if more wounds were added, it seemed it would remain steadfast—yet that form was changing.
“Brother. Are you alright?”
No answer came. Yang Hwi simply remained silent with his eyes closed.
Unlike his rapidly shifting inner form.
First, the texture changed.
As a chrysalis sheds its skin to become a butterfly, the boulder’s surface began to peel away.
Once the scarred, hardened outer shell disappeared, only smoothness remained.
‘Like an eggshell… No. That’s not it.’
The rounded form with its smooth surface resembled an egg, yet it was an egg unlike any other.
It was not unified as one.
Seolha gathered her focus and concentrated her perception on what she saw.
Then she could sense Yang Hwi’s inner nature more clearly.
‘Merely white snowflakes. Yet upon closer inspection.’
Snow is composed of beautiful crystals.
Similarly, Yang Hwi’s inner nature was an aggregation of countless minute elements.
Feathers formed of pure white light, so densely and perfectly connected that the surface felt singular.
If I had to name it—the White Feather Radiant Egg.
That was not all.
‘It’s not just the form of an egg. It’s… alive.’
The White Feather Radiant Egg pulsed with rhythm.
It trembled as though it might shatter its shell at any moment.
Perhaps, given just a little more time.
A crack would form down its center.
The round, scarred boulder was actually an egg.
Merely the outer shell that needed to be broken through.
Thump!
Without realizing it, Seolha placed her hand over her heart.
A pressing force. She held her chest as she thought.
Why was her heart pounding so?
Rational affection? Longing emotion?
It was none of those.
‘My brother….’
Something was felt.
Something that could never be ignored.
A single thread.

* * *
My eyes were closed, yet I could see the world.
A strange thing. Yet it was a familiar sight to me.
With the spiritual perception of ages, I could see the world even with my eyes shut.
‘I can see it. The flow.’
A vision composed solely of spiritual perception differed greatly from what the eyes directly beheld.
It was closer to seeing the essence of things rather than their form.
Springs existed everywhere, and water flowing from them spread in all directions.
The springs were life itself, or perhaps the source of all spiritual energy.
A world so beautiful.
Perhaps it was determined from the moment I first witnessed such a sight.
The destiny to truly love the martial way.
‘That’s why it felt right. The better I became, the more beautiful the world appeared. The better I became, the more Father rejoiced.’
I grew up as a swordsman, and for a swordsman, martial arts meant the blade.
A means to be loved by the most precious family, a way to draw closer to that beautiful light.
Thus, at a young age, I chose my path.
‘Somehow I had forgotten. That grasping the path is as important as walking it.’
A path cannot help but exist.
If no path seems to exist, it simply means I haven’t found it yet.
If it truly doesn’t exist, I could forge one myself.
‘Adu. Your words were right. Mistaking the path I walked for a new one. Mistaking the new path for the one I walked. Perhaps I was indeed lost.’
In truth, I still don’t know for certain.
Whether I was truly lost, or if it was merely anxiety during the journey while I was actually progressing well.
But this didn’t matter.
‘In this life, I am the Greatest Under Heaven. There is no room for hesitation or doubt.’
I will make the Baek Family—the sanctuary where I live with those I cherish—the Greatest Under Heaven.
So I must seize the Greatest Under Heaven in my grasp.
‘To be ranked first beneath heaven… I must become complete.’
What is completeness?
At least it differs from arrogance.
Rather, arrogance is a path that leads away from completeness.
How could one who cannot learn from the world become the world’s first?
So Adu’s words were wrong, yet right.
Why? Because they brought me this understanding.
‘Namgung Il-geom. So this is the kind of person he was.’
I witnessed Namgung Il-geom’s choice, something I never knew in my past life.
I had come to understand something I had not known before.
To see is to learn, and to learn is to master—such is the way.
So I learned and mastered it.
‘Namgung Il-geom walked a path my father would never have taken.’
My father and his choices were different.
Namgung Il-geom made the perfection of his child his final legacy.
‘In the end, did he regard his child as a tool… no, as a masterpiece of his own creation? Or perhaps… was this too a form of paternal essence?’
It was possible that the former and latter were one and the same.
A child is, after all, a masterpiece painstakingly crafted by a father throughout his life.
Just as my father Baek Moo-ryang raised this wretch in a cave to become Baek Yang-hwi.
‘Namgung Cheon-yeong became a sword. Unlike in my past life, when I was merely a tool.’
In my past life too, Namgung Cheon-yeong was raised as a sword and lived as one.
A sword is but a tool that cannot impose its own thoughts upon its wielder.
That is why I committed the assassination and left an apology as my final words.
But this life had clearly produced a different outcome.
‘The Namgung Cheon-yeong who called the Family Head father called Namgung Cheon-hu a criminal.’
The sword had developed intent.
Qi infused with will became living vitality—perhaps Namgung Cheon-yeong had truly obtained life in the truest sense.
“Namgung Cheon-yeong!”
As I called out his name, Namgung Cheon-yeong turned his head.
With his sword still pierced through his brother’s heart, his tear-stained face turned toward me.
“Raised as a sword yet I lived. Therefore, I, Bul-wol Pa-byeok’s Gae-cheon Jeil-ryong, declare—”
Ssang-baek Pal-hwa-cheon. Swords sprouted from both my hands and scattered feathers.
Feathers of pure white light scattered across the entire Namgung Hall, slaying all the remaining Hyeol-gyo Followers.
“Kwaaaaagh!”
“Kwaaaaagh!”
“Kwaaaaaaaagh!”
As life extinguished from all directions, Yang Hwi continued speaking.
“I shall call the next Family Head of the Namgung Family the Living Sword.”
A sword is but a weapon of death, thus a Dead Sword.
Therefore, the swordsmen named it the Living Sword—a sword that obtained life at one of the heights of sword mastery that touches the heavens above.
‘Namgung Il-geom. You forged a sword with your own final life as the flame, crafting it into a legendary blade that could touch that height. If that is your paternal essence—’
“On behalf of the banner of the Baek Family of Gangseong, Young Master Baek Yang-hwi offers his respects. I greet the Family Head of the Namgung Family!”
I performed the formal bow. Seolha, bearing an emotion I could not quite name, followed my lead, and Adu too lowered his head.
The procession of respect continued.
“Elder Namgung Yeon-ha greets Family Head Namgung Cheon-yeong.”
Namgung Yeon-ha, extending both hands with the highest honorific toward Namgung Cheon-yeong, who was like his grandson.
“We greet the Family Head!”
“We greet the Family Head!”
“We greet the Family Head!”
All the Elders lifted their ceremonial blades to their chests and assumed the salute position, while all the Retainers knelt on one knee and drove their swords into the ground.
“….”
Namgung Cheon-yeong gazed down at the earth. At the corpse of his brother lying on the ground, staring up at him.
“….”
Namgung Cheon-yeong gazed up at the sky. The sky that had begun to break with dawn, the symbol of the family glowing blue in the light.
“….”
I withdrew the sword that had pierced through the heart. Instead of blood, a twisted energy surged forth in thick waves.
Without hesitation, I closed my brother’s eyes and turned my gaze toward Yang Hwi.
“A living sword, they call me. Compared to the Celestial Sword Dragon, isn’t that far too humble a title?”
I shrugged and answered.
“Dragons and phoenixes are epithets fit only for children. Now that you’ve awakened and grown, cast them aside.”
“That too is a fair point. A living sword, then.”
The Qi of Vitality. One can only survive by harboring will within oneself.
In other words, what has survived carries intention within it.
Today was the day Namgung Cheon-yeong straightened his own will.
‘The Namgung Cheon-yeong of now… will not make the same choice as in my past life.’
Even if the family’s elders, my uncle and great-grandfather, issued commands.
Instead of committing assassination, I would draw my sword to guide the family down the righteous path.
Namgung Cheon-yeong had proven this.
Through condemning my brother, who had walked a crooked path, as Family Head.
‘Namgung Il-geom. This must be why you shared that prophecy with me.’
You surely sought assistance.
I was certain the form of that assistance would be as it is now.
For you took pride in the sword you had forged.
Even if it was completed in a direction different from your original intent, it would be a sword perfectly suited and infinitely necessary for the Namgung Family.
‘Since I’ve gained something quite substantial, I’ll show a bit more generosity, former Family Head.’
“I would ask the Family Head. Tonight, the Namgung Family has endured much. Therefore, the path we must walk shall be different.”
-You’ve set the mood perfectly, so hurry and deliver something impressive. This is your moment.
“Thus I ask. What path shall the Namgung walk forward into!”
Namgung Cheon-yeong gazed up at the sky once more.
“Last night. And today. We have had to endure great hardship in none other than our own domain. Those who stand beneath the banner of Celestial Heaven, as Family Head I ask you. When one has suffered, what must be done!”
“We must repay them!”
“The Namgung shall never forget vengeance!”
“Judgment upon the vile schemes of the Demonic Way!”
Fury erupted.
It could not be otherwise.
A family clan is, after all, a martial sect bound by blood.
Many had died, and the kin of the dead were now pouring forth emotions like flames.
“We shall devour all those who led our descendants down the twisted path!”
Seeing even the Elder Namgung Yeon-ha expressing his fury, I felt assured that the Namgung Family would not fracture for some time to come.
They’ll unite under Namgung Cheon-yeong and do their utmost to eradicate the Blood Sect.
‘The problem is… the Namgung Family can no longer maintain their position among the Five Great Families.’
Too many died last night.
By sheer numbers, it was more than half, and quite a few Transcendent Masters fell as well.
The Namgung Family will have to endure the restraints and pressure from rivals they’ve kept at bay all this time.
They’re in no position to step forward seeking revenge.
‘But that won’t happen. If I can grasp it, it will become a brilliant blade.’
Rather than watch a sword meant for cattle fumble about catching chickens, it might be worthwhile to test directly how well it cuts.
“I have a proposal for the Family Head.”
“Speak, Gae-cheon Jeil-ryong.”
“I have yet to receive compensation for healing the previous Family Head, but I wish to discuss this matter.”
“That is indeed so. Is there something you desire?”
“Would you not become a single wing—a feather to become that wing?”
It had been quite some time since the existence of Il-ik-maeng became known.
A flicker of interest crossed Namgung Cheon-yeong’s face.
“That would mean… The Hana main branch and the Baek Family have not been on good terms until now.”
“Even sworn enemies can become childhood friends if they share the same roof for five months, can they not? I’ve extended my hand first—consider whether to grasp it.”
This decision now could significantly alter the Namgung’s future.
After a long silence, Namgung Cheon-yeong answered.
“This is not a decision to be made in a moment’s thought. I will deliberate carefully and send someone to you in due time.”
Rather than displeasure, my lips somehow curved upward.
-The boy became Family Head and matured in an instant.
“…?”
-Yes, such decisions shouldn’t be made alone in a single stroke.
“In hopes that the Family Head will grasp the hand I’ve extended, I offer one more proposal. What do you intend to do with the criminal’s corpse?”
Namgung Cheon-hu’s corpse still emanated malevolent energy.
It would be more apt to call it a demon rather than merely a corpse.
How much blood essence did he consume anyway?
“I possess the skill to dispel malevolent energy. If you don’t mind, I wish to help.”
“I would be grateful, ‘Dragon’ of Gae-cheon Jeil. If you help, this ‘Bow Sword’ Namgung Cheon-yeong will remember it deeply.”
Hmm. He seems to be emphasizing the character for ‘dragon.’
This fellow has gained quite a bit of composure.
I was smiling faintly as I drew up Hwa-cheon Seon-gi.
“Oh my, we cannot leave it at that.”
Blood-red light descended once more upon the sky that had been turning blue.
Someone walked forward with measured steps.
Beneath the blood-stained sky.
“Cheon-hu… how sad. I made you bloom, yet you wither so easily.”
Yang Hwi gritted his teeth.
“Hyeol-hyeol-nyeo.”
“Huh?”
The beautiful woman with crimson hair. Her delicate eyes widened slightly.
“I never expected you to know of me. How on earth did you find out?”
It was the moment the Bishop of the Blood Sect appeared in the Namgung Hall.

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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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