Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 334

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Third-rate Martial Arts Family, Greatest Under Heaven – Episode 334
-You surprised me, young disciple. So you can pinpoint the truth even when you’re telling lies.
Watching Nang-wang chuckle and carry himself with that smug grin, my anger flared up.
Quite intensely, too.
Things turned out well in the end, but I felt utterly wronged.
-No! My lie just happened to be the truth by coincidence! Then couldn’t you have persuaded me directly from the start, Nang-wang?
-Where’s the fun in that, heh heh.
“….”
Baek Heon-nang-wang might be the freest person under heaven.
Unbound by propriety and formality, he needed to do whatever he pleased to satisfy his nature.
‘I knew it, yet I still fell for it.’
-You lied to that Taeryang fellow. You began the contract with a falsehood! Heh heh heh!
When you’ve been tricked, you must retaliate with one blow.
That’s how I’ve always lived.
But….
‘Sigh. Fine, fine.’
The reason Nang-wang deliberately didn’t speak up.
I understood his heart now.
Though it was a lie, it was also the truth—so ultimately, I had done nothing wrong.
Yet he said nothing and waited, eventually revealing the truth, citing amusement as his reason.
‘You told a lie, so you owe a debt. Therefore, pay close attention to Taeryang. That’s what he means.’
My father Baek Moo-ryang came to mind. I nodded.
“I’ll do my best, Taeryang.”
“Good. I’ll do my best too, brother.”
“Yes. So, what is Seon’s weakness?”
“What do you think it is?”
Really. I didn’t expect a counter-question here.
From his expression, full of mischief, he didn’t seem like he’d answer easily.
And after saying he’d tell me!
“Think about it. Cultivation is always a practice to ascend to greater heights.”
“Ah, yes.”
Everyone in the group fell into thought for a moment.
Jegal Seol-ha was the first to raise her hand.
“Seon’s inner vision was a dragon fractured into six pieces. Could there be a clue there?”
A question only Seol-ha could ask, able to see inner visions directly through her Dohwa Eye ability.
“Oh! You can read the inner vision of Cheonmu-sip-jon? Quite impressive! Would you be interested in dating our Taeryang?”
“No. I already have a betrothed.”
“What a shame! To answer your question, it’s similar. You could use it as a starting point.”
A dragon fractured into six pieces. Of all things, a dragon.
Dragons have symbolized water since ancient times.
Therefore, while the connection to Seon is certainly strong.
“Seolha. Are you certain it’s a dragon? Not a serpent?”
“Uhhhhh….”
Seolha pouted her lips and fell into contemplation.
“I’m not sure.”
It was Seolha who had told Yang Hwi—who regarded his own mental image as Sae-cheon-eung—to call it Sae-cheon-sin-jo instead.
Yet for her to say she wasn’t sure, there had to be a reason.
“It was magnificent. Enormous, and possessed such extraordinary presence. Wouldn’t that make it a dragon?”
“No, Seolha. Answer me in one word. Are you certain it’s a dragon?”
“…I’m not sure.”
She looked toward Nang-wang.
“A serpent split into six pieces. Or perhaps a dragon. That is the answer.”
“Seon’s martial arts govern the Five Elements Qi. So the mental image consists of six fragments, I see.”
“Hooo, truly worthy of being called the greatest talent under heaven. Your perception is remarkably sharp. I wish our Taeryang possessed such keen insight as you do.”
“Master! You know how extraordinary this disciple’s perception is! I am a being of primal instinct!”
“You simply act like a beast, moving on pure instinct. Though your mind isn’t entirely dull.”
“….”
Taeryang’s expression turned aggrieved, but Baek Heon-nang-wang paid him no mind.
“Seon’s martial arts consist of six fragments. Moreover, he never ascended.”
Never ascended—to the heavens where those called Cheonmu-sip-jon reside. Yet Seon is among them.
And yet he never ascended?
“I was defeated by Seon. I barely clung to life. No, my death is already sealed—I am slowly dying even now.”
Despite speaking thus, Nang-wang appeared immensely pleased.
“Eung-hyo Je-il, you whelp. You said you would hunt Seon? Then I, Nang-wang, shall make you the blade of my vengeance. Now, listen well.”
From Nang-wang, threads of intent unraveled endlessly.
Qi surged in turmoil, following in the wake of intent, and became a mental image.
“Rather than explain in words, it’s better to show directly. After all, among you there exists a young monster who can perceive mental images.”
The mental image colors heaven and earth.
A sight that could only be witnessed with one’s soul suspended.
No, it did not end with mere visuals.
The five senses, and beyond that, the sense of qi, reaching its zenith and opening spiritual intuition.
Information flowed in through every sense.
‘I see now. The weakness that Seon possesses is….’
Baek Heon-nang-wang, his smile vanishing, made his declaration.
“This is what I, Baek Heon-nang-wang, discovered through a life-or-death battle with Susa Jaeseol.”

* * *
Four days later, I and my companions departed from Nang-si.
“We arrived as three, but we’re leaving with three hundred.”
The numbers had increased a hundredfold. With Taeryang’s involvement, we had managed to hire three hundred men in just four days.
“Hey, brother. You should praise your older brother. You do realize how much money I saved us, don’t you?”
Taeryang boasted shamelessly. I had no desire to argue.
Indeed, thanks to Taeryang’s efforts, we had cut expenses by sixty percent.
When the young master of Nang-si stood up, many followed in his wake.
“I’ll repay you well, brother. Anyway, shouldn’t we find a place to stay around here for tonight?”
Taeryang looked up at the sky. The reddening hues suggested nightfall would come in about an hour.
“You’re right. Men! Go find a village large enough for us to lodge in!”
“Yes, brother!”
“We’ll be back in a flash!”
The assassins scattered in all directions and soon found a village large enough to accommodate three hundred men.
However, the village had one serious problem.
“Brother Baek. Apparently, those mercenary bastards have wreaked havoc on the village.”
Taeryang spoke with a furrowed brow, his tone growling.
I exhaled a long sigh. Taeryang misinterpreted my intention and asked.
“Looks like you want to go somewhere else? It’ll be troublesome if we do.”
“No. We’re definitely going there.”
“Whew, so you truly are a warrior of Baek Do? Everyone, move to the village! Don’t neglect your watch in all directions!”
“Yes, brother Taeryang!”
We soon arrived at the village, and my face contorted.
A familiar sight. This was a village I had taken shelter in during my previous life.
‘This is where I hid when I was being chased during the Sagyo incident.’
Looking at the village’s condition, it was devastated without exaggeration.
The villagers probably didn’t even have food to eat today.
“Village Head, would it be alright if we stayed for just one night?”
“Y-yes, my lords… You may stay as long as you wish. However… our situation is dire, and I fear our hospitality may fall short of your expectations…”
The Village Head answered while trembling. Having just been plundered by mercenaries and then suddenly confronted by three hundred warriors, he could only shake with fear.
-Brother, we should have the men go hunting.
-Already done.
“Village Head.”
“Y-yes, Young Master. This humble one finds it difficult to bear such courtesy. Please, speak freely…”
“I am the son of a scholar’s daughter. How could I not understand the proper order between old and young?”
Chu Dal, listening to the conversation, had this thought.
‘He’s always been cheeky with Director Gu Ak, yet he understands the proper order between old and young?’
Of course, given the atmosphere, he kept it to himself.
“We will only stay one night. In return, I will have my men cut wood for you to use in rebuilding the village.”
The Village Head’s eyes welled with tears.
“Thank you. Thank you so much…!”
“Rather, I should apologize.”
“Pardon? For what…?”
The Village Head’s expression turned puzzled.
I swallowed the rest of my words.
‘Hunting down and punishing those bastards who attacked wouldn’t be difficult. But now is not the time for that.’
Now was the moment to devote all our strength to hunting Seon.
Only then could we survive.
“Brother, the hunt is complete!”
The assassins who had gone hunting returned, carrying dozens of animal carcasses on their shoulders.
From rabbits to wild boars and deer—more than enough to feed all the villagers well.
“Thank you! Thank you so much, my lords. Sob… sniff…”
A large bonfire was lit.
The aroma of roasting meat drifted from every corner.
I observed the faces of the villagers, who had been consumed by fear.
As the smell grew stronger, their expressions grew lighter.
‘Good. I won’t be able to heal all their wounds, but…’
At least it would serve as some cheap salve for their injuries.
It was then.
“Big brother.”
A five-year-old child had approached my side without my noticing.
“Achil! Come here! Hurry!”
The child’s mother was stamping her feet impatiently from a distance away.
I raised my hand to signal it was fine, then examined the child’s face.
“Your name is Achil?”
“Mm-hmm. Big brother, here.”
In the child’s outstretched hand lay a piece of dumpling covered in dirt.
“It’s my favorite food! I’m giving it to you, big brother!”
“….”
Words escaped me.
Achil. I know this child.
“Please accept it, sir.”
It was the same in my past life. When I was fleeing from those scoundrels, Achil had given me food to recover my strength.
Something clicked into place within my heart.
“Achil. Your big brother has a very good memory.”
“Huh?”
“It means I never forget and always repay what I’ve received.”
My life is full of debts. My memory is too good to ever forget them.
Perhaps karma is nothing but debts owed and repaid, all tangled and woven together.
Among heaven, earth, and man, perhaps the character for “man” could just as well be read as “human connections.”
I had made my decision.
“Achil. Go to your mother and father.”
“Okay, but… Mom’s the only one here. Where did Dad go?”
I examined the child’s mother’s face.
Then I understood.
Achil’s father had died at the hands of the mercenaries today.
“I see. Go to your mother’s side.”
The child left, and I gazed silently at the dumpling fragment that had passed from hand to hand.
Caked with dirt and crushed beyond recognition, it was in a state no one but a beggar would eat.
I put it in my mouth. I chewed it deliberately.
“It’s delicious.”
Taeryang watched me quietly.
Food scraps so filthy that even an assassin like himself would lose his appetite—yet I was eating them with such relish.
“M-my lord… if you consume such things…”
Seeing the Village Head approach with a pallid face, I replied casually.
“I was born in an earthen pit and raised licking grains of rice thrown onto dirt floors.”
Even after growing up, whenever circumstances were unfavorable, I had to eat rotting food scraps with gratitude.
So I could speak this truth with sincerity.
“Achil. Thank you for treating me to such a feast. Didn’t I tell you? I’m the kind of person who always repays what I receive.”
I rose to my feet.
By then, all the assassins were already prepared.
“Hey! Your employer has been treated to delicacies! So we must settle the debt!”
“Hahahaha! Excellent, Eung-hyo Je-il!”
“My body’s been itching for action anyway!”
Achil’s father was dead. The boy doesn’t know it yet, but surely it will become a resentment that festers in his heart.
Not only that—all the villagers will carry this resentment with them.
“Brother. I don’t want to say this, but… will it be alright?”
It was Chu Dal.
“No, it won’t be alright. It’ll be asking for trouble.”
I must concentrate all my resources on hunting Jang Gang-su Ro-maeng and Seon.
Going after mercenary bastards just to help one village—no matter how I think about it, it’s a loss.
But.
But you see.
‘Father wouldn’t have hesitated for a moment. He would already be pursuing the mercenaries.’
“Swinging a blade to a verse of song, staking one’s life on a filthy dumpling fragment.”
I spoke in a low murmur. The assassins responded.
“Selling our bodies for a woman’s word, and if even a tear is added, that price is worth our lives!”
“That is us! Assassins who live freely like flowing waves!”
At the same time, without a shred of regret—martial prowess and humanity combined.
“Chu Dal. Seolha. And all of you! I ask this! I’ve taken a liking to crushing these mercenary bastards! Who’s with me!”
No one answered.
They were all warriors.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————