Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 341

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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 341
The Eighteen Gangs of the Jang Gang-su Ro-maeng.
The origin point where mere bandits came to wield the notorious reputation of one of the two great evil sects under heaven.
The Three Gorges of the Yangtze River.
“I’ve only heard tales of the Three Gorges, but it’s truly magnificent.”
“Indeed, Elder Sister. It doesn’t seem like a landscape of this mortal realm.”
“Just looking at it soothes the soul.”
“Hmm? Is this your first time seeing it, Soga-joonim?”
“Though the Dang Family is situated in Sichuan, the vicinity of the Three Gorges belongs to the Jang Gang-su Ro-maeng’s domain.”
The Three Gorges had since ancient times boasted scenery of transcendent beauty, yet for the past several decades, the people of the Baek Family could not even show their noses near the Three Gorges.
To approach was to risk being torn to shreds by the masters of the Jang Gang-su Ro-maeng’s entire force.
That cursed place now lay before my eyes.
“This is the first gateway among the Three Gorges—the Xiling Gorge.”
The Three Gorges, true to their name, referred to three gorge-like formations bound together.
To reach the Gu Tang Gorge where their headquarters stood, one had to pass through the Xiling Gorge and the Wu Gorge.
Needless to say, each was a naturally strategic stronghold, and the Ro-maeng would never leave them unguarded.
“We must stake our lives with each gorge we cross.”
As a solemn atmosphere settled over us, Baek Moo-ryang continued.
“Those who fear may withdraw. I, as Family Head, permit it.”
Needless to say, not a single hand was raised.
“If we were going to withdraw, we would have done so long ago.”
“With the Family Head leading the way, how could we retainers hesitate?”
“We shall follow!”
The entire martial force roared, their spirits soaring.
Baek Moo-ryang smiled, a mixture of pride and satisfaction crossing his face.
Roughly fifteen years. A third-rate martial family from Ganzhou’s Eoan County had become the Gae-cheon Baek Family.
Much had changed, and among those changes was Baek Moo-ryang himself.
‘Thank you, Hwi. I am truly grateful.’
As gratitude filled my heart, I made a vow.
As Family Head of the Gae-cheon Baek Family, I would show nothing but honor.
“Baek Family Head.”
“Geom-ong. You have arrived.”
The final battle of the Jang Gang. Though the Il-ik Alliance’s power had grown considerably, it was impossible to paint the final stroke alone.
The Jang Gang-su Ro-maeng harbored the Cheonmu-sip-jon within.
“As promised, we divide here. Our Shaman and those who follow me shall take the land route. The Il-ik Alliance shall take the water route.”
The Baek Family and Il-ik Alliance possessed secret techniques utilizing the Myeong-jin-pa-jeok-po and yin energy, so dividing our forces would maximize our strategic advantage.
However, the land route could not possibly be more difficult than the water route when facing mercenaries.
“Very well. We shall proceed as such.”
The Il-ik Alliance, now renowned. Its alliance leader remained Baek Moo-ryang, with the Gae-cheon Baek Family at its core.
Ever since Yang Hwi claimed the title some seven years ago as if seizing territory, it had remained unchanged.
Therefore, the Baek Family must prove itself.
That we are worthy of leading the expanded Il-ik Alliance.
“Everyone, gather. We’ll discuss strategy briefly, then launch our full offensive.”
At Baek Moo-ryang’s command, the senior members of the Il-ik Alliance assembled.
The strategist Seo Seong-saeng unfurled his fan with a flourish.
“The successive battles have reduced the Jang Gang-su Ro-maeng’s forces to roughly thirty percent. Of that, about twenty percent should be positioned along the waterways.”
In other words, the waterway route presented significantly greater difficulty.
“We cannot request reinforcements from the Shaman sect, Father. They must perform their role as a separate unit.”
According to the strategy discussed beforehand, the more forces positioned along the waterways, the better.
The masters of the Shaman sect, led by the Taeguk Sword Master, would be able to plunder the empty nest.
‘This is the arrangement I promised Ju Ja-bang in advance, so I must align with it.’
The Shaman sect would be the main force. The Il-ik Alliance would advance along the waterways while pinning down as much of their strength as possible.
After discussion, positions and action plans were determined for each sect.

* * *
Gae-cheon Baek Family. Namgung Family. Jegal Family.
The main force of the Il-ik Alliance consisted of members from these three martial families.
Dang-gun and Neung-o accompanied them, but the Dang Family and Jeomchang sect had to block the retreat route from the Sichuan direction behind Gu-dang Gorge.
“Namgung Cheon-yeong. Don’t be so tense.”
“I’m not tense.”
Yang Hwi chuckled as he looked at Namgung Cheon-yeong.
It was natural for his shoulders to feel heavy, having become the Family Head of one of the Five Great Families at such a young age.
‘Words won’t help anyway. Perhaps it’s better that he’s appropriately tense.’
Soon enough, we’ll reach Seo-ryung Gorge. The mercenaries stationed there will swarm like water ghosts.
Since he was a warrior, he’d be fine once he got caught up in the chaos of battle.
“Everyone, let’s start preparing.”
As the sound of weapons being readied echoed from all directions, I gazed up at the sky.
The reason I stood here today.
The objective I must accomplish.
Kill Seon and survive?
Of course I must succeed at that, but any capable person must draw two or more benefits from a single move.
‘Extraordinary achievements. The greatest merit. When this battle ends, my Baek Family will become one of the Six Great Families.’
I feel sorry for Namgung and Jegal who fight alongside us.
But I will seize everyone’s attention.
This place was both a battlefield and a stage for proof.
‘It’s rather amusing that I need the Jegal Family’s help to accomplish this.’
To be precise, I was planning to receive Seolha’s help.
‘Well, strictly speaking, Seolha is my betrothed.’
If I consider her as having already left her family, could I say that the Baek Family is being helped by one of its own rather than by the direct line of the Jegal Family?
Hmm. That’s an embarrassing thought, so let’s stop here.
In any case.
Seolha.
The mental image she had carved upon her ascension.
Roaming Heavenly Divine Wind.
Today, I intend to unveil to the world for the first time the combination of Shattering Heavenly Divine Bird and Roaming Heavenly Divine Wind.
“I’m counting on you, Seolha. This is our first real battle.”
“Of course, brother.”
Without question, I can say this much.
Her ascension alone had elevated the success rate of hunting Seon by leaps and bounds.
If I walk alongside her.
Even the impossible becomes possible.
“Become my wings.”
“You already have wings, older brother. I’ll become the wind that supports them.”
Seolha’s voice transformed into melody, brushing against Yang Hwi’s ears.
A sound resonating from the depths of the heart.
Heart-sound.
Whoooosh…!
We entered the Western Gorge.
Boats teeming with mercenaries began appearing one or two at a time, and soon they filled the entire field of vision.
“It’s fortunate the Western Gorge is narrow, or we’d be surrounded already.”
“Either way, we’ll have to slaughter them all.”
Yang Hwi drew his sword.
The blade refined by the master craftsman Baek Cheol radiated a brilliant azure light, while the ink stroke in his other hand also ignited with luminous blade essence.
“Father. May I take the first strike?”
Baek Moo-ryang gazed at his son for a moment, then smiled.
“These past six months. Hwi, your half-year has been incredibly harsh.”
Truly harsh. Days spent marinating in the Dang Family’s absolute discipline.
But because of it, I’ve come to understand one thing.
After hammering myself as a blade through relentless forging, I’ve completed something.
‘Alone, I’m only half. But together with Seolha.’
“Go. Show them. What the Baek Family’s Eung-hyo Je-il truly is.”
“Yes, Father.”
Yang Hwi’s body rose slightly. No leap was necessary.
Aerial movement so exquisite it deserved to be called art itself.
“I’m going, Seolha. Count on me.”
“Just trust me, older brother.”
Seolha had already released the Heavenly Sound Lute and stood ready to play.
Though she could now produce melodies with merely a flick of her fingers, this preparation was to pour her whole heart into it.
Twang, twang-twang, twang-twang-twang!
Ahhhhh! Ahhhhhhh!
Hearing the beautiful jade-like resonance ring out, Yang Hwi soared high into the void.
-Kiiiiiiiii!
-Kiiiiiiiii!
Cha-rang, cha-ra-rang, cha-ra-ra-rang!
Aaah! Aaaaah!
Two echoing responses. Two melodies.
Combined, a quartet.
‘Once more. Add to it.’
To the sound of sound and energy as one, adding even the power of will—a trinity.
Seolha’s inner image, the flowing heavenly divine wind.
Yang Hwi’s inner image, the shattering heavenly divine bird.
From the depths of the mind, a winged creature ignites its essence and roars.
The wind carries the roar, wrapping around wings and lifting them aloft.
The unified triple force and triple force met.
That is, the six harmonies.
The fundamental principle of heaven and earth that forms the foundation of the Gae-cheon Sword.
“In the void! Eung-hyo Je-il!”
“Fire! Shoot to kill!”
“If we just kill that brat, we’ll break their nose!”
With dozens of ships, naturally transcendent masters were mixed among them.
Arrows fired in unison and harpoons hurled forth.
Interspersed between them, the strikes of transcendent masters.
Yet, I felt it.
‘Garbage bastards who rose in realm after stuffing themselves with soul energy like puffed rice.’
After floating a single sword into the void, I molded a Celestial Egg in my empty palm.
The technique of egg absorption and radiant selection. Useful when implanting celestial energy into our main forces.
But this technique’s true purpose lies elsewhere.
Gulp!
Having swallowed the celestial egg, Yang Hwi drew forth the wonders of the great sea.
Amplification.
Strengthening.
That was not all.
-Seolha. Now.
Cha-ra-ra-ra-ra-rang!
Seolha’s sound, having successfully ascended, was sound and energy, yet also will.
Gae-cheon-bak-pal-geom’s second secret, Feathered Transformation Great and Small.
A supreme technique that converts all force into sound, absorbs it, and makes it one’s own power.
Feathered Transformation Great and Small receives Seolha’s sound.
Blending into one, amplifying and strengthening.
What?
From this moment, I shall unleash a single supreme technique.
‘The last time I used it, I literally died and came back to life.’
But this time will be different.
Nearly two years have passed since the Yangtze River Great War began.
For a genius, four days equals three years, and this is two years.
“I shall show you, you bastards. ‘Gae-cheon-bak-pal-geom (蓋天百八劍)….'”
I released the void-grasping technique. Simultaneously, I pushed the Heavenly Thousand Pound Hammer method to its absolute limit.
The qi barrier that wrapped around my entire body in a perfect sphere.
“Ssang-baek-pal-hwa-cheon (雙百八化天)….”
The egg-like form of the qi barrier shattered as if a bird hatching, spreading its wings wide to both sides.
Left sword and right sword.
“Byeon-cho-ji-byeon (變招之變), woo-woo-dan-shim (羽雨斷心).”
Born from Yeo Dong-bin’s Heaven-Piercing Sword Method, specifically from the second technique, Danjeon (斷天)—a supreme move I had crafted.
Its power was absolute severance that could even cut through the mind itself.
-Keeeeeeeeeeee!
The hawk’s cry tore through the atmosphere into shreds.
The wingbeats came with dozens and hundreds of feathers.
Each one was a previous life’s consciousness, a feather-slash (削羽).
Moreover, within each feather-rain (羽雨) lay the intention to sever hearts (斷心).
‘Feather transformation great descent. Feather rain heart severance. What remains to add at the end.’
Hundreds of arrows and dozens of harpoons.
Interspersed between them, supreme techniques of the third realm of consciousness.
Through those gaps, visible below—those mercenaries.
Looking down upon those detestable faces as if to say ‘behold’, I pulled my lips up savagely.
‘When the hawk soars and swings its wings, even heaven itself shall be crushed.’
Ssang-ik-ssang-saeng-hwa-sam-jae (雙翼雙生化三才), eung-hwi-swae-cheon (鷹揮碎天).
A combined technique that could only be unleashed with Seolha at my side.
The secret to easily hunting Transcendent Masters when I was at the peak realm.
Now that we both have ascended and become Transcendent Masters.
Ssang-ik-ssang-saeng-hwa-sam-jae (雙翼雙生化三才), new supreme technique (絕招).
Sound layered upon sound like mountains upon mountains.
I stack everything of myself, compressing it all into a single sword strike.
Thus two streams of sound layered together create harmony.
And that power seeks to shatter the heavens themselves.
Byeon-cho-ji-hap (變招之合) jeop-jeop-eum-jung (疊疊音中) i-myeong-swae-cheon-ha (二鳴碎天下)!
Yet it was still insufficient.
The new technique’s wings were inadequate to shatter the heavens.
But.
Sweeping away these mercenary bastards was more than enough.
Kuoooooooooo!

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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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