Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 343

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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 343
‘Damn it.’
I had fallen into a trap.
That was my first thought upon reading the letter attached to Won-woo’s leg.
[To Eung-hyo Je-il,]
[Seon will mobilize all of Suro Maeng’s elite forces solely to capture the Taeguk Sword Master.]
[Break through the Three Gorges as quickly as possible and provide aid. If you do not, the Taeguk Sword Master will face death tomorrow.]
It was Neung-o who grasped the situation most objectively.
“Ju Ja-bang has thrown away his life, and Suro Maeng’s destruction is now certain. The price for this will be either the Mudang Faction’s destruction or the Sword Master’s death.”
All the senior members of Illik Maeng believed Ju Ja-bang would not act as a double agent.
The reason for trusting Ju Ja-bang was simple.
He had handed over so many weaknesses that we could not help but trust him.
If even one of them were revealed to Seon, Ju Ja-bang would be a dead man.
Of course, measures had been put in place so that if Illik Maeng were defeated, this information would be revealed to Seon.
“Ju Ja-bang… I cannot fathom what he is thinking.”
“It is certain that his own wealth and glory are not at the end of his schemes.”
“We must condemn his betrayal!”
“Would it not prevent confusion if we informed Seon of our secret agreement with Ju Ja-bang right now?”
It was when everyone was denouncing Ju Ja-bang.
“No. Ju Ja-bang has not betrayed us.”
All eyes turned toward Yang Hwi.
“What Ju Ja-bang desires is only Seon’s death. He is telling us that nothing else matters to him.”
Until now, whenever Yang Hwi communicated with Ju Ja-bang, I had sent Won-woo.
Apart from the advantage that the white feathers made him less noticeable against the sky, there was something I desperately wanted to discern.
-Kee-aah.
Won-woo cried softly. Through our connected spirits, the scene was transmitted to me.
‘Ju Ja-bang’s murderous intent toward Seon. His purpose. It is genuine.’
I am Yang Hwi, who has lost everything and traveled backward through time.
Because of this, I could understand better than anyone.
Ju Ja-bang was a man who could afford to lose everything.
‘Of course, I could be wrong. I must move with this possibility in mind as well.’
“This is not the time for this. We must break through the final Three Gorges and provide support. Father, allow me to lead a small elite force to aid the Mudang Faction first.”
The Taeguk Sword Master is one of the Cheonmu-sip-jon.
Moreover, he was also a pillar of the righteous sects.
If the Mudang Faction loses the Sword Master and suffers a severe blow?
The future would become tangled like a whirlpool.
Baek Moo-ryang answered after a brief silence.
“This is enemy territory. Hwi, you need to cool your head.”
“Father.”
“Listen to your father. You have lost your composure in a way unbecoming of you. Your life is as precious to me as my own.”
His voice was quiet yet resolute, his unwillingness to entertain objections unmistakably clear.
“However, we must divide our forces.”
I needed to rush to the aid of the Mudang Faction immediately.
At the same time, I had to contain the remnants of Suro Ro-maeng.
The remnants, though scattered, numbered tremendously.
“Would it not be better to abandon the boats entirely and charge forward in a straight line?”
Someone voiced an objection. But it was impossible.
“Look at the map. If we charge straight toward where Seon and Geom-ong are, we’ll reach Gutang Gorge.”
If we didn’t contain the remnants and simply charged forward, they would all arrive together.
The more chaotic the battle became, the greater the advantage for the larger force. Even with fewer numbers, I had to leave some behind to trap the enemy within Gutang Gorge.
It was a brilliant stratagem—transforming the geographical disadvantage of that natural chasm into an advantage.
“Young Scholar.”
“Yes, Family Head. We must leave at least thirty percent of our forces to assault Gutang Gorge. According to the dispatches, the main encampment is empty, and all remaining remnants have concentrated in Gutang Gorge.”
Those included in that thirty percent would certainly suffer considerable losses.
A brief moment of silence. Yet it did not last long.
“The Namgung Family will seal Gutang Gorge.”
Namgung Cheon-yeong, the Namgung Family Head, raised his hand and spoke.
“The Yi-ik Alliance accepted our Namgung Family as members despite being rivals. Now I repay that debt.”
It was the duty of any family head to minimize casualties among their retainers.
Yet Namgung Cheon-yeong thought differently.
What mattered more than immediate gain or loss was ultimately righteousness.
What had become of the Namgung Family when they pursued gain over righteousness?
The family head met death at his son’s hands, and the elder brother at his younger brother’s.
‘My retainers still waver. Though they have rallied around me, they could tear apart again at any moment.’
So I intended to seize this opportunity.
For the Namgung Family to transform once more into the Changjeon Sword Family.
“Namgung Family Head… no, Cheon-yeong. I will repay this kindness without fail.”
Namgung Cheon-yeong smiled at Yang Hwi.
“That is all I need to hear, Baek Hyeong.”
Following Baek Moo-ryang’s orders, everyone began preparing to move.
The Baek Family exhausted their stockpiled spirit medicines. There was no time for leisurely rest or preparation.
‘The spirit medicines are running low.’
Thanks to the spirit medicine field discovered in Sichuan, the Baek Family had grown rapidly.
Yet spirit medicines could not be cultivated by human hands, and frequent harvesting had greatly depleted their numbers.
Moreover, they had used up nearly all remaining spirit herbs to conclude the Yangtze River Campaign.
‘No matter. I will obtain something far greater.’
I would seize it without fail.

* * *
“Chief Strategist, the Yi-ik Alliance is moving at rapid speed.”
Ju Ja-bang turned his head. Besides the subordinate reporting, roughly six others stood in attendance.
Seon had achieved the remarkable feat of capturing Geom-ong, yet every face bore an unmistakable shadow of unease.
The reason was simple.
There were inconsistencies in Ju Ja-bang’s actions.
‘This is where I stop manipulating them without revealing the full truth.’
Yet I had to prevent them from rushing to Seon’s side.
Because there was still more use to be wrung from them.
“Let us go, to Seon’s flank.”
“Chief Strategist, that is the battlefield. Surely a strategist’s place is in the rear, is it not?”
Ju Ja-bang smiled broadly.
“You speak correctly. Yet I must go. Only then can I ensnare Seon in my trap.”
Their faces turned ashen in unison. Their jaws hung slack.
“Since I have even surrendered Geom-ong, Seon will now trust me absolutely. I have become capable of honoring my covenant with Eung-hyo Je-il. Thus, I must go.”
“W-Chief Strategist….”
“Are you betraying the Suro Alliance?”
“Seon will never forgive you.”
All seven subordinates were Ju Ja-bang’s closest confidants.
They knew he was in collusion with the Baek Family, and believed everything was part of a grand scheme for the Suro Alliance’s benefit.
After all, Ju Ja-bang had employed cunning stratagems more than once before.
Of course, every misunderstanding was precisely what Ju Ja-bang had orchestrated.
“Today, Seon will die. I shall make it so.”
“….”
“Chief Strategist….”
“….”
One of the subordinates moved his hand toward the sword at his waist.
Ju Ja-bang, witnessing this, smiled gently.
“Seized by terror, are you? Is Seon truly so frightening? Yes, Seon is a fearsome existence. An inhuman bastard, nothing more.”
The subordinates shrank back further.
Beyond the content itself, they felt terror at hearing Seon referred to as a bastard so casually.
“Go ahead, kill me now. Take my head to Seon. Then I shall forgive you all.”
“….”
“….”
“….”
None of them moved.
Forgiveness? Such a thing could not exist from Seon.
Both Ju Ja-bang and his subordinates knew this far too well.
He would sever an arm for the slightest mistake.
Even ignorance would not excuse them—complicity in betrayal was a capital crime deserving of beheading.
“If you cannot, then you have truly become my people. Let us kill Seon together.”
A ruthless lord rules his subordinates through fear.
A tyrannical lord goes too far and loses the trust of his subordinates.
Such was Seon’s reputation.
“Let us go, to Seon’s side. I say again—you may speak your minds at any time.”
His subordinates would never speak their minds.
I could be certain of it, having kept them by my side for at least twenty years and grasped everything about them.
“There was much to be done, but a strategist must always maintain composure.”
Ju Ja-bang deliberately walked slower than usual.
I glanced around, taking in the scenery, and breathed in the distinctive scent of the deep mountains.
However terrible, however easily abandoned without regret.
What a beautiful world it is.
“Let us walk at leisure. At leisure.”

* * *
I hurried as much as possible, racing to save every moment.
Yet, I was too late.
“Hahahaha! Hahahaha! My victory! I have done it! I have defeated the successor of the Geom Seon lineage!”
Laughter filled with boundless joy.
The Taeguk Sword Master, pierced through by the crimson dragon.
Yang Hwi immediately kicked off the ground.
-Dang-hyeong, prepare to activate the Yeolsalsuryonggin formation.
-Seolha, provide support.
Then I sent three more brief spirit transmissions.
-Taeryang Hyeongnim!
-Adu!
-Sukbeonim!
Merely calling their names was enough.
Three disciples of Cheonmu-sip-jon and one who would become Cheonmu-sip-jon in the future simultaneously unleashed their spirit images.
Keeeeee!
Kwaaaaaang!
Kagagagagagang!
Tsuzuzuzuzuzu!
Four different spirit images harmonized instantly and struck at Seon.
Yet, it was impossible to harm Seon.
We merely bought a moment of time.
-Keeeeee!
Ilcheon Eungmyeong Shin—Yang Hwi, transformed into the cry of a hawk, snatched up the Taeguk Sword Master and tried to retreat.
‘Damn it!’
I threw the master’s body backward and crossed my two blades to block Seon’s strike.
“Kugh—!”
I tasted blood in my throat. My meridians were shattered throughout my body, and my arms trembled so violently they felt ready to fall off.
Seon’s light strike was more powerful than the ultimate technique of an ordinary Transcendent Master unleashing their full force.
‘…Still, I managed to block it.’
Half a year ago, when I received his strike, I had to exhaust every ounce of my Primordial Qi just to parry it.
Even then, I suffered grave injuries and nearly died.
“Ptui. Old man, are you getting tired?”
Yang Hwi spat out blood and curled the corners of his mouth upward.
Seon didn’t answer properly and swung the red dragon.
Crash!
I blocked it again. It would have been difficult alone, but Seolha was there.
Beyond that, countless others surrounded Seon.
‘The Mudang Faction has killed nearly all the other Ro-maeng members.’
The faces of the Mudang Sect Disciples were filled with regret and resentment.
If only they had been just a little faster, they could have helped the Taeguk Sword Master.
I couldn’t begin to imagine how much they were blaming themselves.
-Elder Dang. Are the preparations ready?
-Working on it. Chu Dal is moving diligently. Just buy us a little more time with conversation.
The Yeolsal-Soo-Ryong Formation was fundamentally a formation technique based on the concept of moving and installing.
Pre-installing it would demonstrate superior effectiveness, but there was no guarantee Seon would fall completely into the trap.
So this was the solution we devised.
The Jegal Family Elders had transformed Chu Dal’s poison weapon—the Ten Strands of Heavenly Silkworm Thread—into formation instruments.
Even now, Chu Dal was deploying techniques with the Heavenly Silkworm Thread to construct the formation in all directions.
“Hand them over.”
Where Seon’s gaze turned, the Mudang Sect Disciples clung to the Taeguk Sword Master, infusing him with their energy.
“Ah, so that was your scheme. Where did you obtain such a renowned Qi-Absorption Technique?”
It seemed his plan was to consume the Taeguk Sword Master and elevate his own realm.
Considering how many warriors would sell their families for a single elixir, Seon’s choice wasn’t particularly strange.
‘The moment. This is the moment.’
My keen qi-sense read everything about Seon.
Seon was clearly exhausted. Only the red dragon of fire remained among the Five Elements Qi, and despite being a Cheonmu-sip-jon, his qi flow felt unstable—his body was in considerable discomfort.
-Hwi’s Younger Brother! The Yeolsal-Soo-Ryong Formation is complete!
At the same moment as the transmission, Seon also sensed it.
“Wretched creatures, you dare challenge me with such petty tricks? Even exhausted, a tiger would never have its throat torn by a pup.”
Arrogance and conceit.
The Yeolsal-Soo-Ryong Formation whose effectiveness had been verified by Pacheon Eumhu and Yeoilrakbul.
Seon, bearing grave injuries and utterly exhausted, could not dismiss the Yeolsal-Soo-Ryong Formation as trivial.
Yet he reacted as if he could.
“Seon! Is not the merit of this Ju Ja-bang truly immense!”
Ju Ja-bang appeared.
I finally understood the nature of Seon’s misguided certainty.
“Excellent work, Ja-bang. Thanks to you, I can now devour Geom-ong. And look—three more delectable morsels have rolled right into my lap.”
Seon swallowed hard, his gaze fixed upon Yang Hwi, Adu, and Taeryang.
“You whelps, surrender your Qi and souls to me. Soon enough, you shall meet your Master.”
Jegal Seon stopped Taeryang, whose eyes were rolling back as he struggled to lunge forward.
Meanwhile, Yang Hwi’s eyes remained locked on Ju Ja-bang’s face.
-Seolha. What is that bastard truly thinking?
-Revenge. Only revenge. And anticipation.
I recalled the eight characters born from the Geom Seon’s decree.
‘Water dragon’s inverse scale, sound blade path.’
This bastard Ju Ja-bang certainly plays the role of sound blade path well.
He never revealed it, but it seems he intended to use Geom-ong as bait from the very beginning.
The price for that was Seon’s trust.
“Go ahead and try. There are six of the Jinchuk, you say? I’ll feast upon them deliciously.”
‘He knows about the Yeolsalsuryong formation. Which means Ju Ja-bang leaked the information. Yet instead of fleeing, he merely swallows his saliva?’
A dark and murky aura erupted from Seon.
Not the Five Elements Qi derived from Daoism, but an utterly malevolent force.
‘Absorption Technique. No—a demonic art that consumes not just Qi but souls themselves.’
In my past life, this was the sorcery those Blood Sect bastards favored during the age of heretical cults.
An application of the technique used to enslave souls and command them as ghosts.
‘So Seon has been learning the demonic arts of the Blood Sect…’
There was no time to dwell on it.
A transmission had arrived.
-Now!
The Yeolsalsuryong formation began its full activation.
“Wh-what is this! Gasp—Ja-bang! This wasn’t the arrangement!”
Ju Ja-bang’s response was brutally concise.
“You actually believed that, you fool?”
Seon’s eyes widened in shock.
The hunt for Seon had truly begun.

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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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