Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 345

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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 345
Ju Ja-bang had sealed his own blood pathways to contain his soul essence.
However.
That did not mean all his techniques were sealed away.
Every person possessed three dantians, and even with the lower dantian blocked, two remained intact.
Ju Ja-bang had openly received Seon’s permission and gathered all manner of heterodox sorceries from dark practitioners.
Seon himself had viewed it as a natural precaution for a strategist who had lost his martial prowess in the Suro Maeng, where only the strong survived, and had not prevented it.
‘So this was your plan from the beginning…!’
Ju Ja-bang’s soul essence was poison.
He had abandoned even his afterlife and chosen to become a toxin that would corrode Seon himself.
“You foolish old man! How does it feel to be backstabbed by your own right arm!”
Seon was Cheonmu-sip-jon. A mere mortal’s soul essence, even if it had become poison through sorcery, could simply be spat out and discarded.
Yet the situation did not permit this.
Under normal circumstances, perhaps, but this was immediately after a life-and-death struggle with the Taeguk Sword Master.
Even for Cheonmu-sip-jon, recovery required time for restoration and cultivation.
Yang Hwi did not miss the opportunity.
-Now! Everyone attack!
The first stage of the Yeop-salsoo-yong-jin disrupted the harmony of heterogeneous qi.
Among the masters of the Illik Maeng, not a single one possessed heterogeneous qi, and they could unleash their ultimate techniques without any interference.
Kwaaaaaaaboom!
The explosion roared and dust clouds obscured Seon’s figure, but none of them were hindered by mere dust in their vision.
Yang Hwi also heightened his qi perception to monitor Seon’s movements.
‘A Cheonmu-sip-jon of all people, unable to even resist properly and taking hits.’
To burn oneself and orchestrate such a scheme.
Ju Ja-bang—though an enemy, I cannot help but admire him.
The dead Ju Ja-bang was cornering the living Seon.
Was this not like the old tale of the dead Jeongal Ryang defeating the living Sima Yi?
-Do not miss this chance! Pour everything into it!
To think we could corner Seon this thoroughly with merely the first stage.
It was a shame not to employ the subsequent stages, or rather, it was no shame at all.
The battle flowing so easily—what could be better than that?
-Little whelp of the Baek Family. So you inherited the Taeguk Sword.
A chill ran down my spine!
A transmission of voice pierced through the explosion.
Involuntarily, I convulsively unleashed sword strikes in response.
The dust clouds grew ever thicker.
Soon the clouds coiled and transformed into a dragon.
No—like a bird breaking from its egg, an azure dragon tore through the clouds and manifested.
-Another dragon has appeared!
-Determine what is happening!
Could it be that Seon is drawing upon Primordial Qi itself?
That was impossible. Seon’s body was incapable of channeling the Primordial Qi from his dantian to execute such devastating techniques.
Not only Seon, but all of the Cheonmu-sip-jon were identical in this regard.
They had already transcended the limitations of being human between heaven and earth.
Every ounce of their power was both the natural qi of heaven and earth and their own vital essence simultaneously.
Foolish. Truly foolish. Was it arrogance? Or did you simply not know your place? Regardless, you shall pay the price.
The price Seon spoke was immediate and devastating.
“Ugh, gasp…!”
The Shaman’s Disciples felt a sense of déjà vu.
They had witnessed this sight mere moments before.
Among the five elemental dragons—metal, wood, water, fire, earth—the Water Dragon pierced through someone’s torso.
“Ssang-a-rang!”
Taeryang’s closest companion and one of the most renowned assassins in the underworld.
One of the six Transcendent Masters who formed the foundation of the Yeolsal Water Dragon Formation.
“Brother… no…!”
Ssang-do slipped from Ssang-a-rang’s grasp.
His eyes immediately lost their light.
Splash!
The azure dragon tore through the corpse, scattering crimson blood and flesh in all directions.
“Ssang-a-rang!”
Time slowed. Taeryang, eyes inverted in rage, tore up a stone pillar the size of a house and charged forward, but was repelled faster than he could advance.
In that moment, a single thought emerged.
‘The Yeolsal Water Dragon Formation is broken. At least his vital essence and spirit were not absorbed.’
The Yeolsal Water Dragon Formation was constructed upon the foundation of the Six Harmonies.
Therefore, six Transcendent Masters were absolutely necessary to form its pillars.
With one dead, the vacant position must be filled by another.
‘There is no replacement.’
Today was wrung from variable upon variable.
Of course, someone’s death had been anticipated, but there was no replacement.
‘Still, it must be arranged. Absolutely. Even if secret techniques that must not be revealed are exposed.’
Otherwise, the Dang Family, Baek Family, and Jegal Family would all face annihilation.
At minimum, everyone here would die.
So it must be done.
“One Transcendent Master! Step forward and fill the void left by Ssang-do Ssang-a-rang!”
The Yeolsal Water Dragon Formation had not yet lost its majesty, but it would soon.
If the function of inducing heterogeneous qi collisions fades.
If Seon resolves the curse-poison that Ju Ja-bang wove from his very spirit.
It is over.
“Step forward! I shall transmit the necessary knowledge immediately!”
Fortunately, among Baek Do’s Transcendent Masters, there were several with indomitable spirit.
Two of the Shaman’s Seven Swords stepped forward, and several others joined them.
But.
-Would I fear such things?
Whoooosh!
“Gahhh, cough, hack…!”
The speed of his strike had grown incomparably faster than mere moments before.
Another Transcendent Master was torn to shreds.
‘The Five Dragons Formation is losing its power.’
Five dragons coiled around Seon as they danced through the void.
“The Five Elements Aspiring Dragon. I have always yearned to become a dragon.”
-Brother! Seon’s inner vision is shifting!
Even without Seolha’s transmission, I could sense it.
I felt it with my entire being.
The master of the Five Elements Heavenly Master Divine Art, the supreme technique of the Taoist lineage’s Five Pecks of Rice Sect.
In this age, he is called Susa Jaeseol, but his true epithet is O-hwang Jae-seon, the Five Emperors Calamity Immortal.
An absolute being who commands five dragons and has become the scourge of the mortal realm.
“I shall become a dragon. I will ascend and prove all others wrong. Today is the day I become a dragon.”
Seon’s inner vision, the Five Elements Aspiring Dragon.
Its function was extraordinarily simple.
-That water dragon isn’t made of inner force!
-It’s composed of water itself!
Even where water does not flow, water exists everywhere in heaven and earth.
Seon had lost the capacity to draw forth inner force while facing the Taeguk Sword Master.
But his true weapon was the Five Elements of heaven and earth.
‘Damn it, to think this old man still possesses such power even with his energy depleted.’
Five Elements Dominion. The function of Seon’s inner vision, the Five Elements Aspiring Dragon.
A brown dragon erupted through the earth.
No—it was a dragon composed of the earth itself.
“Scatter!”
“Disperse!”
As the water dragon thrashed in all directions, silver tears dripped from the earth dragon’s scales.
The pooled molten metal transformed anew into a golden dragon.
That was not all.
Snap!
As Seon flicked his finger, Sammaejinhwa ignited.
Suddenly erupting tree roots became kindling as flames soared skyward, and a new dragon raised its head.
“This is… Five Elements Dominion.”
To accept the Five Elements of heaven and earth as part of oneself and wield them as manifestations of will.
The ultimate void manipulation and martial-body unity, making the Five Elements themselves into weapons.
“I acknowledge it. You wretches have troubled me greatly. I commend you. This is an achievement only you have accomplished in sixty years.”
Seon, who commanded the Five Dragons, made his declaration.
“The price for recognition and praise shall rightfully be death.”
“….”
“….”
A suffocating terror permeated all directions.
So many trembled uncontrollably throughout their entire bodies, their minds betraying them.
Just as a mouse before a tiger freezes like stone, so too was this the natural order of heaven and earth.
“Step forward! Someone must fill the vacancy left by Jinchuk!”
No one came forward.
Their hearts burned with desire, yet their bodies refused to move.
Terror. Oppression. An absolute chasm.
It was a shackle that bound the very soul.
It was a restraint one could not escape even by biting through their tongue or slashing their palms with a blade.
“Worthless creatures. So this is all you amount to. Yet I am merciful. I shall not collect the price for your recognition and praise.”
It was when Seon, his lips curling upward, gestured toward the Five Dragons.
“Hou Yi Shoots the Sun.”
The Five Dragons had lost their bodies of river stone, yet they remained wrapped in the will of Cheonmu-sip-jon.
Ting!
Naturally, a single strike from a Transcendent Master could not even scratch a single scale.
“Hmm? What manner of insect is this.”
Neung-o took his stance once more.
Like a bowstring that would use the sword’s tip as a fulcrum and launch himself as an arrow.
“Hou Yi Shoots the Sun.”
Ting!
Seon smiled. The emotion contained within was contempt.
“Impressive. How do you still move.”
“Hou Yi Shoots the Sun.”
Ting!
“Your spirit is the finest among these wretches. Yet that is all.”
The moment Seon finished speaking, Yang Hwi moved immediately.
The function of Shattered Heaven Divine Claw—Treading Heaven.
With the resolve to touch anything, anywhere without fail, I blocked Seon’s dragon.
“Ugh… Neung-o! Flee!”
“Baek Dou.”
There was not a trace of fear in Neung-o’s eyes.
Just as an arrow in flight harbors no thought.
As though simply doing what must be done.
“Futile struggle. Child, what do you seek to gain.”
“Hou Yi Shoots the Sun.”
As the golden dragon pierced by the sword’s tip unleashed its rebound force, Neung-o’s body was sent flying back dozens of zhang.
A power that would shake the very depths of even a Transcendent Master’s inner being.
Yet Neung-o rose to his feet and launched himself forward once more.
“Neung-o! This isn’t the time for this!”
Neung-o looked toward Yang Hwi.
His eyes remained utterly unmoved.
Just as I was about to speak of death—
Neung-o cut me off.
“If I die unable to ascend, then so be it.”
Now even Seon showed signs of interest in Neung-o.
“Sa-il. Sa-il, you say? Ah, the young sect leader of Jeomchang.”
“Hou Yi Shoots the Sun.”
Each technique Neung-o unleashed was the ultimate secret of the Sa-il sword method.
The pinnacle technique of Sa-il’s teachings could not even disturb a speck of dust upon Seon.
Yet Neung-o did not despair.
Since his opponent was indulging in leisure, he merely seized the opportunity and repeated his assault.
“Jeomchang. Jeomchang. Young one, do you know? The reason your sect master has fallen to this state. I too lent a hand when the Radiant Sword was forged.”
It was a shocking revelation.
No matter how much the mercenaries harbored something akin to demonic energy, this was the first time Seon had openly admitted his collusion with the Demonic Sects.
‘And not even the Blood Sect, but connections to the Ming Sect? Damn it, what in the world is happening?’
Even Yang Hwi, who knew more secrets than anyone present, struggled to dispel his confusion.
Yet Neung-o remained unwavering.
“A single moment of equanimity is more than sufficient to be called a Daoist. Yes, the Way must be pursued with singular focus.”
Seon smiled with satisfaction and extended his index finger.
A thin sword qi bloomed and descended, cleaving through the air.
‘Damn it!’
Just as Yang Hwi was about to unleash Daptcheon’s power once more—
-Baek Dou. Do not intervene.
I froze in that instant. An irreversible catastrophe unfolded.
Something fell with a soft thud.
“A Daoist who pursues the sword way has lost the arm to wield it?”
Neung-o silently gazed upon his own arm fallen to the ground.
Releasing the sword from his grip, Neung-o seized it with his other hand.
“Kahahaha! Unmoved even after losing an arm! Splendid, truly splendid!”
It was absurd. A mere farce.
Neung-o, who had no place among Transcendent Masters, refused to withdraw.
Seon, indulging in the leisure of an absolute being, played along with the performance.
Countless members of the Baek Do alliance, rigid and frozen, watched the spectacle unfold.
“Hou Yi Shoots the Sun.”
A futile action.
No matter how many times an egg strikes a stone, an egg remains an egg and a stone remains a stone.
But.
There is one thing that everyone in the world overlooks.
Even Seon overlooked it.
And so.
The egg.
The egg.
How many cycles had it taken?
At last, Neung-o’s movements ceased.
“Ah.”
The egg had cracked. It was time to release what had been nurtured within.
Upon the face that had remained expressionless throughout, an expression was born.
“I understand.”
It was the smile of enlightenment.
A smile so radiant that all the frozen rigidity melted away.
-Now I can finally speak. Baek Dou, I shall take on one of the six pillars.
Sari Swordplay, the Archer Yi Shooting the Sun.
Though it was the same sword technique as before, everything was different now.

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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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