Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 356

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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 356
Yang Hwi and Taeryang exchanged glances for a long moment.
In truth, their connection was brief.
For Yang Hwi it might have been different, but from Taeryang’s perspective, it had been less than a year.
Yet in this moment, their hearts aligned perfectly.
Until Elder Nangwang’s lifelong wish was fulfilled, today’s oath would never be broken.
However, there was another meaning to their connection as well.
“Brother, let’s stop now.”
“Hah, my heart feels so itchy I might burst. I’ve suffered holding it in.”
Taeryang immediately rose to his feet, and I scratched at my ribs with my fingers.
We’d been comfortable and casual with each other, but suddenly exchanging solemn oaths made things awkward.
“Listen, brothers.”
Taeryang brushed off his clothes, suppressing his goosebumps as he called out to the assassins.
Each one was an elite of Nangsi. Among them were even two Transcendent Masters.
“This is how it is. I, Taeryang, intend to place myself under the Baek Family and walk the path to fulfill my Master’s lifelong wish. The rest of you decide for yourselves.”
Voices erupted as if they’d been waiting for this moment.
“How could you walk alone!”
“Though I am not your disciple, my heart to follow Elder Nangwang is no less than yours!”
“I’ve lived as an assassin for thirty years now, and it’s about time I pledged myself to someone!”
Taeryang took stock of the situation.
“Enough. I understand your hearts, so take a day to think carefully and decide. Those who will follow me shall come with me to the Baek Family! We shall live for the fulfillment of Baek Heon-nang-wang’s lifelong wish!”
The will of Baek Heon-nang-wang, excluding the parts that could not be revealed, had permeated all of Nangsi.
That day, countless people deliberated and deliberated again, determining the path ahead.
When the sun rose to its zenith the next day.
“Sixty-one people in total.”
Nangsi’s assassins numbered in the hundreds, even exceeding a thousand.
Only sixty-one of them remained.
But.
“These bastards. Quite a few stayed.”
“Hehe, without Brother Taeryang, we’d die of boredom.”
“A man should hold one grand dream! I heard that Eung-hyo Je-il’s dream is to make the Baek Family the greatest under heaven? I want to share that dream!”
“This is the path for Elder Nangwang’s lifelong wish—how could I walk a different path? The debt I owe is immeasurable!”
Nangsi was never a martial sect.
It was merely a city that had naturally formed as assassins gathered to follow the reclusive Baek Heon-nang-wang.
As such, the number sixty-one was far from small.
Especially considering that each one was close to Taeryang—in other words, the elite of Nangsi.
‘With Brother Taeryang included, that’s three Transcendent Masters. An army of ten thousand.’
The Baek Family’s chronic weakness had always been insufficient numbers.
As a fallen third-rate martial family, it was an unavoidable limitation.
The bloodline numbered only four including Yang Hwi, which said everything.
I had built my family and accepted countless individuals into it, yet this remained a weakness.
However, if Taeryang and the assassins were added to the mix.
‘Elder Nangwang. Just as you desired, the Baek Family will become a sanctuary where they can rampage freely while remaining safe. In exchange, we fight together.’
Taeryang grinned as if he had read Yang Hwi’s very thoughts and shouted.
“Hey, brother! Lately there’s been all this talk about whether the Baek Family will become one of the Five Great Families or not. Wouldn’t we be quite helpful?”
“Of course. Tremendously so.”
One of the implicit conditions of the Gu-pa Alliance was the number of Transcendent Masters.
‘Currently, the main branch only has myself and Father as Transcendent Masters. But now we have five.’
“Since one of the conditions has been met, does that mean the Baek Family becomes one of the Five Great Families now? Tell me, brother.”
“Hmm.”
It probably wouldn’t be that simple.
“There will be some obstacles. Many will oppose it. But, well.”
Yang Hwi smirked.
As always, if something displeased me, I could simply turn the board over.
“We will definitely become one of the Five Great Families.”

* * *
A high-class tavern near Anhui Taeho where a victory banquet was to be held.
A man raised his wine cup.
“Now that we’ve gathered, why don’t we have a drink first and then begin our discussion.”
Looking at the faces of those seated, they were remarkable enough to astound ordinary people.
Four of the Five Great Families and three of the Gu-pa Alliance, along with the Shin Chang-yang Family, Sanggwan Clan, and Danmok Clan from the Heaven-grade martial sects vying for Five Great Family status.
A total of ten martial factions’ leaders had gathered.
“It’s good to see you all like this. Though we haven’t gathered for pleasant reasons, I must say.”
“In a way, it could be considered fortunate. Who knows if our unity might become another bond.”
“Haha, that’s also a fair point.”
There was one reason they had gathered.
“The Baek Family’s ascension to the Five Great Families. We cannot simply overlook this.”
The one who spoke was Peng Wang of the Dragon-Tiger Great Sword.
The Peng Family’s Heir, who had once faced the Baek Family Heir at the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly.
“That’s true. Though the Baek Family has accomplished great deeds, the name of the Five Great Families is not light.”
The Elder of the Moyong Clan nodded in agreement, and the other families and sects followed suit.
“However, I would like to ask Peng Heir—does Venerable Daehaeyongwang know of this gathering?”
A remark clearly conscious of the connection between the Baek Family Heir and the Great Sea Dragon King.
Peng Wang nodded.
“Rather, he even encouraged it. Moreover, he is someone who values family above all else.”
The Peng Family was the current greatest family under heaven.
If the Baek Family, which harbored Eung-hyo Je-il who had secured the position of the next greatest under heaven, became one of the Five Great Families, it meant a formidable rival would be born.
This was also why seven of the Gu-pa Alliance participated in this gathering.
They were bound by a single title while simultaneously being rivals to one another.
“Since we’re on the subject, let me continue while we’re at it, Young Master Jegal?”
Jegal Hwa-un laughed with measured courtesy.
“Yes, please speak.”
“The Jegal Family is… allowed to be here, correct?”
The Jegal Family, which was set to welcome Eung-hyo Je-il—the future Greatest Under Heaven—as their son-in-law.
Yet they were participating in a gathering to obstruct the Baek Family’s elevation to the Five Great Families?
Suspicious gazes turned toward Jegal Hwa-un.
“While this gathering is not held in secret, I trust you did not come with the intention of reporting its contents to the Baek Family.”
“Have no concern. Even if we forge a strategic marriage, the Jegal Family and Baek Family remain separate bloodlines and separate houses. We must pursue the greater profit.”
Coming from the Jegal Family under the leadership of Jegal Pae, such words carried credibility.
If Jegal Pae, notorious for his cold-bloodedness, were involved, he would surely play both sides to maximize the Jegal Family’s interests.
“Of course, we do not seek to obstruct the Baek Family’s elevation without reason. Gentlemen, the Jegal Family intends to make Mu-han the center of all commerce under heaven. In exchange for our obstruction, we request your cooperation.”
The Jang Gang-su Ro-maeng was dissolved.
In other words, the water commerce of the Jang River would become several times more active.
Everyone now understood, their eyes fixed upon Jegal Hwa-un with newfound clarity.
“Now that I think of it, the Ilick Alliance, with the Baek Family Head as its leader, had the Sichuan Greatest Merchant also join its ranks.”
“Was Jin Yeong-gil’s long-cherished wish the revival of Posal? There seems to be conflict with the Jegal Family’s interests.”
After the Jegal Family’s proposal, each faction continued to voice their desires and coordinate their positions.
After two hours had passed.
A conclusion was reached.
“It is not yet confirmed, but we must obstruct it.”
“The Five Great Families alongside Cheonmu-sip-jon became the Greatest Family under Heaven.”
“How much more so if the Five Great Families stand with the Greatest Under Heaven….”
One person’s gain is another’s loss.
Such is the way the world turns.
They had decided to inflict loss upon others for their own gain.

* * *
On the road back to the Baek Family from Nangsi.
Yang Hwi sat within the carriage, devoting himself entirely to cultivating his inner energy.
His purpose was to study Seon’s inner core—abbreviated as the Seon Core.
‘Tsk, this is definitely something harmful to the body. Or perhaps there’s a use for it. The weight of it sitting there so heavily makes me uneasy.’
The Cheonsa Path, the Daoist martial lineage that Seon had inherited, actually originated from Cheonma, and naturally the five-element qi he wielded was fundamentally demonic qi.
To be precise, it was turbid qi, but the degree of turbidity was so extreme that it amounted to the same thing.
‘Well, the turbidity has reached such an extreme that it feels almost pure instead.’
This was also why I had attached the character for “turbid” when first encountering it.
‘An inner core formed from concentrated turbid qi. If it had been demonic qi instead, I could have simply burned it away cleanly.’
Since I possessed sacred qi, which was in direct opposition to demonic qi, it wouldn’t have been particularly dangerous.
However, because the inner core’s essence was turbid qi, I couldn’t eliminate it.
Sacred qi certainly suppressed turbid qi and held an advantage in compatibility, but it didn’t resist it as strongly as it would demonic qi.
The difference between direct opposition and compatibility advantage, one might say.
‘I feel like I could burn it away if I tried… but I have a premonition that it would be insanely dangerous.’
The premonition of a transcendent master is not mere intuition.
In other words, ignoring such a premonition could never be a wise choice.
Yet if I expelled it outside my body, I would be releasing turbid qi into the surroundings.
If I wasn’t careful, the turbid qi could accumulate somewhere, causing spiritual creatures to fall into demonhood or spawning demons elsewhere.
But keeping it like this felt like holding a bomb that could detonate at any moment… Ugh!
‘Right, when did I start cowering like this? Let’s just attempt it!’
I infused my will into the Hwa-cheon Sacred Qi in my dantian.
I shaped the sacred flame qi I created into a thin thread or awl-like form, then carefully probed the Seon Core.
‘Either purify and absorb it, or dispose of it cleanly. I can’t go on like this—better to suffer than to live this way!’
After giving Seolha and Taeryang advance notice, I devoted myself to researching the Seon Core for days on end.
During this time, a phenomenon occurred that even I, Yang Hwi, couldn’t help but be startled by.
“Huh? My inner energy!”
The inner energy in my dantian had vanished.
“M-my, my inner energy!”
Had I fallen into deviation without even realizing it?
But there were no warning signs like reversed qi flow or anything like that?
No, what—I haven’t even become the greatest under heaven yet, and my martial life is already ruined?
“…Huh?”
Then I realized. I immediately sat down and projected my consciousness inward.
A rush of relief washed over me. My inner energy hadn’t disappeared.
‘The Seon Core—I should call it the Turbid Core from now on.’
Originally, the Seon Core was mostly turbid qi, but it also contained the dead qi and malevolent intent that Seon had consumed.
However, due to continuous exposure to sacred flame qi, now only turbid qi remained.
‘How should I put it—it feels like a solar eclipse. Like a shadow obscuring the sun. That’s why even I couldn’t sense my own inner energy.’
Wait. I think there might be a use for this after all?
The victory banquet will open soon.
The enormous wealth and influence that will emerge as the Jang Gang-su Ro-maeng disappears.
Merit distribution and profit allocation from the Great Yangtze River War.
Yi-ik Alliance. Mudang Faction. Jegal Family. Dang Sect. Namgung.
‘Among them, the one who owes the greatest debt is the Jegal Family… Ah!’
A snickering laugh burst forth.
I could reshape the entire board—no, create a new one entirely.

* * *
Upon arriving at the Baek Family residence, Yang Hwi immediately requested a private audience with Baek Moo-ryang.
“Father, I have something to tell you.”
“Yes, Hwi. I’ve already heard. You achieved remarkable results in Nangsi. The late Elder Nangwang must have blessed you.”
“Ah, that’s not what I came to discuss.”
“Then what?”
“I’ve lost my martial arts.”
“…What?”
Baek Moo-ryang’s jaw dropped.

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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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