Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 54

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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 054
“Little brother, step back for a moment.”
The Tang Family members were no fools. The instant they saw Saek Gwang-hori’s expression, they realized there might be a hidden hand at work and immediately began their interrogation.
As a result, Saek Gwang-hori met his end in a truly pitiful state.
‘Good heavens, what a sight—like a poisoned rag.’
A rag so saturated with toxins it dripped with venom.
“So there was an accomplice who aided Saek Gwang-hori’s escape.”
“I thought something was amiss. No matter how skilled the man was, even approaching mastery, he escaped our encirclement far too easily.”
“Soga-joonim, it appears a more thorough investigation is warranted.”
Dang-gun nodded, grinding his teeth.
“Of course. We shall uncover the culprit and execute them. The problem is that even this wretch didn’t know who had assisted him.”
The Tang Family’s interrogation methods were unparalleled under heaven. Given their mastery of toxins and hidden weapons, it could be no other way.
Yet even so, Saek Gwang-hori never revealed his accomplice’s identity.
This meant he had received aid without even knowing it himself.
‘It has to be the Namgung Family. They possess the capability to aid an escape without the person even realizing it.’
However, for now, I couldn’t recklessly mention the Namgung Family by name.
I needed to guide the Tang Family to reach the answer themselves.
“Elder Brother Dang.”
“Speak, Little Brother.”
“Though we couldn’t identify the culprit, deduction shouldn’t prove too difficult. Isn’t the culprit simply whoever would benefit from disrupting the Tang Family’s affairs?”
“Hmm. That’s a fair point.”
Dang-gun’s expression hardened further.
He was likely suspecting the Emei and Qingcheng sects, both located in Sichuan like the Tang Family.
I offered another clue to redirect his thoughts.
“Hmm, it’s difficult to say. Since Saek Gwang-hori mentioned feeling aided even after leaving Sichuan, couldn’t any power under heaven be the culprit?”
I carefully observed Dang-gun and the Tang Family members’ expressions as I continued.
“Still, there aren’t many forces capable of aiding Saek Gwang-hori’s escape. Moreover, considering that Saek Gwang-hori headed in this direction…”
I deliberately trailed off without reaching a conclusion.
Fortunately, the Tang Family members reached the answer on their own without needing me to deliver the final blow.
Dang-gun and Il-dok Dae-ju began conversing in hushed tones.
‘This is a conversation I shouldn’t be hearing—they’re discussing the Namgung Family’s arrival.’
I felt a smile threatening to break through, so I tensed my face to suppress it.
With this, I had achieved two objectives at once.
Now the Tang Family would distance themselves from the Namgung Family, so they wouldn’t receive their assistance.
Moreover, they would feel the necessity to establish connections outside of Sichuan.
‘I’ve essentially laid the groundwork to make the Tang Family allies of the Main Family.’

* * *
Baek Moo-ryang held a grand banquet within the Manor to welcome the Tang Family members.
‘Uncle Jegal would feel slighted if he knew.’
The banquet was incomparably more lavish than when the Jegal Family’s father and daughter had visited.
But what could be done? Compared to then and now, the family’s circumstances were worlds apart.
With his face flushed from excitement, Dang-gun called out heartily.
“I am deeply grateful to the Baek Family Head. I never dreamed that leaving Sichuan would bring such generous treatment!”
“Why would you think such a thing?”
“You must be aware of what rumors circulate about the Main Family.”
Dang-gun answered with his expression slightly darkened, but Baek Moo-ryang paid it no mind.
“They say there’s no smoke without fire, yet when three people gather, they can create a tiger from nothing. Pay such talk no heed, Soga-joonim.”
Baek Moo-ryang was not one to judge people by rumors alone.
Such was his nature, and his experiences throughout his life had reinforced this same principle.
Even the epithet “Shi-hyeop-il-jeol” itself carried mockery—boasting of cooperation despite possessing mediocre martial prowess.
That was not all.
“You may not know this, Soga-joonim, but the Main Family was once called the Baek Family. As our fortunes declined, we had to endure all manner of cruel gossip.”
“Is that so?”
“How could I concern myself with rumors after experiencing such trials?”
Watching Baek Moo-ryang speak with a faint smile, Dang-gun’s expression filled with admiration.
Though he was the head of a humble family, Dang-gun—as Soga-joonim and future successor to the family headship—saw in Baek Moo-ryang a great man from whom he had much to learn.
“Family Head.”
Dang-gun rose from his seat and performed the martial salute.
“Not only have you recognized the Main Family’s merits, but you have shown us such generous hospitality. All who bear the Tang surname are raised with the family precept carved into our bones: repay kindness twofold. Since I have received your grace, I ask that you give me the opportunity to repay it.”
Baek Moo-ryang gazed contentedly at each of the Tang Family members present at the banquet.
They enjoyed the festivities while maintaining propriety and never forgetting proper etiquette.
‘The Tang Family. A house that truly suits the Main Family’s traditions.’
Recalling the counsel of Yang Hwi, who had recently become the de facto strategist of the Baek Manor, Baek Moo-ryang spoke.
“Actually, there is one favor I must ask of you, Soga-joonim.”
“What might that be?”
“I heard there is an exceptional physician among your party. Is this true?”
“Indeed. The Yakdok-dang Physician possesses medical skills second to none.”
“The truth is, my wife’s health has been troubling her. Would it be possible for him to examine her?”
“Of course. We would be delighted to help.”
Only then did Dang-gun realize he had never seen the Baek Manor’s mistress.
In fact, Jeong In-hwa’s condition had recently deteriorated, and she scarcely left her room anymore.
“Physician.”
At Dang-gun’s call, the Physician immediately rose to his feet.
“An illness must be addressed as soon as possible. If you will forgive my rudeness in leaving the banquet briefly, I wish to examine her at once.”
“Indeed. While it would be proper to decline, I shall commit this one breach of courtesy. Let us go together.”
The banquet paused momentarily. Yang Hwi led his younger siblings and followed behind Baek Moo-ryang and the Yakdok-dang Physician.
“My lady, I shall step inside for a moment.”
Jeong In-hwa, who had been lying on the bed, threw back her blanket and sat up.
“Please, remain at rest.”
“But we have a guest, and it would be improper….”
“Before being a guest, I am a physician, so it is perfectly acceptable.”
Jeong In-hwa’s complexion was sickly and pale. Yang Hwi soothed his two younger siblings, whose faces were etched with worry.
‘In my past life… I couldn’t even discover what illness plagued her.’
Because it stemmed from a frail constitution, ordinary physicians had been unable to prescribe proper treatment.
But things would be different now.
The reverse side of poison mastery is medicine. The medical arts of the Tang Family were among the finest under heaven.
“Your pulse is remarkably weak, suggesting a heart condition. My lady, I shall take a liberty for a moment.”
The Physician released Jeong In-hwa’s wrist and pressed gently beneath her jaw, checking her pulse once more at this new location.
“The varying strength of your pulse at different positions suggests considerable turbid qi has accumulated along the pathways of blood flow. It appears you possess a constitution that naturally accumulates turbid qi.”
Baek Moo-ryang’s eyes widened slightly. Though he had summoned physicians countless times for Jeong In-hwa’s sake, this was the first time he had heard such a precise diagnosis.
“You were not born with a frail constitution, my lady. The root cause is your natural tendency to accumulate turbid qi, which merely made you appear weak on the surface.”
As Yang Hwi listened to the Physician’s diagnosis, he understood why Jeong In-hwa had to leave this world so prematurely, despite all his efforts in his past life.
‘Mother’s mistake was calling only ordinary physicians who treated commoners, not martial artists. That’s why they couldn’t make a proper diagnosis.’
Jeong In-hwa’s condition was not a matter of the body itself, but of qi.
Her inborn tendency to accumulate turbid qi—malevolent energy—within her body was what had caused her health to deteriorate.
“Physician, then how should we treat this?”
“The treatment itself is simple… but undergoing the treatment is not easy.”
“What method requires such difficulty?”
“She must take medicine to fortify her body against turbid qi while periodically undergoing pressure-point extraction to expel the turbid qi. Once sufficient turbid qi has been expelled, we must employ marrow-cleansing techniques to fundamentally improve her constitution.”
“….”
Baek Moo-ryang clamped his mouth shut.
Pressure-point extraction. And marrow-cleansing techniques.
Both required masters of peak realm or higher to be performed with proper effect.
Especially marrow-cleansing, which required multiple peak masters to perform the grand technique with special medicinal materials prepared.
In other words, neither could be performed by the Baek Family Estate as it currently stood.
“Father, I am well. Please do not worry.”
“…Soga-joonim, I must make an excessive request. The head of Yakdok-dang appears to be at peak realm. Would you perform the pressure-point extraction?”
Before Dang-gun could even accept, Jeong In-hwa voiced her refusal.
“Father, you would have me receive treatment involving a strange man’s touch upon my body? That is impossible.”
“My child, I cannot bear to see you suffer any longer.”
“Father, I still believe some things simply cannot be done.”
Jeong In-hwa, born as the daughter of the most learned scholar in this region and raised as a proper lady.
By her standards and principles, she would rather endure illness than receive pressure-point extraction from any man other than her husband.
“…Sigh. Very well, I understand.”
Baek Moo-ryang turned to Yang Hwi and continued.
“Hwi, will you host the banquet in your father’s stead? It seems we shall need to have further conversation.”
Baek Moo-ryang then turned his gaze toward Dang-gun.
“Soga-joonim, Hwi possesses such brilliance and exceptional talent that he more than adequately represents me. I beg your forgiveness for the discourtesy of withdrawing from the banquet to attend to our guest.”
“Not at all. I understand completely and consider it no discourtesy whatsoever.”
With Baek Moo-ryang remaining behind to persuade Jeong In-hwa, the others returned to the banquet hall under my guidance.
‘Father will… likely fail to persuade her.’
Therefore, two paths remained open.
Either Father would reach the pinnacle and directly pursue the acupoint strike himself.
Or I would offer compensation to a female master and request her assistance.
‘Ah, there exists a third option as well. I should try requesting help from my teacher, Eum Hu.’
In that moment, my mind suddenly brightened as if illuminated.
If she granted the request, the entire problem would vanish at once.
However, I had no intention of seeking Eum Hu’s aid immediately.
‘First, let me attempt to handle this with only the Main Family’s capabilities. If that fails, there will be time to request her help later.’
In that sense, the Main Family needed to expand its power all the more urgently.
And one of the methods to do so stood right before my eyes.
“Brother Dang.”
“Speak freely, Little Brother Hwi.”
“There is a matter Father wished to discuss with you. Would you hear it?”
“By all means.”
“If you’ll permit me, I shall convey it through transmission of voice.”
-I heard from the Namgung Family that you intend to establish a faction. Is that correct?
Dang-gun’s expression flickered between astonishment and difficulty.
“How is this possible? How does one so young command voice transmission?”
Ah, now that I thought about it, Dang-gun at this stage could not yet use voice transmission.
Typically, one could only send voice transmission after reaching the level of a first-rate master and developing sufficient sensitivity to perceive and manipulate qi.
“I possess somewhat exceptional talent in this regard, haha.”
“That explanation seems far too simple for what I’ve just witnessed. In any case, you’re correct.”
-Would it be acceptable if the Main Family assisted in establishing your faction?
“What manner of assistance do you propose?”
I considered carefully and spoke the strategy I had devised and discussed with Father.
-Allow the Main Family to become the foundation of the Tang Family’s faction, Brother Dang. I propose a relationship equivalent to a blood oath between our families.
“Hm?!”
Dang-gun’s eyes widened considerably.
Various emotions flickered across his face in succession.
I waited silently for Dang-gun’s response.
‘He will likely ask for reasons and circumstances.’
I had already prepared all the logic needed to persuade him.
I was confident I could answer clearly to whatever he asked.
But.
“That seems difficult to accomplish.”
Huh? That’s not the answer I was expecting.
‘What did I miss?’
“Forgive my intrusion, but might I inquire as to your reasons?”
Dang-gun spoke with a grave expression.
“…The reason is simple.”

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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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