Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 56

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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 056
Yang Hwi and Han Supervisor didn’t bother moving and simply invited Chu Yong-wol inside.
After a servant brought tea, Chu Yong-wol wore a curious expression.
“Pardon me, but is the Family Head quite busy?”
When Chu Yong-wol had signed the contract previously, she had been pressured by Baek Moo-ryang and forced to concede on the profit ratio in the agreement.
It seemed she wanted to report the results directly to Baek Moo-ryang and receive his approval because of that memory.
“Unfortunately, the Family Head has entered closed-door cultivation.”
After the banquet, the Dang Family members had stayed for several days to recover, leaving only those needed to manufacture the spirit pills before departing.
Baek Moo-ryang had given Han Supervisor and me some hints before returning to closed-door cultivation.
‘It’s probably because of Mother.’
Baek Moo-ryang had experienced considerable frustration over the fact that he couldn’t personally treat Jeong In-hwa, who needed the Chasing Qi and Breaking Blood technique.
Though he showed no outward sign, I could sense that emotion because I had spent much time with Father in my previous life.
‘It’s only natural as the Family Head of a clan and as a husband to a woman. Moreover, as the head of a martial family, his martial prowess being merely first-rate seemed to displease him.’
In truth, first-rate was quite a low level of martial prowess.
Well, within Ak-an County, he was among the top five masters, at least.
‘But that’s still far from sufficient. The main family will expand further and greater in the future.’
Prioritizing his own martial advancement over his duties as Family Head?
That was precisely the mark of a true Family Head.
For a leader, the most important thing was the authority to command everyone, and among martial artists, one’s prowess spoke volumes.
Besides, Han Supervisor’s experience could handle most immediate matters anyway.
‘…Though lately, whenever money-related matters arise, he does seem to lose his composure a bit.’
Even now, that was the case.
“Miss Chu! Seeing you visit the main family directly, it seems the results are quite promising? Hehehehe.”
‘Hmm. No. Wait. Not now.’
Hehehehe, indeed.
With his neat robes and long, cultivated beard, Han Supervisor looked like a scholar who had devoted decades to learning.
But seeing such a Han Supervisor laugh so greedily made me feel something was terribly wrong.
“Come now, tell us! How much? How much did you earn!”
Chu Yong-wol, slightly taken aback, responded.
“First, regarding the contract between the Baek Family and our Baek Bookstore, and the progress of the contract….”
Han Supervisor cut off Chu Yong-wol’s words.
“Just tell me the conclusion! How much! How much exactly!”
His fingers repeatedly curled and uncurled in the shape of the character for gold, without pause.
I had heard that Han Supervisor was a man devoted to learning both in his youth and now, but where on earth had he sold his gentleman’s way?
His demeanor was like that of a gambler forbidden from going to gambling dens, suffering withdrawal symptoms.
‘Why must I be the embarrassed one.’
I decided that since I was the only one in a normal state, I should step forward and looked at Chu Yong-wol.
“Miss Chu, the family’s finances have been strained recently, so the Supervisor is anxious. What is the profit?”
Chu Yong-wol, who had been looking at Han Supervisor with reluctance, turned her head and smiled brightly.
“Hehehehe. Don’t be surprised. It’s a whopping.”
“Five thousand taels?”
“Yes, five thousand silver taels, they say.”
“Gasp!”
At the sudden exclamation, Yang Hwi and Chu Yong-wol’s eyes widened as they stared at Han Supervisor.
“Supervisor!”
Han Supervisor stood rigidly with his head held high.
Then his head descended very slowly.
And a single breath escaped his lips.
“Ah.”
The smile of an enlightened old monk appeared on Han Supervisor’s face.
Transcendence. That was surely transcendence.
His soul was clearly departing from his body.
“Supervisor!”
I called out with genuine concern, even infusing my voice with qi.
Light returned to Han Supervisor’s eyes, which had seemed half-departed.
“Ehehehe! Ehehehe!”
‘Phew. Thank goodness. I thought he was actually leaving this world.’
Han Supervisor’s reaction was so dramatic that it didn’t seem like a joke at all.
Still, looking at his expression, his thread of life had firmly reattached to this mortal realm.
“Ehehehe! Five thousand taels! And it’s only been three months since Young Master Yang resolved the Baek Bookstore’s problems! Five thousand taels in three months! Ehehehehehe!”
I need to correct myself. It seems he hasn’t fully regained his senses yet.
Yang Hwi shook his head and offered words of congratulation to Chu Yong-wol.
“You’ve worked remarkably hard, Miss Chu. Considering the period during which books could be actively sold was at most two months, this is truly impressive.”
Indeed, the results Chu Yong-wol had achieved were astounding.
Even for me, who was certain of the value of the novels written by Il-pil-hwi-seo through memories of the future.
“How did you manage this? We discussed sales strategies together, but I had anticipated it would take at least a year before things truly caught fire.”
The method I had proposed earlier was a premium strategy that granted special value to the books.
Since value emerges when many people desire something, it was an approach that necessarily required time.
Yet Chu Yong-wol had produced tremendous results in merely two months.
“Hehe. The strategy we devised together was ultimately about creating a trend, wasn’t it?”
“Indeed.”
“So I created one. Using a tiger, no less.”
“Ah, I see. You seduced a tiger to create the trend?”
As Yang Hwi immediately grasped the full scheme, Chu Yong-wol clicked her tongue.
“Your talent for strategy truly lives up to your reputation, Young Master. That’s right. The most influential daughter among Nanchang’s powerful families has taken a liking to me. I worked through her.”
In other words, she had granted value through the prestige of powerful families and created a trend through the daughters of the upper classes.
Once the wind began to blow, it was hardly difficult to fan the flames and build momentum.
‘Indeed. I made the right choice selecting Chu Yong-wol.’
It was no coincidence that the Baek Bookstore grew rapidly in the future.
With the interference schemes of the Namgeum Trading Company eliminated, this life would allow for even greater growth.
“Ah, that’s right. Young Master, have you heard any news about the Namgeum Trading Company?”
“What news are you referring to?”
“Last time, Namgung Cheon-yeong spread rumors using that young girl. After that, the company completely collapsed.”
Chu Yong-wol continued speaking while carefully observing Yang Hwi’s expression.
“I heard that when martial artists swarmed the place and caused trouble, some wandering knight helped them out. The problem is they lost all their capital for recovery and every usury contract to theft. That’s how it goes.”
Chu Yong-wol spoke of things that didn’t need mentioning.
It had to be one of two things.
‘Either she’s curious about how much of this was my doing, or…’
Yang Hwi let out a soft chuckle.
“As I said before, spreading the rumors was all I did.”
“Is that so? I heard there was a young boy among the knights who dealt with the demon beast that appeared at the Namgeum Trading Company’s manor.”
“Surely you don’t think that was me? No matter how talented one might be, I’m merely an eight-year-old child.”
I deliberately shrugged my shoulders and made my body tremble.
“Looking back, I’m truly grateful. If I had encountered someone who hunts demon beasts… ugh. I nearly got a glimpse of the underworld at such a young age. It seems some eccentric wanderer must have appeared from nowhere.”
“Hmm. Well, that’s true. You don’t seem to have any particular thoughts about the Namgeum Trading Company’s collapse? In a way, it was a snowball effect rolling down from Namgung Cheon-yeong’s scheme.”
Ah, so this was the main point.
“Whether a place that dealt in usury collapses is no concern of mine. What do you think about it, Miss Chu?”
“I share the same sentiment.”
Yang Hwi and Chu Yong-wol, having confirmed that each possessed unwavering resolve and determination, smiled at one another.
“Then I shall take my leave now.”
“Won’t you stay the night and rest from your journey?”
“You know as well as I do. When one has leisure, perhaps, but these days a single day is worth gold. As a merchant, one must know how to distinguish between times to rest and times not to.”
Her words were sound and admirable.
The more diligently Chu Yong-wol worked, the greater the profits of the Baek Manor would become.
“Then I shall escort you to the gate.”
“I gratefully accept the Young Master’s escort.”
After confirming that Chu Yong-wol had departed in her carriage, I returned to Han Supervisor’s quarters.
“Hehehehe! Five thousand taels! Five thousand taaels!”
Han Supervisor continued grinning widely while fingering the money pouch containing fifty gold coins.
‘Wait. I said we needed two thousand taels immediately. That leaves three thousand taels.’
Five thousand silver taels was a considerable sum, even on the cheaper side, enough to expand a business.
But if I set aside two thousand taels and keep only three thousand, it becomes awkward to use immediately.
Then wouldn’t it be more efficient to keep about a thousand taels as a buffer and spend the rest quickly?
‘…If I pay more for the materials, the resulting medicinal pills will surely possess even more excellent efficacy.’
“Han Supervisor.”
“Hehehehe! Speak, Young Master Hwi!”
“I was thinking, perhaps two thousand taels more for medicinal pill materials…”
“Hwiiiii Youuung Maaasteeer!”
The lion’s roar of an old man without inner strength shook the entire vast Baek Manor.

* * *
A month had already passed since most of the Dang Family members departed and the remaining members of the Yak-dok Party began manufacturing the Spirit Elixir.
Recently, Yang Hwi had been increasing the proportion of internal energy cultivation while instructing his two younger siblings.
“Slowly. There’s no need to rush. What matters is steadiness. The essence lies in drawing in true energy with unwavering resolve.”
Under normal circumstances, his two younger siblings would have answered with vigor, but now they remained silent.
It was only natural. Opening one’s mouth while cultivating internal energy techniques was tantamount to inviting demonic possession.
“Visualize it. The flow of true energy emanating from your dantian. While rivers and streams are common metaphors, the Hwa-cheon-i-won-gong of our Baek Family is different.”
There was only one visualization the Baek Family needed to manifest while circulating true energy through the meridians.
A hawk.
“Hwa-cheon-i-won-gong. It harmonizes all energies beneath heaven into one, benefiting the source. How can a hawk accomplish such a thing?”
The answer was simple.
“Whoooosh, shhhhh.”
“Shhhhh, haaaaah.”
I continued speaking as I listened to my younger siblings’ breathing.
“Think of the mother hawk. Those sturdy wings that cleave the heavens—she uses them to embrace her eggs and chicks. She embraces everything. She holds all things beneath her wings.”
With the sensitivity befitting one who proclaimed himself the greatest under heaven, my keen perception extended toward Baek Heon-so and Baek Yeon-yeon.
No matter how confident I was, I couldn’t read the movement of true energy within their bodies, but at least I could perceive how the natural energy of the void seeped into my siblings’ bodies.
‘Both of them are doing well.’
The first stage of Hwa-cheon-i-won-gong.
What mattered at this level was establishing a steadfast foundation.
More precisely, it was completing the unique constitution known as Hwa-cheon energy.
‘Once they surpass this current stage, they’ll grow by leaps and bounds, my siblings.’
It was then that Yang Hwi wore a satisfied smile.
Baek Heon-so opened his eyes first, followed shortly by Baek Yeon-yeon.
“Both of you did well. Not only has Heon-so, but Yeon-yeon has also become capable of completing the full meridian circulation today.”
“Thank you, Brother! It’s all thanks to you!”
“I’m grateful too! When you teach me, martial arts become so easy and fun!”
Of course it should be fun. I spent every day pondering how to teach them in an engaging way suited to their level.
“Let’s continue working hard and having fun. Now then, shall we go again….”
Just as I was about to begin another round of cultivation, a voice cut through the training grounds.
“Young Master Hwi.”
The voice belonged to the Vice-leader of the Yak-dok Party, who was affiliated with the Dang Family.
“Hmm. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”
The Vice-leader, who had been secluded in the quarters prepared for refining the Spirit Elixir, had finally appeared.
This fact could only mean one thing.
“Vice-leader, surely not?”
“I believe so.”
The Spirit Elixir, into which four thousand taels had been poured in addition to four roots of Seven-branch Three-and-three.
At last, the Spirit Elixir was complete.

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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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