Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 60

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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 060
A month prior, after receiving a letter from Gyojin-bang and convening a meeting of the Baek Family’s core members.
Yang Hwi and Baek Moo-ryang entered closed cultivation together.
“Hwi. I’m not certain this will truly work. Whether I can reach the Peak Realm through a month of closed cultivation with you remains uncertain.”
From Baek Moo-ryang’s perspective, his words held merit.
Honestly, it made no sense for someone who had become a first-rate master merely two months ago to reach the Peak Realm.
‘It’s less a second-best method than a least-worst one. But there’s no other way.’
Besides, the possibility wasn’t entirely absent.
If anything, the odds were rather favorable.
Yang Hwi, who had been observing Baek Moo-ryang for a moment, spoke.
“Father. You first commanded me to master the Hwa-cheon-i-won-gong and the Gae-cheon-bak-pal-geom, did you not?”
“Indeed. Your martial talent is such that we can speak of you as the greatest under heaven.”
Thanks to Baek Moo-ryang’s command, Yang Hwi had been able to transmit both techniques to Baek Moo-ryang and his younger siblings quite effortlessly.
“Though my martial prowess may be inferior to yours, I dare claim superior understanding of the subtleties within these two arts.”
There exist those called martial theorists—individuals who, though not warriors themselves, possess unparalleled mastery of martial theory.
“Hwi, are you saying you’ll become my martial theorist?”
“Something of the sort. I believe it’s the best approach available to us now.”
“Hmm. Your words ring true. If there’s no other way, we must do our utmost.”
“Then shall we begin lightly with a sparring match?”
“Good. Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve sparred with you.”
Baek Moo-ryang drew his sword with evident pleasure.
Before being the family head, he was a swordmaster.
For him, discussing the sword was always a joy.
Clang! Clang-clang!
Blade met blade repeatedly, parting and striking again.
After exchanging several passes in this manner.
“Now let us proceed in earnest.”
As true energy flowed into the blade, it began to vibrate with the sound of a bee’s wings.
Baek Moo-ryang likewise began channeling his own bee-wing energy.
Whoooosh!
Whoooosh!
Clang-clang-clang!
Though it was but a single exchange, the metallic ring sounded several times over.
‘Sparring with a swordmaster at the Bee-wing Realm is new even for me. In my past life, I alone mastered the Gae-cheon-bak-pal-geom.’
Exhilarating. Joyful. Yang Hwi too was born a warrior.
Had he not possessed an innate love for the martial way, he would never have reached the Ultimate Realm in his past life.
Whoooosh!
Whoooosh!
Clang-clang-clang!
Thus passed one day.
I had crossed swords with Baek Moo-ryang countless times—easily over a thousand exchanges.
From those bouts, I could reach a definitive conclusion.
‘It’s possible. One month. Father can ascend to the Peak Realm.’
He possessed the martial talent to achieve it.
As a true blood descendant of the Baek Family, his innate bone structure and temperament seemed naturally attuned to the Gaecheon Baekpal Geom.
“Father, the Gaecheon Baekpal Geom must be firm yet swift. Because it is faster than all others, it becomes heavier than all others.”
When I had taught my younger siblings before, I’d said they must establish weight before speed.
But Baek Moo-ryang was different. He had already transcended that stage.
“Very well, Hwi. Again.”
Seven days passed.
“The Hwa-cheon-i-won-gong embraces the vital essence of all things. More precisely, it seeks to unify them into one.”
A hawk’s wings spread wide, encompassing everything within their reach.
Those draped wings firmly embrace all things.
“Thus it creates them—wings firm yet swift enough to cleave the very wind.”
“Haha, how remarkable. Your explanations are so easy to understand. It’s as though you’re describing a realm you’ve already experienced.”
I felt a pang of guilt.
I deliberately raised the corners of my mouth and swung my blade.
“Here I come!”
Clang-clang-clang!
The metallic ring of blade striking blade echoed through the air.
‘The sound has changed subtly. Good. If we continue like this!’
The second seven days passed.
“To ascend to the Peak Realm, one must attain three enlightenments.”
“Heart-born vital essence, intent-qi wounding the body, and sword-qi forming the blade—is that not so?”
“Precisely. Among these, heart-born vital essence—to move one’s qi as the heart desires, must one not do so without conscious thought?”
“….”
Baek Moo-ryang moved his blade back and forth in silence. His movements had become natural.
Like a child taking its first steps without learning, without conscious effort.
Stray thoughts vanished from his application of sword techniques and true qi.
“This aligns perfectly with the subtle principles I mentioned before. A hawk does not consciously fly through the sky.”
Thus the third seven days passed.
“The Hwa-cheon-i-won-gong possesses the temperament of seeking to unify all things into one. Therefore, I believe the Hwa-cheon-i-won-gong is advantageous in forming sword-qi.”
“The emission of sword-qi. The concentration of vital essence. Unifying it into one, making it ever thicker, ever denser….”
Baek Moo-ryang transcended mere contemplation, seeking to enter a state of selflessness.
I quickly placed a Spirit Elixir into his mouth and pressed an acupoint to make him swallow naturally.
“One. Unity. Fire and harmony. Swift and firm, coalescing….”
Baek Moo-ryang murmured, lost in the state of selflessness.
I gazed at him with satisfaction.
‘The final hurdle. Just one more hurdle to overcome…!’
In my past life, I had never known this.
To young Yang Hwi, Baek Moo-ryang was simply a great and impressive figure.
‘His martial talent is extraordinary. Then again, Father rose from a mere third-rate family martial art to the second-rate realm.’
I had overlooked it until now, but if his talent hadn’t been exceptional from the start, he could never have transcended the third-rate limitations.
That was the nature of third-rate martial arts.
Without the aid of talent, one could never surpass one’s limits.
‘Father, this is the final hurdle. I know you can overcome it!’
Finally, on the day the life-and-death duel was scheduled.
“Hahaha, Father! Congratulations on your breakthrough!”
Boom boom boom!
Baek Moo-ryang’s sword trembled far more violently than before, simultaneously radiating brilliant white light.
It was living proof of achieving intent-qi fusion—the sword qi itself, the second realm of the Gaecheon Baekpal Geom.
White Bee Wing.
“Phew…”
Baek Moo-ryang gazed at me intently with half-closed eyes.
Then he sheathed his sword.
“Let’s go, Hwi.”
“Yes, Father!”
At the moment of the life-and-death duel, everyone in Ak-an County would be astonished.
A new peak master had been born.

* * *
‘It went exactly as planned.’
I drew my lips into a smile.
Everyone gathered at the dueling grounds was genuinely astounded.
“Sword qi!”
“This can’t be! The Baek Family Head was surely only second-rate just moments ago!”
“It’s not merely projecting energy! He’s definitely achieved sword qi fusion!”
But that wasn’t all.
The aura radiating from Baek Moo-ryang’s entire body.
The blade-like will extending outward, infused with qi.
In other words, intent-qi wounding.
“Truly, there’s no denying it.”
“The Baek Family Head has reached the peak realm!”
I felt someone tap my shoulder and turned my head.
Then I saw Gu Ak’s astonished face.
“Y-younger brother. What miracle did you work this time?”
“Hehehehe. Two geniuses meeting and creating a synergistic effect, that’s all.”
Gu Ak’s eyes burned with intense thirst and desire.
It had already been years since reaching the first-rate realm, yet the path to the peak remained utterly obscured.
“Younger brother. Could you… could you teach me as well?”
“Hmm. Teaching you wouldn’t be difficult, but you won’t be able to grow as quickly as I did. The martial techniques we’ve mastered are fundamentally different, after all.”
“I understand. Please, whenever you have time later, I’d appreciate your instruction.”
Here stood Gu Ak, who despite facing a life-or-death duel that demanded his very soul, had foregone his own advancement to fill one of the three vacant positions.
I could help him with complete willingness.
“Understood. For now, let’s focus on Father.”
I turned my gaze back to Baek Moo-ryang.
At that moment, a sword brimming with sword energy collided with a curved blade.
*Clang!*
Both wielders possessed sufficient inner energy, yet it was the Hyeol-ya Nang-do’s curved blade that was sent flying backward.
I heightened my perception and observed the two fighters.
‘Father’s inner cultivation is around fifty years. In comparison, Hyeol-ya Nang-do is a full sixty years.’
Hyeol-ya Nang-do possessed superior martial power.
Yet the reason Father’s sword could repel the curved blade was clear.
‘This is the power of White Bee Wing.’
When the first half of the Gaecheon Baekpal Geom’s techniques are deployed in succession, the sword resonates and emits the sound of bee wings beating.
One step beyond that realm is White Bee Wing.
The resonance of sword and sword energy.
A stronger vibration, and consequently, multiplied power.
It was a technique I had devised during my vagrant years, born from the inevitable suffering of insufficient inner power.
“Kugh, how is this possible!”
Hyeol-ya Nang-do recoiled in shock. Rather than answering, Baek Moo-ryang swung his sword once more.
Gaecheon Baekpal Geom, First Form.
Arrow Feather Pierces Stone, Seventh Variation.
*Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!*
Six consecutive thrusts separated by three-inch intervals.
Hyeol-ya Nang-do’s limbs became frantic as he parried each strike.
Gaecheon Baekpal Geom, Second Form.
Twin Wings Folding Slash.
A single sword splits into two sword shadows.
Sword shadows converging from left to right, then right to left.
‘Father has truly grasped it.’
Hyeol-ya Nang-do, true to his vagrant nature, lacked fundamental technique.
His swordsmanship was passable enough, but his footwork and body techniques for evasion were lacking—his mobility was inferior.
In contrast, Baek Moo-ryang had received transmission of Gicheon-bo during his closed sect training.
“Kaaaagh!”
Hyeol-ya Nang-do could not retreat as far as Baek Moo-ryang advanced with Gicheon-bo.
The front of Hyeol-ya Nang-do’s robe rapidly turned crimson where the sword’s edge had cut him.
“Damn!”
Hyeol-ya Nang-do, who had forced Baek Moo-ryang back by wielding his curved blade infused with ten-star power, steadied his stance while breathing heavily.
‘Still, he’s no hollow shell. He’s truly reached a perfected peak.’
Between Hyeol-ya Nang-do and Father, it was unmistakably clear that Hyeol-ya Nang-do possessed the higher realm.
His inner energy was also greater, giving him superior power with each passing second.
However.
In any duel between warriors, victory is never determined by realm and inner energy alone.
‘The subtlety of swordplay clearly favors us.’
Hyeol-ya Nang-do’s blade technique was that unique to a wanderer refined through actual combat.
In other words, it was efficient and carried a thick killing intent, but conversely lacked the profound mysteries within.
If I had to assign a rank, it would be around peak-level martial arts.
It could not compare to the Gaecheon Baekpal Geom, which had ascended to supreme-peak, integrated all teachings, and elevated itself to the realm of divine arts.
‘Moreover, the difference in footwork is even more pronounced.’
For a warrior, footwork is as important as weapon technique itself.
It is only natural, as footwork measures distance and engagement range, allowing one to freely orchestrate advances and retreats.
Clang! Clang clang!
With each exchange of moves, fresh wounds were carved into Hyeol-ya Nang-do’s body.
The amount of blood he shed increased steadily.
Meanwhile, Baek Moo-ryang had sustained injuries, but they were only minor wounds.
“Hyeol-ya Nang-do.”
Baek Moo-ryang stepped back, creating distance, and continued speaking.
“Surrender. If you acknowledge your defeat, I will not take your life.”
Upon hearing Father’s words, I slightly pouted my lips.
‘Father really is something. At times like this, showing restraint and setting an example would be better.’
But since Father had made his decision, there was nothing I could do.
Given his benevolent and cooperative nature, I had anticipated he would act this way.
“Huff, huff.”
Hyeol-ya Nang-do exhaled roughly, contemplating his situation.
As a wanderer, it was true that he had no need to stake his life in someone else’s fight.
“…I surrender.”
As Hyeol-ya Nang-do’s words ended, cheers erupted.
“Uwaaaaa!”
“The Baek Family Head has won!”
“Shi-hyeop-il-jeol! Shi-hyeop-il-jeol!”
“The Baek Family Head’s unity was not merely in righteousness!”
“Quite right! With righteousness combined with the blade, there is no lack in calling it unity!”
“Truly, should we not call him the Dual-Unity Blade-Righteousness? Hahahaha!”
“Dual-Unity Blade-Righteousness! Dual-Unity Blade-Righteousness! Dual-Unity Blade-Righteousness!”
In this moment, a new epithet was bestowed upon Baek Moo-ryang.
From Shi-hyeop-il-jeol, which had carried mockery about boasting righteousness despite low martial prowess.
To Dual-Unity Blade-Righteousness, meaning both swordplay and righteousness were supreme.
“Hyeol-ya Nang-do. My match with you was truly a valuable experience. I am grateful.”
Watching Baek Moo-ryang offer a respectful fist salute to the opponent he had fought to the death, I smiled broadly.
‘As expected, Father is more than adequate as the head of our family.’
Baek Moo-ryang, the Baek Family Head and Twin Blade Swordmaster.
In that moment, he had overcome the family’s crisis with grace as both patriarch and master swordsman.
“Thus, the Main Family has claimed victory in two of three matches. Hong Gyo-bang-ju. Do you concede defeat?”
As Baek Moo-ryang finished speaking, every eye in the hall turned toward Hong Gyo-bang-ju.
“….”
His entire body trembled. A killing intent so palpable it was chilling.
Watching Hong Gyo-bang-ju, who appeared on the verge of losing himself to demonic cultivation alongside his son, Yang Hwi clicked his tongue.
“My, what a predicament. You’ve lost without even drawing your blade once?”
“…Cough!”
Hong Gyo-bang-ju, his vital energy in backlash, spat blood.

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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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