Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 62

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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 062
Hong Gyo-bang-ju drew his great sword and hurled himself forward.
The Gyojin-bangdo members following behind him gripped their own great swords in hand.
Ak-an County sprawled along the lakeside with such prosperity that winding alleys crisscrossed everywhere, yet Hong Gyo-bang-ju vaulted over walls and bounded across rooftops, moving in a perfectly straight line.
Normally, roads existed for feet to walk upon.
But these men saw nothing before them.
“Increase our pace further.”
When Hong Gyo-bang-ju issued his command, the civilians who had spotted them fled in panic, and the Gyojin-bangdo members responded in unison.
“We obey.”
No matter how fast ordinary people ran, they were all the same.
They could never outpace warriors employing lightness techniques while sprinting in a straight line.
Yet Hong Gyo-bang-ju sought to leave nothing to chance.
‘I will annihilate them completely. Especially that brat—I shall tear him to shreds with my own hands.’
The Baek Family Estate’s manor began to appear in the distance.
How galling it had been to see them, once nothing but a third-rate martial arts family, seize the largest estate in Ak-an County.
Today, that manor, which had stood for centuries, would become ash.
Hong Gyo-bang-ju raised his hand in a signal. All the warriors suppressed their presence in response.
“Approach quietly until we are ten zhang away, then strike all at once.”
Hong Gyo-bang-ju whispered his command and began walking slowly forward.
‘The only variable is the Baek Family Head at his peak. Our numerical advantage is roughly double theirs.’
Though they faced a master at the pinnacle of cultivation, overwhelming them with numbers guaranteed victory.
Besides, Baek Moo-ryang would still be nursing wounds from this morning’s life-or-death duel.
He calculated coldly and reviewed his plans thoroughly.
The result.
‘Today, the Baek Family Estate will be annihilated.’
Yet Hong Gyo-bang-ju overlooked one critical fact.
Though he believed his judgment sound—made through cold, meticulous reasoning—he had failed to notice the anomaly.
The Baek Family Estate, which was supposed to be hosting a banquet, was unnaturally silent.
“Now! Kill them all! Three of the four branch leaders will face the Baek Family Head with me, and the Eastern branch leader will command the rest to slaughter everyone else!”
Hong Gyo-bang-ju issued his command in a voice like a roaring tiger and leaped over the Baek Family Gate.
The scene that greeted his eyes as he descended into the manor.
“Just as expected. You’ve come to visit us, I see?”
The Baek Family retainers, gripping their weapons, had been waiting, and they all smiled wickedly in unison.

* * *
Rewinding time, approximately two hours earlier.
“Han Supervisor. Before we open the banquet, there is something we must prepare for.”
Han Supervisor’s expression grew puzzled upon hearing Yang Hwi’s words.
“Prepare? What do you mean, Young Master Hwi?”
“A surprise attack from Gyojin-bang.”
I continued speaking as I watched Han Supervisor’s face stiffen visibly.
“They are the ones who attacked the Suhoji Guild without justification and consumed them. Would they truly accept their defeat in a life-or-death match so readily?”
“….”
“….”
Neither Han Supervisor nor any of the household members present could offer a response.
It seemed plausible when one considered it carefully.
“I wonder if they would truly trample upon their last remaining dignity themselves. Yet the problem is, it is entirely possible they would.”
“There is no harm in preparing for it.”
“The only drawback is that the banquet would be postponed, but preparing for calamity must come first.”
After reaching agreement with Han Supervisor, I conveyed my thoughts to Baek Moo-ryang, who had just finished his reunion with his wife.
“There is merit in your words. As the saying goes, preparedness prevents peril. Let us proceed accordingly.”
Thus, the household members of Baek Family Estate began preparations against an attack instead of preparing the banquet.
In particular, Gu Ak, who had mustered great courage to enter the life-or-death match yet had not even swung his axe once, threw himself into the effort most enthusiastically.
“All martial artists of the Gangsaengak faction, take note. Now is the time to repay the grace that the Baek Family has shown us. Should anyone harbor different intentions, they will face immediate execution. Each of you must fulfill your duty!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Yes, sir!”
Watching Gu Ak and the Gangsaengak members, I whistled inwardly.
‘Now he is truly taking proper shape.’
It had already been half a year since Gu Ak began earnestly reforming the blackpath martial artists.
While he had not completely stripped away their blackpath nature, they were becoming reasonably acceptable.
‘Then again, just a month ago, Elder Brother Gu had issued a disciplinary strike.’
At that time, due to espionage by a Gangsaengak member, our relationship with the Tang Family had been exposed.
That was why Gyojin-bang had issued the life-or-death challenge.
Gu Ak, drowning in shame and humiliation over his failure to properly manage his subordinates, had vented his rage upon the faction members, and afterward, their attitudes changed considerably.
‘Now that I think about it, I must also resolve the spy problem. For now, though, preparing for the attack takes priority.’
I gathered the household members who had not learned martial arts in the center of the estate, the safest location, while the remaining personnel took up weapons.
About an hour passed, and after finishing Jeong In-hwa’s treatment, Baek Moo-ryang appeared, and I relayed my thoughts to him.
“Hmm. There is certainly merit to this. If we can ensure greater safety, postponing the banquet is no problem whatsoever.”
With the family head’s approval secured, I sent a sound transmission to Yeo Un-hyeok.
-Old Man. Could you slip out and keep watch, then alert us when the Gyojin-bangdo approach?
-Certainly.
Yeo Un-hyeok’s form melted into the shadows.
How long did we wait after that?
The Young Master’s prediction was correct. The Gyojin-bang members are converging. They’ll arrive in about half a quarter of an hour.
Baek Moo-ryang also received the same transmission, his eyes gleaming with intensity.
“The Gyojin-bang members are approaching. Everyone maintain vigilance and wait quietly in position.”
The household warriors took their positions in perfect unison.
Though the Baek Family Estate lacked a transmitted formation technique, they arranged a simple formation optimized for coordinated offense and defense.
Young Master, the enemies are nearly upon us. It won’t be long.
Right after Yeo Un-hyeok’s transmission reached my ears.
“Now! Kill them all! Three of the Four Sect Leaders will face the Baek Family Head with me, and the Eastern Sect Leader will command the others to slaughter the rest!”
A shadow leaped over the gate alongside a roaring sound, landing in the courtyard.
A middle-aged man wielding a broadsword. Unmistakably the Gyojin-bang-ju.
Seeing the widening eyes filled with shock and horror, I couldn’t help but speak.
“As expected. You’ve graced us with your presence, just as I anticipated?”
Watching the Gyojin-bang members continuously pouring over the gate, Baek Moo-ryang raised his sword.
“Stone barrage!”
We had anticipated this and prepared accordingly from the start.
Knowing we faced numerical disadvantage, we had arranged countermeasures in advance.
The piles of stones scattered throughout the courtyard were one such measure.
“Waaaaah!”
“Let’s see who can hit more!”
“Aim for their heads!”
Stones hurled forth like a thousand flowers blooming in the sky, covering the heavens.
While not devastating enough to seriously harm those trained in martial arts, they sufficed to restrict movement and inflict numerous injuries both large and small.
“Damn it! Don’t be afraid and fight! We vastly outnumber them!”
The Baek Family Estate’s warriors did not advance despite seeing the charging Gyojin-bang members.
Instead, they fortified their defensive positions even more firmly in place.
In fact, advancing would have been impossible.
Because.
“Argh!”
“M-my leg!”
“Damn it, a trap!”
Pits had been dug throughout the courtyard with sharp metal hidden within them.
About a third of them fell victim to it.
The Gyojin-bang members whose feet were torn and unable to employ lightness techniques were helpless against the stones raining down upon them once more.
“Argh!”
“Arrrrgh!”
Only half of the Gyojin-bang members succeeded in approaching the fortified Baek Family warriors.
Their numerical advantage had been rendered meaningless.
“Father. If we eliminate the leader first while the situation favors us, victory should come easily.”
“Well spoken.”
Baek Moo-ryang’s sword trembled finely, beginning to emit a brilliant white radiance.
“Hong Gyo-bang-ju.”
“Baek Family Head!”
“Such filthy nature never changes, does it?”
“Shut your mouth!”
As Baek Moo-ryang stepped forward, the three Family Heads formed a triangular formation with Hong Gyo-bang-ju at its center.
‘To finish this quickly, I’ll need to create some disruption.’
“Elder Brother! Let’s go together!”
“Got it!”
Yang Hwi, launching himself forward alongside Gu Ak, unleashed his blade toward one of the three Family Heads.
The Gae-cheon-bak-pal-geom’s first form.
Sao-u-gwan-am.
Whoooosh!
As the sword blade extended with a whistling sound, aiming for the Family Head’s groin, he hastily twisted his body to evade.
Simultaneously from the opposite side, Gu Ak swung his axe toward another Family Head.
With that, the triangular formation shattered.
“Father! Please finish this quickly while I hold them back!”
“Understood!”
Yang Hwi fixed his gaze upon the Family Head now facing him.
“Why don’t you run away while you still can? Otherwise, you’re dead.”
The Family Head’s face flushed crimson as an eight-year-old brat with inferior martial prowess dared to speak such words.
“Silence! Even if I must retreat, I’ll tear off your head first!”
How foolish—he was choosing death of his own accord.

* * *
Casualties: none. Wounded: three.
The price paid to annihilate or rout every member of the Gyojin-bangdo.
A decisive victory so overwhelming that one could say we suffered virtually no losses.
“With this, I believe I can rightfully claim to be the supreme power of Ak-an County.”
Baek Moo-ryang looked up from wiping his sword toward Yang Hwi.
For reference, the blood staining his blade belonged to Hong Gyo-bang-ju.
“Hwi, was this outcome also within your calculations?”
“I wouldn’t call it calculation so much as the natural progression of events. The Dark Blade didn’t earn its name for nothing, after all.”
“I see. The supreme power of Ak-an County, then….”
Baek Moo-ryang watched his household members busily clearing scattered stones and filling in the excavated pits.
“It feels like only yesterday that I desperately hoped merely to protect those who had taken shelter beneath my roof. Yet here we are now.”
Baek Moo-ryang’s gaze turned toward Yang Hwi.
A child of merely eight years old. Since this boy’s arrival, so much about the family had transformed.
From a state where lack of funds forced the family head to work outside, we now commanded multiple prosperous enterprises.
Though born from the Dark Blade gang, we now possessed a martial force worthy of being called a true martial family.
And that was not all—we had even recovered the family martial arts that had been lost to time.
‘The debt I owe Hwi runs deep and vast. Even if I devoted my entire life to fulfilling my role as his father, I could repay but one hundredth of it.’
“I believe I have now repaid one hundredth of that debt.”
“Hmm?”
Baek Moo-ryang’s eyes widened, wondering if his inner thoughts had been exposed.
“What debt are you speaking of?”
“Why, naturally the kindness Father showed me when you extended your hand to a wretch trapped in that dungeon.”
“That was repaid long ago. I never even considered it a debt to begin with.”
“Then I feel the same way, Father. So please, do not look upon me with eyes that suggest I owe you something.”
In that moment, Baek Moo-ryang achieved understanding.
Within a family, one does not keep accounts of giving and taking.
That is precisely why they are called family and household.
‘I thought I truly regarded this boy as my son, yet I had not truly done so.’
Yang Hwi smiled as he observed the shift in Baek Moo-ryang’s eyes.
Gratitude remained, but the sense of indebtedness had vanished.
The gaze his father in his past life had always given him.
It was precisely that look.
‘I cannot see my father from my past life again… but Father, I swear I will fulfill your dream.’
To make the Baek Family Estate—no, the Baek Clan—the greatest noble house under heaven.
In that regard, there was something that needed to be addressed.
“Father, there is a matter I must discuss with you.”
“What is it? Speak freely.”
Yang Hwi paused briefly in thought, then looked toward his household members.

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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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