Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 68

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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 068
Jegal Seol-ha watched me with a slightly dazed expression, my blade pressed against Heuk-sal-geom’s throat.
‘…Really. Elder Brother is truly fascinating.’
Even now, Jegal Seol-ha could see my inner landscape with perfect clarity.
A boulder that appeared unyielding and robust despite being covered in wounds and scars.
Or perhaps, an inner landscape that felt like an egg cradling something within.
Though she called me Elder Brother, we were the same age.
How could someone our age possess such a fortified inner landscape?
‘The person who drew me out into the world. The one who gave me courage.’
After the manifestation of the Heavenly Curse, only Father’s embrace had been my entire world.
But after meeting Yang Hwi, I was able to take steps forward on my own.
And meeting Master Eum Hu gave me hope to escape the Heavenly Curse itself.
Naturally, Jegal Seol-ha could not help but harbor one emotion toward Yang Hwi.
Admiration.
‘I studied so hard under Master’s teachings, trying to catch up.’
Less than a year had passed since becoming a disciple of the Seong-eum Ok-ryeong-mun, yet I had already entered the foundational stage.
According to Master Eum Hu, this was an achievement so rapid that even looking back through previous generations, it could be counted on one hand.
‘Yet somehow, the distance only grew wider.’
At merely nine years old, reaching the realm of Second-rate.
Even the heirs of the most renowned major sects in the realm could not easily achieve this.
At best, ten years old, and even then, barely entering the initial stage of Second-rate.
Even if one received the Eight Extraordinary Meridians technique at birth and began martial arts around the time of taking first steps, that was the limit.
In a sense, it was only natural.
A child’s aptitude could never equal an adult’s, and superior aptitude was necessary to master martial arts.
‘I want to become like Elder Brother.’
Children naturally grow by following in the footsteps of those who have gone before them.
For Jegal Seol-ha, Yang Hwi was an object of admiration—someone she wished to emulate.
The recent confrontation replayed in her mind.
-Drop dead!
-What the hell is this!
-Aren’t you ashamed, asking a child to give you a chance?
-Kill you? I can’t kill you. Your mouth just won’t shut up.
The precious jewel of the Jegal Family. Already, her experience meeting people was limited due to the Heavenly Curse.
For Jegal Seol-ha, Yang Hwi’s words and actions were.
Utterly unfamiliar, yet… remarkably cool.
‘He must be speaking that way deliberately to not lose momentum, right?’
No. It was simply a habit of speech picked up from wandering as a vagrant.
‘To face such a terrifying man without backing down and spout whatever he wants to say.’
In terms of mental age, he was similar to Heuk-sal-geom.
His martial prowess had originally been even higher.
‘He’s strong. Incredibly strong for someone my age. Elder Brother is.’
Thus, Jegal Seol-ha naturally harbored certain misunderstandings and misconceptions about Yang Hwi.
It was because everything Yang Hwi had demonstrated and accomplished thus far had been so extraordinary.
Moreover, the current situation was precisely the kind that would warrant such thoughts.
‘Gaining enlightenment through combat against someone far older and more skilled than myself. I integrated my Master’s teachings into my own martial arts.’
It was no ordinary feat.
It was something that seemed possible only for heroes of legend—a deed worthy of being called nothing less than a knight’s accomplishment.
After achieving such a feat, the words he spoke while holding his blade to Heuk-sal-geom’s throat.
-How does it feel, sir, to be defeated by a mere boy?
Yang Hwi’s words were etched deeply into Jegal Seol-ha’s mind.
‘How cool.’
Jegal Seol-ha moved her tongue and lips without realizing it.
“Damn… that…”
Unfortunately, no one heard Jegal Seol-ha’s tiny whisper.

* * *
One month after the duel with Heuk-sal-geom.
During this time, I focused on fully harmonizing my new enlightenment with the Gae-cheon-bak-pal-geom.
The new enlightenment I named Myeong-jin.
Its essence was to use every sound that could be produced by the sword as a means of manifesting sound-based martial arts.
‘Bong-ik Myeong-jin. If I perfectly blend them into one, it itself would grant me a matchup advantage against other martial arts.’
The reason why I, at the second-rate level, could achieve victory against the first-rate master Heuk-sal-geom.
It was matchup advantage.
Every martial art possesses different matchup dynamics.
Just as martial art B, which has the subtle principle to counter martial art A, becomes weak against martial art C.
‘Restraint is weak to the subtle principle of Yielding. Yielding can be pierced through with Speed.’
Given that each possesses its own characteristics and flow, a structure of mutual advantage and disadvantage inevitably emerges.
‘If I infuse Myeong-jin into all my techniques, I can gain matchup advantage against most martial arts.’
To achieve this, I had to refine each technique slightly and alter the overall flow’s texture.
No matter how much I possessed memories and enlightenment from my past life, one month was absolutely insufficient for this arduous task.
But.
“That’s an interesting thought, Namgung Cheon-yeong. What if we tried it this way?”
By my side was Pacheon Eumhu, one of the Cheonmu-sip-jon.
An absolute master who had reached the realm of Cheon-oe-cheon, something I had never attained even in my past life.
“Your sword is fast yet heavy, Namgung Cheon-yeong. You’ve blended contradictory principles well. If I were to compare it to sound, it would be this.”
Ting, thoom!
As Eum Hu flicked her finger, a low, heavy note continued in rapid succession.
That rhythm evoked the Gae-cheon-bak-pal-geom in a subtly wondrous way.
“This is the feeling. Do you understand?”
“Yes. Thank you, Master.”
In this manner, whenever Eum Hu had time to guide Jegal Seol-ha, she would also attend to my martial arts training.
The counsel of a master who had ascended beyond the peak of perfection into the Harmonization Realm—or perhaps even higher—was worth far more than gold.
That was not all.
Eum Hu’s teachings extended far beyond swordplay.
“You call it the Six Harmonies Unified Body Art?”
“That’s correct, Master.”
Even amidst days of absorbing enlightenment, I never neglected my daily foundational training.
This meant tempering my body through the Six Harmonies Unified Body Art and developing my meridians through the Hwa-cheon-i-won-gong.
“Excellent discipline. A single day in youth equals a month in the future, so the foundation can never be polished enough. However, your foundation seems deep but lacks breadth.”
After a moment of contemplation, Eum Hu imparted to me the foundational martial knowledge of the Seong-eum Ok-ryeong-mun.
“I cannot transmit the sect’s true profound techniques, but there’s no harm in broadening your foundation.”
The Seong-eum Ok-ryeong-mun was a martial sect with roots so deep that it could be discussed among the greatest under heaven in two disciplines: sound arts and lightness techniques.
As a result of receiving a portion of this transmission, the Six Harmonies Unified Body Art evolved from mere physical conditioning into a form of movement technique.
“What do you think of calling it the Six Harmonies Refining Body Art?”
The Six Harmonies Refining Body Art—unifying the mysteries of the six harmonies into one to refine the body.
A movement technique that was also a body method, a skill for manipulating one’s form.
‘As expected of one of the Cheonmu-sip-jon. She can even create martial techniques of this caliber.’
By accumulating inner energy through movement and incorporating the mysteries of bodily manipulation, it could serve as both a movement technique and a footwork method.
It was truly a foundational art that could branch outward in countless directions.
“I am grateful for your instruction, Master. I shall establish the Six Harmonies Refining Body Art as the foundation of the Baek Family and pass it down through the generations.”
Though I had received the Gae-cheon-bak-pal-geom and the Hwa-cheon-i-won-gong, the Baek Family’s martial arts were still sorely lacking.
There was not a single fist technique to speak of, and there existed no intermediate-level martial arts to serve as stepping stones between stages.
Now the people of the Baek Family could begin with the Six Harmonies Unified Body Art to establish the most basic foundations, then progress through the Six Harmonies Refining Body Art to determine their future direction.
‘Since it shares principles with the Gicheon-bo, it’s perfect as a foundation for movement techniques. I’ve truly received an immense favor.’
I found myself regarding Eum Hu with renewed reverence.
Though I often forget due to her appearance as a fifteen-year-old girl, she is truly an absolute being who stands at the pinnacle of the martial world.
‘…But wait, I’m suddenly curious about something.’
“Master, may I ask you one question?”
“Go ahead.”
“What might your age be, if I may ask?”
Eum Hu’s fingers, which had been weaving melodies through the air, froze abruptly.
…In that instant, I felt a chill run through me, and my entire body tensed to its limits.
“Namgung Cheon-yeong.”
“…Yes, Master.”
Eum Hu smiled faintly.
“I shall impart a lesson to you.”
“I am listening.”
“Excessive curiosity invites calamity, and asking a woman her age is a grave discourtesy.”
“I… I shall remember this well.”
A sudden gust swept through, and Eum Hu vanished.
Only then did Yang Hwi exhale a long breath.
“Wow, I thought I was done for.”
She wouldn’t kill her own disciple, of course, but the killing intent that radiated from Eum Hu in that moment was absolutely genuine.
It seemed I’d touched upon a sore subject.
‘…So her age was the sensitive point. Well, I suppose that’s rather human of her.’
A sudden thought crossed my mind.
They say that when one undergoes Rebirth Transformation, they obtain a body in the ideal form they envision for themselves.
Perhaps Half-Reversion Circulation works similarly?
‘Then the ideal body Master imagines for herself….’
I stopped there.
I shouldn’t think any further.
I shook my head vigorously, banishing even those improper thoughts.
“Senior Brother.”
“Ah, you startled me.”
Jegal Seol-ha had appeared, poking her head out from somewhere.
I’d been so absorbed in the previous situation and my musings that I hadn’t sensed her approach.
“Junior Sister. What’s the matter?”
“I got bored while training. I came to play with you, Senior Brother.”
“Ah, I see.”
Jegal Seol-ha was gifted and possessed both diligence and determination, but she was still just a nine-year-old child.
At that age, it was only natural to grow bored frequently.
“You want me to play with you?”
“That too. But could you also watch my martial arts?”
It would be better for her to ask Eum Hu to watch her training.
Hmm, does she want to show off?
“Sure. Show me what you’ve got.”
“Yes!”
Jegal Seol-ha clapped her hands directly in front of Yang Hwi.
In that instant, a qi wave erupted with the sound of the clap.
“You little brat!?”
Fortunately, I was holding my sword, so I could immediately activate my Resonance Blade to defend myself.
I’d nearly been caught off guard and struck.
“Have you no manners? That’s not funny!”
Even as Yang Hwi raised his hand to strike, Jegal Seol-ha answered without concern.
“What’s wrong? I thought you’d naturally be able to block it, Senior Brother.”
In Jegal Seol-ha’s expression lay a conviction so absolute it bordered on blind faith.
With such trust placed in me, it was awkward to complain.
“Anyway. Why did you suddenly do that?”
“I’m channeling qi through sound waves, but it felt too slow.”
By nature, sound is a faster means of attack than most other techniques.
The common expression “swift as an arrow” is used to describe speed.
By its very nature, sound travels faster than the arrow that was shot.
“Just because you channel qi through sound doesn’t mean it’s fast. The sound itself is swift, but how quickly you manipulate the qi is a separate matter entirely.”
I offered her simple advice and laughed brightly at Jegal Seol-ha.
“I see. Thank you, Senior Sister. But I have one more request.”
“What is it this time?”
“You’ll be descending the mountain soon, won’t you?”
“That’s right. I’ve already been here for nearly two months.”
A deep sense of reluctance settled across Jegal Seol-ha’s face.
During the days when she trained only with Eum Hu, Yang Hwi’s arrival as a peer of her age had brought her a special joy in her daily life.
Jegal Seol-ha pouted her lips briefly before continuing.
“The request is this. Here.”
What Jegal Seol-ha handed me was a sealed letter.

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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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