Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 71

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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 071
Waryong Residence, the seat of the Jegal Family Head.
Steam rose gently from two teacups.
Jeongal Pae set down his cup and spoke quietly, having drunk in silence.
“Seon.”
Jegal Seon, seated across from him, turned his gaze toward his father, Jeongal Pae.
“Yes, Father.”
“That boy. He is truly fascinating.”
“I share that assessment. He is a remarkable talent, one worth nurturing within our fold.”
Jegal Seon’s expression brightened as he finished speaking.
He was pleased that his father regarded a member of the Baek Manor with such favor.
The reason was simple.
“You know well how displeased I was when you swore brotherhood with the head of a third-rate martial arts family, transcending the gap in station.”
“…Yes. I am aware.”
Jegal Seon had been captivated by Baek Moo-ryang’s integrity and character, becoming his sworn brother despite the disparity in status.
But.
This was an action unbecoming of the young master of the Jegal Family, one of the Five Great Families of the realm.
“And so you have lost the opportunity to forge bonds with those of appropriate station. In other words, you have surrendered one means of elevating the Main Residence.”
“…It is true we cannot exchange mutual benefits through such a connection. Yet I harbor no regrets.”
Jeongal Pae studied his son intently.
Unlike Jeongal Pae, who had competed against countless brothers, Jegal Seon was an only child.
In other words, he had no brothers to contend with for the position of young master.
And because of this, he was gentler, less calculating, and possessed a bearing that drew all to him.
‘When one loses something, one gains something else.’
Thus, his son’s Jegal Family might differ greatly from his own.
No, it would certainly be different.
But.
The Jegal Family still advanced under Jeongal Pae’s command.
Offering counsel to his successor as both father and family head was part of that duty.
“Perhaps this time, your decision may indeed turn to fortune. But tell me, Seon—are you prepared to seize it?”
It was a question posed like a Zen koan, yet it was a familiar manner of speech to Jegal Seon.
“Fortune rolls in of its own accord. Should one grasp too tightly, it slips away like sand.”
“Fortune may be so, but profit is a fruit only those who reach forth can claim.”
“Profit too has rolled in. Have we not forged a connection with the Cheonmu-sip-jon?”
The Cheonmu-sip-jon are what even the Five Great Families have failed to produce.
Absolute beings, each of whom could be said to rival the Five Great Families themselves.
That the direct line of the Jegal clan had formed a master-disciple bond with Pacheon Eumhu was no small matter.
But.
Jeongal Pae could not be satisfied.
“A coarse net yields this much. Weave it tighter, and sweeter results shall follow.”
“Father.”
Jegal Seon called out to his father with emphasis, pausing to choose his words carefully.
“I have no desire to devour the Baek Manor.”
“And why is that?”
“Because refraining from doing so yields far greater profit.”
Jeongal Pae’s face lit with curiosity.
Despite his fierce and unyielding nature befitting his epithet of Waryong Musang, Jegal Seon had always been the son who yielded to his father.
Hearing him speak with such conviction proved quite intriguing.
“Explain yourself.”
“I wish to distinguish between those who must be handled through profit and those who should be approached through righteousness.”
“Many believe only merchants pursue gain, yet this is false. All people live for profit.”
“However, pursuing profit does not mean one can be moved by profit alone.”
Jeongal Pae stroked his beard and took a sip of lukewarm tea.
It was a sign of satisfaction.
“I shall neither intervene nor investigate further. Yang Hwi—that boy is a talent we cannot afford to lose. Are you confident?”
“Of course, Father. Just as Zhuge Liang courted Eum Hu with three visits and three invitations, I shall win the Baek Family to our side through sincerity and righteousness.”
This was a conversation between two men of the Jegal name in the Waryong Estate.

* * *
“Why is this sword technique here?”
Nangjoong Jeil-geom—an epithet meaning the finest swordsman among wanderers.
In my past life, after nearly twenty years as a wanderer, I had claimed the title of Nangjoong Jeil-geom.
Though there had been competitors who disputed the epithet.
‘This is definitely the technique that Cheonbong Sword used.’
A peak master who audaciously insisted the title of Nangjoong Jeil-geom was his, pestering me constantly with challenges.
Though I kept my ascension to the supreme realm secret, Cheonbong Sword requested so many duels that I thoroughly defeated him each time we met.
[Seamless Sword Technique]
Heavenly Seamlessness—the garments of celestial beings bear no visible seams or stitches, a metaphor for something so natural it is flawless and perfect.
In other words, it describes something utterly refined without flaw.
The seamlessness of Heavenly Seamlessness.
The Seamless Sword Technique embodied the mystery of creating surfaces through sword strokes as lines, just as cloth is woven from warp and weft.
‘This is definitely what that bastard used.’
After reading through the entire technique, I was certain.
Cheonbong Sword began making his name known roughly five years later.
Now that I think about it, his primary stage of activity was here in Hubei.
The picture becomes clear.
Somehow he gained access to the Hakwu Pavilion, discovered the Seamless Sword Technique, and made it his true martial art.
‘The Seamless Sword Technique. The depth of enlightenment it contains is merely second-rate, yet the mystery itself stands on solid ground.’
In other words, in the hands of someone with exceptional talent, it could rise to first-rate or even beyond.
Cheonbong Sword reaching the supreme realm through the Seamless Sword Technique in my past life was living proof.
‘An unexpected windfall, then?’
Though it’s merely a third-rate martial art for now, I know precisely what form this sword technique will evolve into.
The Cheonbong Sword heir has walked a path of secret techniques too numerous to count on both hands.
So knowing not just the secret art itself but its perfected form as well… I’ve essentially acquired a supreme martial art within my grasp?
“Hahahaha!”
Indeed, the fortunate ones find gold coins placed right before their noses even when they stumble.
I’d planned to simply gather several third-rate martial arts to increase the Main Residence’s collection of techniques.
But this is a true windfall, a genuine windfall.
‘The Cheonbong Sword technique is precisely the right level to transmit to the Main Residence’s core martial force.’
I’ll need to infuse the current third-rate Cheonbong Sword technique with supreme-level enlightenment.
But that’s hardly difficult.
The time it takes to travel from the Jegal Family to the Main Residence will be more than enough for rice to become cooked.
‘This way, I’ll have one supreme martial art and twenty third-rate ones.’
I should request an emergency council meeting the moment I return to the Main Residence.
I’m already looking forward to presenting these results.
Yang Hwi, grinning widely, began committing all the selected texts to memory.

* * *
“Hah! Hah!”
In the training grounds at the center of the Baek Manor’s estate.
Children ranging from seven to fifteen years old moved in unison, their foreheads glistening with sweat.
Baek Moo-ryang observed the scene with satisfaction.
The future retainers who would bear responsibility for the Baek Manor’s tomorrow.
All carefully selected and accepted Dongnyang-jijae talents.
‘Just a short time ago, such a sight would have been unimaginable.’
So much had changed in merely a year.
And the Baek Manor would continue to transform ever faster and ever greater from this point forward.
‘Yet the problem is… there are no martial arts left to teach them.’
Currently, the children were tempering their bodies based on the Yuk-hap-i-won-gong, the Baek Manor’s foundational martial art.
Several months had already passed, so soon they would need to formally enter martial arts training.
But there were no martial arts to teach them.
‘Teaching the first half of the Gae-cheon-bak-pal-geom is one option…’
But it cannot be the best solution.
Each child possessed different aptitudes, dispositions, and innate strengths and weaknesses—teaching them all the same martial art uniformly was impossible.
A proper martial family would have no need for such worries.
They would possess countless martial arts beyond the direct family techniques.
This was the limitation of the Baek Manor that weighed most heavily on Baek Moo-ryang’s mind of late.
“Sigh. If only martial arts would simply fall from the heavens.”
“Do not worry, Family Head. They will fall.”
The one who answered was Han Supervisor, standing beside Baek Moo-ryang.
“Hm? What do you mean by that, Han Supervisor?”
“The matter troubling you will be resolved once the Young Master returns.”
“What makes you think such a thing?”
Han Supervisor’s answer was simple.
“It simply feels as though it will happen.”
“…?”
“It’s always been that way. Whenever he goes out and comes back, he invariably brings something that proves remarkably beneficial to the Main Residence.”
Han Supervisor chuckled and continued.
“Ideally, he’d return having earned considerable wealth to purchase martial techniques. And somehow manage to profit in the process as well.”
Baek Moo-ryang, unable to comprehend Han Supervisor’s blind conviction, could only voice his doubt.
“…Han Supervisor. Hwi went out to train, did he not?”
“When hasn’t he gone out to earn money and returned with earnings?”
“….”
That was true enough.
Baek Moo-ryang nodded in strange agreement, then his expression shifted with sudden realization.
‘Han Supervisor, really. He’s been making jokes far too often lately. It makes no sense from a rational standpoint.’
To indulge in vague expectations without taking action would be unfit for a Family Head.
Thus, Baek Moo-ryang had to devise various methods to obtain martial techniques to teach his children.
It was while he was deliberating on this matter.
“Father! I have returned!”
Baek Moo-ryang smiled warmly as he welcomed his son, whom he hadn’t seen in four months.
“Hwi! You’re back! Hahaha, it’s truly been a long time! You’ve grown quite a bit!”
Yang Hwi grinned at the hand patting his shoulder and called out again.
“Uncle Jegal awaits outside. Shall we go greet him?”
“Hm? Uncle Jegal? What brings him all the way to the Main Residence?”
Seeing the puzzled expression on Baek Moo-ryang’s face, Yang Hwi grinned once more.
“The circumstances are lengthy to explain. Therefore, Father, I would appreciate it if you would convene a meeting of the family’s senior members.”

* * *
“….”
“….”
“….”
The conference hall where the Baek Manor’s senior members gathered, along with Jegal Seon.
Everyone in the room fell silent.
“….”
“…So, Hwi. You went to the Jegal Family and received access to the Moo-go as a reward, and you memorized twenty martial arts techniques?”
“And only second-rate techniques or higher?”
I nodded casually.
“Yes.”
“….”
“….”
Wow.
He really brought them back.
Baek Moo-ryang fell silent again and looked toward Han Supervisor.
Han Supervisor smiled with satisfaction as if he’d expected this.
‘Twenty second-rate martial arts techniques.’
With this, there was no need to worry about which martial arts to teach the Dongnyang-jijae who had recently been accepted into the family.
A problem that had been plaguing Baek Moo-ryang recently was solved in one stroke.
“You truly are remarkable, my boy.”
“Thank you for the praise, Father.”
“However… there seems to be a slight problem.”
Baek Moo-ryang looked toward Jegal Seon.
“I suspect the Jegal Family Head likely expected only two or three techniques at most when opening the Moo-go… Is that alright with you, Brother?”
Jegal Seon still wore an expression of disbelief.
“I knew Yang Hwi was clever, but I never expected him to strip the Hak-woo-go bare, Brother.”
Baek Moo-ryang looked apologetic, and Jegal Seon continued.
“However, do not worry. The Waryong Family does not go back on its word. Yang Hwi simply made full use of the reward he was given.”
“I appreciate your understanding, Brother.”
Baek Moo-ryang cleared his throat briefly before asking a question.
“But why did you make the journey all the way to the Main Residence?”
“Ah. There is a matter regarding that.”
When Jegal Seon explained the situation concerning Jegal Seol-ha’s letter, Baek Moo-ryang burst into laughter.
“You are quite the doting father, Brother.”
“You have a daughter yourself, so you understand my heart, do you not?”
“That is true. Hehehehe. My Yeon is quite beautiful, is she not?”
“Seol-ha is equally so.”
The conversation between the two sworn brothers began to drift toward the boasting of doting fathers.
“Father. I have something to tell you.”
There remained one more matter to address, so I quickly interjected to draw everyone’s attention.
“Speak, Hwi.”
“Actually, before departing for training, I asked Elder Yeo for a favor regarding a certain matter.”
“A favor, you say?”
“I shall explain the details of this matter myself.”
Yeo Un-hyeok rose to his feet and looked toward Baek Moo-ryang.
“I must first apologize for the delayed investigation and for not giving advance notice to the Family Head.”
“No matter, Elder. Please speak freely.”
As Yeo Un-hyeok explained the circumstances regarding Gyojin-bang’s backing, everyone in the room’s expressions hardened.
“Indeed, Gyojin-bang’s activities have been suspicious.”
“A valid point. It is good that we examine this matter. I am grateful, Elder.”
“Elder, so there was backing behind Gyojin-bang?”
Yeo Un-hyeok nodded slowly.
“After purchasing various information and cross-referencing it, I have obtained evidence regarding the backing.”
This meant Gyojin-bang truly had someone behind it.
“Who is it?”
Yeo Un-hyeok continued.
“The backing behind Gyojin-bang is….”

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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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