Chapter 16
Chapter 16: Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven
Across the courtyard grounds nestled in the heart of the Baek Estate, the three young scions of the Baek household were drenched in sweat, completely absorbed in their training.
“Ha! Ha!”
“Hah! Hah!”
Matching the cadence of the spirited cries echoing from Baek Heonso and Baek Yeonyeon, Yanghwi guided his blade through the first, second, and third forms of the Heaven-Splitting Three Swords, moving with glacial, exquisitely measured precision.
Only after executing the complete sequence ten consecutive times did he allow his stance to unwind.
Though perspiration thoroughly soaked his training robes, a grin of profound contentment curved his lips.
With this, my grasp of the Heaven-Splitting Three Swords is absolute.
True comprehension of a sword art entailed far more than grasping its esoteric principles on an intellectual plane.
Ultimately, martial disciplines served as conduits through which mortal flesh gave tangible form to the great laws of heaven and earth.
Unless the body acting as that foundation underwent rigorous tempering, genuine mastery remained forever out of reach.
A full year’s store of cultivation now resides within me, and my physique is tempered well enough to channel the Heaven-Splitting Three Swords without strain.
A youthful, vibrant vessel, combined with the unerring paths known only to one who had previously scaled that distant mountain peak.
During his prior existence, ascending to this very realm had cost him three agonizing years.
Yet now, barely three months had elapsed since his arrival at the Baek Estate—a rate of advancement dozens of times more rapid than his past life.
“Phew…”
Hearing Yanghwi release that long, measured sigh of air, Baek Heonso—who had abandoned his own practice at some point to marvel at his elder brother’s forms—gasped with unvarnished awe.
“That was magnificent, hyung! Watching you move just now was like seeing Father himself wield the sword. Don’t tell me…”
Yanghwi gave a calm nod.
“You guessed right. I’ve attained full mastery over the Heaven-Splitting Three Swords.”
“Incredible!”
Not an ounce of his former petty envy lingered within Baek Heonso’s features; the boy was simply transfixed by pure, earnest wonder.
Nothing remained on his youthful visage except deep reverence and yearning affection toward his older brother.
A gentle warmth surfaced in Yanghwi’s smile.
Keep growing along this straight, honest path, So.
He had never conceived that building such an effortless, harmonious bond with young So would be possible.
Why had something so elementary proved insurmountable in his previous life?
Because back then, I too was merely a child. Lacking and flawed.
From this moment onward, the path would unfold along an entirely different course.
With that resolve settled in his heart, Yanghwi spoke up.
“So. Yeon. I need to run an errand outside the gates, so ensure you continue your drills diligently while I am away.”
“Orabeoni, are you venturing out again?”
Baek Yeonyeon pushed her lips into a petulant pout, her eyes broadcasting her desperate desire to accompany him.
“I promise to bring back skewers of roasted chicken and sweet confections when I return, so apply yourselves earnestly until then. Understood, Yeon?”
“Fine, then…”
Her downcast expression tugged at his conscience, but permitting her to tag along was an absolute impossibility.
He was setting out to rendezvous with Yeo Unjuk—the artisan famed for transforming deer into horses with a flick of his brush.
Smoothing out his garments, Yanghwi made his way straight toward Steward Han.
“Steward, I intend to step outside the estate for a brief while.”
In earlier days, passing through the threshold would have drawn immediate objections, but the household had long since grown accustomed to Yanghwi wandering beyond the perimeter.
Steward Han gave an unhesitating nod.
“By all means, Young Master Hwi. That reminds me, when might we expect to receive word?”
“Word?”
“You know, this.”
Steward Han brought his forefinger and thumb together, shaping them into a round ring.
Ah, the silver…
An awkward chuckle escaped Yanghwi’s throat.
“I am applying every effort toward that matter.”
“I place my faith in you. Truth be told, within this entire Baek residence, you and I are the only souls who lose sleep over our household ledgers, Young Master.”
“Does not Father also exert himself day after day on our behalf?”
“The Master distributes every single coin just as rapidly as it enters his palms, does he not?”
The critique was unassailable. Baek Muryang was burdened with an excessively tender heart, scattering alms and aid in every direction until barely enough coarse porridge remained to feed his own retainers.
“Father merely purchases that which worldly wealth cannot acquire. Regardless, our household will soon sever ties with poverty once and for all. On that note, I shall take my leave!”
“Ensure you return with the wealth god (財神) trailing behind you!”
Clearing the perimeter of the Baek Estate, Yanghwi proceeded directly to the secluded spot designated for his rendezvous with Yeo Unjuk.
The old man had arrived ahead of schedule and was already waiting patiently.
“You have come, Young Master.”
“I made haste, yet you beat me here nonetheless. Have you thoroughly examined the neutralization techniques I provided?”
Prior to this meeting, Yanghwi had set down on paper the precise counter-methods for the martial systems of every underworld syndicate entrenched in Ak’an County, including the Honggyo Gang, and passed them into Yeo Unjuk’s hands.
This was done because Yeo Unjuk had requested an opportunity to verify the validity of those counters first, aiming to establish mutual reliance.
Yeo Unjuk offered a weighty nod.
“Over the preceding days, I instigated subtle confrontations to avoid arousing any suspicion, testing every single diagram.”
Though already confident in the conclusion, Yanghwi inquired anyway.
“And what was your assessment?”
“Every last one… proved completely without flaw.”
It could not be otherwise. Yanghwi possessed a comprehension of the Ak’an County underworld’s techniques that far outstripped that of the very martial artists who practiced them.
“Where beneath the heavens did you lay hands on such counters? To identify the fatal vulnerabilities of not merely one discipline, but across multiple diverse organizations.”
Yanghwi offered an uncomplicated reply.
“During my days surviving among the beggar packs, I witnessed the ruffians of the Ak’an County underworld clash in brawls well over a hundred times.”
“Are you asserting that you deduced these counters entirely on your own? Inconceivable. You have barely seen eight winters, Young Master, and your formal training spans only a handful of months.”
His skepticism was entirely justified. By any standard of worldly logic, the elder’s objection was completely sound.
And yet.
“Venerable Sir. Just how many peerless geniuses who defy worldly logic do you believe walk beneath the vast heavens?”
“…Are you attempting to convince me that you are one of those miraculous talents that appear once an epoch?”
Yanghwi met his gaze with unblushing assurance.
“If not through that explanation, how else would you account for the reality currently laid bare before you?”
“…….”
While projecting an aura brimming with quiet confidence and pride, Yanghwi meticulously tracked the minute shifts across Yeo Unjuk’s features and posture.
In all honesty, Yanghwi’s justification was riddled with inconsistencies.
One could only weave so many plausible excuses before the truth of his regression threatened to spill forth.
Nevertheless.
Logical deduction is not the sole factor in commanding belief. In truth, the perceived stature of the speaker often wields far greater authority.
If a common buffoon and an exalted master of sweeping acclaim proclaimed the very same phrase, whose statement would carry crushing weight?
The latter, beyond any shadow of a doubt.
Assuming the guise of an unfathomable child prodigy endowed with generational brilliance would impart vastly superior leverage to his persuasion.
To his advantage, quite apart from these secret manuals, his recent conduct had already appeared unnervingly mature for an eight-year-old youth.
“…It borders on sheer insolence, yet there truly exists no alternative explanation. What course do you propose to take next?”
He took the bait, thank goodness.
A subtle curve formed on Yanghwi’s mouth as he made his inquiry.
“Venerable Sir. Picture two underworld syndicates of comparable might locked in bitter animosity. What do you suppose occurs if one faction obtains the definitive counter-method to its rival’s combat arts?”
“They would mobilize without delay to crush them.”
“And what if, right at the precipice of ruin, a third party slips the opposing syndicate’s counters into the rival’s grasp as well?”
“I see your scheme. They will rip each other apart down to the last throat. Given the sheer quantity of counters you drafted, Young Master, you are not merely orchestrating a two-way clash—you are engineering a three-front slaughter, or perhaps an even wider conflagration.”
Yeo Unjuk peered deeply into Yanghwi’s eyes.
“A sea of blood will be spilled. Are you genuinely prepared to shoulder the weight of those deaths, Young Master?”
Was the old man attempting to unnerve him, or merely testing the depth of his conviction?
Without a heartbeat’s delay, Yanghwi nodded firmly.
“What delivers them to their graves is their own avarice. Were they not driven by such rapacious greed, strife between these shadowy sects would never ignite in the first place.”
“An apt assessment, yet regret may still find you in the end. The toll of bloodshed falls upon all alike, resting heavy upon one’s shoulders as karmic retribution.”
Yanghwi paused briefly, letting the thought settle before answering.
“Are you aware, Venerable Sir? Ak’an County is a realm where little children cannot even traverse the thoroughfares unaccompanied.”
When he had initially sought to guide his younger brother and sister beyond the estate gates, Steward Han had opposed the notion with desperate ferocity, swearing they could not step outside without an escort of armed guards.
Such was the state of Ak’an County. A treacherous landscape where innocent youths walking alone could encounter unspeakable horrors without raising an eyebrow.
“When the headwaters are polluted, the descending streams can never run pure. The dark-path scoundrels roaming Ak’an County are simply too numerous. When even I, the scion of a martial lineage, endure such constraints—how much more agonizing must existence be for the powerless common folk?”
Yanghwi had kept his collaboration with Yeo Unjuk entirely secret from the household.
Even so, he was certain that should his foster father, Baek Muryang, Peerless in Chivalry, ever discover the truth, the man might harbor concern, but he would never forbid the endeavor.
The path Yanghwi strove to carve had never once diverged from the Way of Chivalry bestowed upon him by Baek Muryang.
Perhaps that profound conviction radiated plainly across his expression.
Following an extended silence, Yeo Unjuk murmured under his breath.
“You are truly an incomprehensible soul, Young Master. Your martial arts, your chillingly sharp mind, your immovable will… none of it aligns with your tender years.”
Yanghwi merely offered a broad smile.
“That is precisely why I call myself a once-in-a-generation genius. I anticipate a fruitful partnership, Venerable Sir.”
Gyo Cheoljeong, Fourth Squadron Leader of the Cheongsa Gang, sat cradling his throbbing leg as he wrestled with sleep once more through the night.
Damn them. May they rot in the depths of hell. Filthy, thieving dogs. Just grant me the chance to seize you—I will tear your flesh apart piece by piece.
Gyo Cheoljeong ground his teeth until they ached, consumed by the memory of the phantom thief who had stripped bare the covert storehouse under his watch.
That wretched dog who had used a pathetic beggar boy as a distraction to clean out every last scrap within the cache.
Owing to that cursed cur, Gyo Cheoljeong had suffered a beating that brought him to death’s door at the gang leader’s hands, and even now, over two months afterward, his battered leg remained plagued by relentless numbness and agony.
Damn it all. Curse everything. I must track down that thief, and quickly.
After thrashing Gyo Cheoljeong within an inch of his life, the Cheongsa Gang leader had decreed that he must haul the culprit back alive.
A window of three months was all he had been granted. Should he fail to apprehend the phantom within the remaining timeframe, Gyo Cheoljeong’s life was forfeit.
The glaring issue was that he lacked even the faintest whisper of a trail.
I have to hunt him down by any means. If that proves impossible, I must accomplish some monumental feat to wash away this failure.
Yet how could he possibly achieve that?
No path presented itself. With each dawn that broke, he felt the invisible cord around his neck constrict tighter and tighter.
Just as Gyo Cheoljeong was sinking into the depths of hopeless despair.
Thwack.
A sharp impact struck against his wooden door. Jolted from his stupor, Gyo Cheoljeong tore out into the yard, spotting a stone wrapped securely in several sheets of paper resting upon the dirt.
What is this?
Unwrapping the parchment, Gyo Cheoljeong stiffened in absolute bewilderment.
[Recorded here are the complete counter-methods to the initial three forms of the Honggyo Gang’s Rock-Splitting Axe Technique (斬巖斧法).]
Having traded blows with the Honggyo Gang on a near-daily basis, Gyo Cheoljeong recognized the substance the very second his gaze swept over the ink.
The brushwork truly unraveled the exact weaknesses of the Rock-Splitting Axe Technique, the foundational martial pillar of the Honggyo Gang.
Who under heaven could have… No, far more crucially, with this in hand…!
Why had the Cheongsa Gang covertly built that storehouse and hoarded arms and silver in secret to begin with?
To brace against sudden misfortune, certainly, but primarily to forge the arsenal required to swallow the Honggyo Gang whole.
If I deliver this manual of counters to the Gang Leader, it will stand as a contribution far grander than what is needed to obliterate my past blunder!
The second that realization crystallized in his thoughts, the identity and hidden motives of the mysterious messenger evaporated from his mind.
Gyo Cheoljeong desperately desired to survive, and the sole thing that mattered was that he now grasped the exact instrument needed to snuff out the flames scorching his feet.
I must present myself before the Gang Leader this instant!
Though pitch darkness smothered the midnight hour, Gyo Cheoljeong bolted from his dwelling and sprinted frantically toward the headquarters of the Cheongsa Gang.
“Halt your breath and listen! Convey to the Gang Leader that the Fourth Squadron Leader begs an immediate audience!”
After passing word to the night guard and enduring an agonizing wait, a middle-aged figure emerged, wearing a venomous grimace.
The man possessed an eerie, sickly pallor resembling that of a venomous serpent.
It was none other than the lord of the Cheongsa Gang.
“You worthless mongrel. Did I not command you never to show your face before me again unless you dragged the wretches who plundered my vault behind you?”
Targeted by that sudden, scathing venom, Gyo Cheoljeong dropped his posture into a posture of groveling submission.
“Gang Leader, a matter of paramount significance has fallen into my hands, compelling me to disturb your rest at this ungodly hour. I beg you, inspect this.”
The Cheongsa Gang leader violently tore the papers from Gyo Cheoljeong’s trembling hands.
“If this turns out to be hollow rubbish, I will take your head this very—what? What on earth is this…?”
Remaining bowed low at the waist, Gyo Cheoljeong tilted only his face upward, a radiant smile breaking across his features.
“It is entirely authentic, Gang Leader. The precise counters to the Honggyo Gang’s Rock-Splitting Axe Technique.”
“From where did you procure this?”
“While combing the district to track down the vault thieves, I stumbled upon an elder grievously injured and clinging to his final breath, and I preserved his life. As fate willed it, he was an itinerant master of astonishing martial depth. To clear his karmic debt, he bestowed these manual pages upon me before vanishing into the night.”
It was a preposterous tale riddled with glaring holes, yet such bizarre encounters were hardly unprecedented within the martial world.
The jianghu was an endless expanse, teeming with eccentric recluses and unfathomable masters.
“Is this the unvarnished truth? If falsehood drips from your tongue, I shall personally sever your neck.”
“As you can verify with your own eyes, Gang Leader, the counters outlined there harbor not a single flaw!”
On that point, he spoke absolute truth. Even through the discerning eyes of the Cheongsa Gang leader, whose martial prowess dwarfed Gyo Cheoljeong’s and who was intimately acquainted with the Honggyo Gang’s patterns, the counter-tactics were undeniable and lethal.
“Hmm…”
The Cheongsa Gang leader’s thoughts raced in rapid succession.
Even though it encompasses merely the opening three forms, the overwhelming majority of ordinary foot soldiers have only mastered those very three forms anyway. If that is the case…
What if he drilled these counter-methods into every single operative under his command and launched a merciless, all-out assault against the Honggyo Gang?
Triumph would be all but guaranteed.
“Hear my command, all of you! Dispatch messengers to the First Squadron Leader, the Fifth Squadron Leader, and the Sixth Squadron Leader—summon them to my chambers without a moment’s delay!”
With those words, the winds and clouds of violent upheaval began to gather over the martial underworld of Ak’an County.
A tempest summoned into existence entirely by the hand of an eight-year-old boy.
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