Chapter 64
Chapter 64: Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven
Yanghwi tore the seal open without delay and scanned the contents sent by the Sound Empress.
Stripped to its essence, the message conveyed a blunt inquiry:
[Young Hero. I permitted you to travel freely between your clan and Gokyeol Mountain, but are you not taking that liberty a bit too far?]
[Are you looking to be cast out?]
A faint, wry smirk pulled at his lips, though he had to admit her irritation was entirely warranted.
Now that he paused to calculate, nearly six months had already drifted by since he departed Gokyeol Mountain.
Even if his status as an external disciple afforded him the latitude to seek guidance at his own pace, a student remained bound to their master. Looking back on his journey, aside from grasping the essence of One Step One Thousand and subsequently formulating Vessel Thousand Steps, he had never formally sat through any systematic curriculum with her. From the Sound Empress’s viewpoint, his prolonged absence was nothing short of incomprehensible.
Now that the clan’s urgent concerns have largely stabilized, I truly need to travel to Gokyeol Mountain without delay.
Even though he had already imparted the Harmonious Heaven Primordial Art, the Hundred and Eight Heaven-Splitting Swords, and Vessel Thousand Steps, the martial foundations possessed by the main lineage were still far too sparse. Aspiring to claim a position among the exalted noble houses armed with only three ancestral arts bordered on utter foolishness. Any lineage elevated to the echelon of an esteemed house routinely possessed several dozen distinct martial disciplines. Beyond the sacred heritage reserved exclusively for bloodline heirs, there was an unending requirement for varied methods geared toward external retainers who were not of their flesh and blood.
The Zhuge family, for instance, maintained dedicated martial regimens tailored for every military division and subsidiary faction under their banner.
In the case of the Baek clan, clinging to merely three foundational techniques reserved for the primary bloodline demonstrated just how vast an expanse of ground remained to be conquered. If he could attain fresh epiphanies and sharpen his insights under the tutelage of the Sound Empress, he would undoubtedly accelerate his progress down that difficult road.
Indeed, making for Gokyeol Mountain must be the priority. Just as soon as the pending obligations here are properly settled.
Determined to address the matters while the momentum lasted, he set off toward the private chambers of Baek Muryang.
Just as he was walking—
“Young Lord Hwi!”
Gwak Mun, who was currently drilling the retainers assigned to the Hall of Discipline alongside the newly inducted promising youths on the training grounds, hailed him loudly.
“Ah. Uncle Gwak.”
“Where might you be heading?”
“To speak with Father.”
“Understood.”
Gwak Mun pivoted toward the cluster of youths and raised his voice to its absolute peak.
“Presenting Young Lord Baek Yanghwi of the main lineage!”
“Ooooh!”
“Young Lord Hwi! It is a tremendous honor to behold you!”
“So this is the celebrated Crouching Dragon of Baek Pond…”
“To gaze upon the Crouching Dragon of Baek Pond with my own eyes…!”
Spanning from tiny six-year-olds to fifteen-year-old trainees, these youths, who carried the future prospects of the Baek family upon their shoulders, stared toward Yanghwi with unreserved adoration.
Rubbing his cheek with mild embarrassment, an abrupt realization dawned on him.
“The Crouching Dragon of Baek Pond? That refers to me?”
“Were you truly unaware?”
“Word has been sweeping through the lanes of Ak’an County like a tempest.”
“The tale describes how an eight-year-old child effortlessly made a fool of the Gyojin Gang’s young master, who had already reached twenty!”
Ah. The events of the life-and-death struggle must have trickled outward to the public. The Crouching Dragon of Baek Pond. Did that designate a dragon resting within the waters of the Baek clan?
That is an astonishingly lofty moniker to bestow upon a nine-year-old boy.
Then again, the awe made practical sense. An eight-year-old child claiming a one-sided, commanding victory against someone in the prime of his twentieth year was completely unprecedented—at least across lower and intermediate sects. Such a feat was exclusively within the purview of peerless prodigies birthed by the titan sects. Those children walked in an entirely separate stratosphere.
A scion hailing from the Baek clan, which was regarded as merely a third-rate martial clan until very recently, displayed godlike martial prowess comparable to the greatest rising talents among the preeminent factions. In that context, branding him a dragon was completely reasonable.
Nevertheless, such rumors were almost certainly restricted within the boundaries of Ak’an County for the time being.
“You are marvelous beyond words!”
“To strike down an opponent with more than twice your years!”
“I aspire to become a warrior just like you, Young Lord Hwi!”
Ordinary individuals might have shrunk back awkwardly when confronted with such blatant adulation to their faces. Yanghwi, conversely, thrust his chest out without the slightest hesitation. Being showered with praise regarding his talent was hardly a novelty to him, having experienced the same across his prior life.
“Ahem. Aspiring to mirror my path is a remarkably worthy ambition.”
“I wish to walk in Young Lord Hwi’s footsteps as well!”
“How can someone attain such boundless power at your tender age?!”
“The answer lies in relentless perspiration and discipline. You stand as the pillars of our house’s future, so ensure you apply yourselves with fierce dedication.”
“Understood!”
“We shall exert ourselves on the training grounds day after day without fail!”
Observing the youths staring up at him with glimmering admiration, Yanghwi let out an amused chuckle and remarked,
“You are well aware that elixirs are actively being refined, yes? I shall persuade Father to bestow them upon those who display the fastest advancement.”
“Ooooh!”
“We are endlessly grateful for your benevolence!”
“We will pour our entire souls into our training!”
Having stoked their drive to the maximum, Yanghwi offered a nod of farewell to Gwak Mun and continued along the stone pathway. Baek Muryang remained seated inside his study, buried under a sprawling mountain of administrative work.
“Father. It is Yanghwi.”
“Step inside.”
Every inch of the wide desk lay smothered beneath sheaves of paper. With fatigue written across his face, Baek Muryang detached his gaze from the documents before him and pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose to soothe the ache.
“Even upon crossing into the apex realm, handling administrative records proves just as exhausting.”
It could hardly be helped. Ascending to the throne of absolute hegemon across Ak’an County naturally meant the territory under their direct management had ballooned accordingly. The commercial establishments annexed solely from the Gyojin Gang numbered seven by themselves. The moment their dominion stabilized across the fractured Suho Alliance alongside the shattered holdings of the Honggyo Gang and Cheongsa Gang, that quantity was projected to multiply twofold.
That reality guaranteed that business contracts, balance sheets, and innumerable reports would accumulate at an identical speed.
“Hwi, what draws you here at this hour? Did you come with the intent to lend your father an extra hand?”
…He held great respect for his father, but sifting through municipal documents was the last pursuit he wished to entertain.
“Father, given my youth, I fear such intricate labor lies beyond my current capabilities.”
“…Youth? You speak of yourself as a child?”
“Naturally! I was barely eight until just recently! Well, the turn of the new year means I have technically reached nine now.”
“…Very well. Your aversion to these papers is abundantly clear. What is the real purpose behind your visit?”
There were two specific subjects he intended to broach with Baek Muryang.
“A correspondence arrived from the Sound Empress. She demands that I present myself at Gokyeol Mountain shortly.”
“Mm. Even considering your position as a lay disciple, your absence has stretched on for far too long. You should journey there without question. Though your departure will surely bring sadness to So and Yeon.”
“Haha… I shall return carrying an abundance of gifts for them.”
Despite being merely eight years of age until the latest turn of the seasons, traversing the outside world was second nature to Yanghwi. Although Baek Heonso and Baek Yeonyeon never voiced their grievances outright, they inevitably harbored disappointment whenever he left their company for extended periods.
“Before I make the journey to Gokyeol Mountain, however, I have a specific favor to ask.”
“A favor?”
“I would like permission to stand by and observe while you administer Mother’s treatment.”
Because her specific physical disposition caused an accumulation of turbid qi throughout her frame, Jeong Inhwa required perpetual acupoint circulation therapies. Ever since he ascended into the apex realm, Baek Muryang had shouldered the duty of performing this acupoint circulation for her on an everyday basis. Such efforts, however, offered only temporary relief; achieving an absolute recovery necessitated a complete marrow cleansing.
“Under normal conditions, undergoing a marrow cleansing demands the astronomical figure of one million nyang, which is why our family has been unable to pursue it, is that not so?”
“That is correct. What about it?”
“I suspect an alternate solution may exist.”
“Hm?”
Watching the flicker of astonishment cross Baek Muryang’s visage, Yanghwi turned his thoughts inward to reflect upon the distinct qualities of immortal qi.
From the moment immortal qi took root inside my dantian and unified with Harmonious Heaven qi, my physical frame has undergone steady, relentless reinforcement.
This transformation was not solely the byproduct of adequate sustenance and rigorous physical training. While his inherent skeletal structure had already been extraordinary, the fundamental resilience of his body was turning sturdier with every passing day. It had progressed to the degree that, despite operating within the small stature of a nine-year-old boy, he harbored no doubt that he could effortlessly overpower a fully grown man in an arm-wrestling contest.
Immortal qi unequivocally possesses the innate capacity to fundamentally reconstitute the physical vessel itself.
If this hypothesis proved accurate, its presence might exert a profoundly restorative influence on the underlying constitution troubling Jeong Inhwa.
“Ever since I ingested the miraculous medicine bequeathed by the Greatest Under Heaven, an extraordinary attribute has intertwined with my internal energy.”
As Yanghwi laid out his thoughts, Baek Muryang paused to weigh the reasoning before offering an affirmative nod.
“What you propose holds genuine merit. There is certainly no harm in testing the theory.”
Without wasting another moment, the two made their way straight into the living quarters of Jeong Inhwa.
“My dear. May I step inside?”
“The scheduled hour for my treatment has not yet arrived, yet you grace me with an early visit today, my lord.”
“A sudden wave of longing for my wife urged me to arrive early.”
“Could it instead be that you simply fled from that endless mountain of administrative papers?”
“Haha, indeed, it seems I cannot conceal a single thought from your keen eyes.”
After the warm exchange of banter wound down, Baek Muryang directed the conversation toward the primary objective.
“Yanghwi shall be assisting alongside me during the acupoint circulation today.”
Jeong Inhwa composed herself neatly upon the mattress. Baek Muryang positioned himself to her left, while Yanghwi took his place directly to her right.
“The process is about to commence. How do you intend to contribute your part?”
“The methodology is straightforward. While you execute the acupoint circulation, Father, I will trail your path and channel my own internal energy into those very same locations.”
“Understood.”
The process of acupoint circulation essentially entailed stimulating vital apertures distributed over the physique while injecting energy to invigorate the energetic pathways. Regarding Jeong Inhwa’s ailments, the technique shattered the dense pockets of turbid qi clustered within her meridian network to ease her distress.
The foul energy stagnating inside her, alongside the physical constitution that repeatedly gathers it, must both be remedied. If not, every effort will forever remain nothing more than an ephemeral relief measure.
Baek Muryang initiated the circulation process starting from the extremities of her limbs. Wherever Baek Muryang’s palms pressed and traversed, Yanghwi promptly directed his Harmonious Heaven qi, which remained woven together with immortal qi, directly into the identical focal points.
Hm. The stagnant turbid qi does not instantly disintegrate upon meeting the immortal qi. Does this imply the intervention will fail to yield the outcome I anticipated?
Barely an instant later, Yanghwi’s preliminary judgment was thoroughly overturned.
“Mmnh!”
“My dear, what has happened?”
“My lord. A sensation of profound lightness has washed through my entire body.”
The reaction escaping Jeong Inhwa stood in stark contrast to the response observed when Baek Muryang conducted the acupoint circulation on his own. The immortal qi was unequivocally exerting an unmistakable influence.
“Where my limbs and core previously felt weighed down and languid, at this very moment, my system feels pristine and buoyant.”
“Can it truly be? Hwi, it appears your intervention is taking hold.”
“It seems to be having an effect.”
While the immortal qi had not dissolved the turbid qi in a single sweep, its inherent capability to radically overhaul and fortify the mortal flesh was undoubtedly producing a deeply therapeutic transformation.
Could this indicate that…?!
Several days slipped past.
Baek Muryang studied Yanghwi, his gaze brimmed with immense wonder.
“Hwi. You are truly an extraordinary boy. Who could have imagined the spirit medicine you ingested concealed such miraculous properties?”
His deduction had manifested as absolute reality. Following Yanghwi’s ongoing participation during each acupoint circulation ritual, Jeong Inhwa’s physical wellness had progressed by leaps and bounds.
This outcome solidifies the theory that immortal qi works to fundamentally elevate the physical vessel.
Viewing it through that lens, should he not periodically infuse immortal qi into his younger siblings as well? If he enacted that habit, their bodies would flourish with far greater vitality and resilience. They might eventually attain martial milestones far outstripping the ceiling set by their natural talent.
Ah, I must be certain not to overlook Chudal either.
Chudal had definitively taken up the mantle as the true heir to the lineage of the Divine Thief. Given that he was destined to command the Baek clan’s clandestine intelligence branch in the days ahead, his development required the utmost care and attention.
Regardless, the most pressing dilemmas within the clan were now properly resolved.
“In that case, I will make my departure for Gokyeol Mountain to present myself before Master.”
“Very well, make your preparations. The physician hailing from the Tang Clan verified that the progress secured thus far will comfortably sustain your mother in stable condition for months to come.”
Baek Muryang suggested dispatching Gu Ak to accompany him as an escort, but Yanghwi cordially waved off the offer. Gu Ak had shouldered an immense burden of exhausting assignments in recent weeks and was due for well-earned respite. Furthermore, he was currently immersed in an intensely affectionate season alongside Yeo Arang, wearing himself out night after night.
If I drag him away on guard duty under the guise of an escort, his temper will surely flare.
Yanghwi harbored a desire to honor Gu Ak’s unwavering loyalty, and granting him undisturbed freedom on this occasion seemed the most fitting gesture.
“As you are aware, young though I appear, I operate with the prowess of a second-rate realm practitioner. Overseeing my own safety presents no meaningful challenge.”
Throughout the martial world, reaching the rank of a second-rate expert generally signified that an individual possessed the capability to navigate the realm independently. Such an echelon of martial mastery was customarily claimed only after reaching adulthood at twenty years of age.
“Hm. Seeing your youthful exterior causes me to overlook that reality time and again. Go ahead.”
Having secured Baek Muryang’s explicit consent, Yanghwi proceeded straight to his quarters to assemble his belongings. Possessing minimal personal gear, a single modest travel pack proved more than sufficient to accommodate his needs.
Ah, I ought to carry those elixirs along with me as well.
He retained the two elixirs presented by Baek Muryang during the formal distribution of clan rewards. Since the profound legacy of Sword Immortal Lü Dongbin rendered personal consumption of standard medicines unnecessary for him, he intended to utilize them to curry favor with the Sound Empress.
If I bestow these upon Seolha, Master will surely look upon the gesture with deep satisfaction, will she not?
His revered master was, after all, the revered Wave-Piercing Sound Empress, counted proudly among the Ten Paragons Under Heaven. She existed as a supreme master holding such unfathomable standing that a mere command from her lips could summon a wondrous medicine imbued with three decades of internal energy.
“With that, I shall take my leave!”
“Keep your senses sharp, and dedicate yourself to your studies.”
Only an inner circle consisting of Baek Muryang and a handful of confidants knew that Yanghwi had entered the tutelage of the Sound Empress. Offering a plausible diversionary excuse to the public, Yanghwi slipped away from the Baek Estate under the veil of secrecy.
Following several continuous days on the road, Yanghwi reached the base of Gokyeol Mountain and ascended directly toward the Five Halls of Proper Sound.
I recall she established a retreat within the adjacent woods and has been residing there.
At that precise heartbeat—
“Mm!”
Yanghwi’s blade burst from its scabbard in a flash of polished steel.
Hundred and Eight Heaven-Splitting Swords (蓋天百八劍), Third Form.
Hawk Wings Converging (鷹翼會回).
The split-second the protective sword trajectory carved an arc through the empty atmosphere—
CLANG!
A violent repulsion detonated out of the seemingly vacant air, and a thunderous detonation ripped through the quiet mountain grove.
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