Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Dang Hoseon, Whirlwind Dance, Demonic Wind Hammer
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The “hammer” in Demonic Wind Hammer (魔風槌) doesn’t refer to thighs, but to an actual mallet strike. Twisting the body sharply to generate twisting force, then channeling that power with full might and slamming it down like a thunderbolt—it becomes a terrifying weapon in its own right.
That was exactly why the air seemed to split apart with an illusion of cracking.
A mallet strike loaded with the demonic wind stirred by a demon.
For Dang Gyujin, who had lost her sword, the situation couldn’t have been more disadvantageous.
Ascending Dragon Leg Technique (登龍脚法)
Soaring Heaven Kick (昇天脚)
She was deploying the Qingcheng Sect’s kicking technique, but there was no way the kicking arts of the Qingcheng Sect—famous for its swordsmanship—could hold up well.
Yet, with a flash of genius, Dang Gyujin had successfully transformed it into an entirely different technique by blending in the Poison Reversal Three Yangs Returning Origin Art from the Sichuan Dang Clan, which amplified yang energy in an instant.
Soaring Heaven Kick? Bursting Yang!
Yang energy held explosive power in itself.
So she must have figured it was the only way to block the Demonic Wind Hammer.
In truth, Dang Gyujin showed no small degree of proficiency in the Dang Clan’s martial arts, beyond just the Qingcheng Sect’s sword arts—she hadn’t neglected her training.
Naturally, the newly evolved Soaring Heaven Kick looked incredibly fierce.
To the point where even I couldn’t guarantee victory.
But one thing was certain.
No matter who won or lost once the match ended, both would suffer no small wounds.
Still, they were going all out, risking injury, because they simply couldn’t stop the thrill.
It was right at that moment, as the clash was about to erupt.
『That’s more than enough playtime, wouldn’t you say?』
Suddenly, a booming voice echoed from the sky, and something dropped right between us.
KABOOM!
A middle-aged man stood there, casually blocking my downward strike with his right hand and Dang Gyujin’s upward kick with his left.
“Fath… er?”
A face that looked like Dang Gyujin and Dang Yuchang blended halfway.
It was the arrival of Dang Hoseon, lord of the Nine Dragons Branch Family.
Dang Gyujin jolted in shock at the unexpected appearance and hastily retreated, offering proper respects.
The blue demon that had enveloped her vanished as if it were a lie.
“Nine Dragons Branch Leader, sir!”
“Nine Dragons Branch Leader, sir!!”
The spectators all sprang to their feet from their seats, offering respects.
It was the only natural response now that the king of the estate had appeared.
「Six years have passed, they say. Hrm!」
「I heard you’d done nothing but seclude yourself without training, but that must’ve been a lie. To have this level of skill.」
The specters who knew Dang Hoseon personally seemed a bit surprised.
Truth be told, I was a little surprised too.
No matter how legendary the Whirlwind Division was, it was still just a single armed force.
So even its leader shouldn’t exceed an elder of the Divine Cult at best, I’d thought.
It seemed I needed to revise that assessment.
He was at the level of the Public Servants.
Right below the Cult Leader in rank.
Even if Yeon Unhwi returned right now, victory wouldn’t be assured.
Why had someone of this caliber remained merely a branch leader?
“Do you have something to say to me?”
Dang Hoseon received the salutes from the retainers, then turned to look at me calmly.
I was the only one still standing there blankly without offering respects.
“…Nine Dragons Branch Leader, sir.”
Of course, I couldn’t reveal my true feelings, so I masked my reluctance as best I could and offered respects.
“But what brings you here?”
“This is the Nine Dragons Branch Family. Is there anywhere I can’t go?”
“Of course the estate’s master has no place off-limits. It’s just that I worried our pathetic skills might dirty the Branch Leader’s eyes.”
In other words, your arrival has killed the vibe here, hasn’t it?
“Hrm.”
“?”
But instead of answering, he just stared at me blankly?
Even Dang Gyujin and the other retainers had their mouths agape, staring at me.
That was when I realized my mistake.
Until now, interactions with Dang Hoseon had only involved one-sided orders and obedient replies. No one had ever questioned him like this.
How much less so from “Dang Unhwi,” who couldn’t even meet his father’s eyes straight on?
On top of that, I’d deliberately avoided calling him “father,” sticking to “Branch Leader” with clear distance.
My excitement must not have fully subsided, delaying my judgment.
As I racked my brain for how to recover—
“A fine sight.”
…The reaction was completely unexpected?
“I’d heard your personality had changed, but this exceeds what I imagined.”
I’d expected anger, but I couldn’t guess why he was acting like this.
“As you say, your pathetic skills gave me no thrill whatsoever.”
Well now, look at the way he says it.
“Especially one child was utterly disappointing.”
His gaze toward Dang Yuchang was particularly cold.
“Ah, Fa—”
“This is an official gathering. Mind your words.”
“S-sorry—”
“The Clan Head’s visit is not far off.”
Dang Yuchang’s voice didn’t even reach Dang Hoseon.
Utter disregard.
The exact same attitude he’d shown “Dang Unhwi” before.
Dang Yuchang was crushed.
“The Clan Head intends to personally select talented retainers to serve as your hands and feet. Even now, as we speak, blood kin bearing the Dang name are flooding into this estate by the moment. Do you think it proper to worry the Clan Head with big and small injuries in the meantime?”
Dang Hoseon shouted as he surveyed the surroundings with hands clasped behind his back.
“Until the Clan Head’s visit, all intense training and sparring are forbidden. Everyone, disperse!”
The Branch Leader’s command was absolute.
The retainers scattered in all directions like startled birds.
“You two, return as well.”
Finally, Dang Hoseon’s gaze turned to me and Dang Gyujin.
I clasped my hands in salute and replied that I would.
To the very end, Dang Hoseon’s eyes never once landed on the despairing Dang Yuchang.
* * *
I still didn’t like him.
That was my first impression of Dang Hoseon.
He’d ignored “Dang Unhwi” as useless, standing by as a bystander, but now that a glimmer of potential appeared, he turned his attention back.
It was impossible unless he treated his children like disposable tools to use and discard at will.
Just look at Dang Yuchang.
Now that he deemed him worthless, he wouldn’t even spare him a glance.
The guy wandered back to the Crimson Hall in a daze, completely out of it, like a man who’d lost his country.
That meant his father’s approval had been the most important thing to him.
Or perhaps he thought he’d been completely shut out from the position of Branch Leader he’d been aiming for all this time.
Well, I’d aimed for this outcome from the start anyway.
“…Father doesn’t seem to see how hard we’ve been struggling and striving. Results are all that matter to him.”
After all the spars ended, Dang Gyujin had come with me to the White Hall.
I’d offered her some Dragon Well tea, and the sword demon had vanished again.
But what lingered on her lips was only bitterness.
A father who observed his children from afar and wandered outside.
A mother who forced her own dreams on her children.
What must the eldest daughter feel, born between such parents, struggling to unite the family yet ultimately failing and all but running away from home?
I didn’t know. What her feelings were.
Truthfully, I didn’t even want to know.
But one thought did occur to me.
How tender and special the affection my master had given me.
He’d cherished and cared for me more than his own flesh and blood, so the grace he’d bestowed was undoubtedly far too great for me to repay in a lifetime.
That meant I had to work even harder.
“…….”
I took a silent sip of tea, then quietly set the cup down.
“There’s a saying: when a person changes suddenly, it’s a sign of death.”
“You—”
“But the Branch Leader seems the same as always, doesn’t he? Didn’t you think so too, sister?”
“…….”
“It’s nothing new, so I’d advise not dwelling on it too deeply.”
Dang Gyujin stared at me intently.
“Why say that?”
“…No. Nothing. I just thought that to you, mother and father make no difference in the end.”
I just smiled in response.
She needed to realize clearly that this family was falling apart.
“Anyway, the fun’s all gone now. What do we do?”
“Shouldn’t we follow the Branch Leader’s orders? We’ve rested plenty now, so we can settle things properly at the Clan Head’s visit event.”
At my look, Dang Gyujin beamed.
“You mean go all out for real then? Full power.”
“Of course.”
“Good.”
Dang Gyujin and I laughed together.
Because the upcoming match was too exciting.
* * *
Thanks to me, the Clear Breeze Inn was grinning from ear to ear today too.
On my end, I was annoyed.
“Young Master Yi, Young Master Yi! If you’d just give me a moment—”
No. No time.
“Ahem! I’ve known for a long time that you, Second Young Master, are the real vessel—not the Third Young Master—”
Yeah. Keep telling yourself that. Just keep telling yourself.
“What support do you need? If it’s money, my wife’s family—”
Talking money to a Dang Clan blood relative?
“Would you like to see my daughter’s portrait? She’s my daughter, but it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call her the top beauty of Sichuan—”
I can tell from your face I don’t need to bother?
A sea of people.
The Clear Breeze Inn was absolutely packed.
All of them desperate to line up even once for me.
No notable maternal clan, unmarried so no in-laws yet, single with no background—not even a master-disciple bond worth mentioning.
They saw me as a surefire winning investment if they grabbed hold now.
Even though the carriage I came in had left long ago.
“Too annoying—block this side off.”
“Of course, young master! We’ll make sure no one disturbs you!”
The innkeeper bent at the waist and handed over the entire top floor to me.
Even emptying a whole floor was no issue, since word had spread that I was a regular and customers were overflowing.
If I got fed up with the noise and moved to another inn, it’d be a huge loss, so he’d even personally hired top-tier ronin to block the entrance to the top floor.
This guy really knows how to do business the more I see him?
Thanks to that, I could share a drink with Dang Gyujin as promised, without any disturbances.
“Is it okay to order this much food?”
Dang Gyujin’s jaw was on the floor at the endless barrage of dishes.
“Yes. It’s fine. I always eat like this.”
“What? Always like this!?”
Dang Gyujin suddenly grabbed both my hands with a serious face.
Grab!
“Unhwi, you—”
Whoa, her expression’s way too grave. Is she gonna nag me about not wasting food—
“You’re rich.”
“…….”
Not that?
“Let’s be close friends. From now on, always. We’re the closest siblings, got it?”
“…Doesn’t the Qingcheng Sect feed you well?”
“They do.”
“Then why—”
“It’s a Daoist temple.”
“……Ah.”
Dang Gyujin looked enlightened.
I had nothing to say to that.
“Day in and day out, just grass and weeds—how’s anyone supposed to have energy like that! We’re growing boys and girls who need hearty meals to fill up……! But they always feed us that stuff, so the kids are all scrawny!”
She poured it out like a machine gun—must’ve built up a lot.
“People need, y’know? A bit of grease now and then? Some grain wine? That’s what makes life worth living, but those stiff-necked, sour-faced—”
All of this was actually on credit under her mother’s tab, not my money.
Eh, no need to mention that?
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