Chapter 107
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: The Shabby Pavilion
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“Uncle, you’re not satisfied with this pavilion, are you?”
“…….”
After Pang Seong-chan had left, Nangong Seong approached Yu Hyun, who sat on the veranda of the pavilion with a vacant expression, and offered words of comfort.
“Don’t take it too hard. The Grand Leader’s achievements are substantial, so a proper reward will come soon enough.”
“…….”
It wasn’t comforting at all.
Wasn’t this just like the days in Jin Wi-gang’s life when he’d spent his time training without even a proper place to stay?
Yu Hyun was already steeped in luxury. This was on a whole different level from roughing it out of necessity.
Just a single rundown pavilion? And one that looked like it could collapse any moment...
That alone wouldn’t be so bad.
But to assign me a yard overgrown with knee-high weeds, a ruined mess littered with rocks that’d shatter at the slightest trip?
When they have plenty of money? To me, the legitimate heir of Anpyeong County’s wealthiest clan, Yu Clan Manor?
Scratch, scritch, scratch.
“…….”
And now the sound of rats—no, beggars... wait, baby rats scurrying nearby.
Hah... Did I risk my life defending Haenam Island just to get handed this dump of a pavilion?
Me, the one destined to save the entire martial world? What kind of shabby treatment is this?
“Grand Leader, it’s only temporary, isn’t it? We’re short on manpower right now, but as our numbers grow and merits accumulate, we’ll move to a proper pavilion instead of this stopgap lodging.”
“…….”
Of Ge Du-shin’s consolation, only the word ‘temporary’ seemed to drill into his ears.
“Ge Du-shin’s right, Uncle. Just think of it as temporary lodging for now.”
“…….”
Good is good, just accept it—they took turns prattling on with their so-called comforts.
Yu Hyun stared blankly at Ge Du-shin and Nangong Seong before speaking.
“Drunkie.”
“Yes, Grand Leader.”
“Seong.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
“......Shut up and go pull the weeds in the yard.”
“Pardon?”
“Why?”
“Well, why should we have to pull the weeds...”
“Don’t wanna?”
“Pardon?”
“Fine, I’ll do it then. Me. Since it’s temporary, I’ve gotta handle everything. Pull weeds, clear rocks, sweep the yard. Yeah, that’s how it is for a temp who doesn’t even get proper respect.”
“......?”
“Might as well yank out your hair while I’m at it, and your heads too... Right? It’s no big deal, is it? You’re already rumored to be disciples of that brutal bandit chief, so people might misunderstand a little grass-pulling and a few severed heads, yeah?”
“......!”
“Yeah, that settles it.”
As Yu Hyun cracked his knuckles and stood, Nangong Seong and Ge Du-shin paled and scrambled down into the yard.
“Hahaha! We’ll do it. Can’t have weeds in a place where the Grand Leader’s staying, even temporarily.”
“Of course! Absolutely. You damn weeds, who do you think you are, growing like weeds and causing trouble? I’ll rip you all out!”
“......”
Finally grasping the mood, the two turned pale and threw themselves into yanking weeds and clearing stones with fervor.
But watching them, something felt missing.
“Hey, you two.”
“Yes?”
Yu Hyun, now reseated on the veranda, spoke in a subtle tone, making Nangong Seong and Ge Du-shin flinch and look up simultaneously.
“You’re pulling weeds, but shouldn’t you train at the same time?”
“......?”
“Drunkie, circle around with Drunken Eight Immortals Steps and smash the rocks away with Striking Staff Method. Seong, for every weed you pull, draw your sword like it’s practice—put your all into groaning, laughing, raging.”
“......Yes? While pulling weeds?”
“Yeah.”
“......”
“You look reluctant? Want me to triple the training intensity later?”
“......”
As Yu Hyun narrowed his eyes, Ge Du-shin and Nangong Seong freaked out and sprang into action.
“Hah! Drunken Eight Immortals Steps! Striking Staff Method!”
Ge Du-shin instantly created several afterimages, swinging his green bamboo staff.
“Wah ha ha! You vile weeds, I won’t forgive you!”
Nangong Seong performed uprooting technique on every single weed.
“Ge Du-shin, fling the rocks to the same spot. Those dug-out holes are bad spots—fill them with Drunken Eight Immortals Steps.”
“Yes!”
“Seong, dirt’s flying. Control your strength to pull just the weeds. Don’t snap the stems. Leave no roots behind......”
“Yes? Yes!”
Under the gentle nagging, Nangong Seong and Ge Du-shin diligently cleared rocks and yanked weeds.
Yu Hyun watched the two bustle about and smiled contentedly.
It had been an offhand order in anger, but on second thought, wasn’t it a brilliant training method?
The rocks scattered everywhere varied in size, shape, and embedding depth. To launch them all in the same direction required varying the force and angle each time.
And that wasn’t all. Filling the dug-out spots with Drunken Eight Immortals Steps would especially hone footwork.
Swordsmanship began with the draw.
To avoid snapping stems and damaging roots required a proper grip, and to keep soil from clinging meant lightness and speed. His quick-draw skill would improve by leaps and bounds.
“Heh heh, to come up with such a training method. You two! Don’t think of it as labor—treat it as training and give it your all!”
“Yes!”
Yu Hyun, beaming as he watched Ge Du-shin and Nangong Seong at their ‘training,’ suddenly recalled what lay ahead for him.
The Righteous Alliance’s formation had been moved up a bit, but it was decided, and they’d begun to recognize the enemy. Thus, Beggars’ Sect and Hao Clan would be fully deployed to uncover their identity.
Moreover, the Haenam Island incident would have alerted them to the martial world’s involvement, so they’d start internal crackdowns.
The future was now unpredictable, so he needed to redouble his original mission. To prepare for any unforeseen variables.
Most memories were gone, but one thing stuck clearly.
His masters said the calamity’s mastermind transcended human martial artists.
Even the Righteous Six Saints combined couldn’t defeat him, so the fiend was stronger than any current martial artist... stronger than the Dragon King, even.
From Bang Hae-gun and Na Ha-chu’s skills, he couldn’t even gauge how many experts they commanded.
To face them, the more elites, the better.
How fortunate.
The Latent Dragon Squad, gathering so-called geniuses from each sect’s younger generation, would far outclass any ragtag unit.
If major battles went to large anonymous forces, this squad was perfect for assault missions alongside him.
But even recruiting all the Righteous Six Saints as members and granting them insights, their growth was uncertain. So he had to grow stronger himself.
Luckily, he already knew how.
The Spirit Heart Core Method, crafted with utmost care by his masters to confront the calamity’s mastermind.
He’d achieved Spirit Formation with Child Ginseng and ascended to Spirit Transformation with Millennium Purple Shellfish. Roughly on par with a peak Strength Reinforcement expert.
Now, he needed the inner core of the ten-thousand-year Fire Chestnut, the extreme yang spirit creature, to reach the third stage: Spirit Body...
“Damn, it’s water again. Why’s it always water?”
Child Ginseng from a waterfall, Millennium Purple Shellfish from frigid deep seas.
He was already sick of water, and this time the ten-thousand-year Fire Chestnut dwelled in a boiling hot spring that steamed year-round...
Thinking of the fierce currents from the Purple Shellfish ordeal made him irritable about whatever nonsense awaited, but water wasn’t the only issue this time.
Recalling the hot spring’s location, Yu Hyun muttered like a groan.
“Demonic Cult...”
The power dominating the west, the strongest single force.
The third spirit creature was there.
Word was, the calamity’s mastermind obtained it from the Demonic Cult Lord, Hyuk Wol.
How, he didn’t know.
Did they meet? Become friends? Fight...? Anyway, he got it after meeting.
If he went to that terrifying, brutal monster?
“......Not yet. Charge in demanding it, and I might get shredded to bits before even meeting Blood River.”
Shuddering at the mere thought, Yu Hyun let out a short sigh.
Well, some pretext would come up.
The mastermind got the Fire Chestnut’s core much later, so even if history changed, no rush yet.
With the righteous sects just starting to pursue, they wouldn’t recklessly move on the Demonic Cult, so first, properly form the Latent Dragon Squad.
“Hah!”
Thud thud thud!
“Ha!”
Pop, pop!
Starting with Ge Du-shin and Nangong Seong diligently clearing rocks...
“Hm?”
Yu Hyun’s gaze, watching the two pull weeds, shifted beyond them to a massive tree.
Someone peeked from behind it, watching this way. Their eyes met, and they blinked before ducking back.
Then they strolled over with hands behind their back, like on a casual walk...
What’s this guy doing, acting all cute? His face is beet red, making the pretense laughable.
“Ahem!”
“Huh?”
The guy awkwardly cleared his throat, halting Ge Du-shin mid-Drunk Eight Immortals Steps as he cleared rocks.
“You? Twitch?”
“Oh, isn’t it Ge Du-shin? Long time no see.”
Seeing him grin brightly and wave, they clearly knew each other.
“Huh? What brings you to the Justice Alliance?”
“Haha! Heard the rumors, but sure enough, Nangong Seong’s here too.”
As Nangong Seong tilted his head, the red-faced guy burst into a fake laugh.
Nangong Seong knew him too.
He’d been watching for a while, now acting all chummy.
But his face felt oddly familiar. Where had he seen him...?
“If you two are here, that must make him Yu Hyun?”
“......?”
The still-flushed guy eyed Yu Hyun, and Ge Du-shin and Nangong Seong nodded.
“Hey, who are you?”
“Ah, first time meeting Uncle?”
At Yu Hyun’s question, Nangong Seong dragged the red-faced guy over.
“Introduce yourself. This is our Grand Leader.”
“Pleased to meet you. I’m from the Tang Clan of Sichuan...”
“......Poison Freak Dang?”
“Huh? You know me? Haha!”
“.......”
The ‘Tang Clan of Sichuan’ triggered a reflexive outburst... but really Dang Sa-dog? You? For real?
“This fame of mine is unstoppable. No one in the Central Plains doesn’t know me... Gotta accept it. Born with Ice Jade Skeleton, looks that’d make jade or amber weep, plus scholarship and martial arts without flaw.”
“.......”
“That’s right. I’m the Dark Dragon Dang, the one Central Plains women weep through sleepless nights just to glimpse.”
“.......”
At the needless elaboration and his blatantly cringey pose, Yu Hyun wore an exasperated look.
Ge Du-shin, Nangong Seong, and one of his own six masters: Dark Heaven Hand Dang Sa-dog.
The Tang Clan’s sole genius to recreate Full Sky Flower Rain. Called the world’s best not just in hidden weapons but poison arts too. Symbol of treachery, insidiousness, and cruelty—ripping even kin apart for crimes.
Repaid favors meagerly, grudges tenfold, twentyfold. A dog of a personality.
His eyes always brimmed with venom staring at Yu Hyun—no, Jin Wi-gang—making eye contact hard...
Why’s this guy like this? What’s with this getup?
He’d despised flashy clothes for hindering hidden weapons, yet here he was in flowery finery?
Utterly unlike his memories...
But a chilling smile crept onto Yu Hyun’s lips as he regarded Dang Sa-dog.
Whatever. Perfect timing, you bastard. Was just gonna hunt you down, and you save me the trouble.
I remember clear as day when you tossed me into a snake pit to build poison resistance. Still bolt awake at night.
So I’ll pay you back in kind, you damn master.