Chapter 26
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Anti-Cheon (1)
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Having taken complete control of the Inspection Corps, Cheon Muryang sat alone in his office, lost in thought.
“I need people.”
He needed people.
People who would support him.
Fortunately, he had Cheon Seonhak, but even Seonhak was a man far removed from politics.
The ones who supported Cheon Seonhak were the martial organizations of the Cheon Family.
However, due to his philosophy that they must remain apolitical, they had to be left as an independent force.
“So, as it stands, my uncle alone is not enough.”
Cheon Seonhak was supporting him purely in a personal capacity.
While that was reassuring, Cheon Muryang felt it was insufficient.
“I need people who are truly my own.”
They didn't need to be loyal.
Not if they had the skills he needed.
And Cheon Muryang knew where to find such individuals.
“It’s something I have to face eventually.”
According to Nameless’s memories, Cheon Wigang died suddenly ten years from now.
After that, the Cheon Family’s fortunes began to decline rapidly.
“One of the reasons for that was the rise of those who cried for ‘Anti-Cheon’.”
The Anti-Cheon Specters.
Those who cried for rebellion against the Cheon Family appeared suddenly.
“To be precise, they were in hiding.”
In the shadows of Hangzhou, they cried for rebellion and waited for the right time.
However, their identities were bound to be a shock to the Cheon Family.
They were people who had once dedicated their utmost loyalty to the family.
“Those who were unjustly cast out.”
They had been loyal, yet they were unceremoniously expelled from the Cheon Family.
Unable to leave Hangzhou, they vowed revenge, and they made their move precisely after Cheon Wigang’s death.
“Hiding in the shadows of Hangzhou and vowing revenge, they will one day begin their vengeance against the Cheon Family.”
As if they knew the exact moment of Cheon Wigang’s death, they finally moved during that chaotic period.
They started with the Cheon Family’s allies.
Without the pillar that was Cheon Wigang, their efforts were incredibly effective.
“Countless allies deserted us.”
With its allies gone, the isolated Cheon Family was no longer the same family that had been counted among the ten great families of the world.
“Was it all planned so meticulously, so long ago?”
A multitude of reasons had piled up, one after another, leading to the Cheon Family’s annihilation.
“All of this happened because the Cheon Family could not become one.”
In the end, it was the Cheon Family’s own fault.
Wasn't the existence of the Anti-Cheon Specters a karmic debt of the Cheon Family?
Thus, Cheon Muryang sought to correct the mistakes of the past.
“This might actually be the perfect time.”
They would be silent for now.
They were surely waiting only for Cheon Wigang’s death.
Therefore, if he wanted to win them over, now was the only time.
Cheon Muryang closed his eyes.
No matter how consumed by vengeance they had become, that alone wouldn't be enough to take on the Cheon Family.
‘There must be someone backing them.’
The backer was obvious.
Either the Council of Elders or the Demonic Cult.
‘It doesn’t matter if the culprit is the Council of Elders or the Demonic Cult. I have no intention of letting the future unfold as it’s destined to.’
It didn't matter.
Whoever was behind them.
He just had to cut them down.
“Hoo. Why is this damn family such a mess?”
Cheon Muryang clicked his tongue.
Frustrated, he left his office.
Arriving at the training ground, Cheon Muryang gripped the Heavenly Light Sword.
*Fwoosh!*
The Heavenly Light Sword cut through the moonlit night, venting Cheon Muryang’s frustrations.
However, a corner of his heart still felt heavy.
*Clang!*
At that moment.
A sword flew toward him.
It was Woryeong.
“May I join you?”
A faint smile touched Cheon Muryang’s lips.
“Of course, by all means.”
“Then, here I come!”
Her sword flew in with fluid grace.
Woryeong had become noticeably stronger.
Her blade, which sought out openings as it rushed in, felt nimble and light.
“You’ve gotten stronger.”
“I’m still far from it.”
“It’s good for me if you get even stronger.”
He sparred with Woryeong for a long while.
At some point, the frustration in his heart had lifted.
Catching her breath, Woryeong spoke with a smile.
“You’re feeling better now, right?”
“I guess I can’t hide anything from you.”
“Hehehe. I don’t know what’s going on, but please remember that I’m always on your side, Young Lord.”
“Thank you.”
If it weren’t for Woryeong…
The thought suddenly occurred to him that he might never have been reincarnated as Cheon Muryang.
“It’s all thanks to you.”
“You’re too kind.”
Seemingly relieved after confirming that Cheon Muryang felt better, Woryeong gave a small bow and left the training ground.
“Hoo. Right. Let’s not overthink it.”
He had already decided what to do.
What good would worrying do?
Cheon Muryang went to find Cheon Seonhak.
“You’re here.”
“Yes.”
“I hear you wiped out the Inspection Corps. You could have given me a heads-up.”
It seemed he had secretly hoped to join in.
Suppressing a laugh, Cheon Muryang apologized to him.
“Ah, my apologies.”
“It’s fine. My help wouldn’t have been needed anyway.”
Cheon Seonhak clapped Cheon Muryang on the shoulder encouragingly.
“Well done.”
“Thank you.”
“So you achieved a complete metamorphosis, which explains why you haven’t been at the training ground. Have you finally absorbed all the elixirs in your body?”
“Yes. I was lucky.”
“However, you must not become complacent just because you’ve undergone a metamorphosis. This is only the beginning.”
Metamorphosis was something all martial artists yearned for.
However, achieving it was no guarantee of reaching the Realm of Transformation.
More often than not, practitioners became arrogant and died before they could get there, so Cheon Seonhak’s concern was natural.
“Yes. I will keep that in mind.”
However, Cheon Seonhak knew.
He knew that this young man would not rest on his laurels just because he had undergone a metamorphosis.
“So, what will you do now?”
“I wish to correct the mistakes of the past, both my own and the family’s.”
His words were heavy with meaning.
The family’s mistakes… Cheon Seonhak had an idea of what he meant.
“You knew?”
“Yes. I must meet them.”
“And after that?”
“Well, it depends on their reaction, but if possible, I wish to make them my people.”
Cheon Seonhak’s expression went blank.
It was understandable, as Cheon Muryang’s words were no different from saying he would embrace the family’s enemies.
“It will not be easy.”
“I know.”
“I cannot even begin to fathom the extent of their rage toward the Cheon Family.”
“I must bear that as well. Is it not the price for the wrongs we committed?”
“It is not your fault. It was all… a scheme by the Council of Elders.”
Cheon Seonhak grit his teeth.
The beginning of this whole tragedy was the death of the previous family head.
“Uncle, may I ask one thing?”
“…”
“Did my father join hands with the Council of Elders?”
“…”
“I will answer that myself.”
“Brother!”
Cheon Wigang appeared.
His presence alone was overwhelming, but neither Cheon Seonhak nor Cheon Muryang flinched.
“In the past, I did join hands with them. That is how I was able to rise to this position.”
“…”
“But that was…”
“Seonhak, that’s enough. It is the truth, is it not?”
“I am certain you had your reasons.”
“…”
“However, whatever those reasons may be, the anger of those who cry ‘Anti-Cheon’ is justified.”
Whether it was a scheme by the Council of Elders or something else.
The fact remained that the Cheon Family had abandoned them.
“You are right. My sin began in the past.”
Cheon Wigang had lost the right.
While the Council of Elders manipulated the Cheon Family as they pleased, he had been unable to check their power in any way.
“I will win them over.”
“…”
“They will not be people of the Cheon Family, nor of the Family Head, but solely my people.”
“…”
“So, please pass the burden of that original sin you committed to me.”
“...!”
“I will carry it in your stead.”
“Muryang…”
“If not the Great Young Lord of the Cheon Family, then who else could possibly bear this burden?”
In that moment, a crack appeared in Cheon Wigang’s ironclad fortitude.
He had never imagined he would receive such unexpected comfort from Cheon Muryang, whom he had always thought of as a scoundrel.
“Are, are you saying you can handle that burden?”
“Yes.”
Cheon Muryang nodded with conviction.
“It is how I repay the kindness you’ve shown in protecting the family all this time.”
“...!”
A shiver ran down Cheon Wigang’s spine.
And he felt a sense of solace for the life he had lived.
“…”
“I will take that as your permission.”
Cheon Wigang turned his back completely.
His back, which had always seemed so broad, looked frail today.
“I will take my leave.”
Cheon Muryang bowed his head.
Then, his eyes met Cheon Seonhak’s.
[Thank. You.]
He didn't use a telepathic message.
He mouthed the words of gratitude.
Cheon Muryang quietly left the room.
“That child has grown so much, brother.”
“…”
“He will do well. Hasn’t he proven it so far?”
Cheon Seonhak consoled Cheon Wigang.
The crack in the iron wall shattered completely that day.
“It is a good night for a drink.”
“I will prepare it.”
That night, the two brothers drank until they were completely plastered.
* * *
Stepping outside, Cheon Muryang wore a small smile.
“With this, my debt to the Family Head is repaid.”
A debt from his past life.
He wanted to repay Cheon Wigang, who had taken him in when he was an orphan with nowhere to go, in this small way.
“To set the family right.”
That was the task ahead of him.
He would correct not only his own mistakes but also Cheon Wigang’s.
“That is the way to change the destined future.”
The destined future was now a future that would never come to pass.
With a new resolve, Cheon Muryang thought of a link to meet them.
“Geumsan. I need to meet him.”
He, too, was a man whose loyalty had been betrayed by the Cheon Family.
The reason he hadn't left Hangzhou was likely because he was either one of the Anti-Cheon rebels or, at the very least, knew their identity.
“He must be waiting for my call as well.”
Cheon Muryang had already proven to him that he had changed.
Geumsan must already know that the Master of the Golden Pavilion and the Head of the Inspection Corps had been taken down.
“I look forward to seeing how he reacts.”
Cheon Muryang headed to the training ground to find Neung Ryeoun.
“There you are.”
“My lord, you were looking for me?”
“Yes. I need you to find someone for me.”
“Please give your order.”
“His name is Geumsan. He was once part of the Cheon Family’s Golden Pavilion. He should be in Hangzhou, so he won’t be too difficult to find.”
“Yes.”
“Tell him that I wish to see him.”
“Is that all?”
“Yes.”
“Understood.”
Neung Ryeoun nodded and immediately left the training ground.
“Now, then… I suppose I should train until Neung Ryeoun returns.”
His body, having undergone a metamorphosis, was incomparably more developed than before, but he could feel that the balance he had previously achieved was now broken.
“From the beginning again…”
And so, the knuckles of his hand when gripping the sword.
The angle and direction of his steps.
And the distribution of his power.
Cheon Muryang’s training to achieve optimization once more was repeated.
*Fwoosh!*
The Heavenly Light Sword, which always soared toward the sky, simply fell back toward the earth, as it always did.
Two days passed like that.
Neung Ryeoun came to find Cheon Muryang at the training ground.
“My lord.”
“Did you bring him?”
“Yes. I have brought him.”
“Good. Bring him to the Inspection Corps office.”
“Yes.”
Cheon Muryang went to the Inspection Corps office.
Just as he had prepared some simple refreshments.
Geumsan entered.
“It has been a while, Great Young Lord.”
“Indeed. Please, have a seat.”
“I suppose I should call you Head of the Inspection Corps now.”
“Call me whatever is convenient for you.”
“Yes, I will. But, why have you summoned me?”
Cheon Muryang spoke with an indifferent expression.
“Anti-Cheon.”
At the casually tossed-out words, Geumsan’s expression turned cold as ice.