Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 12
>Chapter Title: Clan Head (2)
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Mok Yu-cheon approached with quick steps, as if he had something to say.
But once he got close, he couldn’t immediately speak because the two inner hall warriors who had come to fetch Mok Kyung-un were right there.
Mok Kyung-un took the initiative, smiling faintly.
“Long time no see. Four days.”
“Cut the chit-chat. You...”
“You?”
Mok Yu-cheon mumbled, unable to continue.
What was this about?
While Mok Kyung-un puzzled over it, Mok Yu-cheon nodded toward the main hall, signaling they should go there first.
So they headed toward the main hall.
The inner hall warriors took the hint and walked ahead, allowing Mok Yu-cheon to speak in a quiet voice.
“You... did you try practicing that thing by any chance?”
“That thing?”
“Keep it down.”
Mok Yu-cheon scolded him softly.
Mok Kyung-un chuckled lightly and whispered back.
“What thing?”
“Are you seriously asking because you don’t know?”
“Ah! You mean the Timber Trans...”
“Shh.”
Mok Yu-cheon cut him off.
Glancing at the inner hall warriors ahead, he whispered even softer.
“Don’t mention it directly. Just answer the question.”
What Mok Yu-cheon was asking about was none other than the Clan Head’s exclusive manual, the Timber Transforming Heart Method.
In fact, Mok Kyung-un had immediately understood from seeing Mok Yu-cheon’s face, which had turned a deep reddish-black compared to four days ago.
But he pretended not to know.
-He’s managed not to fall into qi deviation yet. Impressive. Whew.
Cheong-ryeong, beside him, remarked while puffing out smoke.
She too knew that Mok Yu-cheon had practiced the flawed heart method.
There was no way there wouldn’t be side effects when Mok Kyung-un had deliberately not given him the proper method and arbitrarily altered parts of the incantation.
“Any problems?”
Though it was intentional, Mok Kyung-un spoke as if he knew nothing.
Mok Yu-cheon’s brow furrowed fiercely.
“You’re saying that even after looking at my face...”
His voice started to rise, but he glanced ahead and cut himself off.
He was trying to calm his anger.
Finally composing himself, Mok Yu-cheon said quietly.
“Did you? Or didn’t you? Just say that much.”
Mok Kyung-un answered nonchalantly.
“If it were you, would you say you hadn’t practiced it?”
At those words, Mok Yu-cheon narrowed his eyes and stared intently at Mok Kyung-un.
‘...Right. There’s no way you didn’t.’
Even if he claimed not to covet the Clan Head position, it was an advanced martial arts manual.
Any martial artist would be curious.
‘But why are you fine?’
For four days, Mok Yu-cheon had practiced the Timber Transforming Heart Method’s circulation technique with overflowing enthusiasm.
But the more he did, the more he felt his internal energy warping strangely.
On the first day, he dismissed it as natural for an advanced heart method, but after four days, with his skin turning reddish-black, something felt off.
‘...Did he trick me?’
The changes in his body wouldn’t let him shake off the doubt easily.
Mok Kyung-un had recited the incantation nine times verbatim on the spot at his request, so it was hard to accuse him of giving a fake.
‘If this guy gave me the real one, then the problem is with me.’
That was hard to accept in its own way.
He, who had reached the peak realm, was struggling with the heart method, while this guy showed no such side effects.
That meant he might have misunderstood or practiced the incantation wrong.
-Grip!
Mok Yu-cheon clenched his fist.
No, that couldn’t be.
This talentless third-rate guy couldn’t possibly understand advanced martial arts better than him, the genius.
He didn’t know what the issue was, but he would overcome it.
That was when Mok Kyung-un spoke to him.
“I don’t know what the problem is, but since the Clan Head has awakened anyway, doesn’t that change things?”
At those words, the corner of Mok Yu-cheon’s mouth twitched up slightly.
And rightly so—the Clan Head’s awakening was heavenly luck for him.
He had begun practicing the Clan Head’s exclusive martial art through their deal, but many retainers still distrusted him as the concubine’s son.
He had been quite anxious.
But now that the Clan Head, who cherished him, had awakened, the succession dynamics had shifted in his favor again.
‘Heaven is on my side.’
The fact that he called for his sons right after waking might even be related.
To firmly decide on a successor, perhaps.
Seeing Mok Yu-cheon filled with such anticipation, Mok Kyung-un chuckled and looked away as if uninterested.
-Hoo.
At that moment, Cheong-ryeong gazed somewhere with interest.
Mok Kyung-un glanced at her curiously.
She said,
-They’ve come inside.
‘Inside?’
-Quite bold. To step into my auditory domain without fear.
‘Ah, I see.’
Nodding in understanding at her words, Mok Kyung-un realized what he’d been waiting for had arrived.
He had guessed that Sorcerer Sak’s associates would come soon.
-I’ll greet them first.
-Swish!
With that, Cheong-ryeong, her red eyes gleaming, vanished beyond the wall by the roadside.
* * *
In front of the main hall.
Another Mok family blood relative had arrived first.
It was the eldest young master, Mok Young-ho.
He had circulated his internal energy to alleviate his hangover somewhat, but he still reeked of alcohol, so Great Madam Seok’s expression wasn’t pleasant.
His debauchery wasn’t new, so she was somewhat accustomed despite her inner turmoil.
But not today.
‘Of all times.’
She was already racking her brains over the variable named Mok Kyung-un.
However, that variable could be resolved by dealing with Mok Kyung-un or taking the Clan Head’s exclusive manual from him, so she had been pondering other measures.
Yet the Clan Head, whom she assumed had breathed his last, had awakened.
Rather than joy at her husband’s recovery, she was gripped by anxiety.
‘...No way?’
Why call for the sons right after waking?
No matter how she thought about it, only one idea came to mind.
‘Successor.’
Having barely awakened from a long coma, the Clan Head might be deciding a successor to prepare for any eventuality.
If her guess was right, it was a disaster.
Everyone knew the Clan Head doted on the youngest, Mok Yu-cheon.
And if Young-ho entered in this state amid all that...
-Grind!
Even though he was her son, she truly resented him at times like this.
Just two years ago, he wasn’t a genius but was praised as clever and capable, yet suddenly he fell into wine and women.
It was all because of that brat Mok Yu-cheon.
But now wasn’t the time to hate or resent him.
“Young-ho.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“No matter what, don’t say anything unnecessary in front of the Clan Head. I’ll handle everything, so you just stay quiet.”
There was no benefit to him opening his mouth while stinking of alcohol.
It was a gathering of sons only, but she assumed they wouldn’t block her, the wife, from entering.
If he tried to confirm the successor right away, she had to block it somehow.
Just then, she saw Second Madam Jang and the Mok family’s second son, Mok Eun-pyeong, approaching from the left wing entrance.
‘Hmph.’
She disliked them too.
Second Madam Jang, from the Hoebuk Jang family, acted all polite, calling her “elder sister” to her face, but behind her back, she pulled every trick to put her son on the Clan Head seat, even winning over retainers.
‘Disgusting woman.’
Mok Eun-pyeong was the same.
Like mother, like son—the thief coveting the position of the firstborn, Mok Young-ho.
She wasn’t sure what the Clan Head would say today, but things wouldn’t go their way.
She would block it somehow.
As she mulled over this, the Mok family’s young masters finally arrived from the south wing entrance.
The third, Mok Kyung-un, and the youngest, Mok Yu-cheon.
Seeing this, Inner Hall Leader Jang Myeong-in ascended the veranda and announced at the sliding door.
“All the young masters have gathered.”
* * *
The four half-brothers of the Mok family stood side by side.
From the left: eldest young master Mok Young-ho, second Mok Eun-pyeong, third Mok Kyung-un, and youngest Mok Yu-cheon.
Only these four entered the Clan Head’s room.
Great Madam Seok and Second Madam Jang had stubbornly tried to enter as well, but the Clan Head’s firm refusal stopped them.
They paced anxiously outside.
‘Hm?’
Mok Kyung-un inwardly found it odd.
The reason was his brothers’ reactions.
He had expected them to rejoice and welcome their father, the Clan Head, who had returned from the brink of death.
But surprisingly, they all looked tense.
Even Mok Yu-cheon, who was supposedly so favored, was the same.
The atmosphere was quite heavy as a result.
‘...So that’s why.’
Now he understood.
Why they had been so interested in the Clan Head’s life while he lay ill.
It seemed they were watching the Clan Head’s mood.
How strict must he be to make them this tense?
Mok Kyung-un subtly glanced at the Clan Head, who was half-reclining on the bed.
Even after being struck by murderous intent and losing consciousness for so long, his eyes burned with fierce life.
‘This man is the strongest in Timber Sword Manor, right?’
That was written on the real Mok Kyung-un’s information sheet.
Clan Head Mok In-dan.
The strongest in Timber Sword Manor and one of the top ten sword experts across all of An-hui Province.
He remembered asking the late Gam Escort about it out of curiosity.
[Top ten in a whole province—what level is that?]
[Do you think it’s easy to be counted among the top ten sword experts in an entire province?]
Gam Escort had said Clan Head Mok In-dan was a super peak realm martial artist.
At the time, he hadn’t fully grasped how impressive that was.
But after experiencing the youngest Mok Yu-cheon’s skill at the early peak realm, he could now somewhat imagine the strength of someone at that level.
Yet that raised one question.
‘How did he get hit by murderous intent?’
A super peak expert handled qi as naturally as breathing, it was said.
He couldn’t understand how someone so formidable fell to something like a curse of murderous intent.
It puzzled him even more since he was studying curse arts.
Just then, Mok Kyung-un’s eyes met Clan Head Mok In-dan’s.
Like his brothers, he considered averting his gaze but didn’t.
Father and son—there was no need, no matter how strict.
“...”
At this, a glint appeared in Mok In-dan’s eyes.
The reason was simple.
Since his mother’s death, this boy had never properly met his gaze, yet now he didn’t look away.
But his curiosity ended there.
Mok In-dan spoke.
“Do you know why I called you all here?”
“...”
Everyone fell silent at the question.
Of course, they all suspected one thing.
‘Successor.’
But none could voice it outright.
They had to avoid seeming too eager.
Yet someone broke the silence.
“You called us all right after rising from your long illness—perhaps to discuss the successor?”
Everyone glanced in slight surprise at the speaker.
It was Mok Kyung-un.
‘You?’
‘Outright?’
They subtly checked Clan Head Mok In-dan’s expression.
To see if he was offended.
But unexpectedly, Mok In-dan showed no displeasure.
On the contrary,
“Yes. To decide the successor.”
He acknowledged it readily.
Tension rippled through them all.
Before awakening, the Clan Head had never mentioned a successor himself.
This was the first time.
‘Deciding it right here?’
‘No way he gathered us all to pass it to that brat Mok Yu-cheon?’
‘Is Father giving me a chance?’
Their thoughts grew complicated.
Mok Kyung-un, however, had no attachment to the position and planned only to go along with the mood.
He seemed the most relaxed of all.
This reaction struck the Clan Head as unexpected.
‘No expectations? Or has he changed?’
His markedly different response piqued his interest.
He had already heard recent events from the Inner Hall Leader.
[That child Mok Kyung-un saved me?]
[Yes. At first, I could hardly believe it, but the third young master stopped the sorcerer possessed by the anomaly who tried to harm you.]
Quite surprising.
He might have believed it if it were the youngest, Mok Yu-cheon.
But this child—the most timid and talentless one he had written off—saved him?
[But that’s just the third young master’s claim. The truth is...]
“Enough. That’s sufficient.”
“Yes?”
“Call all the young masters.”
“The young masters?”
“Yes.”
Less than half a shichen after awakening, the Clan Head had summoned all the young masters.
For the first time, he thought:
The time left to me may not be long.
Lying ill for so long had depleted much of his vital energy, and this incident nearly ended him forever.
Had it happened, Timber Sword Manor would have devolved into war among his sons.
He could see that future clearly without experiencing it.
So he made his decision.
“I will test you all to determine who is qualified to succeed me.”
‘!!!!!’
With those words, the Clan Head subtly glanced at Mok Kyung-un.
‘I’ll give you a sliver of a chance as well.’
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