Chapter 21
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Kids' Fight (2)
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"I'm going to kill that bastard right now!"
Seeing his wife throwing a fit, Baek Yucheon let out a sigh. His son had gotten hurt, but it was from a sparring match.
He'd heard the full story from Yuhwa and Yugyeong. Cheon-un was mostly at fault. Even if he was born into a merchant family, as a martial artist who had learned the arts, he shouldn't have attacked from behind.
'And Gal Hyo-myeong has reached the first-rate level.'
Baek Yucheon had seen Gal Hyo-myeong's skills before. His wife had praised his swordsmanship quite highly. There was no doubt he was a first-rate swordsman. And yet, he'd been taken down without even getting a chance to react.
'It was a mess.'
That raised some questions.
Gal Hyo-myeong hadn't even resisted or drawn his sword before his legs were grabbed and slammed into the ground, leaving holes everywhere. It wasn't a duel between martial artists—it was like he'd been tossed around by street thugs.
Even so, that didn't mean Gal Hyo-myeong wasn't first-rate. He definitely was. And yet, his brother-in-law had beaten him one-sidedly.
Even accounting for bad matchup or carelessness, could a first-rate martial artist really get handled that pathetically? That part nagged at him. It implied at least first-rate... maybe super-first-rate or peak expert?
'Then why?'
If the Pine Tiger Sect were a major sect, it might make sense, but they were just a minor, unremarkable outfit in Cheongyang. For someone that young to be a peak expert, yet yield the vice sect leader position to his younger brother? It didn't add up logically.
'Must've been carelessness.'
If the Pine Tiger Sect's infamous playboy had suddenly become a peak expert overnight, no one would believe it. It'd be a freak occurrence.
'That's one thing.'
Baek Yucheon glanced down at the box on the table. It was top-grade White Tiger Silver Needles. No better gift existed.
And yet, it left a sour taste.
Father: millennium ginseng.
Mother: night-luminescent pearl.
Little sisters: treasured swords.
Himself: White Tiger Silver Needles.
Anyone could see the favoritism. Complaining about it would just make him look like a petty materialist obsessed with gifts.
So it pissed him off immensely.
He suspected it was all deliberate. But it was hard to pin it on the playboy. Maybe his clever little brother had manipulated him from behind the scenes.
That seemed the most plausible.
'Pretending to back off while sharpening your knife!'
It felt like revenge from the brother who'd abandoned everything and left. Maybe even yielding the vice sect leader spot was to target the Baemun Merchant Group? Coming in as a son-in-law made it fit. Millennium ginseng, night-luminescent pearl, treasured swords... if that was to win favor, mission accomplished.
Huuu!
A deep sigh snapped him from his thoughts.
Lee Young had calmed her anger and regained her composure. She was naturally cool-headed, but her children were the exception.
"What do you plan to do? I hate to admit it, but it's Cheon-un's fault."
"I know. Who doesn't? But since he touched my family, I can't let him off easy."
"Gal Hyo-myeong got beaten. It won't be simple."
"Uncle's coming from the family for the Little Dragon Tournament."
Baek Yucheon read his wife's intent.
It wasn't just about her son getting hurt—she wanted to crush their spirit. A warning never to eye the merchant group again. Human hearts were fickle; just hours ago, she'd pitied her brother, but now? Not anymore.
Three days had passed since the spar.
Mujin took his wife and kids to tour the Baemun Merchant Group area. His wife seemed nostalgic revisiting old restaurants and markets.
At the market, Taejin and Mijoo each got what they wanted. True to her candy assassin nickname, Mijoo popped sweets into her mouth nonstop, wrinkling her mother's brow. Too much sugar would rot her teeth later.
Yugyeong and Yuhwa finished their new swordsmanship training and joined. They hitched a cart nearby for a picnic outing.
"Brother-in-law, honestly, I was shocked back then."
"Nothing to be shocked about. As the heir of a martial family, that's baseline."
"Gal Hyo-myeong's first-rate. Isn't that a bit high for baseline?"
"Not all first-rates are equal. When a real deal meets a fake, the truth comes out. He's just been lucky till now."
Yuhwa and Yugyeong had to reevaluate their brother-in-law. Separate from the treasured sword gift. They'd thought he'd make their sister suffer, being the Pine Tiger Sect's notorious playboy.
But no—her face hadn't lost its smile. The proud "how's my husband?" look was a tad annoying. Turns out they were a match made in heaven. Why were they so alike?
"Sis said you cook yourself."
"I do some cooking."
"And housework too."
"Does it matter who does it? Whoever has time. Dividing chores by gender just leads to endless fights and resentment later."
Yuhwa and Yugyeong clicked their tongues.
Most saw housework as trivial, but it wasn't. Most men assumed it was the wife's job. They'd been taught that too. But brother-in-law shattered norms, free-spirited. He treated the kids like friends, no awkwardness.
'Then what was that side of him?'
'With Father too.'
Beating Gal Hyo-myeong senseless and seriously talking with Father showed a whole different face. Overwhelming presence? Primal and intense. They'd seen Father flinch multiple times—unprecedented. Like facing a famed absolute expert.
Thoughts had wandered too far. Absolute expert? Ridiculous comparison.
'Woodcutter or not, who cares.'
'As long as sis is happy. Kinda jealous.'
Yuhwa and Yugyeong dropped it. Everyone lived their way; simple didn't mean lesser. Happiness was success.
"Worried about big bro, though."
"Hope he doesn't misunderstand since I told the truth."
"He's always had an inferiority complex toward sis."
"Can't be helped. Standing next to genius makes you miserable."
Having a brilliant sibling dooms the mediocre one. Humans envy; denying it is a lie. But blood ties demand boundaries—no crossing them.
"Whoa, that's favoritism."
"My wife's a genius, so it's fact, not favoritism."
Mujin boasted about his wife without hesitation. Even to her brother—facts weren't for false humility.
To avoid misunderstandings, he'd told the whole truth about the kids' spar and Gal Hyo-myeong incident in front of father-in-law, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law. Especially nailing that his wife had no interest in the merchant group. No suspicions there.
"No need to spell it out."
"Gotta. Misunderstandings pile up over time. Your genius will shine; comparisons inevitable. For an average guy like brother-in-law, it'd breed self-loathing."
"Bro won't misunderstand that bad."
"Different from the Guo Family Manor, right?"
Mujin's blunt question shut Yuhwa and Yugyeong up. Never expected him to ask so directly.
Normally, you'd skirt awkward family issues. But brother-in-law had zero qualms.
Bold? Fearless? Hard to pin. Yet his natural confidence swayed them unconsciously.
"You know about the Guo Family Manor?"
"Roughly."
Why bother with such a piddling sect? But politeness warranted it. Truthfully, to Mujin, the Guo Family Manor was dust in the wind. You don't count every speck.
-Treating people like dust but don't get mad? What bullshit logic is that.
'Don't wanna get hit? Then don't rage at being treated like shit.'
-Fair point.
'I don't say wrong things.'
-Shitty sects are too filthy to step on.
'Why always shit analogies? Talk like a Demon King!'
-And you?
'Whatever.'
The Demon King and War King, who'd claimed total difference, unusually agreed. But their views were worlds apart from normal. Absolute powerhouses' biases at play—that's the level gap.
'Demonic Cult of the Demon God would be a fight.'
-Not there yet.
'Defending your old sect?'
-Watch your mouth. Some words work, some don't!
'Why aren't they moving?'
-Don't change subject. Don't fake searching without looking. Folks'll think you're trying.
'They'll come anyway. Why hunt?'
Mujin deliberately raised the touchy issue to spare his wife future trouble. Better once than festering forever. Handling starts right; botch the end, and it's a powder keg.
-Will it blow over smoothly?
'Merchants differ from warriors. Warriors learn their place only after being crushed. Till then, no clue—even resurrected.'
-True.
'If they come, I'll teach 'em.'
-Not hiding it, huh.
'Never said I was.'
Low profile's easy talk, not easy walk. Mujin worked to fix past sins, but knew murim ties were inescapable.
'Sword life means grudges. Solo peace? Nah. Better hide in mountains then.'
Mujin's hunch was spot on.
Back from picnic, a message arrived. Family matter, so they met in the Baemun Merchant Group's spacious courtyard. Father-in-law, brother-in-law, and sister-in-law were already there.
But the point was the hulking man before him. Sharp eyes, solid build straining his martial robes.
"Guo Cheolwoong."
"Kang Mujin."
Guo Cheolwoong was Guo Family Manor lord Jincheon Sword Guo Cheol-yong's brother, nicknamed Thunder Force Sword. A famed swordmaster of the manor.
His Lightning Sword attainment dwarfed Gal Hyo-myeong's. Adult vs. child analogy fit.
Kang Mujin just shrugged. To a titled king, Thunder Force Sword was meh. Insects chased fame often.
Twitch!
As expected, the lukewarm reaction furrowed Guo Cheolwoong's brow. He'd probed for reaction—no dice. Ignorance of the jianghu excused it.
Mujin cut to chase. His time wasn't for trash.
"Sparring?"
"Yes."
"Let's go."
"No reason asked?"
"Obvious. Save breath. Warriors fight with arts, not words."
"Refreshing. But unlucky."
Mujin and Guo Cheolwoong dove straight in. No preamble. Obvious stakes—arguing just hurt feelings. Better a clean brawl.
"I'll give you 3 seconds."
"Thanks."
Mujin, no concessions type, assumed stance and charged. As vanguard leader, he unleashed Forward Army Step— not just breaking momentum, but shattering enemy lines.
Pang!
Tore through air.
"...What?"
Two zhang distance nullified instantly. Stunned by impossible speed, Guo Cheolwoong swung wildly.
Too slow—Mujin was faster.
He unleashed Superhuman Flying Fist, his War King favorite for cocky fools. Flashy, not practical—speedy but big trajectory. Exploitable if alert, but dazed? Done.
Thwack!
Solar plexus hit bent Guo Cheolwoong double. Tough body and qi couldn't withstand the fist wind.
Gahk!
Mujin knee-struck the perfectly positioned face.
Crack!