Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Heavenly Hand Three Treasures
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Long ago, a young martial artist wandering the Jianghu in pursuit of training chanced upon an old eccentric while traversing a mountain path.
The old eccentric took a liking to the young man and passed on his martial arts before vanishing. It was said that he was the reincarnation of Sakra, the king of the gods.
The young martial artist honed the techniques he had inherited, founded the Heavenly Hand Sect, and renamed himself the Rabu Immortal. He was the sect's founder.
The founder took only one disciple, because the arts he transmitted were far too profound.
Having multiple disciples would lead to strife, bringing catastrophe upon the martial world of the Jianghu.
The founder even forbade his disciple from establishing a sect or family in the Jianghu.
An unrighteous disciple would use the sect's profound arts to dominate others, so this was to prevent such a thing.
But human greed knows no bounds. Fearing a disciple might violate his will, he placed restrictions in advance.
They were conditional permission: gather all three Heavenly Hand Treasures, and you may establish a sect or family in the Jianghu.
Even after that, the Heavenly Hand Sect strictly upheld single-lineage succession, taking only one disciple at a time and sacrificing from the shadows for the peace of the Jianghu.
"It might not have been the Heavenly Hand Three Treasures to begin with, Father."
Ha ha...
"You might be right. The second-generation successor, the third-generation, and even Master himself scoured every inch around the Murim Alliance... yet found nothing."
The founder had left word that he hid the final treasure at the Murim Alliance.
The second-, third-, and fourth-generation successors spent their lives wandering in search of the last treasure. Han Gwang Ri, the fifth-generation successor of the Heavenly Hand Sect, settled here because he hated that life.
His son cautiously voiced his thoughts.
"Father, it might be best to tell Se Yeong that the Heavenly Hand Three Treasures never existed in the first place."
"Still, I want to give Se Yeong a chance."
"If you send him into the Jianghu, he'll commit every kind of atrocity to find the last treasure. Let me go this time instead."
At this, Han Gwang Ri's face darkened with displeasure.
This boy's temperament was just like his father-in-law's.
His father-in-law had been mild-mannered too, trying to resolve everything through talk, and ended up poisoned without even realizing the deputy cult leader was plotting rebellion.
Tsk tsk...
"How can you, as a father, fail to grasp your own son's nature? It's true Se Yeong's temperament is fierce and resolute, but he acts according to reason and righteousness—far better than you."
When his father clicked his tongue, the son bowed his head deeply.
He still didn't want to yield his position, but this time, he felt he should heed his father's words.
"I will follow your will, Father."
As the hour of the ghost drew near, his eyes snapped open of their own accord, and his body stirred.
Se Yeong rose, dressed, and stepped out of his room.
The fresh dawn air seeped into his entire body the moment he emerged.
Hoo...
Se Yeong took a deep breath as he walked across the front courtyard.
He had started waking at this hour around age three, and back then, he truly hated these dim predawn moments.
But as he grew older, he came to love the silence with no one around.
Se Yeong made his way to the flat rock in one corner of the courtyard, sat facing the direction of the rising sun, and assumed the meditative posture.
Pure demonic qi was thickest just before dawn.
Se Yeong closed his eyes.
Suuu...
A moment later, the murky dawn air grew heavier bit by bit, until a darkness thick enough to blanket the predawn sky came rushing in.
The darkness, far denser than the underworld, enveloped Se Yeong's entire body and swirled around him.
Hoo...
The darkness swirling over his body endlessly seeped inside him.
As the deep gloom faded, his eyes—now devoid of any whites—shimmered with black radiance.
The black glow vanished in an instant, and pure vitality began to infuse his clear pupils.
Se Yeong closed his eyes again.
Suuu...
This time, clear vital energy enveloped his body and swirled around him.
At that moment, the eastern sky brightened, and the sun began to rise.
"You've read books, so you know what the Analects mean by 'the gentleman strives with no one'."
"Yes."
Kneeling before his father, Se Yeong gave a curt reply.
"The gentleman strives with no one" meant that a gentleman should resolve matters peacefully through dialogue, without quarreling with anyone.
"Even the most vicious murderer can become a sage through true repentance, and even a sage can turn villain if wicked thoughts take root. Keep that in mind. The ancient sages said..."
Se Yeong listened silently to his father's endless stream of words without a single retort.
Father and son had temperaments that differed far too much.
Se Yeong had once asked him this:
"May I ask why you practice martial arts?"
His father had answered:
"I practice martial arts first to protect my family, and second to guide evil toward righteousness."
Se Yeong had been fourteen then.
"Endure three times before drawing your sword, and even after drawing it, show mercy in your hand—spare their life if you can."
Se Yeong waited for his father to finish.
"Do you understand?"
"Yes."
Judging his father's words at an end, Se Yeong rose quickly.
"My words aren't finished yet."
Se Yeong had no choice but to sit back down.
"Speak, Father."
"I'm still not thrilled about you going to the Murim Alliance. If things don't go as planned, come back anytime."
"Understood."
But Se Yeong accepted his father's words readily.
Any other response would drag out the lecture for half a day.
The moment he left the room, Grandfather dragged him into his own.
"Show no mercy when facing the vicious."
"Don't worry too much, Grandfather. I've got four or five trips' worth of Jianghu experience."
Grandfather smiled faintly at Se Yeong's reply.
"This old man hates the Murim Alliance folk enough to find them irritating, but some are decent, so I can't bring myself to hate them like enemies."
"Was the Infinite Sword Immortal one of those decent Jianghu folk?"
"The Sword Immortal was a man of integrity. That's why I lent him my sword."
Grandfather met the Infinite Sword Immortal once a year.
Of course, it was to collect on a debt, but he always seemed in high spirits that day.
"Be wary of the Five Absolutes of the Martial World once you're out there. Especially Alliance Leader Namgung Je—he's the strongest among them. Avoid fighting him unless you must."
Se Yeong had heard rumors of the Five Absolutes during his trips to the Jianghu.
They were the absolute rulers dominating the current Jianghu.
"What about the White Master of the unorthodox sects?"
The White Master was said to be the supreme master of the unorthodox paths, an unparalleled expert.
"The unorthodox sects maintain their legacy thanks to him, I suppose. But he shows no interest in Jianghu affairs, so I couldn't say what kind of man he is."
Gazing at Se Yeong with gentle eyes, Grandfather continued.
"Retrieving the Heavenly Demon Sword won't be easy. But since your grandmother wants it so badly, you must bring it back. And find the three treasures to establish our family in the Jianghu. I once searched the Murim Alliance for months to break our sect's chains, but found nothing bearing the founder's inscription."
"Understood, Grandfather. I'll definitely retrieve the Heavenly Demon Sword and the treasures. I need to prepare for departure, so if there's nothing more, may I go?"
But Grandfather apparently wasn't done.
"Se Yeong, even if the Alliance Leader's actions irk you, don't make an enemy of the Murim Alliance. If their power weakens, our family will waste strength on needless fights. The Demonic Cult's silence for thirty years feels suspicious."
Se Yeong understood immediately.
"Don't worry, Grandfather."
Se Yeong hurried with his preparations to set out.
His gear amounted to a bundle tied around his waist, a single sword, and a five-chi iron rod.
After packing the bundle, Se Yeong strapped the sword from the wall to his waist.
This sword had originally belonged to Grandmother, but Grandfather had used it, then Father, and now it was his.
He opened the door to find a youthful, lovely woman standing there with a pouty face.
"Brother, how long until you come back?"
Se Yeong smiled and replied.
"I have to break our sect's chains, retrieve Grandmother's sword, and collect on that debt, so I won't be back soon."
"Debt? What debt?"
"Ten years of back payments—five million taels."
Puzzlement crossed his pouty younger sister's face.
"Why has the debt more than doubled?"
Se Yeong replied matter-of-factly.
"Since I'm handling it myself, I have to claim labor fees."
"Three million taels extra in labor fees?"
Ha ha ha...
Laughter burst from Se Yeong's mouth.
His sister's round eyes were utterly adorable.
"That's lowballing it. I'll be off."
"Can't someone else go?"
Suddenly, his younger sister clung to his arm.
She seemed reluctant to part with her brother.
"It's Grandfather and Grandmother's business, so as their grandson, I have to wrap it up. I'll go and come back quick, so play nicely."
Hiiing...
"Brother, no!"
Her face crumpling, his younger sister shook off his arm and vanished like the wind.
"Where'd it go?"
Se Yeong looked around for the iron rod.
He was sure he'd leaned it against the wall, but it was nowhere to be seen.
As he scanned near the wall, Se Yeong suddenly let out a deep sigh.
Hoo...
A rock he'd never seen before sat near the wall.
'Why not hide it somewhere I can't see...'
It seemed his younger sister was behind this, absurdly placing a rock she'd never used before.
Whish! Thud!
Se Yeong grabbed one side of the rock and heaved; the massive stone flew backward and embedded itself in the ground.
Beneath it, the iron rod was plunged deep into the earth, only its tip barely visible.
Se Yeong extended his hand toward the deeply buried rod.
Wuuung...
The moment he did, the rod buried deep in the ground convulsed and trembled violently.
The shaking rod slid up out of the earth like it was greased.
Clack.
Se Yeong caught the rod as it shot up to head height.
With a sword, he wouldn't be greatly inconvenienced without the rod.
But since he always carried it, its absence left him feeling oddly empty.
With the iron rod in hand, Se Yeong stepped out of the house.
By the time he reached the village entrance, over forty clansmen and villagers had gathered.
"Travel safely and stay well."
Grandfather offered the farewell first.
"I'll be off."
Se Yeong bowed to Grandfather and Grandmother.
"Take care of yourself."
"Yes. Don't worry."
Mother had come out, heavy with child, alongside Father.
"Come back soon. Got it?"
"Yes, Mother."
Se Yeong bowed and glanced at his mother's bulging belly.
'Next time, I might see a walking little sibling.'
Father still seemed displeased about Se Yeong heading into the Jianghu.
"Don't harm people recklessly, and forgive even villains once."
"Understood, Father."
With farewells done, Se Yeong turned and walked the dirt path.
Grandfather, following him partway, offered cautious advice.
"Beware those who approach smiling. Don't reveal all your skills, and if trouble lingers, cut them down without mercy. Especially the demon sword—never draw it unless crisis strikes. Understand my meaning?"
"Yes, Grandfather."
"To enter the Murim Alliance, you'll need a letter of recommendation. Go to the Healing Forest. Say you're collecting on a thirty-two-year-old debt, and they'll write one for you."