Chapter 10
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: A Different Breed of Man
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Chapter 10. A Different Breed of Man than Asura Corps Commander Hwang Cheonho.
His commanding presence and domineering figure, striking through battlefields with tens of thousands of troops, are still vivid in my mind.
And today, I felt it once more.
If Hwang Cheonho was a storm in the middle of a desert, ready to swallow everything.
An Baek was a storm over the vast, open sea, accompanied by thunder and lightning.
With an imperfect body and incomplete internal energy, it was difficult to face An Baek and the myriad auras behind him.
I am.
Despite it all, I did not lose my strength to his momentum.
Of course, it was immense, a formidable power difficult to confront.
But was I not also a demon of the battlefield, returned alive from hundreds of battles?
If my spirit could be broken by something like this, I would have given up everything and turned to dust long ago.
I am!
Just as I was about to speak.
Fwoosh.
The pressure crushing my entire body vanished in an instant.
Half a year.
My uncle's gaze fell upon me.
You have half a year. It seems too soon to hear your answer today. Make me acknowledge you within half a year. If you fail, I will not only retract my declaration of guardianship, but you will also never hear the answer to the question you just asked.
With those words, An Baek turned and walked away.
Watching his retreating back, I flopped down onto the training ground.
The outcome of my encounter and confrontation with An Baek was practically nil.
It only made me realize I had returned to reality.
I stared up at the spinning sky.
The stench of blood from the battlefield still lingered, yet the world I faced was different.
I must set right a family falling into ruin.
Take care of Namgung Byeok and Lady Baek.
And I must also fulfill my duty for the sake of Namgung Ban from my past life, my elder brother, who departed too soon.
This is that world.
It's difficult.
But what can I do?
I must simply do what needs to be done.
Otherwise, only regret will remain once more.
A speck of dust, and then another.
One might ask what difference it makes to combine them.
But my mindset during the spar with Black Tiger was by no means impure.
Perhaps because of that, the size of my dantian had grown, albeit slightly, and the amount of my internal energy had increased significantly to match.
Nevertheless, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment.
I had executed the Ten Forms of the Iron Sword.
Was it even ten percent?
I couldn't even utilize one-tenth of it properly.
I realized once again that the Ten Forms of the Iron Sword was an art that shone on the battlefield.
The crude Ten Forms of the Iron Sword I had painstakingly developed just to survive when I first entered the battlefield.
That was the level at which I had used it.
A sword form that failed in distance control, lacked conciseness, and completely missed any practical advantage.
It was a pathetic swordsmanship I could not forgive myself for.
After shedding my pudgy flesh, I focused on seriously gripping a wooden sword and swinging it.
I had finally received my uncle's official acknowledgment and his permission to cultivate my swordsmanship on my own.
With every swing of the sword, idle thoughts flew away.
After performing all Ten Forms of the Iron Sword, from the first to the last, my back would be drenched in a cold sweat.
In addition to my accelerated sword training, I forwent sleep to build up the twisted energy of the Great Expansion Art.
Of course, whenever I did, my uncle would ask with an expression of utter frustration.
Why do you insist on practicing the broken Great Expansion Art?
This is my homework, my reason for living.
Then I will not stop you from practicing it. But it will not be easy to climb higher with it.
The broken Great Expansion Art. To my uncle, it could only be seen as a worthless, low-grade cultivation method.
When my uncle asked why I kept practicing the Great Expansion Art, which twisted my ki and blood to prevent progress to the middle dantian, I just shook my head.
I know why you say that, Uncle. You've already told me where the problem lies. So don't worry. I will not only fix it, but when the time comes, I'll grab you by the collar and demand you teach me an internal cultivation method.
It is a twisted fate carried over from my past life. A part that needed to be corrected. A problem to be solved soon.
In any case, after dispelling An Baek's worries, I ran during the day and practiced my swordsmanship at night.
Before sleeping, I practiced the Great Expansion Art.
As my relentless training gained momentum, it became a common occurrence for Namgung Byeok to visit with a wooden sword, trying to imitate me, only to be scolded by Lady Baek and sent back.
Whenever I had free time, I tried to shed my reputation as a complete scoundrel, but aside from my nanny and the maids, it only seemed to increase others' wariness.
What can I do? It's all my karma.
With that thought, another month passed like interlocking gears, and then three months went by.
The time when not a single drop of sweat would easily form no matter how much I ran, thanks to the rising cold energy, passed, and the gentle aura of spring arrived.
I turned fifteen.
And in that year, I came to another realization.
The Great Expansion Art, which had taken me decades to achieve in my past life, I had now perfected in just over a year.
The twisted Great Expansion Art, at that.
What brings you here?
Training alone has become meaningless.
At those words, my uncle's gaze turned sharp. Lest he misunderstand, I spoke first.
Don't misunderstand. I'm not saying this out of overconfidence or arrogance.
My quick explanation seemed to work, as my uncle looked at me with a softened gaze and asked.
Then speak.
Didn't you say it, Uncle? Why I keep risking my life over the broken Great Expansion Art.
I did.
It needs to be set right, doesn't it? The sickness probably started from there.
What are you talking about?
I shrugged. Then, I spoke softly. It was a decision made after long deliberation.
I will participate in the annual Sword Family Branch Assembly of the Namgung family.
The Sword Family Branch Assembly.
It was one of the representative tournaments of the Namgung family, a large-scale event representing Anhui Province.
The promising young talents residing in Anhui Province could naturally attend and enjoy it, and invitations were also sent to merchant guilds, escort agencies, and dignitaries from various surrounding sects to observe.
The annual Sword Family Branch Assembly was a venue to showcase the power of the Namgung family, the representatives of Anhui, and to demonstrate that the Orthodox Faction of the martial world was still going strong.
You are too young.
It's not a festival exclusively for the promising young talents anyway. What's the big deal about starting two or three years early?
Promising young talents.
As a tournament arranged for young, promising men who had reached the age of maturity, it was meant to show how bright the future of Anhui was.
He intended to participate in a tournament meant for those seventeen or older, a full two years ahead of schedule.
At my words, my uncle's expression was quite a sight to behold.
How grand. And arrogant. What kind of results do you expect to show there?
Just proving that I'm not a complete scoundrel would be a pretty good result, don't you think?
At that, my uncle pressed his lips shut. As I said, my current situation was a total mess.
I had devoted myself to training for nearly a year, but those who viewed it with sincerity were few and far between.
There were quite a few who expressed relief that the absurd antics of the reclusive Great Young Lord from the rumor-filled family had decreased, but conversely, there were also many who watched me with wary eyes.
Isn't he hiding somewhere, doing something illegal?
He might have caused such a huge incident that the Family Head had to cover it up.
I've heard he's been training hard and has changed lately
Have you forgotten how he kicked over his own mother's memorial service table and went on a drunken rampage? That was less than two years ago.
Well, a leopard can't change its spots.
The unfavorable gazes remained. A deeply ingrained dislike is not easily removed.
Instead of cheering on someone trying to live diligently, they must all be so bored.
...That mouth. Shut it.
Hmph.
I shut it.
Participate.
But I have a request.
A request?
Please make all the young lords aged ten and above participate.
The Sword Family Branch Assembly of the Namgung family was limited to family members aged fifteen and older.
This was in consideration of the fact that even if one started wielding a sword early, sparring before one's muscular strength was properly developed could lead to serious injury.
But I ignored that and made my request.
What are you plotting?
To my uncle, who was eyeing me with suspicion, I gave a bright smile.
What plot? Aren't brothers supposed to grow up fighting? I just want to get to know them and get treated like a proper older brother.
I am definitely not trying to repay the debts I incurred in my past life this way.
Absolutely not.
I'm not that petty.
Do you truly intend to have all the young lords participate in the Sword Family Branch Assembly?
I do.
Namgung Mubaek nodded at the First Elder's words. At that, the expressions of the First Elder and the other elders changed.
The young lords' bodies are not yet mature enough to cross swords. Family Head, please delay it a little.
This could be an opportunity for them to blossom.
What will you do if they get injured?
Is that not also a matter of their own capabilities?
The elders looked appalled. How could he say such things about his own children?
I have made my decision, and I will say it again: it will not be reversed.
Ugh.
Hmph!
The young lords in the Sword Family Branch Assembly
And yet, most of the elders exchanged glances rather than genuinely trying to dissuade Namgung Mubaek.
At the countless gazes exchanged in that fleeting moment, Namgung Mubaek spoke softly.
The dog-eat-dog struggle you all love so much. I don't care if you engage in it to your heart's content, but I command you not to let it cross my sight. I am telling you this as the master of the Namgung family, so bear it in mind.
At his words, the elders cleared their throats and turned their heads away.
Why would you say such a thing?
Family Head, we are only thinking of the Namgung family's future
This meeting is adjourned.
Namgung Mubaek waved his hand, clearly dismissing them, and the elders hastily rose from their seats.
Urgency was written all over the faces of those who had just been crying out for the future of the Namgung family.
They all moved in a great hurry, as if something incredibly important had come up.
Watching their retreating backs, Namgung Mubaek let out a sigh with a dry expression.
Why aren't you leaving?
I didn't think you would accept so easily, Family Head.
At the calm voice, Namgung Mubaek appeared nonchalant.
I simply deemed it necessary.
If you think something like this will appease me, you are mistaken.
Of course not.
Is that so? Then that's a relief. I suppose we will meet next at the Sword Family Branch Assembly.
The one who finished speaking and rose from his seat was none other than An Baek.
As Namgung Mubaek watched An Baek, his eyes filled with complex emotions, and at the same time, he felt a throbbing pain from the stab wound on his left cheek.
Do you truly intend to be that child's guardian?
An Baek, who had pulled the doorknob with a creak, paused.