Chapter 11
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Family
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I watched her quietly as she circulated her energy.
Sitting alone with her, a woman who could easily be called the most beautiful under heaven, made my heart pound.
“How foolish. At my age.”
I walked slowly to the window and looked outside.
The sight of people living their busy lives felt strangely new.
This should have been normal, yet it was only now that I was truly seeing them.
I had prided myself on living a life dedicated to protecting the innocent, but perhaps I never truly knew them at all.
Lost in thought, I watched the people, unaware of the time passing.
“What are you doing?”
Hwangbo Yeon came over, leaned her elbows on the windowsill, and looked out.
Her sweet fragrance made me smile faintly.
“How is it?”
“It's good. I thought it was nonsense, but I was wrong.”
“It's a superior martial art. If you train diligently, you'll become a master of the highest caliber.”
“I can practice circulating my energy on my own time. Please teach me the sword art now.”
I nodded lightly, raised my sword, and assumed the opening stance.
Hwangbo Yeon was about to say, 'Start with the oral formula,' but she remembered I had mentioned 'accelerated' training and held her tongue.
I performed the Nine Heavens Profound Sword Art without imbuing it with internal energy.
Though it lacked internal energy, the tip of the sword exuded a sharp aura, and its path was clean and beautiful.
“It's amazing. So clean, without any wasted movements.”
“Can you feel the difference from the Byeok Clan Sword Art? Both are clean, after all.”
Hwangbo Yeon fell into thought.
I deliberately didn't give her the answer, guiding her to think for herself.
No martial art has a single, fixed path.
Even when learning the same art, it will subtly change depending on the person practicing it.
This is because everyone's life experiences and ways of thinking are different, leading to different approaches to martial arts.
“The Byeok Clan Sword Art feels somewhat artificial and constructed, but the Nine Heavens Profound Sword Art is natural. Am I right?”
“There's no single right answer. Now, for the oral formula.”
I slowly imparted the oral formula to her.
After I recited it about five times, she had memorized the oral formula for the Nine Heavens Profound Sword Art.
This showed she was incredibly sharp and had a natural aptitude for martial arts.
“I've memorized it.”
“Shall we try it together then?”
I drew the Ghost Soul Sword.
She watched me perform the opening stance, one move at a time, and copied me.
Although parts of her form were clumsy, I had her repeat the entire sequence from start to finish several times to commit the overall movements to memory.
Afterward, I had her perform the sword art and corrected her posture.
Rather than correcting every detail perfectly from the start, I focused on the larger framework. She absorbed it all as quickly as a sponge soaks up water.
She devoted herself to training until her martial arts uniform was soaked with sweat.
Did she know?
That she looked truly beautiful, dedicated to her swordsmanship in her black uniform.
“Ugh, I can't do any more.”
*Clang.*
She dropped her sword to the floor and collapsed.
I watched quietly as she swept back her sweat-drenched hair and tied it up.
“Brother, do you see me as a woman now?”
Did she feel my gaze?
She gave a bashful smile.
“If Henan's greatest beauty doesn't look like a woman, then the man looking isn't a man at all.”
“Hmph, you're just saying that to be nice, but it feels good to hear. By the way, this sword art is really something. The more I practiced the Byeok Clan Sword Art, the more the forms felt disconnected and broken. But the Nine Heavens Profound Sword Art is perfect. I don't know... I can't quite describe it.”
“Hahaha.”
I laughed cheerfully.
First, because she was so adorable, and second, because her talent recognized the greatness of the Nine Heavens Profound Sword Art.
Without talent in martial arts, one wouldn't get such a good feeling from a superior sword art right from the beginning.
Feeling good while practicing a martial art meant that even if her mind didn't fully comprehend it, her body was accepting it.
If she continued to strive for this good feeling, her martial prowess would reach a new level.
“Oh, dear.”
She looked down at her uniform, soaked with sweat.
The uniform, designed for practicing martial arts, was loose-fitting, so it didn't cling to her body despite how much she had sweat.
Nevertheless, she was captivating.
“I'm not pretty, am I?”
“Not at all. Yeon-mae is always pretty.”
“Hmph, you're lying.”
Hwangbo Yeon smiled faintly and got to her feet.
“Want to stay for a meal?”
“No, I'll come again next time. Keep training hard until then.”
“Thank you.”
After parting with Hwangbo Yeon, I headed straight for the clan estate.
The Ouyang Clan.
When I returned to the estate, a surprising person was waiting for me.
It was my older brother, Guyang Su, who had been away on an escort mission.
He was so tall and handsome that I could see the young Sword Emperor Ouyang Ui in him, and I froze in astonishment.
“Cheon-ah.”
When Guyang Su called my name with a bright smile, I was able to break free from the illusion of the Sword Emperor.
Only then did a smile form on my face as I approached him.
“It's been a while, brother. You must have had a tough time.”
“Tough time? It's all for the sake of the clan. Speaking of which, our Cheon has changed a lot.”
He looked me over and smiled brightly again.
He must have heard the news that I had changed upon his return to the estate.
He might have been skeptical then, but seeing my confident build and bearing, he could feel that I had truly changed.
“Cheon-ah, I heard you caught a wanted criminal with a bounty from the Martial Arts Alliance?”
“I was lucky.”
“Don't do that. I'll earn the money. You just focus on your training and bring honor to our family. You're the Ouyang Clan's only hope.”
I felt a lump in my throat hearing Guyang Su's words.
To outsiders, the Ouyang Clan may have fallen, but internally, they were tightly bound.
Perhaps the Sword Emperor, watching from the afterlife, would be smiling contentedly at this sight.
“You're the one who should focus on training, brother. I heard your progress has stagnated because you've been too busy with escort missions. I gave Father five thousand nyang, so that should last us a few months.”
“What if you get hurt doing something dangerous?”
“Don't worry, I won't be foolish enough to blindly chase a bounty and take on someone too strong.”
“Alright. Shall I see how much our Cheon has improved?”
Guyang Su confidently led me to the training grounds.
Seong Je, who was passing by, approached Guyang Su and offered some advice.
“You must do your best and not yield the first move. It may be presumptuous of me to say, but even if you, Eldest Young Master, use all your strength, it will be difficult to defeat the Second Young Master.”
Guyang Su stared at Seong Je in astonishment, and Seong Je simply nodded slowly.
Even Seong Je, a peak master, had been utterly defeated, despite having yielded the first move.
When Seong Je also recounted the details of his duel with Guyang Cheon, Guyang Su's face brightened instead.
“Cheon-ah, I will learn a thing or two from you.”
The duel with my brother was enjoyable.
His skill was on a similar level to Seong Hwi, but he gave it his all.
And he accepted the result gracefully, praising me.
With the Ouyang Clan not what it used to be, having to go on escort missions for the family could have bruised his pride and made him feel small, but his cheerful demeanor made me feel he was a truly strong person.
“I believe in you. But be careful.”
“Thanks.”
Come to think of it, Guyang Su hadn't married yet.
At 25, he was quite late.
The previous owner of this body had probably been such a hooligan and nearly ruined the clan, that as a result, my brother had to go on escort missions to help the family instead of even thinking about marriage.
Yet, instead of hating me, he encouraged me.
Regardless of age, he was a man worthy of being called an elder brother.
That evening.
I sat with Guyang Su in the pavilion by the pond, drinking.
“Brother, you should get married, shouldn't you?”
“What about you, with that kid... oh, sorry. Are you getting along well with Yeon-mae?”
“Yeah.”
“That's good.”
“Do you have someone you're seeing, brother?”
“I do.”
Considering Guyang Su's handsome looks and bright personality, I guessed there must have been quite a few women who liked him.
“Who is she?”
“You brat. So you really did lose your memory. We even drank together, and you used to call her sister-in-law.”
“Did I? Ah, this is so embarrassing. I'm sorry.”
“It's fine. It's Yeom Mihwa from the Jeongju Inn.”
I was surprised that she wasn't the daughter of a martial arts faction.
There's a saying that like attracts like.
It was common for martial artists to marry other martial artists.
“We've been close since we were kids, and we get along really well. I feel at ease when I'm with her. At first, Father was against it, recommending a daughter from a martial family, but he eventually gave in to my stubbornness. Haha.”
“Congratulations. Let's have the wedding next year. I'll earn a lot of money.”
“Thanks, even if you're just saying it. Yeah, I'll take you up on that. Honestly, it was tough cleaning up the messes you made. Haha. Just kidding, just kidding.”
It must have been truly difficult.
I vowed to myself that I would give him a grand wedding.
“Cheon-ah, after hearing from the Emperor's Sword Guard Commander (Seong Je) and sparring with you myself, I can see your martial skill is exceptional. Instead of hunting wanted criminals on your own, why don't you join the Demon-Dispelling Pavilion?”
“The Demon-Dispelling Pavilion?”
“Yes. If you enter the Demon-Dispelling Pavilion, you officially join the Martial Arts Alliance. If you act alone and they track you down, they'll come for revenge. But if you're part of the Alliance, they won't dare to retaliate so easily. What force would dare challenge the Martial Arts Alliance now? Looking back at history, I doubt the Alliance has ever been as strong as it is today.”
“I never thought you'd recommend the Martial Arts Alliance, brother.”
When I was the Alliance Leader, I killed the Sword Emperor Ouyang Ui and brought about the Ouyang Clan's downfall.
And now Guyang Su was suggesting I join the Martial Arts Alliance?
To be honest, I was already planning to join the Alliance to investigate the suspicions surrounding the Alliance Leader's death.
My only concern was how to persuade my family.
That had been my worry.
“You have to separate public and private matters. From the Ouyang Clan's perspective, he's an object of endless hate, but for the martial world, his very existence was a great blessing. Now that he's gone, who will be the next Alliance Leader? I, for one, don't think anyone who succeeds him will be able to do as good a job.”
“The martial world is full of talented people. Another hero will surely emerge.”
“That's true. If you're thinking of applying to the Demon-Dispelling Pavilion, go to the Martial Arts Alliance's Henan Province Branch. Luckily, it's in Jeongju Prefecture, so it's not far.”
“Do you know much about the Demon-Dispelling Pavilion?”
I felt ashamed asking the question.
I was called the strongest Alliance Leader in history, but in reality, I knew so little about the Alliance itself.
All I knew was that the Demon-Dispelling Pavilion was an organization that hunted public enemies declared by the Martial Arts Alliance.
The official organizations for hunting public enemies were the Demon-Slaying Pavilion and the Demon-Dispelling Pavilion. The Demon-Slaying Pavilion was under the direct command of the Alliance Leader and dealt with large organizations, while the Demon-Dispelling Pavilion handled smaller ones.
“The Demon-Dispelling Pavilion has its own offices in the provincial branches and is always accepting applicants, admitting only those who pass. Since it's dangerous work, many people quit halfway through. They also die or get injured on missions and have to retire. Ah, here I am telling you to apply and only mentioning the bad parts. Sheesh.”
Guyang Su slapped his forehead and continued.
“The monthly salary is two hundred nyang. It's not that high, but the mission allowances are said to be quite generous. The allowance varies depending on the organization you're subjugating—the stronger and more difficult the opponent, the higher the pay. Also, the Demon-Dispelling Pavilion is strictly merit-based. If you build up achievements, you can rise through the ranks quickly.”
My ears perked up at the words 'rise through the ranks quickly'.
“The Master of the Henan Demon-Dispelling Pavilion is the Great Righteous Sword, Jeong Hon. He's a peak master, and when he draws his sword, villains flee in terror.”
The Great Righteous Sword, Jeong Hon. I remembered fighting alongside him against the Blood Palace last year.
He was an upright and rigid martial artist, and his Great Righteous Sword Art was second to none.
With Jeong Hon, I knew he wouldn't do something as cheap as stealing someone else's credit.