Chapter 11
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Everyone Has a Plan
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Northern Bright Heart Method.
The core of the Northern Guard Divine Cavalry Art.
The Northern Guard Divine Cavalry Art was a compilation of the Great Ming Imperial Court's martial arts, so naturally, the effects of its supporting heart method were beyond description.
While the renowned heart techniques of the current martial world vied for supremacy on everyone's lips, the Northern Bright Heart Method was the exact opposite—known to only a precious few.
The root and foundation of countless supreme arts.
Having spawned diverse imperial martial arts, its original form had faded, unable to escape the winds of turmoil. Thus, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that I alone knew the fully restored version.
Smrr—
The Northern Bright Heart Method I'd cultivated in my previous life.
The breathing technique derived from it was something I'd personally taught to common soldiers who couldn't afford the luxury of internal energy and lived day-to-day without knowing what tomorrow might bring.
Honestly, even devoting my entire life to it wouldn't have been enough, and I never imagined it would carry over to this life.
It's said that martial artists, unlike mere soldiers, always conceal about thirty percent of their true strength.
For me, this martial art bridged my past and present lives, comprising that very thirty percent. Operating the familiar breathing method, a moderate amount of internal energy flowed smoothly through my meridians as always.
Tian Zhu, Feng Men, Fei Yu, Ming Men...
The energy circulated without blockage, looping until it settled in my dantian.
Smrr—
Three full cycles. The energy that had swirled in all directions calmed, piling up layer by layer. It was satisfying, yet still insufficient.
It couldn't match the rapid progress of demonic arts, but the accumulation speed wasn't slow by any means. This slight frustration stemmed from having already glimpsed the vast sea as an ordinary person in my past life.
"Hoo."
Ultimately, a spear was essential. And spirit herbs too.
There was no need to rush after just tasting the new liquor. But neither was there reason to detour when the path was known.
Having completed one full heavenly cycle, I left my chamber with a much lighter body.
One advantage of the Northern Bright Heart Method was that it ignored the time of day—a fact proven as sunlight from the noonday sun poured through the wide-open window.
This is more than I expected...
A-so, who always showed up at just the right moment, was late.
I wasn't sure if it was related, but the Plum Sword Gang's movements were delayed as well.
'Should I have just killed them all.'
Days passed, then more days.
Over these four days since the elders' meeting, facing an opponent with no reaction at all had deepened my thoughts.
Whish.
I rolled a single bead across my idle hand.
"Golden Tiger Merchant Group, huh..."
This bead, thoroughly rusted, had been recovered from a first-rate warrior before. Possessing it, let alone crafting one privately, was a grave crime against the laws, so its disposal needed consideration too.
Clack.
'I wonder if that guy's still alive.'
Tucking away the distinct gunpowder scent into my sleeve, I narrowed down my various plans one by one for now.
I'd anticipated this.
For a notorious wastrel like me from Shandong, verifying the truth before demanding blood oaths outright against a single foe like me was the priority.
According to Ha Ye, minor conflicts and rivalries between factions in the central plains usually played out this way.
Since I was of the Seo Mun Clan, my actions represented the clan's, so they had no choice but to proceed cautiously.
That's why I'd released a few who hadn't learned martial arts.
It certainly wasn't to my taste, and despite the effort, it seemed insufficient to overcome years of accumulated rumors and reputation.
Neither testimonies from my own people nor eyewitness accounts from common folk would suffice.
They were probably scurrying about, trying to separate my intentions from the clan's. But judging by the unexpectedly prolonged time, I could infer that the Plum Sword Gang had grown belatedly cautious from within the safety of the clan's inner quarters.
'In that case, I...'
I quickly decided. My lips curled upward uncontrollably.
"Young master!"
I looked down at A-so in bewilderment.
"What's with that getup?"
A-so, whom I'd thought a bit late, had come thoroughly prepared for my second outing.
"This time, I'll protect you, Young Master!"
He seemed to have taken his previous experiences to heart, but this preparation struck me as utterly ridiculous.
That resolute shout sounded so uneasy. Eyes filled with determination. Posture tensed with effort.
A hero's headband wrapped around his forehead—who knew where he'd gotten it—and slung diagonally on his back was a longsword even taller than he was.
"Leave it all behind. Change your clothes too."
I nodded toward my chamber behind him.
"......"
A-so's mouth flapped open and shut before his shoulders slumped, and he trudged inside.
"Hah, you're here."
A middle-aged man took the spot A-so had vacated.
His presence arrived a step ahead of his voice.
"Greetings, Uncle."
I cupped my fists toward Seo Mun Jeong-ryong and bowed casually.
"What brings you to this humble place?"
"Just dropping by to see your face."
This was our first private meeting.
"I see."
In the vast clan grounds, Young-ryeong had been the only one to show interest in me until now. A few more had taken notice after the elders' meeting, but he wasn't among them, so I couldn't shake my suspicions at this sudden visit.
"Don't glare like that."
"If it came across that way, my apologies."
Glare? I was just puzzled.
Even that seemed displeasing, as he laughed heartily and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Just kidding, kidding. No need to be so stiff between nephew and uncle."
"I see."
I nodded slightly.
"Came to check on you. I'll be heading to Hangzhou tomorrow morning, so I won't see you for a while."
"Hangzhou... you say."
Seo Mun-ha and Seo Mun Jeong-ryong.
From what A-so had told me, they weren't particularly close, yet his familiar demeanor deepened my doubts.
"What else could it be?"
His gaze upon me should have been cold by rights.
"It's not as far as Sichuan, but who knows how long it'll take this time. That's why I stopped by with something to ask."
I was the curious one.
The oddly rounded ending and warmer tone, different from usual—where did it come from?
"Please ask away."
"Ahem, this isn't a demand, so don't take it too seriously."
He seemed unsure himself.
"Thinking of your future, it's hard for me to leave, but anyway."
"My future...?"
Even beyond the Seo Mun Clan's walls, Seo Mun Jeong-ryong was renowned. In some ways, more than Patriarch Seo Mun Jeong-cheon. A man who'd forsaken countless paths to fame for the family, adorned with honorable titles earned through sharp intellect and personal prowess.
"The patriarch's position is heavy. His words even heavier. Your father always keeps his promises, so the clan won't intervene at all. Unless you clash head-on with the Hwang Bo Clan."
An unexpected piece of advice.
Seo Mun Jeong-ryong was concerned not for the Seo Mun Clan, but for Seo Mun-ha—for me.
"Don't worry. I have no intention of relying on the clan's prestige."
Come to think of it, even at the elders' meeting...
"Good... Just keep that in mind."
He smiled brightly, as if shaking off his worries.
"Ears are everywhere, so take care of yourself. I'll expect good news from Hangzhou."
I'd heard what I wanted and learned what I needed. In this brief exchange.
"I'll do my best to meet expectations."
"You've really changed a lot."
"Dying once made it worth it. Not something I recommend, though."
"Hahaha, I can vaguely guess what Grandfather saw in you. No matter what others say, if your mother saw this...?"
He cleared his throat awkwardly and quickly changed the subject.
"Nothing."
A mother whose face I didn't even know—easy enough to understand without him finishing.
"If you find the time, could you visit Hwa Young Hall?"
"Hwa Young Hall?"
"Young-ryeong. The wives say she's under confinement."
Seo Mun Young-ryeong, absent even from the elders' meeting.
"Understood."
I knew the vice commander of the Black Wind Unit had been away, but nothing major.
"Showing your face once might be good. It could be poison, but seeing you now, Ha, I think it'll be fine."
Showing his face once. Not literal, surely.
The cause of her confinement was none other than me, and Hwa Young Hall was a hurdle to overcome someday—I grasped it easily.
"I'll keep it in mind."
Seo Mun Jeong-ryong turned with a relieved expression.
After patting my shoulder a couple times, a single line of wind carried from his receding figure.
Infused with intent.
"To great success. Already."
I answered briefly.
"I'm truly sorry."
The man with rolled-up sleeves shook his head.
Clang!
His voice drowned in the surrounding clamor.
Clang!
The same attire, same words—this was the fourth time already.
Not here either, huh...
The most famous blacksmith in Shandong, the Yin Ga Cheol Bang.
He'd scoured forges across Shandong beyond Jinan, but the unchanging refrain was always futile.
"If I may be bold, Young Master, what you're requesting is hard to even mimic the shell of. Even if all the skilled smiths in the city worked on it, their arms would fall off first."
"I heard there were many skilled smiths here."
People immersed in tempering. Smiths pouring sweat, devoting their all to each hammer strike—their reputation was no exaggeration; each one's passion marked them as true artisans.
"We have other work too."
"I understand."
With no choice, I selected a weapon from the forge's display.
"I'll take that one."
A short spear with a brief shaft.
"Good eye. The shaft is made of willow wood. Inherently sturdy, it wards off evil spirits like a talisman. Normally tricky to maintain because it drinks water easily, but..."
Leaving his trailing explanation, I paid and left.
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
"No."
No, but what can you do? A-so inspected the makeshift spear from top to bottom regretfully.
"Isn't that too hasty a choice?"
"It won't last even one exchange anyway."
Slinging the borrowed spear on my back, I turned on my heel again.
A-so straightened his tilted head and asked.
"But why a spear all of a sudden?"
The fuss he'd been dying to make since earlier.
"Don't we have no spear techniques in the main family?"
"They say a true artisan doesn't blame his tools."
Afterward, A-so vigilantly scanned all directions without rest, never taking his eyes off until my business was done.
"In a master's hand, whether it's a twig or chopsticks makes no difference. Freed from weapon constraints, nothing matters. One who can unleash swordsmanship with a spear or spearmanship with a sword has reached true Soul Transcendence."
"......"
"In other words, the Transformation Realm."
"Ah! So you've already reached that realm, Young Master?"
"No."
Unable to fully break form or transcend weapons, I needed a spear.
"The exact opposite."
But someday, in this life, I'd surpass Soul Transcendence and reach Mountain Shattering for sure.
"They say aim high?"
"I don't know about that, but you can do it, Young Master! You're smart, and now you're even working hard!"
I grabbed the boy tripping on a stone.
"Yeah, that's all fine, but don't turn and run. You'll fall."
And in that moment of warning.
"Over here, Brother Gu!"
"Finally found you!"
A-so's wish—or worry—come true. Two Plum Sword Gang members approached with fierce faces.
There was no way they'd predicted my unplanned route. This wasn't even Jungmu County, much less their territory.
Having searched long, they reeked of sweat rivaling the smiths.
'Those guys...'
Familiar faces. Upon closer look, they were the ones I'd spared before—non-martial artists, uniquely without the scent of blood.
Setting aside calculations to test the Plum Sword Gang's reaction, some naive sympathy had played a part, but mercy invoked from past lives overflowed after just once.
Whoosh!
As I reached out first, the man I seized cried out from behind, the other prostrating himself.
"I-it's a misunderstanding!"
The coughing man barely added.
"We... We want to serve you, Young Master!"