Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: JeWon Baek Clan
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Practicing a different technique instead of the family's internal arts method.
The first thought that flashed through Dang Mujin's mind was, "The JeWon Baek Clan's martial arts must be that inferior."
But in the very next moment, a deeply disturbing suspicion crossed his mind.
The horrific notion that Baek Chuseo might be coveting Baek Hyanga's yin essence.
Dang Mujin furrowed his brow.
"No, it has to be a coincidence. There's no way that's the case."
"Why couldn't it be?"
"There's heavenly principles and all that, isn't there?"
Yi Chung twisted his lips into a smirk.
"Well, you've been too lucky up until now. You couldn't possibly understand how martial artists think."
"Why not?"
"You left home without knowing a thing about martial arts, and you've already reached first-rate attainment. There might be people more talented than you, but no one's advanced their realm faster. It's the result of medical knowledge, rare spiritual herbs, and the best possible mentor."
It was an odd remark slipped in there, but not wrong.
While others trained their martial arts haphazardly, Dang Mujin had honed his skills systematically using his family's medical knowledge.
Others might never smell a spiritual herb in their lifetime, but he'd consumed two.
While people considered themselves lucky just to receive guidance from a first-rate martial artist, Dang Mujin had learned directly from an absolute peak expert. He even had a suitable sparring partner.
"You've grown too quickly and too easily. You haven't tasted the mental anguish that ordinary martial artists endure. The world is full of people who swing their swords for ten or twenty years just to become second-rate, and countless others who devote their entire lives to the single dream of reaching first-rate."
There had been many such lay disciples in the Qingcheng Chengdu Branch, and plenty among the martial artists of the mid- and small sects around his home.
But Dang Mujin had never stagnated in place or fallen into deep anguish.
He'd never seen himself through their eyes. Ever since starting his journey, he'd been too busy charging forward.
Even accounting for all that, though, it was still hard to accept.
"Even so..."
"When you raided the Zhangshang Merchant Association in Zhongjing to rescue those children, the local beggars were talking about it. They said black path martial artists were sucking out children's pure essence just to build their inner power."
"That's different. Those children and the black path thugs were total strangers. This would be violating filial piety."
"But the Baek Patriarch has no intention of taking his daughter's life. Moreover, the young lady isn't some five- or six-year-old child. Debating which is uglier is pointless."
Dang Mujin shook his head. He could understand it rationally, but his heart refused to accept it. And he had no desire to accept it in the future either.
"When a martial artist hits a wall, it's agonizing enough to make them consider such insane methods. They swing their swords in silence for months or years just to overcome a single barrier. And there's no guarantee they'll even advance to the next realm. They might hold it together for a few months, but after a few years, they start going mad bit by bit, whether they realize it or not."
Dang Mujin thought of Cheongbok of the Beggars' Sect.
Even Cheongbok, who had cultivated for decades as a Shaolin warrior monk, had gradually twisted when his martial arts progress stalled. How much worse would it be for an ordinary person facing such torment?
"...Still, other people don't resort to methods like that."
"Other people can always quit if they can't endure it. But the Baek Patriarch is different. Do you dare imagine what happens if a clan leader abandons martial arts? Whether he wants to or not, he's destined to challenge and clash his whole life. Even in death, he'll die leaning against that wall."
Yi Chung continued in a low voice.
"Put yourself in the Baek Patriarch's shoes. Every time people looked at him, they'd recall the great Sword King, and they'd compare him every moment to the talentless Baek Patriarch. On top of that, he'd have watched helplessly as the clan his father built crumbled day by day in his hands."
"..."
"The only solution was to improve his martial prowess. But after decades of training, he still couldn't break out of first-rate. By then, he realizes that even swinging his sword until death, he won't reach superhuman heights, let alone shatter the wall to absolute peak. Outwardly he seems fine, but inside, he has no choice but to be insane."
Yi Chung's words were realistic and vivid. How many similar people had he seen wandering the world?
If an ordinary person desires extraordinary achievements, they must resort to extraordinary means. That's the truth of the world.
Yet Dang Mujin still rejected Yi Chung's words.
"Even so, you never know. They might really have arranged a marriage alliance with the Sima Clan, and practicing the Hot Yang Art could just be a coincidence."
"Then that would be ideal. I'm off to the Sima Clan for a bit, so you rest here."
*
Two days later, in the evening, Yi Chung returned from Luoyang and spoke.
"There was no marriage proposal between the Sima Clan and the JeWon Baek Clan."
It was something he'd half-expected, but his chest still felt tight.
Over the past two days, Dang Mujin had sneaked over the JeWon Baek Clan's walls every night to observe the Baek Patriarch's training. The Baek Patriarch had focused solely on qi circulation and fist technique practice, never once touching a sword.
And the faint heat emanating from his fist techniques. Suspicion had hardened into near-certainty.
"What are you going to do?"
"Have the young lady take the medicine you made. Once the blocked meridians are cured, it'll all be resolved."
Dang Mujin pressed his brow and forced a bright expression as he changed the subject.
"You were talking about criteria this and that, but in the end, you didn't want to violate heavenly principles either, huh, Elder?"
"What are you babbling about? That has nothing to do with it. I'm interfering with the Baek Patriarch because it's a matter of probabilities."
"Huh?"
"If we give her the medicine before it's too late, there's an eighty percent chance of recovery. But with Baek Chuseo's current level, even if he clumsily practices the Hot Yang Art, the odds of saving the young lady through gathering yin to nourish yang are low."
Yi Chung was the type to get squeamish about the strangest things. Dang Mujin sighed.
"Just admit it's because of heavenly principles."
"Think what you want. Shall we go protect heavenly principles?"
Yi Chung pulled out two sets of pitch-black night suits, complete with face masks.
Dang Mujin and Yi Chung changed into them.
The two concealed themselves in the darkness and scaled the JeWon Baek Clan's walls.
*
Even though night had fully fallen, the Baek Patriarch was still immersed in his training. Yi Chung observed him for a long while before muttering with conviction.
"Looking again, it's definitely the Flame Flower Fist."
"He's been training until late Zi hour or early Chou hour. He won't come to the main hall for a while."
"What have you been up to these past two days? You've turned into quite the fine scout without me knowing."
"You think I wanted to?"
The two carefully scanned their surroundings, then quietly opened the main hall door and slipped inside. A faint presence emanated only from the room where the young lady was.
Dang Mujin and Yi Chung entered the room. Baek Hyanga was fast asleep.
Dang Mujin hesitated for a moment on what to do next. But Yi Chung showed no such qualms.
Yi Chung abruptly struck Baek Hyanga's mute acupoint. She jolted awake in shock but couldn't cry out. She huddled in a corner, trembling all over.
"We're not here to harm you, so don't worry."
Yi Chung said that much and waited calmly.
After a short time, Baek Hyanga's trembling eased slightly. The fear hadn't vanished, but she seemed a bit calmer.
"Young Lady Baek. Have you ever heard talk of a marriage proposal involving you?"
Baek Hyanga shook her head. That confirmed the situation.
Marriage talks that proceed without the person's knowledge do happen, but never ones that are finalized without their awareness.
Yi Chung asked again.
"Young Lady Baek. Do you know what blocked meridians syndrome is?"
Baek Hyanga nodded.
"Then, do you know what gathering yin to nourish yang is?"
Baek Hyanga nodded again. But the topic seemed embarrassing, as her movement was smaller than before.
"Do you know that someone who practices the Hot Yang Art can cure blocked meridians and boost their inner power through gathering yin to nourish yang?"
As Yi Chung finished speaking, Baek Hyanga's shoulders began to shudder.
It was a natural reaction to a stranger barging in and prattling about gathering yin to nourish yang and boosting inner power. Yi Chung raised both hands and said,
"We haven't practiced the Hot Yang Art, so no need to worry."
Dang Mujin pondered briefly.
Up to this point, the revelations were so shocking that it was hard to know how to explain.
But Yi Chung was the type who didn't care about such minor details.
Yi Chung gestured toward the wall and said,
"But out there, the Baek Patriarch is diligently practicing the Hot Yang Art."
Baek Hyanga's eyes widened. The shock was so great that even unable to speak, her mouth kept opening and closing.
Dang Mujin quickly interjected.
"But there's one way. If she takes this medicine, the symptoms of blocked meridians will ease, and the Baek Patriarch will have no reason to defy heavenly principles."
Dang Mujin pulled out a black pill from his bosom. The medicinal scent, now even stronger, filled the room.
Dang Mujin offered the pill. Baek Hyanga extended her trembling hand.
But just before receiving it, she shook her head slightly and pulled her hand back.
Dang Mujin looked awkward. His mask hid it, at least.
"The smell is a bit strong, but the effect is definitely reliable."
But Baek Hyanga just kept shaking her head. There seemed to be some reason, though it was hard to guess.
Dang Mujin glanced at Yi Chung, who reluctantly approached Baek Hyanga and said,
"Know that if you scream, it won't end well for either of us."
Yi Chung released her mute acupoint, and Baek Hyanga let out a soft "Ah, ah—" to test her voice.
Even in that brief sound, the tremor was clear.
After hesitating longer, Baek Hyanga seemed to steel herself and spoke.
"I won't take the medicine."
"Then you're saying you'll let the blocked meridians kill you?"
Baek Hyanga shook her head.
Dang Mujin felt a faint dizziness. If not the medicine, and not dying from blocked meridians, only one path remained.
"Are you in your right mind?"
"I've watched Father my whole life from the closest place. No one knows better than I how much he's suffered."
"Get a grip. Does that even make sense? It's defying the natural order and abandoning heavenly principles. It's no good for you, Young Lady Baek, or for the Baek Patriarch."
Was it the sincerity in Dang Mujin's voice? Baek Hyanga hesitated for a moment.
But her conclusion didn't change. She replied in a firm voice.
"Father and I can steel our hearts and endure it."
The tremor in Baek Hyanga's voice gradually faded.
In that short time, she had hardened her resolve.
Dang Mujin and Yi Chung realized belatedly. Baek Hyanga's values couldn't be those of an ordinary person.
The Baek Patriarch Baek Chuseo had lived a life where the JeWon Baek Clan was everything. But Baek Hyanga had lived in an even narrower world.
Her only acquaintances were her father and a few clan subordinates. She'd spent her life within the clan walls, and for the recent years, she hadn't even left the main hall.
For such a Baek Hyanga, the Baek Patriarch was her only support. Dang Mujin couldn't even imagine the immense meaning her father held for her.
"Please. Just leave now and forget everything. I won't breathe a word of what you've said."
"Think it over again. With the medicine, you have an eighty percent chance of survival, but down that path, it's nine in ten you'll die. Blocked meridians aren't something short-term Hot Yang Art practice can handle."
Instead of answering, Baek Hyanga leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.
It was clear refusal, a polite dismissal.
Baek Hyanga had chosen her father's martial prowess and the clan over her own well-being and heavenly principles.
Caught off guard, Dang Mujin's mind fell into chaos. What now?
Should he push the medicine again? Or truly shut up and walk away as she said?
But in the face of a madman, even tangled problems become clear.
Yi Chung clamped his left hand over Baek Hyanga's mouth, then abruptly struck her fainting acupoint with his right.
Baek Hyanga struggled briefly but soon slumped like a puppet with cut strings.
Yi Chung hoisted the unconscious Baek Hyanga onto his back. She must have been shocked, but Dang Mujin was no less startled.
"What the hell are you doing all of a sudden?"
"I told you I ignore the wishes of those around them and treat every patient. Remember?"
It was a conversation from the inn in the neighboring village. About which patients to treat and which not to.
"...I remember."
As Dang Mujin answered, Yi Chung grinned.
"I ignore the patient's own wishes too."