Chapter 113
Chapter 113
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: Forging the Baek Bud Squad
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Since his return, Baek Yang-hui had focused solely on elevating his own martial prowess.
The reason was simple.
It had been too frustrating.
He'd reached Super Peak, cut down foes left and right, only for time to reverse course, landing him in an eight-year-old body with all his martial arts stripped away.
Regression had been a stroke of luck in itself, but it also felt like being trapped in a young, feeble shell.
'I've reached Peak Realm now. Time to start paying attention to those around me.'
Stepping into Super Peak was still a distant prospect.
To ascend there, one had to scale a wall far thicker and taller than the barrier to Peak Realm.
For now, he had merely placed his foot on the very first step among countless stairs leading to that wall.
Even with memories from his past life granting him confidence against any Peak Realm expert, it was the same story.
'I have to retrain my body anyway.'
He had truly accepted vital energy and ascended to Peak Realm.
Thanks to that, the body he'd thought perfected could now advance further.
His heart, energy, and very being had transformed, allowing him to rise by that very margin.
'While I'm at it, if I train them all together, it's like having my cake and eating it too.'
With that in mind...
"Baek Bud Squad, assemble!"
Those who heard Baek Yang-hui's call gathered in the training grounds.
The Baek Buds—new sprouts of the Baek Clan.
All who assembled were exceptional talents.
They were the next generation, to be nurtured and honed for the Baek Clan's future strength.
"Baek Bud Squad Leader."
For reference, the Baek Bud Squad Leader was the little rascal.
"Yes, Brother!"
"Call me Instructor now, not Brother."
"Got it!"
Baek Heon-so shouted back with crisp, rigid posture.
He'd just caused some trouble, but this seemed overly tense.
Well, he'd loosen him up gradually.
With those thoughts, Baek Yang-hui scanned the Baek Bud Squad members.
'They're lacking in spots, but decent enough.'
The entire Baek Bud Squad trained in the Six Harmonies Body Refining Art passed down by Yin Hu, supplemented by arts obtained from the Zhuge Clan.
The longest any had practiced was a mere seven years, so their path was still long.
He sharpened his energy sense. At least their dantian reserves were respectable.
'Well, yeah. After devouring all those spirit pills.'
The Baek Clan spent over half its earnings on spirit medicines.
To swiftly overcome their weakness of lacking elders and experts.
When overall training time was short, one had to rely on raw inner power.
'Around twenty years on average.'
Considering that right after his return, even the clan head barely had twenty years' worth of inner power, it was a world of difference—like turning a mulberry field into an ocean.
"First, Jin Sam, step forward."
A boy took a tense step forward.
Son of Jin Geum-bo, who had become a Baek Clan retainer.
Baek Yang-hui had assumed he was into scholarly pursuits since he was reading at their first meeting, but surprisingly, the lad chose to join the Baek Bud Squad—a commendable choice.
"Here."
He offered a spirit pill from the steward's office, and Jin Sam jumped in surprise.
"Y-Young Master. Can I really accept this?"
"Tsk. I told you to call me Instructor."
"Ah, yes, Instructor!"
"Your father earned great merit. Take it without hesitation. Swallow it, circulate your energy, and you'll gain about fifteen years' worth of inner power. I'll guide you."
He personally transmitted the foundational Six Harmonies Union Art and even performed the meridian push.
"Thank you, Instructor."
After instructing Jin Sam to realign his posture...
Baek Yang-hui raised his voice as he surveyed the squad.
"You all must become the pillars upholding the main family's future. To forge thicker, sturdier pillars, your instructor stands before you."
The Baek Bud Squad members wore resolute expressions.
Most were orphans or from unfortunate circumstances, rescued by the Baek Clan.
He had deliberately formed the squad from talented kids among them, so their loyalty and zeal for training were unmatched.
"I'll ask you one thing. Are you resolved to become the thickest pillars for the main family?"
"Of course!"
"We'll carve into our bones with effort!"
"Please guide us!"
Every member shouted at the top of their lungs, eyes ablaze.
The world's greatest junior talent, reaching Peak Realm at just sixteen.
To them, Baek Yang-hui was an object of admiration and respect.
"Good. Now, I'll tell you the training you must undertake. Baek Bud Squad Leader, step forward."
"Yes!"
Caught up in the mood, Baek Heon-so strode forward briskly.
"Baek Bud Squad Leader."
"Yes, Instructor!"
"First off, let's have you take a beating."
"Pardon?"
Thwack!
"Gwaaack!"
Baek Heon-so's body, kicked in the gut, floated into the air before gravity pulled it down.
Thud!
His body soared upward again.
Baek Heon-so floated midair for about half an incense stick's time, getting pummeled relentlessly.
"That'll do."
Baek Heon-so crumpled to the ground, twitching.
The Baek Bud Squad watched in horrified silence.
"Brother..."
"Instructor."
"Instructor... why..."
Suddenly, Baek Heon-so trailed off into silence.
He figured it was punishment for his mischief.
"I'm sorry..."
"Huh? For what? Oh, you think it's punishment? Nah, nothing like that. Don't worry."
"Then why...?"
Baek Heon-so's face was half indignant, half baffled.
"Listen up, everyone. The human body is like iron. Know what that means?"
"......"
"......"
"Iron gets tougher the more you hammer it. Same with people. The more you get hit, the stronger you become."
"......"
"......"
...That doesn't sound right. Usually, beatings make you sick.
You can even die from it.
"Yang-hui's right. Getting hit makes you stronger."
It was A-du's remark from the sidelines.
Coming from the mountain of a Shaolin monk boy, it carried weight... but also made it scarier.
'That kind of training suits someone born with godlike strength like that monk.'
'The Shaolin monk won't beat us too, right? No way.'
'Daddy... I'm scared...'
No one voiced objections, but Baek Yang-hui read their inner thoughts from their eyes.
"Don't worry. I'll beat you just right—not to kill."
"......"
"Oh, right. I should explain why we're doing this training. The effects should be kicking in by now. Little rascal, get up."
Baek Heon-so groaned as he pushed off the ground.
Then he realized something.
"Feel lighter?"
"Yes, Instructor. What is this?"
"Because you didn't just get beaten."
Meridian Pushing. Infused with generous vital energy.
Vital energy carried the power to guide the body on the right path.
Thanks to that, Baek Yang-hui had perfected his body at just fifteen.
Now it was time to share it with the whole Baek Bud Squad.
With that in mind...
"Since we're at it, let's combine it with evasion training. Stay in the training grounds and dodge my attacks as best you can. Counterattacks allowed."
Baek Yang-hui flashed a ferocious grin.
"Here we go."
Thwack! Thud! Thwack!
* * * Nearly a hundred Baek Bud Squad members lay strewn across the training grounds like corpses.
Baek Yang-hui rolled his shoulders with a refreshed expression.
"Ahh, feels great. Been a while since I got a real workout."
Baek Heon-so stared at him with a traumatized look.
Their eyes met.
"Eek!"
"Kid, why the fear? Come here."
"Y-Yes..."
He sat cross-legged.
Baek Heon-so shuffled over hesitantly and sat beside him. Baek Yang-hui ruffled his hair.
"Sorry."
"Huh? What do you have to be sorry for, Instructor?"
"Call me Brother."
Baek Yang-hui gazed at his little brother for a moment.
"You went to So Ak-hyeon because of me, didn't you?"
"...No, Brother. I was just lacking..."
He ruffled his hair again.
Then he spoke.
"Little rascal. You can't become like me."
"......"
After a long silence, Baek Heon-so opened his mouth.
"I... know, Brother."
Baek Heon-so knew his own shortcomings well.
How could he not?
'Not even close to Brother... even compared to Hui, I'm lacking.'
During the recent procession, Baek Yang-hui hadn't taken him along but had brought Hui and Chui-dal. It was obvious.
He trained desperately to keep up.
Despite the frustration from talent gaps, he hid it.
But the fact remained unchanged.
'I don't dream of shining like Brother. I just...'
Wanted to tread in his shadow.
The shadow of the brother who showed his naive, childish self what a brother truly was.
Baek Yang-hui looked at Baek Heon-so with pride.
"Little rascal. You shouldn't become like me."
The reason he hadn't taken Baek Heon-so on the procession was simple.
The kid was the main family's rightful heir, destined to succeed as clan head one day.
Baek Yang-hui understood his young warrior's burning desire to venture out and earn merits, but the time wasn't ripe.
At least, that's what he'd thought until recently.
'He went out and stirred up trouble himself.'
It meant he was no longer a child to keep sheltered.
Then measures must be taken to protect him accordingly.
That was also why Baek Yang-hui aimed to push Baek Heon-so to first-rate by the sparring matches in a year.
And moreover...
'Little rascal, you can't become like me. You shouldn't.'
Because you lack the talent. Walking the same path would break you.
But...
'That's exactly why the Baek Clan can endure through you.'
In his past life, he'd run toward one dream.
In this life, he ran the same path without deviation.
Reviving the Baek Clan. Elevating it to a great house, even among the world's top martial families.
And ensuring its lineage continued through generations.
'My martial arts... aren't suited for that. They'd be a hindrance.'
Arts for geniuses alone inevitably fade.
Only arts that even the least talented can learn and grow strong with can persist unbroken.
"Little rascal. You'll be the crucial foundation stone carrying the Baek Clan's lineage."
Baek Heon-so stared blankly at Baek Yang-hui.
He couldn't grasp the full meaning... but he felt how his brother regarded him.
Baek Yang-hui ruffled his hair once more.
"So keep refining yourself and pursue your goals. I'll handle the fallout. That's what big brothers are for."
"Brother."
"With that in mind, shall we resume training?"
"Brother?"
Suddenly clenching his fist in this heartfelt moment?
Can't we savor the emotion a bit longer?
Before Baek Heon-so could speak, Baek Yang-hui's fist connected.
"Gyaack!"
On the rooftop overlooking the training grounds...
Chui-dal watched Baek Heon-so and Baek Yang-hui with somber eyes.
"Big Brother. I'll definitely change—unlike before."
From the procession to the Sword King's Mausoleum.
The three-month journey had made Chui-dal acutely aware of his deficiencies.
'I'm lacking. So terribly lacking.'
At fourteen, reaching second-rate was grounds for arrogance, yet Chui-dal couldn't afford it.
Because Baek Yang-hui was right there beside him.
A once-in-a-millennium prodigy, just a year older, already at Peak Realm.
'Even reaching second-rate...'
Wasn't from his own talent or effort.
If not for the two spirit pills from Baek Yang-hui granting forty years' inner power.
If not for the overflowing energy opening his paths.
No matter Master Yeo Un-hyeok's guidance, he couldn't have ascended so soon.
"Brother. You said this to your little brother."
If you're scared, don't do it. I'll handle it instead.
"No. That's not why I survived."
A weak fledgling relying only on protection had died with his father.
So he had to strive harder.
Carve his bones, bleed instead of sweat—he had to catch up.
"Master."
Yeo Un-hyeok, who had appeared silently, replied.
"Yes, disciple?"
"I... want to change."
Yeo Un-hyeok smiled kindly at his exemplary disciple.
"Even if the process is like hell itself?"
"Yes."
The immediate, unwavering answer brimmed with resolve.
Yeo Un-hyeok felt a swell of pride.
"Our Shadow Ghost Sect, enduring five hundred years, has a special training method."