Chapter 158
Chapter 158
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 158
Chapter Title: The Path to Great House Status
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Sega. The "se" from world, the "ga" from house.
A se ga is, quite literally, a title bestowed upon martial clans worthy of ruling the world.
It's not something they claim for themselves. It's a moniker given by the people and enthusiasts of the world.
In a way, you could call it a nickname for the clan.
So then.
What must a clan do to rise to the ranks of a great house?
'Prove it. Prove they have the qualifications.'
His father's dream was for the Baek Clan to ascend to the status of a great house.
Yang-hui's dream went even further: to make the Baek Clan the greatest in the world.
'I've been preparing for this day for a long time.'
And now, the time to reap the rewards had finally come.
"Scholar So."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Explain it one more time."
"Understood."
Scholar So tapped the map on the wall with the pointer in his hand.
"First. The martial world of Gangseo is evenly split between black and white factions."
"I know."
"Second. For our clan to be called a great house, we must at least claim dominance over Gangseo."
But the key point was that claiming dominance wasn't enough—they had to be recognized as the overlords by all.
In other words.
"Third. In that process, the Baek Clan must prove its qualifications as a great house."
This was especially difficult for the Baek Clan.
Because.
"The world's perception of the Baek Clan is that of a fox pretending to be a tiger. Many say their advocacy for Heaven-Covering Righteousness only succeeded thanks to the solid backing of the Tang and Zhuge Clans."
It couldn't be helped.
It was true that the Baek Clan, once a mere third-rate martial family, had received immense help from the Tang and Zhuge Clans to reach this point.
"No other way, right?"
"Yes. Extremely dangerous, but the most efficient."
The black daoists of Honam were grinding their teeth in anticipation.
The Namgung Clan, disguised as allies, had been steadily leaking information and would open the gates at the appointed time.
Meanwhile, what of the Baek Clan's forces?
Clan Lord Baek Mu-ryang and Regeneration Pavilion Master Gu-ak, along with the main forces, had marched out to Gwiju.
"Two days. Three days. Open gates. Annihilate."
"Not even a full day left now."
He raised his head. The drawn diagram came into view.
Could they really pull it off?
Was this a gamble staking countless lives and the clan's very survival?
Suddenly, Scholar So called out to Yang-hui.
"Young Master. That expression doesn't suit you."
"Hm?"
"You've always been arrogantly confident. Don't show this side now."
Yang-hui, who had been wearing a blank look, slowly broke into a smile.
"You're right. As expected, the young master's words are always wise. Even a kid like you has something to teach me."
"Argh! How much older are you, anyway?!"
Ignoring him, Yang-hui clenched his fist.
"It's not about whether we can do it. We will do it."
With that thought, he picked up the orders.
"The black dao bandits have launched a sudden assault. It's no small force, so I've attached twenty of our warriors to your main house's fighters. Go and wipe them out yourselves."
Half a day ago, orders issued at Namgung Cheon-hu's request.
'To avoid suspicion, they need to be absent. And an alibi of carrying out a mission will be necessary.'
Thus, only the main house's warriors remained now.
'Even so, we'll make it happen. Even if I have to stake everything.'
His side felt empty.
Without Adu and Zhuge Seol-ha, who were always by his side unless it was something trivial.
The two were currently deep in their preparations.
Setting the stage for the Baek Clan to snatch victory from overwhelming odds.
'And I'm not relying on Seol-ha alone, either.'
"Scholar So. Keep analyzing and piecing things together."
"Where are you going?"
"To boost morale."
He headed to the training grounds.
"Raise swords!"
"Hah!"
"Hah!"
As Baek Heon-so issued commands with demonstrations, the countless Baek-a Squad members followed suit.
After watching them fondly for a moment, Yang-hui tapped Baek Heon-so's shoulder.
"Ah, brother."
"Heon-so. Doing well?"
Baek Heon-so, now nearly as tall as Yang-hui, grinned.
"Of course."
"Good. You can handle it, right? Your role is crucial."
A look of determination to live up to his brother's faith appeared on his face, only to shift into heavy pressure.
Baek Heon-so had always wanted to contribute to the clan's affairs, big and small.
This was his first major involvement, and it happened to be one tied to the clan's survival.
No wonder he felt a suffocating burden.
"Heon-so."
"Yes, brother."
"I believe in you. Because you're my brother."
"Brother..."
The burden on Baek Heon-so's face vanished as if washed away.
Ever since his brother appeared in his childhood, Baek Heon-so had always chased after Yang-hui's back.
A back that never wavered, no matter the time or place.
'If brother says so, then it is so.'
Self-confidence bloomed on Baek Heon-so's face.
Born from another's faith, but undeniably his own conviction.
"Baek-a Squad!"
At the cry of their squad leader Baek Heon-so, the members simultaneously assumed ready stances.
"Can we do it?!"
"Of course!"
"We will succeed!"
"We'll defend the main house with these hands!"
The final shout came from Baek Heon-so himself.
"Brother. I'll stake my life on it—success!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Suuuuuuh. Hoooooo."
Finishing his energy circulation meditation, he opened his eyes, a flash of pure light flickering and fading.
"Ah, just a little more and I'd have it."
Previously, he had grasped the basics of Vital Energy Surge and Void Grasping.
Two of the three insights needed to reach the Super Peak realm.
If he could fully embody even one, the success rate of today's great undertaking would skyrocket. What a shame.
'I already know it all, and I've even comprehended it before, yet it's dragging on like this.'
People vary, and even the same insight is reached differently by each warrior.
This is because the martial arts they practice differ, and their minds and bodies are all unique.
It applied even to Yang-hui, who had learned a different martial system in his previous life and possessed a far superior mind-body foundation thanks to spirit energy.
"I definitely know the destination."
So there was no need to wander aimlessly searching for direction.
"But the path I originally walked has collapsed."
Thus, he had to find another way.
'Frustrating as hell.'
The consolation was that, having laid a much broader and deeper foundation, he could wield even greater power at the same level of attainment.
And knowing the destination allowed him to find the path faster.
"Brother. Done?"
At Chui-dal's voice, he opened the door and stepped out.
Chui-dal stood atop the roof of the quarters, gazing into the distance.
"Yeah. Done."
"Any progress?"
"Regrettably, no. But I've got my body in peak condition."
"That's one relief. They're coming soon."
"Location?"
"About half a shichen from the main house."
Knowing of the assault, only a fool would sit idle.
Of course, the Baek Clan had scattered Baek-ri Pavilion's agents everywhere several shichen ago.
"They split up to move, then gathered after entering Muju."
"Now they'll come at full speed?"
"Exactly."
He tied his hair tightly and secured his hero headband.
He cinched the silk cloth wrapped around his waist as a belt even tighter.
Finally, he donned his sword.
Baek-cheol, the Baek Clan's finest swordsmith, had forged the famed sword Baek-ryeon Jeong-gang over a hundred days to repay his debt to the young master.
"Let's go."
"Yes, sir."
At the center of the Baek Clan manor, all available forces were assembled.
On one side were the extra forces: Adu and Zhuge Seol-ha.
'Eleven peak experts. The rest are all second-rate to first-rate realm.'
The third-rate warriors and non-martial family members had been evacuated to the deepest shelters.
—Seol-ha. Last question. You sure you want to do this together?
Zhuge Seol-ha transmitted back without hesitation.
—Senior Brother. If I were in danger, would you abandon me?
As if.
Even setting aside the grudge with her master Yin Hou and the severed ties with her uncle Zhuge Seon.
Zhuge Seol-ha was already one of those Yang-hui had to protect.
—I'm the same as you, Senior Brother. We're in this together.
—Alright. I won't ask again.
—Though it's a shame. If only we could contact Master, she'd sweep them all away.
He shook his head.
—Even if we could, we wouldn't get help. This great battle must be the Baek Clan's alone.
Extras like Adu or Zhuge Seol-ha were one thing, but if Yin Hou—one of the Heavenly Martial Ten Venerables—stepped in, the Baek Clan could never rise to great house status.
—We'll repay the Zhuge Clan, for sure.
—You have to repay me personally too, right?
—Of course.
Her quip even now brought a smile.
With his lips curved up, Yang-hui unleashed a lion's roar.
"Baek Clan!"
"Ha!"
He walked to the center of the assembled family members.
Continuing on, he reached the main gate.
Leaping up, Yang-hui landed on the gate's roof, drew his sword, and slung it over his shoulder.
"You all know my personality."
"Of course!"
"No one here doesn't know the young master's temperament!"
"Anyone who didn't already quit and left!"
"That nagging old fart with grudges forever!"
The last came from Chui-dal.
Normally, he'd fly over for a knuckle-rapping, but today, he didn't deny it.
"Right, spot on. No one in the world holds grudges like me. What I mean is."
Yang-hui chuckled once more and tilted his head up slightly.
The full moon hung in the sky. A shadow perched on the roof, sword over shoulder.
At the moon's center, Yang-hui continued.
"Don't die, all of you. I won't say more."
A brief silence. Then shouts erupted, kicking up clouds of dust that shook the manor.
"By your command!"
"By your command!"
"By your command!"
Likewise, dust clouds rose from afar.
His razor-sharp senses read their identities and numbers.
'Exactly two hundred. Peak experts... fifty of them.'
Fifty peak, plus second- and first-rate making one hundred fifty?
Even accounting for sieges being three times harder than defense, it was still over twice their force.
Half of them would be enough to annihilate the Baek Clan.
But.
Yang-hui grinned fiercely at the leader at their forefront.
"Hey, Hyeong Mountain Yin Blood. What brings an old geezer who ran away with his tail between his legs all the way here?"
He provoked simply, probing their auras further.
'Three at Hyeong Mountain Yin Blood level?'
The bastards came fully committed.
This was nearly the entire might of the Hyeong Mountain Sect.
Well, should he be grateful the Namgung scum hadn't openly joined them?
"Baek Yang-hui, you little brat. You look surprisingly healthy."
A clear probe into how he'd recovered so quickly after expending his potential in their last fight.
"Ah, unlike old farts, us young ones are full of vigor—that's the way of the world."
"Must've scavenged some spirit pill and gobbled it down."
"Think what you want."
"You were waiting, so you must know roughly what's coming."
"Yeah. Because of the spy I planted under you."
Hyeong Mountain Yin Blood exuded a sinister, thick killing intent.
"I don't know where the leak came from. But it doesn't matter."
"Really? What if it's a trap?"
As he finished speaking, a snort burst out.
"Do I look like an idiot to you, Sect Leader?"
"Yeah."
"...I know your main base is still far from the capital. So traps or whatever are useless."
The moment qi gathered in Hyeong Mountain Yin Blood's hands, all two hundred black daoists unleashed ferocious auras.
"The Baek Clan ends today. Everyone, charge!"
Fifty peak experts included in two hundred black daoists.
Yes, more than enough to wipe out the Baek Clan.
But.
Even as they rushed forward, Yang-hui didn't move.
"Idiots. Even rabbits bite when cornered in their burrows."
At that instant, sinuous beams of light surged up across the entire Baek Clan manor.
"First, let's thin you out by half before we start."
Yang-hui grinned wickedly.