Chapter 96
Chapter 96
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Third-Rate Martial Family Becomes World's Best
-----------------------------------------------------------------
There's a common saying that circulates in the martial world.
North revere Shaolin, South honor Wudang.
Wudang, the Daoist sect hailed alongside Shaolin as the Taishan Beidou of the righteous factions.
Yet that Wudang actually had a history of just over 150 years.
'And yet it boasts power among the Nine Great Sects—enough to rival even Shaolin for supremacy.'
If Shaolin was the sect with the heaviest seat in the world,
then conversely, Wudang was the lightest.
Unlike Shaolin, it also had the most secular clans among the Nine Great Sects.
'And for such a Wudang to come all the way from Hubei to this catalpa tree here.'
It was a distance that practically crossed an entire province.
They must have rushed over like their tails were on fire.
Baek Yang-hui's eyebrows narrowed.
The unexpected arrival of Wudang. And joining forces with the Namgung Clan, no less.
'This is a variable. And with that Hyeonhyeon guy there, it doesn't look like they brought any riffraff.'
Hyeonhyeon. The man called Wudang's foremost later-generation disciple.
His personality and antics were quintessentially Wudang—like he'd been raised soaking up the very spirit of Mount Wudang.
Just recalling how much grief that bastard had caused him in his previous life made him want to spit. Fresh anger bubbled up.
Anyway.
'Time-wise, proper forces wouldn't have made it here easily. So what gives?'
There was a reason he'd set the deadline at exactly half a month—no more, no less.
It was calibrated so that by the time they received the information, verified its authenticity, and rushed over, only sects and warriors from northern Anhui and southern Henan would converge.
'Were some Wudang disciples coincidentally dispatched nearby?'
Nothing else explained how they'd arrived on time.
They could trickle in late, sure—but being here already? Impossible.
"Little brother. They look like Wudang at a glance. Was their arrival part of the plan too?"
"No."
"Then the situation's gotten tricky, Hui brother."
"That too, no."
"Hm?"
Baek Yang-hui lifted the corner of his mouth in a sly grin.
"Not just anywhere, but Wudang teaming up with Namgung? That's fine. Those guys have hearts as black as their Daoist robes."
Among the Five Great Clans, the one Baek Yang-hui hated most was Namgung.
Among the Nine Great Sects, it was Wudang.
How could a bloodline martial clan and a lineage-less Daoist sect act so damn alike?
"Those two aren't about to hold hands and laugh ha ha ho ho. So it's fine. Hell, it's even good."
It'd be a shitshow. A literal dogfight.
So he just had to watch the chaos unfold and snatch up the rice cakes.
"Ki ki ki ki ki!"
He laughed with delight, but apparently too loudly.
A few of the black-robed Daoists shot glances their way, exchanged words with the Namgung men, then turned back toward them.
-Hui brother. They're heading over.
-Little brother! What if you draw attention!
'Aigoo, my eardrums.'
The sudden transmission boomed like thunder, rattling his ears.
Making a fuss over nothing.
Still, he needed to gauge what they were thinking after eyeing the lineup.
-It's fine. Just a quick greeting.
He sent back the transmission and smoothed his face once over.
'Act like a later-generation disciple in awe of a prestigious Nine Great Sect.'
As the Daoists drew close enough, Baek Yang-hui's eyes began to sparkle.
Admiration and reverence filled his pupils.
His posture and demeanor turned politely deferential, with just a hint of a bow.
"No way! Could you be Daoists of Wudang?"
"Wuliangshoufu. It seems the young master recognizes us poor Daoists."
"How could I not! Those neat Daoist topknots and black robes! And the pine-pattern swords! You're straight out of a painting—true Wudang Daoists!"
Where the Namgung Clan favored their signature iron swords, Wudang was symbolized by the black pine-pattern straight sword.
A straight blade resembling Wudang's sacred relic, the pine-pattern ancient sword—emblem of a prestigious Daoist lineage.
"Ever since I first gripped a sword as a child, I've wanted to meet Wudang disciples! The world's greatest sword sect! South-honored Wudang! It's an honor!"
He cupped his hands in a salute, striking a balance somewhere between courtesy and flattery.
Pleasure and pride dawned on the Daoists' faces.
"Hahaha. Cultivate diligently, and you'll reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship too, young master. That said... those behind you—are they from the Tang Clan?"
Hm. As expected—they'd spotted the Tang siblings and gotten the word from Namgung.
'But since they didn't come themselves, no real suspicion.'
There weren't grounds for suspicion anyway.
The notice spread through Haomen had referenced the real deal, but it differed from the actual Tang family artifact.
They probably figured he'd rushed here on rumors.
"Hahaha. They're my worthless older brother and sister who dote on me far too much!"
After brief greetings, Baek Yang-hui chattered even more boisterously, clinging to the Wudang group and handling them solo.
Eventually, he wore them down until they took their leave.
"Thanks, Hui brother."
Dangun expressed his gratitude, sensing the consideration. Baek Yang-hui shrugged it off casually.
"This much? Please."
"Must've bruised your pride with your temperament. I know you did it for me."
"For you, Dang brother? This is nothing."
Baek Yang-hui grinned and mulled over the intel gleaned from his chat with the Wudang crew.
'You're fishing for profits in the chaos too, huh? Got it.'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The notice pinpointed the Sword King Mausoleum's entrance to a basin midway up White Water Mountain.
In other words, the entrance was somewhere in the basin—that was the full extent of the given info.
"Finding that entrance alone is gonna take forever."
"You're right, Great Hero Gu."
White Water Mountain was a sizable range, and the basin proportionally vast.
Hundreds of zhang across—meaning they'd have to comb the entire thing to find it.
Baek Yang-hui lounged under a nearby tree's shade, watching groups of warriors warily eyeing each other as they dug scattered patches of earth.
"Little brother. Aren't you a bit too relaxed? What if someone else finds it first?"
"You gonna out-dig groups of dozens? Just chill."
Not wrong, but Blood Lord Gu-ak fidgeted restlessly anyway, stamping his feet.
They'd risked it all to stage this—losing the lead meant every treasure inside going to the dogs.
But.
"All part of the plan. Didn't gather these people for nothing."
From the notice, even a rough estimate pegged entrance-hunting at months of work.
The biggest reason for the mess was screwing over Namgung, sure—but he also needed a horde of diggers.
"Fair point, Hui brother. Guess I'll circulate some qi then."
Dangun promptly sat cross-legged right beside him.
Circulating qi in this situation? Dang brother had some serious guts.
'Well, Tang Clan folks are all bold like that. Probably from handling poisons and hidden weapons.'
"Chui-dal."
"Yeah."
"Sneak over and check which way the warriors are mostly digging."
"Bro rests while you work the kid like a dog?"
"Suffer young to rest old."
"...?"
Chui-dal grumbled something like "you think I'm old?" as he slunk off.
Gonna smack him hard on return.
Moments later.
"Back. Split N,S,E,W: mostly southwest."
"Hm. Northeast?"
"Rocky, lots of stones in the soil. Tough dig, so hitting easy spots first. Plus a valley with flowing water."
These modern guys were all clever like that.
Always cherry-picking the easy stuff.
'Wasn't like that in my day. No sir.'
"What're Namgung and Wudang up to?"
"Couldn't get close—watched from afar. Just waiting, looks like."
"Hmm. Yeah?"
'No sudden plan change.'
Made sense—not worth burning stamina early when biding time was orthodox.
Prestigious sects still had some brains.
"Everyone rest up proper. Inside, no sleep—just brutal grind."
A-du lumbered over at that, thunking his boulder of a head atop Baek Yang-hui's outstretched legs.
"Hey! Heavy!"
"But no pillow?"
"Monk whining about pillows? Temples use wooden ones."
"Nah. Slept on soft cotton pillows."
Anyway, not a kid. Though mental age leaned that way.
Whatever grafting technique, even kicks wouldn't dislodge that skull.
'Damn, this guy. Stubborner than me by a level.'
A-du outdid even Baek Yang-hui there.
"But seriously, little brother. Safe just lounging? For real?"
"Gu brother."
"Spit it."
"You look like a puppy desperate for a shit."
"... ."
Gu-ak scowled, glaring daggers at the mere first-rate punk.
Time to lay down the law?
Time to spare, perfect chance to imprint peak expert dignity.
'...Sigh. Might as well recite sutras to donkey ears.'
Discipline was good, but Baek Yang-hui would retaliate somehow.
Worst case, scamper to wife and daughter tattling.
...Thinking it over, it stung.
Why did his wife and daughter light up only for this brat?
'...Hell, I got swayed by little brother and joined the Baek Clan myself.'
Damn. Annoying enough to smack, but character wasn't total trash.
Gu-ak sighed and plopped down beside him.
"Gu brother."
"What now."
"Scoot half a chi right. Might as well block the sun since you're sitting."
"... ."
Gu-ak, who'd vowed today as discipline day, was about to roar—
"Oh yeah, getting hungry. Everyone up for some grub?"
—when Baek Yang-hui unwittingly seized the initiative, strolling off leisurely.
"Hui brother, where to?"
"Fetching water."
Valley northwest—no need burn their supply.
Haul a ton, boil porridge with jerky and rations.
No bucket? No issue.
'Lemme see. Thick tree... there.'
Baek Yang-hui hopped four rocks across the valley to the sturdy tree and swung his sword.
Trimmed branches, shaped a hefty log.
'Man, this valley's got nice scenery.'
Serene, abundant waters—easy on the eyes.
Decent little waterfall off in the distance... Hm?
His face hardened as he headed for the waterfall.
Qi sense extended to its sharpest.
'Something... behind the waterfall?'
After scanning surroundings and sweeping with sense—confirming no eyes—
Baek Yang-hui shoved under the cascade.
No cave behind the falls.
'But a crack.'
And from it leaked a wisp of qi.
Utterly pure, infused with righteousness.
Immortal qi.
'Sword King... disciple of the Sword Immortal. That's why I came to the Sword King Mausoleum chasing immortal qi traces.'
Didn't expect to find traces before even entering.
Definitely nearby. The entrance.
Baek Yang-hui muttered without thinking.
"This... changes everything?"
Might just spark an even bigger shitshow. No—total pandemonium.