Chapter 14
Yang-hwi smiled in satisfaction as he looked at the posters plastered all over the marketplace.
Wow. Whoever wrote this did a fantastic job. The wording is beautiful.
“Hehehe, isn’t it a masterpiece? ‘If you wish to reclaim lost heavenly ties, come to Baek House Manor!’”
Gu-Ak watched Yang-hwi with an annoyed expression.
“We spent over a thousand silver nyang hiring people to make these posters and spread the rumors. Junior brother, you must make this work.”
“And here I thought the several thousand nyang you made thanks to me would make you more generous. We’re doing this for Sister Rang, no less. Guess I have more to chat about when I visit her quarters tonight.”
“Ugh… That damn tongue of yours…”
It had been two days since Rang-rang arrived at Baek House Manor.
Though Gu-Ak had been fuming over Yang-hwi’s cheeky remarks, a hint of unease suddenly crept into his expression.
“Junior brother. I sent Rang-rang to Baek House Manor because your logic wasn’t wrong… but if you’re hiding any ulterior motives, we’ll become enemies who can never reconcile.”
Gu-Ak was a direct member of the Honggyo Sect, one of the top three dark factions controlling Akan-hyeon. In contrast, Baek House Manor was a renowned orthodox household, so righteous that its head was known by the nickname The Embodiment of Chivalry.
Even with mutual agreement, seeing his beloved residing in an orthodox sect’s domain wasn’t easy to stomach.
“You don’t need to worry. Father has given his permission.”
As he should have, Yang-hwi had gone straight to Baek Mu-ryang the day he brought Rang-rang and explained everything he could.
“Father didn’t feel comfortable with the idea of protecting the lover of a Dark path brother, but he’s not the kind of man to abandon a powerless woman in danger.”
Gu-Ak nodded. If it had been anyone else, maybe—but Baek Mu-ryang’s integrity could be trusted more than even his own subordinates.
“Righteous Chivalry isn’t the kind of man to go back on his word.”
“Hey now. That’s my father and head of the family you’re talking about. Show some respect.”
Gu-Ak looked as if he was going to explode.
“He and I are only six years apart! And yet you keep calling me ‘Hyung’ like some kid—you’re the weird one here!!”
‘If we count my previous life, I’m older than you, punk,’ Yang-hwi thought with a snicker.
Changing the subject, he added:
“Let’s skip over the small stuff, shall we? Anyway, we should have results by tomorrow.”
“Now that I think of it, Junior Brother, you never told me who’s going to pose as Rang-rang’s father. Just who are you planning to bring in that you’re making such a spectacle?”
“Hmm… let’s just say it’s someone capable of killing a peak-level martial master.”
Gu-Ak scoffed.
“The peak realm—that damn wall I haven’t been able to cross even though I’m past thirty. Why would someone strong enough to kill a peak master bother pretending to be the father of a courtesan?”
“Well, desperation makes people do anything. And what’s so great about peak masters anyway?”
Gu-Ak stared at Yang-hwi like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Did you just say peak masters aren’t a big deal? If that were true, our sect would’ve conquered Akan-hyeon long ago!”
Not wrong. Even the Honggyo Sect, considered one of the strongest around, only had one peak master—the sect leader himself.
Reaching the Peak Realm meant you could claim to be the strongest in the region.
And yet—
‘Peak realm? Nothing special. In my previous life, I surpassed it before even reaching twenty just by mastering my family’s martial arts.’
“Anyway, I’ll be heading off now. Gotta train if I want to break through that oh-so-lofty wall of the Peak Realm.”
Yang-hwi had been diligently training every day. If Gu-Ak hadn’t barged in, he’d probably still be in the training grounds right now, sharpening his body and skills.
“A true hero should be patient. I’ll send word soon.”
“...I trust you. Your father’s already giving me the death stare. Your brothers think I’m humiliating myself. Don’t make me regret getting involved.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Yang-hwi returned to Baek House Manor and, after completing his assigned training, locked himself in his room under the pretense of studying and writing.
“That should wrap things up nicely.”
On the blank cover of a brand-new book, he wrote two titles:
[Record of the Heaven-Covering Sword]
[Technique of Heavenly Harmony Art]
He had compiled all his past-life insights and the martial arts he had personally created into this book—a sort of secret manual.
‘The ink on this stiff new paper hasn’t even dried yet, so I can’t give it to Father just like this… but that’s fine. A way will present itself.’
With that thought, Yang-hwi gazed out the window. Before he knew it, a full round moon had risen in the night sky.
“Perfect timing. I hope they show up tonight.”
He crossed his legs and entered meditation. As with the previous nights, he planned to forgo sleep and spend the night circulating his energy with Heavenly Harmony Art
About two hours passed.
His senses, heightened to the extreme through the technique, caught a faint tremor in the air—the subtle sound produced by someone manipulating inner energy.
“Ah. So that’s how it is. He didn’t just hand over the jade pendant and vanish without a plan.”
The jade pendant Rang-rang had given him was trembling ever so slightly atop the chair.
The jade pendant was resonating—reacting to vibrations seeping in from the outside.
Yang-hwi picked up the pendant and stepped outside.
‘The closer I get, the stronger the tremor. I just need to trace it back to its source.’
The vibrations were coming from the tallest structure near Baek House Manor—more specifically, from its rooftop.
It wasn’t exactly a time of day where one could walk in through the front door. If he wanted to reach the top, he’d have to scale the wall or leap across rooftops with his small body.
Well, I’ve trained for a month. This much is no big deal.
Yang-hwi launched himself into the air. After just three bounds, he reached the top and turned toward the old man standing off to the side.
“You must like full moons, Elder.”
The old man wore tattered clothes and carried a bundle on his back.
His deep wrinkles carried the regrets of a long life, and though his eyes were worn down, they still held an undimmed determination.
“Living alone, the nights can be lonely. What brings a young master out here at this hour?”
“I heard someone was expecting a guest, so I came to keep them company.”
When Yang-hwi hinted that he’d come in response to a signal, a subtle change came over the old man’s expression.
“You’ve got a remarkable sense for energy, young master. But you see, there are only two kinds of guests—those who were invited, and those who weren’t.”
“Since the invited one won’t be coming, perhaps you could spare a moment to chat with this uninvited one?”
As Yang-hwi finished speaking, he pulled the jade pendant from his sleeve. The old man’s face immediately hardened.
“Let’s not misunderstand each other. Sister Rang gave it to me herself, saying she no longer needed it.”
“…It seems a proper explanation is in order.”
“If you wish to talk, how about introducing yourself first? Oh, but I suppose I don’t need to do the same—you already know who I am.”
And he was right. The old man already knew.
In fact, right after he saw the poster and burst into uncontrollable tears, he had begun investigating everything there was to know about Baek House Manor.
“So the head of Baek House Manor took in a young beggar… I see, he must’ve noticed your talent.”
“Ouch. That stings a little.”
“My apologies. I meant no offense. I’ll take back the ‘beggar’ comment, young lord.”
“Don’t apologize for calling me a beggar—apologize for the ‘talent’ part.”
“Hm?”
“I was a beggar, that’s true. But as for ‘talent’? That’s where you’re wrong. I’m not just any talent—I’m a once-in-a-thousand-years prodigy. Some even call it an unrivaled genius.”
“…”
The old man suddenly realized he’d been drawn into Yang-hwi’s rhythm of speech.
“Young master. I have no ill will toward Baek House Manor. I only ask for a brief moment with Miss Rang-rang. Once that’s done, I’ll leave quietly.”
“I’m sorry, Elder, but I was raised in a righteous sect. I only converse with those who give their name.”
So what, did you ask everyone’s name when you were a beggar asking for food?
The old man almost blurted that out, but held his tongue and instead said:
“My name is Yeo Woon-hyuk.”
“Yeo Woon-hyuk. ‘Crimson Cloud’—such a poetic name.”
“Your name isn’t half-bad either. The head of Baek House must have a talent for naming.”
“He blessed me with a name far beyond what I deserve. And what name did you give your daughter, Elder?”
“…A-rang.”
“Yeo A-rang. You must have wished for her to grow up bright and radiant.”
“Exactly. Now then, may I hear your answer to my request?”
There was a deep longing in the old man’s voice.
So much so that Yang-hwi nearly considered setting his plans aside, if only for a moment, just to let the two reunite.
‘But I can’t. They’ll only find true happiness if my plan succeeds.’
“Sister Rang is the beloved of Gu-Ak, son of the Honggyo Sect leader Gu Cheol-hyo. They truly love each other.”
“I know.”
“Then you must also know this—Honggyo’s leader views Sister Rang as a tool to ‘discipline’ his talented but disobedient son.”
He pressed on, reinforcing his scheme.
“The Honggyo Sect’s leader is the type to exploit any weakness thoroughly. He’s ruthless and overly ambitious, far beyond his station.”
“So you’re warning me not to approach recklessly and risk exposing my vulnerabilities? Don’t worry. I’ve walked a path where a single misstep could mean death.”
“What I mean is—he doesn’t even see his own son as anything more than a pawn. As for Gu-Ak’s weakness… I think you already know what it is.”
Only then did the old man’s expression shift dramatically. His earlier calm evaporated, and in its place surfaced a murky, simmering rage.
“Is something wrong with Rang-ah’s condition?”
“Sister Rang has been poisoned.”
Yang-hwi recalled the faint trace of toxins he had sensed when Rang-rang served him tea.
There was no need to even guess who the culprit was.
“Let me repeat myself—Honggyo Sect’s leader is the kind of man who wouldn’t bat an eye using the father of his son’s beloved as a tool. Especially if that person has a fatal weakness.”
Yang-hwi thought back to his previous life.
The old man who had never managed to find his daughter before her death.
He’d later stumbled upon the jade pendant sold in the black market and, after investigating, ignited a hatred so deep it consumed everything.
That hatred led him to mobilize all of his remaining strength to incite a massacre within the Honggyo Sect—and eventually, he succeeded in destroying the entire faction.
“It’s complicated, isn’t it? After over a decade, you finally find your daughter. But she’s on the brink of death—targeted by the father of the man she loves. That man commands a dark sect with dozens of elite martial artists, including a peak-level master. And then some kid suddenly appears, saying all this nonsense.”
The old man gave a dry laugh.
“Sure. Complicated. But is it more than my life’s been? Thank you for telling me, young lord. But from here on out, I’d like you to stay out of this old man’s affairs.”
Hm. That wasn’t quite how this was supposed to go.
All throughout the conversation, Yang-hwi had made sure to give the impression that he had a plan.
‘I figured he’d at least hear me out…’
No helping it then. Time for drastic measures.
“Martial Outlaw, the One Who Recasts Deer into Horses—Yeo Un-jeok.”
The instant the name was spoken, the old man—Yeo Un-jeok, hiding behind the alias Yeo Woon-hyuk—shot forward like a flash of light toward Yang-hwi.
But—
The arm that stretched forward. The open hand that followed. The hand, exposed for the first time from under his sleeve, was so gnarled with scars and calluses it looked like a crow’s foot.
Time seemed to slow. Every detail burned into Yang-hwi’s vision.
He summoned the qi stored in his dantian. Where his experience lacked, he compensated with precise internal insight.
Without breaking eye contact from the old man’s fingertips—without wasting even a sliver of motion—
Yang-hwi parried the clawed hand upward and drove a piercing strike toward the old man’s throat.
The clash lasted only a moment. The outcome was clear.
Victory belonged to Yang-hwi.
“…So you’re not just some child.”
“And that’s all you have to say after ambushing a kid?”
“I didn’t mean to harm you. Just… subdue you, and get a promise.”
“I know. You didn’t channel any inner energy into your hand.”
Which was precisely why Yang-hwi had been able to block and counter.
Whether it was mercy or carelessness, Yeo Un-jeok had held back.
Well, even so, if the gap in ability had been massive, it wouldn’t have mattered.
Luckily for Yang-hwi, Yeo Un-jeok, despite being a martial outlaw, wasn’t particularly strong in martial arts.
After all, his crimes weren’t committed through brute force alone.
“To make a deer into a horse.”
The true strength of the man standing before him didn’t lie in combat. It was in something else entirely.
“Elder, I don’t mean to stand against you. Sister Rang is truly a good person—and you’re her father.”
“…What exactly are you asking of me?”
“All these problems stem from one fact: Sister Rang’s beloved has a father who is the Honggyo Sect leader. A peak-level master. A sect with real power. The issue is that the person with all that power isn’t a good man.”
Yang-hwi curved his lips into a sly smile.
“So how about we work together? For Sister Rang’s sake—for your daughter’s future happiness.”
It might’ve been a little early, but the time was right.
Baek House Manor needed to carve out room to grow—and that meant it was time to start clearing out the dark factions.
---The End Of The Chapter---
Love the story💖? Read 20 chapters early, skip the ads, and help keep the translation going!
Comments