Chapter 38

Yang-hwi joined the morning training with the Baek siblings for the first time in a while.

“Alright, my little brothers and sisters. Let’s see how much you’ve grown.”

It had been about a month since they searched for Eumhu in Gokyeol Mountain and passed through Five Trials of Proper Sound.

If they had trained diligently during that time, their skills would’ve improved significantly.

“At our age, even a moment feels like three autumns. You’ve been working hard, right?”

“Hwi Orabeoni! What does ‘a moment feels like three autumns’ mean?”

“It means just what it says. A single moment can feel like three years—like time stretches when something matters to you.”

“Ah-ha!”

Yang-hwi nodded with satisfaction after observing their progress over the past month.

Both So and Yeon-ah had clearly trained hard.

“You’ve both worked hard. Here—presents.”

The best way to encourage children is with praise.

And considering how poor these children had grown up, praise paired with a physical reward worked even better.

“Wow! Orabeoni, what is this?”

“What else? It’s a beautiful jade hairpin—just as it looks.”

The gift Yang-hwi handed to Baek Yeon-yeon was a hair accessory—an exquisite jade pin.

“I’ve never received anything this pretty before!”

Seeing Baek Yeon-yeon jump with joy made the detour to the market all the more worthwhile.

“So, I’ve got something for you too.”

The gift for Baek Heon-So was a decorative tassel to attach to the hilt of his wooden practice sword.

Yang-hwi personally tied it to the tip of Baek Heon-So’s sword.

“This will make training feel even better. What do you think? You like it?”

“Hyung-nim! Thank you so much!”

Clearly overjoyed, Baek Heon-So jumped up and performed a respectful martial bow.

Heh. Looks like he picked that up somewhere.

“Train even harder. You’re the pillar of the Baek family, after all.”

“The pillar... Yes!”

Just then, Baek Heon-So’s face turned gloomy.

“What’s wrong all of a sudden?”

“It’s just... I heard you’re leaving again.”

“Ahh.”

Kids get attached fast.

Though they’d only known each other a few months, Baek Heon-So already saw Yang-hwi as a true older brother.

“You brat. I’ll be back soon this time. Probably.”

“Still... I really think you’re amazing, Hyung-nim.”

“Out of nowhere? What makes you say that?”

“The fact that Father allowed you to go on a journey... and now, you’ve even become someone’s disciple…”

Baek Heon-So looked at him with a mixture of emotions.

Yang-hwi, ever perceptive, read them all clearly.

Admiration and respect… but also inferiority and envy.

The brighter emotions were stronger, but for a child like Baek Heon-So, the clash of those feelings was likely confusing and overwhelming.

Adding to it, the fact that the very person he admired and envied was leaving again only deepened the sense of loneliness and longing.

‘Times like this really show how So is more sensitive than Yeon-ah.’

Still, being sensitive made him easier to shape.

And if nurtured properly, even soft earth could become firm ground.

So, unlike in his previous life, Baek Heon-So wouldn’t go astray.

He would become a great martial artist—and the future head of the Baek family.

As his older brother, Yang-hwi had every intention of guiding him on that path.

“So.”

With a soft chuckle, Yang-hwi gently patted Baek Heon-So’s head, pressing down his hair.

His already messy hair now looked like a bird’s nest, but paired with the gleam in his young eyes, it was nothing short of adorable.

“So, watch your hyung’s footwork carefully now.”

Yang-hwi stepped back several paces so Baek Heon-So could see everything, and then he moved.

The Thousand Vessel Step—a footwork technique inspired by Eumhu’s divine movements—unfolded before him.

“Did you see it?”

“Yes, Hyung-nim.”

“Nope. You missed it. Watch again.”

He stepped once more. This time, Baek Heon-So held his breath, fully focused.

And then—just barely—he caught a glimpse of something.

“You saw it, didn’t you?”

“Yes. I think I did.”

“Still not enough. One more time.”

Each step Yang-hwi took seemed to sharpen Baek Heon-So’s perception.

With every repetition, a strange light began to flicker in his eyes.

“There. Did you catch it all now?”

“….”

Instead of answering, Baek Heon-So stepped forward—his motion itself an answer.

Seeing the understanding embedded in that step, Yang-hwi smiled in satisfaction.

“Not perfect, but close enough. Now I’ll teach you the mnemonic verse. Memorize it.”

It didn’t take long for Baek Heon-So to learn it.

Since the foundation of the technique was Heavenly Harmony Art, and he had already been learning Sixfold Harmony Art, the two methods shared common roots.

“The name of the technique is The Thousand Vessel Step—a step meant to shape the vessel that will one day contain the heavens. A teaching passed down from Eumhu-nim.”

Once again, Yang-hwi ruffled Baek Heon-So’s hair firmly.

Now, the negative emotions in Baek Heon-So’s eyes had mostly faded.

“Baek Heon-So, eldest son of the Baek family. With Father back in seclusion, you’re now the pillar of our clan. Can I trust you to handle things while I’m gone?”

“Yes, Hyung-nim!”

“Train hard, and when I return, I’ll teach you something even better. But promise me—wake up early every day and train with Yeon-ah without slacking off.”

“I promise, Hyung-nim!”

“I promise too, Orabeoni!” said Baek Yeon-ah.

Looking fondly at the two siblings who answered in unison, Yang-hwi smiled warmly once again.

‘Please… just grow up straight and strong, just like this.’

* * *

“…….”

“…….”

“This feeling… This sense… It’s familiar, yet it’s been a while.”

Gu-Ak couldn’t hold it in anymore and roared out,

“Junior brother!!”

“Why are you calling me, Gu-hyung?”

“This—is this right? Huh? Is this how it should be?!”

“What exactly are you unhappy about?”

“Are you really asking that?!”

Gu-Ak hurled the pack he had been carrying all by himself to the ground.

More precisely, he flung both the pack and Yang-hwi, who had been riding on top of it.

“Yup!”

Yang-hwi landed gracefully, flipping mid-air.

Watching this, Gu-Ak exploded like a firecracker, words tumbling out with the momentum of a storm.

“I know you’re the young master of the clan I pledged my loyalty to, and I’ve sworn to serve you to the best of my ability. But we’re sworn brothers now! And yet you think it’s perfectly fine to ride on my back like a pack mule through this whole journey? How could you do this to your hyung!?”

Yang-hwi widened his eyes as if only now realizing the issue, then smacked a fist into his open palm.

“Ah! Then I’ll carry the luggage myself!”

“…While still riding on me?”

“Yup.”

“RAAAAGH!”

Gu-Ak felt his qi boiling. This is it. I’m about to suffer qi deviation.

Otherwise, how could his head possibly feel this hot?

“Then nothing’s changed, has it?!”

Yang-hwi chuckled and lightly tapped Gu Ak’s arm.

“But I can’t walk right now. Can’t you show a little mercy, hyung?”

“Like I said!!”

Thumping his chest in frustration, Gu-Ak continued shouting.

“You’re deliberately training your footwork so hard that you can’t walk during a long journey—doesn’t that basically mean you’re using me as your mule, you brat?!”

‘Oh? Still, he’s softened a lot since officially joining the main family. He used to call me worse than brat.’

If it were the old days, he’d have said “bastard” instead.

He’s adapting well. That’s a satisfying change.

“Gu-hyung, think about it.”

When Yang-hwi suddenly lowered his voice, Gu-Ak hesitated.

“Think about what?”

“Gu-hyung, don’t you miss sister Rang?”

“…Of course I do.”

Truth was, ever since he got tricked into volunteering as an escort by the high steward, Gu-Ak had been quietly regretting the decision—especially once he realized it meant being separated from his beloved A-Rang for quite a while.

“When traveling on foot, the pace has to match the slowest person. But what if I train my footwork hard now? Even if it doesn’t help right away, I’ll be able to return much faster later.”

“…”

“You want to see sister Rang soon, right? Then please help this junior brother just a bit more. I promise to train diligently for your sake, too.”

…It was tempting. No—he’d fallen for this brat’s silver tongue before and always regretted it.

Suddenly, Gu-Ak voiced the question bothering him.

“Why not just take a carriage?”

“That costs money. Isn’t it best to train hard, take breaks when tired, and still make progress? Why waste it?”

“LIKE I SAID! WHY ARE YOU TAKING THOSE BREAKS ON MY BACK, YOU BRAT!”

He’s not calming down through reason. Fine—I’ll need to toss him a bait.

Before Gu-Ak could unleash a heartfelt death glare, Yang-hwi quickly spoke up.

“You’re still awkward around your father-in-law, right?”

That hit like lightning. Gu-Ak froze.

Yang-hwi, now casually climbing back onto Gu Ak’s back, continued leisurely.

“As you know, I’m the one who brought Elder Hyuk into the picture.”

One of Gu Ak’s biggest recent headaches was none other than his fiancée A-Rang’s newly reunited family—her father, Yeo Woon-hyuk.

Gu-Ak had lived his whole life looking down on everyone except his father—and even then, he’d never cared about impressing him. Now, suddenly having a “father-in-law” figure to navigate was… complicated.

If I give in now, I’ll just be dancing to that brat’s tune again…

Still, despite himself, Gu-Ak asked,

“…You got a plan?”

“Hehehe.”

Without missing a beat, Yang-hwi fastened the pack to his own back and climbed onto Gu-Ak’s once more.

Gu-Ak felt his resentment spike—but he couldn’t bring himself to throw him off.

“We’ve got a long road ahead. Let’s talk as we walk.”

“…Fine. Now that I think of it, Junior brother… you never told me where we’re headed.”

“Oh, right. I completely forgot. The destination—arguably the most important part of any journey.”

Yang-hwi paused, not to think, but to recall what he’d heard from Chudal in his past life—about Chudal’s own backstory.

“We’re going to Gugang, northwest of Namchang, in Jiangxi Province.”

“What’s there?”

“Nameless Killing Valley”

“…That doesn’t sound like the name of a proper sect.”

“Well, it shouldn’t. It’s an assassin’s sect.”

An assassin sect—an organization that raises trained killers and takes assassination requests.

“…Why are we going there?”

“There’s someone talented I’ve set my sights on.”

“…Don’t tell me you’re planning to bring someone trained as an assassin into the Baek family?”

“Ding ding! Correct! You’re as sharp as ever!”

“You’re seriously pulling something like that—and yet you only brought one escort? You’re insane, Junior brother”

“Gu-hyung is more than enough. After all, aren’t you aiming for the title of ’Greatest Fist of Akan-hyeon?”

Though Yang-hwi often made fun of him, the truth was—Gu-Ak was one of only two first-class masters left in Akan-hyeon.

The top-tier experts of Honggyo sect and Cheongsa sect had either died or become crippled, and Suhoji assembly didn’t have a single first-rate master at all.

That left just two men competing for the title of Akan-hyeon’s strongest: the Gyohjin Sect Leader and Gu-Ak.

In other words, Gu-Ak was, at minimum, the second strongest in the region.

…Of course, that didn’t mean one first-class master could take on an entire assassin sect alone.

“Don’t worry, Gu-hyung. I have no intention of storming Nameless Killing Valley. All we need to do is kidna—uh, rescue one kid who’s being raised outside the main compound.”

“Kidnap? Did you just say kidnap? You, a member of the Baek Clan, are talking about kidnapping?!”

“Ahem. I misspoke. I meant to say rescue. And besides, we do need to act fast—his life’s genuinely in danger.”

In their past life, Yang-hwi and Chudal had bonded quickly over their shared hometown of Jiangxi Province.

They’d gotten along so well, in fact, that they’d sworn brotherhood.

Over time, Yang-hwi had heard bits and pieces of Chudal’s past. And according to those memories—

Very soon, Chudal would face a life-or-death crisis.

“The goal of this journey is to save a boy kidnapped by the assassin sect, stripped of emotion, and raised as a killer. That’s why this is a journey of a true chivalrous hero!”

Yang-hwi raised a fist dramatically from atop Gu Ak’s back.

“Gu-hyung, you’re finally becoming a xia! A real hero! Now, let’s move out!”

“….”

Gu-Ak fell silent. Not once had he profited from giving in to this brat’s silver tongue.

Sometimes, silence was the best form of resistance.

After teasing Gu-Ak for a while, Yang-hwi finally quieted down when his older brother gave no reaction.

“Well, this trip just got a lot more boring.”

Moments like these made him miss Chudal all the more.

Back in his past life, whenever they traveled together, Yang-hwi and Chudal would joke and banter nonstop.

They were more than just sworn brothers—Chudalwas, in many ways, Yang-hwi’s soulmate.

“Alright, might as well use the silence to tighten the plan.”

At this moment in time, Chudal was still within Nameless Killing Valley, being raised as an assassin.

And soon—perhaps as early as tomorrow, or at most within a month—he would be forced to make his first kill.

“That first time… he used to have nightmares about it, even years later.”

Chudal, I swear—in this life, I won’t let you have any nightmares.

While Yang-hwi was busy plotting his friend’s rescue from atop Gu-Ak’s back, the scenery changed.

The villages became more frequent, and eventually, a small city came into view.

They had arrived at Gugang.

“Dear guest! This way to a cheap and delicious inn! Follow me, please!”

“Heaven’s best fish-fragrance pork! Come taste it at Yangharu!”

Along the bustling streets, boys working for inns and restaurants were calling out to passing travelers.

Among them, one particular boy caught Yang-hwi’s eye—his voice was stiff, his face void of emotion, and his speech utterly mechanical.

Yang-hwi grinned.

Found you.

Thankfully, it seemed he had come to the right place at just the right time.

---The End Of The Chapter---

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