The Third-Rate Martial Arts Family Becomes the World's Strongest Chapter 57

Chapter 57

For the first time in a while, a meeting of the clan’s senior council was convened.

Naturally, the agenda was to determine who would receive the Elixirs.

The Deputy Master of the Poison Medic Division respectfully offered a box containing the elixirs to Baek Mu-ryang, who had just emerged from closed-door training.

“Clan Lord. Out of the twenty elixirs we agreed to produce, five have been completed ahead of schedule.”

Creating the Elixir wasn’t something that could be accomplished without profound medical knowledge and mastery of alchemical techniques.

Moreover, the process required uniting the essence of expensive ingredients into a single harmonious force to maximize the medicinal effect, an effort that demanded utmost care and attention.

Thus, after nearly two months, only five pills had been produced.

“Deputy Master, you’ve worked hard.”

“It’s nothing. Once an alliance is formed, it’s only natural to offer full support. Broadly speaking, this benefits our own main household as well.”

“Your words are truly appreciated.”

The Deputy Master offered a gentle smile as he responded.

“We enhanced the elixir’s potency by nearly 20% using the additional budget. Though the internal energy gained from a single pill is similar across users, in the case of children, the latent potential it plants within the body is significantly higher.”

As he said this, the Deputy Master’s gaze turned to Yang-hwi.

Just by looking, one could tell the boy was exceptionally clear-headed and possessed extraordinary martial talent.

Truthfully, unlike Tang Gun, the Young Clan Lord of the Tang Clan, the Deputy Master didn’t hold the Baek Clan in particularly high regard.

He questioned whether a noble clan like the Tang needed to form an alliance with them at all.

But—

‘If we raise that boy using the elixir… then the alliance would be worth it just for him.’

The strongest alliances were always formed through blood.

If they could bring the boy into the family, say, as a son-in-law, it would be a tremendous boon.

Meanwhile, Baek Mu-ryang gazed contemplatively at the five elixirs in the box.

The same thoughtful expression could be seen on the faces of all the other clan elders present.

Who would these completed elixirs be distributed to?

It was a matter of great importance.

“…First. Gu-Ak, The Rehabilitation Overseer or Lord of the White Wing Pavilion.”

“Gu awaits the Clan Lord’s orders.”

“In recognition of your outstanding service, I bestow upon you one elixir.”

Gu-Ak’s face brightened like a lantern.

“With loyalty! I shall devote my life to the Baek Clan!”

Everyone nodded. It felt only natural that Gu-Ak should receive one. His contributions to the clan had been substantial.

So much so that no one would guess he was once the heir of a dark sect on the dark path.

Now that he’s taken charge of reformation and become a core force of the main household, he deserves this.

They hear he’s been quite active at night with his wife too. Hope the tonic helps him recover well.

He’s suffered the most under Master Hwi’s training… Just for that alone, he deserves it. Congratulations, Pavilion Lord Gu.

With one given, four remained. Baek Mu-ryang placed two of them before himself.

“Forgive my boldness. I intend to take two of these remaining elixirs for myself.”

“No one here would ever think the Clan Lord unworthy! Please take them and reach greater heights!”

“May you achieve true greatness!”

Not a single person voiced discontent over Baek Mu-ryang taking two of the elixirs.

He was unquestionably qualified.

It wasn’t a matter of title or authority.

Only one who gave selflessly and led from the front could earn such deep respect.

“Thank you all for your kind words.”

“It is nothing, Clan Lord. You are the pillar of this house.”

As Baek Mu-ryang turned to the remaining two elixirs, his gaze fell on Yang-hwi.

“Hwi.”

“Clan Lord, I don’t need one.”

“Oh?”

“I told you before, didn’t I?”

Because the Deputy Master of the Poison Medic Division was present, he kept his words brief and followed up with a subtle signal.

However, Baek Mu-ryang’s intention was a little different from what Yang-hwi had expected.

“Hwi, you decide what to do with these two.”

“Pardon?”

“You are worthy. Take them for yourself—or give them to someone else. It’s your choice.”

“…Thank you.”

A flicker of emotion stirred in his heart. He already knew whom he would give one to.

‘First, I’ll give one to Chudal.’

It wasn’t out of sentimentality for their past lives.

A clan needed discipline, and rewards and punishments had to be clear.

He had made great contributions in the Namgeum Trade Guild, and a reward was deserved.

‘So might get a little jealous that I’m giving it to someone else before his younger brother, but… well, it can’t be helped.’

So was the type who became even more diligent when he got jealous.

If coaxed properly, this could turn into a positive outcome.

As for the last one… maybe I should hold onto it. You never know when an elixir might be urgently needed.

“Then, I shall return to my closed-door training. Chief Han.”

“Yes, Clan Lord.”

“I entrust the clan’s affairs to you. I rely on you deeply.”

“It’s an honor. I will do my utmost.”

And so, the senior council meeting came to a close.

****

Yang-hwi immediately rushed to the residence of Yeo Hyuk, where Chudal had been staying recently.

“Chudal, you little ras— Huh?”

He had started to call out loudly, but quickly lowered his voice.

At the entrance of the residence, Chudal and Yeo Hyuk were engaged in conversation, and the atmosphere seemed quite serious.

What are they talking about?

Lowering his presence, Yang-hwi listened in quietly.

“Hua.”

“Yes, Master.”

Oh, looks like he hadn’t been able to pay attention to Chudal for nearly a month now.

Fortunately, it seemed he had successfully become the disciple of that old man.

A stroke of luck. As the successor of the Shintuji Sect, he would make a perfect future head of the clan’s intelligence department.

“As your master, I offer you this guidance.”

“I am listening.”

“I know that you’ve become my disciple at the behest of Master Hwi, and that you’re working hard to prove yourself. But you’re overdoing it. Even without his recommendation, you are more than qualified to be my disciple. There’s no need to push yourself so hard.”

“…”

Chudal remained silent. Now that he thought about it, the boy didn’t look well.

Judging by his condition, he must’ve pushed himself too far, probably ran himself into the ground.

To have reached that level in just a month… it could only mean he had pushed himself to the absolute limit.

“Overtraining becomes poison, child. Restrain yourself from now on, understand?”

“...But…”

Even as Chudal didn’t immediately accept his master’s warning, Yeo Hyuk responded with a soft smile.

“So that’s not the only reason you’ve been driving yourself. What is it that’s pushing you so hard?”

“…”

“You know, Hua, I truly value your potential. Your natural disposition, temperament, even your physique—everything about you is perfectly suited to inherit the Shintuji Sect. Unlike me, that is.”

While the compliment was directed at Chudal, it was Yang-hwi who smirked with pride, shrugging his shoulders.

Knew he’d see his worth. Chudal may not be flashy, but he’s no slouch.

From their previous life, if there was one thing Chudal excelled at, it was escaping and chasing down enemies.

That’s precisely why Yang-hwi had recommended him as the successor to the Divine Thief’s Vein in the first place.

But that wasn’t the important matter right now.

“Speak, Hua.”

“...I must repay my debts.”

“Debts?”

“To the mysterious warrior who rescued me from Nameless Killing Valley. That person… they were strong enough to annihilate an entire sect on their own. If I wish to repay that debt, I must grow stronger quickly. And also…”

“And also?”

“I owe a debt to this place—the Baek Manor—as well. Hyung-nim brought me into this family when I had been raised as an assassin. And everyone here accepted me without hesitation. I have many people to repay.”

Yeo Hyuk’s face lit up with satisfaction.

“Your master shares that same sentiment. I too have received great kindness. But, if you run ahead too fast and trip, you’ll end up slower than if you had just walked steadily. That’s how the world works. Won’t you trust me, your master?”

Only then did Chudal seem to truly realize how recklessly he had been pushing himself.

“...Yes, Master. I apologize.”

“Our spirit gate may not be famous for flashy martial arts, but our internal techniques are profound enough to be called the best in the world. That’s why the sect has been passed down for generations as the Divine Thief’s Vein”

He’s right. Their swordsmanship may not be impressive, but the deep mystery of their internal arts is the very foundation of Shintu’s reputation.

While Yang-hwi was lost in those thoughts, Yeo Hyuk continued.

“Trust me. Follow me. You won’t fall behind. In fact, you might even surpass others. Isn’t that right, Master Hwi?”

Ah—so he’d been caught listening all along. Then again, the old man was at the peak of martial cultivation. It made sense.

Scratching his head awkwardly, Yang-hwi stepped forward.

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, it just kind of happened. Sorry about that, old man.”

“It’s fine. If it were something you shouldn’t have heard, I would’ve warned you in advance. So then, what brings you here?”

Yang-hwi looked at both Yeo Hyuk and Chudal for a moment.

Then, turning toward Chudal specifically, he grinned mischievously.

Chudal instinctively tensed up, sensing a bad feeling creeping over him.

So that brat had such noble thoughts, huh? Alright, I’ll really work him now.

If he was going to make full use of him, then he had to raise him properly first.

Yang-hwi casually tossed something toward Chudal.

“Ack! Why are you throwing a rock— Huh? What is this?”

“What’s it look like? If you’re not sure, give it a sniff.”

As he brought it closer to his nose, a faint, mystical aroma filled the air.

Chudal’s eyes went wide.

“No way…”

“Yep. Elixir. Eat it and grow fast, alright?”

“O-okay…”

“I’m giving it to you before So or Yeon. It means I expect you to catch up quickly, since you’ve fallen behind. It also means I believe in you. Think you can meet those expectations?”

“…”

Chudal, silent until now, slowly raised his head.

For a fleeting moment, Yang-hwi saw an image of the Chudal from their past life superimposed on the boy’s face.

“Hyung-nim. I promise I won’t disappoint you!”

—“Hyung-nim. Have I ever let you down?”

…His hand moved on its own.

Smack!

“Ow! Why’d you hit me?!”

“Brat, you disappointed me constantly.”

“When did I?! Come on!”

“Come on? This little punk’s getting mouthy.”

Smack!

“Aaaack!”

Yeo Hyuk watched the two boys’ playful bickering with great affection, stroking his beard.

Master Hwi truly cherishes my disciple. How wonderful… These are good times indeed.

* * *

One day, with the new year just around the corner—

Even here in Jiangxi, far to the south of the world, the chill was beginning to sting the tip of the nose.

“It’s already been well over half a year since I regressed.”

At this point, it felt more accurate to say it had been almost a full year rather than merely six months.

And in that time, so much had changed for Baek Manor.

“I never imagined the clan could grow in strength this fast. Everything’s gone incredibly smoothly.”

Indeed, from the arrival of Yeo Woon-hyuk to the unexpected windfall during the Dark Faction War, Gu-Ak’s defection, ties with the Jegal family, and Lady Eumhu—one event after another had aligned like clockwork, all benefiting the main house.

Thanks to all this, Baek Manor’s manpower had tripled compared to when he first returned in time, and its financial standing had multiplied several dozen times over.

“We now own four businesses. They bring in around a thousand nyang of silver per month.”

They had poured massive sums into repairing all the enterprises wrecked during the Dark Faction War.

And now, those same businesses were operating at peak efficiency, producing maximum profit for minimal upkeep.

But that wasn’t all.

Even the power structure of Akan-hyeon had been completely reshaped.

Withthe Cheongsa Sect and the Honggyo Sect fallen, the battle for supremacy now stood between the Gyojin Sect and the Baek Manor, while the Suhoji Assembly lurked in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity.

From a meager third-rate martial clan that no one had paid attention to, Baek Manor had risen in less than a year to become one of the central forces in the entire prefecture.

“Hehehe… Let’s keep going just like this. No—let’s speed up and keep pushing forward.”

But as the saying goes, good fortune is often followed by disaster.

When blessings come, so do trials.

“Terrible news! Gyojin Sect just launched a surprise attack on the Society of Guardians!”

“Over half of the Society’s affiliated factions have surrendered, and Gyojin has taken control of most of their businesses!”

Gyojin Sect had finally made its move.

And not just a probing strike, but with the intent to bring things to a definitive end.

“Chief Han-nim. Young Master Hwi. Gyojin Sect has sent someone to us.”

“For what reason?”

“...They’re requesting a Life-and-Death Duel.”

Gyojin Sect Master, Lee Ho-yang.

He had issued a challenge, a Life-and-Death Duel that would put everything Baek Manor owned on the line.

---The End Of The Chapter---

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