Chapter 13 Hebei

Chapter 13 Hebei

The atmosphere at Lee Clan Manor had completely changed.

Just moments ago, the people of Lee Clan Manor had been meticulously vetting each wandering martial artist, treating them as precious manpower.

Most of the wandering martial artists, too, had gathered in small groups with familiar faces, practicing their combined attacks in advance or discussing battle plans with the Jianghu Martial Artists of Wu’an County.

But where had all that passion gone?

Instead of discussing strategy, the wandering martial artists were busy chattering about the reinforcements coming from the Peng Clan, and the Lee Clan Manor was simply focused on preparing for ordinary distinguished guests.

All of this was the power of the Hebei Peng Clan’s name.

Their mere presence instilled a sense of stability and optimism in people. Namgung-woo could feel that the underlying fear had significantly dissipated, even if there was still some expectation.

‘Is this the true value of a prestigious family’s name?’

How much towering prestige and substantial power to back it up would one need to instill such confidence in people just by existing?

Namgung-woo’s heart pounded with anticipation, knowing that this time, he would truly witness the latent power of this world’s Martial World.

“Well, well, looks like we’ve become useless as borrowed sacks of barley. Wouldn’t you agree, friend?”

Someone approached Namgung-woo and spoke with a friendly, easygoing demeanor.

Namgung-woo, already aware there was no hostility, had allowed the approach. He turned to face the speaker.

It was a young man, roughly in his mid-twenties, similar in age to Peng Choyul.

He wore a saber at his waist and bracers with throwing knives tucked into them. Dressed in the typical attire of a wandering martial artist, he was one of the individuals Namgung-woo had judged to be quite skilled when he first arrived at Lee Clan Manor.

His cultivation realm was similar to Song Chae-ji’s: a Top-tier Martial Artist on the verge of Peak Transcendence. But what truly piqued Namgung-woo’s interest was…

“Brother, please don’t approach just anyone so casually.”

…the fact that he was a twin.

His attire was no different from his brother’s, who had just spoken to Namgung-woo, but unlike his brother, he was left-handed, with his saber sheathed on the opposite side.

“My apologies, Young Hero. I hope we haven’t disturbed your thoughts. Our brother is simply too unreserved, so his actions often precede him. Please forgive him.”

Unlike his brother, who seemed the very embodiment of ‘wandering martial artist,’ the younger twin was remarkably polite.

His extremely disciplined posture and respectful greeting made him seem more like a Young Master from a noble scholar family than a wandering martial artist.

“Not at all. I was feeling a bit lonely by myself. My name is Nam-woo. I don’t have an epithet yet, and for now, I’m affiliated with Yaoping Escort Agency.”

“Oh, Yaoping Escort Agency? They’re quite well-known in Shanxi. You’re working for a good outfit.”

“Brother, your tone…”

His younger brother chided him again, but the older one remained unperturbed.

“What’s the big deal? All under heaven are brothers. Escorts and wandering martial artists, it’s all the same. Isn’t that right?”

Namgung-woo smiled and nodded, and the older brother jutted out his chin at his younger sibling as if to say, “See?” The younger brother clicked his tongue in exasperation, but the older one, unfazed, spoke to Namgung-woo.

“I am Yang Kwae, the Swift Meteor Blade. As you can see, I’m this fellow’s twin brother.”

Yang Kwae glanced at his younger brother, who then continued.

“I am Yang Jeong. People around here call me the Flying Knife Scholar.”

Swift Meteor Blade Yang Kwae and Flying Knife Scholar Yang Jeong.

The two were somewhat recognized among wandering martial artists. The fact that their epithets reflected their martial arts specialties rather than their activity region or origin already indicated a certain level of acknowledged skill.

Yang Kwae and Yang Jeong were both at a Top-tier Martial Artist realm, essentially treated as half-Peak Transcendence Masters.

Furthermore, perhaps because they were twins, their personalities were opposite, but their combined attacks were exquisitely synchronized. Together, they could subdue even a Peak Transcendence Master without a single scratch.

While a Peak Transcendence Master might only be a member of an elite martial force unit in a prestigious great sect, in the wandering martial artist world, where skilled martial artists were scarce, even reaching the Peak Transcendence Realm was considered top-tier. The Yang brothers, who had a track record of defeating Peak Transcendence Masters, were likewise recognized as formidable experts in this field.

Yang Kwae’s initial approach to Namgung-woo was purely out of goodwill.

‘He seems weak.’

In Yang Kwae’s eyes, Namgung-woo appeared to have trained in martial arts, given his posture, but his Aura was too faint.

A third-rate martial artist who had accumulated Internal Energy and entered the martial path.

A second-rate martial artist who could circulate that Internal Energy within his body.

Yang Kwae judged Namgung-woo’s cultivation realm to be somewhere between those two.

‘If he participates in the Gate Closing Battle without knowing anything, he’s bound to die a tragic death.’

They, too, had once been like that. A reckless youth, full of youthful vigor at twenty, boldly rushing into the Jianghu.

His affiliation with Yaoping Escort Agency was unexpected. Even more so because it didn’t seem like a lie.

However, since Namgung-woo hadn’t specified his exact position, Yang Kwae secretly wondered if he had worked as a porter rather than an escort.

Perhaps calling himself an escort was merely a courtesy to preserve Namgung-woo’s pride.

Yang Jeong, knowing his brother had a soft spot for others, had long realized that his brother’s approach to Namgung-woo was intended to protect him. So, when their conversation had matured sufficiently, Yang Jeong asked what his brother was thinking.

“So, if you don’t mind, why don’t you travel with us brothers during this Gate Closing Battle?”

The protection of the Yang twins, who were considered equivalent to a late-Peak Transcendence Master when fighting together? This was a rather expensive offer of goodwill.

Of course, that would only be true if Namgung-woo were indeed a weak martial artist, somewhere between third-rate and second-rate, as they believed.

The Aura the Yang brothers sensed from Namgung-woo was merely what Namgung-woo had intentionally released outside his body.

If he had completely concealed his energy within, they would have perceived him as an ordinary person with no martial arts, just like Song Chae-ji. So Namgung-woo deliberately let some Aura leak.

However, he hadn’t yet reached the realm where he could freely manipulate Internal Energy.

He maintained a very faint level of Aura, ensuring he could perfectly control it at any moment, lest he accidentally lose control.

If the Yang brothers had known this, they would have been embarrassed by their meddling, but such an unfortunate incident was obscured by their mutual ignorance.

Namgung-woo, for his part, had no idea how the Yang brothers perceived him. Instead, he inferred their reason for approaching him based on the information he knew.

‘Did they sense the same Thunder Qi? I didn’t explicitly reveal Thunder Qi in my Aura, but their senses must be good.’

Namgung-woo’s eyes pierced through, observing the remarkably pure Thunder Qi stored in the Yang brothers’ Lower Dantians.

They were wandering martial artists, roaming Under Heaven without a proper sect/school, yet their Internal Energy was purer than Hwang Mu-tak’s. He couldn’t tell what martial arts they practiced, but it must be orthodox.

‘Either they had a fortuitous encounter, or they came from a good background before becoming wandering martial artists. One of the two.’

Considering they were still in their mid-twenties, their talent wasn’t bad either.

Given that Song Chae-ji, who reached a similar level at twenty, was considered a significant prodigy, these two must be at least rising talents. Moreover, purely in terms of Internal Energy, they possessed more than Song Chae-ji, who had trained at Hengshan, one of the renowned mountains among the Five Sacred Mountains.

‘Given a single opportunity, they’d immediately overcome the wall of Peak Transcendence.’

The balance of Essence, Qi, and Spirit was truly the great path to the Higher Realm.

Their Essence and Qi were already prepared to reach the Peak Transcendence Realm. All that remained was for their Spirit to catch up, mentally realizing a broader Martial World.

‘Did they become wandering martial artists to achieve that enlightenment?’

No matter how good a master, they couldn’t forcibly impart enlightenment to a disciple. It was something one had to realize oneself. While it was certainly possible to lay the groundwork for accepting enlightenment and provide clues for it.

‘Should I observe them a bit longer?’

Namgung-woo made his decision.

“I’d be glad to.”

“Oh, good, good! Then, how about we call you ‘Junior Brother’? Since I seem to be older.”

“Brother, aren’t you being too casual? What’s your opinion, Young Hero?”

“Haha, I’m fine with it. Then I’ll call you Brother Yang—ah, but then you two would get confused. If you don’t have a courtesy name, I’ll use your given names.”

“What martial artist uses a courtesy name? We have epithets. Just call me Brother Kwae.”

“I’ll continue to call you Young Hero.”

“As you wish, Brother Jeong.”

As Namgung-woo chatted and built rapport with the Yang Kwae and Yang Jeong brothers, he slowly turned his head, sensing a heavy spiritual aura approaching Lee Clan Manor.

Beyond the main gate.

Figures cloaked in a spiritual aura that seemed to naturally press down on their surroundings were approaching.

“Young Hero?”

“They’re here.”

“Ah… the Peng Clan’s esteemed elders have arrived.”

The three, along with the others, turned their gaze to one spot at the sound of their voices.

Unaware that Namgung-woo had sensed their presence before them, they blankly focused all their attention on the group crossing the main gate’s threshold.

Five men and women.

Namgung-woo quietly gasped in admiration.

Every single one was a Peak Transcendence Master. And among them, one was even more formidable than Hwang Mu-tak, who had been among the top-ranked Peak Transcendence Masters.

But the one who gave Namgung-woo the greatest surprise was someone else entirely.

Namgung-woo’s eyes widened at a sight that was both unfamiliar and familiar.

The woman walking at the very front of the reinforcements from the Peng Clan.

Namgung-woo knew.

That woman was wearing…

“Hanbok?”

…that attire.