Chapter 4

Silence hung over the manor. It was Baek Mu-ryang’s hearty laughter that broke the silence.

“Hahaha! Hahahahaha! I took in a son out of charity, but now it seems I have gained a magnificent pillar of talent for the future. Is that not so, everyone?”

Speaking on behalf of the household, Manager Han replied.

“Seeing as he resolved the situation with nothing more than his three-inch tongue, he is certainly no ordinary child.”

“How does it look to you, Manager Han? As the clan master, I believe Hwi has bestowed a favor upon all of us.”

Manager Han could not dare deny it. As the oldest and most experienced person here, he knew full well that the earlier situation was a major crisis for the Baek Clan.

‘He said he would bestow a favor to create a pretext. Could that child have anticipated everything?’

Baek Mu-ryang was also harboring the same question as Manager Han.

“Hwi, did you know in advance that the Honggyo Gang would raid our main household?”

Yang-hwi bowed his head politely.

“The Naheuk Faction scum were not careful enough to mind their tongues in front of a beggar child they intended to sell into slavery. I overheard them mentioning the Honggyo Gang.”

To the ears of the others, it sounded as if he had predicted the entire series of events stemming from the information obtained from the Naheuk Faction.

And he was merely an eight-year-old child.

‘What a truly intelligent child. If it is this child…’

He had decided to adopt him because he felt a fateful connection, but it was an undeniable fact that it had begun out of pity.

However, now it went beyond mere pity. Looking at Yang-hwi, Baek Mu-ryang felt a surge of ambition.

He himself had no time as he worked outside to maintain the clan’s fortune, and his wife was frail, spending most of her days in bed.

Because of this, his son and daughter were always a source of worry, but this child seemed capable of becoming a good role model and eldest brother.

Baek Mu-ryang looked around at the household members.

“A helpless orphan and beggar child averted misfortune from our main household, which is truly a great blessing! Since our Baek Clan now owes him a debt, I intend to repay it by becoming a new roof for the child who lived with the sky as his roof. Is there anyone who opposes this decision?”

Jeong In-hwa replied with a gentle smile.

“Since the clan master’s will is firm, *cough*, I shall simply obey.”

Manager Han also bowed his head.

“Since the clan master’s generosity brought great blessing to the family, I can only praise the clan master’s chivalrous heart and marvel at his foresight.”

Both the Clan Matriarch and the manager assented and bowed their heads. The other household members also seemed favorable.

However, Yang-hwi observed the faces of his two younger siblings, Baek Heon-so and Baek Yeon-yeon.

Baek Heon-so’s cheeks were puffed up, filled with ill temper.

In contrast, his youngest sister, Baek Yeon-yeon, wore an innocent expression filled with curiosity, typical of a child who had encountered something wondrous and new.

‘The kid So reacted just as expected. On the other hand, our Yeon-ah… is cute whenever I look at her.’

A youngest sister three years younger than his eight-year-old self, and two years younger than the seven-year-old Baek Heon-so.

Even in his past life, Baek Yeon-yeon was the darling who monopolized the love of the entire family.

‘A child like that… I will never let her end up like that in this life.’

The trajectory of Baek Yeon-yeon’s far-from-happy life came to mind.

He recalled the feelings he had felt while enshrining his mother at a temple after she succumbed to her chronic illness and passed away early.

And even the reason why his father, whose realm was not high but who never neglected his martial arts practice—such that he seemed bound to reach his sixtieth year without trouble—ended up departing from the world…

‘There really is a lot to change in this life.’

That was a good thing. Because Yang-hwi had the confidence to overturn everything.

* * *

That night.

Having finished bathing and changing into clean clothes, Yang-hwi lay down on the bed in the room provided to him.

Just how long had it been since he last lay down on a bed?

Based on his present life, it felt like the very first time since he was born.

Thus, unlike his mind, his young body was relishing a sensation it was experiencing for the first time since birth.

‘Ah, so comfortable.’

Though he felt confident he could fall asleep right this instant, Yang-hwi sat up.

‘Where do I have the time to rest?’

He had traveled back thirty years into a fresh, unripened body.

He was able to return to the beginning and learn martial arts once again.

In fact, Yang-hwi was holding back an itch, longing to train in martial arts right away.

‘In my past life, I left the clan at twenty, and even after wandering the Jianghu for eighteen years, barely crossing the threshold of the Super-Peak Realm was the extent of my achievement.’

Even by his own assessment, Yang-hwi was a prodigy born with peerless talent.

A Qi Perception so sensitive and precise that the phrase “unprecedented and unmatched” suited it perfectly.

A sturdy body and skeletal structure that had never caught a single cold, even while sleeping in the wind and rain since infancy.

An innate comprehension that understood the truth and wisdom within a single glance, along with a memory that never forgot.

‘If I had learned the martial arts of a prestigious sect, I would have become the greatest under heaven.’

After shamelessly praising himself, Yang-hwi sat cross-legged.

It was to operate the Harmonious Heavenly Dual Origin Art, a cultivation technique he had created by overhauling his clan’s internal cultivation method, the Harmonious Six-Combinations Art.

‘I really suffered like a dog to create this.’

A sword technique that consisted merely of swinging and thrusting could be created even by a Third-rate warrior.

Upon reaching the Peak Realm, one would naturally construct one’s own routines even without having learned footwork.

However.

A cultivation technique could never be created unless one had reached the rank of a Grandmaster.

Why? Because trial and error could directly lead to death.

‘Looking back now, it was a truly foolish thing to do. Trying to alter an internal cultivation method while merely at the Peak Realm.’

The price was Qi Deviation. Fortunately, he did not die or suffer critical injury, but it left aftereffects he had to carry for the rest of his life.

Adverse effects remained in his Acupoints, causing problems in operating his True Qi.

‘Even so, considering I was hailed as the First Sword Among Vagrants, I really was a genius.’

This life would be different. He would not be satisfied with merely being the top sword with a “vagrant” tag attached.

He was confident.

For at the young age of eight, he was able to engrave into his body an internal cultivation method and sword technique fully worthy of being called divine arts.

‘How far can I go in this life?’

The sudden question led to a pledge and determination.

‘Unconditionally the Number One Sword Under Heaven. No, the Number One Under Heaven.’

He recalled the Namgung Clan, the current greatest clan under heaven.

He etched into his mind the face of Namgung Cheon-yeong, who had launched a sneak attack at the end of his past life claiming to eliminate a threat.

“I cannot stand by and watch a clan like that be called the Number One Clan Under Heaven. I will definitely make our Baek Clan the Number One Clan Under Heaven.”

*Hoo.* He exhaled.

*Heup.* He inhaled.

Between the inhalation and exhalation, the natural Qi from all directions began to gather.

Harmonious Heavenly Dual Origin Art. Harmonizing with heaven and earth to benefit the origin.

The gathered Qi circulated through his Acupoints and began to transform into an all-embracing True Qi capable of harmonizing with anything.

‘Is it because I haven’t suffered Qi Deviation yet, and because this is a young body? Why does it feel so refreshing?’

How to put it—the energy itself felt clean and clear, unlike before.

So much so that one might think his very temperament had changed.

So the actual toll of Qi Deviation was truly this immense.

“Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.”

How much time had passed like that?

Immersed in meditation, Yang-hwi brought his consciousness to the surface at the sound of a knock on the door.

“Young Master. Are you awake?”

Opening the door and stepping out, he saw a young servant girl around fifteen years of age.

“What is it?”

“The clan master has commanded you to participate in dawn practice.”

Baek Mu-ryang left the clan early in the morning to maintain the clan’s fortune.

Even so, he always made time to instruct his children, which was why he held training sessions at the break of dawn.

“I’ll be right out.”

Although he had stayed up all night, he did not feel particularly tired thanks to performing Qi Circulation Meditation. It was because Qi, though merely a seed, had lodged in his otherwise ordinary body.

Yang-hwi immediately readied himself and headed to the small martial arts field in the center of the manor.

“Hwi, did you sleep well? The bed must have felt unfamiliar.”

“It was the sweetest sleep in the world. Thank you for your concern.”

“I am glad to hear that.”

Beside Baek Mu-ryang were Baek Heon-so with a sullen face, and his younger sister, Baek Yeon-yeon, wearing an expression full of curiosity.

“Yesterday, I intentionally did not give you time to exchange sibling greetings. I thought everyone needed time to reflect and adapt. Now then, greet one another.”

Yang-hwi looked at Baek Heon-so and Baek Yeon-yeon first and spoke.

“I am Baek Yang-hwi, who became your eldest brother as of yesterday. I look forward to spending time with you.”

“Wow, I got another big brother! Brother, I’m Baek Yeon-yeon!”

Watching Baek Yeon-yeon hop forward and greet him with shining eyes, a warm smile naturally formed on his face.

“May I call you Yeon-ah from now on?”

“Of course, Brother!”

Her appearance was so cute that he unconsciously reached out and patted her head.

It was a habit from his past life, but fortunately Baek Yeon-yeon did not shy away from Yang-hwi’s touch.

‘As expected, our Yeon-ah is truly good and well-behaved.’

She was on a completely different level from Baek Heon-so, who was glaring from over there.

‘The kid So is full of complaints, then and now. He really is consistent.’

The younger brother who suddenly became the second child after Yang-hwi was adopted.

He used to direct jealousy and hatred toward Yang-hwi, as if something of his had been stolen.

The past Yang-hwi was so happy to have a family that he even liked that aspect, always yielding to Baek Heon-so and letting him win.

‘Father was also so good-natured that he didn’t treat So strictly. In the end, that kid grew up crooked.’

In his past life, one of the reasons he left the clan as soon as he turned twenty was the influence of Baek Heon-so, who had become the clan master at the time.

‘In this life, I’ll fix you up too, So.’

“Baek Heon-so. I am Baek Yang-hwi, who has become your elder brother. I will call you So from now on.”

“…Hmph!”

“So, what kind of tone is that to use with your brother?”

“…But, Father…”

When Baek Heon-so showed no sign of remorse, Baek Mu-ryang tried to gently admonish him, but Yang-hwi stopped him.

“Father. I believe brotherly affection is more valuable when built by oneself. I am fine, so how about giving So some time to accept me as his brother?”

“Hwi, if that is how you feel, so be it.”

Looking at Yang-hwi speaking so maturely, Baek Mu-ryang offered a warm smile and continued.

“Hwi, now that you have become a member of a martial family, you must also train in martial arts starting today.”

“Understood.”

“Our main family’s passed-down martial arts are two: the internal cultivation art, the Harmonious Six-Combinations Art, and the sword technique, the Sky-Covering Sword Technique.”

He knew. More than just knowing, he had reached the twelfth level of grand accomplishment in them and overhauled them completely.

“First, let us practice the sword. Our family’s Open Heaven Sword Technique consists of a total of three stances.”

Demonstrating the sword stances, Baek Mu-ryang spoke to Yang-hwi.

“Try following along.”

Yang-hwi quietly raised his wooden sword.

‘How much should I display?’

Pondering briefly how he would paint his future going forward, Yang-hwi soon made up his mind.

Then, he swung the wooden sword.

At that moment.

Baek Mu-ryang’s eyes widened completely.

“H-How…!”

It could not be helped.

Because the Sky-Covering Sword Technique Yang-hwi demonstrated was even more perfect than Baek Mu-ryang’s own.

Open Heaven Sword Technique. Unworthy of its name, which meant to cover the sky, it was a crude sword technique with so many stances lost that only three remained.

Even so, it was a sword technique incomparable to something like the Three Talents Sword Technique circulating in the streets.

Even though it was full of gaping holes here and there, the depth of each individual stance could not be ignored.

Meaning it was not a crude sword technique one could copy after seeing it just once.

However, the Open Heaven Sword Technique that Yang-hwi displayed was perfect.

Therefore, Baek Mu-ryang felt sheer astonishment.

‘Could it be that he learned the Open Heaven Sword Technique before… No, that’s impossible.’

For a moment, Baek Mu-ryang suspected a leak of the sword technique, but he soon realized it was a wrong assumption.

Since he had already confirmed beforehand that there were no traces of martial arts training on Yang-hwi’s body.

In fact, all the muscles in Yang-hwi’s body were currently trembling violently.

‘His body took a strain because it could not handle the sword technique he unleashed.’

Wasn’t it said that in Shaolin, they had novice monks practice only the Horse Stance for a year before teaching them martial arts?

Like this, all martial arts, including sword techniques, originally required physical conditioning first.

Yang-hwi’s physical reaction was that of an ordinary boy who did not know even the first thing about martial arts.

Then how on earth had he perfectly demonstrated the Open Heaven Sword Technique?

“Hwi. Would you try executing it once more? This time, you don’t have to hold the wooden sword.”

Though his body was still trembling, Yang-hwi quietly obeyed his father’s command.

His hands were empty, but he assumed a posture as if holding a sword. At the same time, with his unfamiliar young body, he drew forth the three stances he had trained in so intensely that they were engraved into his soul.

The shock on Baek Mu-ryang’s face deepened even further.

‘As expected. It is perfect.’

He had perfectly executed stances shown to him only once, with a body that had never trained in martial arts even once.

What this fact implied was simple.

“Hwi…”

From the first moment he saw him, he felt that the child was very different from ordinary children.

Drawn by eyes that seemed never to have seen the light of the world, he had proposed that the child become his adopted son.

However, it was a choice he had made solely because he believed it was the path of practicing righteousness and fulfilling the values he cherished.

However, now, Baek Mu-ryang realized.

The fact that the child with soot on his face, mud on his clothes, and lying in a muddy pit was actually the greatest jewel under heaven.

“I only sought to offer relief… yet an unrivaled genius has rolled into our main household.”

However.

Instead of rejoicing, Baek Mu-ryang’s complexion gradually turned grim.

Seeing that change in expression, Yang-hwi felt puzzled.

‘Why is he acting like that?’