"Family Head! Family Head!"

Yongcheon, who had been pacing outside the cave, called for Cheonyeong.

The time had come.

It was the day of the decisive battle with the Yin Hand Chamber, which had been announced by posting notices all over Ganyang.

"Hoo..."

Cheonyeong slowly exhaled the breath he had deeply inhaled, gathering the energy within his body.

Following his even breath, the true energy that had spread throughout his four limbs and hundred vessels began to gather in his dantian.

Having scraped up every last drop and stored it in his dantian, Cheonyeong slowly opened his eyes.

Seu-eu...

Unlike the common saying, no divine light flashed from his eyes. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Just a calm gaze.

It was much quieter and calmer than before, and seemed as deep as a lake whose bottom could not be seen.

Kku-uk.

Cheonyeong looked at his lightly clenched fist.

It wasn't as if his palm had gotten fatter in just a few days... but it felt full.

"...Not bad."

A light, gentle smile formed on Cheonyeong's lips.

After the battle with Nosanggae, Cheonyeong had immediately entered closed-door training.

If the enemy had only been the Yin Hand Chamber, his previous skills would have been sufficient.

But Ghost Hand No Gwanyeong.

He had heard that he was coming to help the Yin Hand Chamber.

He didn't know what level of master he was, but if the Beggars' Sect Branch Leader was expressing concern, it was telling.

Moreover, wasn't he said to be one of the Ten Prowess of the Sichuan Unorthodox Faction?

There was no harm in being thoroughly prepared.

Although it had only been a few days, after forgoing even food and drink and putting in the effort, he had surpassed the first of the six stages of Samyang.

Well, he didn't know if that was all there was to it.

Anyway, the first stage of the Samyang Divine Art, Body Transformation.

The first thing those who learn an internal art usually do is to sense the energy and form a core.

After that, they repeatedly circulate the energy to increase their internal energy through accumulation.

Most martial artists use a method similar to this.

But Samyang was different.

It paved the path before the internal energy.

Because the goal of the Samyang Divine Lord, who pursued the ultimate martial art, was in the upper dantian.

What an arrogant man.

It seemed he wanted to become a god.

No, perhaps... he might have become a god.

Anyway, the beginning of that was to achieve the Transformed Body.

It was to make the blood vessels thick and tough so that a large amount of internal energy could circulate in preparation for the future.

And today, he had finally achieved the Transformed Body. The effort he had put in since returning to the past had finally borne fruit.

If a normal martial artist, even after accumulating a hundred units of internal energy, had to split the power to use as much as their blood vessels could withstand, by achieving the Transformed Body, Cheonyeong could now use all one hundred.

In other words, with the same internal energy, he could produce ten times the power.

Of course, the difference would be slight for now, but as his internal energy accumulated, the gap would widen.

Ting!

Cheonyeong rolled a flying wooden needle between his fingers and flicked it.

Peok!

The thin wooden needle that Yongcheon called a toothpick was deeply embedded in the cave wall, leaving only its end visible.

"Hmm... so this is about the extent for now?"

It was a bit disappointing, but it couldn't be helped.

It wasn't as if he had a fortuitous encounter with a spiritual beast or a spiritual herb... there was a limit to what could be accumulated through breathing techniques, no matter how hard he tried.

"Family Head! Family Head, the sun is already at its zenith!"

He heard Yongcheon's voice calling again.

In such a hurry.

This was the same guy who, until a few years ago, wouldn't even wake up until the sun was at its zenith.

But since he had written on the notice that he would visit when the sun began to tilt from its zenith.

How could he be late for the first battle that would make the name of the Tang Family's estate known?

Cheonyeong, with a gentle smile, stood up and came out of the cave.

Under the pouring sunlight, the five members of the Tang family and the ten members of the Hoyeon Brigade who had become their disciples were waiting for him with quite a gallant appearance.

"Have you eaten?"

Cheonyeong asked, and Yongcheon answered with a grin.

"I fed them plenty of meat."

"Good. Are you ready?"

"I told everyone to pack plenty of flying wooden needles and the iron needles we ordered from the blacksmith street."

At Yongcheon's words, the members of the Tang family showed off the pouches filled with hidden weapons as if for him to see.

"How about you?"

"Me?"

At Cheonyeong's question, Yongcheon, who had shown him the iron pestle and smiled, approached a nearby rock.

The iron pestle, swung lightly with one hand, struck the rock with a heavy weight.

Amidst the debris of the rock that exploded, Yongcheon smiled and said.

"In top condition."

As expected, he was quite something.

The day when his iron pestle would shake the world was not far off.

"Us too!"

Was it in response to Yongcheon?

The remaining four family members showed off their confidence by demonstrating their respective martial arts.

Baekgang, who was said to be good with his fists.

Sanghui with her twin sabers.

Chunil, who had been carrying a whip he had picked up from somewhere.

Hwangsama, with a three-section staff split into three parts.

In addition to their personally preferred weapons, they had also learned hidden weapon techniques to some extent, so the preparations were sufficient.

Cheonyeong turned his head and glanced at the members of the Hoyeon Brigade.

Their faces were full of tension.

They must have worked hard, each dreaming of a new life.

Just as he had entered closed-door training, they too must have been training all this time, being nagged by the five family members they served as masters.

What was needed now was the confidence to shake off the tension.

So that they could unleash all the power they had.

"Listen! The word Hoyeon that I have attached to you is taken from Hoyeon-jigi [noble spirit]. Hoyeon-jigi refers to a righteous and great heart that does not bend or waver according to the righteousness one seeks to follow. It also refers to a courage without shame."

Cheonyeong's voice slowly echoed, penetrating the hearts of the Tang Family's estate members.

"It will be so. As long as you are under the name of the Tang family, I will not let you bow your heads carelessly to anyone. I will let you live as proud members of the Tang Family's estate."

"..."

"Today, the fight with the Yin Hand Chamber will be the beginning of that."

"..."

"The Tang Family's estate will become the master of Ganyang today. And you will be part of that history."

At the calmly echoing voice, the members of the Tang Family's estate swallowed hard and clenched their fists.

"There is no retreat in the fight of the Tang Family's estate. There will only be advancing. That path may be frightening. But I will always be standing in front of you, so even if it is hard and painful, you just follow my back. I will be the guide of your lives."

"Yes!"

The members of the Tang Family's estate answered with their eyes full of strength at Cheonyeong's impassioned pre-battle speech.

Smiling with satisfaction, Cheonyeong turned his head and looked in the direction of Ganyang.

The place that would be the beginning of the Tang Family's estate's history.

"Family Head, may I go with you as well?"

Ahn Chilgang, who had been staying with the Tang Family's estate to avoid the Yin Hand Chamber, asked, and Cheonyeong smiled and nodded.

"Of course, you should. As I said, this is your revenge as well, elder."

"Thank you. I may not be of any help... but I will add my strength by swinging even a wooden club."

Cheonyeong smiled at the sight of Ahn Chilgang tightly gripping a wooden club.

"You are truly reassuring."

"Heh heh, I'm just grateful you think so."

As he said, Ahn Chilgang would be of no help.

Rather, he was worried he might get hurt by a stray blade.

But his heart was enough.

"Let's go."

Cheonyeong, who had turned his body towards Ganyang, took his first step.

And the five family members, who had taken out their different weapons, the ten warriors of the Hoyeon Brigade, and Ahn Chilgang followed him.

It was a light step.

But this one step would leave a large footprint in Ganyang.

Then, that path would reach Sichuan, and beyond, it would advance to the world.

Not even twenty in number.

It was less than a small mountain fortress of the Green Forest, which had settled in every mountain range of the world and acted as masters, and less than the number of warriors on a single boat of the river pirates who ruled the Jang River.

But it would grow.

The families of those who had become siblings would fill the numbers, and their children, and then their children, would fill the Tang Family's estate.

Thus, the ten members of the Hoyeon Brigade would become a hundred, and then a thousand, and ten thousand.

In the future, no one would be able to call the Tang Family's estate small.

Seventeen, and the even younger Hoyeon Brigade?

After today, the members of the Tang Family's estate would not be looked down upon because of their age.

Around the time the sun, which had risen to its zenith, began to slowly tilt towards the western mountains, Cheonyeong arrived at the ruins of the Tang Family's estate.

"Young Master!"

"...?"

The Tang Family's estate, which he had left empty, was full of people.

"Shopkeeper Guhwang?"

"Yes, it is I."

The one who approached and greeted him was the leather merchant, Guhwang.

The one who had said he would definitely visit later...

And the faces of those who came with him were somewhat familiar.

Faces he remembered.

Those who ran shops on the streets of Ganyang.

Those who had once turned a blind eye to the Mandeok Estate's difficulties.

They were the ones who had spoken harshly and chased away the ten-year-old him.

"These people are..."

"They are some of the members of the Ganyang Merchant Association. We... have been regretting the past all this time."

"Regret?"

Cheonyeong's eyes trembled minutely at Guhwang's words.

"It should not have been allowed to happen to the Mandeok Estate back then. We should not have done that to you, young master."

As Guhwang's words continued, Cheonyeong's eyes narrowed further and grew colder.

"Young Master!"

"...?!"

Suddenly, Guhwang knelt down.

He was not the only one.

Those who had come with him, without exception, followed Guhwang and knelt on the ruins of the Mandeok Estate.

At that sight, the muscles around Cheonyeong's tightly clenched jaw became prominent.

These people...

Are they trying to ask for forgiveness now?

What would change?

The Mandeok Estate was destroyed, and his father was dead.

All that was left was the memory of his past, having to wander the world and become an assassin, and this ruin where the Tang Family's estate would be built.

"We will not dare to ask for forgiveness."

"..."

"But please, just give us one chance."

Guhwang's voice, as he shouted with his head bowed, was full of desperation.

Although he could feel the sincerity of his regret for having turned away from the Mandeok Estate in the past, Cheonyeong showed no expression.

After looking at them, who were waiting for his words with their heads bowed low, for a long time, Cheonyeong spoke in a low voice.

"It is spilled water. This will not undo the past connection. No matter how much you speak of regret, I will not forgive you."

"Young Master..."

"However, I am now a Family Head."

"...Pardon?"

"The son of the Mandeok Estate, who had a bad connection with you, is no longer here. I am Tang Cheonyeong, the Family Head of the newly rising Tang Family's estate."

"Ah!"

At those words, Guhwang's eyes, as he raised his head, trembled minutely.

"However, I will not give up my position easily. Nor will I help without reason."

"..."

"If you wish to stay by the side of the Tang Family's estate... from now on, you will have to be of benefit. Because I have decided to trust in interests rather than people now."

With those words, Cheonyeong coldly turned his body and left.

"Sh-shopkeeper Gu? What are we to do? We came here, agreeing to your words to cut ties with the Yin Hand Chamber and follow the Tang Family's estate, but even if we beg for forgiveness like this... if he doesn't accept us."

The perplexed merchants looked at Guhwang with mournful faces.

But Guhwang stood up abruptly with a determined expression.

"Tsk tsk, what a pathetic bunch. Were you still weighing your options?"

"...What?"

"I said you're pathetic. I am ashamed of myself for leading you here to apologize."

"Shopkeeper Gu!"

The merchants, as if their insides had been poked, flushed red.

It couldn't be helped.

They were merchants.

Just like the Unorthodox Faction, merchants were people who would join hands even with their enemies if there was a profit to be made.

"But! Did you not hear, even though you have ears?"

"Not hear? What do you mean?"

"The Young Master, no, Family Head Tang said he would not ask about the past connection."

"...Pardon?"

"He intends to bury the matter of the Mandeok Estate with the Mandeok Estate. Whether it was a bad connection or a good one, from now on, it is a connection with the Tang Family's estate."

"..."

"I now intend to build a new connection by being of benefit to the Tang Family's estate, as Family Head Tang said. I will serve the Tang Family's estate with all my heart. That is my atonement for the Mandeok Estate, which I was indebted to but turned away from."

"Ah!"

Having said that, Guhwang hurriedly chased after the group from the Tang Family's estate.

As Guhwang also left, the merchants, who were just looking at each other's faces, didn't know what to do.

"Was it right to choose the Tang Family's estate?"

"Can they really bring down the Yin Hand Chamber in Ganyang? I hear a powerful warrior has come to the Yin Hand Chamber. And the merchant association has yet to show any clear intention."

"Umm..."

It was a difficult problem.

Although they had chosen the Tang Family's estate at Guhwang's persuasion, if the Yin Hand Chamber were to win, they would no longer be able to set foot in Ganyang.

"Damn it all! Is this the time to be weighing such things?"

"Huh?"

"I'm already on the verge of ruin because of the Yin Hand Chamber. There's no answer other than the Tang Family's estate. You all do as you please. I, like Shopkeeper Gu, will bet on the Tang Family's estate."

Someone stood up, and then someone else followed him and walked.

Before long, the merchants were following behind the Tang Family's estate like a tail.

(End of Chapter)