As a dozen or so Yin Hand Chamber warriors rushed towards Cheonyeong, who stood at the very front of the group, sighs full of worry flowed from the onlookers.

"Oh no!"

"Aah!"

Although they had pinned their hopes on him, he was just a seventeen-year-old boy.

A dozen or so warriors seemed too much for the young Cheonyeong to handle.

"Die!"

"..."

The first warrior to approach swung his sword down vertically.

But Cheonyeong, without any thought of dodging, just smiled and watched.

Pleased with the situation that was about to unfold.

"Hoyeon Brigade and the members of the Tang family! Protect the Family Head!"

With Yongcheon's thunderous shout, the Hoyeon Brigade simultaneously threw something they held in their hands.

Swaaaa...

Although there was a significant difference in speed and accuracy for each of them, with more than five per person, it was only natural that it sounded like a downpour.

What the Hoyeon Brigade threw were stones.

Dull thuds were heard from here and there, and the Yin Hand Chamber warriors, pelted by the shower of stones, faltered.

And then.

Puk!

"Keok!"

Pupuk!

Following the stones, flying needles flew and lodged themselves in the warriors' bodies one after another.

Puk! Pupuk!

"Keuk!"

The warriors who had rushed towards Cheonyeong collapsed in an instant.

No matter how fast they were, could they match the speed of hidden weapons?

"St-stones? You sons of bitches!"

As the warriors in the vanguard fell, Lee Ilpyeong's rage reached its peak.

This brat, there's a limit to how lightly he can take a fight between martial families.

Such a crude trick.

"Brats who do nothing but paltry stone-throwing dare to challenge the Yin Hand Chamber?"

Cheonyeong burst into laughter at Lee Ilpyeong's words.

Stone-throwing?

That bastard must have his eyes for decoration.

How could this be dismissed as mere stone-throwing?

Truly pathetic.

To think he had been sharpening his sword, considering such a guy his enemy.

It was a miscalculation to see the Hoyeon Brigade's attack just now as mere stone-throwing.

Tuseok.

This too was a type of hidden weapon technique.

It wasn't just throwing stones; the way of gripping them was different, and the twist contained within was different.

After being entrusted to Baekgang, the Hoyeon Brigade had been doing physical training all this time, and had strengthened their arm and finger strength by climbing trees instead of cliffs.

Through that, they had become able to at least imitate Tuseok.

"Th-this... works?"

"Yeah. We, against martial artists..."

"We knocked them down?"

The Hoyeon Brigade members themselves seemed surprised, busy looking at each other with wide eyes.

They must have been surprised.

For kids who had lived as vagrants to have knocked down warriors who were said to be skilled with swords.

Why would he have taught them hidden weapon techniques for no reason in the first place?

Hidden weapons were, by nature, weapons created for the weak to defeat the strong.

It was the optimal technique for the children who had just become members of the Tang family to face their enemies.

But... was it just Tuseok?

Knocking down warriors with just that?

Nonsense.

The Hoyeon Brigade, whose training period was still short, and the rotten eyes of Lee Ilpyeong would not have seen it, but after the Tuseok, there was the flying needle attack from Yongcheon and the other Tang siblings.

Soundless Shave.

It was the flying needle he had ordered from the blacksmith before.

It was soundless because the sound of the wind was minimized, and since it didn't catch the wind, its speed was considerable, making it hard to see.

The warriors, their attention stolen by the stone-throwing, had actually been brought down by the soundlessly flying needles.

The so-called Close First, Kill Later.

Block their eyes, then kill.

It was a method of killing by diverting the opponent's attention elsewhere and then taking their life.

Of course, a guy like Lee Ilpyeong would have no way of knowing.

"Flying needles? Hah! The hidden weapon technique is quite something."

However, it seemed Ghost Hand had seen it.

The old man has good eyes.

Presbyopia... ah, was presbyopia when you can't see things up close?

Cheonyeong let out a small laugh at the sight of No Gwanyeong's eyes widening in slight surprise.

If he was one of the Ten Prowess of the Sichuan Unorthodox Faction, it meant he was a warrior of that caliber.

Anyway, among the warriors who had rushed towards him, not a single one was unscathed.

Hit by stones, pierced by flying needles.

"...Is this the end?"

As Cheonyeong grinned slyly, looking at those who had fallen and were groaning, Lee Ilpyeong's face turned beet red.

"You damn punk... with such a crude trick. What are you all doing! Are you scared of some brats' stone-throwing!"

Lee Ilpyeong shouted as if in a frenzy, ordering the next attack.

Hah... what a stupid bastard.

For a Chamber Master, his choice of words is so cheap.

He's not even worth dealing with.

"It's not stone-throwing, it's a hidden weapon technique."

"What?"

"Can't you hear well? What you just saw was a technique called Close First, Kill Later."

"First... what?"

"Close Fir... hah, forget it. What's the point of explaining, you wouldn't understand anyway."

"You punk!? What are you all doing! Kneel that punk before me right now!"

At Lee Ilpyeong's rage-filled voice, the Yin Hand Chamber warriors once again approached Cheonyeong.

Alright, then, the Hoyeon Brigade has been introduced enough, so they can step back.

"Yongcheon!"

"Yeah!"

"Show them what a difference in skill is."

"Got it."

At Cheonyeong's command, Yongcheon stepped forward, swinging his iron pestle until it whirred, and Sanghui followed him.

Shwiiik! Jjwa-ak!

Of course, the first thing to reach the enemies was Chunil's whip.

"I! Am One Cup Child, Tang Chunil!"

The whip, bending and swinging like a snake, dug into the center of the enemies.

Whiplash Art.

It refers to the act of flogging mercilessly with a whip.

Why else would it be one of the forms of punishment?

Unlike the characteristics of a thin and light weapon, the whip had a surprisingly powerful striking force.

If hit by the blunt end, heads would crack and bones would break, and if hit by the lash, flesh would be torn right off.

Moreover, considering the attack range of the whip, it could be called a truly terrifying weapon.

"Keuk! Th-this damn brat!"

Kkwa-ak!

One of the warriors who was being hit grabbed the whip and pulled it towards him.

The disadvantage of whip techniques.

If it's caught... its effectiveness drops.

However.

Bbeo-eok!

"Who's a brat! You son of a bitch!"

Chunil, using the pulling force to his advantage, quickly closed the distance and drove his knee straight into the warrior's face.

A brat and a son of a bitch.

Strangely... it even had a certain rhythm to it.

Hwoong! Ppadeudeudeuk!

Of course, Chunil wasn't the only one dealing with the warriors.

Every time Yongcheon's iron pestle, imbued with immense strength, was swung, three or four men were sent flying in a clump.

"...Sorry."

Hwoooong! Bbeo-eok!

"Aigoo, what should I do? I tried to go easy..."

It was baffling.

Why was he apologizing while swinging so fiercely?

And what was with that apologetic expression?

But it was precisely that aspect of Yongcheon that made the warriors even more terrified.

Hit and apologize, hit and apologize... what a terrifying punk.

"You punk! Die!"

But the problem was that he momentarily showed an opening because of his kind nature.

To have his back taken like that...

Just as Cheonyeong was frowning.

"You fucking son of a bitch! Whose neck are you putting a sword to!"

Kwak! Kwakwakwak!

Sanghui, appearing like a ghost, stabbed her twin swords into the body of the warrior who was aiming for Yongcheon's back.

But Sanghui.

Just fight, don't just think about protecting Yongcheon.

Anyone can see he's not someone who needs protection, right?

"Die! Die!"

Kwak-kwak-kwak-kwak!

"..."

I think you can stop now.

"Keuheuhaha... anyone who aims for Yongcheon, I'll turn them all into rags."

Was it because of those words?

No one was seen attacking Yongcheon's back anymore.

Of course, it was because Sanghui was firmly supporting him from behind.

Shwiiik, jjwa-ak!

Hwoong! Kwadeudeudeuk!

Chunil's whip dug into the center of the group and split it, and Yongcheon's iron pestle broke their formation.

Then, with Sanghui, Baekgang, and Hwangsama joining in, the Yin Hand Chamber warriors fell without being able to put up much of a fight.

The phrase 'autumn leaves in the wind' must have been created for times like this.

Just seventeen years old.

The people of Ganyang stared with their mouths agape as the Yin Hand Chamber was thrown into disarray by the advance of the rude, arrogant brats.

They had had expectations, but they had been half in doubt.

But to think it would be this much...

Before they knew it, the doubt deep in their hearts had disappeared, and hope sprang up on the people's faces.

"The Tang Family's estate..."

"Is winning?"

"The Tang Family's estate!"

"Wuaaaaaah!"

The murmurs that arose from all sides turned into cheers, echoing thunderously through the streets of Ganyang.

It was, of course, for the Tang Family's estate.

"You sons of bitches..."

Lee Ilpyeong's face was contorted beyond measure.

If this continued, the Yin Hand Chamber might really collapse.

He had intended to crush the Tang Family's estate and show everyone his continued power.

"Hoh? Amazing. The combination is good. The Tang Family's estate... still young, but their future is promising."

Even No Gwanyeong's interested chatter sounded like he was cheering for the Tang Family's estate's success.

The guy who had taken a whole chest of gold...

Ppudeudeuk.

He couldn't take it anymore.

At this rate, even if they won, only scars would remain.

"You damn bastards! I'll take your heads myself!"

Lee Ilpyeong, even snorting steam from his nostrils, jumped into the center of the fight in one breath.

"Everyone! Follow the Chamber Master!"

"Waaaah!"

At the Patrol Hall Master Andeukseong's shout, the warriors who had gathered in the Yin Hand Chamber rushed out all at once with a fierce momentum.

"Chunil!"

"...?"

At Yongcheon's urgent voice, Chunil whipped his head around and swung his whip at Lee Ilpyeong, who was approaching him.

Shwaaak!

But Lee Ilpyeong, as if it were laughable, caught the whip with one hand and pulled the lash hard.

"Tch!"

Chunil, like before, rode the pulling force of the whip and launched a powerful kick.

"You young punk!"

Ppa-ak!

But before his foot could reach, Andeukseong cut in from the side, kicked Chunil in the abdomen, and swung his sword.

"Die!"

Kka-ang!

With a hair's breadth to spare, Hwangsama jumped between the two and parried the sword.

"Hmph!"

As if to prove he hadn't become the Patrol Hall Master for nothing, Andeukseong retrieved his deflected sword, parried Hwangsama's attack, and even launched a counterattack.

"Hwangsama!"

In the end, even Baekgang had to join in for a combined attack to barely save Chunil.

"Are you okay?"

At the question from Yongcheon who had run over, Chunil nodded, rubbing his abdomen with a grimaced face.

"I'm fine. I can fight."

"Alright. Don't overdo it. He seems like a tough one."

"Hmm..."

The members of the Tang family, having reformed their formation, glared at Lee Ilpyeong and Andeukseong.

But they weren't the only two to be wary of.

The Yin Hand Chamber warriors, with a momentum clearly different from before, spread out like a fan and approached, surrounding them.

"I'll take the front for now."

"Okay!"

As Yongcheon gripped his iron pestle hard and his fighting spirit blazed, the other kids lined up to his left and right, and Sanghui took the rear with her twin swords.

"Masters! We will help too!"

Sensing the situation had become difficult, the Hoyeon Brigade also tried to join in.

Cheonyeong, who was watching this, couldn't help but feel pleased.

"You punks..."

You've become so useful already.

Right, since I trained you hard, I should put you to work.

But it's still not enough.

Your skills...

And can I just watch any longer?

When the enemy's leader has come out.

Kung!

Cheonyeong, stomping the ground with a loud thud, leaped up.

Like a swift bird blocking the sun, his shadow cast over them, and everyone raised their heads.

Samyang Divine Art, Body Transformation.

"Hoo-eup!"

Cheonyeong, with a deep breath, exhaled all the internal energy in his body and landed in front of Yongcheon.

As if to draw a line between the Tang Family's estate and the Yin Hand Chamber.

Kuuuung!

The ground vibrated minutely from the forceful stomp, and dust rose thickly.

At the intense vibration, the Yin Hand Chamber warriors stopped their advance and stared.

Jingak, Earth Stomp.

What's so special about a technique?

The user just names it as they go.

"Family Head!"

Yongcheon and the other members of the Tang Family's estate greeted him with bright faces.

"Tang Cheonyeong, you punk."

Lee Ilpyeong stared with a grimaced face at the unexpectedly strong wave of energy contained in that one step.

"Hoo..."

With the exhaled breath, the thick dust cleared, and Cheonyeong smiled brightly at Lee Ilpyeong and the Yin Hand Chamber warriors.

"This body, has arrived."

(End of Chapter)