Chapter 62: To Retrieve The Tears (1)
Characteristics of the Baek Noble Clan’s bloodline.
Especially for the Clan Head and his direct lineage, they inherited a similar temperament.
The current Clan Head, known by the nickname Iron-blooded Merciless, and Elder Baek Seo-ok with the nickname Ice Iron Rakshasa, were perfect examples.
They’re not easily swayed emotionally and were cool-headed.
Such traits were necessary for a martial artist, especially for one leading the clan.
The Clan Head Baek Ryu-san’s brother was like that in his youth too.
The day he stormed into Demonic Spire Pavilion, even when a hook pierced his head, and until his body malfunctioned, Baek Jin-tae was a man fit for the nickname Cold Beauty.
In that respect, their deceased younger sister was quite exceptional.
Born beneath the cold brothers, she grew up cheerfully. Perhaps it was because of the significant age gap, but she always felt especially childlike.
During turbulent times, whenever the two brothers returned without even properly cleaning their blood, she always greeted them with a smile.
Whenever he recalled her sunshine-like smile...
Chuckle—
Baek Jin-tae smiled again.
It wasn’t happiness from remembering his younger sister. After all, she was killed by the members of the Demonic Spire Pavilion.
This involuntary smile on his face wasn’t something Baek Jin-tae could control. Whenever his emotions intensified, regardless of their nature, he just smiled.This chapter made its debut appearance via N0v3lB1n.
Even when he tried to hold back, it was in vain. Whenever he tried to suppress the laughter, his body seemed to react adversely.
Once again, blood trickled from his nose.
“Commander.”
Soryu, who was walking beside him, handed him a handkerchief. It was a familiar gesture.
Baek Jin-tae gave a faint smile and wiped the blood from his nose with the handkerchief.
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing.”
Soryu was one of the orphans that the Baek Noble Clan took in.
Recognized for her talent in martial arts and raised as a warrior, she was personally chosen by Baek Jin-tae for the Red Dragon Corps.
While her exceptional skills were undeniable, her joining the Red Dragon Corps at a young age had much to do with Baek Jin-tae’s influence.
The first time he saw Soryu, Baek Jin-tae thought his deceased younger sister had reincarnated and come back. At least, she looked that way to him.
Considering Baek Ryu-san, his brother, didn’t think the same, it might have just been Baek Jin-tae’s misconception.
Yet, he took Soryu under his wing and trained her in martial arts.
However, at some point, Soryu stopped smiling as much. Specifically, after the death of a maid, whom she regarded as her older sister.
Baek Jin-tae couldn’t comprehend why she’d be so sorrowful for someone who wasn’t even her biological sister.
“Your face seems off. Do you not want to see Yi-gang?”
“I’m fine.”
A maid, who had been serving Yi-gang, died in the manor.
A seemingly insignificant and empty death, wasn’t it? After all, she had followed a young master who had been ousted from the clan and then met her end.
That’s probably why Soryu seemed to harbor resentment towards Baek Yi-gang. At least, that’s what Baek Jin-tae thought.
“Yi-gang isn’t a naive child. Lately, he seems to have matured a lot. He probably understands how dire the current situation is. Ha-ha.”
Baek Jin-tae laughed heartily as he spoke.
He had this conversation with Soryu just a short while ago.
And then, when he met Yi-gang and heard his ‘request.’
Baek Jin-tae couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“Hee-hee, you want to join the Azure Forest to heal yourself?”
“Yes.”
“The Azure Forest Lord suggested this personally? And, what did your father, my brother, say about this?”
“He said to do it.”
“Ha-ha-ha!”
Baek Jin-tae slapped his own cheek as he laughed.
“I’m sorry. You know of my condition, right? Hee-hee. With both my brother and Ha-jun incapacitated, it’s tough for you, and here I am, laughing in front of you...”
He offered Yi-gang an explanation for his laughter. But deep down, it was genuinely a hearty laugh.
“Of course, I understand. As I told you before, I’m not fit to become the Young Clan Head. My health isn’t good. That’s why I’m asking you.”
“True, the words of Grand Elder were quite sudden.”
“I need to convince the elders. With my father incapacitated, my only ally is Uncle.”
What Yi-gang asked of Baek Jin-tae was precisely that.
‘I don’t intend to become the Young Clan Head. The Azure Forest has promised to heal me, so I plan to depart in that direction. Please help me persuade the elders.’
Originally, Baek Jin-tae had advocated for Yi-gang to assume the role of Young Clan Head. But now, he could only feel elation.
Given the situation and the additional words from Yi-gang, “My father’s lung ailment is getting worse. If Ha-jun remains like this, he’ll have severe aftereffects even if he recovers.”
“Right, he was stabbed after all. Ha-ha.”
Baek Jin-tae wasn’t aware that Ha-jun had consumed an elixir made from the Twin-Headed Ghost Tiger.
“To be frank... our lineage has been cut.”
Yi-gang uttered words that would have enraged the Clan Head.
But the truth was the truth. The current Clan Head, in his prime as a martial artist, was bedridden. The second son was downed by a sword.
The eldest, who should inherit the lineage as the Young Clan Head, was suffering from meridian blockage and, moreover, was a coward planning to abandon his clan.
Hence, they incorporated the sky’s shadow into the sword.
「It’s a swordsmanship I realized and crafted when I turned twenty,」 the Immortal Divine Sword said, as he smoothly passed through the walls of the Red Jade Training Hall.
Yi-gang was in a stance, raising his sword towards the sky.
‘You realized and crafted it?’
「Indeed. Back then, the unique sword technique of the clan was a martial art called Rising True Fire Sword.」
From what Yi-gang had never heard before, it seemed like a sword technique that had been discarded.
‘Even then, wasn’t the Baek Clan a well-renowned swordsmanship clan?’
「It was.」
The Immortal Divine Sword not only passed through the walls but also momentarily buried into the ground, later sprouting out from a distance.
‘So, when a twenty-year-old novice suddenly created a sword technique and announced he would use it, did the clan elders just stand by?’
「At that time, I was already the greatest martial master not only in the clan but in the whole Xi’an. Who would dare tell me what to do?」
‘What did you say? It’s too distant, I couldn’t hear.’
The Immortal Divine Sword, seemingly irritated, swiftly flew back to Yi-gang.
「If you’re more than twenty steps away from the sword, you can’t hear the voice.」
‘Because you’re bound to the sword.’
「Regardless, it’s true that I crafted Heaven’s Shadow Sword Technique when I was twenty.」
Such a sword technique became the greatest in the Baek Clan for 200 years and was also renowned as the ultimate sword technique in the martial world.
It was an almost unbelievable feat.
「That’s the quality of a Great Ancestor and what one might call genius.」
It might really be so.
Yi-gang nodded his head and shifted his stance.
What he would attempt next was the second of the latter three forms, the eighth form.
Yi-gang’s sword smoothly rose from below to above.
「The descendant who cannot use the inner Qi. Don’t try to understand all the intricacies of the sword.」
“...”
「First, focus on mastering the form.」
Yi-gang was already deep in the state of selflessness. The Immortal Divine Sword looked at him with satisfaction.
Ziiiing—
The tip of Yi-gang’s sword began to tremble. It wasn’t because he lacked strength.
On the contrary, he was removing unnecessary force from the muscles, maintaining a state of relaxed power.
The name of Heaven’s Shadow Sword Technique eighth form was...
「Heaven’s Net White Light」
It means a net made of sword light spread across the sky.
Shadows began to form on Yi-gang’s descending sword. It seemed as if dozens of swords were falling simultaneously.
He achieved this feat using only the sword form, without the use of internal energy.
However, just as Heaven’s Net White Light was about to be completed...
Unable to withstand the vibration of the sword, Yi-gang’s grip loosened.
The sword, Shooting Star Fang, twirled around and clinked as it rolled on the ground.
“Huu...”
Yi-gang broke out in a cold sweat. Since he couldn’t normally muster up his energy, he relied on the aid of the Great Yin Flow. However, even with that, it was hard for him to perform the latter three forms of Heaven’s Shadow Sword.
The Immortal Divine Sword spoke to the disheartened Yi-gang, 「Do not worry. The descendant surely has talent.」
“I couldn’t even swing the sword properly.”
「Did you think it was easy? Except for me, among the young ones I’ve seen, you possess the second-best swordsmanship talent.」
This was a higher appraisal than Yi-gang had thought.
‘Is the first one Ha-jun?’
「What? Puhahaha.」
The Immortal Divine Sword laughed as if something was hilarious.
「That fellow isn’t bad either. Well, he might make it into the top ten.」
Ha-jun was bearing the expectations of the clan. Yet, the Immortal Divine Sword was judging Yi-gang’s talent to be greater.
However, then who was he referring to as the most talented? Just as Yi-gang was about to ask, he suddenly froze in place.
He stared intently at his own palm.
There were numerous calluses spread all over. Despite that, his palm was again torn.
Staring at his blood-streaked palm, Yi-gang hurriedly put on his clothes.
「Whoa, where are you off to? There’s still much to learn.」
‘I overlooked something.’
「What? What did you miss?」
Yi-gang met Baek Jin-tae to check his hands.
However, he couldn’t find the wound on Baek Jin-tae’s hand that Ha-jun supposedly left. For the time being, he set aside his suspicions.
‘Uncle’s hands were too clean.’
However, even if Baek Jin-tae’s hands were clean, they were too immaculate.
There were no traces or scars on his hands that swordsmen usually had from continuous practice.
Yi-gang’s gaze grew cold.
