Chapter 61

Gong Ya-ja watched his son grinning from ear to ear and muttered with a hint of amusement: “You’re that happy, huh?” “Of course! You’re happy too, Father. Your smile’s practically stretched to your ears.” Truthfully, Gong Ya-ja wasn’t much better off. His lips looked ready to split open with joy. “Damn right I’m happy! Over the moon, even! Hahaha!” He burst into hearty laughter, clearly in good spirits. “Since it’s a joyful day, how about we go easy on those who defied the Jangmunryeong this once?” Gong Ya-ja’s laughter froze mid-chuckle. “Those insolent bastards... If it weren’t for my grandson’s face, I would’ve slaughtered every last one of them.” “You did well to restrain yourself. They’ve already admitted their wrongs and imposed punishment on themselves.” “Hmph!” Every disciple of the Ten Thousand Auspices Gate had accepted punishment for defying the Jangmunryeong. They each took fifty lashes of the repentance cane and began a ten-day fast. They even submitted blood-written oaths. If they ever defied the Jangmunryeong again, they pledged their own heads as payment. On top of that, Gong Ya-cheon himself stepped forward and begged for their forgiveness, just once. That had been enough to cool Gong Ya-ja’s fury. He declared he’d let it slide this time—but warned that if it ever happened again, he wouldn’t hesitate to take heads. Only one person refused to accept any of this. Gong Ya-myeong. Because to him, it felt like he’d just lost his rightful place as the next heir. He convinced himself it was all a charade. A stage play orchestrated by his grandfather, his father, and his older brother. There was no doubt in his mind: his grandfather’s attack, though fierce, had been pulled back at the last second. The others had been too shocked, too overwhelmed to notice—and that’s why they believed Gong Ya-cheon had truly blocked the blow. He had one reason for thinking this. No one—no matter how gifted—could grow that strong in that short amount of time. He knew his brother was brilliant. But not physically. How could a body that couldn’t even grasp the basics become so powerful overnight? Some lucky encounter? A miraculous treasure? If such things were that easy to come by, everyone would be strong. No—this was all a ruse. A conspiracy. They were playing him. “I don’t believe any of this!” In the middle of the celebratory mood, Gong Ya-myeong suddenly stood up, shouting the fury he’d been bottling inside. “What’s the meaning of this!” “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” his father snapped back. “What? Why are you always like this with me?” “What did you just say?” “All you’ve ever done is look at my brother! Always him—your precious eldest son!” “Watch your mouth, boy.” “Even now! You’d go so far as to deceive everyone just to crown him the heir?!” “You dare accuse me—us—of deceit?!” “You and Grandfather. You staged the whole thing. It was a damn performance, wasn’t it?” “Performance?! You little bastard—there’s no end to your nonsense!” “So it wasn’t? You expect me to believe that someone who couldn’t even learn martial arts just a short while ago suddenly became strong enough to block Grandfather’s attack? You really want me to buy that story?” Gong Ya-ja suddenly understood. He understood why Gong Ya-myeong couldn’t believe it. “Your brother is a martial prodigy.” “A martial prodigy? Him? Not me?” “You are too. You’re one in a hundred thousand. But your brother? He’s one in a million.” “And this so-called one-in-a-million couldn’t even train until recently?!” “There was a reason. When he was young, his meridians were badly damaged. His qi couldn’t circulate properly. That’s why he couldn’t train.” “And now? You’re saying he’s cured?” “Yes.” “And he just happened to master all of Six Yang Divine Art in that short time? Something I’ve devoted my entire life to? And you want me to just accept [N O V E L I G H T] that?” “What would it take for you to believe?” “I want to fight him. A duel. If I lose in martial arts—I’ll accept everything.” Gong Ya-myeong’s face lit up with defiant confidence. He was sure they’d make up some excuse to avoid the match. Because everything was fake. As expected, both Gong Ya-ja and Gong Ya-son turned to Gong Ya-cheon. He’d be in a bind now. There was no way he’d accept. “...Fine.” “Thought so. I knew you’d—wait, what?” “I said fine. If you want to see, then I’ll show you.” “You’re serious?” “Dead serious.” “Don’t blame me if you get hurt.” “I’ll go easy, so you don’t.” “Eugh! Father! May I duel my brother?” At Gong Ya-myeong’s request, Gong Ya-son gave a slight nod. “Go ahead.” “He could get seriously hurt!” “He won’t. So don’t worry. Go.” Gong Ya-myeong clenched his fists. There was no turning back. Only one way remained if he was going to become heir. He had to cripple his brother completely. You brought this on yourself, brother. **** Silence fell over the Ten Thousand Auspices Gate’s training grounds. Gong Ya-myeong knelt before Gong Ya-cheon, his face pale and dazed. “Wh-What just happened...?” “Will you acknowledge your brother now?” “...That wasn’t Six Yang Divine Art...” “It was. It’s just been reborn to fit my body. My cultivation’s still shallow, so I can’t display it fully.” The trembling in Gong Ya-myeong’s eyes told the whole story. He had to admit it. His brother’s strength was real. Thud. Gong Ya-myeong collapsed backwards, sprawled flat across the ground. “You alright?” Gong Ya-cheon asked. Gong Ya-myeong let out a small laugh. “Yeah. Better than I thought.” And then, he laughed aloud. “Hahaha!” Looking up at his worried brother, Gong Ya-myeong grinned. “It’s enough. If you’re this strong, then that’s enough. The Ten Thousand Auspices Gate is in good hands.” Because no one loved the Ten Thousand Auspices Gate more than Gong Ya-myeong. He had poured his soul into it, desperate to make sure no one ever looked down on the sect he loved. If his brother couldn’t do it, then he would become strong enough to protect it. If his brother was weak, he’d become sect leader and shield it with his own strength. But now— There was no need. Because his brother was strong. Stronger than anyone. He didn’t have to carry the weight anymore. “I’m sorry, brother. For not believing in you.” “No—I’m the one who should be sorry. For not giving you a reason to.” “It’s fine. Just become sect leader and raise the Ten Thousand Auspices Gate to the upper ranks. That’s all I want.” Gong Ya-cheon had feared his brother wouldn’t accept him. But instead, he acknowledged him with refreshing clarity. “...I will. I promise.” Meanwhile, Gong Ya-ja and Gong Ya-son, who had watched the duel from start to finish, were still reeling. That had definitely been the Six Yang Divine Art. But not the version they knew. It had evolved—ascended. Gong Ya-ja murmured under his breath. “To think you could interpret Six Yang Eight Thunders like that...” “And Blazing Mirage Step... what even was that?” Tears of emotion welled in Gong Ya-ja’s eyes. “With the strife between brothers now mended, there’s nothing more to worry about for the future of the Ten Thousand Auspices Gate.” “Yes, Father.” Both father and son watched the reconciliation of the two brothers through tears of joy. **** The Next Day Gong Ya-cheon stepped out with a refreshed, clear expression. Seeing it, Yeon Woo Jin offered him a nod of congratulations. “Congratulations. Judging by your face, things went well.” “Yeah. Thanks. I owe it all to you.” Yeon Woo Jin grinned knowingly. “So it’s official—you’re the Heir now?” “Yeah.” At Gong Ya-cheon’s response, the surrounding kids immediately burst into cheers. “Congrats!” “Whoa! You’re the only Heir among us now!” “That’s right—also the only eldest son, too.” “Shouldn’t you treat us or something?” “Anytime! Just say the word!” “How about today? I know a restaurant with food that’ll blow your mind!” But someone stood off to the side, watching the lively chatter with a conflicted look. They glanced over once, then quickly looked away. Then again—stared—and again turned away. It was Yeon Woo Jin who noticed. There was something in that kid’s eyes. A story. A hesitation. They kept sneaking glances at Jang Un. “Hmmm.” “What is it?” “That kid over there... feels like they’re trying to work up the nerve to talk to you.” As soon as Jang Un turned in their direction, the kid quickly whipped their head to the side, avoiding eye contact. “You’re right.” “Do you know them?” “Not really. Want me to ask?” “No, just pretend you don’t notice for now.” “What for?” “I don’t know. I’ve just got this feeling something interesting’s about to happen.” “Interesting?” Yeon Woo Jin smiled slyly as he looked toward Jang Un. That look was slightly irritating, but coming from Yeon Woo Jin, Jang Un let it slide. “You all handle training on your own today.” “You’re not joining?” “Nope. Got something to take care of.” “Alright.” **** As the academy lessons ended and the students dispersed, the one who had been watching Jang Un suddenly dashed forward, glancing hurriedly in every direction. Clearly searching for him. But Jang Un had already headed off to train at the Baekyak Pavilion and was nowhere to be found. Dejected, the figure slumped, shoulders drooping, and walked off slowly. “Sigh... another day gone and I didn’t say a single word.” Muttering to themselves as they walked—but their voice wasn’t that of a boy. “Where does he vanish to right after class every day...? Is there some shortcut I don’t know about?” Their expression suggested they couldn’t figure it out no matter how hard they tried. “But more than that... who is Yeon Woo Jin, really? I’ve been watching quietly, and... he seems close with all the top students. It’s strange. They all seem to follow him.” It wasn’t just them—all the kids in class wondered the same thing. Officially, Seon Woo Baek was ranked number one, but everyone felt like the real number one was Yeon Woo Jin. “Haaah, I don’t know anymore. More importantly... what am I going to do?” They looked frustrated, as if something were weighing heavily on them. After that, they simply walked in silence for a while. Eventually, they came to a secluded area with barely anyone around. Moments later, a luxurious carriage approached and rolled to a stop. As if on cue, martial attendants appeared around it and bowed deeply. “Young Lady, we’ve come to escort you.” “Thank you, as always. I know it’s a lot.” “We’re only doing what we must.” “Still, I’m grateful.” Because the truth was—he wasn’t a boy at all. She was a girl, dressed as a boy to attend the academy. There was a separate academy for girls—Phoenix Academy—but she hadn’t chosen that path. That’s why, to avoid being discovered, she always walked out to this quiet, hidden spot to meet her carriage and return home. The reason she chose a boys’ academy? To find her future husband. If she didn’t find someone by the time she turned eighteen, she’d be forced to marry someone her father had chosen. So her condition was simple: before that happened, she’d find a man both she and her father could approve of. That was the only reason she was allowed to attend Baekyeong Martial Academy. But it wasn’t easy. Once inside the carriage, she removed her disguise and returned to her true form. And in that moment—her beauty was breathtaking. The kind of beauty that would turn heads from any man who laid eyes on her. She was none other than Seong Yeon-hwa, the treasured daughter of the Golden Sword Manor—ranked 43rd under the Martial God Sect. And the man she had given her heart to? Jang Un. But his background was too poor. There was no way her father would approve. Which is why every time she saw him, she sighed. It felt like trying to cross a vast sea without taking even a single step forward. She wanted to talk to him—just to say a word after class—but she failed every single time. Time kept moving forward, but nothing was changing. Inside the academy, approaching him was impossible. There was no gap she could slip into among the people around him. The only one who knew of her secret affection was her nanny. “You must’ve failed again today, judging by that sigh.” “Yeah. You were right, Nanny.” “Why don’t you just talk to him as your true self? What man wouldn’t fall for you?” “No. I want him to see who I am—not just my face.” “But it’s been months and you haven’t said a word.” “Exactly! And where does he go after class? He disappears so fast it’s driving me insane!” “What if we have someone follow him?” “Follow him?” “Yes. If we just find out where he goes, you could get there first and casually strike up a conversation—like it was fate.” “...Wait. That could work.”