Chapter 33: Disciples of Haomun

In the courtyard of the manor, about twenty men who had not yet departed were glaring at Gangchan with faces full of dissatisfaction.

“I don’t know what the reason is, but I am a martial artist. I have no intention of playing along with such childish games.”

“I feel the same. Please tell us the reason.”

“That’s right, tell us the reason.”

The remaining twenty men shouted, demanding an explanation.

Gangchan listened to their voices, then slowly turned around and let out a thunderous roar.

“What other reason could there be? It’s simply because you’re weak. And besides, you’re not martial artists yet.”

Like cold water being poured, the area instantly became silent.

A man with sharp eyes and well-developed muscles, appearing to be fairly skilled, stepped forward.

“Prove it. Prove to us that we’re weak.”

Gangchan quietly met his gaze.

This man was one of the ten whom Gangchan sensed possessed a fairly restrained energy.

Du Ilchung, a man appearing to be in his late thirties, was from Changsha in Hunan Province, and was suspected to be from a secular family, not a sect.

“So, you think you’re not weak.”

“At the very least, I am not weaker than you, Gongja.”

As Du Ilchung finished speaking, Gangchan quietly descended into the courtyard where they stood.

“Is that so. Well, we’ll see soon enough.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Gangchan used Gwihoonbo, slipping into their blind spots, and began to perform Cheonryeongmu.

In an instant, the sounds of blows and groans rang out from all corners of the courtyard.

In the blink of an eye, more than ten men were rolling on the ground, and Du Ilchung, before he realized it, drew his sword and brandished it at Gangchan.

The sword swung at Gangchan with a bold and steady force, a blade that carried an intense will hidden beneath its grandeur.

But that was all there was to it.

Gangchan sidestepped the incoming sword with just a half-step, naturally deflecting it.

He immediately seized Du Ilchung’s wrist and twisted it in one motion, causing the man’s arm to contort unnaturally and stiffen.

Du Ilchung struggled to free his arm, but lost his balance, spun sideways, was lifted into the air, and then crashed heavily to the ground.

Thud!

Du Ilchung, who had rolled on the ground, sprang up and lunged at Gangchan with his sword once again. But the result was the same.

Thrown back to the ground once more, this time Du Ilchung was visibly shaken.

Is this even possible?

Du Ilchung’s eyes were filled with confusion. He had always been confident that he was at least close to first-rate, but he had been utterly helpless against a young man barely over twenty.

Like lightning, Gangchan used Gwihoonbo again and slipped in among the remaining men. Some tried to take up weapons and defend themselves, but none could keep up with Gangchan’s movements.

Soon, the only ones left in the courtyard were those groaning and rolling on the ground.

Having subdued all twenty men, Gangchan climbed back up to his original spot and spoke in a relaxed manner.

“Now that you’ve seen for yourselves, hurry up and run. If you’re late, you’ll have to run again, so you’d better get moving.”

With no choice, the remaining men also began to run laps around the manor, and from then on, they had to run twice a day without fail.

A few days after the men entered Heavenly Mandate Hall, Nanseol came to see Gangchan.

The reception room of the hall where Gangchan was staying.

Nanseol handed Gangchan three old-looking books.

Gangchan looked at the books and checked their titles.

Muyeong Simbeop, Muyeong Dobeop, Muyeong Seomjeonbo.

Nanseol quietly added an explanation.

“These are martial arts of Muyeong Singun Hwang Gok, who operated at the boundary between orthodox and unorthodox sects two hundred years ago. Hwang Gok is known for never having lost a single fight in his lifetime after mastering these arts. Countless disciples of Haomun gave their lives to protect these secret manuals. Fifteen years ago, my father gave these to me in his final moments—they’re one of the most precious legacies I have. Now, I hope the Lord will put them to good use.”

Gangchan carefully flipped through the books to examine their contents.

They were exactly what Heavenly Mandate Hall needed most at the moment. And since these muso were passed down from Haomun, they were a perfect choice to solidify the foundation of Heavenly Mandate Hall.

“Thank you very much.”

At Gangchan’s heartfelt words, Nanseol smiled softly and asked,

“So, how are the people I sent doing?”

“In the near future, they’ll be reborn as the sword of Haomun.”

At those words, Nanseol nodded in relief.

“Just hearing that is reassuring.”

A brief silence followed. Gangchan spoke again, his expression serious as if he had made up his mind.

“And in fact, I’ve thought about it a lot, but I couldn’t quite decide. How should I address you going forward, Mistress?”

“I’m sorry. I should have considered that first so you wouldn’t have to worry. The moment I told you all my secrets, I became your subordinate in all but name.”

Before Nanseol could finish speaking, she stood and bowed deeply to Gangchan, paying her respects.

Gangchan seemed momentarily flustered, then slowly bent at the waist, took her hand, and led her back to her seat.

“I feel uncomfortable when someone older than me does this. Besides, Mistress, you and I cannot be in a master-servant relationship. Because you are the true master of Haomun. All information of Heavenly Mandate Hall comes from Haomun, does it not? In fact, it’s more appropriate for me to ask you for guidance, not the other way around. I look forward to your guidance, Haomunju.”

Gangchan rose and performed a respectful fist-and-palm salute. Nanseol, who had been staring blankly at him, was overwhelmed with emotion and finally burst into uncontrollable tears.

Fifteen years ago, even the disciples who gave their lives to save her had never spoken those words out loud.

Not Cheonhyangru Mistress, but Haomunju.

The pain and resentment she had accumulated while hiding like a mole to one day be called that melted away in her tears.

“Fifteen years……”

Nanseol’s trembling voice scattered in the silence of the room. The years had been far too long. She thought she would never forget Gangchan’s words, even in death.

Gangchan watched her quietly with warm eyes, waiting for her to calm down. After some time, Nanseol collected herself with a sigh.

“When will those aspiring to become martial artists start arriving?”

“They’ll start coming as early as tomorrow. The only problem is, I’m not sure what standards to use to select them.”

“Just send everyone who wants to come. I’ll sort them here and send back those who don’t fit.”

Nanseol nodded at Gangchan’s calm answer. Soon, a faint tension appeared on her face.

“Oh, and by the way, the Pang Family’s martial artists have entered Hangzhou. I expect they’ll come looking for you soon.”

“Please find out how many came and who they are, then report to me.”

“Yes, I’ll report back soon.”

After Nanseol left, Gangchan fell into deep thought about the Pang Family.

‘If the Pang Family came here to eliminate me, I may have to act first for the sake of Heavenly Mandate Hall.’

Meanwhile, Pang Jagang, the head of the Pang Family known as Naejeon Do, was rubbing his throbbing head after receiving letters from Paeng Cheonho and Paeng Suhyeon.

‘Who on earth, and for what reason, did this to those kids?’

Pang Jagang let out a bitter smile as he read his children’s letters. Normally, he would have scolded them harshly, but this matter was on a different level.

He was well aware of Paeng Cheonho’s fiery temper and Paeng Suhyeon’s stubbornness, but for someone to subdue both at once… Furthermore, their request was an unprecedented one: dispatching the elite martial force.

What was the reason for sending them to Cheonyeon Union in the first place…?”

Pang Jagang gazed at the ceiling for a while, lost in thought.

‘My son has a fiery temper and lacks caution, my daughter is spoiled from being the family’s darling. I thought group life might help them improve a bit…’

But what could he do? In the end, as their father, the responsibility was his. Pang Jagang let out a deep sigh and muttered,

‘Who should I send this time?’

If he sent someone mediocre, they’d surely suffer or be troubled by Suhyeon. It was not an easy decision for Pang Jagang. In the end, he summoned his younger brother, Pang Ingam, the Chonggwan.

“Master, the Chonggwan is here.”

“Come in, brother.”

By calling him “brother” rather than “Chonggwan,” Pang Jagang indicated this was a private matter, not official business of the family.

Upon entering the office, Pang Ingam saw the annoyance on his brother’s face and sensed that something was amiss.

“What’s the matter?”

Pang Jagang picked up the letter from the desk and tossed it to Pang Ingam.

“Read it.”

A troubled expression crossed Pang Ingam’s face as he finished reading.

“This is a headache.”

“You’re also responsible, so don’t try to avoid it. Tell me your solution.”

“Why am I responsible…?”

A look of discontent flickered across Pang Ingam’s face.

“Isn’t it partly your fault Suhyeon turned out this way?”

“I just spoiled her a little, how does that make me responsible…?”

That ‘little’ you did spoiled her this much, so stop making excuses and help me decide who to send.”

Pang Ingam pulled a disgruntled face and glared at his brother.

“If you’re going to argue like that, aren’t you most responsible, brother?”

Pang Jagang’s face twisted, then he suddenly slammed the desk.

“Enough! Instead of fanning the flames, let’s just put the fire out!”

“You want a solution, I’ll give you one. Send uncle. No one else can handle it.”

“Uncle… you mean Gipyeong Uncle?”

“Yes, if it’s not him, Suhyeon and Cheonho will only cause more trouble.”

Pang Jagang leaned back in his chair with a deep sigh.

“If he goes, things should settle down quietly. But will uncle be willing to go?”

“Not for nothing. Remember what uncle asked you for last time? If you offer those terms, he’ll agree.”

Pang Jagang fell into deep thought. Gunja Do Pang Gipyeong was one of the elders of the Pang Family, known throughout the martial world as ‘Gunja Do’ for his clear priorities and fair judgments.

His upright nature applied even to family matters, which sometimes caused problems, but since his judgment was never wrong, no one could ignore his opinions.

“Yes, if uncle goes, no one will dare make a fuss. He’s the right person for the job. But I’ll need to give him terms to persuade him.”

“Brother, about the Gujulso donation uncle requested last time. Wouldn’t sending one hundred taels of gold be enough?”

Pang Jagang was silent for a moment, then nodded.

“Yes, that should be enough to persuade him. There’s no other choice, so I’ll go see uncle tomorrow.”

“Just this once is fine, but it would be a problem if it becomes a habit.”

“Fine. Once is all I’m asking. Let’s just put out the fire for now.”

With that, Pang Jagang left his office and headed to the Elder Council. Soon, he arrived at Pang Gipyeong’s residence and told the attendant to announce his arrival, then stood lost in thought.

“Come in if you’re here.”

There was a hint of displeasure in Pang Gipyeong’s voice. Entering the room, Pang Jagang spoke with a troubled expression.

“Uncle, is something bothering you?”

“You know full well. Are you playing dumb?”

“Of course not. I’m just worried about you, uncle.”

“Since when has my nephew cared so much about me?”

“How can you say such hurtful things? I always worry about you, uncle.”

“Haha. Is that so? Then I must have misunderstood you all this time.”

Although clearly sarcastic, Pang Jagang pretended not to notice and continued,

“Of course. I haven’t been able to sleep at night because I failed to fulfill your previous request. So I came here to discuss it.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Pang Gipyeong’s face lit up with surprise and delight.

“Is that true, nephew?”

“Would I lie to my uncle, especially when you’re so upset? But just this once, uncle. You’ll have to promise me.”

“Of course, I promise. It would be shameless of me to ask again. Hahaha.”

“On a separate note, I have another favor to ask, uncle.”

“Go ahead. If it’s something I can do, I’ll do it even if I must travel a thousand miles.”

“Thank you for saying so, uncle.”

Pang Jagang handed his uncle the letter from his daughter. After reading it, Pang Gipyeong set it down on the table and smiled.

“Should I just bring them back to the main house, or should I go discipline the culprit too?”

“I’ll leave that to your judgment, uncle. Just, no matter how much the children are at fault, the family’s reputation must be considered, so I’d appreciate it if you could give them a stern warning.”

“Understood. Since I know the master’s wishes, I’ll act accordingly. So, when should I depart?”

“You’ll need attendants for the journey to Hangzhou, so it’s best to leave early tomorrow.”

“Alright. I’ll prepare for that.”

“I am always grateful for your devotion to the family, uncle.”

Thus, the journey to Hangzhou for Gunja Do Pang Gipyeong, younger brother of Do Wang Cham Ma Do Pang Gijun and the family’s second-in-command, was decided.