Translator: Nox
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Even the Elders Grow Stronger
#1
The sight of a child teaching middle-aged men was strange enough that even passersby stopped to stare.
But the lesson ended sooner than expected.
Being old didn’t mean they were slow to learn. In fact, when it came to something within their domain, the elders could grasp nuances as fast—or faster—than the young.
They looked like they were moving casually, but they quickly understood the essence and drilled into it.
[As expected of the old. Experience is a true advantage.]
‘Indeed.’
BOOM—!
Just by learning a few mnemonic chants and conceptual pointers, they were already approaching mastery.
Perhaps it was also thanks to the faint, sweet scent that now surrounded the courtyard, but the elders’ movements looked lighter than ever.
“Hahaha! Elder Lee, is that all you've got?”
“I’ll show you what I’ve got from the old days!”
The martial art they were learning was the **Thunder Howling Divine Art (벽력호신공)**—a new technique combining the core principles of *Thunderclap Divine Art* and *Guardian Body Art*. It produced the spectral image of a white tiger as a side effect.
It was stronger than their old Geon-Gon Shin-Gong and had been developed by Peng Mu-hyeok after much deliberation.
As expected of seasoned warriors, the elders absorbed it at lightning speed.
They said men remained boys until the grave—and today, it showed.
[Look how thrilled they are.]
‘It makes sense. They just broke through a wall that had blocked them for over a decade.’
[Yes, joy like that transcends age. It reminds me of when I had my own late-life breakthrough.]
BOOM—!
Loud shockwaves echoed like celebratory fireworks.
They may not have returned to their prime, but their bodies pulsed with vitality again.
Which explained why they now swung their weapons with such excitement.
“This is truly a marvelous technique. Your ancestor’s wisdom is unmatched!”
“With this, Peng can firmly dominate the Hyeongju region.”
The first and second elders exchanged strikes as they said this.
Watching from a distance, Jeongga Jin-hyeon and Jeongga Yeong-yeong were dumbfounded.
“Unbelievable… I was skeptical when they said the clan head had achieved a grand breakthrough…”
“If that hadn’t been true, he never could have blocked a top-tier expert’s sword back in that ambush.”
“Restored secret techniques, newly elevated martial arts… It really feels like we're reclaiming the lost century.”
Jin-hyeon recalled the request of his clan leader before he left: recover the lost history and knowledge of the Jeongga Clan.
Back then, he had scoffed—how could one expect that from a mere child?
But today, he finally understood.
Hyeon-do wasn’t just reviving forgotten martial arts.
He was carrying the memories of his ancestors.
The Heavenly Martial Physique… was more valuable than he had imagined.
It was like—
“He’s a living library.”
“That sounds a bit weird, but… yeah, kind of true. Not a flattering label though.”
“Haha, Yeong-yeong, you’re quite taken with the young master to even say things like that.”
At Jin-hyeon’s teasing gaze, Yeong-yeong shook her head furiously.
Her ears had turned slightly red—whether from embarrassment or something else, no one could tell.
“N-not at all. Comparing someone to a book just feels wrong.”
“Well, then let’s keep this conversation secret.”
“Depends on how you behave, Elder.”
“You cheeky thing…”
The cheerful air lingered.
If only it could stay that way forever.
But this peace was like the stillness before a storm.
“We need to move quickly. First, I’ll check the inventory list.”
“Be careful. Elder, you’re strong, but those Son bastards are truly vicious.”
“I will.”
Jin-hyeon left those words behind and departed.
Now it was time for their own training.
Seeing Yeong-yeong still nearby, Hyeon-do called out.
“Let’s go train.”
“Okay. Are you going to teach me a new technique today?”
“It’s about time.”
It was finally time to begin passing down the secrets of the **Grand Sky Divine Art**.
But they couldn’t rush.
This art required mastery of the Small Sky Divine Art to serve as a proper foundation.
“I’ll just teach you the core theory today. We can’t afford to rush.”
“…Got it. I assume that’s what the ancestor said too?”
“Not just him. Any seasoned martial artist would say the same.”
Because this was as basic as it got.
If one attempted to learn an advanced art without a proper foundation, their body and dantian wouldn’t withstand it. That could lead to serious internal injuries.
In the original game, the Grand Sky Divine Art only became available after reaching a certain stat threshold.
“You’ll probably need to fully master the Small Sky Divine Art at Ten Stars level.”
“Uuugh… That’ll take a while.”
“We’ve got time. Going slow is the surest path.”
Yeong-yeong nodded.
She could sense the meaning in his words.
Metaphorical, but also straightforward.
The kind of line that made you stop and think.
“I’ll head to the training hall first. You’re stopping somewhere?”
“Yeah. I need to start laying the groundwork for refining meteor iron.”
Step one: find the blacksmith.
By now, he should be fleeing from the warriors of the **Southern Barbarian Beast Palace (남만야수궁).**
In the original game, their bond began when Hyeon-do saved him from those very warriors.
‘Still, once I find him, he’ll be worth every bit of the trouble.’
Time to go meet the world’s greatest blacksmith.
Hyeon-do headed to the secret cell of the **Shadow Tiger Unit (암호단)**.
Its commander would guide him to Yunnan.
#2
That night—
Hyeon-do took a walk around the estate after finishing his training.
A quiet figure approached.
“Young Master, preparations are complete. The Clan Head and External Hall Chief have approved the mission.”
“Don’t overdo it. Your life comes first. Avoid combat. Just track his position and route, and I’ll handle the rest.”
“Understood. What communication method should we use?”
In the original game, carrier pigeons could even fly into dungeons—an overpowered feature, sure, but one everyone accepted for convenience.
If that system still worked, it was more reliable than any other method.
“Carrier pigeon. Send it directly. I’ll wrap up the Son Clan situation first.”
“Understood.”
“Be careful. Got your medicines?”
Right now, every person was too valuable.
He had to minimize casualties no matter what.
The agent from the Shadow Tiger Unit bowed deeply.
“Thanks to your support, we’ve not only stocked supplies, but even have financial reserves. We’re truly grateful.”
“It’s everyone’s effort, not just mine. Money’s not what matters—people do. Be safe.”
“At your command.”
With a whisper, the figure vanished more silently than he had appeared.
Hyeon-do watched quietly.
Then turned back to rest.
But something amusing stopped him.
Flap—
A bird suddenly flew behind the disciples’ quarters.
This was an event.
A very interesting one.
“Oh ho… the spies are finally on the move. Which faction?”
Several places were active at this stage.
First, the **Son Clan**—of course.
They were Peng’s main enemies.
Next, **Namgung Clan** of Anhui—another fallen house.
They were gathering intel to restore their arts and glory.
Lastly, **Wudang**.
Their scouts near Hubei regularly monitored worldly affairs.
They were the safest of the bunch.
“Hmm… is it Son? Or Namgung?”
Hyeon-do wandered, thinking aloud.
As a disciple, the spy was likely disposable.
Only when judged trustworthy would better intel start to flow.
‘Can’t exactly catch the pigeon… I’ll have to wait and trace its source.’
As a disciple, there wasn’t much to find right now.
Maybe that he was learning Geon-Gon Shin-Gong?
But that kind of detail would naturally spread among guards and scouts anyway.
[The real issue is figuring out the spy’s identity, isn’t it?]
“AHHH!?”
[What are you shrieking about?]
“You almost gave me a heart attack!”
[Cheeky brat, daring to yell at your master?]
Peng Mu-hyeok had suddenly appeared—without a hint of presence—in the middle of the night.
Naturally, Hyeon-do was startled.
He flailed and hissed in a half-muted whisper.
“You *really* need to make some noise when you show up! You’re a literal ghost, Master!”
[Tch. Still can’t sense my presence, huh? That means your training is lacking.]
“I mean, how am I supposed to sense a ghost’s presence!?”
Mu-hyeok laughed heartily at the joke, then turned serious.
[You should root out the spies quickly. One slip could expose your clan’s secrets.]
“I’ll observe them a bit longer. First, I need to know who they are.”
[Shall I help?]
“Yes, please.”
With Mu-hyeok on the job, there was nothing to fear.
If they monitored the spot at the same time each night, the culprit would show up eventually.
Hyeon-do grinned and finally returned to sleep.
#3
“Hmm… it’s here at last.”
A few days later—
A letter arrived, bearing the seal of the **Son Clan**.
<<You are invited to the Yellow Crane Tower.>>
At last, the real game had begun.
