The Genius Grandson of the Namgung Family Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Ma Yun-cheol rubbed his eyes again and looked at Ha Hyeon.

“How did you get here?!”

How could he forget that face?

Back then, he wore clothes like rags, but his face was exceptionally clean.

And though he had matured and grown incredibly taller than three years ago, Ma Yun-cheol could recognize Ha Hyeon at a glance.

And he had never forgotten Ha Hyeon’s name either.

When times were tough during his martial arts training, he would repeat Ha Hyeon’s name and grind his teeth in determination.

“I had some business passing by. Looks like you’ve been well?”

Ha Hyeon spoke as if meeting an old friend.

No, in fact, Ha Hyeon actually remembered Ma Yun-cheol as something like a friend.

After all, he was the first person Ha Hyeon had ever sparred with, and the one who taught him how to imbue weapons with inner power.

“That’s right. Can’t you see this?”

Ma Yun-cheol proudly showed off the second-level knot at his waist.

It was the fruit of his efforts over the past three years.

And as he had boasted to Ha Hyeon, he hadn’t neglected his training in the Striking dog eighteen strikes either.

“Looking at your appearance, it seems you’re living well in a good house with good food.”

“Yes. I didn’t tell you my surname back then, did I? I’m Namgung Ha Hyeon.”

“Namgung?”

Ha Hyeon nodded with a dazzling smile.

Now introducing himself with the Namgung surname had become very natural.

“You were from the Namgung family?”

“That’s right.”

Just then, Chwiwol Geolgae walked up behind Ha Hyeon and spoke.

“Why are you taking so long? Did something happen?”

Ma Yun-cheol’s eyes wavered when he saw him.

“E-Elder!”

“Yes.”

“Greetings to the Elder!”

When Ma Yun-cheol shouted loudly and bowed flat, the other beggars, being perceptive, quickly ran over and bowed beside him.

“Tsk tsk. This is why I wanted to leave… Now rise. Oh? You’re… that child from back then?”

“You remember me?!”

“Yes. You left an impression. Your name was Ma… something.”

“Just remembering my surname is an honor! I’m Ma Yun-cheol!”

Ma Yun-cheol was so genuinely moved that he was remembered that his eyes welled up with tears.

“Ah yes. Ma Yun-cheol. That was the name. Is Bokwoo doing well?”

“Yes. Master Bokwoo should be at Bunta.”

“I see. Don’t send my regards. It’ll become troublesome.”

“Ah, understood.”

Chwiwol Geolgae waved his hand dismissively as he spoke.

“Now then, you should go. Take the food to Bunta and share it well.”

“Yes, Elder.”

Ma Yun-cheol’s face showed slight disappointment.

He was seeing a great elder of his sect after several years.

But seeing him show such obvious signs of finding it bothersome hurt his feelings.

As Ma Yun-cheol turned away dejectedly, Chwiwol Geolgae’s voice was heard again.

“Wait. Child.”

“Yes, Elder?”

“Come to think of it, three years ago you were just a disciple who had achieved the first level. It seems you’ve made quite an achievement in three years.”

“I focused solely on martial arts training except when begging and sleeping.”

Interest began to show on Chwiwol Geolgae’s face.

“How old are you this year?”

“Fifteen.”

“Who is your master?”

“I don’t have a specific master.”

“Is that so?”

Chwiwol Geolgae, who had been talking to Ma Yun-cheol while slightly turned, now faced him completely.

This was nothing less than proof that he was fully interested.

“Yes. Sometimes Master Bunta checks my martial arts progress.”

“Already at the second level at that age, and no one tried to take you as a disciple?”

“I think it’s because I couldn’t go to Chongta. Since the year before last, there was a sudden influx of young beggars at Gosi, and I’ve been busy taking care of them…”

Chwiwol Geolgae wore a kind smile as he listened to this explanation.

It was a warm smile impossible to imagine on his usually dissatisfied face.

No, it was the kind of face that only Ha Hyeon occasionally got to see.

“Well then, since we’ve met by fate, why don’t you two exchange some moves again?”

“You mean right now?” 

“Of course now. It’s not like we need time to spar, right? Just two people and ground to stand on is all we need.”

He glanced at Ha Hyeon.

Even though Chwiwol Geolgae hadn’t given any explanation, Ha Hyeon nodded.

As if they understood each other without words, Chwiwol Geolgae also nodded before speaking.

“Now then. You two face each other. It seems this path too busy with people passing by.”

Chwiwol Geolgae looked around and pointed to a distance.

“Oh. There’s quite a nice open space over there. Let’s go there.”

As he moved first, the others naturally followed him.

When everyone moved to the open space, Ha Hyeon and Ma Yun-cheol naturally took up opposing positions.

Namgung Min was also watching the two with an interested expression.

Chak-

Ma Yun-cheol drew out his dog beating stick from his waist.

It was the same dog beating stick he used three years ago.

Whisk!

Ha Hyeon also caught the dog beating stick that Chwiwol Geolgae threw.

“Ha Hyeon only has a real sword right now. Use this.”

“Thank you.”

Ha Hyeon swung Chwiwol Geolgae’s dog beating stick a few times with a whoosh.

Though it was only the second time in his life holding a dog beating stick, Ha Hyeon seemed to feel how well-balanced this staff was.

“Now. Begin!”

Ha Hyeon thought Ma Yun-cheol would charge in as soon as Chwiwol Geolgae said to begin.

But his prediction was wrong.

Though Ma Yun-cheol took up a fighting stance, he spoke to Ha Hyeon.

“By the way, I have something to ask.”

“What is it?”

“I was too flustered earlier to ask, but why are you traveling with our Elder?”

“That’s…”

Ha Hyeon glanced at Chwiwol Geolgae and said.

His face was somehow full of mischief.

“I’ll tell you after this match!”

Ha Hyeon gripped the dog beating stick firmly and charged at Ma Yun-cheol.

It was random swinging without any special technique.

Whoosh- Whoosh-!

But the force behind it was no joke.

If hit wrongly by that staff, it seemed like it could crack open a skull and more.

And in the brief gap between Ha Hyeon’s attacks.

Ma Yun-cheol displayed his utmost mastery of the footwork he had learned to escape to where Ha Hyeon’s staff couldn’t reach.

“Haha! The Drunken Eight Immortals Steps are quite good.”

Chwiwol Geolgae clapped and showed his approval.

The Beggar Sect’s unique footwork that Ma Yun-cheol displayed was quite impressive.

But Ma Yun-cheol’s expression wasn’t very good.

“You, you bastard!”

Ha Hyeon grinned and shrugged his shoulders.

He had returned exactly the same attack that Ma Yun-cheol had used against Ha Hyeon in their first match.

And Ma Yun-cheol had also copied exactly how Ha Hyeon had avoided his attack back then.

“Now the playing around is over. Haap!”

Ha Hyeon shouted a battle cry and this time imbued inner power into the dog beating stick.

Although it wasn’t a sword but a dog beating stick, Ha Hyeon handled it as naturally as he would handle a sword.

He was already someone who realized that sword techniques could be used with non-sword weapons, and that sword techniques could be performed with fists and hands.

While it would be unreasonable to immediately copy high-level martial arts, for Ha Hyeon using a dog beating stick naturally was as easy as eating cold porridge.

Swaaek-!

Ha Hyeon’s dog beating stick flew through the air, cutting the wind.

The form he displayed was one of the Ninety-Eight Strike Forms, the Hungry Dog Drinks Urine.

Though the attack form was the most basic thrust, it was a form that simultaneously attacked and defended without leaving openings.

Of course, Ha Hyeon didn’t know the name of this form.

Ma Yun-cheol’s eyes flashed.

His discernment had improved considerably by now, and he immediately recognized the form Ha Hyeon was using, and as if determined not to lose, he displayed the same form.

“Yiaap!”

Kkaang-!!

When the two dog beating sticks collided, there was a sound of metal hitting metal.

Ha Hyeon stood lightly in place where they collided, but Ma Yun-cheol stepped back several steps to deflect the impact of the collision.

Grin-

But Ma Yun-cheol smiled.

In the past, the match would have been decided with just one collision.

But now, for some reason, he felt like he could handle this.

He gripped his tingling hands more firmly on the dog beating stick and charged again.

“Try taking this!”

From Ma Yun-cheol’s hands came the final form of the Ninety-Eight Strikes. The Four Corners Chaotic Collapse was unleashed.

True to his boasting that he hadn’t neglected training in the Ninety-Eight Strikes, his erratically moving dog beating stick showed such mysterious changes that it appeared to multiply.

“Amazing.”

Ha Hyeon genuinely admired the form and Ma Yun-cheol’s proficiency, then adjusted his grip on the dog beating stick as if holding a sword.

Whoosh-

And the dog beating stick moved in a perfect circle.

Ha Hyeon’s unique martial art – the Moonlight Sword Technique.

To be honest, at Ma Yun-cheol’s current level, he could never match Ha Hyeon.

But defeating him with the strongest form Ha Hyeon could currently use –

That was the best consideration Ha Hyeon could show.

Kakakakang-!

Though Ha Hyeon seemed to simply swing his weapon in a large circle, the sound of the two dog beating sticks colliding rang out multiple times.

This was due to the mysterious transformative principles of the Full Moon Sword Technique.

“Kugh-!”

As the collisions continued, Ma Yun-cheol’s arms grew progressively slower.

Though Ma Yun-cheol felt his inner power draining in chunks with each collision with Ha Hyeon’s staff, he continued pushing his energy as if unwilling to give up here.

Stop!

Then suddenly, Ha Hyeon’s staff stood still in mid-air as if time had stopped.

Whoosh-

Because of this, Ma Yun-cheol’s staff cut through empty air.

At the same time, his body lost balance and tilted.

Shaak!

Simultaneously, Ha Hyeon’s stopped staff began moving again.

Thwack!

“Aagh!”

The dog beating stick struck Ma Yun-cheol’s side directly, and Ma Yun-cheol could only scream while clutching his waist.

It was truly Ha Hyeon’s perfect victory.

No one could dispute this outcome.

“Are you okay?”

“Ugh, it’s nothing.”

Ma Yun-cheol stood up staggering while clutching his side.

He still firmly gripped the dog beating stick, not letting go.

“You must have trained a lot. You’ve improved tremendously?”

“I don’t want to hear any pity.”

Ma Yun-cheol lifted his clothes to check his side, but thanks to Ha Hyeon holding back in his strike, there was only a dark bruise.

Then suddenly, as if remembering something, Ma Yun-cheol said to Ha Hyeon.

“Come to think of it, how old are you?”

“Me? Thirteen.”

“Didn’t you hear earlier? I said I’m fifteen. You keep speaking informally to me. Is being strong in martial arts all that matters?”

Ha Hyeon grinned.

“You asked earlier what my relationship with Elder Chwiwol Geolgae was, right?”

“Yes.”

“I formed a master-disciple relationship with Master Chwiwol Geolgae.”

“What…? Then you’re also a member of the Beggar Sect?”

Ha Hyeon shook his head.

And instead of explaining, he asked Chwiwol Geolgae behind him.

“Master, how many generations senior are you to Ma Yun-cheol?”

“Let’s see. He’s four generations below me.”

“Four generations? Then since I’m your disciple…”

Chwiwol Geolgae, now seeming to realize why Ha Hyeon had asked this, started cackling with laughter.

While Ma Yun-cheol was still dazed, not understanding how the situation had developed, Ha Hyeon extended his hand to Ma Yun-cheol and said.

“Well. This should be enough reason for me to keep speaking informally, right? No, you should be speaking formally to me?”

“Wait… Then you’re my…”

Ha Hyeon smirked and said.

“That’s right. I’m your third-generation senior martial uncle.”