The Genius Grandson of the Namgung Family Chapter 75

Chapter 75

Revere righteousness.

At first glance, one might think:

Is that all there is?

However, despite The beggars sect being a group of beggars, thanks to this rule, they are recognized as a legitimate faction in the martial arts world.

“To be more specific, a disciple of a prestigious martial arts faction should value righteousness (義) and chivalry (俠). Especially for beggars like us, this is even more important.”

Ha Hyeon nodded.

The moment he heard this single rule, he recalled what his grandfather had told him:

‘Ha Hyeon. For us martial artists, righteousness and chivalry are most important. This is the justification and reason why we wield swords. Without righteousness and chivalry, we are no different from human butchers.’

Ha Hyeon had already engraved this meaning in his heart.

“Oh?”

Cheon-ae Shingae involuntarily let out an exclamation.

The expression on Ha Hyeon’s face was extraordinary.

It was hard to believe this expression belonged to a mere thirteen-year-old child.

Looking at Ha Hyeon’s face, he could understand why Chwiwol Geolgae , who had never shown interest in disciples throughout his life, had fallen for this child.

Though he now held the highest position of Sect Leader in The beggars sect, there was a time when he too was a White-Robed Beggar.

What had brought him to his current position was his ability to judge people.

“Huh huh… They said he was a bright child…”

Cheon-ae Shingae suddenly felt the urge to test Ha Hyeon.

He approached Ha Hyeon, looked him in the eyes, and said:

“I ask this not as an affiliated disciple of The beggars sect, but as a dignified faction martial artist. Do you know why the world calls us a legitimate faction? More precisely, do you understand why the world distinguishes us from the evil factions?”

Why are they called a legitimate faction?

It was a question he had never considered before.

The question about what distinguishes legitimate factions from evil ones was also new to him.

At that moment, Ha Hyeon closed his eyes and fell into thought.

Until now, he had only vaguely assumed.

The Namgung family was a prestigious legitimate faction.

The legitimate factions were the good side, and the evil factions were the bad side.

But here, another question arose:

‘But who decides what is good and what is bad?’

At that moment.

Ha Hyeon remembered his grandfather.

Specifically, he recalled walking around the village near their household with his grandfather.

Back then, his grandfather had expressed it like this:

As ‘family.’

Suddenly, Ha Hyeon slowly opened his eyes.

Though it seemed like he had been thinking for a long time, it was actually just a fleeting moment.

His vision filled with the large figure of Cheon-ae Shingae.

He spoke to the Sect Leader in a calm, clear voice:

“It is the common people of the central plains.”

“…!”

Cheon-ae Shingae didn’t hide his surprised expression.

Ha Hyeon, unconcerned by this, slowly continued:

“My grandfather once told me. Without righteousness and chivalry, martial artists are no different from human butchers. When I heard those words, I had been mistakenly believing that I fully understood them until now.”

“Human butchers…”

Ha Hyeon bowed his head respectfully.

“But I was wrong. Thanks to your question just now, I could finally fully understand the meaning.”

Cheon-ae Shingae smiled at Ha Hyeon as if telling him to continue, and Ha Hyeon went on:

“The countless people we call civilians who don’t know martial arts. We who live together with them as part of this vast central plains are the legitimate factions, and those who violate and exploit these civilians to satisfy their greed are called evil factions.”

Cheon-ae Shingae wore a kind smile that seemed to melt his generous appearance.

If he had been dressed in clean clothes with his head shaved, one might have mistaken him for a high monk who had attained enlightenment, so benevolent was his smile.

“Continue.”

“The reason we are called a legitimate faction is because we don’t try to rule over civilians, but instead form a family with them and live together.”

Cheon-ae Shingae nodded firmly.

Then he turned toward Chwiwol Geolgae .

“Elder Chwiwol Geolgae .”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“You have lived your entire life so lonely just to bring this child here.”

“It wasn’t that lonely… Well, perhaps it was.”

Cheon-ae Shingae wore a deep smile.

“I have nothing more to say to this child. He already deeply understands our rule. Above all… he is already a dignified martial artist of a legitimate faction.”

Chwiwol Geolgae  smiled broadly. Chwiwol Geolgae  felt happier seeing Ha Hyeon being praised than if he himself had been praised.

“May I have a word with Ha Hyeon alone for a moment?”

“By all means. Ha Hyeon, is that alright with you?”

“Yes, Master.”

Ha Hyeon’s face also bore a smile.

“Well then, follow me.”

“Yes.”

Cheon-ae Shingae slowly moved his feet, and Ha Hyeon followed behind.

Strangely, though his steps appeared sluggish, they were difficult to keep up with by walking normally, so Ha Hyeon had to take quick, small steps to follow.

It was truly a mysterious footwork technique.

He headed up toward the cliff.

While following him and carefully observing his footsteps, Ha Hyeon asked:

“Sect Leader, do all The beggars sect members have such amazing footwork?”

“Haha! Do you know what the hardest part of begging is?”

“Being cold and hungry?”

“No. That’s just a beggar’s daily life. We don’t consider it difficult to open our eyes in the morning and see the sun rise.”

Ha Hyeon chuckled at his exaggerated tone.

Though they had just met today, and despite the Sect Leader of The beggars sect being an intimidating position, Ha Hyeon already felt comfortable with him.

“Then what is it?”

“People who come to break your begging bowl, and dogs.”

“Ah!”

“And to escape from those two, naturally, your footwork develops. Like this.”

Whoosh-!

It seemed as if the wind blew around Cheon-ae Shingae’s body, and he was already far ahead.

But Ha Hyeon was also confident in his footwork.

He too used his technique to follow Cheon-ae Shingae.

The cool wind hit his face.

Cheon-ae Shingae, despite his generous body, moved his steps lightly as if riding on clouds.

By the time Ha Hyeon caught up with him, they had already reached the top of the cliff.

“You’ve studied footwork quite diligently.”

“Yes. And recently, there’s someone who’s been teaching me intensively.”

“Haha! That teaching must not be easy. Though that person is said to be extraordinary, it’s his first time teaching a disciple.”

Even without mentioning who, Cheon-ae Shingae immediately guessed that Ha Hyeon was referring to Chwiwol Geolgae .

They both smiled for a moment, thinking of him.

Then Cheon-ae Shingae looked at Ha Hyeon, smiled brightly, and said:

“Now. Look at this place.”

Cheon-ae Shingae pointed down the cliff.

Ha Hyeon followed his hand and looked there.

“Wow…!”

Below the cliff, densely packed huts were visible all the way to where the horizon ended.

It was clearly the same sight that Chwiwol Geolgae  had shown him from the hill when he first entered Chongta, but was it because they were seeing it from a higher place? The scale was different.

So Ha Hyeon let out an even bigger exclamation than before.

“Surely, when entering Chongta, as you crossed the last hill, you saw countless dwellings of our beggars like this.”

Ha Hyeon nodded with his mouth still open.

“But how does it look from here?”

“I can see farther. And I can see more. Earlier, I just felt it was impressive… but now I feel overwhelmed by the sheer number.”

Cheon-ae Shingae stroked the head of Ha Hyeon, who answered distinctly.

‘If I weren’t the Dragon Head Leader, this is a child I would want to take as a disciple.’

The Sect Leader of The beggars sect cannot carelessly take disciples.

The Sect Leader can only take a single disciple, selected as the Hoogae, and that Hoogae inherits all the martial arts of the previous Dragon Head Leader and becomes the next generation’s Sect Leader.

If Ha Hyeon had been on the path of The beggars sect, he would have been a talent Cheon-ae Shingae would have coveted as a Hoogae.

“Engrave this scene deep in your heart. The higher a person climbs, the more they must see, and the more people they must take responsibility for.”

“Thank you for those wise words.”

The words of the Dragon Head Leader came to Ha Hyeon as another realization.

Until now, Ha Hyeon had focused only on becoming stronger and protecting those dear to him.

But now he learned:

The stronger and higher he becomes, the more people dear to him and the more people he must protect will increase.

Cheon-ae Shingae smiled seeing Ha Hyeon’s expression.

Even though he was only a half-affiliated disciple, the fact that Ha Hyeon was now officially on the path of The beggars sect made him proud.

“Our The beggars sect does not use written secret manuals. All martial arts are transmitted through oral instruction.”

Cheon-ae Shingae turned to Ha Hyeon and continued:

“I brought you here to pass on one martial art to you.”

“A martial art?” “Yes. It is only natural for me to pass on the martial arts formula, to one who truly knows how to respect righteousness. However, I will only explain the formula once and never repeat it again.”

Ha Hyeon became serious on his own as he listened to his words.

“Therefore, you must remember as much as you can, and any missing formulas you will have to fill in through lifelong study from now on.”

Cheon-ae Shingae began to recite the formula.

The martial art he was teaching Ha Hyeon was a sword technique.

A sword technique called Gyuji Sword Technique (叫枝劍法).

Although disciples who use swords are not common in the Beggars’ Sect, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a single sword technique in this long history. The Gyuji Sword Technique had not been showcased in the martial arts world many times, but it was a righteous sword technique that punishes evil.

‘Originally, this sword technique should be taught alongside the Honcheon Gangryong Divine Technique (混天降龍神功), but…’

Uniquely, the Gyuji Sword Technique didn’t begin as movements that solidified into a sword technique.

It was a martial art where practicing the Honcheon Gangryong Divine Technique and expressing its energy through a sword became the movements.

Therefore, if Ha Hyeon had not learned martial arts, he might have taught him the Honcheon Gangryong Divine Technique as well.

But seeing Ha Hyeon’s level, it appeared he had already learned an ascension mental technique, so he did not pass it on.

Because there was no knowing what side effects might occur if one learned two mental techniques together.

“Did you listen well?”

“…”

Before long, the formula ended.

Cheon-ae Shingae asked Ha Hyeon, but Ha Hyeon did not answer.

When he glanced at Ha Hyeon, Ha Hyeon had his eyes closed.

“…?”

As Cheon-ae Shingae approached Ha Hyeon, wondering why there was no response, Ha Hyeon sat down and crossed his legs in meditation.

Ha Hyeon sat there for quite some time, and Cheon-ae Shingae silently kept watch by his side.

Kuung-

At that moment, a powerful energy wave arose around Ha Hyeon, who was sitting in meditation.

Cheon-ae Shingae unconsciously took a step back.

Kuung-!

And another energy wave rose.

Now realizing that this energy was familiar, astonishment filled Cheon-ae Shingae’s eyes.

“This… This energy…?!”

As the leader of the Beggars’ Sect, he knew the formula for the Honcheon Gangryong Divine Technique by heart, but had never practiced it directly.

He had learned the Okheyon Guijin Profound Technique (玉玄歸眞玄功), which could only be learned by those selected as the successor.

But Cheon-ae Shingae recalled an elder of the Beggars’ Sect who had perished in the Justice-Demon War War during his time as the successor.

In his not-short life, he had only felt this kind of energy from that person.

‘Elder Mujeong Guigae (無情鬼丐)…!’

Although he died in the Justice-Demon War War, he was a supreme master one level higher than even Chiwol Geolgae.

The martial arts that made him one of the greatest masters of not just the Beggars’ Sect but the entire martial arts world were precisely the Honcheon Gangryong Divine Technique and the Gyuji Sword Technique.

“Even if it’s the Gyuji Sword Technique, how could the Honcheon Gangryong Divine Technique…?!”

No, Cheon-ae Shingae couldn’t even guess what was happening right now.

There was no way Ha Hyeon could know the Honcheon Gangryong Divine Technique, and even if he did, it was impossible to emit an energy wave using that mental technique in an instant.

Kuung-!

When another energy wave burst from Ha Hyeon’s body, Cheon-ae Shingae finally realized it.

‘It’s not the Honcheon Gangryong Divine Technique…!’

A feeling subtly different from the Honcheon Gangryong Divine Technique he knew.

But it felt similar enough to make him mistake it.

As the energy emanating from Ha Hyeon’s body subsided, Ha Hyeon slowly opened his eyes.

Cheon-ae Shingae had a lot of questions he wanted to ask right away, but looking at Ha Hyeon’s face, no questions came out.

Ha Hyeon’s face was as calm and serene as a lake.

Ha Hyeon lightly stood up and stood before Cheon-ae Shingae.

“Chief, may I be excused for a moment?”

“Y-Yes, go ahead.”

Having received the Chief’s permission, Ha Hyeon moved away from him.

After confirming there was sufficient space around him, Ha Hyeon drew his sword.

Shaak-

The well-forged sword gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight.

“Please observe once whether what I have learned is correct.”

And Ha Hyeon’s sword began to move.

Thirty years ago.

It was a perfect recreation of the Gyuji Sword Technique, whose tradition had been cut off by the Demonic Cult.

“Ah! Elder Mujeong Guigae!”

Watching those movements, Cheon-ae Shingae unconsciously shed a tear.