Mok Yu-cheon, the youngest Young Master of the Lotuswood Sword Manor. He had no choice but to mature earlier than his peers. Upon learning that his mother was nothing more than a courtesan, Mok Yu-cheon came to understand reality at a young age.
At first, he despaired. No one acknowledged him as a Young Master of the Lotuswood Sword Manor. He was merely an illegitimate child born of a lowly bloodline.
It was misfortune itself. For Mok Yu-cheon, who spent his childhood in such despair, there was only one way out.
‘... I will become stronger.’
The world was fair. His blood may have been lowly, but his martial genius was exceptional. No, he was born with it.
For someone with nothing to his name, martial arts were the only way to distinguish himself. He believed that if he became strong enough that no one could ignore him, everyone would have no choice but to acknowledge him.
‘I will be acknowledged.’
And that, in fact, came to pass. The Manor Lord, who had been uninterested in him, calling him an illegitimate child, gradually began to favor him for his outstanding martial genius, and even the vassals acknowledged him. His brothers, who had scorned him and his mother, no longer treated him carelessly.
‘Perhaps...’
He, who was ridiculed for his humble origins, might even become the Manor Lord. Little by little, his hopes swelled. But recently, that anticipation had turned into anxiety.
‘What will happen when the Manor Lord passes away?’
The Manor Lord had not named anyone as his successor. If things continued as they were, either the hooligan of a first young master or the cunning second young master, Mok Eun-pyeong, could become the Manor Lord. If that happened, the Great Madam might try to kill him, whom she considered a thorn in her side.
‘Ahhh...’
Things had become complicated again. He had hoped that he could change everything with effort. But he felt as if he had hit another wall.
Still, there was nothing he could do. He had neither the cunning nor the resources to build power like his other half-brothers. For now, there was only one thing he could do.
Continue to practice his martial arts. So today, too, he was engrossed in training to clear his mind of idle thoughts. But then, the face he least wanted to see in the training ground—no, the face he hated most—appeared.
‘Mok Gyeong-un.’
Why on earth was this guy here? Putting aside the fact that he was mediocre, he had no interest in practicing martial arts. Just looking at the guy was about to make his head, which he had finally cleared by sweating, feel unpleasant again.
“Get out of the training ground.”
Having been beaten to a pulp once before, he should understand if he had any sense. But unexpected words came from the guy’s mouth.
“Do you, by any chance, want to become the Manor Lord too?”
“What?”
For a moment, he was dumbfounded.
“What are you talking about right now?”
“It's just as you heard. I asked if you want to become the Manor Lord too.”
At those words, Mok Yu-cheon raised his voice and said.
“I don’t know what kind of trick you’re trying to pull by appearing before me, but stop spouting nonsense and get lost. Unless you want to crawl away like last time...”
“Well. I thought you would want this.”
With those words, Mok Gyeong-un took something out from his robes. Seeing it, Mok Yu-cheon’s eyes widened.
“You... how did you get that?”
“You want it?”
Mok Gyeong-un asked Mok Yu-cheon, waving the secret manual. Lotuswood Heart Transformation Technique. It was a breathing technique and internal energy circulation technique that only the Manor Lord of the Lotuswood Sword Manor could learn.
There was no way Mok Yu-cheon, who carried the blood of the Mok family, would not know of this secret manual.
‘How did that guy get it?’
Mok Yu-cheon couldn’t understand the situation. The Manor Lord was bedridden and had not yet woken up, so how could that guy Mok Gyeong-un have the secret manual for the Lotuswood Heart Transformation Technique? Then, for a moment, his mind became a jumble.
‘Could it be?’
Father gave this guy the secret manual for the Lotuswood Heart Transformation Technique? No. That couldn’t be. Regardless of their birth, the two children their father considered most pathetic were the first, Mok Yeong-ho, and the third, Mok Gyeong-un.
The reason was that both of them lacked effort despite their lack of martial genius. Hadn't he told him to his face?
[If only your brothers were half like you.]
Such words were not spoken for no reason. Mok Yu-cheon glared sharply at Mok Gyeong-un and said.
“Where did you get that? Did you steal it without Father’s knowledge?”
At those words, Mok Gyeong-un smirked and said.
“I don’t think that’s what’s important.”
“Not important? There’s no way Father would give a secret manual to a guy like you.”
“Well, you never know, do you? If the Manor Lord’s heart was moved, he might have given it.”
“Nonsense!”
Mok Yu-cheon raised his voice.
‘Hmph.’
At that moment, Go Chan, who was standing behind, grimaced as his eardrums rang. He must really hate Mok Gyeong-un. He had even infused his voice with internal energy, making it dizzying.
On the other hand, Mok Gyeong-un showed no major reaction other than a slight frown. At this sight, a strange light flashed in Mok Yu-cheon’s eyes.
‘No reaction at all?’
Normally, Mok Gyeong-un would have made a huge fuss. But he endured it. Could it be that he had been diligently practicing martial arts while he hadn't seen him?
If so, why did his energy feel even weaker than before? Puzzled, Mok Yu-cheon opened his mouth again.
“Is there any proof that it’s real?”
“Proof?”
Mok Gyeong-un smirked and then casually held out the secret manual for the Lotuswood Heart Transformation Technique. At this, Mok Yu-cheon furrowed his brow. What kind of trick was this?
After a moment of hesitation, Mok Yu-cheon finally took the secret manual. It wasn't because of greed, but because he was curious if it was the real secret manual.
‘Hmm?’
But the secret manual was thin. Wondering what it was, he opened the secret manual and found only two pages inside the cover. The incantations of the heart technique could be short, but there was no way it would be only two pages.
Was it a fake after all? So he read the incantations at the beginning. But the moment he read it, Mok Yu-cheon was certain.
‘…It’s real.’
He was able to tell because he had perfectly mastered the basic arts. Naturally turning to the next page, Mok Yu-cheon examined the remaining incantations and, seeing the torn-off traces midway, unknowingly swallowed a gulp of disappointment.
‘Ah...’
He was seized by a momentary thirst. As a martial artist, he couldn't help but crave higher martial arts. The Manor Lord's exclusive martial arts, the Lotuswood Heart Transformation Technique and the Lotuswood Sword Formation Art, were the secrets to profound martial arts.
If he learned them, he could reach the complete Peak Realm and, based on that, perhaps even reach a higher realm of martial arts.
“Why is the rest of it missing?”
At that question, Mok Gyeong-un smiled brightly and tapped his head with his finger. Mok Yu-cheon, understanding the meaning, narrowed his eyes.
‘This guy...’
Was Mok Gyeong-un always this cunning? Memorizing about 90 percent of the original and showing only this remnant as proof that it was genuine was a way of solidifying that there was no way to get the secret manual without him. It seemed he had even prepared for a situation where the secret manual might be taken from him.
‘Is this really this guy’s idea?’
He glanced at Guard Go Chan behind him. But seeing him looking extremely anxious, it seemed not. Then it must be true.
‘... He’s changed.’
What had happened in the past two years? After the incident that day, they had not directly confronted each other or spoken. It was because Mok Gyeong-un had been scared and had been avoiding him the whole time.
But the Mok Gyeong-un he saw after two years was very different from back then.
“What on earth are you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Putting aside how you got this, what kind of trick are you pulling now?”
“Does it look like a trick?” -Thwack!
Mok Yu-cheon threw the secret manual on the ground and stood right in front of Mok Gyeong-un, saying.
“Do you think it’s normal for a guy who spent two years running away while watching my and our brothers’ moods to come here with this and talk about the Manor Lord?”
“Hmm. I thought you would want to be the Manor Lord, but I guess not?”
“What?”
“If you don't want to be the Manor Lord, then this offer is pretty meaningless.”
At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Mok Yu-cheon was dumbfounded.
An offer?
What on earth was he talking about? As he was wondering, Mok Gyeong-un picked up the secret manual that had fallen on the ground, dusted it off, and said.
“If you don’t want to be the Manor Lord, then you don’t really need this, do you?”
“............”
At those words, Mok Yu-cheon couldn’t answer. Even if he didn’t want to be the Manor Lord, Mok Yu-cheon wanted to learn the profound martial arts of the Lotuswood Sword Manor. That was natural for a martial artist.
But the reason he was hesitating like this was because he couldn’t figure out Mok Gyeong-un’s true intentions. This was a clear bait.
“... What kind of trick is this?”
“Trick or not, if you’re not interested, I’ll be on my way.”
With those words, Mok Gyeong-un put the secret manual back in his robes and tried to leave without a second thought. At this, Mok Yu-cheon called out to Mok Gyeong-un, who had only walked a few steps.
“Stop!”
At those words, one corner of Mok Gyeong-un’s mouth curled up. He took the bait. He had only just started talking to this guy, but he felt like he had a rough idea of what kind of person he was.
He was a rather stubborn type who acted according to his own beliefs. This type of person doesn't just bite the bait. You have to set the stage for them like this.
Mok Gyeong-un spoke nonchalantly without turning his head.
“You said you weren’t interested?”
“... It’s not about interest, what kind of trick is this?”
“A series of the same questions.”
“Shut up. Just answer my questions. What is your intention in constantly asking if I want to be the Manor Lord?”
“Intention?”
“If you have it, you could just quietly and secretly learn it and then aim for the Manor Lord’s position yourself. But what is your motive in bringing this to me and asking if I want to be the Manor Lord?”
At that question, Mok Gyeong-un shrugged. And turning his body slightly, he said.
“You might not believe me, but I’m not particularly interested in the Manor Lord’s position.”
“What?”
At those words, Mok Yu-cheon glared at Mok Gyeong-un with suspicious eyes. Not interested in the Manor Lord's position? Was he supposed to believe that right now?
“Ha...”
Mok Yu-cheon let out a hollow laugh.
Right.
It was ridiculous. The very act of getting that secret manual and then coming to him spouting such words was a trap. He didn't know what the guy's intentions were, but he was clearly plotting something sinister.
In the first place, due to the incident two years ago, he also disliked this guy, but this guy also feared and disliked him greatly. Then Mok Gyeong-un approached him and said.
“If you don’t believe...”
Before he could finish his words. -Thwack! Mok Yu-cheon’s fist, which had shot forward, accurately struck Mok Gyeong-un’s face. Hit by the blow, Mok Gyeong-un was pushed back and then fell flat on his back. -Drip!
Blood trickled from his nose. He should have shown signs of pain, but the corners of the fallen Mok Gyeong-un’s mouth trembled.
‘It’s different.’
This was Mok Gyeong-un’s thought. Putting aside the man with the black blade, he had personally experienced the skills of Guard Go Chan and Guard Gam. Through that, he had learned the difference between the second-rate and first-rate realms.
And now, having personally witnessed the fist of the genius Mok Yu-cheon, who had reached the cusp of the Peak Realm at the mere age of sixteen, he was realizing the difference in power firsthand. He now understood why Go Chan had described him as several times stronger. This was a level of strength that couldn't be overcome by luck.
‘My body can’t react.’
He saw it for a fleeting moment, but his body couldn’t follow. Unless one approached this level of strength to some extent, it was a level that was simply too difficult to face.
‘... What is this?’
On the other hand, Mok Yu-cheon, with his fist still extended, narrowed his eyes. He had thrown the punch to shut the guy up. He knew that with his meager third-rate realm skills, he would obviously be unable to block it.
But there was one thing different from the guy he had always known.
‘He didn’t close his eyes.’
He was staring straight at his fist. Normally, if faced with a punch that one cannot block, one should flinch and close their eyes in fear. But he stared at the fist right up until the moment of impact.
‘He wasn’t afraid?’
That Mok Gyeong-un? As he was wondering, Mok Gyeong-un pushed himself up. Then, wiping the flowing nosebleed with the back of his hand, he said.
“That’s a sharp fist.”
“Sharp?”
A scoff escaped him. Strictly speaking, he hadn't hit him properly. It was a single punch meant to give him a decent scare because he was convinced he was trying to pull a trick on him.
“You’d better not get up. If you get up again, the intensity will be raised to a level that makes what just happened seem like a joke.”
Mok Yu-cheon warned him. And he actually intended to do it. But Mok Gyeong-un smirked and said.
“I think it’s natural to be suspicious.”
“It’s not suspicion, it’s a certainty. I don’t believe a single thing you say.”
“Is that so?”
“So I’ll make you regret coming to me with such a trick.”
Mok Yu-cheon clenched his fist. Since it had come to this, he had to be more decisive than he was two years ago. That was the only way to stop him from pulling such stunts.
As he made up his mind, Mok Gyeong-un said with a smile.
“Then I have no choice but to give it to the Great Madam or brother Mok Eun-pyeong.”
“... What?”
“It's your freedom to believe or not, but if you choose that path, I too have no choice but to give the secret manual to those two sides to get what I want.”
At those words, Mok Yu-cheon froze. It was because he knew what this meant. Mok Gyeong-un continued speaking.
“When the Manor Lord passes away, the vassals will eventually support the one of Mok family blood who has learned the secret manual as the new Manor Lord. If either Mok Yeong-ho or Mok Eun-pyeong becomes the Manor Lord, what do you think will happen?”
“........”
“Do you really think they’ll leave you alone?”
Struck to the core, Mok Yu-cheon was at a loss for words. He had been frustrated, unable to predict what would happen in the future. That’s why Mok Gyeong-un’s words couldn’t help but stick in his ears.
In that gap, Mok Gyeong-un stood up and continued what he was saying.
“I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think they would just leave alone a brilliant successor candidate who received the Manor Lord’s favor and outshone them or their own children.”
‘.......’
At these words from Mok Gyeong-un, Guard Go Chan couldn't hide his inner turmoil. 'No, what is he thinking, provoking him even more?' This wasn't persuasion; it was practically a semi-threat.
Provoking him like that was as good as asking to be killed, so what was he thinking? Sure enough, Mok Yu-cheon’s face turned red and blotchy.
“... Are you threatening me right now?”
“You’re not deaf, are you?”
“What?”
It seemed like this would end with more than just a beating. Filled with rage, Mok Yu-cheon was about to strike again. Just then, Mok Gyeong-un spoke in a chilling voice.
“It’s a matter of life and death. Does a threat not sound like a threat to you?” -Flinch!
At those words, Mok Yu-cheon stopped his hand. He was very angry, but he couldn't ignore Mok Gyeong-un’s words. Since the Manor Lord had not clearly designated a successor, in the current situation, as Mok Gyeong-un said, the person who learned the secret manual had an extremely high probability of becoming the Manor Lord.
And if it fell into the hands of someone other than himself... -Grip! The dreaded outcome would occur. To him, Mok Gyeong-un approached with light steps, placed a hand lightly on his shoulder, and whispered in a small voice.
“Now you seem to understand the situation. Who holds the hilt of the sword.”
Mok Yu-cheon’s pupils trembled.
'This guy...'
Was this really the Mok Gyeong-un he knew?