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“I realized there were flaws in my martial arts, so I decided to go to Luoyang for a few days.”

After all, it’s the biggest city in the world and has tons of martial arts forces around, plus it’s a place where money talks. Given that I have no grudges right now, I figured I could just chill there without causing any trouble.

But honestly, I didn’t even know what I should be doing at the moment. I thought it would be better to stay in Luoyang to sort things out instead of wandering around some humble village. Plus, if I didn’t get any inspiration, I could always challenge the Twin Gate Sect again and train.

“I’m way less scared of sparring now!”

After dying at the Iron Blood Gate, I was a bit tentative. However, thanks to Jin So-cheong taking me under her wing to smash the Zhongnan Sect, my mental scars healed quite a bit, and I regained some confidence. Even though I hadn’t made much progress in martial arts, my motivation was still there.

Upon arriving in Luoyang, I decided I wanted to buy a house. Not just any house, but one that felt like a base for me to train and think. So, I started looking for real estate merchants, most of whom were guys in low-ranking government positions.

They probably thought that letting civilians handle transactions would mess up Luoyang’s order; thus, government officials took charge, even if they were low-level. Of course, they usually teamed up with merchants to iron out the details. If big decisions came up, they reported to their superiors, and ultimately all went up to the Minister, like a bureaucratic ladder.

The official I found said, “Hmm… so you’re Baek Woong? You want a decent house, huh? You’re gonna need about five hundred silver coins for that.”

He seemed a bit skeptical because I looked too young. But there were wealthy young masters in Luoyang who made big transactions, so he didn’t completely dismiss me either.

“Will this do?”

When I pulled out a gold bar, his eyes nearly popped out. It was worth several times that amount in silver coins, naturally.

“You don’t need to give me change. Just don’t shout.”

“Uh… sure…”

He hurriedly stashed the gold bar under his arm and looked around, making sure no one noticed. Then he said, “Of course! Absolutely sufficient! Leave it to me. Do you have a specific area in mind?”

“I’d like a house near the Twin Gate Sect.”

“The Twin Gate Sect? Let me see…”

He pulled out a map of Luoyang and discreetly slipped the gold into his pocket. After a bit of gazing at the map, he pointed to a location with his finger.

“Here! There’s a nice spot just fifty zhang away from the Seo Clan. A nouveau riche bought it speculating on land and half-heartedly put it up for sale since it wasn’t moving quickly. It’s got a great view and no flaws; it should be plenty good.”

“What do you mean it isn’t selling?”

“Don’t misunderstand. It’s just that the nouveau riche was asking way too much, scaring potential buyers off. If I handled this, I could make sure this house becomes yours without any whispers afterward. Just trust me.”

“Okay, okay. Got it.”

“Three days should do. Come back then. We’ll transfer the house deed and seal it.”

I slyly asked him, “By the way, do you know who the richest person in Luoyang is?”

He chuckled, twirling his goatee as if he thought I had something up my sleeve. After glancing around to ensure nobody was listening, he whispered, “Everyone keeps it hush-hush, but the richest is the Han Clan. They own a staggering twenty battlefields and five trading posts across the continent and have another base in Shandong. They’re just lying low to avoid disturbing the officials, but they’re downright loaded, on a scale that could rival a country. Of course, only a few know this because they keep it secret.”

This was news to me. When I had extracted information about Luoyang through Jeom So-i before, I had never heard such things. I was taken aback and countered, “The Han Clan? Aren’t they one of the Twin Gate Sect members associated with Cheol Hyeol Tae Geom Jang Seo Yi Han? How could a mere martial family have that much wealth?”

“I’m not too sure myself, but they say they’re a very prestigious family. They’ve been around since before the last dynasty, so that legacy might have helped them amass their wealth. In fact, high-ranking officials often visit them when they need money.”

“……”

“If you’re thinking about aligning with them, I recommend becoming a guest at the Han Clan. Their current leader loves to recruit talented individuals, often bringing them into the fold as guests. If you’re fortunate, you might get close to them.”

Unexpected information.

I thanked the official and left, pondering, ‘The Han Clan is the richest in Luoyang?’

I knew I had nine gold bars left. I had given two to Mangnyang and just handed one to that official. With that kind of gold, I could easily become wealthy, but now I was curious about the Han Clan. No matter how great they were, there must be limits to a martial family—how did they accumulate such wealth?

With no particular goals at the moment, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to uncover the secrets of the Han Clan.

‘Everything is interconnected.’

This was a truth I had realized during my rebirth. Everything in this world might seem unrelated, but in reality, everything was intricately connected. Even useless information could have unforeseen impacts later.

For now, I decided my goal in Luoyang was to become an esteemed guest of the Han Clan. Buying a house could wait; I would visit the Han Clan and dig into their secrets.

I had a rough idea of the Han Clan’s location. Though Luoyang was sprawling, I had memorized the position of the Twin Gate Sect, so I only got a bit lost before arriving. Contrary to their reputation as the richest in Luoyang, their manor wasn’t much bigger than other Twin Gate Sects, and there weren’t even guards posted at the entrance.

‘What’s going on? Why are there no guards?’

I thought it was odd when suddenly, I sensed an aura at the same time as a voice came out of nowhere.

“What a strange little kid. What the heck are you doing here?”

I quickly turned right to see someone resembling a ghost dressed in black robes, a huge knife strapped to his shoulder. He had an intense gaze, and his presence was striking. But I didn’t have the luxury to dwell on his looks.

‘A First-Class Expert! Almost reaching Peak Expert!’

His speed was razor-sharp, making me realize he possessed exceptional skill. If he could move so stealthily despite his awkward attire, he had to be seriously skilled, and I could infer his internal power was at an impressive level too.

As I looked around, I stated, “I heard the Han Clan gathers talented individuals as guests. I came to show them my skills.”

“Hmm… a hopeful guest, huh? What’s your name?”

“Baek Woong.”

“What do you guys think?”

Swish!

At that moment, martial artists began revealing themselves from every direction. They seemed to hold martial prowess on par with the ghostly figure. One man clad in red spoke, crossing his arms, “Seems like no one can fault your skills. What incredible internal power!”

“But how can such a young kid…?”

“We better be cautious. Little one, tell the young master about this.”

“Got it.”

The ghostly figure nodded and disappeared into the Han Clan while the martial artists surrounding me maintained their vigilance. I realized a troublesome fact from their stance.

‘This is a problem… my internal power is so overwhelming that I can’t hide my aura. Anyone with the slightest skill can feel the storm of my qi!’

Being underestimated because my skills weren’t recognized would be frustrating, but this situation was no better. To anyone above First-Class Expert, I would feel like a tempest. Sure, I could sense those with power greater than mine, but starting off with everyone on guard, everywhere I went, was not a good way to start.

I decided to speak up to ease their tension. “I’m not suspicious. I just wanted my skills recognized across the world, so I came to find the Han Clan.”

The man in red responded curtly, “Have you ever heard of someone suspicious calling themselves innocent?”

“Hmm.”

“You’re clearly suspicious and we are doubtful. It’s uncertain if we can keep up even if all three of us attacked you at once, so we can’t ignore your impressive internal power.”

“I’ve never heard of a boy capable of dominating the Heonwon Sect at only ten years of age.”

“……”

Heonwon Sect! I didn’t know much about them, but apparently, they were also a well-known martial arts group. There must be four of them, all wielding swords. It seemed they had a significant reputation in Jianghu.

But I didn’t understand why experts like them were content being mere guests of a lowly martial clan. As skills level up, confidence often outwardly swells, making them reluctant to serve any merchant—so hiring a First-Class Expert is pretty much impossible. Least of all those with the abilities of the Heonwon Sect, who could roam the world as they pleased; why would they settle as little guests just because this is the Twin Gate Sect?

After a moment, the Heonwon Sect’s young master returned, bringing with him ten other experts. All of them appeared equally skilled, not far behind the Heonwon Sect. Leading them was a man dressed as a scholar, stroking his beard as he spoke, “Young Master. I have never seen such a kid in my life. Even if someone studies the True Sect Mastery for over fifty years, they couldn’t achieve one-tenth of his skills. He possesses a Peerless Divine Technique I’ve never seen before.”

The black-haired pretty boy, referred to as the young master, nodded in agreement. He looked exceptionally handsome and appeared to be around my age.

“If Ki Ryong Shingun says so, then it must be true.”

Ki Ryong Shingun, the middle-aged scholar, questioned me in a serious tone, “Your name is Baek Woong, correct? Who is your master?”

“I can’t disclose that.”

“Why not?”

“Because my master didn’t permit it. But asking about it doesn’t align with the rules of the martial arts world, now does it?”

As I answered quite casually, Ki Ryong Shingun let out a low huff, “With your skills, you could become famous in Jianghu without even entering the Han Clan. What’s compelling you to join them?”

“Isn’t it my choice where I go? And I prefer to live quietly rather than gallivanting around Jianghu.”

“So, you’re here for wealth, then?”

“Not particularly. I just want to know more about the renowned Han Clan.”

At my answer, Ki Ryong Shingun and everyone else in the room scowled.

“What a foolish way to think!”

But the young master, the black-haired pretty boy, seemed to have a different opinion. He leaned thoughtfully on his chin and said, “Baek Woong, then let’s go meet the clan leader together. It seems this is a matter for the clan leader’s judgment.”

“Isn’t that a bit too much?”

“Haha. We’re just making sure to welcome a true hero of the world properly.”

His radiant smile looked like a painting. Honestly, it was the first time I had come across someone as handsome as Namgung Hwan, and I found myself dumbstruck. At the same time, I felt a bit self-conscious about my own lackluster appearance compared to his. No matter how strong I got, I couldn’t change that aspect of myself.

I followed the young master into the Han Clan. Of course, several guests trailed closely behind like shadowing guards, their expressions still scrutinizing me, ready to pounce if things got tricky.

‘This is a fresh sensation.’

Having spent time with people like Lee Kwang and Jin So-cheong, I hadn’t fully grasped how powerful I had become until now. Suddenly being around such a caliber of individuals made me acutely aware of my own prowess. But I certainly didn’t want to pick a fight with the Peak Experts here, so I quietly followed the young master.

We soon emerged in a tranquil courtyard. The young master addressed those following him, “You all need to take a step back.”

“But…”

“You’re aware the clan leader is more than capable enough to handle concerns like yours, right?”

With that, the Han Clan members seemed to accept his authority and withdrew.

“We’ll wait outside.”

Seeing the esteemed guests retreat like the receding tide, I raised my brows. Clearly, they held immense faith in the Han Clan leader’s strength. As I followed the young master into the manor, my gaze landed on a girl admiring the small pond while standing on a tiny bridge.

‘Who is she?’

The girl was absolutely stunning. She looked only in her early twenties—young and delicate, with luxurious ebony hair and flawless skin that harmonized with her elegant outfit. Unlike Sa Gong Lin or Mo Yong-yeon, she bore a doll-like beauty.

When she glanced over at me, she asked, “Are you Baek Woong?”

WHAM!

At that moment, an overwhelming qi wave crashed over me. I felt a momentary breathlessness—not just from her stunning looks but from the immense formless qi she radiated. It was a force I had only felt once in my life.

Before I realized it, the name of that force slipped from my lips, “Formless Qi…!!”

Her eyes sparkled with surprise. “You know about Formless Qi? You don’t seem like someone who’s reached Half-Transition, so I wonder which great master taught you. There aren’t many around.”

“W-Who are you…?”

She smiled lightly, and I instantly recognized her as an extraordinary expert, having effortlessly suppressed my spirit.

“I am Han Baek-ryeong, the leader of the Han Clan.”

“……!!”

“Now let’s see where you came from.”

With a flick of Han Baek-ryeong’s hand, a light force shot out. I instinctively countered with Thunder Cloud Palm, but I could tell even on sheer skill, I was still a hair’s breadth ahead. However, as her white power surged additional layers, the pain through my shoulder forced me to stumble back two steps.

BOOM!

Immediately after our forces collided, Han Baek-ryeong lifted a rock into the air with a technique from the realm of elevated martial arts. She then flicked her finger, sending it flying toward me.

CLANG!

“Ugh…”

I hastily drew my sword to deflect the stone, but I felt a momentary sense that my Thunder Blade might snap. The inertia the stone carried was just that overwhelming. Had it been any other martial artist, they would’ve had their sword broken and hearts pierced in an instant. As I faltered, Han Baek-ryeong spoke with a sly glint in her eyes.

“Ah, you’re a disciple of the Azure Dragon. Weren’t they one of the Four Great Experts of the Imperial Palace?”

Her tone had a hint of annoyance in it.

“I… I don’t know who that is. I have a separate master.”

“Separate, huh?”

“Yes. I’ve been in the mountains training, just recently coming down. I only came here because I heard the Han Clan was recruiting the world’s talents.”

“Hmm…”

I instinctively felt that admitting to being an Azure Dragon disciple would spell disaster for me. The Han Baek-ryeong in front of me radiated as much power and intensity as Lee Kwang, and her expression did not suggest any warm feelings toward me. She scrutinized me with suspicion before speaking again.

“Alright, I’ll accept that for now. But your martial arts is too similar to his. How do you explain that?”

“I follow a Multiple Lineage style. Even if martial arts resemble each other, there’s a fair chance the masters differ.”

“Hah? Don’t tell me…”

She looked like she had an epiphany, pondering carefully before saying, “I trust you. Your heart isn’t shaking. You don’t seem like a bad character.”

“Thank you.”

Han Baek-ryeong crossed her arms. “What are you seeking from the Han Clan? Speak frankly.”

“I need suitable opponents to polish my martial arts. I thought as an esteemed guest of the Han Clan, I’d likely encounter those rivals.”

What I said was sincere. I hadn’t anticipated reaching this stage, and now, if I was to thoroughly master Heavenly Gathering Kill and Thunder Blade, I truly needed ample real combat experience. I was eager to progress as fast as possible.

Han Baek-ryeong chuckled softly. “Oh really? You showed up at just the right time. You’re going to get exactly what you want.”

Little did I know, I wasn’t even aware of what she meant by “just the right time.”

 

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