The Second Son of the Dancheon Sword Clan Prepared for Regression

Chapter 5: Bang Yeo-baek

Bang Yeo-baek, Captain of the Guard to the Clan Head Dancheon Gang.

He was a person who carried half the blood of the Dancheon Clan.

As my father’s cousin, he was my uncle.

There was a reason why he still held a key position in the clan, a clan with a tradition of primogeniture by merit.

It was thanks to his exceptional insight and bold decisiveness.

About thirty years ago.

At the first meeting between Dancheon Gang, who was the third son of the Dancheon Clan, and Bang Yeo-baek, Bang Yeo-baek had said this.

-I believe you will be the next Clan Head. Please take me as your personal guard.

These were words spoken to Dancheon Gang before he even became the young clan head.

Looking at the results, Bang Yeo-baek’s insight was correct.

As if to prove his insight, Dancheon Gang surpassed his brothers to become the head of the Dancheon Clan, and Bang Yeo-baek became the de facto second-in-command of the Dancheon Clan, enjoying the greatest trust of the Clan Head.

Bang Yeo-baek’s insight and perception were not only used to grasp a person’s caliber; he was also the only person, aside from the Clan Head Dancheon Gang, who had mastered the family’s martial art, the Dancheon Sword Art.

For reference, this was information recorded only in the Jianghu Who's Who of a thousand, which could only be accessed by Beggar’s Gang members of the third knot or higher.

This was because Bang Yeo-baek was a person who rarely revealed himself.

I presumed that, aside from the Clan Head Dancheon Gang, few within the Dancheon Clan knew Bang Yeo-baek’s true capabilities.

This was because I too was completely unaware of the above facts before becoming Myeong-gae.

“You’re out here early.”

“Of course, I should be.”

He, who rarely appeared because he was always by my father’s side, showed himself at the Dancheon Clan’s training ground.

“So. You want to learn martial arts from me?”

“Yes, Uncle.”

“Hmm.”

Bang Yeo-baek observed me as if looking at a strange animal.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You’re clearly someone I know, but you also seem like a different person.”

After those words, Bang Yeo-baek observed me for a long time.

“Well, I guess boys of that age can grow up in a flash.”

He seemed to have come to this conclusion, as his expression became much more relaxed.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Please, ask anything.”

“Why me?”

“Pardon?”

“I mean, why did you specifically ask to receive martial arts training from me?”

Because getting close to you will help me become the young clan head of the Dancheon Clan.

I couldn’t answer like that.

As my words trailed off for a moment, Bang Yeo-baek continued.

“Aren’t there also the elders of the Dancheon Clan? Young Master Hak is also receiving martial arts instruction from the First Elder, I believe?”

That’s right.

The Council of Elders, one of the three pillars of the Dancheon Clan.

Direct descendants, before becoming the young clan head, usually learned martial arts from one of the Dancheon Clan’s elders.

Normally, I would have done so as well.

If only they weren’t the full-fledged supporters of my brother, Dancheon Hak.

As if I were completely ignorant of the clan's politics, I said with an innocent expression.

“Because I think you’re the strongest, Uncle.”

“What?”

The Captain of the Guard is stronger than the elders.

I knew this could be a dangerous statement depending on the situation.

Especially if one knew the current political situation of the Dancheon Clan.

“You protect even the Clan Head, so wouldn’t you be the strongest in the Dancheon Clan, Uncle? That’s what I think.”

But I expressed this casually, as if it were the simple thought of a child.

After all, it was just the two of us here, wasn’t it?

“It would be best to learn martial arts from the strongest person, if possible.”

Bang Yeo-baek looked at me again, who was nodding my head as I said that.

“Well, fine. I think it will be fun too.”

“Thank you.”

His approval was given.

Contrary to my father’s concerns, things seemed to be resolving easily, and I felt good.

“Is Young Master Myeong currently at the First-Rate realm?”

“Yes.”

“Then your fundamentals should be in place.”

It was a matter of course that one could not enter the First-Rate realm without the fundamentals.

For reference, the one who had trained me to the First-Rate realm was the Third Elder of the Dancheon Clan.

“In that case, if Young Master Myeong can block my three moves, I will personally instruct you.”

As soon as those words fell.

“……!”

Bang Yeo-baek vanished from my sight.

It was truly an instant.

Chill.

The sharp premonition of a sword at the back of my neck.

“Young Master Myeong, you just died once. You couldn’t even block one move.”

“I see.”

“That’s all for today.”

With those words, he turned around without hesitation.

“……”

Hmm.

It didn't seem like it would be easy.

***

Martial arts training is fundamentally done alone.

While the importance of learning in achieving martial arts cannot be denied, it means that the path to a higher realm opens only when one polishes it themselves.

It may not take a moment to learn the essence of a horizontal cut, but isn't martial arts something where it may not be enough for a lifetime to fully integrate that horizontal cut into one's body?

Nevertheless, a master is important because they can reduce trial and error and correct you from going down the wrong path.

Knowing this fact well, instead of leaving the training ground that Bang Yeo-baek had left, I gripped my sword.

Whoosh!

I swung and swung the first half of the Dancheon Sword Art that I was currently learning.

Spat!

I created imaginary enemies in my mind and continuously cut them down.

Was it because I had entered the first stage of the mind cultivation art?

My swordplay now pleased me more than it did during my days as Myeong-gae when I was at the Peak.

The essence of the Wudang Sword, ceaseless continuity, blossomed from my fingertips through the form of the Dancheon Sword Art.

In my days as Myeong-gae, I had entered the realm of the Peak.

Therefore, I was confident.

‘The Peak is not far off.’

I would reach that realm five years earlier.

Not only had I walked that path once before, but the achievement of the first stage of Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art had erased the long hours of arduous training.

Feeling my own movements, I refined the first half of the Dancheon Sword Art, which I had performed countless times.

“Hoo.”

Only after swinging my sword for about an hour did I sheathe it.

And I glanced around the empty training ground once.

I had guessed that the departed Bang Yeo-baek was hiding his presence and watching me.

I spoke to him in my heart.

I will learn the second half of the Dancheon Sword Art from you.

***

Three days later, Yang Su-rin came to find me.

“It’s been a while.”

“It has been a while.”

After finishing my training with Bang Yeo-baek at the training ground and returning to my quarters, I saw her waiting for me.

It might be a bit ambiguous to call it ‘training with Bang Yeo-baek’.

Today too, I had failed to block his one move and was on my way back after practicing the first half of the Dancheon Sword Art alone.

What kind of Captain of the Guard was as elusive as an assassin?

“What brings you here?”

After asking the perfunctory question, I flung off my sweat-soaked martial arts top.

Yang Su-rin, who had been momentarily surprised by my attitude, quickly composed her expression.

I placed my left hand on the ground to wash my back alone and gripped a water-filled bucket with my right.

Yang Su-rin, who had approached me at some point, snatched the bucket from my hand.

“Didn’t I tell you before? I came to spend time together.”

Splash.

She poured water on my back.

I had always washed my back alone.

Having someone pour water on my back was so convenient.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

After drying myself, I put on a new martial arts uniform and sat facing her.

As if she were used to waiting, she waited for me silently.

The thought that she too could act this way crossed my mind.

I met Yang Su-rin’s eyes.

“I am the illegitimate son of the Dancheon Clan Head.”

“I know.”

Yang Su-rin replied without hesitation.

A smirk escaped my lips at her words.

“Why are you laughing?”

“No, it’s just that it reminded me of the old days.”

I let go of the meaningless past.

“Yes. As the young lady already knows, I am the illegitimate son of the Dancheon Clan Head. My current mother is not my mother.”

“So what?”

“It means my status is not suitable for the second daughter of the Yang Clan to consider for engagement.”

After being lost in thought for a moment, she opened her mouth.

“I am a merchant.”

“I know.”

Those born and raised in the Yang Clan all grow up to be merchants.

Yang Su-rin must have been the most outstanding among them.

“A merchant is not just someone who buys and sells goods. The essence of a merchant is to grasp and decide the value of goods.”

“In your eyes, what is my value?”

“You seem like a person worth my investment.”

“I see.”

I had been promoted from a mere illegitimate child dreaming of an engagement to a person worth investing in.

Regression was indeed good.

But I couldn't just spend my time with her in such a harmonious atmosphere.

“Do you perhaps need money?”

“The more money, the better.”

She laughed, as if she had taken my words as a joke.

“Yes. You’ll need money for the Yang Clan’s succession fight.”

Before her expression could change, I quickly continued.

“So how much did my mother promise you?”

When my words ended, her expression had hardened.

“Is it about five thousand gold nyang?”

“……!”

And at my last words, she finally failed to manage her expression.

“How much do you know?”

She asked with a clouded expression.

Since I had mentioned a specific figure like ‘five thousand gold nyang’, she had realized that I knew the whole story.

“No, how did you find out?”

I didn't answer her question and just gave a faint smile.

This was because I knew that feigning ignorance like this would confuse her more than giving an ambiguous answer.

The more confused she was, the better, as it would create an opening for me to squeeze in.

Grit.

I heard the sound of Yang Su-rin grinding her teeth.

She probably suspected that the information had leaked from my mother Baek Yeo-hae’s side.

Now was my chance.

“About that money. I was thinking of investing instead of my mother.”

“A merchant’s credit is their life.”

Even in this situation, as if she didn't want to lose to me, she quickly put on the mask of a smile and received my words.

“What if I invest about double that amount?”

Her mask wavered again.

Double would be ten thousand gold nyang.

With that money, it was possible to even set up a new trading company.

However, I knew that the Yang Su-rin I knew would rather become the successor of the Yang Clan and take over the Yang Clan than set up a new trading company and pioneer a market with that money.

Because that was the kind of person she was.

Anyway, the important thing was that the amount I had proposed was too large to refuse while talking about credit.

“Shall I at least hear the conditions?”

Like a skilled merchant, she was carefully examining whether the bait was a trap or an opportunity.

It was a satisfactory attitude for me as well.

“You just have to grant me one favor later.”

Yang Su-rin shook her head.

“A merchant doesn’t make such uncertain contracts. How would I know what kind of favor you’ll ask for later?”

She may have been a cruel person to me, but I could see that she was a true merchant.

“What if there’s a clause that allows you to refuse a favor that you, in good conscience, cannot grant?”

Yang Su-rin unknowingly nodded her head.

This was probably because, for the condition of investing a large sum of ten thousand nyang, it was an unbelievably attractive offer.

“Do you know that if my plan fails, you won’t be able to recover a single penny of the ten thousand nyang principal?”

“You will succeed.”

She was the one who had seized the position of the Yang Clan’s successor with five thousand gold nyang.

Since she had obtained the sum of ten thousand nyang two years earlier than that, I was confident that she would become the next head of the Yang Clan.

However, perhaps my words sounded like a blessing.

She looked at me with a strange expression.

“So, will you do it?”

After a brief pause, she answered.

“Where is the money now?”

“I don’t have it now.”

Her expression crumpled at my confident reply.

I couldn't help but laugh.

This was because in my past life, I hadn't known that she was a person with such a variety of expressions.

“But it will be available soon.”

Ten drops of Immaculate Pomegranate were dormant in my trousers.

In my life as Myeong-gae, I had already prepared a way to turn this Immaculate Pomegranate into money.

“Ten thousand gold nyang, I will give it to you within seven days and nights.”

My confidence was by no means an empty boast.