The Third Son of the Zhuge Clan is a Returned Martial God - Chapter 08

========== CHAPTER 8 ==========

========== CHAPTER 8: MUHAKDANG (1) ==========

A small clash at the Muhakdang.

You’ve had quite a few things happen since you arrived at the clan.

“Yes. I met the second hyung-nim.”

“I see. But why did you go to the training ground?”

“I was curious. A martial artist of the Jegal…”

As I vaguely mentioned martial artists, Madam Jin nodded lightly.

In the Central Plains, a martial artist was a being that inspired both admiration and fear.

“Weren’t you scared?”

“It wasn’t bad.”

For a moment, Madam Jin’s gaze deepened.

‘It wasn’t bad, huh…’

That phrase unnecessarily caught in a corner of her heart, making it hard to just brush off.

According to what she had heard, the second son had unleashed one-sided verbal abuse.

And he hadn’t stopped there; hadn’t he even threatened him with a wooden sword?

If it hadn’t been for the leader of the Flying Swallow Unit, he would have been in trouble.

“I’m glad nothing major happened. But when you see the elders of the clan, as well as your hyung-nims, be sure to show even more respect.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

It was no wonder Madam Jin was like this.

The succession structure of the Jegal Clan was already set in stone.

Two sons born to the first wife, Moyong Ryeon.

Since a boy recognized as a direct descendant had wedged himself into that gap, it was bound to be bothersome.

Regardless of my intentions, my very existence had caused a ripple in the succession structure.

“There is still a lot of talk within the clan about your status.”

It was to be expected.

I had entered as a direct descendant, not even a branch family member, despite not having the bloodline of a prestigious family.

I had been told that this would happen even before I came to the Jegal Clan, but experiencing it firsthand, even I couldn’t easily accept it.

‘Is there someone else besides Heuk-myeong who is targeting the Clan Head, Jegal Sang?’

There might be an accomplice with the same goal as me.

They were crazy bastards who had kidnapped Jin Mu-yeon to kill Jegal Sang and spent seven years raising him.

‘No. There is no one who has stained their hands with as much blood as Jegal Sang.’

The one who takes dozens, hundreds of lives with a single brush is the military strategist of the Murim Alliance.

If one were to gather only those who held grudges against him across the Central Plains, one could easily establish a country.

If not that…

This whole thing might be the work of Heuk-myeong.

Just then, Madam Jin’s face entered my field of vision.

Another survivor of the Jin Clan.

To the owner of this body, Jin Mu-yeon, she was an aunt, and now she had become an adoptive mother.

‘I had seen her at the Jin Clan for a brief moment before she married into the Jegal Clan.’

Suddenly, such a thought occurred to me.

Does she really see the eldest young master of the Jin Clan in me?

Does she know that the loss of her family and the longing for her kin are becoming dark clouds hanging over the Jegal Clan?

Madam Jin’s pale, thin lips opened.

“I will protect you from now on, so don’t worry about anything.”

I had heard her illness was deep.

Several famous doctors in the Central Plains had visited, but they all left the same words.

That she didn’t have long to live.

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“It’s only natural…”

In the midst of that, she didn’t mention a single word about the ‘rumor of being an illegitimate child’ that was fading away.

She must have thought anything would be harmful to me.

With the short conversation over, Madam Jin left her seat.

Her slender back, supported by her maid, moved away.

Strangely enough, that image remained in my eyes for a long time.

That night.

Jegal Ho, leader of the Flying Swallow Unit, visited Chief Steward Heo’s office.

“Excuse me for the late hour.”

“Not at all, Daeju-nim.”

Before a cup of tea could even be served, the events of a few days ago flowed from Jegal Ho’s mouth again.

“Have you heard that rumor?”

“Are you talking about the story related to the Clan Head?”

“Is that true?”

Chief Steward Heo let out a dry laugh.

If even Jegal Ho was bringing it up, it meant the rumor had spread quite far.

“How could that be?”

“True, the hyung-nim who has no interest in anything other than the political situation of the Murim world wouldn’t do such a thing.”

Jegal Ho clicked his tongue.

Having spent his whole life with him, he knew better than anyone what kind of person Jegal Sang was.

The idea of an affair was absurd for a man who wouldn’t have even gone through with the wedding if it hadn’t been helpful to the Jegal Clan.

Chief Steward Heo continued.

“The Clan Head already knows. However, he did not issue any separate instructions.”

“Do you mean he won’t even find out who started the rumor?”

“Yes. He simply told me to handle it at my level so that ‘that matter’ would not be on the lips of the servants.”

“Hmm… I see.”

A short silence fell.

If the Clan Head had said that, there was definitely an intention behind it.

Jegal Ho changed the subject.

“Have you met the third one by any chance?”

The face of Mu-yeon, whom I had encountered in the outer hall a few days ago, came to mind.

The child who said he came to the Jegal Clan to survive.

“Of course. I have met him several times. He is precocious and mature.”

“By any chance, has that child ever learned martial arts?”

“No. I checked, and I heard he barely learned the Three Talents, just enough to hold a wooden sword.”

“I suppose so.”

Jegal Ho nodded calmly.

As if it were a reaction he had already anticipated.

“Why do you ask that?”

“Well, you see…”

Jegal Ho, who had trailed off for a moment, continued in a low voice.

“You must have heard about what happened in the outer hall a few days ago.”

“Yes. I heard that fortunately, you, Daeju-nim, stopped it in time.”

“To be precise, the second young master tried to stab the third’s eye with a wooden sword.”

“…….”

Chief Steward Heo’s brow slowly furrowed.

“And yet, that child didn’t even flinch.”

“Wasn’t he frozen in fear?”

“I thought so at first, too.”

However, Jegal Ho shook his head.

“I saw it up close, and that wasn’t it. He didn’t even blink. He was actually smiling.”

“…….”

A moment that could have easily led to blindness.

But the third was smiling, and that smile didn’t easily fade from his mind.

Silence permeated the room.

A moment later, Chief Steward Heo took a low breath and opened his mouth.

“At that age, one shouldn’t be able to hide fear…”

“That is the problem.”

Jegal Ho’s gaze turned out the window.

“If he didn’t know martial arts, his body should have reacted first. By stepping back or something like that.”

“…….”

“At the very least, if he were scared, he should have avoided eye contact.”

Chief Steward Heo couldn’t easily answer.

Because he was thinking the same thing.

“He is an extraordinary child.”

“Are you suggesting he is hiding his martial arts?”

“How could that be? If that were the case, neither I nor my hyung-nim would have missed it.”

Unlike himself, who had just entered the ranks of masters, the Clan Head was already one of the top ten masters in the Central Plains of the Murim world.

How could such a person not read the depth of a child barely ten years old?

Chief Steward Heo stroked his chin with his hand.

“He is not a child who has lived an ordinary life. We are still getting to know him, so don’t be too impatient.”

“My old worries got the better of me. I spoke out of turn because I was frustrated.”

“Not at all.”

Chief Steward Heo clasped his fingers together for no reason.

In the face of something unexplained, his long experience was sounding a warning bell first.

“Anyway, please make sure this matter doesn’t leak outside either. The clan is quite noisy these days.”

“I will do so.”

A moment of silence passed.

This time, Chief Steward Heo spoke first.

“Isn’t the training for the rising stars starting soon?”

“It is scheduled for next week.”

“How about including that child as well?”

“Already? He is only ten. It would be fine to start after he has adapted to life in the clan.”

Chief Steward Heo lowered his voice.

“You never know. If he is of the Jin Clan’s bloodline, he might have been born with unexpected talent.”

“…….”

Jegal Ho did not answer.

He just looked out the window.

Only an unexplained sense of discomfort remained in the room throughout that night.

A few days later.

An educational institution belonging to the Martial Arts Hall.

It was inside the pavilion of the Muhakdang.

“Nice to meet you. I am Jeok-un, the Muhakdang instructor who will be in charge of your education starting today.”

An instructor with long, reddish-brown hair.

His sharply upturned eyes were unusual from the first impression.

As soon as he finished speaking, the gazes of a dozen boys turned to him in unison. They were the rising stars who had not long ago entered the Jegal Clan.

Jeok-un’s gaze naturally rested in one place.

‘That child is the third who entered as a direct descendant.’

A physique about an inch smaller than the other children.

Even though he had arrived early and settled in, there was no sign of tension at all.

His attitude felt so alien that it was almost unsettling.

‘He is as mature as I heard.’

When he turned his gaze, bright, sparkling eyes came into view. This was how children of this age were supposed to be.

“From now on, you are trainees of this Muhakdang. You all know what the Muhakdang does, right?”

At that question, one boy raised his hand high and shouted.

“It is a place that handles the education of the Jegal Clan and trains the rising stars who will lead the Murim world!”

“You are bright. What is your name?”

“My name is Jegal Jeong-gwon.”

He was one of the branch family members of the Jegal Clan.

“Yes. This is a place to practice martial arts. From today, you will grow into true members of the Jegal Clan.”

Sounds of swallowing could be heard from all over.

Even at a glance, the signs of tension were evident.

“As you well know, the path to becoming a martial artist of the Jegal Clan is not easy. So, you must not give up and must do your best until the end.”

“Yes!”

At the booming answer, Jeok-un nodded.

This time, it was a place where not only the children of the Jegal Clan but also children whose talents had been recognized near Hubei Province were gathered together.

It was no exaggeration to call them promising prospects.

However, there was one thing that bothered him.

‘Will that child really be able to keep up with the education speed of the other trainees?’

Even if he is a survivor of the Jin Clan, he would never have received proper education. It was unfortunate that such a child had to receive education together with the main players who would lead the next generation of the clan.

He couldn’t help but be worried.

‘He should have just been educated in the inner hall for a few more years before being sent. What on earth is the leader of the Flying Swallow Unit thinking?’

He felt bitter, as if he had been saddled with the clan’s troublemaker.

Jeok-un cleared his throat and continued.

“Since it is the first day, I will inform you of the future curriculum.”

The Jegal Clan’s curriculum was as follows.

All children first go through the Muhakdang.

After receiving basic education there, they are evaluated for their talents and assigned to each department.

Unlike other clans that immediately learn martial arts or only study academics, the Jegal Clan had introduced a system of government officials.

“Trainees with bright minds can go to the Military Strategy Hall or the Medical Hall, and those with excellent dexterity can go to the Mechanism Department.”

And.

“If it is judged that you have a talent for martial arts, you will become a member of the Martial Arts Hall and hold a sword.”

At the mention of a sword, the trainees’ eyes shone with a brilliance incomparable to before.

It was a natural reaction, as a martial artist of the Jegal Clan was a being whose name shook not only Hubei Province but the entire Central Plains.

“I hope you will hone yourselves and become people necessary for the Jegal Clan.”

“Yes!”

“Then, as it is the first day, I will start the internal energy cultivation training after finishing the explanation of each department.”

Thus, the explanation about the Jegal Clan continued throughout the morning, and it was only after lunchtime that the internal energy cultivation training began.

The Jegal Clan’s basic internal energy cultivation technique, the Heavenly Mystery Calm Heart Technique.

“Breathe according to the formula I taught you.”

While the trainees closed their eyes one by one and steadied their breathing.

Jeok-un turned his gaze inadvertently and stopped at one point.

It was the third young master.

His breathing was strangely quiet.

There was no sign of him mimicking it, nor were there any traces of anxious wavering.

And a moment later.

Jeok-un’s mouth fell open before he even realized it.