The Terminally Ill Young Master of the Baek Clan

Chapter 12: Azure Forest's Token (3)

The first time he witnessed someone’s death was surprisingly in his past life.

It was even reported on the 9 PM news that night. Some madman at the bus stop brandished a knife and went on a rampage. He took out a kitchen knife from his bag and stabbed the person next to him. Before a scream could erupt, he stabbed another standing person in the back.

Yi-gang, or rather, the person in the past life, would typically have fled the scene. But his mother was beside him, which prevented him from escaping in time.

Facing the assailant who tried to attack his mother with the knife, he intervened. Consequently, he got stabbed in the shoulder before he managed to push the lunatic onto the road.

A heavy bus wheel crushed the man’s neck. It was the first time he realized a human neck could twist so grotesquely.

He underwent several police investigations, but, understandably, he bore no blame. However, he could not eat properly for a few days.

Haunted by the thought that he had taken a life.

And then, after his reincarnation, the second instance was when he was possessed by the Immortal Divine Sword.

At that time, Yi-gang definitely slashed people with his own hands. Blood splattered everywhere, and limbs were sent flying. It was a chilling experience. However, unlike before, he was not traumatized. He even ate well.

Was it resilience built from the experiences of his previous life?

No, it was not just that.

In his past life, he was an ordinary young man, but now, he was Baek Yi-gang, the eldest son of the Baek Noble Clan.

Because this was not a comfortable modern society but a martial world.

The blood of Yi-gang, born with the Great Yin Meridian Blockage, was inherently more robust than his past life.

“Arghhhhhhh!”

「If you tried to kill someone first, you should be prepared to die.」

Yi-gang agreed with the words of the Immortal Divine Sword.

He put more strength into the meteorite sword he held in his hand. Unlike Baek Ha-jun, Yi-gang’s swordplay was not clean.

Woodeuk!

The Low Down Sect member eventually fell to his knees and met his end.

The cruel smile that had appeared when he ordered the children to be killed had vanished.

“This crazy! Ugh!”

Perhaps angry that his colleague was unexpectedly defeated by Yi-gang, a skinny man beside him charged.

Yi-gang had not even had a chance to retrieve his sword.

「Deploy the Third Form.」

Yi-gang boldly let go of his sword and responded with his bare hands.

Following the advice of the Immortal Divine Sword, he deployed the Third Form of the Great Yin Flow. Despite being in real combat, the Great Yin Flow that he had practiced for a long time came out as naturally as water flowed.

He stepped forward with his left foot and lowered his shoulders.

The dagger the Low Down Sect member had been holding grazed past Yi-gang’s neck.

Chieek—!

「You’re still slow, you’ve forgotten the subtleties of the light footwork technique.」

A red blood line appeared on his neck. However, Yi-gang’s body did not slow down.

Gathering his right hand’s fingers like a hawk, Yi-gang jabbed the man’s eyes with that hand.

“Ah!”

With a short scream, the man covered his eye with one hand and wildly swung his dagger. Being hit by such a recklessly swung blade would undoubtedly be a foolish affair.

In the meantime, Yi-gang leaned back and grabbed the handle of his sword. The corpse’s collarbone was still tightly biting onto the meteorite sword.

「If you lack strength, infuse it with rotational force─」

Following the advice, Yi-gang drew his sword with a swift spin.

「─and with that momentum, strike.」

The man with the dagger clutched his head, but Yi-gang mercilessly swung his meteorite sword.

Pak!

The meteorite sword was embedded in the man’s forearm, and the dagger rolled on the ground.

“Kkueo-eok!”

It was a severe injury, but it had not taken his life. As the man floundered, trying to escape, Ha-jun intervened.

Baek Ha-jun rushed forward and struck the man’s temple with his knee.

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With a sharp sound, the man fell.

Seeing the blood gushing from his nose, it was uncertain whether he was alive or dead.

“Bro.”

Baek Ha-jun stood with a calm demeanor.

Looking back, the one who had initially lost his arm was dead. The remaining two were groveling on the ground. In between that, he had taken care of three of them.

“Kkueo-eok, sorry, please, please spare me…”

“Heuk-heuk.”

With no mercy, Baek Ha-jun smacked the back of their heads with the hilt of his sword.

Pbeok!

Perhaps having taken a heavy blow, they immediately lost consciousness.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. It was nothing.”

Saying that, Yi-gang also visibly relaxed. He had been thinking about the assassins he had fought, but it had been more manageable than he thought.

「Even if the descendant lacks internal energy, you’re still from the Baek Clan. Don’t get cocky just because you’ve caught these low-level thugs.」

The Immortal Divine Sword spoke without mincing his words.

His words were true. Yi-gang’s face was smeared with blood, and he was out of breath from exhaustion. In contrast, Baek Ha-jun looked entirely pristine, making the difference in their abilities clear.

Yi-gang wiped the blood off his face.

“Phew.”

“You don’t look too good; want me to support you?”

Yi-gang waved his hand dismissively at Ha-jun. Then, as if something suddenly occurred to him, he asked,

“You’ve been in real combat before, haven’t you?”

“Ah… Uh, this is my third time.”

Baek Ha-jun, wiping the blood on the hem of a fallen Low Down Sect member’s robe, did not seem phased by the combat. Yi-gang felt the same, which made it oddly relatable.

“They came at us so suddenly. It really caught me off guard.”

Yi-gang agreed with Baek Ha-jun’s sentiments. Since those thugs drew their swords first, he had no regrets about using his own.

However, he was concerned about why they had instantly tried to kill them and what to do with those who had surrendered and lost consciousness.

「Killing them all would be the cleanest way.」

The Immortal Divine Sword’s suggestion was straightforward. From Yi-gang’s perspective, it was not a bad idea.

But Yi-gang did not draw his sword.

“Let’s see who these bastards brought down here.”

“Ah!”

The Low Down Sect member had dragged someone into this basement. Yi-gang wanted to check that first.

Upon stepping outside, someone was tied tightly to a chair. They were severely beaten up, covered in bruises, and their eyes were blindfolded.

“Oh, oh, Sir…! Thank you!”

Suddenly, the person expressed his gratitude to Yi-gang.

“You’ve executed all the traitors of the sect! I am deeply indebted for this favor!”

The blindfolded man spoke with great emotion.

「He sure has a way with words.」

Without even knowing who Yi-gang was and without the ability to see the situation, he was quickly assessing and pleading for mercy.

“Since you’ve dealt with the rebels of the Low Down Sect Xi’an Branch, our branch owes you a great debt. I will surely repay you, Sir.”

Yi-gang’s eyes sparkled. He gestured to Baek Ha-jun, who was about to ask something, to remain silent.

“Your name.”

“Ah, ahh! Thank you for sparing me, Young Master! My name is Jeong-gu.”

“I didn’t say I spared you.”

Upon realizing the change in Yi-gang’s tone, he swiftly switched his address from ‘sir’ to ‘Young Master.’ He’s quick on his feet.

Yi-gang picked up some documents from the table. The name seemed oddly familiar.

-Shintong Jeong-gu. Loyal subordinate of the Restaurant House Owner.

Must Kill.

Daughter of the deceased Xi’an Branch Manager. It was written that she, along with her loyal aide, must be killed.

“And you say these people were the traitors of the Low Down Sect?”

“Right after the former Branch Manager passed away, they took up arms. I am the loyal subordinate of the next Branch Manager. To me, you are nothing short of a savior.”

The man spilled information without even being prompted.

Yi-gang was able to grasp the situation quickly. In the loosely disciplined Low Down Sect, internal strife like this often occurred, and, by chance, Yi-gang and Ha-jun had taken out one of the factions.

“You serve someone who isn’t even a Branch Manager yet. And yet you talk about offering gratitude?”

“The very villains you defeated, young sir, were the ones plotting the rebellion.”

“Hmm, so who is this next Branch Manager you speak of?”

Although it was evident he had read the documents, Yi-gang pretended to ask. The identities of the Low Down Sect executives were typically confidential.

“That is…”

“I need to know to accept your gratitude.”

“…I cannot disclose that before reporting to her. But rest assured, Young Master, she won’t forget your kindness.”

The man declined to answer, his voice trembling.

Yi-gang simply hummed,

“Well, then die.”

He drew his meteorite sword.

As the sword was unsheathed, the man flinched but kept his mouth shut.

「Heh heh, he’s got spirit. Make it quick and painless for him.」

Taking the Immortal Divine Sword’s words as a cue, Yi-gang swung his sword.

The man must have realized he was about to be killed.

“Kheuk!”

The edge of the sword slightly grazed Jeong-gu’s neck and stopped. Blood started to flow.

Until that moment, he had not opened his mouth.

“You have some resolve.”

“Th-thank you!”

In reality, Yi-gang had intended to stop just before the man’s throat but due to insufficient grip strength, he almost killed him.

But admitting such would be embarrassing. Yi-gang didn’t let it show.

“Tell me what you can do.”

“First, I will clean up this messy situation. There shouldn’t be any problems caused on your account.”

“There are still a few alive.”

“Of course, we should take care of them.”

This was quite a brutal conversation. He had been uncomfortable about having killed a few Low Down Sect members, but they inadvertently ended up being indebted to him.

“Furthermore—

“Considering you’ve listened to my proposal. It seems you could use our assistance… Our Xi’an branch boasts one of the best information gathering skills in all of the Central Plains.”

It was what Yi-gang wanted to hear the most. He needed information and people to serve him. Was he not treated like an abandoned child within his own clan?

“If given the opportunity, I will serve you with utmost sincerity.”

The cure for the blocked meridians, the current political situation in the Jianghu, and most importantly, the villain who sent the assassins after Yi-gang.

The necessary information he required was great.

He was not just going to sit idle.

「Quite a perceptive fellow.」

‘What do you think?’

There were a few organizations in the Jianghu like the Low Down Sect that dealt with information.

「It’s true that such individuals would be useful to the descendant. The Beggars’ Gang is too large, and other places are excessively treacherous. The Low Down Sect would probably be decent enough for forming connections.」

‘Indeed.’

「Proceed as you wish.」

The Immortal Divine Sword entrusted the decision to Yi-gang. Yi-gang too, had made up his mind.

First, he would test the other’s abilities.

“Do you know who I am?”

“…I’m not entirely sure.”

Despite his vision being obscured, he did not simply say he simply did not know.

“Of course. Try to deduce it. If your answer seems plausible, I’ll spare your life and assign you a task.”

“If I may venture a guess… Based on your voice, you sound like you’re in your early teens, and there’s an air of dignity in the way you speak, which suggests you’re from a noble family.”

Despite his apprehension, he cautiously continued his deduction.

“Judging from the scent of blood, you have the martial arts skills to deal with the five rogues, suggesting you’re from a martial arts clan… The footsteps of the one escorting you are consistent, suggesting they are a martial master.”

He was slightly off, but generally on the right track. Jeong-gu’s deduction was getting closer to the truth.

“There are only a few noble clans around here. Considering there’s a martial master around the age of a young man… the Baek Clan… Could it be!”

It might have been luck, but his accuracy was astonishing.

The Immortal Divine Sword was ready to applaud on the side.

“You’re different from that lazy brother of yours, aren’t you the prodigious Young Master Baek Ha-jun!”

「Hahahaha! This guy is something!」

Yi-gang almost inadvertently raised his fist.

However, unlike Yi-gang, who barely restrained himself, Baek Ha-jun, who had been silent till now, rushed over and struck Jeong-gu.

“You insolent cur! How dare you!”

“Ugh! I apologize, I’m sorry!”

Yi-gang glared at Baek Ha-jun. Ha-jun flinched and lowered his head deeply.

“That’s enough. No need to say more.”

“T-then…”

“Young masters of the Seven Great Clans and the martial masters of Azure Forest are visiting the Baek Clan. Prepare detailed information on them.”

It was believed that only the lowly profiteers gathered at the Low Down Sect, but they seemed to be quite capable.

Yi-gang took out all the silver coins from his pouch and placed them on Jeong-gu’s knees.

“I will send a letter of recommendation. This should suffice, correct?”

“Of course! Thank you so much!”

Upon saving his life, Jeong-gu shed tears of gratitude.

With a gesture from Yi-gang, Baek Ha-jun swung his sword, releasing Jeong-gu from his restraints. Jeong-gu, not daring to even remove his blindfold, prostrated deeply.

“I will serve you faithfully. Please inspect everything carefully!”

His posture and attitude were commendable in many ways.

「It was the correct attitude.」

‘Are you talking about that guy? He seems decent.’

「No, I’m talking about you, descendant.」

The Immortal Divine Sword looked at Yi-gang with satisfaction.

「In the turbulent Jianghu, one cannot survive alone. Surround yourself with people. The first criterion is usefulness and the second is trust. At least that fellow seems useful, so it won’t hurt to keep him close.」

Earlier, he had told Yi-gang to make a choice, but it seemed he had already made up his mind internally.

“Let’s head back to the clan.”

“Yes, brother.”

In any case, he had achieved his goal. A faint smile graced his lips.

Having obtained the token of Azure Forest and made connections with the Low Down Sect, Yi-gang was satisfied.

“But we’re going to get scolded big time when we get back, aren’t we?”

Baek Ha-jun hesitantly asked. The fierce momentum he had displayed earlier while dealing with the members of the Low Down Sect was no longer visible.

“Are you scared?”

“It’s not that I’m scared…”

Unlike Yi-gang, who had been reprimanded many times, Baek Ha-jun seemed apprehensive about the Clan Head’s scolding.

“Don’t worry. It’s all on me anyway.”

“Still…”

“He won’t scold us too much.”

Yi-gang had gotten into trouble and been scolded more than once or twice. Over time, the Clan Head had stopped directly reprimanding Yi-gang and would just send him cold glances.

Baek Ha-jun looked worriedly at his older brother, but Yi-gang’s steps towards their home were light.

And when Yi-gang returned to the clan—

The Clan Head was surprisingly waiting for him in his quarters.