Ascending Dragon Sword Technique
"What did you say?"
It was Yu Eun-ryong who questioned those words.
He was frowning in disbelief as he stared at Yu Dong-ryong.
Along with him, the other family mbers also looked at Yu Dong-ryong with surprised eyes.
Yet, Yu Dong-ryong instead seed to enjoy those gazes, speaking triumphantly.
"As a result of training without rest every day for ten years, I have realized the hidden aning in the Ascending Dragon Sword Technique. Although it's difficult to compare my internal energy accumulation with that of my two elder brothers, when it cos to understanding the Ascending Dragon Sword Technique, I don't think I'm lacking."
At those words, Yu Eun-ryong shook his head as if disappointed.
"Who among us doesn't train every day? Yet you talk about enlightennt after just ten years of practice—you're still as reckless as ever."
"Even if the ti spent is the sa, can't the results differ depending on who did the training?"
"That's precisely why I say this. We're talking about you, after all."
"... What do you an by that?"
There seed to be sparks flying between the two as they glared at each other as if they wanted to kill.
Jeong-un watched them with a strange look in his eyes.
Yu Eun-ryong seed to dismiss Yu Dong-ryong, convinced he could never be his rival, while Yu Dong-ryong appeared desperate to not fall behind his two elder brothers.
'So there's this kind of rivalry even in our family.'
Jeong-un had heard that in martial families, brothers often fought with blood for the right to beco heirs.
He had not gone out much and mostly stayed secluded, but such stories appeared often even in the miscellaneous books he occasionally read.
But he hadn't known that such things were happening within his own family.
'While I was holed away, everyone else lived fiercely in their own way.'
In Jeong-un's eyes, the Yu household was nothing more than a petty martial family that boasted only in a small country town.
Frankly, he wondered what the point of all this fighting was.
Then, suddenly, he recalled sothing.
'... I was shut away in a room even smaller than this little martial family.'
His own world had stopped and failed to grow any bigger, while at least their world was a group where dozens were interwoven with each other.
Moreover, at least within the nearby village, the Yu household was by no ans a small group.
The smaller the town, the greater the influence these martial families wielded.
'There's also a place called Five Star Gate.'
Furthermore, it seed like there was a sect with which the Yu household regularly interacted.
Just as the brothers competed among themselves, the Yu household was also competing with another group.
'I was the only one who stood still.'
Jeong-un looked around at the family mbers with fresh eyes.
Yu Dong-ryong said he had practiced the family martial art for ten years.
His elder brothers had likely practiced as much—if not more—than that.
All of them had wielded their swords for well over ten years.
'... What a waste.'
Jeong-un bit his lip. Ten years was an unimaginable amount of ti.
He couldn't even guess how many more sword swings he could have made in that ti.
He felt pathetic for having stayed cooped up in his room.
At that mont, the voice of the first young master, Yu Geum-ryong, shook Jeong-un from his thoughts.
"Enough. Father is present as well. Do not raise your voices."
"... While Father remains silent, it's awkward for you to be the one to say that, big brother."
To this, Yu Eun-ryong replied coldly. There was an edge to his words.
Unlike the sneering tone he had used with Yu Dong-ryong so far, now his deanor was quite assertive, as if he considered Yu Geum-ryong his real rival.
"We shouldn't make a fuss when even the fourth has co out after a long ti."
"And what is that supposed to an? None of us ever cared for the fourth, did we?"
"So you won't even deny you haven't cared for your younger brother?"
"It's better to be honest than to pretend, isn't it?"
"Enough!"
At that mont, Yu Jungho's voice echoed across the table.
Everyone seed to snap to their senses and shrank back.
"The eldest was not wrong. Since the youngest is joining us after a long ti, act with so dignity."
Yu Geum-ryong nodded slightly as if he had expected that.
It seed he felt Yu Jungho had backed up his words.
On the other hand, Yu Eun-ryong and Yu Dong-ryong looked gloomy.
Especially Yu Dong-ryong, who seed upset—as if he felt he'd been lumped in just because of Yu Eun-ryong.
"Third."
"Yes, father."
"If you have indeed mastered the Ascending Dragon Sword Technique, that's the most pleasing news I've heard today."
"... Father!"
Yu Dong-ryong raised his head with a bright face. Then, as if to show off, he sneakily glanced at Yu Eun-ryong.
Seeing this, Jeong-un barely suppressed a laugh that threatened to escape.
'The way they cling to every word makes them seem like children.'
It felt childish. Yet, on the other hand, he understood.
For them, Yu Jungho was like the sky. Every evaluation from Yu Jungho would determine their future.
If one was born into a martial family and did not succeed as the heir, one would have to serve the chosen successor without presence, or simply leave the family.
And none of them would want to end up like that.
"The third will have to show results not in words but through action. I'll allow you to participate in the upcoming duel. If you've truly mastered the Ascending Dragon Sword Technique, you'll have the chance to prove it."
"Thank you!"
Yu Dong-ryong's face was awash with joy. Overheard, it seed going out to duel with Five Star Gate was considered a great honor.
Yu Eun-ryong showed clear dissatisfaction with the head of the family's words but couldn't express it due to the situation.
"Let remind you once more: the duel with Five Star Gate will be attended by an elder of Great Mount Hua. We must not sha ourselves in such a place."
"Please trust . I will surely win!"
Yu Dong-ryong stood up abruptly, forming a martial salute as if he were a disciple of a great sect.
Jeong-un again barely kept the corners of his mouth from twitching.
"After my late father received even a fragnt of Great Mount Hua's martial arts, our family prospered greatly. Especially the Ascending Dragon Sword Technique, which he personally created, is now widely renowned. As your father, I take great pride in seeing you all devote yourselves to our family's unique martial art."
Everyone bowed their heads with proud faces.
Jeong-un looked around at them, a bit puzzled.
'... Renowned?'
Then, Yu Jungho, having found Jeong-un again, spoke in a displeased tone.
"You having picked up a sword now ans I can consider your foolish past behind you, does it not?"
"It's nothing so grand."
"If a man has picked up a sword, he should harbor ambitions in his heart. Are you really unwilling to train in the Ascending Dragon Sword Technique?"
"I still lack much and feel I'll need more ti."
Jeong-un bowed his head quietly, politely.
Yu Jungho clicked his tongue, then looked over at the other brothers as he continued.
"The duel with Five Star Gate is not simply a duel. It is a good chance to gain influence through competition with them. If we prove our superiority, even the surrounding rchant guilds will start to move differently."
"From now on, they'll surely request us to guard their trading caravans passing through the region."
At Yu Geum-ryong's reply, Yu Jungho nodded.
"Not only that, but more disciples will ask to join us. Talent is always the foundation of prosperity."
At that, Yu Eun-ryong quickly added sothing, unwilling to be left behind even for a mont.
"You're right. No matter how many tis we say it, it is worth repeating. Everyone must thoroughly prepare for the duel."
"Yes!"
Everyone replied loudly in unison, bowing their heads. Jeong-un subtly followed suit.
Just then, Yu Jungho's voice again rang out over the table.
"The fourth, stay behind after the al."
* * *
A heavy silence settled over the table, where only two sat.
Now and then, the soft clink of Yu Jungho setting down his teacup echoed.
Jeong-un realized he had never been alone with Yu Jungho before.
"Do you know why I left you alone all this ti?"
"...?"
At those sudden words, Jeong-un raised his head slightly.
Yu Jungho, with an expressionless face, t his gaze.
"Your mother asked to."
"..."
'Mother?'
He could barely rember anything about his mother.
Just so vague, warm feeling of comfort, and nothing more.
It was because she had died when he was very young.
"When you shut yourself in your room, I didn't force you out or try to correct you. Your mother made the request, but in truth, that wasn't the only reason. I simply was never the type of father to cling to my children."
Jeong-un recalled how his brothers seed so fixated on receiving Yu Jungho's praise.
It was true—Yu Jungho seed to be a rather indifferent man. Perhaps that was why his sons were so desperate.
"I just thought that one day you'd co find and ask why. But even after you began going to the training hall, you never sought out."
"I apologize."
"I know your nature is timid and lazy. Even now, I don't think your mother was wrong when she said martial arts training would be difficult for you."
"...."
"That's why I plan to find you a suitable marriage partner."
"...!"
At those words, Jeong-un sharply lifted his head. It was sothing he had never expected.
"If it's like that, I would rather leave the family. I have no wish to marry."
He had only just begun swinging a sword a few tis. And intended to continue doing so.
If he were to get married—especially in a live-in son-in-law arrangent—he had no idea how much ti he'd have to practice the sword.
"A boy who stayed shut in his room for years cos out and now talks so easily about leaving the house."
"..."
"I may be a cold father, but I can't just send you outside our household, with no one to rely on."
"But, father, this marriage is too sudden..."
"You said yourself you have no grand resolve in wielding the sword."
"...?"
"I also don't think your nature has changed just because you've visited the training hall a few tis. So, just live quietly, get married to soone suitable, and live at ease. That's all your life needs to be."
Jeong-un pressed his lips together. He had nothing to say about that.
If not for that dream, he might still be shut in his room even now.
'But...'
What was done could not be undone.
He couldn't overturn years of accumulated judgnt with a few visits to the training hall.
But he also couldn't simply stay passive.
Jeong-un bit his lips hard.
"You said that I have never sought you out before."
"...?"
"As you say, in the past ten or so years, I've never co to see you. But do you know—you've also never once co to see ."
Jeong-un raised his head to look directly at Yu Jungho's face.
He saw the face of the family head, glaring at him as if to ask what insolence this was.
But Jeong-un pressed on, unconcerned.
"This is the first ti we have spoken like this. Who knows if there will be another, or if this is the last. But the first thing you say to at our first conversation is to suggest I live as a dependent son-in-law."
"..."
"I can leave this family or get married anyti. But I have only just taken my first steps. Even if my pace is slow, please allow to keep walking for the ti being."
Jeong-un closed his mouth and bowed deeply.
For a while, heavy silence whirled around them.
Even without seeing, Jeong-un could feel Yu Jungho's displeased gaze boring into his head.
He simply stayed still, head bowed. He felt there was no point in saying more.
If they tried to force a marriage, he was planning to run away that very night.
"... I'll tell the chief steward. Go and receive the secret manual for One Peach Heart Breathing Technique."
"...!"
He sharply raised his head.
Yu Jungho looked at him with a strange expression.
But that wasn't all.
"In addition, from tomorrow onward, you are to officially begin training the Ascending Dragon Sword Technique. I will assign soone suitable to teach you."
Jeong-un let out a small sigh of relief.
"Thank you."
"No need for that. Any child of the Yu household is free to learn it."
"However..."
Jeong-un cautiously started to speak again.
Yu Jungho looked at him questioningly.
"... I don't think I need to learn the Ascending Dragon Sword Technique."
No matter how he thought about it, the Ascending Dragon Sword Technique was not the answer.
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