Chapter 264: The Four Great Clans (2)

After completing his training for one sijin, I headed to Jeong Minji’s residence to wash off my sweat and have breakfast. But when I arrived, several people had already gathered there.

Present were Jo Gyeongmae, the Manor Head of Jeong Family Manor, and the Three Chivalrous Sisters. Standing before them were Geum Yujin and a middle-aged man I had never seen before.

Jo Gyeongmae looked at me and spoke.

“We were just about to go see you, Young Master Yong. You’ve come at the right time.”

I offered a respectful greeting and asked,

“Is something the matter?”

Pointing to the middle-aged man, Jo Gyeongmae introduced him.

“Offer your greetings first. This is the Manor Head of the Geum Family.”

The Manor Head of the Geum Family had a plump appearance.

However, he didn’t seem fat—rather, he gave off a kindly impression.

“I am Geum Myeongnyeol, Manor Head of the Geum Family. I’ve long heard of your great reputation, Young Master Yong.”

“I, Yong Hwarin, the Final Flame of the Martial World, greet you, Senior.”

“Our Geum Family shares a deep connection with the Heavenly Central Sect.”

“I’ve heard the stories.”

After our greetings, Geum Myeongnyeol moved straight to the point.

“I heard that you are in possession of the Black Tortoise Tail Sword. Is that true?”

“Yes.”

“Would you be willing to show it to me?”

I revealed the Black Silk Celestial Silkworm wrapped around my left wrist.

Geum Myeongnyeol looked at the Black Silk Celestial Silkworm with a gaze filled with mixed emotions.

“I’ve also heard that you know the origin of the Four Great Divine Items, is that right?”

“That is correct.”

“Then you must also know that the Black Tortoise Tail Sword is the treasure of our family.”

“Yes, I am aware.”

Geum Myeongnyeol nodded and continued.

“The Four Great Divine Items were exchanged and safeguarded by the Four Great Clans. But divine items have a way of choosing their master. Since Miss Jeong believed you were the rightful owner and gave it to you, we cannot arbitrarily claim ownership.”

“Father, why are you saying such strange things?”

Geum Yujin suddenly raised his voice, clearly upset by his father’s words.

“Silence. I’m not finished speaking.”

Geum Myeongnyeol sternly rebuked his son for his rashness and turned his gaze back to me.

“Still, I hope you understand that we cannot simply hand over our family’s treasure to another so easily.”

“I understand.”

Truthfully, I wanted to just return the Black Silk Celestial Silkworm to the Geum Family. I knew that would put an end to this dispute.

But if I did that, it would only put Jeong Minji in an awkward position. So, I decided to resolve this matter according to reason.

“The Four Great Divine Items are weapons whose functions are activated only through the martial arts of the Four Great Clans. Even if I possess the Black Tortoise Tail Sword, I wouldn’t be able to wield it properly. To use it, one must cultivate the Black Tortoise Lunar Art.”

Hearing that, I fell into brief contemplation.

‘The Four Great Clans each have martial arts that can wield these divine items. Even Minmae is training in the Vermilion Grand Flame Art. And the Geum Family has a technique called Black Tortoise Lunar Art. But why does my own family not have a martial art to wield our divine item? The Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword and the Azure Bamboo Sword were passed down from the Hidden Saint Cult, so they’re not our family’s. There should be a martial art compatible with the Nine Dragons Heavenly Ascent Technique, but Father has never mentioned such a thing. That means even Father doesn’t know. At some point, my family must have lost our own martial art and replaced it with one from the Hidden Saint Cult.’

I asked calmly.

“I lack sufficient knowledge about the Four Great Clans and still have many things I don’t understand. May I ask about the martial arts of the Four Great Clans? Only then will I be able to decide whether I should relinquish the Black Tortoise Tail Sword or not. I cannot accept handing it over so easily.”

Geum Myeongnyeol nodded.

“You speak rightly. If someone demanded it without reason, it would indeed be strange from your position. Let us go inside and talk further.”

We moved into the main hall of Yeongbingak.

Inside the Yeongbingak hall, we sat down, and a brief silence followed.

Everyone was collecting their thoughts on where to begin.

Geum Myeongnyeol seemed to have realized that I had received no proper education regarding the Four Great Clans and opened his mouth.

“Have you ever heard of the Four Great Clans from your Honored Father?”

“No. It was only after being attacked by the Heavenly Demon Sect that I first heard about them from Minmae. But even she did not know much.”

“That’s to be expected. The matter of the Four Great Clans is something only the Clan Head passes down as a will.”

“Please explain it to me.”

Geum Myeongnyeol gently shook his head.

“If your Honored Father did not tell you about the Four Great Clans, there must be a reason for that. It is not my place to intrude. That is something you must uncover yourself. However, I can at least share the martial arts of the Four Great Clans. You already know about the martial arts of Jeong Family Manor and your own family. The White Tiger Clan’s technique is called White Tiger Great Radiance Art, and the Azure Dragon Clan’s is known as Azure Dragon Great Year Art.”

“May I ask one more thing? Which clan originally possessed the Azure Dragon Three Marbles?”

Geum Myeongnyeol glanced at Jo Gyeongmae as if silently seeking her agreement, then replied.

“The Azure Dragon Three Marbles were held by the White Tiger Clan.”

“The White Tiger Clan? Then the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword is theirs as well?”

“Indeed. The original name of the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword is the White Tiger Tail Sword. They were supposed to entrust the White Tiger Tail Sword to our family, but after receiving the Azure Dragon Three Marbles, they betrayed the Four Great Clans. With those two powers, they attempted to seize control of the Murim.”

I responded,

“To my knowledge, there is no Sword Record that mentions such an incident.”

“Of course not. That incident was suppressed by the Shaolin Temple. The White Tiger Clan clashed head-on with Shaolin and was annihilated. At that time, the White Tiger Tail Sword fell into the hands of Shaolin Temple, and the Azure Dragon Three Marbles were held by a survivor of the White Tiger Clan, who later entered Blood Demon Castle as a warrior. That’s where the Blood Demon of the Self-Transmission obtained the Azure Dragon Three Marbles.”

“Then the White Tiger Clan no longer exists?”

“To the best of our knowledge, no, they do not.”

Geum Myeongnyeol said to me,

“The reason the Four Great Divine Items were exchanged and safeguarded among the Four Great Clans was to restrain ambitions like those of the White Tiger Clan. But the White Tiger Clan struck first.”

Everyone listened closely to Geum Myeongnyeol’s words.

Even the Three Chivalrous Sisters were hearing this for the first time.

“If misused, the Four Great Divine Items can cause Qi Deviation or even drain the user’s life. Even if one has learned the martial arts for them, if the divine item does not accept the person as its master, it is meaningless. The Four Great Divine Items are spiritual weapons with Spiritual Energy, capable of choosing their own master. That is why I was surprised when I heard you possessed the Black Tortoise Tail Sword. If mishandled, one could fall into Qi Deviation, but since that has not happened, I believe, as Miss Jeong said, that the Black Tortoise Tail Sword may have chosen you.”

“Father, that’s impossible. The Black Tortoise Tail Sword is an item once wielded by the founder of our family. How could it choose someone who doesn’t use the martial art for it?”

Geum Yujin refuted, prompting Geum Myeongnyeol to speak with a solemn expression.

“You’re mistaken. No matter how much of the martial art one has learned, if the divine item rejects them, it’s useless.”

“I cannot believe that.”

“That is exactly why we should test it.”

Geum Myeongnyeol turned to Geum Yujin, then looked to me.

“Young Master Yong, we would like to observe how you handle the Black Tortoise Tail Sword. What do you say we decide its master by comparing how you and my son wield it?”

I welcomed the proposal.

If Geum Yujin proved to handle the Black Tortoise Tail Sword well, I was prepared to hand it over.

As Geum Myeongnyeol said, if there was a martial art suitable for the divine item, it would be useless to me anyway.

“I will do so. If he can wield the Black Tortoise Tail Sword, I will return it.”

“Thank you for the opportunity.”

Geum Myeongnyeol then said to his son,

“Use the Black Tortoise Lunar Art you’ve learned to wield the Black Tortoise Tail Sword.”

“Yes, Father.”

Geum Yujin took the Black Tortoise Tail Sword from me.

He was confident.

He had nearly mastered the family’s exclusive martial art, the Black Tortoise Lunar Art.

He believed he could display enough power to astonish everyone.

“Yujin, if the power of the Black Tortoise Tail Sword surges back against you, don’t try to suppress it forcibly. Just let go of the sword.”

Geum Myeongnyeol gave a final word of caution to his son and stepped back.

As Geum Yujin injected his True Energy, the Black Silk Celestial Silkworm stiffened and stood upright.

That alone was proof that he could handle the Black Silk Celestial Silkworm.

Wuuuung!

As if resonating with Spiritual Energy, the Black Silk Celestial Silkworm let out a sword cry.

When the sword cry rang out, Geum Myeongnyeol was visibly pleased.

His eyes gleamed with the hope that he might fulfill his family’s long-held wish.

Geum Yujin began deploying the Black Tortoise Lunar Art.

He wanted to see how well the Black Tortoise Tail Sword would respond to him.

Then the Black Tortoise Tail Sword began to dance.

It transformed from a sword to a spear, then into a whip, then back to a sword, displaying a variety of intricate and mysterious techniques.

In truth, I could replicate techniques of that level with the Black Silk Celestial Silkworm as well.

But Geum Yujin pushed a step further.

He drew out the Black Tortoise Tail Sword’s true power.

Sarararara!

Astonishingly, a pale frost settled over the Black Tortoise Tail Sword, turning it into an Ice Sword.

Such intense Yin Energy formed that the surroundings rapidly froze.

“Young Master Geum has truly mastered the Black Tortoise Lunar Art.”

Jo Gyeongmae nodded in admiration.

“I’ve only been training that one martial art all this time.”

Drawing up his Internal Energy, Geum Yujin sliced through the flower vase atop the stone lantern.

Seok!

The vase was filled to the brim with water.

But not a drop spilled.

The water that was about to spill climbed up the Black Silk Celestial Silkworm.

I couldn’t help but marvel at the scene.

‘Ah, the Black Tortoise is originally the divine beast that governs water. So that’s how it exerts this kind of power. It must be thanks to the Black Tortoise Lunar Art.’

With the water drawn in through the Black Tortoise Tail Sword, Geum Yujin extended his arm and fired his True Energy forward.

Puh puh puh puh puh!

The water droplets pierced through the wall.

This ability was possible because he had imbued the droplets with qi.

“Hoo!”

Geum Yujin calmed his energy and retrieved the Black Silk Celestial Silkworm.

“It’s supposed to be even stronger than this, but due to my lack of training, this is all I can demonstrate.”

Though his words were humble, his face revealed pride.

He glanced at me subtly, his gaze filled with a competitive spirit.

“Truly impressive.”

I gave my honest opinion.

In truth, I found myself wanting to duel someone who could wield a Four Great Divine Item.

I was curious how its power would compare to my own martial arts.

“Would you honor me with a duel using the Black Tortoise Lunar Art?”

“Kaga.”

Jeong Minji was startled when I challenged Geum Yujin to a duel and grabbed the hem of my sleeve.

It was an instinctive act of protection, fearing Geum Yujin might harbor ill intent and harm me.

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