The Six Directions Harmonization Art was exactly as its name suggested.
It was a cultivation method that harmonized two different forces—internal and external energy—and absorbed natural qi from the Six Directions, simultaneously strengthening both the body and the energy within.
“In other words, the more you push your body, the more you can increase your qi accumulation. So stop slacking and bend lower, brat.”
Baek Heonso, drenched in sweat and trembling all over, barely managed to answer.
“But, Brother…… it’s too hard…… I think I’m going to die……”
Yanghwi, who was holding the same position right beside him, answered in a calm voice despite his own trembling body.
“In terms of physical training alone, you are better than me. At the very least, you need to endure longer than I do.”
“Ughhh, ye-es……!”
Although he was a child of a martial family, Baek Heonso was still only seven years old.
However, as long as Yanghwi continued enduring beside him, Baek Heonso refused to give up.
Like a fledgling imitating its mother, he desperately tried to follow Yanghwi’s example.
There was just one thing that bothered him.
“Brother, ngh, why doesn’t Yeon do it like us……?”
Unlike the two brothers, who were cultivating the Six Directions Harmonization Art through postures that placed the maximum burden on their bodies, Baek Yeonyeon’s training beside them looked almost like a dance.
Light.
Graceful.
“Don’t be jealous. Yeon is a girl, so that method suits her better.”
The Baek Family’s Three Swords of Heaven-Covering pursued the principles of speed and steadfastness.
Meaning, it possessed two different directions.
“Because Yeon is a girl, there is a limit to how much she can build her physical foundation.”
Once someone surpassed a certain realm and could use internal energy to compensate for the body’s shortcomings, this would no longer matter.
However, considering how important the path toward that level was, different training methods were unavoidable.
“But we are different. To swing the most steadfast sword in the world, we must first create the most steadfast body.”
“But, ngh, Father didn’t teach us like this…….”
“He saw it and acknowledged that my method was correct, didn’t he?”
“Ughhh, it’s too hard……”
At last, Baek Heonso collapsed onto the ground.
Yanghwi, who had also pushed his less-developed body and gathered every ounce of his willpower to endure, fell onto the training ground in a spread-eagle position at the same time.
A satisfied smile remained on his lips.
‘Still, So has some impressive stubbornness.’
For a seven-year-old child to push his body to its limits through training was by no means easy.
Even most adults could not approach their limits without an exceptionally strong will.
The problem was that in his previous life, Baek Heonso had used that stubbornness for jealousy and resentment.
“Well done, So. Rest a little, then we’ll start again.”
“Huff, huff…… yes……”
Even though he looked like he was about to die from exhaustion, Baek Heonso never said he wanted to stop.
It was painful.
Extremely painful.
But his brother’s words were never wrong.
If he said they could do it, then they could.
Before he realized it, Baek Heonso had gained that certainty.
At that moment—
“Young Master Hwi. You have a guest.”
“Ah, Steward.”
An unwanted guest had arrived.
Not because his arrival was unwelcome.
He was simply an unexpected visitor.
“Younger Brother, didn’t we still have unfinished business between us? You haven’t given me any word for over a month, so I came here myself.”
“Ah, right. I did.”
In truth, Yanghwi remembered.
When he had taken the Blue Snake Gang’s secret cache, he had lured Gu Ak in by promising to help him make his beloved woman his wife.
He simply had not gone to him immediately because he needed time.
‘This should be enough time for him to become impatient.’
Gu Ak had been waiting because he felt awkward about coming first.
But he could no longer endure it and had come to Baek Family Manor himself.
That was proof that he had become desperate enough.
“Brother Gu!”
Hiding those thoughts, Yanghwi smiled brightly and ran toward Gu Ak while covered in sweat and dirt.
Naturally, Gu Ak looked disgusted and stepped away.
“Younger Brother, what are you doing?”
“I was just so happy to see you.”
A lie.
He simply saw Gu Ak wearing a fancy silk martial robe and wanted to get it dirty.
“You were training your martial arts, it seems.”
“Yes.”
“Hmm……”
Gu Ak knew very well the level of Baek Family Manor’s ancestral martial arts.
However, he was not insensitive enough to say directly to their faces that no matter how hard they trained, they would only reach a limited level.
Still, Yanghwi immediately understood the meaning behind Gu Ak’s hesitation.
“You seem to want to say that there is no point putting effort into martial arts with limits.”
It was only natural for him to think that way.
Gu Ak had reached the first-rate level at a young age.
That meant he not only possessed natural talent but had also learned excellent martial arts and supplemented it with relentless effort.
“……Ahem. That is not what I meant. The Baek Family’s martial arts have a solid foundation. There is nothing wrong with mastering them.”
Gu Ak avoided saying that they could reach a higher realm.
And that was the truth.
One only needed to look at Baek Muryang, who never neglected his training despite managing the family, yet remained at the second-rate level.
‘Though, it is true that they are excellent for building foundations.’
Otherwise, Yanghwi would have used more drastic methods and taught Baek Muryang the Heaven-Harmonizing Origin Art and the Hundred and Eight Heaven-Covering Swords—the two techniques he himself had created.
“Let us go to my room. Follow me, Brother Gu.”
“Very well.”
After bringing Gu Ak into his room, Yanghwi called a maid and asked for tea.
“Please wait a moment. Tea will be brought shortly.”
“Hmm.”
Gu Ak looked dissatisfied.
Moreover, he kept glancing around the room.
Yanghwi immediately understood what was going through his mind.
‘Ah. He does not want to reveal his weakness somewhere without knowing whether there are listening ears nearby.’
Always being suspicious and feeling uneasy whenever the situation was not under control.
That was a characteristic of those from the Black Path.
“Younger Brother. Don’t do this. Come with me instead. I will treat you properly and show you a good place.”
It sounded like hospitality.
But what he really meant was that he wanted to discuss things somewhere under his own control.
Yanghwi did not particularly care where they talked, so he readily agreed.
“Then shall we do that? However, I need permission before leaving, and I should wash up as well.”
Leaving Gu Ak in his room, Yanghwi first washed away the sweat and dirt before changing into fresh clothes.
Then he headed toward Steward Han’s residence.
“Brother!”
Hearing Baek Yeonyeon’s voice, Yanghwi turned his head toward the training ground.
“You haven’t finished training yet. Why did you wash already? Where are you going?”
Baek Yeonyeon asked with curiosity filling her face.
Baek Heonso, standing beside her, said nothing, but he seemed curious as well.
“I need to go out and discuss something with Brother Gu, Yeon.”
“Hmph, are you going out to have fun by yourself?”
Seeing Baek Yeonyeon puff out her cheeks like a steamed bun, Yanghwi naturally smiled.
“Then I’ll bring back lots of sweet treats. And I’ll buy grilled chicken skewers for So.”
“Really? Promise?”
“I-I promise too, Brother.”
Looking at his adorable younger siblings, Yanghwi held out his finger.
Then he stopped in front of Steward Han’s residence.
“Steward Han, it is Yanghwi.”
“Come in.”
The room was old and worn, yet clean.
Documents and books filled the chair.
Yanghwi briefly looked around before getting straight to the point.
“I would like to go out for a while.”
“Oh? How much is it worth this time?”
“What? Steward…… even so, isn’t it a little excessive to connect everything I do with money?”
“Then it is not something that makes money?”
“That is not the case.”
“As expected. I have always trusted Young Master Hwi.”
The direction of that trust seemed a little strange.
But receiving someone’s trust still felt good.
‘Even if it does not make money, I’ll make it do so. If only for Steward Han’s sake.’
After leaving Steward Han’s room and returning to his own, Yanghwi gestured toward Gu Ak.
“I received permission. Let us go, Brother Gu.”
“Good.”
The moment Gu Ak stepped outside Baek Family Manor’s gate, he suddenly grabbed Yanghwi and lifted him up.
“You intend to use lightness technique? But where are we going?”
Rather than being startled, Yanghwi simply dangled from his grip and asked calmly.
Gu Ak clicked his tongue.
“The son of the Red Bridge Gang Leader has only one place to go with me. It may still be early, though.”
The place Gu Ak headed toward was Ho Yeong Pavilion, the largest pleasure house owned by the Red Bridge Gang.
The name combined the characters for lake and shadow.
True to its name, it was the most famous pleasure house in the area, with an excellent view of Yuhang Lake, a local attraction that constantly drew travelers and idlers.
“Young Master, you have arrived!”
“Everyone! The Young Master has arrived! Come out and greet him!”
‘Well, well. A Black Path fighter being called Young Master.’
Watching it made Yanghwi’s face itch with embarrassment, but Gu Ak acted as if this was completely normal.
“Prepare the finest private room and bring out the liquor. As for courtesans……”
Gu Ak looked at Yanghwi and smiled slyly.
“They say men and women should not sit together after seven. In other words, once someone passes seven years old, they can already fulfill the role of a man. What should we do, Younger Brother?”
“Do you want me to get scolded by my father? Not only are courtesans forbidden, but alcohol is too.”
“Tsk. If that is what you want.”
However, the table brought in shortly afterward was a liquor table.
Meaning, bottles of alcohol were placed on it.
“You see that teapot there? You can sip tea. I, however, need to drink.”
“……”
‘That is too cruel. Making me drink tea while watching someone else gulp down liquor right in front of me.’
It would hurt his pride to make a big statement and then immediately ask if he could drink.
Putting aside the fact that his father would severely punish him if he found out, alcohol was simply bad for a child’s body.
‘Until this vessel is fully developed, it is better not to even touch it. Yes…… that is definitely the right choice…….’
He knew.
He knew it was right.
But—
Yanghwi had spent more than a decade of his previous life as a wandering martial artist.
And wandering martial artists and alcohol were inseparable.
Gulp.
Gu Ak noticed Yanghwi swallowing and let out a quiet laugh.
Seeing a child act as if he understood the taste of alcohol was amusing.
“Want to try some?”
“……No thanks.”
“Your tone became rather crooked. You want to drink, don’t you?”
Not only his tone, but even Yanghwi’s expression became crooked.
“I’m leaving.”
“You can leave afterward, but you should keep your promise first. Remember, Younger Brother, you have not paid the price I requested for over a month.”
“A person can forget things. How petty……”
“Ah. It seems my thoughts slipped out.”
Gu Ak’s brow twitched.
“You dare forget a promise made with Gu Ak? Even after bringing up Rangrang?”
Rangrang.
So that was the name of the woman Gu Ak loved despite his father’s opposition.
In his previous life, Yanghwi had not been interested enough to remember her name.
“Well, Brother Gu came all the way here, so doesn’t that solve the problem? Usually, the person who needs something loses.”
“It makes me want to create a situation where you are the one who needs something.”
“I might tell Sister Rang that Brother Gu is threatening a young and adorable child like me.”
Gu Ak blinked.
“Sister? Why would Rangrang be your sister?”
Yanghwi smiled slightly.
“If she is Brother Gu’s beloved, wouldn’t she also be my sister?”
“……”
Until now, Gu Ak had endured hearing his father and fellow gang members refer to Rangrang with disrespectful words.
But hearing someone else call his beloved woman “Sister” unexpectedly eased his heart.
Had this child said it knowingly?
Or was it just a coincidence?
Either way, this child was far from ordinary.
“Enough. Tell me already. How can I make Rangrang gain my father’s approval? My father wants me to enter a political marriage.”
“I know. And I also know that the woman he has chosen is the direct daughter of another faction, meaning you cannot take Rangrang as a concubine.”
In other words, if things continued like this, Rangrang could become neither Gu Ak’s lawful wife nor his concubine.
‘In the end, the Red Bridge Gang Leader will kill Rangrang. And after that, a blood feud will erupt within the Red Bridge Gang.’
Rangrang believed herself to be an orphan abandoned by the world.
But in truth, she had a father searching desperately for his missing daughter.
And that father possessed enough power to bring a blood feud upon one of the Black Path factions ruling over Agan County—the Red Bridge Gang.
‘How should I arrange this so that he becomes an ally of the Baek Family?’
After thinking for a moment, Yanghwi finally spoke.
“Brother Gu. In the end, the problem comes from Sister Rang having no background to support her, doesn’t it? Therefore……”