The Martial God with Psychic Powers

Led by a servant, the Mad Wind Divine Dog arrived at the Clan Lord’s chamber.

He boldly opened the door and stepped inside.
“I’m here!”
Inside, Pang Hon was having tea with a young man.

“You’ve arrived.”
“Let’s skip the pleasantries. Tell me why you sent that letter.”
“As expected, that’s what brought you rushing here.”

“Of course. What’s going on? Does it have something to do with your son?”
“No. It’s about you. Or to be exact, something concerning the Beggars’ Union.”
“Something concerning me?”

“That’s right.”
That only made his curiosity grow.
“What is it? Just tell me already. I’m getting dizzy.”
“Before that, there’s someone I’d like to introduce.”

At Pang Hon’s words, the Mad Wind Divine Dog turned his gaze toward the man sitting opposite.
The man stood and gave a formal greeting.
“A pleasure to meet you. I’m Yeon Woo Jin, Master of the Sincheon Escort Company.”

“Sincheon Escort Company? Never heard of it.”
“It’s a newly founded escort company.”
“I see. In any case, welcome. I’m Hong Cheol, Patriarch of the Beggars’ Union.”

Even before the Mad Wind Divine Dog finished his sentence, Pang Hon’s voice echoed telepathically in his ear.
—He’s a benefactor of our clan. Mind your manners.
—A benefactor?

—Yes. And soon to be your benefactor too, so show proper respect.
Soon to be his benefactor?
The Mad Wind Divine Dog stared at Pang Hon in confusion.

But Pang Hon’s face didn’t look like he was joking.
Turning back, Hong Cheol cupped his fist respectfully toward Yeon Woo Jin.
“My apologies. It seems I was rude upon our first meeting. Allow me to properly greet you. I am Hong Cheol, Patriarch of the Beggars’ Union.”

“No need to be so formal. I’m still far your junior—please speak comfortably.”
At Woo Jin’s words, the Mad Wind Divine Dog glanced at Pang Hon.
Pang Hon shook his head.
“Haha. In time, perhaps.”

Pang Hon smiled in satisfaction at that response.
—Wait. Did you summon me just to introduce the master of some escort company?
—Just wait.

—Haa…
As he sighed, a martial arts manual was suddenly extended before him.
Faint characters were scrawled across its cover: Heaven-Mixing Dragon-Subduing Divine Art .

The Mad Wind Divine Dog’s pupils began to tremble violently.
“Th-this… why is this here…?”
Everyone who had once held this manual reacted the same way.

The Heaven-Mixing Dragon-Subduing Divine Art was a legendary technique that doubled the power of all martial arts within the Beggars’ Union.
Only by mastering it could one unleash the true potential of the union’s main technique: Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms .
With trembling hands, the Mad Wind Divine Dog carefully traced the characters on the manual’s surface.

And then, slowly, he began to open it.
As his ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ eyes absorbed the manual’s contents, tears welled up before he realized it.
How long had he waited for this moment?

By the time he finished reviewing the contents, he was absolutely sure—it was the genuine article.
Only then did he raise his head and look directly at Yeon Woo Jin.
“Where… did you obtain this?”

“I brought it from Mushincheon.”
“Mushincheon…”
That made sense.

The manual had originally been offered up to the Lord of Mushincheon.
If it was now in his hands, that meant the Lord of Mushincheon had permitted it.
Sincheon… I see. Derived from Mushincheon. But for this man to be the one who brought such a treasure… wait… Yeon Woo Jin?

His eyes shook even harder.
“I’d received unconfirmed intel recently. A rumor that the Lord of Mushincheon had a blood relative. But I dismissed it, since I’d also heard that the competition for the next Little Lord was proceeding as scheduled.”
Yeon Woo Jin silently listened.

“But now… I see the rumor was true. You must be the Lord’s blood.”
“I am.”
Of course it was the Beggars’ Union.

Even with Mushincheon tightly sealing the truth, they had managed to sniff it out.
“Are you also one of the Little Lord candidates?”
“Yes. Naturally, I’m one of the candidates as well. It’s just that I joined late, so the world only knows about five.”

“You’re saying you’re the sixth.”
“That’s right.”
Hong Cheol’s entire body trembled.

He had thought he’d been summoned over something trivial—but it was far from it.
One shocking revelation after another was unfolding.
Taking a deep breath, the Mad Wind Divine Dog calmed his emotions.

He had become too worked up to think clearly.
“Then, is there a reason you’re returning this? Not to me, but to the Beggars’ Union?”
“I asked him to. I requested that it be returned.”

Both Hong Cheol and Pang Hon blinked in shock.
“You’re hearing this for the first time too?”
“Y-yes. I assumed Lord Mushincheon had ordered it returned.”

“No. It was my request. I thought it should be returned.”
“And he agreed?”
“Yes. On the condition that I become Lord of Mushincheon.”

He spoke as if it was a foregone conclusion.
Then came words from Pang Hon that made Hong Cheol doubt his ears.
“Lord Mushincheon must have been delighted. His successor is his own blood.”

“Yes. In truth, I’ve been rather unfilial. If I’d just agreed to it from the start, Grandfather wouldn’t have had to worry so much.”
Grandfather?
Wait—worried?

Lord Mushincheon… worried?
Unbelievable.
“I heard the other candidates are quite strong. Do you believe you can defeat them?”

At that, Pang Hon bristled.
“What kind of question is that? None of them could even touch the hem of our Young Master’s robes.”
“You speak as if you’ve witnessed his skills yourself.”

“I have. And soon, so will you.”
“What?”
“The Young Master will personally teach you the Heaven-Mixing Dragon-Subduing Divine Art. Learn it well.”

What the hell?
Yeon Woo Jin… would teach him the Heaven-Mixing Dragon-Subduing Divine Art?
Hong Cheol turned to him with a stunned expression.

“Young Master… you’re familiar with the technique?”
“I am.”
“Ha…”

He turned toward Pang Hon.
“Then… are you saying he knows your clan’s martial arts as well?”
“Indeed. He taught me himself. Stripped them down to the core essentials and made them easy to learn.”

What was this?
That calm confidence in Yeon Woo Jin’s face—it made it feel obvious that he should know.
And who could criticize him for it?

What right did anyone have to question the grandson of the Lord of Mushincheon?
They had known what they were risking when they entrusted Mushincheon with their manuals.
But still… he knew both the Pang Clan’s martial arts and the Beggars’ Union’s?

Was that even possible?
The energies were completely different in nature.
Unless he hadn’t trained them, but merely studied them.

That seemed more plausible.
Perhaps he had completed his analysis and was returning the manual because he had nothing left to learn.
That must be it.

But then… something else stood out.
“When did you two meet?”
“About a week ago.”

“You learned and mastered the contents of the manual in just a week? Are you joking?”
“You’ll understand soon enough once you try.”
Understand what?

Hong Cheol gave him a baffled look.
“You might not believe it now. But you will. Since you’re here anyway, just learn it in our sealed training chamber. Everything is already set up there—no burden for the Young Master.”
Set up?

Before he knew it, Hong Cheol was following Pang Hon toward the sealed chamber.
That damn curiosity of his.
He couldn’t bear not knowing just how brilliant this supposed teaching was.

And he also wanted to find out what Pang Hon had meant by those strange, ominous words.
 
****

Yeon Woo Jin’s explanations were astonishing.
Just as Pang Hon had said, once he heard the interpretations and then looked back at the manual, everything clicked into place.
He even explained the exact inner energy quantity and breathing speed for each step.

Thanks to that, the usual adaptation period was drastically shortened.
And then came the moment that truly knocked Hong Cheol flat.
The Heaven-Mixing Dragon-Subduing Divine Art was designed to amplify all Beggars’ Union techniques.

Yet out of Yeon Woo Jin’s mouth came a fluent stream of those very techniques.
He even explained how each one benefited and to what extent.
That meant he had complete mastery over all of the union’s martial arts.

Even the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, said to be the exclusive domain of the union’s leader, was no exception.
The technique mixed inhalation and exhalation in perfect balance to manipulate and strike the opponent.
As a result, the enemy was either pulled in and hit on the spot, or thrown off-balance mid-attack and countered in a flash.

The synergy between the Heaven-Mixing Dragon-Subduing Divine Art and the Eighteen Palms was beyond perfection.
It was as if one had been created solely for the other.
Under Yeon Woo Jin’s hand, their fusion became twice as powerful.

Even the longstanding flaws in the Eighteen Palms were neatly resolved.
At first, Hong Cheol had felt a pang of helplessness, as if all their martial arts had been taken by Mushincheon.
But that soon faded, replaced by exhilaration that filled his entire being.

He had been awed by Yeon Woo Jin’s brilliance.
“I’ve fully absorbed the theory. From here on, I’ll practice alone.”
He felt guilty for relying too much and planned to return to the Beggars’ Union for closed-door training.

But then—
“The most effective way to master something quickly is live combat.”
“Well, everyone knows that. But where do you find true combat these days? It’s a peaceful era—we don’t just risk our lives lightly.”

“Just fight me.”
“W-what did you say?”
“Attack me as if I were your mortal enemy.”

“Don’t be absurd! You’re my benefactor!”
“Just try it. Clan Lord Pang did too.”
“H-he did?”

“Yes.”
Hong Cheol stared at him in disbelief.
And then—

Whooom—
Crack—
A mountainous force exploded from Yeon Woo Jin’s body.

The overwhelming pressure struck Hong Cheol like a wave.
“Gghk!”
He was truly stunned.

Such monstrous power from a body that looked so frail?
“Use what you’ve learned. Apply it.”
With that kind of power, maybe it really was okay to go all out.

Hong Cheol bit his lip.
“Young Master, you said it yourself. Don’t blame me afterward.”
“I won’t.”

Hong Cheol’s gaze turned razor-sharp.
He looked ready to kill.
Yeon Woo Jin smiled in satisfaction and flicked his hand.

“Come.”
 
****

Unbelievable.
No matter what he tried, he couldn’t so much as graze Yeon Woo Jin’s clothes.
And himself?

He’d been beaten so thoroughly that the dead skin that had clung to him like armor finally peeled off.
Now he stood glaring at Yeon Woo Jin, face shiny and raw.
How could he land even one hit on that smug face?

No matter how he thought it through, no answer came.
He was strong.
No, not just strong—overwhelming.

Mushincheon would remain the ruler of Murim for a long, long time.
Because Yeon Woo Jin existed.
What stung more was that… Yeon Woo Jin hadn’t even gone all out.

He hadn’t even looked flustered.
Hmph. If I use Gangryong Gangcheon followed by Manpa Cheongang for a surprise strike…
Let’s try it.

Taking a deep breath, Hong Cheol raised his energy.
He rushed toward Yeon Woo Jin, arms extended forward.
Craaaa!

A formless burst of qi took the shape of a dragon and shot toward him.
Yeon Woo Jin’s body tilted back slightly.
Seizing the moment, Hong Cheol sprang into the air and unleashed his full energy.

Kwak-kwa-kwa-BOOM—!
Kuuurururung—!
The power was so immense that the sealed training chamber, built from pure blue quartz, trembled violently.

Even with a dispersing formation activated.
Hong Cheol believed his attack had connected.
He had struck in the instant Yeon Woo Jin’s balance shifted.

He didn’t expect to injure him.
But he had at least hoped to see some surprise.
Instead—

Yeon Woo Jin stood behind a transparent shield, hands calmly clasped behind his back, smiling.
“That was very well done.”