The Terminally Ill Young Master of the Baek Clan

The sword danced.

No, the sword in Yi-gang’s hand moved as if a dragon was wriggling.

That was not all. A storm of energy surged from his entire body. True Qi spread throughout, following the previously depleted meridians, and his senses immensely heightened.

It seemed like fireworks were unfolding before his eyes.

The rusted sword moved like a ray of light.

Jeokpyo seemed to barely catch its movement with his eyes. He raised his own sword in desperation to block it.

Kagang—!

However, the rusted sword shattered Jeokpyo’s strong sword.

Fragments of the sword scattered like broken glass.

Following the first strike, Yi-gang’s sword changed its momentum once again. Though his body was not that flexible, his arm moved like a snake.

It was not a sword that a mere assassin could dodge.

“What, khaaak!”

In an instant, a gash opened across Jeokpyo’s chest.

Yi-gang was splashed with hot blood on his face.

“Hmm.”

Jeokpyo, the assassin who was acting arrogant just moments ago—

He became a cold corpse without even being able to scream.

“How many of you are there?”

Asked Yi-gang, or rather, the Immortal Divine Sword borrowing his body.

The assassins, who were so spirited just a while ago, did not dare flinch.

“Are all of you here, around ten? Or maybe twenty?”

“…”

“You don’t have to answer. I can check myself.”

The assassins exchanged glances upon hearing that.

And as if on cue, they simultaneously drew their weapons and charged.

However, Yi-gang did not falter. Once again, a flash of the sword shined in multiple directions, and blood spurted.

It took less time than one would need to drink a cup of tea for the five assassins who had chased him through the corridor to be completely slaughtered.

Throughout the process, Yi-gang shared the sensations.

‘How is this possible…?’

Though the Immortal Divine Sword directly moved his body, at its essence was still his frail form.

Yet, he toyed with the assassins, who were at least twice his size, with such ease.

“There’s no time, my descendant. Let’s finish this quickly.”

As the Immortal Divine Sword spoke, true Qi burst from the Yongquan Point on the sole of his foot.

His body shot forward.

He had just mentioned to Sohwa that his running speed was a bit slow, but he felt like he might have to take that back.

The Immortal Divine Sword dashed out, breaking the secret door of the corridor.

Ddaddang—

And as if anticipating them, he deflected the flying daggers that came right after.

Inside the dark storage, dozens of eyes shone.

Roughly counting, more than ten assassins were waiting here.

“Hehe, it’s fortunate that you’re all gathered here.”

Yi-gang felt a shiver down his spine.

He sensed the unmistakable joy in the voice of the Immortal Divine Sword.

“Come forth…!”

Of course, martial artists were, by nature, skilled in the act of killing.

The more adept a martial artist was, the more proficiently they could kill. Martial arts was, after all, a technique to kill others, and this martial world was like a snake pit where everyone tried to kill one another.

In that sense, how many people might the Immortal Divine Sword, hailed as the greatest swordmaster, have slain in his lifetime?

Yi-gang was tormented.

It was not because he had killed people.

They were surely the ones Yi-gang should cut down. They threatened him with swords and killed Sohwa.

‘Tsk…’

It pained him that all he could do now was entrust his body to the dead.

“You seem to be in a decent mental state.”

It seemed like the Immortal Divine Sword had read Yi-gang’s thoughts.

The assassins could not understand his words, but they signaled the start of the battle.

“You, you crazy bastard! Die—!”

The assassins charged all at once.

The Immortal Divine Sword rampaged like a tiger diving into a pack of wild dogs.

That day, a stream of blood was formed in the narrow storage room.

---

「Did you see it?」

“Heuk, huff…”

After killing all the assassins, the soul of the Immortal Divine Sword, which had possessed Yi-gang’s body, emerged.

Yi-gang collapsed on the spot.

Just moments ago, he felt as if he could shatter the world, but now it felt like a short dream.

Next to him was Sohwa’s corpse. He had dragged it out from the storage basement just earlier.

Flames were rising from the door leading to the secret chamber.

「I asked if you saw it.」

“What did I see, exactly…”

「Heaven’s Shadow Sword. The Immortal Heaven’s Shadow Sword.」

“…I saw it.”

Although Yi-gang had limited knowledge of martial arts, his heart skipped a beat at that moment.

It was a desire for something he could not have.

「Then it’s settled. This is the last favor I bestow upon my dying descendant.」

It was a concern he had just in case, but the events had been shocking.

“…Am I going to die?”

「Given that I possessed a body severely damaged by blocked meridians and recklessly circulated its Qi, there was no other option.」

“…”

He felt as if his consciousness was falling apart and becoming faint.

Just a while ago, his entire body felt like it was on fire, but now he could not even feel the pain.

Yi-gang realized that this was how one felt when the body was in a critical state.

「Unless you consume a divine elixir like Pure Heaven Oil or Ten Thousand Year Snow Ginseng…」

The soul of the Immortal Divine Sword looked down at Yi-gang with pity. In such a situation, acquiring such a precious elixir was impossible.

Yi-gang’s lips moved with difficulty.

“Would… the one I ate last year have any effect?”

「What did you say?」

“I managed to obtain and consume it last year… the Ten Thousand Year Snow Ginseng.”

「Well, perhaps…」

The Immortal Divine Sword, which was mourning the imminent death of its descendant with a solemn expression, was taken aback.

「I… don’t really know.」

But there was no way to be sure.

After catching a glimpse of the hesitant face of the Immortal Divine Sword, Yi-gang lost consciousness.

---

Xi’an—

The Baek Clan’s main house.

The doctor spoke with a relieved expression.

“Ha! It’s pure luck, all I can say is that it’s heavenly luck.”

When he rushed over upon the request of the Baek Clan, the person he encountered was Baek Yi-gang, the eldest son of the Clan Head, who was rumored to have been exiled to the outskirts.

Given that his Qi had entirely burst and his whole body turned black, it was a situation no different from being dead.

However, the doctor managed to save him.

“So, can my brother… live?”

“Yes, he can. Just a while ago, his face was purple. But now, doesn’t his complexion look better?”

“Indeed.”

“Indeed”? He was the only brother who survived an attack by a group of assassins and managed to return to the main house.

Yet Baek Ha-jun, his younger brother, had an expression that was extremely cold.

The doctor cleared his throat and asked,

“Um, did Young Master Yi-gang by any chance consume any rare elixir?”

“He had taken medicine in the hopes of curing the blocked meridians.”

“I’m not talking about that. I mean something like the Great Recovery Pill or perhaps Snow Ginseng.”

“…”

Baek Ha-jun stared at the doctor silently. His gaze was too cold for a 12-year-old boy.

The doctor soon regretted his question.

“R-right, of course.”

The Baek Clan traditionally had a system of inheritance for the eldest son. Originally, the title of head would have gone to Baek Yi-gang.

However, Yi-gang was born with the Great Yin Meridian Blockage. A fatal weakness for a martial artist. Rumor had it he grew up reckless and lazy due to this.

Eventually, he even got exiled to the outskirts. The clan probably did not get him the elixir.

“You must be pleased that your elder brother will wake up soon.”

He said out of embarrassment, but it was a mistake.

The very Baek Ha-jun before him was the younger brother set to become the head due to the exile of Yi-gang.

“…”

Baek Ha-jun looked at the doctor without a word. The doctor felt awkward and lowered his head.

Then he was startled. Yi-gang’s eyelids began to twitch.

“Oh, he seems to be waking up!”

But when he raised his head, Baek Ha-jun was coldly heading out of the medicine room.

The doctor was taken aback.

“Won’t you wait?”

After a moment of silence, Baek Ha-jun answered.

“When he awakens, let him come to the Red Dragon Hall. The Clan Head wants some answers.”

The doctor’s face hardened at those cold words.

“…Even if he regains consciousness, he won’t be able to move easily. He needs complete rest for a while.”

But Baek Ha-jun ignored the doctor and left.

Once he left, the doctor clicked his tongue.

“Tsk, he has neither blood nor tears.”

Even when his brother woke up from the brink of death after fifteen days, he did not care and left. Martial artists may be ruthless, but how could he be so cold towards his own family?

Inside, the doctor cursed both Baek Ha-jun and the Baek Clan.

“…Sohwa…”

Then, the awakened Yi-gang licked his lips.

“Oh, you shouldn’t get up yet.”

The doctor was shocked. Yi-gang pushed away the doctor and sat up.

“How is… Sohwa…”

“What? Lie down! Your body hasn’t recovered yet.”

Yi-gang was persistent, repeatedly asking about Sohwa’s condition.

Soon, the doctor realized he was referring to the servant who had died protecting Yi-gang.

“We would’ve taken care of the body and held a funeral. It’s been about fifteen days.”

“I see.”

The doctor felt something strange from Yi-gang. Asking about the well-being of his subordinate as soon as he woke up—

It was slightly different from his reputed reckless and lazy personality.

“Where… is my sword?”

“Sword? Ah, you mean that rusty blade. You were clutching it when you were brought in. I set it aside. The Clan Head took it.”

The next thing he was concerned about was the whereabouts of his weapon. Martial artists who returned from the brink of death often sought their weapons as soon as they woke up.

This also did not fit his reputation of being a good-for-nothing.

“The Clan Head is looking for me.”

“…Did you hear?”

It seemed he heard his younger brother Baek Ha-jun’s words.

He must haveve sensed that cold demeanor. The doctor felt a lump in his throat.

Nevertheless, Yi-gang managed to rise from his position, shakily putting on his clothes.

The doctor’s mouth fell open. He stopped trying to dissuade Yi-gang. Given that his meridians were entirely disrupted, the pain in his body must be tremendous. The doctor thought Yi-gang would just collapse again soon.

But Yi-gang, despite his shaky state, donned his clothes.

Just looking at the bruises that resembled blood vessels felt painful.

“D-doesn’t it hurt?”

The doctor realized. The pain would be akin to blades running throughout the body’s blood vessels.

It was the kind of pain that, even for a tough guy, would bring them to their knees, tears streaming.

“I’m used to it.”

“Used to…?”

Yi-gang said something incomprehensible and took a deep breath.

As the doctor had suspected, Yi-gang was experiencing excruciating pain. However, his statement about being accustomed to such pain was true.

The seizures he occasionally experienced after reincarnating with the Great Yin Meridian Blockage—

If you went back further, the pain of death in his past life — The terrifying suffocation of ceasing to breathe.

‘This much.’

Cancer cells that had spread to the marrow. Likewise, lungs and organs that lost function due to metastasis. The horrifying pain of cancer treatment. The taste of radiation.

The pancreas that had given him a death sentence at a young age.

Now, as the fourteen-year-old Yi-gang, those past life experiences helped him endure the pain.

“Thank you for saving my life.”

“I merely did what was necessary.”

When Yi-gang hugged him, the doctor awkwardly returned the hug.

The doctor, swaying slightly, could only blankly watch as Yi-gang left.

“…Was he really called a lazy and fragile good-for-nothing?”

It was a rumor everyone in Xi’an knew.

“So, that was nonsense.”

The doctor was sure that it was not true.

---

Yi-gang immediately headed towards the Red Dragon Hall, where the Clan Head was.

On his way, he ran into some of the clan’s servants. Half of them greeted him, and the other half simply passed by.

They were either newcomers after Yi-gang was ostracized, or perhaps they recognized him and chose to ignore him.

In any case, Yi-gang was happy now.

‘…I’m alive!’

Due to the still palpable pain, he felt more alive than ever.

‘Life flashed before my eyes.’

He recalled his past life before reincarnation due to the intense pain he felt after a long time.

At the young age of 27, he was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. He endured excruciating pain in a hospital bed for exactly two years before he died.

And he was reincarnated in the Baek Clan in this world, and unfortunately, he was born with the rare disease called Great Yin Meridian Blockage.

Pain was always Yi-gang’s companion.

So, he might have lived recklessly until now.

‘It must be thanks to the Ten Thousand Year Snow Ginseng.’

When he thought of the words of the Immortal Divine Sword, he thought it had to be the case. Although the clan did not know, he had indeed consumed the Ten Thousand Year Snow Ginseng.

Even though it did not cure his meridian disease, it saved him like this.

He kept his promise to Sohwa that he would survive at all costs. Naturally, he thought of the Immortal Divine Sword.

Was he still attached to that old sword?

‘I need to meet him again.’

The Immortal Divine Sword exerted his internal energy through Yi-gang’s body, where the blood flow had been severed. No matter what, Yi-gang wanted to discover his secret.

Before he knew it, he arrived at the Red Dragon Hall, the residence of the Clan Head.

“Is the Clan Head present?”

The gatekeeper recognized Yi-gang and was taken aback.

“Y-young Master!”

“I asked if he’s in.”

“He is inside.”

“Inform him that Baek Yi-gang has come upon his summons.”

After hesitating briefly, the gatekeeper went inside.

“Huu…”

Yi-gang took a deep breath, clearly feeling tense.

Both his significantly older father and the retainers attending him felt oppressive. He had always lived under their cold gazes, at least until he left for the manor.

The gatekeeper soon returned with a response.

“He says to enter.”

Yi-gang walked along the path paved with jade.

There would likely be hidden guards everywhere on the path leading to the grand hall.

As he headed to the magnificent grand hall, Yi-gang contemplated the events that might unfold.

What questions might the Clan Head and the retainers pose? Would the Clan Head, Baek Ryu-san, recognize the soul of the Immortal Divine Sword bound to the sword?

Yi-gang stopped in front of the Red Dragon Hall.

“This is Yi-gang.”

Soon, a deep resonant voice echoed from beyond the door.

“Enter.”

That voice that rang out loud was filled with internal energy. It was the voice of his father, Baek Ryu-san.

Swallowing hard, Yi-gang cautiously opened the door and entered.

In the center of the grand seat was the iron-blooded Clan Head, and seated next to him were his retainers.

Sharp gazes focused on Yi-gang.

“You’ve awakened earlier than expected.”

“…”

Despite the Clan Head’s words, Yi-gang could not immediately reply.

It was not just because he was seeing his stern father after a long time, or because of the cold stares of the retainers.

“…What are you doing, just standing there?”

“I-I am Yi-gang. I’m here to see the Clan Head.”

A cold sweat trickled from Yi-gang’s nape as he gave a deep bow.

There was one reason for his shock.

The Clan Head was displaying the demeanor of an absolute master.

And on the armrest of the grand seat he was sitting on, the Immortal Divine Sword sat cheekily.

「You’re awake. It’s good to see you.」

It waved at Yi-gang with a bright smile.