After the lavish meal was over, everyone gathered for tea.
All eyes were on Jeok Wigang.
“Didn’t you say you had something to tell us after we ate?”
At Jeok Rihyeon’s question, Jeok Wigang set down his teacup and looked around.
“Father. Mother.”
“Yes?”
“Why don’t you take a Heart-Calming Pill first?”
“You brat. What in the world are you planning to say that you’re telling us to take that? You’re scaring me.”
“Yes. What could possibly be so shocking?”
“It isn’t bad news. I just think you might be surprised.”
Jeok Rihyeon looked to Jeok Mugun.
“What about Grandfather? Aren’t you giving him one?”
Jeok Mugun bristled at once.
“You brat. Do you think I’m a weakling like you?”
“Father, I am a Transformation Realm martial artist.”
“Oh? Is that so? Then shall we step outside and see what that Transformation Realm skill of yours can do?”
“No.”
Jeok Rihyeon lowered his head.
Sparring with Jeok Mugun was no different from a fight to the death.
Jeok Mugun was not the sort to take things easy, so avoiding a spar whenever possible was best for both Jeok Rihyeon’s body and his peace of mind.
“Tsk, tsk. How did someone with such weak resolve ever reach the Transformation Realm?”
Jeok Rihyeon’s head sank even lower under Jeok Mugun’s dissatisfied tone.
Then Jeok Wigang stepped in.
“Grandfather. Stop picking on Father.”
“Mm. Fine.”
At Jeok Mugun’s immediate agreement, Jeok Rihyeon’s lowered head snapped up.
He stared back and forth between Jeok Wigang and Jeok Mugun with a stunned expression.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
Jeok Mugun spoke indifferently, and Jeok Rihyeon turned to Jeok Wigang.
“Is Grandfather actually listening to you right now?”
“Of course I am.”
“Why?”
“First, listen carefully to what Wigang has to say. We can talk afterward.”
“Yes.”
Jeok Rihyeon still could not get used to seeing Jeok Mugun act like that.
“Continue.”
At Jeok Mugun’s words, Jeok Wigang grinned.
“First, I should tell you the results of the imperial examination.”
“Fine. Go on.”
“I passed as top scorer.”
“We already know that.”
“Mother and Wiun don’t.”
“That is true.”
When Jeok Wigang glanced to the side, tears had gathered in Yu Hwayeon’s eyes.
“You worked hard, my son.”
At her trembling voice, Jeok Wigang rose and gently patted her shoulder.
“Why are you crying?”
“I’m just so happy...”
“You’re this happy over something so small? How are you going to handle the rest?”
“Is there anything greater than this?”
“Yes. I received an official appointment.”
“I see. What position did you receive?”
“I was appointed Grand Tutor Regent.”
“Grand Tutor Regent?”
Everyone tilted their heads.
“Was there ever such an office?”
“There wasn’t. There is now.”
“What do you mean, there wasn’t?”
“His Majesty created it specifically for me.”
“Really? What rank is it?”
“The rank? Well... if we absolutely have to put it in terms of rank, first-rank?”
“First-rank? Th-that is the highest rank, isn’t it?”
As Jeok Rihyeon stared in shock, Ye Yahyeon added,
“It is a position even higher than first-rank. It is the highest office beneath His Majesty himself.”
“Higher than the Emperor?”
“That is correct. The Grand Tutor Regent’s words carry the same authority as an imperial order. In practical terms, it would not be wrong to say he stands on the same level as the Emperor.”
“An imperial order? The Emperor gave something like that to you?”
“Yes. I did not want it, but His Majesty pleaded so earnestly...”
“The Emperor personally pleaded with you?”
Jeok Rihyeon and Yu Hwayeon’s eyes went wide.
Even Jeok Mugun was staring at Jeok Wigang in surprise.
Only Jeok Wiun wore an expression suggesting that he had more or less expected this.
Jeok Rihyeon turned to him.
“You aren’t surprised? Your brother is now the second most powerful person in the empire.”
“If it’s my brother, I figured it would be something like that.”
“What?”
What was that supposed to mean?
Jeok Rihyeon knew Jeok Wigang was intelligent.
Still, was this not going too far?
He had only just come of age, and he was already the Grand Tutor Regent.
“Ah, and I became sworn brothers with His Majesty.”
“What? With whom? You did what?”
“We became sworn brothers. In private, he is now my elder sworn brother.”
Jeok Rihyeon and Yu Hwayeon could no longer make sense of what they were hearing.
Yu Hwayeon frantically felt around the table for a Heart-Calming Pill and put one in her mouth.
Beside her, Jeok Rihyeon had already swallowed one.
“Is that all?”
“No.”
“There is something even more shocking than this?”
“Yes.”
It was fortunate that he had taken the Heart-Calming Pill already.
Feeling its effects spread through him, Jeok Rihyeon swallowed hard and asked,
“I am prepared. Continue.”
Jeok Wigang could not help laughing at the determined expression on his father’s face.
“You brat. Stop laughing and tell us. What could possibly be more shocking than becoming sworn brothers with the Emperor and receiving the office of Grand Tutor Regent?”
“I am actually strong.”
“What? What does that mean? You suddenly say you are strong without any explanation?”
“Because I had no dantian, Father and Mother thought I was weak and raised me with great care.”
“Th-that is true.”
“But you were wrong. I am strong. So you do not need to worry about me anymore.”
“What do you mean, strong? Certainly, you are sturdier than ordinary people, but martial artists who have trained in martial arts are different.”
Jeok Rihyeon tried to reason with Jeok Wigang, but Jeok Wiun spoke first.
“Brother is right. He is strong.”
“What?”
“I would not last a single punch against him.”
What was that supposed to mean?
Jeok Wiun had already reached a level few people his age could attain.
Yet he was saying that he would not even survive one punch from Jeok Wigang, who had no dantian?
Did that make any sense?
Just as Jeok Rihyeon was about to speak—
“He is right. I cannot beat him either, so yes, he is strong. He is probably the strongest man in the Central Plains.”
“Cough!”
Jeok Rihyeon choked from the shock before he could say a word.
“Wh-what do you mean, Father?”
“You heard me. Do not pretend you did not.”
“You cannot beat him?”
“Exactly as I said. I was thoroughly defeated by him. That boy is not human. He is a monster.”
Jeok Wigang snorted.
“Calling your own grandson a monster, Grandfather?”
“It is not wrong.”
The others could accept many things, but hearing Jeok Mugun say that was difficult to believe.
He was admitting defeat so openly.
“Father. Are you all right?”
“What?”
“Did you not hate losing more than death?”
“That only applies when the other person is within some range of me. That boy is on a plane beyond the heavens. I do not even feel wronged by it.”
How strong did Jeok Wigang have to be for the Heavenly Martial Emperor, the strongest man in the Central Plains, to say something like that?
“That is why I wanted to tell you not to worry about me anymore. Ah, and from now on, I plan to focus on making the True Martial Sect stronger.”
“What? Our True Martial Sect is already strong.”
“It is weak. I will not stop until it meets my standards.”
At Jeok Wigang’s words, Jeok Wiun stepped forward.
“Then Brother should become Young Gate Master.”
“You are the Young Gate Master. Why would I take that position? Stop trying to hand it over. It will not work. Have you been training diligently all this time?”
“Yes! Very diligently!”
“I will check later. You know what happens if I am not satisfied.”
GULP—
Jeok Wiun swallowed, then silently rose from his seat.
“Where are you going?” Jeok Rihyeon asked.
“To train.”
With that, he hurried outside.
Just how hard had Jeok Wigang been driving the boy for him to react like that?
“Father, you are not good enough either. I will make you far stronger than you are now.”
“Me?”
“Yes. You should at least become as strong as Grandfather.”
“What? Me?”
“Yes.”
“Do you truly think that is possible?”
“Yes. Human potential is limitless.”
A chill ran down Jeok Rihyeon’s spine.
“I could just train on my own...”
“No.”
“Then what about your mother? Will you train her too?”
“No. How could I make someone as delicate as Mother train? I will protect her even if it costs me my life.”
“You brat! She is my wife! If anyone protects her, it will be me!”
“Then you need to become stronger.”
“Urgh.”
Jeok Rihyeon had nothing to say.
Jeok Mugun snorted with amusement.
“It would take him a hundred years to become as strong as I am.”
“Under ordinary training, perhaps. But when someone repeatedly crosses the line between life and death, they naturally become stronger.”
“W-wait! You are saying you will throw your father into mortal danger?”
“Do not worry. He will not actually die.”
“That boy is right. He will not actually die. He will only experience death.”
“Isn’t experiencing death the same as dying?”
“It is different. You experience it and come back alive. Still, when you fight hard enough to reach that state, your strength rises tremendously.”
“How would you know that, Father? Have you experienced it?”
“Yes. I nearly died to that boy several times.”
Jeok Rihyeon fell silent.
If the Heavenly Martial Emperor had nearly died several times, then what would happen to him?
He would die instantly.
Jeok Rihyeon looked at Jeok Wigang with pitiful eyes.
“Wouldn’t that be dangerous for me? I am physically weak.”
“Come on, Father. You are not weak at all. Your body is well suited for martial arts too.”
“Me? That is absurd.”
“With a few adjustments, you could become a martial genius with perfect talent.”
“What adjustments? At my age, the only way to alter my body would be through Bone-and-Body Rebirth.”
“Then we will do that.”
“What?”
“Bone-and-Body Rebirth.”
“You say it as though you could buy it from a street stall like candy. Do you think that is easy? That joke has gone too far.”
“I am not joking. I can do it for you. I have done it several times, so I know exactly how.”
“What have you done?”
“Bone-and-Body Rebirth.”
“You have performed Bone-and-Body Rebirth on other people?”
“Yes.”
“You expect me to believe something that absurd—”
Before Jeok Rihyeon could finish, Jeok Mugun cut in.
“You brat! If you can do something like that, you should have done it for this grandfather first.”
“Grandfather, you are already perfect.”
“Maybe I am getting old, but everything aches these days. Do mine too.”
At the sight of Jeok Mugun sulking, Jeok Wigang sighed.
“Fine, Grandfather.”
“Really? When you do his, do mine at the same time.”
“All right.”
After hearing their exchange, Jeok Rihyeon stepped between them, held up both hands, and shouted,
“W-wait!”
With a grave expression, he asked Jeok Mugun,
“Father, do you really believe Wigang right now? Or are you deliberately saying this to tease me?”
“Did I not tell you? That boy is strong.”
“Being strong and this are two different things. Does being strong mean he can perform Bone-and-Body Rebirth at will? Would you believe it if someone said that to you?”
“Ah, there is something I did not explain in detail. Wigang is not merely strong. He is also skilled in sorcery.”
“Sorcery?”
“Yes. His sorcery is so wondrous that there is nothing he cannot do with it.”
Jeok Rihyeon looked at Jeok Wigang.
“The Bone-and-Body Rebirth you mentioned... you do it through sorcery?”
“Yes. It does not even take long. I will do Grandfather and Father first, then Wiun. After that, I plan to do it for all the martial artists of the True Martial Sect as well. Of course, the sect’s martial artists will receive a Bone-and-Body Rebirth one level lower. I should distinguish them from Father and Wiun, should I not?”
Jeok Wigang spoke of Bone-and-Body Rebirth as though he were handing out gifts.
And he was even assigning different grades to it.
By now, Jeok Rihyeon was genuinely curious.
About Jeok Wigang’s true self.
“Show me. Show me who you truly are.”
Jeok Wigang nodded.
“Then let us go somewhere secluded. I have something else to take care of too, so we need a place wide enough for a life-or-death battle.”