Chapter 57

"Regardless of what weapon we use, the Danmok Family will never lose!"

Danmok Seong, who had been standing quietly beside him, suddenly shouted.

At Danmok Seong's shout, Jin Zhong almost looked as if he had been slapped in the face, with a bewildered expression.

Then, he too became agitated.

"Even in sword techniques, we are still the best in Zhejiang Province!"

"No! The Danmok Family will never lose, no matter what martial arts or weapons are used! Never!"

"No, no, no! We are the best! Huh, hah! Does the Danmok Family even have sword techniques?"

"Of course we do! Really. Do people who only have sword techniques in their family think everyone is like them? Our Danmok Family, with its long history and tradition, naturally has sword techniques too."

"Is that so? Really? Fine, then let's compete using sword techniques!"

"Hey, hey, wait a moment..."

"Master, Master!"

The people from Jin Family were equally perplexed.

But before they could recover from their surprise, Danmok Seong shouted again.

"Fine! Let's compete!"

This all happened in an instant. Jin Zhong counted the days on his fingers.

"Then, one month from now... Last time it was at the Danmok Family, so this time it will be at the Jin Family!"

"Huh, fine! Do as you please!"

The servants of the Jin Family, unable to contain their anxiety, quickly followed Jin Zhong as he turned and left.

As soon as their figures disappeared, Danmok Seong, whose eyes had been flickering with blue flames, quietly looked at them.

"Does our family... really have sword techniques?"

* * *

"......"

"......"

"Wh... What should we do, Master..."

The people from the Jin Family who had left first all looked at Jin Zhong.

"Aaaaaa..."

But Jin Zhong was also sitting on the ground, clutching his head.

"Am I going to get a beating from Mother?"

"Surely, Lady wouldn't do that... right?"

"Aaaaaa! I'll be in big trouble for not being able to pull myself together after sparring with Danmok Lian!"

"Why did you do that when you knew it would happen..."

"What should we do? Mother and Father are a problem, and what about the sparring? Danmok Lian probably knows everything..."

Father Jin Jige had copied the text written by Danmok Lian, kept the original separately, and read the copy several times a day.

Jin Zhong was no different. As time passed, the inability to accept the result faded, and practicing the techniques given by Danmok Lian led to noticeable improvement.

He had not just superficially analyzed their sword techniques.

Perhaps Danmok Lian was a genius? No, she definitely was.

Danmok Lian would probably stick closely to that girl and teach her...

"No, no. I've improved a lot too. Right?"

Jin Zhong, who had suddenly stood up, grabbed a servant and asked. The servant, surprised, quickly nodded.

Their young master had always been talented, and recently his skills had improved so much that everyone in the Jin Family was delighted.

"Of course! A lot!"

But even with that answer, Jin Zhong rubbed his fingertips anxiously, looking uneasy.

"But that girl is really better than me..."

"You shouldn't call the Danmok Family's young masters that way."

"Whose side are you on?"

"Of course, I'm on your side..."

The servant said with eyes that seemed about to cry. Jin Zhong, looking at his face, desperately tried to think.

The deed was done and couldn't be undone.

"No... No. It's actually a good thing."

"How is this... good?"

Now, they might end up enemies with the Danmok Family. How could this be a good thing?

"Er... Anyway, in that sparring, Danmok Lian... Ah, I get it, don't look at me like that! Miss Lian! Miss Lian will also be there."

"Will she?"

"Then, she will also review the sparring with us."

"Will she... really?"

"Yes. Last time, we had one more person, and we did it in a group of three..."

Jin Zhong, saying this, suddenly flinched. He was reminded of the sparring that day.

That day, until they returned to the Jin Family, he flinched every time Danmok Lian raised her hand...

"So, this time, we should do it the same way."

Jin Zhong calculated, even considering the review of the upcoming sparring.

Danmok Lian's eyes were the answer key. His father thought she memorized and wrote down what she saw, but Jin Zhong didn't think so.

The second sparring, unknown to others, proved it.

Moreover, now that he and Danmok Lian were friends, wouldn't she give them the 'answer key' again in this sparring?

If so!

If he could get that!

Regardless of the outcome of this sparring, he would be the one who benefited the most. Probably... probably.

'Right?'

Jin Zhong, after needlessly touching his own buttocks, slumped his shoulders and started walking. He had to report today's events at home.

* * *

When his daughter returned fuming, Danmok Xianyao was in a frenzy.

"Seong, did you fight with Lian...?"

"No!"

Danmok Seong shook her head confidently in front of her worried mother.

Then, she calmly explained what had happened.

While showing Lian around the city, they met Jin Zhong from the Jin Family.

He started a pointless argument, and she confidently challenged him to a competition!

Danmok Xianyao, who had sent her daughter off, burning with enthusiasm to go to the training hall with Lian, pressed her forehead and glared at her younger brother standing beside her.

"You saw the Jin Family people and did nothing?"

In fact, if it were the Jin Family, the person who would grind them to dust in the Danmok Family was Danmok Xianyao.

She never doubted that Jin Jige's intention was to drive her brother to his death.

There are no coincidental tragedies in this world.

The incident at the Dòngjīng Acupoint, where her father and brother were injured, and the intrusion on the day Danmok Lian was born, were all planned by the Blood Demon Valley, not coincidences.

If Danmok Xianyao's hatred for the family that killed her brother and prospered was refined, it could burn half of the Central Plains martial world.

"Why didn't you draw your sword first?"

"He was just a child, sister. Jin Zhong, the son of the Jin Family's head..."

"Born into that family, enjoying all the good things, and inheriting only his father's grudge?"

"That boy has already been beaten up badly by Lian. He came for a sparring match last time, twice..."

Although Jin Zhong didn't tell anyone about the second sparring, the adults weren't unaware.

How could they not notice when the child who went to review and discuss sword techniques returned in a tattered state, crying and sniffling?

When Lian, who was with him, felt very sorry and tried to apologize, he had no choice but to back down.

"That... That's good that Lian did. She's the best in our family. Except for Seong."

"Oh, yes, yes."

"But why did he still start a conversation after being beaten up so badly?"

"Children grow up fighting sometimes."

"Let's say that's true, but what did you do when the children caused trouble?"

Danmok Xianwu shrugged.

"If it's children's trouble, what can you do?"

"How long has it been since Lian and that Jin family child started this ridiculous feud?"

"We won't be in trouble."

Danmok Xianwu's words weren't wrong. Since their main focus is sword techniques, losing in a sword technique competition wouldn't be a major flaw.

Danmok Xianyao raised her eyebrows.

"Not in trouble! What's wrong with what Seong said? We are the best family in Zhejiang Province because we never lose, no matter what weapon is used! If we lose here, people will gossip that even the Danmok Family can't do anything!"

Danmok Xianwu thought the title of the best family in Zhejiang Province had already lost its luster, but he didn't say it out loud.

"What did Lian say?"

"Huh?"

At that moment, Danmok Tianji, who had been watching the argument between his children, asked quietly. Danmok Xianyao, looking tense, shivered and responded.

"Weren't Lian and the others there? What did Lian say?"

Danmok Xianyao, surprised by the sudden change of topic, looked confused, but Danmok Xianwu answered eagerly.

"She said we can learn and win. So, she went to get the Black Wind Danqian Sword Technique manual."

"Hmm."

"Who will learn and use it?"

"Of course..."

Danmok Xianwu, about to say 'Of course, Seong,' paused and thought.

Danmok Lian, who had quickly defeated Jin Zhong after receiving the Beast Transformation Technique and learning a bit of swordsmanship, was undoubtedly talented.

She would definitely learn the sword technique quickly.

"Hmm... Lian might learn it too?"

"What?"

"Lian hasn't been around long enough to seriously practice our family's sword techniques, so this might be a good time to learn the sword technique..."

"What nonsense are you talking?"

Danmok Xianyao's eyebrows shot up sharply.