Chapter 86

"Danmokryeon's posture is almost textbook-perfect, so always pay close attention to it."

Feeling embarrassed, her neck turned red. However, Danmokhyunwoo was speaking the truth, and his expression suggested there was no problem with what he said.

'Why can't Uncle do it too!'

Danmokhyunwoo might be overshadowed by Danmokhyungsung, but he was a person with no lack of talent and skill.

But what could be done? He was showing off his outstanding nephew's skills to inspire the children.

'Yeah, it's better for the kids to learn from a proper posture.'

His posture was indeed accurate. It couldn't be more precise than the techniques he mastered through mind's eye and performed in harmony.

Lian took a deep breath to steady his breathing and began to move the wooden sword in his hand gently.

Everyone present knew the basics of the Twelve Swords of Luocheng, but their eyes sparkled.

This might be different from what the direct descendant of Danmokcheongi would show!

When Lian's demonstration ended, an awkward and somber silence descended on the scene.

"Phew...! That's it... Huh?"

Everyone looked at Lian with slightly dejected faces. He had expected to see excited faces, not such intimidated expressions, which made him feel a sense of urgency.

'Did I take it too seriously? No, they need to grow strong!'

Danmokhyunwoo cleared his throat and pointed at Lian's feet with the tip of his teaching staff.

There was nothing but smooth, bare ground, without a single footprint.

"See? When a powerful sword passes, nothing remains. You must be able to think about the subtleties of footwork and techniques together."

"Yes!"

"Gradually, through practice, you will soon reach this level."

"Really... can we... can we really do that...?"

Danmokwan asked timidly. He rarely asked questions, but Lian's sword technique had deeply touched him.

"Of course. You are the best talents of our family!"

Danmokhyunwoo said cheerfully. Finally, a rosy glow of anticipation appeared on the faces of Danmokwan and the other children.

Except for the somewhat fierce-looking boy, Maixinyou, who only frowned and alternately looked at Lian's hands and feet.

* * *

"But about the Black Jade Pills... can we really eat them?"

Among the peers, a boy with a good build, Danmokgyu, asked cautiously.

Danmokgyu was born into a family that wasn't particularly poor, had no lack of talent, and had been diligently practicing swordsmanship. He had come to the main house this time.

"Hmm, if we can eat them... or not...?"

Danmokwan asked timidly in return.

After dinner, they gathered in the courtyard in front of their dormitory and chatted. Danmokgyu looked around and leaned in to whisper.

"I heard from an old story that some martial arts families raised their collateral descendants to make them loyal and control them by secretly feeding them some kind of poison disguised as elixirs."

"Whoa... really?"

"Yes. So if they don't follow orders... *gasp*!"

"Poison kills you, how is that possible...?"

"Um..."

Danmokgyu, who hadn't thought that far, trailed off and quickly added,

"Um, so it doesn't kill you, but makes you sick? And if you don't take the antidote, you die. Then you have to do what the direct descendants tell you to survive...!"

Danmokgyu looked pleased with his explanation, but became somber again at another child's words.

"Would they need to make you do something that serious?"

Maixinyou's sarcastic remark made Danmokgyu tilt his head in confusion.

"Huh?"

"Can you even do everything they tell you to do?"

Danmokhyunwoo was a pleasant and good teacher, but he wasn't lenient. The children knew they were still at the crawling stage.

"No... I can't."

"Then why would they feed you expensive poison to make you do something?"

"Is poison expensive?"

"Have you heard that you can't even buy an immortality herb with gold?"

"Uh-huh."

"Poison is just as expensive. It's incredibly costly to kill someone as it is to save them. If they had the money to do that to us, they'd be busy buying elixirs for themselves."

"Oh... is that so? But if we grow up and become, like, the best in the world..."

"Looking at you, it's clear that picking you was already a loss. The best in the world also needs to be smart."

"Are you already swayed by the direct descendants?!"

Maixinyou looked at Danmokgyu with a disdainful expression.

"What are you here for, then?"

"Um... to learn martial arts... to become the best in the world."

"Oh, really? Then why would the Danmok family teach you martial arts for free without charging you money?"

"No, that's not it. If I become one of the eighteen guardians and shine as a sword master for the Danmok family, it would be good for the family too...?"

"Who do the eighteen guardians listen to?"

"Um, the family head...?"

"Is the family head not a direct descendant or something else?"

"Um, oh... that's right?"

Danmokgyu scratched his head in response. Maixinyou clicked his tongue and stood up immediately. Danmokgyu looked embarrassed.

"I, I just thought it was an interesting story..."

"Would you find it fun if someone told others that you might be fed poison?"

"No..."

"Then what if the direct descendants, who could feed you poison, heard this and got upset? Think about it now that you're here."

With those final words, Maixinyou left the group. A cold atmosphere spread among the children.

"Um... I, I'll go too... to review what we learned today..."

"Me too..."

Finally, only Xuejilin and Danmokgyu were left. Danmokgyu looked at Xuejilin with a lost expression.

"Did I do something really wrong?"

Xuejilin looked at Danmokgyu with a stern face and sighed.

"The young master gives you those every week, but it's not what you think."

"..."

Danmokgyu's eyes widened.

"If you had even a little insight into the mind technique, you wouldn't have said that."

"But, I only learned the incantation of the mind technique a few days ago..."

"Xin You figured out a bit of the essence of the mind technique that same evening. That's why he knew what the Black Jade Pills we ate were."

Xuejilin recalled that Xin You had been worried about something else.

— I heard they made a lot of money from the Qinglian Water, but is it really enough to feed us these pills every week?

From Xuejilin's observation, three out of ten had some insight into the mind technique: himself, Danmokwan, and Xin You.

As soon as the three of them had a slight understanding of the essence of the mind technique, they realized what they had been eating every week.

The gentle energy circling quietly near the dantian. It wasn't large, but it was very soft, small, and gentle, waiting for them to digest it.

Xin You, with his keen intuition, had also noticed this and approached Xuejilin first.

— The young master of the direct line always wears the same martial uniform or old plain clothes, but we get to eat a small elixir every week.

Only after hearing this did Xuejilin recall Danmoklian's attire.

He usually only saw his face or couldn't meet his eyes, so he had never noticed.

— If they invest so much in us and can't get a return, what will they do then?

The word "investment" made Xuejilin snap back to reality.

That's right. The main house was currently investing in the collateral descendants. And it was a very large sum.

Xin You had been very anxious since he had a slight understanding of the mind technique a few days ago, as if he had taken on a mountain of unwanted debt.

On the other hand, Danmokwan had changed a bit. He was still timid, but his eyes shone with a fierce light. He was always the first to run to Danmoklian when he appeared in the training ground.

'Maybe Wan is the happiest among us.'

Xuejilin recalled the small golden wood branch Danmokwan had boasted about. The young master had given it to him, and it still hadn't withered, with a vivid fragrance.

"No, I was just... I found it interesting and funny because I heard about it. It's not like our family is definitely like that, really."

"Then since everyone finds it boring, don't talk about it anymore."

"Okay, I understand. I won't, really!"

"Good. Then sleep well."

"No, Jilin! Wait, wait. Did you also figure out the mind technique? Can you teach me a bit?"

"You probably won't understand even if I tell you."

"Still, please? Please~!"

"Alright..."

The word "investment" kept circling in his mind.

Thinking about how disappointed Danmoklian would be if this investment failed made Xuejilin feel suffocated. He couldn't shake off Danmokgyu, who clung to him, and brought him along.