"You little bastard! Get him!"
The first to react was the leader, Cheolsam.
He yanked out the wooden sword from his waist and struck a threatening stance.
'Wooden sword, huh? That's basically a weapon.'
The blade had an iron core embedded inside, and honestly, it didn't seem much less lethal than a real sword.
'So this is what they were using to threaten the Qinglong Martial School kids?'
"Yaaah!"
While Baek Li-won was calmly mulling over the thought, the wooden sword came slashing down at him.
He simply shifted back lightly, dodging the strike with ease.
But right after came the follow-up—attacks from the other boys.
"B-be careful!"
The Qinglong students behind him hurriedly drew their own wooden swords to jump in.
But Baek Li-won raised a hand, signaling them to stay back.
And then—
Wham!
"…!"
What followed was a merciless fist.
"Guh!"
The boy who had just lunged forward got smashed in the stomach mid-swing, the breath knocked out of him.
Baek Li-won didn't stop there. He followed up immediately, kicking the exact same spot again. The boy's face turned pale as he dropped his weapon.
"You son of a bitch!"
The others, enraged, swung their blades wildly at him.
Still, they weren't completely untrained—
their swings carried traces of legitimate sword forms. Yet, the killing intent behind them was anything but orthodox.
'If I recall, Qinglong teaches the Baek Li clan's foundational martial arts…'
Which meant this swordsmanship had been taught elsewhere. More practical, more brutal—likely the very style they'd been using to bully Qinglong's kids.
Of course, to Baek Li-won, it was nothing more than child's play.
Clang!
"…!"
Two wooden swords meant for him clashed against each other instead.
The boys who swung them gaped in shock. Before they could even recover, Baek Li-won seized their wrists and twisted sharply.
Crack!
"Arghhh!"
They screamed, dropping their weapons, writhing in pain.
The sight made the rest of the group falter, their eyes trembling. Especially Cheolsam—sweat poured down his face as his eyes darted about.
The look of someone who had realized, too late, they had picked the wrong target.
"Damn it! Run!"
No hesitation, no second thoughts.
Abandoning his underlings, Cheolsam bolted faster than anyone.
Seeing this, the others scattered in panic, fleeing for their lives.
Baek Li-won could have caught every last one of them if he wanted—
'But there's no need for that.'
Instead, he turned to the three Qinglong students he had just saved.
They stared at him as though they were looking at a ghost. Baek Li-won gave a faint smile and asked—
"You alright? No injuries?"
"Uh… thanks to you, sir…"
The boy called Ryu Sohyeon nodded dumbly.
Naturally. Since Baek Li-won had stepped in before the fight even escalated, they hadn't had the chance to be hurt.
"Good. Then I have a small favor to ask."
"A… a favor?"
"Yes."
Baek Li-won smiled at Sohyeon.
"Take me to your Martial School."
The head of Qinglong Martial School, So Jinseong, was deeply troubled.
And the reason was obvious—the schemes that had been circling lately.
Plots by the demonic faction to crush Qinglong and steal away its disciples.
And sadly, those schemes had been working.
Many students had already defected to rival schools, and more had simply quit altogether.
Worse still, the harassment had turned into outright assaults. Some of the children had been carried back bloodied.
This can't go on.
Something had to be done to break this cycle.
So, So Jinseong had reached out for help from the Baek Li clan, with whom relations had always been good.
And yet…
"…."
He stared blankly at the boy before him.
What was he, fifteen? He didn't look much different from the other disciples in the school.
But this was supposedly the aid sent by the Baek Li clan. Not only that, he had appeared after saving children who were being attacked.
"Uh… First of all, thank you for rescuing our students. I am So Jinseong, head of Qinglong Martial School. If it's not too forward, may I ask your name, young hero?"
"I am Baek Li-won, Master So."
"…!"
At that name, So Jinseong's expression shifted.
He knew enough of the Baek Li clan to recognize who this was.
The third son, born of a concubine. Timid, weak, shunned by his own clan. A pitiable child who might as well have not existed.
And this is who they sent?
It was practically a declaration that the Baek Li clan had abandoned Qinglong.
"You seem to know what's on my mind. Are you disappointed that it's me who came?"
"…!"
The words cut through him like the boy had read his heart.
"N-no, of course not. How could I…?"
"No need to deny it. If I were you, I'd be disappointed too."
Indeed. The situation was dire, and the aid they received was nothing more than the clan's neglected outcast.
It was hard not to feel despair.
But…
"Still, you needn't worry too much."
Baek Li-won smirked.
"No matter what, I intend to give my all to solving Qinglong's troubles. You'll find I'm not as useless as people say."
"Young hero…"
So Jinseong's eyes wavered.
The Baek Li-won before him was worlds apart from the cowardly figure in the rumors.
And So Jinseong was a man who trusted what he saw with his own eyes more than idle gossip.
Had this boy not just rescued his disciples and walked into his hall?
He is not the weakling I've heard about… But still… can he truly resolve Qinglong's crisis?
"Master So, may I hear the details of the situation?"
Baek Li-won asked calmly.
And so So Jinseong explained.
"Hmm. So ultimately, the problem is that the surrounding schools are suppressing Qinglong. Using brute force, no less."
Baek Li-won summarized succinctly.
So Jinseong let out a bitter smile and nodded. That was indeed the core of it.
"And the reason they're targeting Qinglong is to pressure the Baek Li clan."
"That seems to be the case."
The connection between Qinglong and the Baek Li clan was no secret. Everyone in the region knew.
So the enemy's true goal was clear. To squeeze the Baek Li clan through Qinglong.
How laughable.
Baek Li-won sneered inwardly.
In the days when he was revered as the Divine Spear, none of this would have even been conceivable. Entire sects—orthodox or demonic—had tiptoed around him.
And yet now, things had fallen so low?
No matter. What's fallen can rise again. And I'll raise it myself.
"The solution is simple."
"R-really?"
So Jinseong's eyes brightened with hope.
"Yes. The problem is that these other schools are… irritating. Irritating enough to hinder Qinglong's operations."
"Irritating… Yes, that's not wrong."
"Then the answer is to remove them."
"R-remove them? You mean… call in Baek Li warriors?"
So Jinseong's face stiffened.
He had considered that before—but if the Baek Li clan formally intervened, this wouldn't just be a clash between schools. It would be war. Blood would flow, perhaps even that of Qinglong's remaining students.
But before he could voice this worry, Baek Li-won spoke first.
"I know what you're thinking. But no—I don't plan to borrow the clan's strength. Not unless something truly extraordinary happens."
"Then…?"
"First, register me as a Qinglong disciple."
Baek Li-won's grin widened.
"It's just a formality, but it gives us legitimacy. And it'll limit unnecessary interference."
"That makes sense… And then?"
"Then I'll challenge every school that has attacked Qinglong. One by one. As a disciple of Qinglong."
"…!"
"And those I catch—I'll crush them thoroughly."
His eyes gleamed cold.
"So they never dare raise their heads again."
"Is that true?"
Banju-heun, head of the Bisang Martial School, widened his eyes at the report his subordinate brought.
"Yes. It seems the Baek Li clan has sent support to Qinglong. Three of our boys have already been beaten."
"Support? How many?"
"Uh… just one."
"…One? Don't tell me they sent an elite from the martial corps?"
Banju-heun's face grew grave.
If that were the case, this would no longer be a local feud between schools, but a sect-level conflict. Their backers, the Red Sword Sect, would inevitably send reinforcements in turn.
"That… I don't know. He only introduced himself as Baek Li-won."
"What? Baek Li-won?"
At that, Banju-heun burst into incredulous laughter.
Of course he knew who Baek Li-won was.
The Baek Li clan's half-abandoned failure.
The third son who was weak, cowardly, bullied. A disgrace with no backing, born of a concubine.
And that's who they sent?
'So… the Baek Li clan has no intention of interfering?'
The thought made his lips curl.
If so, then they could move even faster to finish Qinglong off.
'This news needs to spread to the others quickly.'
Bisang wasn't the only school backed by the demonic sects.
Three others were cooperating in the pressure campaign. If they heard that Baek Li wasn't stepping in, they'd throw themselves into the fray without hesitation.
And when that happened?
Bisang Martial School will seize everything!
Even if it meant being a puppet of the Red Sword Sect, the power gained here would be immense.
And who knew? Perhaps the Red Sword Lord himself would notice his achievements, elevating him into the sect's inner circle.
No more being a rural martial school head—he'd rise much higher.
It was in the midst of this grand delusion when a disciple burst in, panicked.
"M-Master! Trouble!"
"What trouble? Speak!"
"Well… some guy suddenly came, demanding to challenge our school. We tried to drive him off, but he knocked out the gatekeeper and forced his way in—"
"What!? Who dares such madness!?"
Banju-heun roared.
It was nothing less than a declaration of war against Bisang Martial School.
But when the disciple spoke again, his eyes bulged.
"He… he says he's Baek Li-won of the Baek Li clan. What should we do?"
"What!?"
It was the last name he expected to hear.
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