Chapter 51: Blink and You’ll Miss It
"I give up! Thank you for the lesson," uttered one of the Baek descendants, bowing out after a decisive defeat against Li-Dong.
"How can you just give up without trying until the end?! On top of that, you picked me just because my rank was the lowest among the top six? You must be an idiot," Li-Dong spat in frustration.
He stepped down from the arena stage, accompanied by warm applause from the audience. But deep down in his heart, he was thoroughly annoyed that the match had ended so pitifully, lacking the true spirit of a martial artist. In his mind, a true warrior ought to fight to the bitter end until they physically couldn’t continue.
That was how a real martial artist should be.
Meanwhile, sitting at a nearby table, the third-generation descendants of the Nam Family chuckled as they watched the display.
"Tch. Pathetic. Seems like there’s been zero growth among them," Nam Hyang-Gi remarked disdainfully.
"Haha, true. At this rate, they’re no match for our Nam Goong-Ju," Nam Jun-Taek chimed in with a laugh.
Elder Nam Goong-Gong shook his head reprimandingly. "Don’t let it get to your heads. The Baek Family still has Si-Yeon, Su-Hong, and Li-Jae. Also, mind your tongues—we are guests at their event."
"Yes, Elder," both replied in unison, though their smug expressions remained, looking down on the Baek Family’s youth with clear contempt.
At another table, the descendants of the Jin Family were similarly smirking at the result.
"It’s a pity we don’t have a regional or national martial arts tournament. If we did, we would beat the Baek Family descendants into the dirt," Jin Se-Gye sneered.
"I can’t believe they’re still considered a top family on par with us—sometimes even ranked above us—when their martial skills get worse with every passing year," Jin Do-Wa added.
"Shh! Lower your voices. Mind your manners," Elder Jin Cheol-Min warned. Yet internally, he couldn’t agree more with his young family members.
The Baek Family’s third generation... didn’t have a single person capable of competing against them—whether in sharp intellect or raw martial strength.
In terms of martial arts and overall family standing, both the Nam and Jin families used to sit slightly behind the Baek Family. But that was in the past—before the Nam Family initiated a revolution by integrating advanced high-tech devices into their martial arts training.
The Jin Family had quickly taken notice and followed suit. However, they didn’t stop at training methods; they extended the technology into combat gear itself, equipping their fighters with kinetic-absorption suits, collapsible high-mobility metal staffs, and other cutting-edge arsenal.
The shift wasn’t fully public yet, but slowly, the balance of power was tilting. Sooner or later, the Baek Family would be overtaken, no longer able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the other two giant clans.
And how was the Baek Family responding?
Despite knowing full well how the modern era viewed martial arts, they rigidly clung to traditional legacy—fitting the exact description of stubborn boomers stuck in the past.
However, an unexpected sight soon drew the guests’ attention back toward the arena.
It was Ji-Hong who commanded that sudden scrutiny. He strolled forward as if nothing else in the world mattered, completely unbothered by the hundreds of eyes locked onto him.
From a distance, Donape caught a clear glimpse of the young master. Thanks to his superior vision—which was even sharper when infused with Qi—he could see every detail perfectly.
Yet, Donape wasn’t the least bit shocked by Ji-Hong’s sudden appearance.
After all, he was the one who had advised the young master and personally given him a walkthrough for The Path of the Heavenly Martial Arts.
The outcome? There was no need even to ask. The match was practically decided the moment Ji-Hong became the sole loyal customer of Origins VR Cafe. If there were a betting table, Donape would have gone all-in on Ji-Hong without hesitation.
No matter how skilled someone was in traditional martial arts, they were no match for skills learned directly through the VR capsule.
Of course, nothing in life was absolute.
Several variables could theoretically lead to Ji-Hong’s defeat—such as facing two or three opponents at once, or going up against sophisticated high-tech combat equipment developed by military powers. A seasoned grandmaster with decades of rich combat experience would also hold the upper hand over Ji-Hong.
But none of those conditions applied right now.
At the end of the day, his peers were merely peak humans—not transcendent beings like Donape. In terms of pure martial arts alone, no one in Ji-Hong’s age group could possibly match him, especially now that he wielded the Heavenly Martial Arts.
"Man, I just wish this event would hurry up and end," Donape grumbled under his breath, shaking his head. "That way I can complete my quest and go back home. I still need to run the shop and cultivate. Geez, so many things to do with so little time."
He grabbed another plate of food from the buffet, happily stuffing his stomach. For some reason, his appetite had grown massive ever since he started cultivating—a stark contrast to his old fantasy where high-level cultivators could go days without eating or sleeping!
Inside the arena, the referee overseeing the sparring matches stood utterly bewildered by Ji-Hong’s appearance. Glancing nervously toward the VIP section, he caught sight of Patriarch Baek waving his hand—a clear signal to proceed with Ji-Hong as the next challenger.
The man swallowed hard, a lump forming in his throat, before clearing his voice to address the crowd.
"B-By order of the Patriarch... Young Master Baek Ji-Hong will issue a challenge from the bottom rank to anyone above him! All participants, please prepare!"
The announcement triggered an immediate uproar throughout the venue. An uncountable chorus of gasps echoed among the guests; after all, nearly everyone present was well aware of the Baek Family wastrel’s pitiful condition.
Guests exchanged bewildered glances, whispering frantic questions as they tried to make sense of the madness. But since the command came directly from Patriarch Baek himself, they could only bite their tongues and mentally prepare for the inevitable tragedy—fully expecting Ji-Hong to collapse and require immediate medical attention.
"What the hell? What is the meaning of this?" Nam Hyang-Gi grumbled, equal parts confused and annoyed.
"Has that old man lost his mind?!" Nam Jun-Taek exclaimed. "Letting that wastrel into the ring is outright suicide!"
"Shut your mouth!" Elder Nam Goong-Gong hissed in a harsh whisper, realizing his juniors were crossing the line. "Watch your manners! How many times must I repeat myself—are you deaf?!"
Yet, despite his sharp reprimand, the Elder secretly shared their exact sentiments.
’What on earth is Patriarch Baek planning by letting Ji-Hong participate?!’
At the neighboring table, the Jin Family harbored the exact same frustration and burning curiosity, silently wondering if the great Patriarch Baek had finally succumbed to senility.
The third-generation descendants of the Baek Family were similarly unable to contain their outrage and confusion. Several of them even leapt to their feet, ready to shout their protests at the sheer absurdity of the situation.
However, before the commotion could escalate into full-blown chaos, several personal bodyguards and servants belonging to the three Elders hurried over, leaning in to whisper discreetly in their ears.
As the message took root, the young martial artists’ eyes widened in shock, their bewildered expressions impossible to hide.
Subconsciously, their gazes drifted toward the distant VIP area on the opposite side of the arena.
There, the three Elders stood tall and menacing. Their cold, unyielding postures silently confirmed that the whispered orders were no mistake.
The message conveyed to them was simple:
There is no need to protest or cause a scene. Whoever the wastrel chooses as his opponent, beat him to a pulp. If he happens to die in the process, we will shield you from the fallout and write it off as a tragic accident. After all, this was the Patriarch’s decision—so spare no effort to prove that his judgment was a catastrophic mistake. That way, the balance of power regarding the family succession will shift irreversibly in our favor.
The younger generation exchanged heavy glances. Even the top three geniuses—Su-Hong, Li-Jae, and Si-Yeon—were not exempt from the cold gravity of the command.
While they deeply despised Ji-Hong, taking the life of a blood relative carried a heavy mental burden.
Still, they didn’t need to hold direct murderous intent. They had to beat Ji-Hong without mercy—even if his fragile body collapsing into death was a very plausible outcome.
Cruel as it was, this was the cold reality of a noble lineage that placed traditional martial heritage above all else.
Meanwhile, Patriarch Baek remained seated in a relaxed posture despite witnessing everything unfold before his eyes.
’How amusing. They actually dare to resort to such ruthlessness despite sharing the same blood.’ He sighed inwardly. ’This throne breeds far too much deceit and greed.’
Yet, he had zero intention of stepping in for now.
’Now, show me... show me what you’ve gained that makes you dare put your very life on the line,’ the Patriarch thought, a subtle glimmer of anticipation in his eyes.
Down in the arena, Ji-Hong’s gaze swept casually across the two tables reserved for the young descendants, a faint, unbothered smile resting on his lips.
"I choose Baek Si-Eun," he announced softly.
Baek Si-Eun was Si-Yeon’s eldest cousin—born to a different parent, but both grand-daughters of Elder Baek Si-Jin.
As she stepped into the ring and squared off against Ji-Hong, her face twisted with pure annoyance and open hostility.
"Being thrown out of the ring or surrendering constitutes a complete defeat," the referee declared, raising his hand. "Let the match... begin!"
"You useless wastrel! How dare you—huh?"
Si-Eun’s sneering tirade was cut short mid-sentence.
Before anyone could blink, Ji-Hong bridged the gap in a flash, his motion so fluid it seemed effortless. With a subtle, controlled push of his palm, he struck her abdomen.
Thud!
Si-Eun was launched backward through the air as if she weighed less than a feather, flying completely out of the arena before crashing right beside the Baek Family’s third-generation table.