Twisted Fate
Jegal Family in Yongjoongsan, Hubei Province
At a special fortress created by overlaying human wisdom onto nature, protected by various formations, Jegal Jin-hee was once again engrossed in her training.
She had been defeated by Namgung Jin-cheon instead of meeting Mu-jin in the finals of the Yongbongji Conference. Furthermore, Mu-jin had defeated Namgung Jin-cheon in just one move.
Realizing the gap between her and Mu-jin had widened, she resolved to train even harder instead of giving up.
However, aside from her competitive spirit, her intense training also stemmed from other influences.
To avoid the backlash from mingling freely with the Shaolin during the Yongbongji Conference, she had chosen to keep a low profile.
To avoid the jealousy and schemes of her peers within the Jegal family.
And most importantly, for her father, Jegal Goong, who was one of the heirs fiercely competing for the current family head’s favor.
Thus, she ignored the rumors she heard during her training.
Rumors about Mu-jin causing havoc in Guangxi Province and becoming a target of the unorthodox factions, about the orthodox factions splintering as a result, and even the horrifying news that her own Jegal family had sided against the Shaolin.
She thought of the phrase “sleeping on brushwood and tasting gall,” waiting for her opportunity.
“Haa…”
But the mind and heart are separate. Although she acted rationally, her heart was uneasy.
Eventually, while performing her fan dance, she stopped, letting out a deep sigh.
But it wasn’t just her complicated feelings that made her stop the dance.
“Looks like you’re deep in thought.”
Someone had come to the training ground where she was practicing.
“Greetings, Elder Jegal-hyeon. What brings you to this humble place?”
She asked Elder Jegal-hyeon, who had suddenly appeared and interrupted her training, in a respectful tone.
They had often crossed paths in the past, but recently Jegal-hyeon had been very busy.
As an elder of the external affairs, he frequently left the family to coordinate opinions with those in the anti-Shaolin alliance.
In other words, he was the one most actively moving to pit the Jegal family against the Shaolin.
“As an elder of the family, isn’t it only natural to visit the child who represents the future of our family? So, what made our great-granddaughter sigh so deeply?”
“I was just a bit anxious because my martial arts progress seems slow, Elder.”
Jegal Jin-hee adeptly hid her true feelings and replied to Jegal-hyeon.
“Hahaha. Among your peers in the family, there’s no one who can match you. Why are you so impatient?”
Jegal-hyeon, despite his words, gazed at her intently as if trying to read her thoughts.
“Through the Yongbongji Conference, I realized I was like a frog in a well.”
When Jegal Jin-hee maintained her expressionless face, Jegal-hyeon eventually spoke up with a curious remark.
“Hahaha. Perhaps you’ve reached the limits of the Black and White Fan Technique you’re practicing. Have you ever thought about learning a new martial art?”
“…Isn’t the Black and White Fan Technique the best among those permitted to me?”
“Among the family’s martial arts, yes.”
‘Does he mean he obtained a technique better than the Black and White Fan Technique from outside?’
As Jegal Jin-hee tried to grasp Jegal-hyeon’s intentions, his voice reached her ears.
“If such a martial art existed, would you be willing to learn it? Instead of the family’s martial arts?”
Jegal Jin-hee pondered his question for a moment.
In the past, she would have answered affirmatively without hesitation, but now it was different.
Mu-jin, who had defeated Namgung Jin-cheon, who had mastered the divine Emperor’s Sword Form, was surprisingly forging his own path instead of mastering divine techniques.
It wasn’t the level of the martial art that mattered but who mastered it.
Understanding this, she had focused on elevating her Black and White Fan Technique instead of coveting the family’s divine techniques and resenting the family’s policies.
However,
“If I can obtain it, I will do my best to master it, Elder.”
She gave an answer contrary to her true feelings.
“Then, why are you suddenly showing me this favor?”
To understand Jegal-hyeon’s intentions, she asked.
“Hahaha. It’s just a pity. You possess talent unmatched among your peers in the family, yet you cannot aim higher simply because you’re a woman.”
“…Are you suggesting I learn a superior martial art and aim higher?”
“Yes.”
Jegal-hyeon stroked his beard and nodded at Jegal Jin-hee’s question.
“Since I understand your intentions, I will see if I can find such a martial art.”
Saying that Jegal-hyeon left the training ground, claiming he had urgent business.
‘…Was Elder Jegal-hyeon always this kind?’
Watching Jegal-hyeon’s departing figure, Jegal Jin-hee felt an inexplicable strangeness.
* * *
After that encounter, Jegal Jin-hee rarely saw Jegal-hyeon, let alone spoke with him.
He was busy traveling in and out of the family, dealing with matters related to the anti-Shaolin alliance, so it was natural.
Thus, Jegal Jin-hee also pushed the conversation to the back of her mind.
Until one day.
“Miss Jin-hee, Elder Jegal-hyeon has a gift for you.”
A member of the Hyun Sword Squad visited Jegal Jin-hee to deliver Jegal-hyeon’s message.
“At this late hour?”
It was already late at night, so Jegal Jin-hee was bewildered.
“Elder Jegal-hyeon returned to the family just now due to his busy schedule. He asked to convey his apologies.”
“Then I suppose it can’t be helped. Where is the gift?”
“The Elder wishes to speak with you directly to present the gift.”
An invitation late at night.
Though she considered herself a martial artist rather than a woman, she couldn’t shake off a sense of unease.
Still, she accepted the invitation.
“Lead the way.”
It was the strangeness she felt during their last conversation.
To understand Jegal-hyeon’s true intentions, she willingly headed to his pavilion.
There, in addition to Jegal-hyeon, was a middle-aged man of unknown identity.
“Come in.”
Even as Jegal-hyeon greeted her, the middle-aged man sat silently in a chair.
“Greetings, Elder.”
Despite her confusion, she greeted Jegal-hyeon with a nonchalant tone.
“This man helped procure the gift I’m giving you, so don’t mind his presence.”
“Understood.”
As Jegal Jin-hee answered indifferently, Jegal-hyeon stroked his beard and took out a book from his robe.
“This book contains the martial art I mentioned before.”
Naturally, Jegal Jin-hee’s eyes turned to the book.
[Moonlight Fan Dance]
The name did not seem like a martial art.
While she was momentarily distracted by the title, Jegal-hyeon spoke to her.
“I heard you’ve been focused on training recently, but you must have heard about the current state of the martial world while living in the family.”
“Yes, Elder.”
“Then, what do you think about the current situation in the martial world?”
“It seems that we are at a critical crossroads in history where the rise and fall of various martial sects can be determined.”
“Exactly right. The land of Zhongyuan is vast, and there are many forces that rival our Jegal family. Now, a few third-generation disciples from Shaolin and Wudang are causing a situation where the fate of many sects hangs in the balance.”
What on earth is Jegal-hyeon trying to say? Jegal Jin-hee wondered as she waited silently for his next words.
“As a wise person, one must think about controlling the entire big picture. Why then, do they place restrictions on a talented child of the family, hindering their growth?”
It was a rather peculiar statement.
Subtly, he was criticizing the very practices of the Jegal family.
She wasn’t the only one facing discrimination within the family.
Just as her path to advancement was blocked because she was a woman, Jegal-hyeon was only able to hold the position of elder because he was not of the main lineage.
He was not even eligible to participate in the succession battle.
Moreover, those restrictions also applied to the direct male heirs.
Unlike other families where prominent figures like Tang-gak or Namgung Mu-guk had stepped down and retreated, Jegal Mun, who was of the same generation as them, was still the head of the family.
Even though Jegal Mun was close to eighty years old and could die at any moment, there was still no designated successor.
The family head Jegal Mun had merely divided the key principles of the family’s martial arts—such as Hyeonwon Jeondan Divine Art, Chil-hyeon Mu-hyeong Sword, and Cheongi Milibo—among his four sons.
He didn’t give each one a complete martial art.
He tore the principles apart, promising to reveal the rest only to the one chosen as the next head.
Naturally, the four successors began to engage in checks and schemes against each other, and the elders and side branches aligned themselves with different successors.
This wasn’t just Jegal Mun’s method. It was a long-standing harmful tradition in the Jegal family.
As is often the case with those who are overly confident in their own strategies, they didn’t trust others.
Those who constantly devise schemes in their minds do not want to be subjected to schemes themselves.
They feared giving power to their children prematurely, lest they be discarded or killed by them.
In essence, Jegal-hyeon was denying the very customs of the Jegal family.
“Are you suggesting that someone suitable for the current situation should lead the family?”
It was the mindset of a rebel dreaming of a coup.
Perhaps because she grasped the meaning behind his words, Jegal-hyeon spoke more bluntly.
“Hahaha. Does a king’s lineage matter?”
But was he probing her with that statement? His sharp eyes watched her, despite his hearty laughter.
Jegal Jin-hee’s response was unexpected and bold.
“In that case, I could be the next family head. After all, lineage doesn’t matter.”
Jegal-hyeon’s laughter was loud and hearty, as if he was pleased with her unexpected response.
“Hahaha. It seems our family has produced a heroine.”
Satisfied with her boldness, Jegal-hyeon laughed heartily.
Sensing her act had succeeded, Jegal Jin-hee subtly inquired.
“Then, when do you plan to start the operation?”
And the response she received was far beyond her expectations.
“It will begin in one ke.”
In one ke. That meant the rebellion would start very soon.
Jegal Jin-hee suppressed her surprise and asked.
“What role should I play?”
“You don’t have to do anything. But if you want to earn merit, you can help attack the heirs or assassinate the young masters. Wouldn’t you feel no reluctance, given they have always been wary of you?”
“Then, I will target Jegal Hwan.”
Jegal Jin-hee left Jegal-hyeon’s quarters after naming the young master who had always envied her the most.
* * *
After Jegal Jin-hee left.
“Is there really a need to recruit her?”
A middle-aged man beside Jegal-hyeon asked.
“She seems competent among the younger generation, but not significant enough to greatly aid the operation.”
“Hahaha. It’s not about receiving help for the operation. Even if the family head changes, it won’t be the Jegal family without a member of the Jegal clan.”
Jegal-hyeon implied he called her to prevent her from getting herself killed while trying to protect the family head during the coup.
As the middle-aged man pointed out, the forces Jegal-hyeon had allied with were formidable.
He didn’t need to recruit people like Jegal Jin-hee specifically.
Also, just as Jegal-hyeon was recruiting her, several others throughout the family were secretly recruiting skilled individuals who shared his vision.
However, his faction comprised only about 20-30% of the entire Jegal family.
Borrowing the strength of outsiders to kill 70% of the family would leave him with nothing even after victory.
“If it turns out that way, I would end up being dragged along, tethered by those outsiders. That cannot happen.”
Therefore, Jegal-hyeon aimed to quickly annihilate the main lineage, including the family head, using external forces and his faction at the beginning of the operation.
His goal was to display overwhelming power, forcing others to surrender voluntarily.
“If more than half can be saved, the person I trust will reform the Jegal family.”
Having faced numerous discriminations as a side branch member, Jegal-hyeon believed that the head of his faction would abolish these harmful practices.
If that happened, the Jegal family could rise higher.
And then, the forces he sought help from today could be sufficiently repelled.
“Do as you please.”
The middle-aged man, aware of his intentions, said nothing more.
He found it amusing that, like all those who borrowed external strength, Jegal-hyeon believed he would be different.
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