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“…What the…?”

“It’s a fact only known to those in the know. It’s only natural you wouldn’t know. The divine being, a member of the Lord’s lineage, has gone mad? That’s absurd. How could a warrior who has stepped into the realm fall into madness?”

The Martial Alliance Leader sighed.

“But… since it actually happened, this is the current situation. The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique has been mastered, and at the same time, the Lord of Huashan is now in a state of madness. That Plum Blossom Divine, Hyunseong!”

“…”

“Since the Lord has gone mad, of course, Huashan is being careful to keep this news from leaking out. It’s a rumor that could tarnish Huashan’s reputation. Countless doctors have come, but there’s been no good news. So, it’s safe to say that the position of the current Lord of Huashan is vacant. It’s said there’s almost no chance of the mad divine returning… Filling that vacancy as soon as possible would be beneficial for Huashan, wouldn’t it?”

“Y-yes, but…”

“However, another problem has arisen. The advancement of the indisputably conveyed Huashan’s hidden martial arts, the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique, has come to a halt. Of course, there are those who have learned it, but… the core final move, the Plum Blossom’s Fragrance, has yet to be mastered by anyone.”

“…What?”

“A sword technique whose beginning and end do not perfectly interlock is practically incomplete. No one knows the last move of the current Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique except for the mad divine… so it’s safe to say that no one has truly inherited Huashan’s legacy. As a result, Huashan is in a chaotic state.”

“Does that mean… a power struggle for the position of the Lord is occurring within Huashan?”

“Exactly. The elders of Huashan are moving to seize the vacant position. As a result, only the innocent disciples are getting hurt.”

“…….”

“Someone needs to intervene, don’t you think? You should go and mediate. And if possible, I would appreciate it if you could do one more thing.”

“One more… thing?”

“I mentioned that I had taken in a disciple before the divine went mad. She’s currently taking care of the mad divine…”

The Martial Alliance Leader patted my shoulder.

“Help her reclaim her rightful place. It’s common for the disciple of the Lord to eventually become the next Lord themselves, isn’t it?”

“…Isn’t that favoritism if I take someone’s side?”

“If the divine’s disciple is unqualified to be the Lord, then who else would be? The divine always told me that the only one worthy to inherit from him is his sole disciple. So, protect her and help her win in the upcoming battle for Huashan’s leadership, the Hua Mountain Battle, in four months. It would be the most fitting end for the rightful heir to become the Lord.”

“…….”

“Of course, it won’t be an easy path. The elders will keep an eye on you. Attacks might happen. The current Huashan is on high alert… If things go catastrophically wrong… they might even resort to assassination. If she were to disappear, they could compete among themselves.”

The Martial Alliance Leader whispered to me.

“Someone has to do it, don’t they? It’s only natural for a disciple to carry on their master’s legacy. Help her and put an end to the internal warfare within Huashan. Jeok-un. I believe that ensuring the rightful heir takes the place of the Plum Blossom Divine is the true form of mediation.”

…

Internal surveillance within Huashan.

The primary task was to stop the power struggles currently erupting within Huashan. Broadly speaking, this was part of what a surveillance officer was supposed to handle, so there was nothing particularly out of order.

The content itself was simple. On the surface, it looked like nothing less than justifiable remarks.

But was that truly the whole story?

I sought help from the assassin ‘Il-ho,’ who had been assigned to me when Su-ryeon left. She casually gathered general information in just half a day.

What she uncovered was brutal.

“…….”

The moment ‘Gu Hwa-rin,’ the current disciple of Huashan’s Lord, became the Lord…

Huashan would surely be in shambles.

“Dad. What are you thinking about?”

“…Just a moment, Sua.”

While there are many female warriors in the martial world, they are still quite rare compared to men.

In an era where it’s taken for granted that male heirs inherit, the existence of a female Lord is practically non-existent.

Moreover, Gu Hwa-rin wasn’t a legitimate disciple of Huashan. She was a disciple suddenly taken in by the Plum Blossom Divine from outside, akin to a foster disciple who had yet to receive proper recognition.

It was merely a formality of legitimacy, and in many ways, she was lacking to represent all of Huashan. Rumor has it she doesn’t even care about continuing Huashan’s legacy.

Asking such a person… to be the Lord of Huashan?

Even if Gu Hwa-rin became the Lord, it would still be a problem. The elders would challenge her legitimacy, and the others would likely not even recognize her existence.

It’s akin to an illegitimate child entering the family but not being treated as one of their own. How could anyone not resent someone suddenly acting as the head of the household, especially someone they’ve never spent time with?

The moment she gained power, the already existing rifts within Huashan would only widen.

And these widened rifts…

Would soon spread into internal conflicts, ultimately leading to Huashan undermining its own strength.

“…….”

Despite preaching justice, they were hypocrites through and through.

This will be just as troublesome as what happened at Shaolin. Does this mean I’ll keep handing over difficult tasks like this?

But since I had already decided to do something, I had no choice but to find a compromise.

The only fortunate thing was that there were no extra burdens this time.

Gu Yangdo and the Purple Sword did not follow me on my journey. That alone made things less stressful.

“Sua.”

“Yes?”

As I walked ahead, Sua spun around. I gazed at the sword I had prepared specifically for her at Cheonmu Academy.

The length of the sword was short, fitting her small stature. For her level, it was a long sword, but for me, it was no different from an ordinary sword.

Since I had decided to teach her the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Sword, I made sure to have a sword that would suffice…

However, before I taught her martial arts, there was something I wanted to try.

The Nine Heavens Blood Demon Sword grows stronger the closer one gets to death.

Thus, even if it took ten lives, that would still be insufficient…

I wondered if I could share that with her.

The Cheongeop I held…

“……”

But first, I needed to confirm something. I faced Sua as she approached.

We were far from civilization. There was no sign of life around us.

For handling business, this place would suffice.

“Sua, there’s something I want to give you.”

“What is it?”

“This.”

I consciously raised the Cheongeop in my palm. The Cheongeop, flowing according to my Qi, danced lightly.

Sua gasped in admiration.

“How amazing…”

“This is called Cheongeop. It helps recover wounds and reduces impurities in the body.”

“…That’s a good thing!”

“Indeed. But it’s not without its downsides. When recovering wounds, it inflicts excruciating pain.”

“…….”

“The training method for the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Sword usually involves pushing one’s body to its absolute limits. You’ll have to endure training that feels like you might die at any second to progress. Of course, you’re smart, so perhaps you’ll advance much faster… but still, this will be necessary. It will quickly heal your wounds and help sustain your body.”

“…Is it very painful?”

“Yes.”

Sua lightly touched the Cheongeop.

The trembling Cheongeop strangely rubbed against her fingertip.

“……?”

This wasn’t the reaction I expected…

When I first encountered this thing, it mercilessly caused me pain!

“It’s cute. It looks like you, Dad.”

“…Me?”

“Yes.”

Could it be that the Cheongeop had adjusted its nature as it adapted to her?

I found that peculiar. However, I intended to first confirm things.

Il-ma mentioned that the Cheongeop causes horrific pain to those not suited for it. And I had genuinely experienced that.

But I didn’t intend for her to go through such suffering. After assessing her physical aptitude…

If she showed resistance, I would remove it immediately.

That was the plan.

“I’m going to test this on your body now.”

“……”

“If it hurts, tell me right away. I’ll pull it out immediately.”

“…Okay.”

I carefully sent the Cheongeop into Sua’s body. Even as it flowed into her, the Cheongeop inside me remained unchanged or diminished.

The Cheongeop, fed by my Qi, would grow no matter how much of it was taken away, as long as it didn’t detach from its host.

I planted that peculiar substance in Sua’s body like a small seed.

…But then…

Nothing happened. No side effects.

“Um?”

“Does it hurt?”

“No. It just felt a bit strange.”

I monitored Sua’s condition in real-time. The Cheongeop began to root quickly, consuming Sua’s body effortlessly as if it had found its home.

In an instant, it swallowed the entirety of her body.

“Uh…?”

A slight squirm soon settled down. Sua sprang upright and began to check her body.

“It doesn’t hurt. It was just a bit ticklish, but… that faded quickly.”

“…Hmm…”

“Plus… I think I understand something…”

“What is it?”

“Just a second.”

Sua drew her sword, hesitated as she glanced at me, and then confidently slashed her hand.

In an instant, tears glistened in her eyes. But immediately, the Cheongeop that had sprung forth enveloped the wound.

“…That hurts…”

Groaning, Sua examined her now healed palm and beamed at me.

“It’s just like what you have, Dad!”

“…Yeah.”

They say someone with great martial aptitude is born once in a hundred years.

Whether that’s true or not, I didn’t know, but… one thing was clear.

She was a genius.

In how she handled the Cheongeop as well.

…

I taught Sua how to wield a sword. I instructed her on the stances and precautions for the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Sword, as well as how to train her body.

She followed my lead without a hitch. Her smooth movements felt like a swift beast being chased.

Her progress day by day was remarkable. Her absorption of the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique was equally impressive. The once-pure aura of the Great Return Elixir had now been completely tainted with blood, faint crimson gleam emanating from the tips of her fingers.

Just two weeks after properly learning the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique…

She broke through to the peak.

The power of the Great Return Elixir aside, her growth was beyond comprehension. Not only that, Sua’s body appeared small compared to her peers, but internally, it was entirely different.

Her muscles were slim yet firm. I’d say the very nature of her muscles was entirely different.

It had a depth that could easily compare to the muscles I had built through hard work and time. With her small frame, she effortlessly lifted stones, leaving me feeling oddly uncomfortable.

The martial world I had previously known felt completely shattered.

But I was actually thrilled. Teaching her was enjoyable.

Every time I shared something with her, she immediately absorbed it and then leaped up two steps in advancement…

I began to understand why Mo Yong-hwi coveted her.

“Dad. Did I… do well?”

“Of course. You did great.”

I moved alongside Sua. As I showcased the moves of the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Sword, I aimed to teach her at least one more thing.

It only took about ten days for her to learn the First Form, Ilma.

Another ten days was enough to complete the Second Form, Dan Hoon Choo.

As for the application techniques, that was a given. She was immediately grasping the Third Form.

By the time the Third Form, Overlord Demon Technique began to subtly envelop her body, we finally arrived in Shaanxi.

Thanks to our jump training, we had reduced our travel distance.

I found lodging in Huayun County, located beneath Huashan. Before we ascended, I ordered all the food she could desire to wash away our travel fatigue.

“Dad! I love you!”

“Eat lots.”

“Yes!”

While eating, I surveyed the surrounding situation.

The atmosphere of the bustling town was chaotic. It wasn’t the only thing that caught my eye.

The uniforms of Huashan’s warriors were visible everywhere, as if they were searching for something.

 

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