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**

The bones were completely shattered.

Bai Hyang gasped for breath. What in the world is this?

He had strengthened his body with internal energy. Not only that, he had also coated his sword’s aura with that of a famous sword.

Naturally, the opponent’s sword should have shattered upon impact…

Instead, the exact opposite result occurred.

The surroundings fell silent. He sensed the silence of the curious onlookers who had been watching intently.

Bai Hyang staggered and rose to his feet. The figure standing before him spoke calmly.

“I’ll at least give you a chance to grip your sword.”

“Ah… ah…”

External energy.

He distinctly recalled that it was merely external energy…?

Bai Hyang frantically examined his opponent. No matter how much he looked, he couldn’t sense any flow of energy.

Then, did he truly mean…

That he had countered my sword aura solely with basic external energy?

“W-what?! That’s absurd…?!”

“I’ll count to three.”

Jeok-un.

Martial Alliance Inspector.

He muttered calmly.

“One.”

“W-wait…! I-I admit defeat!”

His arm was already broken. He could no longer hold his sword.

Yet his opponent showed no signs of stopping. As if it were only natural, he continued counting.

“Two.”

“I-I said I lost!”

In a moment of desperation, he tried to add honorifics, but the opponent’s gaze didn’t change.

A heavy expression stared directly at him. What lurked beyond that was…

An unwavering resolve to uphold what he had said.

“Three.”

Ah, no.

I’m going to die…

“Jeok Daehyeop!”

His older brother, who had always been a step ahead of him, blocked his way. With that, Bai Hyang’s legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground.

—Thud.

He knew it looked ridiculous. But even when he tried to stand, his body wouldn’t cooperate.

If his older brother hadn’t intervened just now…

He would have truly died.

That man was more than capable of doing so.

“Ah… ah…”

In the release of tension, his pants turned dark.

Along with the smell of urine.

…

“Jeok Daehyeop! Please, at least for my sake, have mercy! I-I’ll make it up to you in some way with Huashan!”

Bai Hyun desperately pleaded with me. I looked to Bai Hyang beyond him.

Had he really wet himself? I could see his white pants turning black.

He was scared. For my life.

Of course, I had no real intention of killing him. But at least, I was somewhat planning to break a few bones.

I had intended to break at least one leg…

He was lucky.

Since he intervened, I suppose this much is enough. Excessive force would only arouse hostility towards Huashan.

Besides, I thought I had given him a sufficient warning.

I twirled my sword and sheathed it. I shifted my gaze away from the retreating Bai Hyang.

Bai Hyun followed closely behind, bowing repeatedly.

“Thank you, Jeok Daehyeop.”

“I’ll let this go this time, but I won’t overlook it a second time. Bai Hyun, if anyone else tries to pick a fight, I’ll take it as a challenge against the Martial Alliance.”

“Of course! I’ll make sure to tell the younger ones firmly. For now, let’s return to the lodging and rest.”

Sua rushed over, naturally wrapping her arms around me.

“Daddy.”

Come to think of it, is this the first time Sua has seen me like this?

I lifted her up and nudged her nose.

“Were you scared?”

“No, you were so cool!”

“…….?”

“Your sword was amazing! So awesome!”

So being a genius really makes someone different from ordinary kids.

I nodded. Sua stuck her tongue out at the staggering Bai Hyang.

She rubbed her cheek against mine.

“Daddy, are you mad because of me?”

“Because you said something you shouldn’t have.”

“…Hehe. I love you, Daddy.”

Lately, her expressions of affection have increased. I patted Sua’s head and then headed towards the lodging.

Despite the incident, I faced no real repercussions. It seemed Bai Hyun had explained it well in the interim.

Il-ho, who had stepped out, returned.

“I found them.”

“You mean you located the Plum Blossom Divine’s disciple?”

“Yes. They’re not very far from here. While it’s still in Huashan, they seem to be living in a somewhat rough terrain.”

“Is the Plum Blossom Divine also there?”

Il-ho nodded. I checked outside as the night deepened.

First, I should confirm his condition and that of his disciple.

Sua, as if it were natural, got ready to grab her sword.

“Sua, this is…”

“Daddy, it’s safer with you than without you.”

“…Let’s go together.”

We moved through the Huashan night. It was a somewhat rude time to search for someone, but it couldn’t be helped.

—Smack.

The place we arrived at was enveloped in the scent of flowers.

There were no plums, the symbol of Huashan. Just a variety of other flowers spread out before us. Sua let out a small gasp of admiration.

But I could hardly take in that admiration. In the center of the blooming flowerbed sat someone.

“……”

Platinum hair. Beautiful platinum hair.

An appearance memorable enough to stick in one’s mind even in passing. Moreover, the elegance emanating from her was quite remarkable.

She was strikingly beautiful. But more than her beauty, what caught my attention was…

Despite her perfectly beautiful features, there was a somewhat alien atmosphere surrounding her…

Was she a color-eyed person…?

She opened her eyes and looked at me blankly. Our gazes met, but she quickly turned her head away.

Her muttering voice was soft. Very soft.

“…There’s nothing here you could take. Please go back…”

Though her voice was quiet, the coldness in her aura was palpable.

I asked her.

“Are you the disciple of the Plum Blossom Divine?”

“…Didn’t you come here already knowing that?”

“I am Jeok-un, the Martial Alliance Inspector. I have something to ask, and I arrived late at night.”

At the mention of being the Martial Alliance Inspector, she reacted.

“…What… what do you wish to know?”

“May I ask why you chose not to participate in Huashan’s martial arts competition?”

“Because there is nothing to gain from participating…”

“…Aren’t you the sole heir of the Plum Blossom Divine?”

“…Did they say such things…? That’s impossible…”

The girl, Gu Hwa-rin, stuttered as she spoke.

“Y-you said you were an Inspector? I don’t know what your intentions are, but please go back. I truly… have no interest in that position.”

“…….”

You can’t force someone who doesn’t want to participate.

I nodded. But just then, a door in the middle of the courtyard swung open with a creak.

A person crawled out from inside. He glanced around, then made a creepy grin towards Gu Hwa-rin.

“Ugh… Haha…! Everyone is going to die! Everyone is going to die!”

That madman drew his sword and flailed it in the air. There was nothing but chaos in his actions.

Gu Hwa-rin immediately rushed out to subdue him. She pinned him to the ground and forcibly took the sword away.

His disheveled hair and thick lines painted an appearance that would have been neat if not for his crazed, wild eyes.

Was that person the Plum Blossom Divine?

“…Please go away.”

Gu Hwa-rin said with forced calmness.

“If you don’t want to see anything worse…”

I nodded. I could see her longing to not let others witness her broken master.

I too would have acted the same way if I were in her position.

Seeing a beloved person fall apart… is not something one wishes to show others.

…

Upon returning to my dwelling, I shifted my thoughts.

The Martial Alliance Leader’s wind might bring the downfall of Huashan’s strength. Among those seeking to seize Huashan, there must be a member of the new Martial Alliance Coalition.

Creating chaos by placing the disciple of the Plum Blossom Divine as a gatekeeper was likely also part of that plan.

Yet, I couldn’t find a reason to act against Huashan based on what I had seen.

It was the case with Shaolin. There was a reason it had to be brought down, and thus I cooperated.

But what about Huashan?

I couldn’t pinpoint any particular issues. They weren’t doing anything notably wrong.

They simply had their power. That was all the problem Huashan possessed.

Huashan was not my enemy. It wasn’t that rotten, and rather, it was diligently fulfilling its duties as a faction.

So, perhaps I could simply observe things here.

That was the feeling I started leaning towards.

Even though there was an edict from the Martial Alliance Leader, I didn’t want to force it into action. Forcing someone who doesn’t want to participate in the Huashan martial arts competition and gaining an advantage from it…

Was one of the absolute things I didn’t want to do.

I chose to wait instead. Even if it led to a single failure…

What I didn’t want to do was still something I didn’t want to do.

It would be right to wait for the next opportunity. After all, information already obtained might help Sua pave a new path.

If things go well on that side, there will be no reason for me to appear favorable to the Martial Alliance Leader. My intent to appear favorable to the Martial Alliance is merely to obtain information.

Still, just in case, I asked Il-ho to gather additional information. I wanted to verify whether my judgment was correct.

“Currently, the one leading Huashan’s martial arts competition is Elder Wungong of Mugak Sect. He is the most skilled martial artist in Huashan apart from the Plum Blossom Divine… but his faction is the weakest.”

“…As expected.”

“Yes. The lack of support was what made it weak, but now it has been supplemented from the outside, so there’s no one to catch up to Wungong.”

“I see…”

Sua tugged on my arm earnestly.

“Daddy.”

“Yeah?”

“You know, there’s the Martial Alliance and the New Martial Alliance opposing it, right? And you’re… trying to prevent the New Martial Alliance from taking over Huashan.”

“That’s right?”

“Then, isn’t it enough for Huashan not to side with the New Martial Alliance?”

“…Hmm?”

“That lady didn’t want to participate in the martial arts competition, right?”

Sua tilted her head.

“If that strange uncle regains his sanity, Huashan won’t change its master… so everything will be okay, right?”

“……”

“Daddy, like the time you healed the mountain, can’t you heal him?”

Il-ho glanced my way.

“…Lady Sua, curing madness isn’t that simple…”

“…You’re not wrong.”

“Yes?”

“At least, it wouldn’t hurt to try.”

If I could heal Huashan’s divine being who had fallen into madness…

Then it would result in Huashan no longer joining the New Martial Alliance Coalition, which would align with the Martial Alliance Leader’s intent.

Moreover… if I succeed in healing the divine being, the prestige of the Martial Alliance would surely rise once again.

“Well done.”

“Hehe. Daddy, please pet me more.”

“Sure.”

Let’s pay another visit.

If I could heal the sick person, unrelated to work, that alone would bring me joy.

 

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