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The realm itself might have been higher for Elder Un-gong.

The depth of his inner power might also have been greater.

What would happen if they actually clashed swords?

There was no certainty in victory.

But everyone from Huashan agreed. The silence that serenely followed the chaos began to be covered with applause.

A small echo, unknown who started it. And it soon spread widely.

If one were a warrior from Huashan, even if they wore colored glasses, they couldn’t help but move.

That was exactly Gu Hwa-rin’s sword.

The most magnificent in the world…

Blooming the proud and dazzling plum blossoms.

“Uwahhaha!! That’s my disciple! That’s my disciple!!!”

The Plum Blossom Divine laughed heartily. The stunned Un-gong staggered back.

Sitting heavily in his seat, his face was a mix of various complex emotions. But the strongest among them was admiration.

“…Qualifications.”

The warrior who sought power.

The elder who wished to become the headmaster.

But before all that, he was merely a swordsman.

“I think I now understand why you insulted my things so much.”

“Un-gong. This is too late for realizations, isn’t it?”

“I forgot the reason why I picked up the sword, mesmerized by greed.”

With a wry smile, he finally laughed.

“It was an impressive sword. I want to go back… and revisit my plum blossom again.”

“Good thought.”

Amidst the pouring applause, Gu Hwa-rin, catching her breath, observed her surroundings. She bowed her head and quickly returned to where I was.

“Uh, um… Did I do well?”

“You did very well, Lady Gu.”

“……”

It was heartwarming to see her smiling brightly.

Isn’t it beautiful? The plum blossom that bloomed properly.

…Indeed.

It was rewarding.

…

Huashan called for Gu Hwa-rin. They formally invited her into Huashan, to receive guidance and hone her skills.

But she declined.

“…I don’t really want to. Now it doesn’t seem particularly meaningful…”

“Weren’t you wanting to enter Huashan?”

“That is true. I wanted to find a place to belong. But…”

She glanced at me.

“I’ve already found it.”

“……?”

“Umm… by any chance, does Inspector Jeok-un not recruit an assistant or something?”

“Already have one!”

Sua raised her hand eagerly. Gu Hwa-rin smiled cheerfully.

“Is that so? Assistant. Don’t you also hire an assistant for your assistant?”

“I’ll think about it, sis.”

“Thank you.”

The Plum Blossom Divine surprisingly did not oppose. He nodded several times.

“It’s a journey through the martial world. It’s certainly something that must be done sometime. You’ll have to experience many things for the plum blossoms to bloom more richly.”

“That doesn’t mean you’re sending me with her…”

“There’s something to discuss about that as well. Inspector, come here and stand.”

I stood in front of the Plum Blossom Divine. He stared at me intently.

“Won’t you show everything you have?”

“…There are circumstances.”

“You are my benefactor who saved my life. Is that all? You are also the one who showed me what the child behind you holds. You brought us an unmatched gift compared to anything else, so don’t worry.”

The Plum Blossom Divine patted his chest.

“Even if you were a murderous monster that would make one cry out in anger, I will keep your secret. I’m putting my name on the line!”

It was similar to what Bul-jun had said.

Honestly, it was risky. Revealing to a member of the Sazon that I was from the Demon Cult was not exactly a sane decision.

…But.

I wanted to know more about my body, which was somewhat difficult to understand. If Ilma had been nearby, I would have asked comfortably, but I couldn’t just do that.

In the end, I nodded. Having heard of the existence of Yeok-cheon, I knew I had to become stronger.

Moreover, the Plum Blossom Divine didn’t seem like someone who would lie.

Siyuan He Yi (Four Elements United).

I awakened four intertwining energies swirling together at once.

“What?!”

I maintained my composure before the astonished Plum Blossom Divine. He stared at the four distinct energies with a puzzled expression.

“…Yin energy and Yang energy… and within them, blood energy and… demonic energy swirling around…”

“I am from the Demon Cult.”

“Demon Cult!”

The Plum Blossom Divine flinched. Gu Hwa-rin was also astonished.

“W-why is someone from the Demon Cult here?!”

“Weren’t you the Martial Alliance Inspector?!”

“I’m chasing those who ruined the Demon Cult. Following their traces, I discovered they are members of Yeok-cheon.”

“……”

“My goal is to punish them. They massacre the powerless, bathing in their blood. They cannot be spared.”

I basically explained what had happened.

The Plum Blossom Divine groaned.

“How far are the Yeok-cheon members hiding…?”

“It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the entire martial world.”

“…I understand why you want to become stronger. But just to ask out of concern, you don’t hold any bad feelings towards Huashan, right?”

“Yes?”

“I heard about what happened with the second-in-command. That you were humiliated in front of everyone.”

Oh.

Is that what I had forgotten?

I shook my head.

“I hold no personal feelings toward Huashan. Coming as a Martial Alliance Inspector, I anticipated I would receive some hostility.”

“Hmm.”

“Moreover… hasn’t the story changed a bit by now?”

“What do you mean by story?”

“I wasn’t connected before, but now I have somebody I care about.”

I stole a glance at Gu Hwa-rin. I smiled subtly.

“Isn’t it odd to harbor hostility toward a place where a friend is?”

“…Jeok-un…”

“Ahem! That should be enough! Friend, friend, and crossing the line!”

“Yes?”

“Let’s properly exchange swords once. I will seal my Heart Sword and clash with everything else…”

He moved to a place.

A secluded area within Huashan. Underneath an unvisited highland, he drew his sword.

“Come at me with your full strength.”

“…Yes.”

I mixed my sword with his. I showed him all the techniques I had.

After all, the difference in realm was only one stage. And that stage was no small gap—the difference between Hyun-kyung and Huaxing.

Naturally, I couldn’t win. But with each clash, the Plum Blossom Divine’s groans grew deeper.

“…Your sword has something missing.”

“Yes?”

“There’s nothing to criticize in terms of completeness. In fact, there are many aspects I want to praise. However, your Yi-hyeong Ki is uncertain.”

It was something Bul-jun had also mentioned. The Plum Blossom Divine quietly looked over my Yi-hyeong Ki.

The skin of a beast with eyes. And the dark end of that sword was stained with dripping blood.

“Your Yi-hyeong Ki is like a beast. It clings tenaciously and bites its opponent. But if you look deeper, isn’t that all there is?”

“……”

“It wouldn’t be wrong to say you’re not using it properly. Your Yi-hyeong Ki is all about physical enhancement. It hasn’t integrated into your martial arts at all. Though its target is clear, you’ve probably never thought about exactly what form you want it to take.”

“…….”

“What you need now is not a sword. It’s time to calm your heart. I will speak to the Martial Alliance on your behalf…”

He patted my shoulder.

“Think here. Clearly reflect on the form you want to achieve your goal. Not letting go of your sword every day, of course, is very important. Necessary for a warrior. But since you’ve been running nonstop, there certainly exists something you’ve passed over. Find that.”

“…….”

I perched myself on a rock.

For a moment, I put down my sword and fell into thoughts.

Yi-hyeong Ki. The first step in pulling abstract thoughts into reality.

I was curious too.

What would my ideal self look like…

…

“Dad isn’t coming.”

“I heard he’s training.”

“Is that so…”

Sua slumped down. Gu Hwa-rin cleared her throat awkwardly.

“Don’t you have anything you want to do? How about going down to the village with me?”

“I don’t want to. It was fun being with Dad.”

“Wouldn’t it be fun even if you come with me?”

Sua shot a quick glance at Gu Hwa-rin. She promptly turned her head away.

“Yes.”

Decisive. It was a completely different demeanor from the affectionate side she showed with her father.

Is she shy? I’m not sure. Dealing with kids is tough. Gu Hwa-rin was sweating profusely.

“Master, when is Jeok-un coming back?”

“Well… he is on a journey to find himself, so it might take a while. Sua.”

“Yes?”

“I heard you’re learning martial arts. How about getting a glimpse of the Sword of Huashan while you’re at it?”

Sua blinked. After hesitating, she asked.

“I heard that learning swords from another sect is considered stealing.”

“That’s only about learning without permission. But as the current headmaster, am I not permitting it?”

The Plum Blossom Divine smiled slyly.

“You can learn as much as you can. Learn from Hwa-rin. Teaching someone is also a good opportunity for Hwa-rin. Moreover, learning the Sword of Huashan will help protect your father. The Sword of Huashan is great that way!”

“…Really, can I learn?”

“Of course. Take everything you can.”

Gu Hwa-rin clicked her tongue inside. While she said that, who could so easily extract the essence of Huashan?

It’s almost a joke. Didn’t it take her a year just to complete the basics?

Is she saying to play along?

Gu Hwa-rin grabbed Sua’s hand. After sitting her down in the flower patch, she revealed the foundational martial art of Huashan, the Seven Plum Blossom Sword.

She swung the sword as if eating a meal. In front of such a sword, Sua’s eyes sparkled.

“Yeah, I think I get it.”

“……?”

You think you get it? What does that mean?

Gu Hwa-rin realized what the statement implied a step too late. She easily imitated the sword she had just swung.

The core of the martial art was unraveled in an instant. It took less than three days for her to comprehend the Seven Plum Blossom Sword.

“What’s next?”

“Master?!”

“What’s going on since morning…”

Sua wielded the sword. The splendid blooming of the Seven Plum Blossom Sword made the Plum Blossom Divine blink.

“Have you… could it be you’ve learned the Sword of Huashan before?”

“This is my first time.”

“What on earth… Again, once more…”

The Seven Plum Blossom Sword burst forth into the air again. The mixed petals whirled around the sword, stirring a gentle breeze.

The Plum Blossom Divine’s eyes grew nearly wide enough to pop out.

“W-what did you teach her?!”

“I-it wasn’t me! Master! That kid…”

Gu Hwa-rin shouted, shocked at the bizarre phenomenon breaking common sense.

“That kid merely followed my sword!”

“…What kind of talent is this…? Is it possible to also imitate this?!”

The upper-level sword technique, known as the Fundamental Arts of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique, pierced the air.

Sua blinked. After staring intently at it, she shook her head.

“That’s not possible.”

The Plum Blossom Divine let out a mix of relieved and regretful sigh.

“I suppose that’s to be expected?”

“Not right now. But I think it would be possible after a little more time. It may not be identical… but even now, I can sort of imitate it.”

Sua twisted her wrist. The neatly cut sword energy shimmered like a star for a moment.

The gathered sword energy briefly emulated the strength of a sword, making an attempt to replicate the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique, even if just for an instant.

“What the hell?! How can sword energy imitate sword strength?!”

The level of energy manipulation pushed Gu Hwa-rin into horror. The applied sword energy created a burst in her hand in an instant.

Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique

Plum Blossom by the roadside,

Though incomplete, it blooms.

A plum that is as red as blood.

“?!”

“?!”

The soaring applied sword energy pierced between the two and crossed through the flower field.

On the fragments of the aura scattered in the air, the thick scent of plum blossoms mixed thickly.

Sua sheathed her sword. After catching her breath with a huff, she expertly put her sword back into its sheath.

“So please teach me everything. I’ll refer to it later.”

“…What kind of monstrous talent is this…?!”

With one trembling statement from the Plum Blossom Divine, Gu Hwa-rin’s heart was also encapsulated.

What on earth…

Is this insane talent?!

 

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