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“I feel like my training is following a similar path to before.”

The Sword Demon, being a master of swordplay, quickly figured out my martial arts level and concluded that I needed the skill to consciously handle my intent.

“Alright, let’s start the Hell Training.”

Of course, if I took this literally, I’d end up exhausting my stamina and energy for a month, just like before, with no results. I’ve already seen the futile outcome of such meaningless training.

So, I quickly replied, “I’m not that exceptional with the Essence. How about we do seated meditation instead?”

The Sword Demon tilted his head in confusion. “Hmm? You should certainly have talent…”

I fell silent.

“Well, if that’s what you want, then that’s what we’ll do. You know your condition better than I do,” he said.

And just like before, he taught me the Shadowless Soul-Removing Sword Technique while also guiding my meditation practice.

Seated meditation wasn’t just about sitting and focusing your mind. Unlike how regular Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism disciples practiced, the Sword Demon’s guided meditation felt more like a training to unify the mind and concentrate on a singular point. When I closed my eyes, I couldn’t see anything, but I could clearly observe a singular self in the void.

Whoooosh…

As my internal power naturally flowed from me, the Sword Demon instructed, “Conceal your Qi.”

“I’m sorry!” I hurriedly lowered my energy level, and he continued explaining.

“You’re not adept at hiding your Qi. Though your internal power surpasses that of a normal human, this indicates that your control over it is lacking. If you can’t fully govern your own Qi, you won’t easily achieve the realm of intent.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Focus, concentrate.”

I concentrated, feeling a point piercing through the darkness. Cultivating focus and reducing reliance on my Qi would bring my pure essence to its limits—that was the essence of seated meditation.

‘How can I fully conceal my Qi?’

Completely hiding one’s Qi was referred to as Return to Simplicity. Only a master like a Dharma Guardian or those of equal status could attain that level. I couldn’t help but think that they might be able to elegantly conceal my level of internal power.

After two additional moments of meditation, I asked the Sword Demon, “I’m curious about Return to Simplicity.”

“I figured you’d ask that. What specifically are you curious about?”

It seemed he could read my mind. I nodded and with a serious gaze, asked, “Is hiding one’s Qi also a technique of intent?”

“Partly right and partly wrong.” The Sword Demon looked at me with a deep gaze and explained.

“The ability to hide Qi can indeed be enhanced with intent. However, that technique cannot be considered the essence of Return to Simplicity. It’s clearly a different realm.”

“Please explain further.”

“Hehe, many experts would risk their lives to hear this explanation.”

He laughed heartily and slowly extended his index finger. As my gaze fixed on his finger, he spoke.

“Only the top masters in the martial world can reach the Return to Simplicity, where they can completely hide their Qi. What do you think causes the phenomenon of Return to Simplicity?”

“Umm…”

“If someone’s Qi is overflowing powerfully, it should naturally overflow, right?”

“That’s complicated.”

I hadn’t thought about it much. As I pondered, the Sword Demon calmly began his explanation.

“It’s about [gathering].”

“Gathering?”

“Yes. When Qi reaches its peak, it concentrates and converges to a single point for maximum efficiency. It’s tricky to even call it a dantian; it’s like a focus point that allows one to explosively emit their essence from there.”

This was quite a complicated explanation. But somehow, I felt I understood what he meant, and I accepted his words.

“If energy spreads all over the body, there’s a lot of waste, right?”

Concentration over dispersal.

Upon hearing my words, the Sword Demon chuckled.

“Exactly. Also, if the Qi rises too high, it burdens both the mental and physical strength. The human body instinctively shields itself from the immense pressure of such power. That’s why one guides their vast Qi to a single point under the guise of efficiency.”

“Hmm…”

Though the Eight Extraordinary Vessels weren’t a tangible pathway affecting the body greatly, when one’s internal power was massive enough to achieve Return to Simplicity, it seemed that this wasn’t wrong at all. “Too much leads to overflow” isn’t just an old saying.

“Supreme masters utilize that phenomenon, making it easier for them to control their intent. Consequently, Qi is completely ensnared in the meridians, not leaking out even a strand, leading to the realm of Return to Simplicity.”

I still wasn’t quite understanding, so I asked the Sword Demon, “I can’t feel that focal point…”

“That’s because your internal power is astounding, but your control is lacking. It’s a ‘skill’ issue, different from mental strength. Your internal power isn’t earned from normal training, making it difficult for you to “tame” it.”

After explaining this much, the Sword Demon tapped my shoulder with a wooden sword.

“In other words, once you grasp intent, you can fully control your Qi and easily reach Return to Simplicity.”

“I understand.”

I realized countless benefits come with attaining intent.

Until now, I’d used the Hua Clan’s acupuncture to deliberately conceal my internal power, but if I could completely control it with intent, that wouldn’t be necessary. Achieving Return to Simplicity would greatly ease my burdens.

However, as I repeated meditation training for another two months, a critical problem dawned on me.

‘This is so boring…’

No matter how much I focused my mental strength on seated meditation, there’s only so much you can do. After all, humans are animals, and it’s harder to sit still. Spending hours just sitting and concentrating felt like a terrifying ordeal, especially for someone like me with little experience.

Noticing my mood, the Sword Demon spoke up. “Have you started to respect the Taoist monks?”

“Yes. They’re truly impressive people.”

How could they possibly wake up at dawn and do such tedious tasks for decades on end?

“Hehe.”

As I shivered, the Sword Demon laughed. ‘He’s much funnier than I expected.’

I hadn’t seen this side of him when we trained together before. I realized the Sword Demon held a significant favor towards me, perhaps because I was his daughter’s benefactor and showed dedication in my training.

At that moment, Seo Mun-hye entered, carrying a large tray of snacks.

“It’s break time. Please have some while you train.”

“Ah, thank you.”

While there weren’t many types of snacks, each was fresh and rare, something hard for a commoner to find. They must have separately cultivated fruits in their field.

The Sword Demon munched on the fruit with a crunch and said, “Hyea, do you like Baek Woong’s Dharma Guardian?”

“Huh.” I was taken aback by the Sword Demon’s sudden question. Seo Mun-hye gently smiled and replied, “Yes.”

“So that’s it, Baek Dharma Guardian.”

But what was I supposed to say?!

Words escaped me as the Sword Demon’s gaze bore down on me—playful yet somehow filled with unknown pressure. Though he hadn’t said it directly, he seemed to hope I’d end up with Seo Mun-hye.

‘Ugh… what to do…’

This wasn’t unexpected, but the situation was escalating faster than I thought. Continuing to train at the Shadowless Gate would surely advance my martial skills, but there was a high chance that the Sword Demon would pressure me into marrying Seo Mun-hye someday.

Anyone could think I was a fortunate fool for losing my cool over a woman like her when I was such an unattractive guy. She was a breathtaking beauty with white hair, a top expert in Jianghu, and the Sword Demon’s heir. Marrying her could easily elevate my status in the Central Plains Martial Sects.

But I didn’t want that. What I wanted was purely to enhance my own power; marrying Seo Mun-hye felt like an overwhelming responsibility.

‘No. I don’t want to give my feelings to anyone else.’

Though I shared a deep bond with Mangnyang and Miho, that alone was hard to manage.

‘What if I give my heart and can’t protect Seo Mun-hye?’

I could still see the memory of Mangnyang, whose tragic fate was my fault, and the same for Miho, who died protecting me. The mental shock from those incidents could crush a normal person’s psyche.

What if I ended up with a happy life alongside Seo Mun-hye?

I might be happy. No, it would surely be so. Having kids and living joyfully together sounds nice.

But I can’t entertain such notions in this life. As long as I pursue my goals, death is inescapable. And abandoning someone I’ve grown fond of, failing to fulfill my duties as a husband before dying, would completely devastate my spirit.

Moreover, in my heart, I only cherish Miho. Having given my pure heart and love to her, the thought of intertwining with another woman is unthinkable. It may seem foolishly selfish, but I refuse to bond with anyone but Miho.

In that moment, I resolved.

After gaining intent, I’d seize any opportunity to leave the Shadowless Gate.

Just then, Seo Mun-hye came over and asked, “Baek Woong’s Dharma Guardian, why do you look so troubled?”

“Ah? Young Master… it’s just… um…”

Seo Mun-hye smiled brightly and took my hand. “If you have worries, feel free to share them with me. You’re now family of the Shadowless Gate.”

“Uh… um…”

In that moment, the Sword Demon sent a fierce transmission my way.

[Speak of your troubles quickly!]

“……”

With this kind of pressure, even a non-existent worry would spring to life. I realized that the Sword Demon treasured Seo Mun-hye like his only daughter, and I gathered my thoughts. Then, slowly, I spoke to Seo Mun-hye.

“Are you aware that the Self-Controlled Moon Blade is in the hands of the Master of the Twelve Joules?”

She paused, taken aback.

Suddenly, the atmosphere froze. The Sword Demon, who had been half-jokingly observing me and Seo Mun-hye flirt, now wore a serious expression, while Seo Mun-hye’s complexion paled slightly. Then, in a heavy voice, she said, “How do you know about that, Baek Guardian?”

The Self-Controlled Moon Blade was the grand prize from the previous Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament. Seo Mun-hye had entered the tournament because there were rumors that the world-class martial skill was hidden within. However, I’d heard that the Master of the Twelve Joules had won it during the concluding moments of the 14th Rebirth.

“I learned it from the leader of the pirates when rescuing Young Master. He seemed to have ties with the organizer of the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament and knew its ins and outs.”

I fabricated my explanation somewhat. Fortunately, it seemed convincing enough as the Sword Demon remarked bluntly, “Hmph! That Tuma fellow will definitely die at the next Assembly of the Eight Demons.”

“Assembly of the Eight Demons?”

“Anyway, continue. Why are you bringing this up now, Baek Guardian?”

As the Sword Demon looked at me, I calmly continued my narrative.

“It’s just that I’m dying to know what world-class martial skill is hidden within that Self-Controlled Moon Blade. The halberd isn’t exactly a favorable weapon for becoming a master, and I’ve never heard of a weapon housing martial skill. That has weighed heavily on my mind.”

“Ah… that…”

Hearing my words, Seo Mun-hye appeared indecisive. She looked as if she didn’t know what to say. Not wanting to dwell in silence, the Sword Demon interjected, “Hyea, you should leave for now.”

“Yes, Father.”

Seo Mun-hye discreetly left the hall. As silence settled, the Sword Demon turned to me and said, “Baek Guardian, Hyea has already informed me of that matter. I’ve also gathered some information regarding the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament and learned about the martial skill associated with the Self-Controlled Moon Blade.”

“You’ve uncovered it?”

“Yes. However, it sounded too ludicrous for me to take seriously.”

With that, the Sword Demon munched on another fruit decisively and continued.

“They say that the Self-Controlled Moon Blade can manipulate time and space.”

“What?” I echoed, flabbergasted.

“They say if you unravel the black cloth wrapped around it, time and space will move recklessly.”

The Tuma fellow likely thought that was the unique artifact of Inner Strength, but it seems there were many who considered it a form of martial skill.

“That’s intriguing.”

“Baek Guardian, let’s save that discussion for later. The Self-Controlled Moon Blade is currently not essential to the Shadowless Gate; what’s more urgent is the upcoming Assembly of the Eight Demons.”

I grew curious and asked, “What’s the Assembly of the Eight Demons?”

“You should know this. The Eight Demons of Martial Daos who lead the Central Plains Martial Sects are holding a conference, known as the Assembly of the Eight Demons.”

“I’ve never heard of that while traveling through Jianghu.”

The Sword Demon sighed with a bitter smile.

“There are countless Jianghu people after the head of the Eight Demons, and if anyone learns where the Eight Demons are gathered, he’ll bring hundreds to attack. Why would we spill such secrets in Jianghu?”

“Ah…”

“The next Assembly of the Eight Demons will be in five months. You must enhance your skills by then so you can join me in attending.”

I felt embarrassed saying, “My skills don’t even come close to yours, Sect Leader.”

It would be absurd for me to stand guard over the Sword Demon. But he waved me off.

“Hah, it’s not like that. You’re being too humble. I firmly believe I will need your strength.”

Feeling something significant in his assertion, I probed further.

“Is there a possibility of armed conflict…?”

He nodded, saying, “More precisely, I intend to initiate it.”

“……!!”

There was an unmistakable murderous aura flickering in his gaze. Although it was directed elsewhere, the intensity shock me to the core. Despite him being courteous towards me, he remained the number one expert in heretical sects as well as the faction leader of the Shadowless Gate, the Sword Demon Seo Mun-dae-ryong.

“Because of Tuma’s role in holding the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament, Hyea became the slave of pirates. At the Assembly of the Eight Demons, I will ensure he is torn limb from limb and all his followers meet the same fate.”

 

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