Baek Seora, who had died and come back to life after eating a poisonous herb, had requested to enter closed-door training as punishment.
What exactly is closed-door training?
To put it simply, it's isolating yourself in a quiet place and focusing only on martial arts training.
'The problem is that this "quiet place" happens to be a sealed cave like this one.'
Anyway, the reason for training in such a quiet and secluded place is simple:
It's for enlightenment.
Among the many factors that determine one's level in martial arts, enlightenment is one of the most important.
No matter how much inner power you have or how perfectly you've memorized techniques, if you lack enlightenment, you can't reach a higher realm.
That's why people train in remote places without distractions.
Of course, closed-door training is not easy. How could it be, to isolate yourself with barely enough food and train non-stop?
Especially when you're focused on the deep principles of martial arts—it's easy to lose track of time.
You could be in isolation for a few months, or even decades.
The duration depends on when you achieve enlightenment.
That's why, although this type of training is widely known, very few attempt it—only those who are extremely driven or obsessed with martial arts.
'Not that I'm planning to stay in here for decades or anything!'
Ten years at most.
That was the time Seora had in mind.
The sooner it's over, the better. But if she rushed and came out half-baked, all her effort would be wasted.
And so—
An interesting topic stirred up the usually quiet Sword Pavilion.
When the disciples heard that Seora had requested closed-door training, their reactions split into two.
The first group said:
—Closed-door training? Smart move. If she asks for the hardest punishment herself, it's harder to scold her further.
They believed she had come up with a clever trick to avoid harsher punishment.
The second group said:
—Closed-door training? A disciple who hasn't even fully learned the basics? She thinks it's just being locked in a room for a few days? That kind of training is for people ready for enlightenment! She just wants to avoid real training! No one can even watch what she's doing in there!
They thought she was making excuses and trying to escape proper training.
'Ha. These people are going to faint from shock when I come out after finishing this.'
Seora's reason for going into closed-door training wasn't just to save her master—it was primarily to gain strength.
What truly mattered was becoming strong enough to save the protagonist and rescue the martial world from the flames of war.
For that, closed-door training was essential.
Why was she once called the Sword Empress at such a young age?
Seora was gifted and skilled with the sword, but there was also the poisonous herb she had once eaten.
'Technically, it wasn't poison. It was a spiritual herb.'
If taken properly, it would've acted as a rare elixir instead of poison.
But her young and untrained body couldn't handle it. The massive energy from the herb caused her constant pain.
It didn't get easier.
Even trying to control her breathing and internal energy was dangerous.
The enormous power inside her threatened to tear apart her energy channels.
'Well, luckily I managed to tame it.'
Fortunately, Seora was a rare martial genius known as a "once-in-a-thousand-years" talent.
She succeeded in taming at least a part of that wild power.
It was only a partial success, but thanks to that, she survived even when the Demonic Cult unleashed their massive trap.
It became one of the strong foundations that earned her the title of Sword Empress later.
"Seora, are you really going into the closed-door training chamber?"
Asked Ryeonghwa, a fellow disciple, with concern.
"Of course. Do you think I'd say that as a joke?"
"I believe you. But there are so many who don't. Even the other elders seem unsure. Especially Elder Haeyeon—he's strongly against it."
"…Elder Haeyeon?"
He was the elder martial brother of her master and known for having deep jealousy toward him.
In her past life, he had used Seora as an excuse to push her master out of the inner sect.
'That man is always the problem.'
He never missed a chance to attack her master.
"I heard he got angry, saying Seora was mocking the sect's rules. He even agreed to let her enter the chamber—but only under strict conditions. He said if people start seeing closed-door training as a way to avoid punishment, it'll damage its meaning."
"Really? What kind of conditions?"
"He said you have to stay the full five years."
"Five years?"
"Yeah. He said if you're so confident, five years shouldn't be a problem."
"Five years…"
The malice in Elder Haeyeon's condition was obvious.
"If you give up halfway and beg to be let out, our master will be held responsible. He says that if you come out before five years are over, it'll prove you were just trying to escape punishment."
Wow.
That man never misses a chance.
'Was he always this petty in my past life?'
Seora hadn't requested closed-door training in her past life, so she hadn't seen this side of him before.
"Then all I have to do is last the full five years, right?"
"Well, yeah. But Seora, are you really going in? You won't be able to see anyone, and you'll only eat those tasteless survival pills every day."
She knew.
She'd eaten enough of those in her previous life to get sick of them.
They were small, round emergency food pills called Byeokgokdan.
'And like most emergency food, they taste… absolutely terrible.'
While some elite families added rare herbs and even honey to improve the flavor, the Sword Pavilion's pills were utterly flavorless.
They tasted like dried grass. Slightly better than paper, maybe?
"And you're still going?"
Seora answered Ryeonghwa's question firmly.
"Yeah. I have to."
Her blood vessels were soft, and her body was flexible—perfect for absorbing nature's energy.
Plus, she needed time to make the massive energy from the spiritual herb fully hers.
'In my past life, I wasted years trying to absorb it and ended up giving up half of it just to stay alive.'
Spiritual herbs are often seen as half-living things.
There's even a legend of a thousand-year-old ginseng root running away on its own to avoid being eaten.
Anyway, the herb Seora had accidentally eaten clearly didn't want to be consumed by someone unworthy.
Instead of being absorbed, it acted like a wild animal, constantly trying to tear her apart.
To survive, she not only wasted years but also had to give up half the energy it contained.
'But not this time!'
Last time, she had no idea what she was doing and was dragged around by the herb.
But now, she clearly remembered every detail of the martial arts knowledge she had gained in her past life.
If she could completely absorb the energy without missing a single bit—
'This could work!'
Inner power isn't everything.
But for someone who's already trained and experienced, having strong inner power can elevate them even further.
"Are you really confident, Seora?"
"Yeah. Closed-door training is exactly what I need right now. By the way, Ryeonghwa—did you place a bet? I heard some of the senior disciples are betting on whether I'll last."
"Me? I don't have any money! And how could I bet on your situation?"
Seora grinned.
"Come on, place a bet. I'll make you rich."
On a day when the sun lingered unusually long in the sky,
Seora finally entered the training chamber.
People laughed at her to the very end, but she didn't care.
'Yeah. Laugh all you want. When I come out, none of you will even remember how to laugh.'
Seora sat cross-legged in a familiar spot from her past life and closed her eyes.
Recalling the martial principles she had once mastered, she slowly sank into deep meditation and began her journey toward enlightenment.
And then—
Seven years passed.