Sword Saint – 1
The affair at Naga Manor was completely resolved.
Ma Maengun, who had arrived with Bi Sa-yeong, truly showed the skill befitting the son of the great physician Gweui.
He treated the wounded and also Lady Na's father. In fact, he even gave hopeful words that the manor lord would soon recover his health.
As for Madam Min and her son, Na Seohwang—who had fled on their own, abandoning everyone during the Iron Ghost attack—they never returned.
Of course, I had made sure they could not return, but the people of Naga Manor, not knowing this, assumed that they were too ashamed to come back.
I chose to remain silent.
"Then we'll see you again in a few days. Please take care on your return."
After Ma Maengun declared that with proper rest Lord Naga's health would be completely restored, we finally set off back to the front lines—everyone except Lady Na.
It had been five days since we first arrived here.
Lady Na remained behind to continue caring for her father. After all, she still had more than three weeks left of her leave.
This was possible only thanks to the Sword Saint.
"Lady Na, spend all the time you need with the lord. Return slowly."
"Yes, use this chance to show your filial devotion."
At my and Bi Sa-yeong's words, Lady Na smiled gently.
"I will. Thank you."
Her gaze then turned to Captain Seolpung.
It was a look different from the one she gave us—deeper, filled with something more.
"Captain, please return safely as well. Thank you for coming."
The captain answered with his usual awkward expression.
"I will. You also take care, Lady."
Once, I might have thought this completely natural. But now that I knew their feelings, it was nothing short of frustrating to watch.
All because my last plan had failed.
My intention had been for the captain, upon hearing of Lady Na's marriage talks, to be so alarmed that he would go straight to her father and formally ask for her hand.
Even if not that far, at least to confess to Lady Na not to marry anyone else—that much seemed possible.
But the plan collapsed when the captain happened to encounter Lady Na herself as she was leaving her father's room.
He hastily asked her if she really had to marry, and she had laughed brightly, saying not anymore.
At that, the captain only muttered something vague about being glad, and then turned back.
When I heard that, I could only laugh helplessly.
"As they say, man proposes, Heaven disposes. This isn't easy at all."
It seemed making the captain deliver a proper confession was a task of the highest difficulty. Perhaps comparable to toppling the Blood Cult itself.
I resolved that next time, I would need a more thorough plan.
And I tried to suppress the faint surge of relief in my own heart.
These were feelings I needed to set aside cleanly.
Though it was not easy yet, they say nothing is impossible in this world.
***
"We're nearly there. Another half a shichen of running, and we'll be back at the Thirteenth Squad."
"You're right. On the way here I didn't notice, but it's really close."
"Yeah, surprisingly close."
When Captain Seolpung, I, and Bi Sa-yeong said this one after another, Ma Maengun—slung on the captain's back—shuddered.
"Ugh, it only feels close because your movement arts are so fast! It's not a short distance!"
Indeed, the return trip had taken little time.
For the three of us—the fastest movement technique users of the Thirteenth Squad—the distance to Heungui was nothing more than a casual stroll of a few shichen.
Even though the captain and I had alternated carrying the still-weak Ma Maengun, it was still quick.
At that moment, I suddenly remembered—I had promised to speak with Lady Cheongyeon before we left for Naga Manor.
Ah… I rushed out without even explaining. How careless.
Of course, given the urgency, she would surely understand. Still, I felt I should apologize properly.
And this time, I must truly talk with her.
Thinking back, Lady Cheongyeon had always been at my side, helping me in countless ways. And I had done nothing for her in return.
Even when her troubles were plain to see, I hadn't been able to help her. As a friend, I had failed.
So this time, I wanted to do something for her.
I was determined to be of help to her, even once.
With those thoughts, we returned to the Thirteenth Flying Dragon Squad.
And the first to greet us was someone wholly unexpected.
"Welcome back! I hear you slew three Iron Ghosts without even Firebone Powder?! As expected of the finest talents I've been watching! Wahahaha!"
Greeting us with a radiant face and hearty laughter—was none other than Lady Cheongyeon's father, the Heavenly Sword Saint, Hae Unbaek.
He had come to the squad while we were away.
Startled, we quickly bowed with clasped fists.
"We greet the Sword Saint, honored elder!"
Ma Maengun's eyes went wide, staring at his face.
"W-What?! The Sword Saint?!"
Hae Unbaek laughed even more broadly, striding forward to clap our shoulders.
"Hahaha! Why such formality between us? Hearing such stiff greetings makes me feel distant."
I didn't know exactly what "between us" meant, but he certainly knew how to put others at ease.
At his jovial words, we found ourselves smiling comfortably.
Then the Sword Saint looked at Ma Maengun.
"So this must be Gweui's son. As they say, very handsome indeed. I'm envious. If I'd been half so handsome in my youth, I wouldn't have failed with my first love! Hahaha!"
Normally, Ma Maengun disliked any mention of his appearance. With features too delicate and beautiful, he carried a complex about it.
But coming from the Sword Saint, he seemed not the least offended.
As I'd noticed before, the elder had a way of speaking—light, humorous, but never insulting—that left one feeling uplifted.
How to describe it…
Not just martial strength, but a personality that made you want to emulate him.
The fragrance of a truly admirable elder.
To me, who had never once spoken properly with my own father, he was the first "good adult" I had ever met.
The Sword Saint glanced around, then leaned closer with a sly smile.
"Ah, and my talk of first love—that's a secret from Cheongyeon. I trust you'll keep it."
I chuckled and asked:
"So you came here to see Lady Cheongyeon, elder?"
"Yes. I heard your squad had returned, so I came straightaway. But…"
He looked at me and asked:
"Did you know Cheongyeon has gone to the Fourth Squad as vice-captain?"
We were all shocked.
"What?! Lady Cheongyeon has already joined the Fourth Squad? So soon?"
"From your reaction, I see you didn't know. When I arrived yesterday, she was already using the Fourth Squad's quarters."
It was disconcerting news.
Of course, both she and I had known we would be assigned to different squads eventually. But for her to transfer before even returning from mission—it was unexpected.
I realized that must have been what she had been struggling with before.
And I regretted all the more that I hadn't spoken with her in time.
I asked the Sword Saint:
"Did Lady Cheongyeon say anything about it?"
But he only shrugged.
"I asked, but she only said it was something that had to be done. Nothing more."
It seemed she hadn't confided fully even to her father.
I resolved that I would have to ask her myself at the first opportunity.
We first reported our return to the squad commander, then went back to the Seventh Squad's quarters.
There, three people awaited us.
Before we had left, the Seventh Squad had consisted of Bae Jonggwan, Lady Cheongyeon, and Lady Cheon Jueun. Now, with Lady Cheongyeon gone, there were still three.
Because one more had joined.
She was a strikingly beautiful woman, her expression languid, her presence exuding a hazy, dreamy aura.
She looked straight at the captain and spoke:
"So you've finally returned, Seolpung."
We had been about to greet Bae Jonggwan and Lady Cheon Jueun, but at her voice, a strange atmosphere swept over us.
Even the air around her seemed to thicken and shimmer, infused with a languid allure.
It was a presence I had only once felt before—from Senior Son Eunsang, the Seductive Fiend.
Captain Seolpung answered with a slightly awkward expression.
"Ah, Lady Ya Unhyang. So you had already arrived here?"
She smiled faintly, eyes hazy.
"Of course. That's why I came here. You really do make me wait too long."
A peculiar mood flowed between the two of them.
Unsettled, Bi Sa-yeong and I exchanged glances, then quickly asked Bae Jonggwan and Lady Cheon Jueun via sound transmission what was going on.
Lady Cheon Jueun's reply came at once:
— Sister Unhyang applied to join the Flying Dragon Squad because of Captain Seolpung. It's already the talk of the entire Thirteenth Squad.
At those words, I was taken aback and asked again:
— What? What do you mean, she joined because of the captain?
Lady Cheon Jueun's reply was so astonishing it left me speechless.
— Well… maybe she "fell for the captain at first sight." It doesn't look like she came out of vengeance, after all.
— …What?!
I gave a hollow laugh.
That a woman had fallen for the captain—who could barely even speak to women—and had applied to the Flying Dragon Squad because of it?
And that woman was this much of a beauty?
No, it wasn't just her looks that were surprising.
Judging by the feeling she gave off, her martial arts were surely above the pinnacle as well.
My chest grew heavy.
It seemed the future where Lady Na and the captain would come together smoothly would not arrive so easily.
Through our introductions, we learned that she was none other than Ya Unhyang, the "Bloody Petal Goddess of Letters," a famed female master of the demonic path. Truly a shocking identity.
Lady Cheon Jueun sighed helplessly, saying that Ya Unhyang didn't seem like a bad person, but was certainly as unusual as Lady Cheongyeon.
It seemed there was something about the Seventh Squad that drew in peculiar people.
***
"Haap!"
Pah-sasasak!
Using Thousand Wind, Falling Petals, my figure scattered in all directions like drifting blossoms.
It was a movement art supreme in deceiving the opponent's sight. My opponent looked around in admiration, momentarily distracted.
At that instant, I had already moved behind him and unleashed my sword.
Thirteen Swords of Seonu, Form Thirteen.
Illusory Sword Realm.
Shwaaaaa!
Dozens—hundreds—of swords split forth, encircling him from all sides.
I closed my eyes and recalled it.
That breathtaking strike Mukrang had once shown me.
The swordplay I had yearned for so much that I even dreamed of it nightly.
Opening my eyes in a flash, I cried out.
"Haaap!"
In that instant, the hundreds of phantom swords turned real, pouring down upon him.
Shuhaaahhh!
Thirteen Swords of Seonu, Form Fifteen.
Form Is Emptiness, Emptiness Is Form.
The very strike I had never forgotten even for a single day, the one I had clung to even in dreams.
And now, nourished by the insights I gained fighting the two Iron Ghosts, it finally blossomed into reality.
Success!
Fiery joy surged through every fiber of my body and mind.
The Sword Saint, under bombardment from my countless strikes, only smiled faintly and murmured:
"Splendid."
And then, at last, he drew his sword.
Shaaa!
What he swung was a single slash.
Not brimming with overwhelming force, not a blindingly fast cut. Just a simple, ordinary stroke.
But that one horizontal slash—
It erased all my joy. Left me staring in mute awe.
The sword was not fast.
No, I couldn't even tell if it was fast or not.
The sword moved.
The world split.
And my encircling sword qi vanished.
I could not even tell if those three events were cause and effect, or merely independent occurrences that happened at once.
It was as if I glimpsed something from beyond this world.
The moment I saw it, my blazing joy flipped into trembling awe.
As I stood dumbstruck, replaying that stroke in my mind, the Sword Saint spoke.
"Truly remarkable. Last I saw you, you hadn't even reached the Yi Gi Seong Gang. Yet in this short time, you've crossed not one but two barriers. And not just at the very threshold either—you're already well within. Did you perhaps encounter some great chance?"
I snapped back to myself and answered quickly.
"Ah—yes. I was fortunate to gain guidance for a short while from a senior who did not reveal his identity."
The Sword Saint gave a wry chuckle.
"Ha! Just what sort of senior could guide you so well? His teaching ability makes me envious. I'd like to learn from him myself."
I could only give an awkward smile.
He sighed once, then said:
"You have crossed two walls in quick succession, and are already drawing near another. Truly astounding growth. But if one asked me whether this is all for the best… I could not answer so easily. Do you know why?"
I thought a moment, then answered.
"Because it was too fast."
"Yes. More precisely, because the process was too shallow. Advancement is vital, but so is consolidating that advancement. Without laying the foundation, if you only press forward, all of it could collapse in an instant. That is why, from now on, you must not focus on forms or techniques, but on the very substance of the strike itself."
I repeated his words in my mind.
"Not forms, not techniques—but the strike itself."
At once, I recalled that single slash he had just shown me. That stroke that had shaken me to the core.
I felt I understood what he meant.
Perhaps that was why he had chosen that to shatter my swordplay.
Seeing my expression, the Sword Saint smiled in satisfaction.
"Yes. You seem to understand. I am glad to have the chance to teach one such as you. It even feels like an honor."
I shook my head quickly.
"No. It is I who am honored beyond words. Thank you, elder."
Except for the times he spent with Lady Cheongyeon, the Sword Saint devoted all his hours to guiding us.
Even before our arrival, he had instructed the other captains, and just earlier, he had sparred at length with Captain Seolpung, giving him generous advice.
I had watched every bit of it.
Though meant for the captain, every word was nourishment for me as well.
According to the Sword Saint, Captain Seolpung now stood right at the doorstep of transcendent mastery.
To reach that level at such a young age—he said—it was astonishing. And he rejoiced as though it were his own achievement.
Then he advised the captain:
"The wall of transcendent mastery is unlike any wall before it. To reach it, one must build one's own world. Each person's entrance is different. Hence, others' advice means little… But still, you must seek as many battles as you can, against opponents who draw forth your utmost."
To reach the wall of transcendent mastery, one must seek perfection.
That much, I thought I could understand.
Captain Seolpung had said he crossed his last wall by focusing on the principle of stillness within motion.
That too had been advice from the Sword Saint.
So perhaps seeking perfection meant filling in one's weaknesses, not simply honing strengths.
But building one's own world… That, I could not yet grasp. Likely it was a truth one could only comprehend at that height.
The Sword Saint went on:
"But I can tell you this much. You have the soul of a warrior. Outwardly you seem gentle, but I see in you a stormy fighting spirit. Therefore, keep fighting endlessly. That, I believe, will carry you across your wall."
He sparred with the captain several more times after that.
And once they finished, the captain withdrew to meditate alone.
Then it was my turn.
And though I had just succeeded in unleashing Form Is Emptiness, Emptiness Is Form, I was left dumbstruck by a single stroke.
The Sword Saint said:
"From here, watch my strikes closely. Strive to follow their paths. If your sword can trace my sword's trajectory, you too can reach transcendent mastery like Captain Seolpung. And when you finally forge a sword that is not mine but your own, you will cross even that wall."
He then demonstrated again.
That same stroke which had annihilated my technique in an instant—
And a thrust, equally astounding.
I said nothing. I simply sank straight into meditation.
For I wanted to engrave those sublime strikes not on my mind, but on my very soul.
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