The sparring match between Namgung Dowi and Namgung Jong was quite a aningful experience.
After reaching the Flowering Stage, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I had been completely reborn—many things had changed drastically from before.
First, the body. Thanks to the complete transformation, my physical form was robust even without deliberately drawing on internal energy, and the sense of unity with the sword remained active even in ordinary tis.
Next, the internal energy. The chronic problems I had, like narrow ridians and turbid qi, had all been resolved.
The forcibly expanded ridians from falling into qi deviation had now completely beco mine, and beyond just the murderous aura of the Raging Wave Death-Stealing Art, willpower itself had infused into it, freeing completely from issues of internal energy purity.
And finally, the ability to consciously wield willpower.
This, in truth, is the biggest change. Willpower is intent and thought—in other words, it’s the heart.
Just as one gains qi sensitivity when awakening to internal energy, awakening to willpower gave rise to a kind of insight, enabling to perceive where the opponent's intent is directed.
Before, I predicted an opponent's movents through breathing, gaze, and muscle twitches—but now, their intent could be felt directly.
Both Seorin and Tang Jincheon had, at tis, seed as though they could see right through soone—and it must be due to this kind of sense.
Of course, since it's such an unfamiliar sense, I can’t claim to fully control it just yet...
But I’ve beco capable of using it to a certain degree.
Now that I’m accustod to strong qi, my next goal was to master this new perception.
Unlike Seorin, who mainly uses kicks and strikes, or Azure Cold Serpent, who isn’t even human, Namgung Dowi, being a swordsman like , offered many points of reference during our duel.
So, though it was a bit slow, we’d been steadily making our way to Zhejiang Province for about five days.
Just as I was waking up and heading outside the room one morning as usual—when I opened the door, familiar white hair swayed at chest height.
“Today, you shall spar with This One!”
“I refuse.”
Thud.
It didn’t take long for Seorin to collapse in shock. Anyone seeing this might think I’d betrayed her.
Seorin hugged her knees with the most miserable expression, sitting there in the corridor where the guest rooms clustered together. The fact that I saw her the mont I opened the door obviously ant she’d been sitting right outside.
I had woken up early to stretch lightly before breakfast, but there was no guarantee that other party mbers or guests wouldn’t walk out.
Not wanting anyone to see, I quickly picked her up and tossed her onto my bed, then closed the door.
Lately, Seorin’s reputation had been getting a bit strange—it felt like I ought to help manage it myself.
Letting out a silent sigh of relief, I asked Seorin,
“Haa... What is it all of a sudden, Senior Seorin?”
“There is nothing in particular.”
“No, who suddenly sits down like that for no reason?”
“The fact that there is nothing... is precisely the problem...!”
“???”
I couldn’t make any sense of what she was saying and just stared at her silently—until Seorin suddenly started slapping the bed furiously with her little palms.
Pang, pang!
“Haven’t you been cold to This One lately?!”
“Hmm. If your hands and feet are cold, would you like to put a brazier in your room, Senior Seorin?”
“You know full well that’s not what I an!”
“I don’t even know why Senior Seorin ca to my room in the first place…”
I could understand why Tang Sowol and Seol Lihyang gathered in my room—it had started being treated like a common area at so point.
But that didn’t an we slept in the sa room. As night deepened, we each returned to our rooms and regrouped after breakfast. That was the unspoken rule.
As I shook my head, Seorin suddenly lay flat with a frustrated expression and flailed her limbs.
Like a tantrum from a drawing. Then—
“Haven’t our sparring sessions been getting fewer lately?! Though you may now be on the sa level, I thought I was playing the role of sothing like a teacher... I didn’t think I’d be thrown away like old shoes the mont that Namgung guy showed up!”
“...?”
“Today you shall spar with This One! I don’t an you shouldn’t spar with Namgung or whoever! I’m saying This One cos first!”
It was an absurd, tantrum-like excuse, as if taken from a sketchbook.
I was montarily speechless, but had to sit upright at her next words.
“This One shall personally teach you the swordsmanship of the Seo Mun Clan. So...!”
“Are you serious?”
“Ah.”
Did she blurt that out unintentionally in a fit of emotion? Seorin quickly covered her mouth.
But it was too late. I quickly sat beside her on the bed.
I gently pressed down on the back of her hand that was covering her mouth, keeping it from rising again, and spoke.
The distance had naturally closed, but that wasn’t the important part now.
“If I spar with you, will you truly teach the sword of the Seo Mun Clan?”
“Mmmpf! Mmphmpf!”
“Don’t worry. I won’t leak it—I’ll keep it to myself.”
“Mmpf... mmmphmp.”
“I’m already looking forward to it. You know, I’ve never properly learned any advanced martial arts on my path to reaching this stage.”
Even Namgung Dowi, who is generous with swordsmanship, never directly taught techniques—he rely turned a blind eye when I copied by observation.
Tang Jincheon would gladly open his family library and let learn advanced techniques, but the Tang Clan lacks distinguished swordsmanship.
“Of course, that doesn’t an I’m going to abandon the martial arts I’ve learned until now.”
“Mm, mmph.”
Seorin nodded with her mouth still covered.
Since it’s advanced martial arts, the Seo Mun Clan’s sword techniques must be excellent. Still, the sword that suits best is ultimately the one I’ve developed on my own.
It has no nad forms, and relies entirely on my skill and insight.
That’s why it could be called a sword forged from my life.
No matter how exceptional the Seo Mun Clan’s sword may be, I’m not about to turn my back on the path I’ve walked just to chase so incomprehensible truth.
I’ve co too far for that.
Still, the sword techniques of the Seo Mun Clan would be a great guide—especially helpful with the finishing move I’ve been contemplating recently.
I slowly lifted my hand from the back of Seorin’s hand. Only then did she cautiously lower the arm covering her mouth, sneaking glances at .
She let out a deep sigh. The distance was close enough that her breath tickled my face.
“Ehuu. You already know. Originally, I planned to pass down this martial art to the successor of the Seo Mun Clan when I rebuild it.”
“Yes. You said that soday you’d pass it on to your clan’s heir.”
“That’s right. But there’s a problem. Even though I’m still searching, I’ve yet to find a single surviving branch mber of the Seo Mun Clan. And you’ve adamantly refused to beco my adopted son... so perhaps this isn’t such a bad alternative.”
“You still haven’t found any?”
“Whether they truly don’t exist, or whether they simply can’t bring themselves to entrust everything built over decades to This One alone... I don’t know. But at least after I revealed myself in the Murim world, the only people who contacted were scamrs.”
Co to think of it, it had been the sa before regression. Though she had been the Ironblood Hall Master of the Black Lotus Sect rather than a guest of the Tang Clan, Seorin had made herself known.
Yet no one ca to her. In the end, Ironblood Hall had only , Seol Lihyang, and a few rootless martial artists.
This ti, being officially affiliated with the orthodox factions like the forr Seo Mun Clan had been, there was hope—but in the end, nothing changed.
Seorin’s earnest wish was to reclaim a simple, human life—sothing she had to give up in her vengeance.
But the family most people have no longer existed for her.
With a bitter smile, Seorin continued,
“It can’t be helped. Still, I can’t let the Seo Mun Clan’s martial arts vanish like this. If soone must inherit it, I believe it should be you.”
“Senior Seorin.”
After a brief pause, I spoke cautiously.
“Please don’t misunderstand what I’m about to say.”
“Hmm? What are you about to say?”
“Well... why don’t you just find a good man, marry, and have a child?”
Just monts ago, Seorin had seed a bit deflated but still lively—but now the light vanished from her eyes.
Seorin stared at with a strangely cold gaze—not sothing she should have, not having trained in yin techniques like Seol Lihyang.
But I had to finish what I started. Our relationship might have changed a lot compared to before regression, but I still wanted what was best for Seorin.
“If you’re worried that you might be too old to have children, you could ask Tang Sowol to get dicine from the Tang Clan’s dical division and—”
“Eiit!”
Without warning, she raised her leg high and stomped down at my temple.
To perform such a kick while lying down...?
Surprised yet calm, I turned my head and deflected it. I caught the blow on my shoulder—it didn’t hurt much, as it wasn’t imbued with internal energy.
“What are you doing all of a sudden?”
“That’s what This One should be asking! What nonsense are you suddenly spouting?! This One... This One...!”
She stamred mid-sentence like sothing was caught in her throat, then suddenly shouted with her eyes shut tight.
“This One... is still capable of childbearing!”
...Huh? Is that even possible? Senior Seorin’s age should be—
Huuup?!
She clamped my mouth shut and flipped over.
The distance was so close it was more suitable for hand-to-hand combat than swordplay.
Even though I was a martial artist at the Flowering Stage, I couldn’t react properly—every unconscious effort I made was deftly nullified by her movents.
Now it was the opposite of before— lying flat on the bed, and Seorin on top of .
Her face blushed red, Seorin leaned close and whispered, still keeping my mouth shut.
“Th-This One has begun nstruating again since regaining this body.”
So that’s it.
Rejuvenation doesn’t just make you look young—it affects your body fundantally.
No wonder Flowering Stage martial artists sotis regain their inner child.
As I nodded internally, Seorin continued in a serious tone—though with her ears red, she didn’t look very solemn.
“So there’s no need to worry about This One in that regard. In fact, this is the youngest and healthiest body This One has ever had. If only a suitable seed were available, even now—hic!”
She trailed off and then suddenly looked downward. Realizing sothing, she jumped up and off of .
Then, as if nothing happened, she darted out the door in a blur. All of that occurred within a single breath.
I could roughly guess the reason. Again, I had just woken up.
And the at of Azure Cold Serpent I ate to restore vitality at the Ice Palace certainly had the effect of a spirit beast.
Feeling slightly embarrassed, I stood up and fixed my clothes—when small fingers cautiously gripped the doorfra.
A mont later, white hair peeked in. Looking at a spot slightly away from , she spoke.
“Ah, um, euh... so, what about today’s sparring?”
“I’ll make ti from now on for sparring with you, Senior Seorin.”
“Ooh! Very well! I’ll go wait downstairs first!”
Seorin vanished with a bright smile beyond the doorfra.
A beat later, the patter of her footsteps echoed with satisfaction—I couldn’t help but chuckle as I firmly strapped my sword to my waist.
***
Though the addition of sparring with Seorin slightly delayed our journey, we arrived at the Black Lotus Sect without further issues.
From behind a grand hall that was so lavish it felt gaudy rather than dignified, the Black Lotus Sect Leader and Sama Yuryeon appeared arm-in-arm, greeting us with loving affection.
And—
"This One extended an invitation, but all that returned was a blade."
“Blood Fla Sword Demon! Is this how you repay our goodwill?!”
They gnashed their teeth at our greater-than-expected fighting force.
“Calm down and take this first.”
“I heard late and was a bit delayed in preparing.”
Upon seeing the golden toad I had prepared and the golden calf Namgung Dowi brought at my suggestion, their twisted expression smoothed out.
“So we have brought precious guests! Co in, co in! In the na of This One, I welco you all!”
“…”
Truly, an unchanging person.
User Comments
0 comments from readers