There had been more than a few unexpected incidents, and as a result, worries and tasks had piled up.
Still, after wrapping up my ti at the Black Lotus Sect, I was finally on the road back to the Tang Clan.
And today again, Seo Mun-Hwarin was up in arms.
She looked like a squirrel caught hiding an acorn in a tree knot and suddenly locking eyes with a person.
But her voice that followed was far more threatening—about on the level of a territorial tree squirrel.
“If you do that, it’s no longer the Strong Thunder Sword! The Thunder Heaven Divine Art draws its essence from the thunder and lightning that strikes from the heavens! It may be noisy, but it’s a martial art that makes no compromises in power!”
“That may be true. The Thunder Roar Steps I use are fundantally different from yours, after all. But no matter how powerful a sword may be, it only matters if it actually hits, don’t you think?”
While I used rapid acceleration and abrupt halts to create fast and unpredictable movents, Seo Mun-Hwarin employed those sa dynamics to disrupt her opponent’s rhythm, pressuring and overwhelming them.
In short, while I looked for or lured out an opening to pierce through, Seo Mun-Hwarin charged in head-on to force that opening.
This difference was partly because, before my regression, Seo Mun-Hwarin had adjusted the Thunder Roar Steps for to match the Raging Wave Death-Stealing Art.
But it also stemd from how she spent her childhood in the Seo Mun Clan, seeing complete martial arts systems with her own eyes, later recovering her clan’s martial arts, mastering them independently, and reaching the Flowering Stage.
Whereas I had simply picked up anything that worked, patching together martial arts stolen from here and there,
only retaining the insights I found useful, tailoring them to suit myself—that’s how I reached where I am now.
So even though we agreed to restore Thunder Heaven Divine Art together, in the end, I could only do so in my own way.
Of course, one might ask—if the manual still exists, why bother “restoring” anything?
But secret techniques from famous clans like the Seo Mun Clan in their pri often had obscure chants written in deliberately difficult language, in case the manuals ever leaked.
That ant they couldn’t be mastered with just the text. You needed soone to interpret the chants orally.
Naturally, that thod of interpretation was passed down not in writing, but through oral tradition.
Seo Mun-Hwarin, being a daughter of the clan who’d only learned a few self-defense techniques as a child, had recovered the manual and reclaid the roots of her clan’s martial arts through talent and practical combat experience, reaching the Flowering Stage.
Still, if asked whether she truly understood all of the Thunder Heaven Divine Art, even she wouldn’t be certain. So restoring it held great significance for her, too.
That said... this is this, and that is that.
“Think about it, Senior Seo Mun-Hwarin. As you just said, swinging the sword that way might be more powerful. But the movents are too large. The enemy could easily read and counter them.”
“Hmph! That’s exactly why the Thunder Roar Steps exist! To suppress the opponent so they can neither move forward nor back, then strike at the decisive mont!”
“That sounds like clinging to a rigid technique and accepting inefficiencies. I’m not saying it’s impossible—but are you really using those wide strikes as opening forms?”
“T-That’s...”
“I may not know much, but I’ve seen far more martial arts than you, Senior. Sure, they’re mostly low-grade techniques, but I’ve studied enough to see patterns.”
I never had proper training in ascension-level martial arts before regression, and in this life, I’d only studied a few from the Tang Clan and so of the Seo Mun Clan’s sword techniques.
But when it ca to third-rate or first-rate techniques, I’d absorbed them by the truckload.
While the depth varied, martial arts—being designed to deal with people—shared a common structure.
For example, very few were purely offensive with no defensive forms.
From what I’d heard from Seo Mun-Hwarin and what I’d read in the manual, Thunder Heaven Divine Art was aggressive, yes, but not to such an extre degree.
Usually, the opening forms—those used to test an opponent’s strength or to block attacks—are weaker in power but leave fewer openings.
And that’s how most martial arts start—by first learning how to protect your own body.
Killing your opponent while sacrificing your own life, or a limb, doesn’t suit the ideals of the orthodox sects, nor the goals of wealth and prestige pursued by the unorthodox ones.
Maybe assassins would use such tactics—those who brainwash and sacrifice people like disposable tools. But the Seo Mun Clan, in its pri, was no assassins’ guild.
“That’s why I think we need to interpret this differently. The phrase ‘Heaven’s Thunder Sword—engrave the thunder’ doesn’t an to bring down your sword with explosive force like lightning and leave a thunderous impact. Rather, it ans swing swiftly like lightning, subtly reminding your opponent that thunder could co from anywhere—creating psychological pressure.”
“So like this?”
Seo Mun-Hwarin puffed up her cheeks like a pufferfish and waved her hand through the air.
At first glance, it looked like a aningless motion, but she was simply showing it slowly for clarity.
If you looked closely, you’d find countless insights and concepts embedded in that motion.
However...
“Senior Seo Mun-Hwarin.”
“Yes???”
She tilted her head and looked at . Whether she realized it or not, her innocent expression didn’t suit her age—yet was strangely cute.
Still, I had to say it.
“Swords don’t have joints.”
“But you use your wrist and elbow to twist the sword around all the ti!”
“That’s a trick derived from illusion-based techniques.
Swinging like that sacrifices not just power, but speed. Are you trying to turn Thunder Heaven Divine Art into a sword dance?”
Seo Mun-Hwarin trembled with an expression like I’d just accused her of a cri.
But I had more to say.
“Did you know that the sword and body are fundantally separate? Many fail to grasp true unity between sword and self, even at the highest levels.”
“Still, there’s a core essence to martial arts. Why do you keep trying to discard one half of it?”
“We have to look beyond forms—to the entire martial art.
Unlike fist techniques, where you can use your body directly, it’s hard to express perfect offense and defense with a sword.
Often, attempts to do both result in a clumsy middle ground.”
“B-But...”
Seo Mun-Hwarin pursed her lips, looking utterly wronged.
I shook my head firmly.
“Haa. You really can’t talk swordsmanship with soone who doesn’t use swords. You make such great points halfway through—why do you always fall apart at the end?”
Her expression instantly turned sharp. If I had to describe it, she looked like that angry squirrel again—about to drop pinecones on soone for invading its territory.
Just as she growled and opened her mouth to retort—
Thunk.
Sothing knocked on the qi barrier we’d set up to prevent our conversation from leaking.
There’s only one reason soone would tap on it directly—it ant they had business with us.
Only after verifying that Seo Mun-Hwarin had stored away the Thunder Heaven manual did I dispel the barrier. A calm voice ca through.
“Do you have a mont?”
“Senior Sword King? What brings you here? Please, co in.”
I opened the door, and Namgung Dowi entered with his usual calm expression. He didn’t sit down—perhaps he didn’t intend to stay long.
“It’s nothing major. Jong and I will be moving separately starting tomorrow, so I ca to let you know.”
“Eh? All of a sudden?”
“Apologies for the short notice. I took too long thinking it over.”
“Well, it’s not like it’s today, so I suppose it’s fine... but did sothing happen?”
“It’s already happening. We’re heading to the Murim Alliance. There’s sothing I need to discuss with the Lord.”
“Ah.”
Originally, the plan was for Namgung Dowi and Namgung Jong to accompany until I returned to the Tang Clan,
training with every day.
But even though we still had days of travel left—and thus more opportunities to spar—they were choosing to go to the Murim Alliance now, to discuss counterasures.
Considering Namgung Dowi was one of the top three martial arts fanatics I knew, this choice hit differently.
Many orthodox factions had fallen into corruption, like the Hwangbo Clan, but perhaps the reason the orthodoxy still remained... was because of people like Namgung Dowi.
“I also enjoyed sparring with you, sir, so I’ll miss it. But of course, please go ahead. I hope we get another chance soday.”
“Miss it, do you? Then why not schedule our next match right now?”
...Forget what I just said.
Before I could finish my sentence, his eyes glead as he pressed in close. A clearly middle-aged man, both in years and appearance, closing the distance like that—was honestly overwhelming.
I subtly scooted back, gave a half-hearted response, and only after a long roundabout exchange did he finally leave.
As I let out a deep sigh and closed the door, Seo Mun-Hwarin looked strangely delighted. She patted the spot beside her with a grin.
“Now, sit here. Starting tomorrow—no, the day after tomorrow—we’ll have more ti to study the Thunder Heaven Divine Art, but that doesn’t an we can slack off today.”
“Then about the sword form we were just discussing...”
“Ah, on that—This One’s stance is clear. Even if it’s the opening form, Thunder Heaven Divine Art must never compromise its power.”
“Coming from soone who focused so much on Willpower Blades, that’s rich... But if you’re that stubborn, I have a great idea.”
“Oh? What is it?”
“Let’s just have a light sparring match.”
Seo Mun-Hwarin blinked.
She glanced at the firmly shut door, then back at .
“Wait... are you sick or sothing?”
“Please don’t make it sound like I’m contagious. I don’t an a serious duel—I’ll swing the sword as I envision it, and you do the sa. Let’s see whose thod is more effective.”
“Isn’t that way too favorable to you?”
“Of course I won’t use my full strength. This is just to test the completeness of our respective forms, so I’ll match your sword skill.”
“Even so, it’s still a bit...”
She kept hesitating, so I looked at her for a mont, then asked,
“Hm. Are you afraid you’ll lose to ?”
“This One must restore Murim’s honor today!”
Puffing with indignation, Seo Mun-Hwarin rolled up her sleeves.
Not that it ant much—we were using wooden swords anyway.
The sparring match ended in my victory.
***
After parting ways with Namgung Dowi, even after returning to the Tang Clan, Seo Mun-Hwarin and I often disagreed over the interpretation of Thunder Heaven Divine Art.
Each ti, we settled it with a sparring match. Sotis I won, sotis she did. And so, Thunder Heaven Divine Art beca a ruthless martial art shaped only by the victor’s opinions.
Eventually, the ti ca for to approach Tang Jincheon.
“I’ll be traveling around the Central Plains for a while—to subjugate the Green Forest.”
“That suddenly? And do you even know where their strongholds are? It’s not that others are weaker than the Green Forest—it’s because our agreent with the Black Lotus Sect was to share intel and strike whichever group was nearby.”
“I have a few guesses. If I co up empty-handed, I’ll return imdiately, so don’t worry.”
“Hmm...”
Tang Jincheon sighed deeply, then asked in a cautious voice.
“Do you, too, hold a grudge against the Green Forest like the Black Lotus Sect Master?”
“Well... I did nearly die once as a kid when they stole the first silver coin I ever held.”
“I see... So that’s—”
“But I killed them all in return, so it’s fine. Not exactly a grudge.”
“......?”
I puffed out my chest proudly at Tang Jincheon’s bewildered look.
“Besides, the Green Forest makes for excellent real-combat opponents. And it just so happens that both I and several people around could use so real-world experience.”
At this point, Tang Jincheon didn’t even react like I was a lunatic anymore. He just looked slightly tired as he nodded.
“Do as you wish, son-in-law. Just rember to check in regularly.”
“You won’t be disappointed, Father-in-law.”
He patted my shoulder with a completely untrusting expression.
...I honestly have no idea how I ended up being treated like this.
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