Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Kaaang!

“I’ve……lost.”

“Good work.”

Watching the Mujeongwando acknowledge defeat while holding their trembling hand, I nodded. Though they said they lost, it’s not that the opponent didn’t fight well.

Beyond expectations.

That was exactly my evaluation after crossing swords with the Mujeongwando. A bit more excellent than I expected.

Considering my baseline was quite high to begin with, that’s no small thing. I predicted the opponent’s level befitting the term golden generation. Slightly exceeding that level means this generation’s Mujeongwando are, needless to say, outstanding.

And among them, there are several particularly excellent ones. Three are immediately visible.

‘Cheonggyeong, Paeng Jin…… and Namgung Hyeon.’

As is typical of martial arts from prestigious great sects, Wudang’s youngest, Cheonggyeong’s hand techniques show proficiency unbecoming of his age. Those who analyze others’ actions and quickly gain enlightenment tend to show such tendencies.

I don’t know what will happen later when it’s time to pioneer his own path, but at least at the current level, it’s a talent that makes him stand out especially. Not only that.

Paeng Jin displays behavior unbefitting the Paeng Family while his martial arts follow the Paeng Family’s orthodoxy more than anyone. If the Paeng Family’s martial arts are added to the divine strength from his innate physique, no one could easily receive those sword strikes. Even deflecting them without receiving them directly would be difficult due to the sheer magnitude of force.

And lastly.

Namgung Hyeon.

‘A genius is a genius.’

I felt it when we crossed swords. Namgung Hyeon’s current level is a step ahead compared to any of the Muryeongwando.

Perhaps it’s natural. Namgung Hyeon’s and Seonwoo Gang’s talents are impossible to rank. However, while Seonwoo Gang went through years of wandering here and there, Namgung Hyeon devoted himself to martial arts in a straight line. The difference in that time can’t be ignored.

In one-on-one combat with Namgung Hyeon, there’s no one among the Muryeongwando who can guarantee victory. Namgung Hyeon will probably be a wall to the Muryeongwando. And my role is to help them overcome that wall.

“Are there no more?”

Fifteen.

Recalling the number of sparring sessions today and looking around, I spoke in a low voice. Though there are sixteen Mujeongwando, participation in training is voluntary, so there might not be more. One person might not want to receive education from me.

A brief silence swept over the Mujeongwando. Everyone remained silent, reflecting on the sparring contents. After a while.

“If there are no more, today’s sparring ends here. Everyone, review the topic I threw out well…….”

Confirming no one was stepping forward, when I was about to speak.

“Not yet.”

Kwaaak!

A sword with red tassels embedded into the ground.

“We all crossed swords, so I wouldn’t be excluded, would I?”

“Of course not.”

I smiled bitterly while looking at the woman sending a chilling gaze. A face I couldn’t forget despite fifteen years’ time, present there.

“Draw your sword.”

The woman who slowly glared at me, Baek Risan, gritted her teeth and placed her hand on her sword’s hilt.

“If you don’t want to die.”

Sword energy exploded.

For a young child, duty is always unbearably heavy.

—……Haah. Miss. Were you trying to sneak out to the marketplace again?

—N, no…….

—Lying isn’t good. Miss. You were going to leave, weren’t you?

—……But, I wasn’t.

—That won’t do. If the daughter of the Baek Ri Family lacks refinement, the Baek Ri Family’s dignity will be questioned.

—But…… I, I worked hard yesterday…….

—Now, let’s go inside and study.

—……Okay.

Baek Risan, as a daughter of the Baek Ri Family, received numerous educations from childhood. Various etiquette, history, horsemanship, and even swordsmanship.

Opportunities to go out were rare. Even when there were opportunities, getting permission to leave the Baek Ri Family estate wasn’t easy. Especially during the turbulent times between the orthodox and unorthodox paths, sending out their only daughter outside the family estate wouldn’t be easy.

That’s why Baek Risan could only always look outside the family wall with longing eyes.

Until Baek Riyun came to wake her secretly in the dead of night when no one knew.

—San-a.

—Mmmngh…….

—San-a. Wake up.

—Nngh……? Brother?

—Shh. Don’t you want to go out?

—Huh?

—It’s a secret from the retainers.

From that day on.

Baek Riyun, who began visiting quietly in the middle of the night occasionally, would take Baek Risan and climb over the Baek Ri Family wall.

Of course, they couldn’t go play at the market in the dead of night. The only thing open at that hour would be the red-light district at best, and Baek Riyun wasn’t thoughtless enough to take Baek Risan to the red-light district.

However, for Baek Risan, for whom the Baek Ri Family was her entire world, whether they went to the market or not wasn’t very important. She was just happy that she could go outside the family estate and see various scenery.

—I can’t do much for you, but if you want to come outside the family estate, I’ll bring you out anytime.

For Baek Risan, Baek Riyun was a window showing the world. He taught her the movement of stars, taught her swordsmanship, taught her letters. She also learned from Baek Riyun how to view the world.

That’s why it might have been so.

When Baek Riyun disappeared.

Baek Risan’s world lost its color.

Seueuk. Haaaah.

A deeply drawn breath pierced deep into her lungs. A coldly cooled head and a heart heated by resentment.

The heart that had cooled fifteen years ago beats. It’s not good news. If the heart from fifteen years ago was filled with joy and excitement, what fills it now is only resentment and hatred.

There was much she wanted to ask. Why he abandoned the family. Whether he ran away out of childishness just because the family wouldn’t avenge their mother. Whether there were no other circumstances.

She polished her martial arts again and again to forcibly hear that answer. Abandoning the world Baek Riyun had shown her, even killing herself.

“Draw your sword.”

Now that opportunity has come.

Jinyeombaekwhagyeol

Yangjataekil 

Shwaeeaeeaek!

From top to bottom.

The sword energy Baek Risan drew cut everything in a straight line, dividing the view. Simultaneously, sword energy dividing the world in half once more horizontally.

At the sword energy tearing through the air, Baek Riyun stepped forward and reached out to twist the sword energy’s trajectory. Immediately, the sword energies collided and exploded.

However, it couldn’t end there.

If it were that degree, she wouldn’t have even extended her sword.

Bangjagiman

Feeling the exploded sword energy gather again behind Baek Riyun, Baek Risan stepped forward and thrust her sword. Immediately, sword energy pressing Baek Riyun from front and back.

One stroke, two strokes, three strokes—as if writing characters, seals made of white flames were stamped in the air. And when the added strokes reached seven in an instant.

Baekhwayoran

The sword energy exploded.

Kwaaaaaaang-!!!

At the explosive sound tearing through the surroundings, Baek Risan, who frowned, stepped back and slowly opened her mouth. Inside the thickly rising dust cloud, a black shadow was already visible.

“Jinyeombaekwhagyeol. Your achievements have increased greatly.”

“You must have worked hard. Pitifully so.”

Huung!

Baek Riyun, who slowly swung his sword sheath to chase away the dust, slightly hardened his expression and turned his gaze toward Baek Risan. And slowly opening my mouth.

“Why Jinyeombaekwhagyeol?”

“……Why, you ask?”

“Yes. The Family Head wouldn’t have failed to hint at it. Jinyeombaekwhagyeol doesn’t suit you, San-a.”

“Doesn’t suit me.”

“Yes.”

Watching Baek Riyun nod calmly, Baek Risan gritted her teeth. She already knew long ago that it was martial arts that didn’t suit her.

Jinyeombaekwhagyeol, one of the Baek Ri Family’s inherited martial arts, is characterized by yang energy  and strong swordsmanship. And naturally, yang energy and strong swordsmanship don’t suit Baek Risan, who is female and doesn’t have a large physique.

However, Baek Risan had to learn it. I thought she had to learn it. Because.

“Who are you to say?”

Baek Riyun’s most frequently used martial art was Jinyeombaekwhagyeol.

“Now of all times, you’re going to give me advice?”

“San-a.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. After abandoning us!”

One day, two days, three days, a week, half a year, a year.

No matter how much time passed, she believed and waited. She believed he wouldn’t have left home for just one reason of disagreeing with the Family Head, that he’d return soon.

But what was the result?

“You said you’d bring me out anytime I wanted……!”

Fifteen years.

Baek Riyun didn’t return.

“Make your excuses.”

“Why did you leave the family? Was self-respect that important?”

“It wasn’t just to preserve self-respect that I left.”

“Then why.”

“……That is.”

“You can’t tell me?”

With a grinding sound, Baek Risan, who gritted her teeth, gripped her sword tightly and drew up her internal energy. Sword energy that was already thick with color now shone so brightly it no longer even looked like flame.

“I thought so.”

She didn’t think she could hear it easily. Baek Riyun was originally stubborn. She can’t imagine he’s changed now.

Then there’s only one thing she can do.

Fight and seize it.

Gyogyosanhwa

Kwaaaang-!!!

Internal energy exploded from her extended foot, pushing Baek Risan’s body straight forward. Baek Riyun reaching out to respond to the sudden movement.

However, there’s no hostility in the movement. That’s natural. He wouldn’t want her hurt.

Then she’ll pierce that opening. She’s not hoping to win. The gap between Baek Riyun and Baek Risan is too enormous to desire victory.

However, if it’s once.

If she’s been sharpening her blade for fifteen years aiming for just one moment.

Jinyeombaekwhagyeol  Secret Technique

Yeomcheonha

That blade will definitely reach.

Kwaaaaaaaaaaa-!!!!!

White flames that surged up like a waterspout wrapped around the surroundings, filling the view. Heat so intense that one couldn’t properly distinguish front, back, left, or right with ordinary senses.

“To have already mastered it to this degree.”

How much arduous training must she have endured?

Baek Riyun, who closed his mouth bitterly, saw enormous rings of flame like wheels flying from all directions and reached out, drawing up internal energy to block the rings. And at that moment.

Gae

Kaaaaaaang-!!!

At the white flash cutting across his vision, Baek Riyun drew his sword like lightning and deflected the flash.

“Just now that was…….”

Yeomcheonha.

Naturally, Baek Riyun knows it. After all, wasn’t Jinyeombaekwhagyeol the martial art Baek Riyun used most often?

Even if asked to demonstrate Jinyeombaekwhagyeol right now, he’s confident he could perform it at the level of a respectable Baek Ri Family elder. That’s how high Baek Riyun’s understanding of Jinyeombaekwhagyeol was. However, what just happened wasn’t in his memory.

What does that mean?

“You’ve reached the level of creating new techniques……?”

Baek Risan’s level exceeded Baek Riyun’s expectations.

Hwareureuk!

“……I can’t beat you.”

With a pale complexion from overexertion, Baek Risan, who dispersed the flames and roughly wiped the blood leaking from her lips, loosely lowered her sword.

“Not now, and probably not in the future either. But the only one I can’t beat is you.”

“……What do you mean?”

“Is there anyone who could make you draw that sword in one-on-one combat? Even in Muryeongwan?”

There couldn’t be.

Even Namgung Hyeon, whom Baek Riyun evaluated as a genius, couldn’t make Baek Riyun draw his sword. Seomun Cheok, rich in practical experience but whose talent doesn’t reach Namgung Hyeon’s, is naturally out of the question, and even the Seonwoo Gang couldn’t do such a thing.

“……If you can’t do it, then do what you can.”

Kadeuk Baek Risan, who gritted her teeth, raised her sword tip to aim at Baek Riyun. And the declaration that immediately flowed out.

“Muryeongwan can’t win.”

With clear hostility and determination in her eyes, Baek Risan glared at Baek Riyun.

“Because I’ll make it that way.”