Chapter 92
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: Rumors
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"...You said there's nothing you need?"
Divine weapons, spirit elixirs, supreme arts and techniques. Things that all martial artists dreamed of and yearned for...
So-hyang smiled awkwardly and summoned the spirit sword stored in her upper dantian into her hand.
The hefty weight, perfect balance, the pure white blade without shine and its razor-sharp edge—this long sword, her spirit sword, never failed to amaze her every time she gripped it.
"To start with divine weapons, I don't need any other armament besides this one."
The spirit sword was not only the foundation of her spirit energy but also the culmination of So-hyang's own martial arts.
She could wield swords, spears, sabers, or axes of different types if needed, but there was no reason to.
No famed sword of the world, no divine sword of the ages, could surpass her spirit sword for So-hyang.
"As for spirit elixirs... the martial arts I've cultivated are a bit unique, so they're pretty much useless to me."
For So-hyang, who had anchored the root of her qi not in the qi acupoints of her body but in the spirit of her spirit sword, elixirs ingested through the mouth and absorbed by the flesh were practically ineffective.
Even now, with the spirit sword's innate properties plus her recent enlightenment on the Spirit Round, there was no reason to consume elixirs even if she could.
"W-Well, there are all kinds of elixirs, right? Like Heavenly Response Blueberries that enhance eyesight, or Ten Thousand Layer Hemp that strengthens bones and tendons..."
The items Zhu Yeonhwa mentioned were elixirs that nourished the body. Each one was precious enough to benefit even transcendent experts who had achieved Bone Transformation...
"Hmm, unfortunately, they won't have any effect on my body."
But So-hyang's flesh was so robust that it was incomparable even to bodies that had undergone Bone Transformation.
She had already tested it during her training days at the Martial Alliance. No matter how potent an elixir's medicinal power, it was crushed by the perfection of her physique and lost all effect.
Her body had already surpassed the level that elixirs could nourish and was heading toward even higher realms.
Her eyesight could discern the antennae of ants crawling a thousand li away, and her bones and tendons' toughness went without saying.
"Heh..."
Zhu Yeonhwa could only let out a sigh of disbelief. The items she had offered were priceless treasures that couldn't easily be valued in money, yet none satisfied her.
"Then, what about martial arts? Surely you'd be interested in the Heavenly Escape Sword of the Sword Immortal or the true copy of the Dharma Muscle Rebuilding Scripture?"
"Hmmmmm..."
Even as she brought out legendary supreme techniques regarded as myths in the jianghu, So-hyang's expression remained utterly indifferent.
"My swordsmanship is on par with those, so unless you see it demonstrated or we spar, it won't be of much help."
Three years ago, So-hyang had already scoured the Martial Alliance's Heavenly Martial Archives, absorbing various supreme arts and techniques.
And from that, she had realized that martial arts learned from written texts offered little real benefit.
It wasn't impossible to fall into a trance from a single line of insight or gain enlightenment from a master's sword traces...
But So-hyang was in the position to leave such insights and sword traces herself, not to gain enlightenment from others'.
Her claim of being "on par" was even modest; in truth, she was confident her sword surpassed any technique.
This was neither arrogance nor overconfidence. Hadn't she proven it by defeating a Transformation Realm expert?
That was what So-hyang meant, but Zhu Yeonhwa took it a bit differently.
"Well, since you're a disciple of the Sword Venerable, you might not need other martial arts."
"...What did you just say?"
And with that, cracks appeared in So-hyang's smile as fury began to surface.
-----
In truth, to anyone else, it seemed perfectly natural.
The Sword Venerable, who had practically abandoned his position as Alliance Leader and wandered the land, had settled back at the Martial Alliance around three years ago.
And from three years ago, a girl named So-hyang had begun staying at the Martial Alliance, boldly debuting in the jianghu with transcendent prowess.
Afterward, with her unconventional actions, every expert who crossed swords with her testified the same.
Overwhelming yet perfected martial arts, and within them, swordsmanship that allowed no imitation.
Anyone with decent information couldn't help but speculate.
The White Lotus Sword So-hyang was the Sword Venerable's disciple.
"No, what nonsense is that...!"
Of course, from So-hyang's perspective, this was like a bolt from the blue.
"...Isn't she?"
"She's not!"
A vein throbbed at her temple that had no business throbbing, shattering So-hyang's composure as her face flushed red.
She could almost hear mocking laughter in her ears.
"Pft, hahaha! Disciple, disciple! Kahahaha! Hey, call him Master, go on, kkh, khk!"
The frivolous laughter of her vile friend, clutching his belly, rolling on the ground, tears streaming as he gasped for breath...!
"...Anyway! I'm absolutely not! That guy's—no, the Sword Venerable's disciple!!"
"But, you see... doesn't the timeline fit perfectly?"
"No!"
Zhu Yeonhwa grew even more convinced seeing her usually composed friend so unusually agitated.
A disciple embarrassed by her master, showing a childlike side even to friends.
"I told you, it's not true!?"
So-hyang, piercing through that expression like a ghost, now refuted with utter desperation.
"...Then, what is your sect?"
"I-It might sound weird, but... I'm self-taught...!"
So-hyang's martial arts were a tower she had built solely by herself since her previous life—her very identity. Who would dare add a spoon to that?
Even conceding a hundred steps that the guy hadn't helped at all—which he hadn't—conceding further, he was absolutely not her master...!
"Heh..."
Incredibly hard to believe, but having verified the truth with her Dragon Eye's keen gaze, Zhu Yeonhwa had no choice but to accept it.
"Hmm, I can see that's not a lie, but others won't believe it."
Achieving transcendent realm without a master—even Zhu Yeonhwa, no expert in martial arts, knew it sounded absurd.
"In the jianghu already, they're calling you Little Sword Venerable alongside White Lotus Sword."
In fact, among the informed, Little Sword Venerable was used more often than White Lotus Sword.
To avoid carelessly offending and drawing the Sword Venerable's ire.
"Ah, uh, ahh..."
So-hyang muttered inarticulate sounds, her expression fully crumbling.
With rumors already widespread, correcting them was practically impossible.
Unless Sword Venerable Namgung Geombeon himself stepped forward to deny it clearly, but that guy wouldn't do such a favor easily.
If she was pissed, she'd just reach Transformation Realm, beat him, and then he'd grin smugly and tell her to call him Master...!
Even reaching Transformation and defeating the Alliance Leader wouldn't help. The world would praise her as a disciple surpassing her master, but never overturn the master-disciple bond...!
So-hyang felt a primal, overwhelming terror rarer even in her previous life, before perfecting her skills.
She wanted to die of shame.
"...Hmm, if you hate it that much, I can just handle it for you."
"Really!?"
"What, just spread some fake info through my connections. Like, 'In truth, White Lotus Sword So-hyang isn't the Sword Venerable's disciple but from some mysterious successor sect...' Something like that."
Manipulating info to resemble facts while differing on paper wasn't hard.
Plus, dipping into the princess's funds to subtly sway opinion, confusing intel networks with planted spies...
"Can't erase the rumors entirely, but they won't be taken as fact like now."
It would become one of many rumors about a master of unknown origin, and since Little Sword Venerable had only recently spread, it was feasible.
"I'll handle it that way. Won't take long."
"Huwwoooo..."
So-hyang collapsed into her seat with a look like she'd aged ten years, sighing in relief.
"Thank you so much, Your Highness...! I don't know how to repay this favor. Should I give you another command token...?"
But Zhu Yeonhwa looked back with an expression of utter confusion at her friend's words.
"What do you take me for?"
Spreading rumors took little effort and could be solved with money anyway.
Whereas the favor So-hyang had done her couldn't be bought with money.
Protecting her unscathed from the cultists' suicide attack—for that, such paltry payment made no sense.
"This is just me doing it. Tell me what you want separately. Favors are another matter."
A merchant's way was to buy low and sell high, but scamming led to losses in the end.
A truly skilled merchant made fair trades benefiting both while securing extra profit.
Besides, So-hyang wasn't a trade partner or subordinate but an equal friend.
Not paying proper value would shame herself.
"Hmm, I thought it was that big a deal..."
To So-hyang herself, it truly was—without exaggeration, one of the greatest helps in this life and her previous one combined.
"Then, could you find the base and leaders of those cultists who attacked the train? I'd like personal revenge..."
Revenge for her would-be disciple Sang-ho, whose budding redemption she crushed—they deserved retribution.
"...That's already underway. How could the Imperial Family save face without severe punishment for assaulting an Imperial Scion? Something else."
"Uuum... Introduce me to those transcendent experts you mentioned a bit sooner..."
"That's underway too. I'll speed up admin to arrange spars soon. I said weeks, but it'll be this week."
"Uuuuuuuuuuum..."
So-hyang clutched her head, letting out a long groan. No matter how she thought, she needed nothing.
"Haa, this is driving me mad..."
Zhu Yeonhwa was truly at her wits' end. She'd dealt with countless people, but never this temperament.
Relations were give and take.
Whether material treasures or intangible value, she gave fair recompense, and the other paid accordingly.
That's how she'd lived her life, building her wealth and authority.
Yet her friend before her was strange.
Wanting nothing, needing nothing.
Zhu Yeonhwa could even ferret out hidden desires in those claiming none.
Everyone wanted something, even if unaware.
But this friend wanted nothing.
More precisely, what she wanted couldn't be given, and to the Empire's Third Imperial Princess Zhu Yeonhwa, she desired nothing.
Wanting nothing meant giving held no value.
But if nothing could be given, what could she do...?
Unprecedented confusion and fluster.
Zhu Yeonhwa's usually clear eyes began to waver.
"Ah, right."
Then, So-hyang clapped lightly as if remembering something.
"Yes! Do you need something?"
"Shall we have a drink together?"
"...What?"
Zhu Yeonhwa's expression crumbled strangely.
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"No, what kind of— I said tell me what you need, not spout nonsense...?"
"Aaaah! It's fine. Why nitpick like this between friends?"
"Uh, wha?"
She couldn't grasp what "between friends" even meant. As friends, shouldn't give-and-take be clearer?
Zhu Yeonhwa stared at So-hyang with wide eyes, utterly speechless in incomprehension.
"Mm, I was gonna save this for after the next spar, but I'm in the mood today, so let's drink now."
She watched her bizarre friend beam and pull a bottle from her satchel.
"No, if it's for a specific occasion, don't just drink it here—"
"Ehey, my arm's gonna fall off. You taking the cup or not?"
"...F-Fine."
The liquor So-hyang poured was, as expected, a superb brew proving the brewer's skill.
The pouring sound was crisp, the clear, transparent liquid like dew mixed with moonlight, gleaming brilliantly.
"Pure clear rice wine. Made solely from glutinous rice, so simple in taste, but savor it and you'll feel the depth."
So-hyang explained naturally while offering her cup, and Zhu Yeonhwa, entranced, clinked hers against it.
A small chime rang out. So-hyang rolled the liquor calmly in her mouth, gesturing for her to drink too.
"...Fine, fine."
Still not understanding the situation, Zhu Yeonhwa downed her cup anyway.
"...!!"
The aroma wasn't strong but subtle, yet profoundly rich.
A nutty fragrance like freshly steamed rice, with an inexplicable warmth.
"How is it? Good, right?"
"...Splendid."
A subtle tartness, chased by lingering sweetness, utterly enchanting.
Deep yet refreshing. Heavy yet light.
She was a tea and liquor connoisseur who sampled fine brews frequently.
Proud of her discerning palate, yet this liquor completely captivated her.
But was that all?
"Sweet, and warm."
More than the taste on the tongue, sweetness filled her mouth.
As the liquor slid down her throat to warm her stomach, it wasn't scorching but soothingly hot.
"...You, what you really want is—"
"Sheesh, you're ruining the taste again? Drink up first. If I need something later, I'll tell you..."
Dismissing the talk with a wave, So-hyang said she'd fetch side dishes since they were drinking and left the room briefly.
"Heavens, 'drink up'..."
Zhu Yeonhwa chuckled wryly, sipping her liquor.
Her heart strangely raced, face heating up. Was it the strong liquor on an empty stomach hitting fast? Something felt off.
Mumbling to herself with oddly numb tongue, she tried calming her confused heart.
"'Drink up' means tabling it, like the command token promise I got...?"
Like the verbal promise she'd made before—unstated even orally, amateurish to a seasoned merchant's eye.
What if she later shut her mouth and pretended nothing happened? She knew well how to deftly change topics...
"The problem is, I don't want to do that..."
Feeling something valueless compared to the command token—yet more precious than a mere promise—worth more? Was it delusion?
Her odd friend seemed not just a supreme martial artist but a merchant surpassing even her.
"Haaaa..."
Zhu Yeonhwa kept rubbing her flushed cheeks with the back of her hand.