Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: Sword and Flower
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"Coming?"
Woo Haryeon asked, fidgeting restlessly. It was probably the umpteenth time she'd inquired. Seo Baek, who had been pondering with brush in hand over a sheet of pristine white paper, turned to her with an irritated expression.
"If he wants to come, won't he come on his own?"
"I'm not asking my narrow-minded big brother Seo Baek."
"Then who are you asking?"
Jung Mijoo asked with a smirk.
Elegant Sentiments Club.
At this point, the only consistent attendees were Jung Mijoo, Seo Baek, and Woo Haryeon. That didn't mean it was just a nameplate club, though.
In fact, Seo Baek was seriously deliberating where to place the first stroke, and Jung Mijoo had a book of poems spread out before her.
And then there was Woo Haryeon.
She had filled the table to overflowing with vases for flower arranging, flowers, orchids, bonsai, and the like, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"Well, like Seo Baek said, if he wants to come, he'll come, right?"
"He has to come no matter what. If he doesn't, I'll drag him here myself."
Woo Haryeon clenched her fist tightly as she spoke. She was a new recruit who'd joined not long ago. Regardless of her intentions, now that she was in, she was determined to make Wi Sungcheon attend the Elegant Sentiments Club regularly.
This year was the last for Jung Mijoo and Seo Baek. They'd graduate next year and leave Uicheon Academy behind, leaving her as the sole remaining member.
She didn't like that. Nor did she fancy taking over as youth club president next year and recruiting new members—that sounded like a headache.
Woo Haryeon hated anything bothersome or stressful. Becoming president was unavoidable, but if possible, she wanted to get acquainted with underclassmen who'd joined while Jung Mijoo and Seo Baek were still around.
That way, next year when she brought in new members, she could lean on Wi Sungcheon.
"Doesn't seem like Junior Wi Sungcheon would be interested in flower arranging or bonsai trimming."
"You said he can't write calligraphy or poetry, and can't draw either."
"Why leave out singing? Bet he can't sing."
"You haven't heard him?"
"Do I have to? Wanna bet? I'll bet Junior Wi Sungcheon can't sing, you bet he can."
Woo Haryeon puffed out her cheeks at Jung Mijoo's teasing. Of course, she had no intention of taking the bet. She'd never beaten Jung Mijoo in one of these.
"Even if he's not interested, doesn't matter. I'll make him interested."
"You might not mind, but Junior Wi Sungcheon doing flower arranging really doesn't suit him."
"Who says that? Whether it suits him or not doesn't matter—doing it is what counts."
"That would be quite the sight, though. Those sturdy hands arranging flowers, holding bonsai shears."
Jung Mijoo giggled. Woo Haryeon swallowed her bubbling frustration at the mockery-laden words. She truly adored her big sister, but she could be so infuriatingly mischievous at times.
"Why not bring in Junior Tae Hee-myung instead? If you told him to join, he'd sign up on the spot."
"Hee-myung's the vice president of Sword Shadow. Feels wrong even suggesting it."
"Liar. It's because Junior Tae Hee-myung has a thing for you that makes it awkward."
Woo Haryeon pouted at that. Everyone at Uicheon Academy knew Sword Dragon Tae Hee-myung harbored feelings for her. Though he himself seemed to think it was still a secret.
"You know it's partly your fault too, Haryeon? You treat him so nicely, and the poor guy's heart flutters because of it."
"I feel bad rejecting him outright. Besides, I've known Hee-myung since way back. How was I supposed to know he'd fall for me?"
"Poor Junior Tae Hee-myung—no, the truly pitiful one is Junior Cheong Wubin. Unrequited love is heartbreaking."
Jung Mijoo flipped through her poetry book, chuckling to herself. Listening to that made Woo Haryeon feel inexplicably guilty.
Should she just say it outright? To her, Tae Hee-myung had always been like a little brother.
"Ah."
Her sulk didn't last. Woo Haryeon whipped her head around with a bright smile, as if nothing had happened. Footsteps approaching the door had caught her ear. Quick mood swings were one of her questionable charms.
When Wi Sungcheon had first visited the Elegant Sentiments Club, he'd achieved his initial goal. He'd won Jung Mijoo's favor and conveyed his intentions to her. He'd triumphed over Jinbae in their spar and bolstered her reputation.
As per his wishes, Jung Mijoo would "adjust" the Uicheon Festival sparring brackets for him. Separate from that, Wi Sungcheon still had another objective.
Using the Golden Name Escort Agency's influence to find his brother. With the Beggar Clan and Golden Name Escort Agency's information networks, they could cover the entire martial world, excluding Shin-gang and Blue Sea.
"You're here?!"
Just as Wi Sungcheon reached for the door handle of the club room. The door burst open. He blinked at the boisterous voice that followed.
"Come in!"
Woo Haryeon beamed and grabbed his wrist, pulling him along. Wi Sungcheon couldn't muster any resistance and let himself be dragged.
Her hand looked delicate and soft, but the inside of her palm bore calluses, and her pull was forceful.
Indeed, the Sword Phoenix.
The hand of a swordmaster who stood as one of the twin pillars among the junior prodigies alongside Tae Hee-myung.
"Wait, hold on. Senior Woo Haryeon?"
By the time Wi Sungcheon gathered his wits, he was already seated at the table as instructed, apron tied around him.
"Yeah?"
Woo Haryeon, who had been lining up vases and flowers of various shapes in front of him, tilted her head and looked at him. Wi Sungcheon eyed the bonsai and orchids beyond with a troubled expression.
"I haven't even greeted you yet?"
"Oh, is that all? It's fine! I already know who our 'junior' is without greetings."
She emphasized "junior" deliberately. She'd overheard Jung Mijoo call him that and decided to do the same.
"No... still..."
"First-year lower class, Wi Sungcheon. From Celestial Flower Sect, moniker Latent Dragon. I know it all, so it's good."
"Ah... yes."
"You know who I am too, right, junior?"
"Uh... Sword Phoenix Woo Haryeon, third-year senior."
"See? You know perfectly."
Woo Haryeon burst into giggles.
Uncomfortable.
Wi Sungcheon genuinely felt that way. Dealing with someone of this personality wasn't something he was used to. Too bright, too cheerful.
Impossible to read what she was thinking inside.
"What if you didn't come? I was so worried. If you hadn't shown, I would've gone and fetched you myself."
"Yes..."
Wi Sungcheon replied, glancing at Jung Mijoo. She watched him being manhandled by Woo Haryeon with delighted eyes. Her sly smile suggested she had zero intention of helping.
"Mountains are mountains, water is water."
Jung Mijoo hummed as she turned the pages of her poetry book. Wi Sungcheon shifted his gaze to Seo Baek.
Seo Baek was even worse. He was still hovering his brush over the paper, deep in thought, utterly oblivious to the commotion around him. He'd already immersed himself in his own artistic world.
'This is...'
It hadn't been like this last week. It had clearly felt like a friendly gathering under the pretense of a youth club. Just as Bang Jun had said.
Unlike appearances, the Elegant Sentiments Club was the real deal. A bead of sweat trickled down Wi Sungcheon's back.
"Oh, right, the promise..."
"Promises aren't important."
Jung Mijoo hummed. She grinned mischievously, shooting him a sidelong glance. A threat. Wi Sungcheon sighed deeply and glared at the vases and flowers.
"...What do I have to do?"
"Do you know flower arranging?"
"What's that?"
"Putting flowers in a vase. Beautifully, according to your own sense."
"Beautifully... according to my sense..."
Wi Sungcheon's eyes twitched. He'd never done anything like it.
"If that's not it, how about bonsai?"
Woo Haryeon pulled a bonsai toward him. Wi Sungcheon eyed it with the same dubious look.
"Orchids too."
Woo Haryeon ignored his reaction. Wi Sungcheon swallowed hard as he stared at the array of vases, bonsai, and orchids before him.
"A... demonstration at least."
He couldn't bring himself to say he absolutely couldn't do it. Partly due to Jung Mijoo's threat, but mainly because Woo Haryeon's smile—eyes sparkling innocently as she watched him—was too pure.
Wi Sungcheon realized anew that he was weak to personalities like this.
"Of course."
Woo Haryeon beamed in response. She rolled up her sleeves and tied them back with string to keep them from falling. Wi Sungcheon glanced at her arms.
Woo Haryeon's bare white arms were far from frail. Nor were they bulky. Smoothly contoured muscles forming elegant curves.
From that alone, Wi Sungcheon could imagine her swordplay: speed and variability rooted in muscular elasticity. He wanted to fight her.
"First, pick a vase. Then select flowers that match it and sketch the overall form."
The flower she chose was pure white, without pattern.
"Then trim the flowers. Don't grab a bunch and cut at once. Adjust the stem lengths carefully for harmony."
Woo Haryeon didn't use scissors. What she wielded was a small sword the length of her palm.
"And the mindset."
Woo Haryeon's eyes grew serious. At first, he'd truly had zero interest, but now he did. Wi Sungcheon perked up his ears and listened intently.
"If you just hack away carelessly, the flowers wilt fast."
The small sword moved. It wasn't flashy swordplay. Just slicing stems. But Wi Sungcheon focused intently on the cut surface of the stem.
Not just stems. Branches, leaves, petals—all needed tidying.
Throughout, Woo Haryeon used only that single small sword. Before long, the plain vase was adorned with flowers, one by one.
"Easy, right?"
The vase now held a vibrant flower garden. Woo Haryeon spun her small sword playfully and smiled. Wi Sungcheon stared at it silently.
Clearly cut by a blade, yet the flowers brimmed with vitality, as if rooted in soil.
That wasn't all. Wi Sungcheon turned to the bonsai and orchids. Those too had been trimmed by her. The pruning cuts were smooth and natural. Now he understood why she was called Sword Phoenix.
'Can I do it?'
Wi Sungcheon slowly reached out. Woo Haryeon watched him with shining eyes. He gripped a small sword like the one she'd used.
'No, I can't.'
The feel of the small sword in his hand was alien. To him, weapons like swords had always been foreign.
"May I pull one out?"
He pointed at the vase. Woo Haryeon nodded with a smile. He plucked a flower she'd cut, spun it around. Then, he grabbed an untrimmed stem.
"No."
Woo Haryeon said.
Wi Sungcheon knew it too. This wouldn't do. Of course, flower arranging was possible even with such cuts.
But they'd wilt quickly.
Unlike Woo Haryeon's.
"Too much force, junior."
Woo Haryeon said, smiling brightly.
"It's not about cutting. Lightly, just touch it to it. That's enough. Don't force the cut. The key isn't cutting—it's emptying. I told you, mindset matters."
"...Martial theory?"
"Basic stuff."
Woo Haryeon boasted. Wi Sungcheon let out a hollow chuckle and set the sword down. Instead, he grasped a flower barehanded. He extended his index finger.
Tap.
Just a light touch, and the stem was 'severed.' It was cut. Wi Sungcheon gazed at it with a strange expression. The cut surface was still different from hers.
"Your hands are rough, junior."
Woo Haryeon said. It was true. Wi Sungcheon's hands were rough. Natural, after using them since childhood. What he'd learned were grips to grab, snap, twist, break, crush, uproot...
"Empty your mind."
Not the first time he'd heard it.
To reach the pinnacle of Celestial Flower Sect martial arts, one must empty the mind.
His father had said it when he first began Celestial Flower Chain Skill. After that, never again.
Wi Sungcheon hadn't yet reached a level where he could empty it.
"How do you empty the mind? It's always full."
"What fills your mind, junior?"
"All sorts of things. Emotions too awkward to list one by one."
"Everyone's like that."
"Have you emptied yours, senior?"
"No, I haven't either. But I always think about wanting to."
Woo Haryeon said, holding up her small sword. Wi Sungcheon looked at her in surprise.
"It's a tough concept. Emptying the mind. But even thinking 'empty it' fills it up. In selfless no-mind, could you truly empty it? But if you do, are you still you?"
Woo Haryeon murmured as she set the small sword down.
"It's natural to think about it, junior. Flower arranging, bonsai, orchids—all are paths of cultivation. Self-satisfaction, maybe."
"I see."
Wi Sungcheon shifted his mindset. He tried slicing a stem with his finger once more.
The cut surface... unchanged. He plucked a leaf. Same.
"Looks like I have no talent for it."
"First time, so of course. Still, glad you seem interested now."
Woo Haryeon patted his shoulder and grinned widely.