Chapter 6: The Pivot of Heaven
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 6: The Pivot of Heaven
The memory of riding in a luggage wagon came back to me as if it were only yesterday.
Back then, my condition was no different from the kids currently inside this wagon.
I knew who our captors were, but these children had been forcibly kidnapped without knowing a thing. Not knowing what the future holds makes a person feel an endless, gnawing dread.
‘Because from now on, hellish days will begin.’
This fear would soon become reality. I was the living proof of that.
-What do you mean, hellish days?
The voice of the Lesser Conversation Sword echoed in my head.
All night long, the sword had been throwing a fit, crying and wailing because its tip had snapped. It seemed to have finally calmed down.
‘I’m saying that’s what’s about to happen.’
-How do you know what’s going to happen?
‘Why do you care?’
At my blunt response, the Lesser Conversation Sword spoke in a sulky voice.
-That’s cheap. You owe me, you know.
‘I thought we agreed to call it even by having you repaired at a blacksmith later.’
-Is that more important than a life?
‘Didn’t you say your tip was more important than your life?’
-You’re so uptight. You and I are a community bound by fate. We’re the kind of partners where I help you when you’re struggling, and you sharpen my blade when I’m feeling down.
Look at this guy’s silver tongue. If it were a person instead of a dagger, it could have talked its way into anything.
‘Are you trying to persuade me?’
-Aw, come on. Persuade? No way. Don't be like that, just tell me. Huh? I’m curious.
This fellow seemed to have a personality that couldn't stand being left in the dark. It kept trying to coax me.
“Whew.”
To be honest, I was also feeling frustrated by everything that had happened so far. From the moment I found the Secret Records of the Sword Immortal until now, incidents had been popping up so relentlessly that I hadn't had time to organize my thoughts.
I stared intently at the Lesser Conversation Sword.
‘You won’t tell anyone, right?’
-……Hey. What kind of crazy person talks to a sword?
‘Then am I crazy?’
-Oh, stop it. You’re not crazy. You’re just… special.
It must be really curious. It was even flattering me.
‘Ah… right.’
Fine. After all, how could a dagger spread rumors? Who would have thought I’d end up venting my frustrations to a dagger?
I figured it was for the best. I had to stay in this wagon for nearly fifteen days to reach the Blood Cult’s hideout anyway.
‘You know I was called the trash of the family, right?’
-Yeah. The Trash Third Young Master.
Sigh… this guy really has no tact. But what could I expect from a dagger? I began to tell it the story of my life as if I were reciting a long lament.
At first, I intended to keep it brief. But as I went on, things changed.
Having lived my entire life as a spy, I had never revealed my secrets to anyone. Perhaps because of that, my emotions surged, and everything came pouring out like a broken dam. From the circumstances of being born to a servant and being called the family trash, to wandering after leaving home, being kidnapped by the Blood Cult, and every moment I spent working as a spy.
‘……And then, when I opened my eyes, I had returned to ten years ago.’
It was a life story that spanned half a day. Even though it was the life I had lived, it truly had been a tumultuous one. After hearing it all, the Lesser Conversation Sword spoke.
-You’re not very good with words, are you?
‘What?’
-Why did you list everything so tediously when you could have just summarized it by saying you regressed to the past? If a storyteller worked like that, they’d lose all their customers.
For a moment, a curse almost flew out of my mouth. It had been chiming in and acting like it was enjoying the story, and now this was all it had to say? Argh! I felt like snapping it in half right then and there.
-Don’t do that. I’m your mother’s keepsake.
‘……Right. Be glad you’re a keepsake.’
If it weren't, I would have broken it instantly. I was dissatisfied with its reaction, but regardless, I felt much better after finally unburdening everything I had kept inside.
However, the path ahead was not easy. Seeing my worry, the Lesser Conversation Sword spoke.
-Hey. If you know what’s going to happen so clearly, isn’t that an advantage for you?
‘What?’
-Think about it. You know the bad things that are going to happen to you in advance. You can avoid them… or you can make things turn out better.
‘!!!’
-Am I right?
‘……Ha!’
I had been stupid. I had only been worrying about how to handle the things I had to go through again. But when I shifted my perspective, there was a completely different answer.
‘You’re smart.’
-Yeah, I know. But let’s just say you were being a dummy.
Despite its sarcastic remark, I burst into laughter.
“Hahahahahaha!”
Thump! Thump!
At the sound of my laughter, I heard someone punch the side of the wagon from the outside. It was a warning to be quiet. I had made a mistake because I got carried away for a moment.
The Lesser Conversation Sword was right. I knew what I would experience, and I remembered many of the major events that would occur in the martial world. This was a massive asset.
The Lesser Conversation Sword, which had given me this realization, suddenly seemed quite admirable.
-This is awkward. Don’t look at me like that.
It spoke with a serious tone. Anyway, this was good. If I could turn the upcoming events to my advantage as the sword said, I might be able to change everything.
-So, what are you going to do? Are you going to escape and go home? You said that would be better even if you’re called trash.
I shook my head at the sword's question. Escaping was practically impossible. The wagon was covered with iron bars; how could I get out? Besides, dozens of Blood Cult members were guarding the outside.
-Then what? Are you just going to go to the Blood Cult? You said they’re scary people.
‘They are.’
-Then why go there?
‘If I run away, the lie will be exposed.’
The Fourth Blood Star, one of the high-ranking officials of the Blood Cult, was already aware of my existence. If I ran away in this situation, would I really be safe? Not only me, but the Yikyang So Family would also be in danger.
-You’re surprisingly a pushover.
‘What? A pushover?’
-They ignored you and called you trash. Who cares if a family like that gets destroyed?
‘……If it’s going to be destroyed, I’ll be the one to do it.’
-Eh?
I couldn't let it be destroyed by the hands of the Blood Cult. Even if the man who was my father, the Family Head, had treated me like an outcast after I suffered Qi Deviation.
-……I see. It’s because of your younger sister.
I didn't answer. That was the correct answer. My younger sister was my only remaining blood relative in the family.
-Then you’re going to the Blood Cult just like this. What on earth are you thinking?
At its question, I snorted and said,
‘Do you know what I regretted most in my life?’
-Being trash?
‘……I’m going to break you. Seriously.’
-Then what is it?
‘Being swung around like a dog as a third-rate warrior!’
If my Dantian hadn't been damaged, my life might have been different. A life as a third-rate warrior who couldn't even learn internal energy led to me being cast out by my family and used as a mere spy by the Blood Cult that kidnapped me.
I had lived a life of being manipulated until now. I didn't want to live like that anymore.
-Fine, fine. That’s all well and good, but how are you going to do it?
‘I have to change it. Starting now.’
-You might be able to change what happens, but if you really want to live the way you want without being manipulated, you need to learn martial arts. But how are you going to learn internal energy? Your Dantian is broken.
‘There’s a way.’
-There’s a way?
There was an incident when I first entered the Blood Cult. If I hadn't missed that opportunity back then, I might have been able to save my Dantian.
‘If I’m lucky, I might be able to learn internal energy again.’
-Oh, really?
‘I don’t know. I have to try first.’
It wasn't an easy task. If I was unlucky, I could fail. Still, I couldn't miss the only chance to restore my Dantian.
-Ahem, hey. If you do manage to learn internal energy, should I teach you some of my previous-previous master’s martial arts?
‘What?’
-I told you. Even a school dog can recite a poem after three years.
I felt a strange sensation when it said it would teach me martial arts. Come to think of it, I had managed to stay alive thanks to this fellow. I had wondered how it knew so much, and the answer was that its previous-previous master was a martial artist.
‘Is that true?’
-Ha! Have you lived a life of only being deceived? I’m offering to teach you, so what’s the problem?
With those words, and without being asked, the Lesser Conversation Sword began to recite the oral formula for a certain martial art. It was a technique that utilized daggers. As I listened to the formula in amazement, something bizarre happened.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a blue flame erupted from my right hand.
‘Gah!’
It wasn't a large flame, but I was so startled by the sudden occurrence that I waved my hand around. Even so, the flame didn't go out.
‘W-What is this?’
What was even more mysterious was that the flame wasn't hot at all. Then, a voice echoed in my head.
—Since you have attained the Sword Heart, the Pivot of Heaven shall open.
It wasn't the voice of the Lesser Conversation Sword. Then, the blue flame that had been burning brightly on my hand subsided.
For a moment, I looked at the back of my hand, wondering if I had been burned, and saw the receding flame being sucked into something.
Sssss!
‘Huh?’
A blue dot had appeared on the back of my hand where the flame had seeped in. But it wasn't just a blue dot. I hadn't noticed before, but there were seven dots on the back of my hand.
To call them ordinary moles, the positions of the seven dots looked exactly like the Big Dipper constellation in the night sky.
‘What on earth is happening?’
One of the seven dots on the back of my hand was glowing blue.
‘The Pivot of Heaven?’
Its position corresponded to Cheonchu, the first star of the Big Dipper. I couldn't understand the reason for this sudden occurrence.
‘What is it, really?’
It was hard to guess why this was happening. Then, the Secret Records of the Sword Immortal suddenly came to mind. Come to think of it, there was definitely a passage in the Secret Records of the Sword Immortal that mentioned the mystery of the Big Dipper or something like that.
Could it be related to that?
-Hey!
Then, the irritable voice of the Lesser Conversation Sword was heard.
-Aren't you going to focus? I’m being generous enough to tell you the martial art formula, so why are you waving your hand around and being so distracting?
‘Didn’t you see that just now?’
-See what?
‘The blue flame that was on my hand.’
-……Are you sick?
The Lesser Conversation Sword was completely unaware of the blue flame that had been on my hand. It just thought I had been waving my hand around like a madman.