The Shadow of the Plum Blossom Sword
The night was quiet and still. After my conversation with Mugyeong Gakju ended, I returned to the Byeongbu Pavilion, the residence assigned to me. Since the building was essentially mine, I ate a simple meal and immediately dove into training.
‘There’s a dedicated training room and practice yard inside the pavilion. This is the perfect environment to focus solely on martial arts cultivation.’
In truth, it was no different from closed-door training. If I wanted, I could even seclude myself for wall-facing meditation. Knowing that, I simply nodded several times before walking out to the neatly organized training yard.
As expected, the yard was completely empty.
‘Just a few practice swords and a broom for sweeping the grounds.’
Stepping into the training yard, I slowly drew Nakseong from my waist. Srrrng… The metallic ring echoed softly as the blade slid free.
‘Until I infuse it with energy, it still looks like an ordinary sword you’d see displayed in any marketplace.’
Yet to me, who had felt its true power in my bones, it was simply something to be grateful for. Countless times, without Nakseong’s divine strength, I would have been unable to escape dire situations.
‘Even Na Heerin of the Heavenly Sword Gate was an opponent I could never have defeated without Nakseong’s power back then… and after returning to the Galaxy Merchant Guild, without it I wouldn’t have been able to deal with the Demonic Sound Horse, Byeok Riseol, so easily either.’
I nodded. The latter situation might have been manageable somehow, but the former had been an absolute crisis with no way out. Recalling it now made me realize just how fortunate I had been all this time.
‘I’ve had heavenly luck on my side and gained many fortuitous encounters…’
Thinking that way only strengthened my resolve to work even harder. No matter what, I couldn’t rely solely on luck. Above all, I needed to be able to overcome any crisis with my own power alone.
‘Objectively speaking, with Nakseong I stand at the very top among Peak realm masters… but without it, I’m barely at the upper tier of Peak.’
I was essentially standing right before the wall of Transcendence. Still, with my eyes set on even higher realms, I felt the road ahead remained long. The three-year deadline I had proposed to Mugyeong Gakju stemmed from the same reasoning.
‘Setting aside realms for now… last time I contemplated heart methods, so this time I should organize my sword techniques.’
Before Mugyeong Gakju’s summons, meditation and training had made me feel the need for a superior heart method. But when it came to sword arts, the situation was the complete opposite. For now, I was mainly using the Plum Blossom Sword Art I had comprehended through my spar with Seol Ayeon. Since I also had clues regarding the Heavenly Swift Sword Art, I wasn’t in any particular rush when it came to sword techniques.
However—
‘The forms of the Plum Blossom Sword Art that I’ve been gradually completing since the spar with Seol Ayeon… now only one remains until the very end.’
The number of forms I had decided on in my mind. Out of the Twenty-Four Hands, the Twenty-Third Hand was already complete. That was why I was training with the final climactic form in mind.
‘Well, this too will be completed someday.’
I nodded slowly. I decided to let go of impatience. Even if progress was gradual, as long as I advanced steadily, that was the best approach in my view. Anyway, it was around the time I was continuing this self-reflection.
“……?”
I sensed an unfamiliar presence. Since it was nearly midnight, I had assumed no one would come to disturb me. Yet the reality that some stranger was walking all the way into the training yard of Byeongbu Pavilion filled me with a vague sense of unease.
It was then.
“……”
Tap. Tap. The mysterious figure who had been walking slowly from the outer gate finally revealed themselves.
“…Who are you?”
Upon seeing her, I naturally had no choice but to ask. The woman illuminated by moonlight appeared to be in her early thirties.
‘She’s quite a beauty. And somehow she looks incredibly similar to someone I know well.’
I clicked my tongue inwardly. I had a good guess about her identity. The reason was simple.
‘She looks way too much like Seol Ayeon… she must be her mother.’
In other words, she was Mugyeong Gakju’s wife. I had become certain of it in that brief moment, but confirming her identity was still necessary. As I sent her a silent gaze, the woman standing outside the training yard slowly opened her mouth.
“This lady is called Yeongmaegeom Ok Ryeong.”
“…What brings you here? Coming to my quarters at this late hour suggests it’s no trivial matter.”
Yeongmaegeom Ok Ryeong glanced at my face after hearing my words, then spoke as if she roughly understood the reason.
“…Indeed, there was a reason my daughter fell for you so easily. You do have quite a handsome face.”
“……”
“I thought that child, taking after me, wouldn’t be satisfied with just any appearance, but seeing your looks, I can understand why.”
It was a remark that was awkward to even call a compliment. For some reason, an inexplicable displeasure seemed to linger in her tone, leaving me no choice but to tilt my head in confusion. So I let out a short sigh and asked directly.
“I’ll ask once more… why have you come looking for me in the middle of the night?”
“……”
When I pressed for an answer again, Ok Ryeong slightly furrowed her brows before finally replying.
“I heard from that person that you intend to be with my daughter. Is that true?”
“…Pardon?”
“And from what I see of the situation, both that person and my daughter have casually accepted a period as long as three years.”
“……”
“From my perspective, it simply doesn’t make sense. After standing out in the martial tournament held two years ago, to think we must lower ourselves this much toward a mere third-generation disciple of a sect with no notable achievements since then… I find myself questioning whether there’s any reason for it.”
As I listened to Ok Ryeong’s words while still nodding, one part of her speech bothered me, so I couldn’t help but interject.
“…Sago, I am no longer a third-generation disciple.”
“What?”
Given the hierarchy, she was close to being my master Hyeonmu Jin-in’s senior, so I naturally addressed her as Sago. When I said that, Ok Ryeong briefly frowned. But I continued without concern.
“I am the head disciple of the Mount Hua Sect and the direct disciple of the Sect Leader.”
“……!”
“I would appreciate it if you corrected your address.”
After I pointed that out, Ok Ryeong stared at me piercingly for a moment. Then she shook her head once and spoke.
“…Yes, I did hear the rumor that you were acknowledged by the Sect Leader.”
“In that case, even if I haven’t stood out since the tournament with the Jongnam Sect, is there any need for you to be this indignant?”
“…Indignant? Me?”
“Seeing you come all the way to find me this late at night just to question me about your daughter’s affairs… it’s only natural to think so.”
“That’s…!”
Ok Ryeong stammered. It seemed she hadn’t originally come to lecture me, but confronting the reality of handing over her only precious daughter—whom she had raised with utmost care—to a man she had never even met seemed to spark a bit of anger.
‘But from my perspective, it’s just absurd… After all, I wasn’t the one who suggested it first. I simply answered when they subtly asked for my thoughts.’
I was starting to feel annoyed. There was no reason to argue back and forth like this. So I glanced at the still-flustered Ok Ryeong and slowly opened my mouth.
“Sago.”
“…What is it?”
“There’s no need for us to quarrel in a place like this, is there?”
“…What?”
When Ok Ryeong asked back in a voice that suggested she found it ridiculous, I gave a faint smile and made a suggestion.
“To put it plainly, the point is that you’re displeased with my position or achievements, correct?”
“That’s…”
“It’s hard to deny that I haven’t shown myself much in official settings and became the head disciple purely by the Sect Leader’s decision. I’m aware of that.”
“……”
“Then, let’s set that aside and speak directly.”
Irritation had risen a little, so I continued without hesitation. In that situation, Ok Ryeong hardened her expression and kept glaring at me. Finally, I had no choice but to declare as if issuing a challenge.
Swoosh—
“Sago, let us have a match right here.”
“……!”
“A martial artist answers only with the sword. I believe this method would be more comfortable for you as well.”
“Ugh…”
I had no desire to drag out this conversation any longer. In situations like this, crossing swords once was far quicker and more convenient than a hundred words. At least, that was what I thought.
‘I don’t want to waste any more time on this matter.’