A Change of Perspective (2)
Thud.
Yeon Hojeong set down his axe, feeling considerable fatigue.
The impact was too strong.
His father's sword was of the middle path. That meant he could unleash power stronger than anyone's when needed.
That fierce sword strike far surpassed the might of an axe swung by an eighty-geun heavy weapon. It was the pinnacle of robust inner energy, thoroughly tempered flesh, and the ability to manifest enlightenment.
It's a shame.
Yeon Hojeong wasn't incapable of it. No, he could even surpass it.
But his training was still insufficient.
To delve into higher realms of the martial way required anguish and enlightenment, but ultimately, it was the body that had to contain it all.
I'm still far from ready.
His muscles, stamina, and flexibility were ample. But his body wasn't yet accustomed to holding high-purity qi.
It felt like he'd clearly seen a flaw he'd only vaguely sensed before. That was the most valuable gift from this spar.
Yeon Hojeong believed his martial arts still had a long way to go. He'd seen his weaknesses and faced the parts that needed fixing head-on.
But to Yeon Wi, Yeon Hojeong's martial prowess had already entered the realm of a master.
"Truly…."
"Pardon?"
"Truly, you've grown strong."
Yeon Hojeong smiled wryly.
"I said I'm still far off."
"No, if anything, it's too much. Far too much. In today's martial world, who among your peers has built such arts? Even the Twin Dragons and Three Peaks—I wonder if they could match you. Even the secret late-generation talents nurtured by the Nine Great Sects… I doubt they could compare."
It was rare, lavish praise. Yeon Wi wasn't one to praise just anyone like this.
But Yeon Hojeong was the exception. His growth had completely defied norms. And Yeon Wi believed his son wouldn't grow complacent or arrogant from such words.
"You've already broken free of conventional martial frameworks to forge your own martial way. It's no exaggeration to say you've founded your own school."
"There's more than one or two things to refine."
"Your body may be so. But your enlightenment has already scaled eight-tenths of Mount Tai."
Yeon Wi shook his head.
"You and your brother are the same—your flesh can't keep up with your insights."
They weren't the same.
Yeon Jipyeong lacked Yeon Hojeong's decades of experience. Even so, his enlightenment outpaced his body.
Yeon Hojeong, on the other hand, had honed his arts in the asura fields where blood and flesh flew. Building his martial foundation on battle-born insights meant his body naturally lagged behind.
"However…."
Curiosity flickered across Yeon Wi's face.
"You've refined a new martial art. It doesn't seem based on our family's techniques."
"Ah."
"Two footworks, one weapon art for external forms."
"Precisely three footworks and three weapon arts."
Yeon Wi tapped the training ground floor with his toe—the spot punched through by Yeon Hojeong's fist.
"And this fist art?"
Yeon Hojeong raised his fist with a satisfied expression.
"It's my weapon art reshaped into fist forms. First time trying it today, but thankfully, it retains its full power."
Yeon Wi was momentarily speechless.
Does he even realize what he's saying?
There were reasons sword arts were called sword arts and fist arts fist arts. It wasn't impossible to perform weapon arts barehanded. But it required significant changes in qi circulation, strikes, and every aspect.
Yet this astonishing son claimed he'd unleashed weapon-level power with bare hands.
Return to the source of myriad flows….
Yeon Wi chuckled unwittingly.
"Haha."
Yeon Hojeong blinked. It was the first time he'd seen his father laugh like that.
What was it… for some reason, it sent chills down his spine….
Yeon Wi stopped laughing and asked,
"So, what do you call this martial art you've attained?"
Yeon Hojeong was suddenly at a loss for words.
Should I tell him?
Sasinmu. The supreme art presumed to be that of the Four Directions Martial Emperor—the legendary warrior who ended the Blood Cult upheaval three hundred years ago, first named when debating the strongest in ten millennia of martial history.
In truth, there was no reason not to tell someone who already knew he practiced other arts.
But Sasinmu was a one-to-one secret transmission from his master. With even parents and siblings considered outsiders in such transmissions, was it right to reveal it without his master's permission?
But.
Think simply.
He hadn't seen his master since regressing anyway. And his master wandered rootless, seeking the Way, indifferent to worldly strife.
He'd view Sasinmu as just an outstanding supreme art, unconcerned if others knew of it.
Besides.
Come to think of it, wasn't this a bit strange?
Yeon Hojeong tilted his head inwardly.
As the inheritor of Sasinmu now, do I really need to be bound by ancestral rules? Not even sure if such rules exist.
Then, wasn't how he handled his own martial art entirely up to him?
"…Ho."
Now that he saw it, there'd been no need to agonize.
Freedom, huh?
Ho, ho.
Watching his son stroke his chin with a sly grin, Yeon Wi furrowed his brow.
"Why grin so wickedly?"
"Pardon? Oh, no reason."
Yeon Hojeong smiled confidently.
"The art I've learned is called Sasinmu—Four Gods Martial Arts—and Sasin-gong, Four Gods Art."
"Sasinmu?"
"Yes."
Yeon Wi's eyes sparkled.
"The Four Gods—Azure Dragon of the East, White Tiger of the West, Vermilion Bird of the South, Black Tortoise of the North?"
"Exactly."
"The trajectories and forms you displayed were impeccably perfect, beyond approach. Though biased toward offense, within that framework, it was utterly developed."
"That's the White Tiger art: Tiger King Nine Thunder Strikes."
"White Tiger art… so the others specialize in their domains?"
"Yes. And get this—"
"Mind your words."
"This art is hilarious because—"
Yeon Hojeong explained the traits of Sasinmu to Yeon Wi in detail.
The more he heard, the more astonishment spread across Yeon Wi's face.
"Four supreme arts specialized in offense, defense, instant kills, evasion and counter…."
"That's right."
"Few arts encompass offense-defense, killing, evasion, and counters so extremely. Our family's art is a rare middle path. But Sasinmu doesn't seem to walk the middle."
"It's not middle path—it's battlefield arts pushed to extremes in each field. Different from our family's."
"Indeed, it appears so."
Yeon Wi tilted his head.
"Yet the more I hear, the more one person's art comes to mind."
Yeon Hojeong's eyes gleamed.
"Four Directions Martial Emperor."
"Yes."
"Father knows of him too?"
"Of course. He's an unforgettable hero in White Path history, a respectable warrior. You can't discuss martial history without knowing him."
"…."
"Don't tell me you haven't heard of him recently?"
Yeon Hojeong cleared his throat.
Yeon Wi clicked his tongue.
"Even so, you need basic knowledge. He's a great man. You should know his achievements."
"Understood."
"Regardless, I don't know if Sasinmu is the Four Directions Martial Emperor's supreme art, but it's clearly outstanding. And you've delved deep into it."
Yeon Wi asked gravely,
"Tell me. Do you plan to perfect Sasinmu?"
"Yes."
"…I see. Understood."
Yeon Hojeong smiled. He knew why his father asked.
"I won't neglect the family arts. Don't worry."
Yeon Wi shook his head.
"At first glance, Sasinmu is in no way inferior to our supreme arts. Perfecting such an art is profoundly difficult. If you intend to see it through, no need to eye others."
It was sincere, hiding no disappointment.
Yeon Hojeong said,
"That's not what I meant."
"Hm?"
"If I know and learn even a bit of the family arts, won't it help select clansmen to teach Sasinmu?"
Surprise flashed across Yeon Wi's face.
"You mean to incorporate this art into the family?"
"I'm a Yeon clansman. I don't see a problem sharing what I have with family."
"You're serious?"
"Of course."
The Yeon were strong. But their forces were small, core experts few. In truth, Yeon Hojeong's uncles had all branched off, rarely seen outside ancestral rites.
The Yeon's strength came from superior martial learning and popular support.
Actual combat power lagged behind other sects.
Yeon Hojeong thought,
The main family's power must grow stronger.
When the Three Mad Sects bared their fangs, the Central Plains would become a sea of blood. That was certain.
They'd averted sect destruction for now, but surviving future calamities? Uncertain.
Then, the Yeon clan's power needed bolstering, and fast.
"But Sasinmu requires innate sense even for entry. Even incorporated, few could learn it."
Yeon Wi fell silent.
Family… the family.
His son attaining such an art was fateful fortune.
Common sense dictated claiming it as personal supreme art.
Yet his son proposed making it a family treasure.
Suddenly, he recalled his son's past words.
My intent may differ, but my heart is always here. For the clan, even bearing the stigma of demon, I'll point my blade at the world.
Yeon Wi closed his eyes, mulling the words over and over. Half an incense stick later, he opened them.
"I understand your intent."
His gaze seemed somehow gentler.
"If your heart is set, as Yeon clan head, I thank you. For passing on this outstanding art."
"No need."
"I have much delayed. I'll wrap it up in three days, then we'll confer on this."
"Understood."
Then.
"Father! Brother! You're here?!"
Yeon Hojeong's face lit up.
"You've come."
Yeon Jipyeong was running from the far training ground.
Yeon Hojeong had glimpsed him distantly before the spar, but facing him up close renewed the joy.
He welcomed the smiling Yeon Jipyeong.
His thunderbolt words evaporated the smile in an instant.
"Brother! Congratulations! I greeted sister-in-law!"
"…W-what did you say?"
"She's stunning! A fairy, a fairy!"
Yeon Hojeong's jaw dropped.
A faint smile touched Yeon Wi's face. Strangely, it seemed to cheer Yeon Jipyeong on.
He was a father too, after all.
Thus, the three gathered after so long.