The Sword (劍) — A Glimpse of the Future (3)
The fist thrust forward with such force that the air compressed for a split second before exploding outward with a sharp crack.
Bu Seon’s eyes deepened. So it really isn’t possible after all. Her entire body was drenched in sweat.
She had no idea how many hours she had been throwing punches. And not just any punches—she had been repeating only straight jabs, completely abandoning the fist techniques built on Blood Lion Qi.
At her level of cultivation and with a body as thoroughly trained as hers, it should have been nearly impossible to sweat this heavily after several hours of simple straight punches.
In other words, the mental and spiritual exhaustion was that severe.
I can’t even imitate the single punch Master showed me that day.
Enlightenment could be gained anywhere. While sleeping, while eating, while staring blankly into space, even while relieving oneself. That was the nature of true insight.
Conversely, there was no guaranteed method to attain it. Persistent effort and relentless contemplation were merely the nutrients that might one day summon that moment of awakening.
But this time was different.
From the single punch her master had displayed that day, Bu Seon had gained absolute certainty that she could grow even stronger.
It wasn’t a technique one could simply copy, yet she believed that if she continued to pursue that fist without rest, she would surely obtain something from it. Bu Seon was convinced of this.
The problem was that she had no idea when that enlightenment would arrive.
“Your mind is filled with too many distracting thoughts.”
At the voice that suddenly came from beside her, Bu Seon flinched and turned her head.
There stood her master. His hands clasped behind his back, a faint smile on his face. In his expression, she saw a gentleness she had never noticed in the past.
“Master.”
Bu Seon immediately dropped to her knees.
“I have shown you an unsightly sight.”
“It is indeed quite unsightly. In training, focus and immersion are not optional—they are essential. Right now, your mind is overflowing with distractions.”
“I am ashamed.”
Yang Cheon shook his head.
“However, I am not blind to why you are so troubled. It must be because of that punch from that day.”
No matter how much she struggled, she could never escape her master’s eyes.
Yang Cheon smiled.
“If repeatedly showing you that punch and the martial principle behind it could accelerate your growth, I would have demonstrated it countless times. But doing so risks forcing my own principles onto your personal path. That is why I have refrained from showing it until now.”
“……”
“I have nothing else to say. The only advice I can give is to continue striving and contemplating without cease. But do not become too obsessed with that single punch. Sometimes, unfold the Divine Lion Fist. At other times, refine your weapon techniques. If your heart continues to chase that fist, you may unexpectedly find a clue in a place you never imagined.”
Yang Cheon acknowledged Bu Seon’s talent. But more than her talent, he valued her effort even more highly.
His disciple would rise to greatness. Despite possessing talent that fell short of his first and third disciples, she had already reached a realm comparable to—or perhaps surpassing—theirs. For that alone, Bu Seon deserved recognition.
That was precisely why Yang Cheon had not given her meticulous guidance.
Sometimes, overly detailed instruction could ruin a disciple. If he believed his teachings would not interfere with her forging her own martial path, he would have taught her long ago.
“However, I believe I can at least help erase the frustration clouding your heart.”
“…Yes?”
“Who is it? The person who has plunged you into such torment.”
“……!!”
“Who is it? The one who has made you so restless.”
“……”
“Is it Yeon Hojeong?”
Bu Seon could not utter a single word.
She was restless. Unlike her past self, who could transform anxiety into fuel for martial growth, she was now completely consumed by it, unable to train properly.
And Yang Cheon had seen straight through the reason.
Yeon Hojeong.
Bu Seon could not forget the man who had engaged in a terrifying battle with her master in the past. He was incredible. A warrior of that caliber… It was the first time.
His age? He appeared younger than her, but that was irrelevant. Whether younger or older, what mattered was whether they were someone she would clash with in the next generation of the martial world.
From that perspective, Bu Seon had no confidence she could surpass Yeon Hojeong.
It wasn’t simply because he was strong. Beyond his martial prowess, Yeon Hojeong possessed a certain quality—a stature that she lacked and might never possess.
Was it the dignity of character? No. At a glance, she could not sense any nobility in him. On the contrary, he was so rough that it was hard to believe he was the eldest young master of the prestigious Byeoksan Yeon family.
Yeon Hojeong’s quality was that of a true powerhouse.
It was the aura only those who had reached the pinnacle could possess. It could manifest through martial arts, through writing, or even through music.
And that same quality had been radiating from a young man who had not even reached thirty years of age. That man… he has already opened the door to the ultimate realm!
Shockingly, Bu Seon had been able to glimpse, however faintly, not Yeon Hojeong’s current level but the supreme domain he had achieved in the past.
It wasn’t because she possessed exceptional talent.
It was because she had always looked up from below.
Because she had analyzed countless rivals, dissecting them over and over, sacrificing even her sleep to overtake them. That was why she could sense it.
That intuition told her that, through normal means, she would never be able to surpass Yeon Hojeong in her lifetime.
Even if she became a Holy Heaven-level expert, even if she grew stronger than anyone else, she had the ominous conviction that Yeon Hojeong would always remain one step ahead.
That was the reason Bu Seon was being swayed by anxiety. The sense of defeat she had never once felt before was gnawing away at her mind.
“It must have been shocking.”
Yang Cheon nodded.
“Your burning ambition, which never faltered even before the monstrous talents of my first and third disciples, has finally been broken by that boy. Yes, I understand.”
“…I am ashamed.”
“That boy is different. Even to my eyes, it is clear. There are many geniuses in this world, but there will never be another like Yeon Hojeong. Moreover, he possesses a mind and senses that go far beyond mere martial arts. Sometimes even I am left speechless, wondering how such a monster can exist.”
“……”
“Do you wish to surpass him?”
Bu Seon lifted her head.
Her eyes, fixed on her master, were bloodshot.
“I want to surpass him.”
In those short words lay far more meaning than simply wanting to stand above him in martial arts.
Yang Cheon smiled faintly.
“Follow me.”
Silence filled the space between the two as they left the training hall.
How much time had passed?
“The reason I established the Black Dragon Department here was not simply to live out the rest of my life in this place.”
“Pardon?”
“No matter how grand or secretive it may be, a cave is still a cave. The Black Dragon Department is the heart of the Dark Faction Alliance. It may very well be the first organization of its kind in history. How long must such a faction remain hidden away in a hole like this?”
Yang Cheon shook his head.
“As long as I draw breath, I will not allow the Black Dragon Department to end in a place like this. I will build a colossal citadel upon the surface and make it the greatest power under the heavens. That is one of my many goals.”
Bu Seon felt a surge of emotion deep inside.
Given her master’s personality, he would never have spoken such words even to his first or third disciples. Even if he had, the fact that he was revealing his true heart—something he had kept buried deep within—moved her greatly.
“But we cannot simply abandon this place either. It is so deep, sturdy, and vast that no explosive could ever bring it down. It would be a shame to leave such a secretive location unused, wouldn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Therefore, I have decided to turn this place into a prison and interrogation facility. The construction currently underway is not to transform this into the Black Dragon’s secret citadel. It has continued all this time in order to create a prison and interrogation center.”
“I see.”
“That is why there are quite a few unique spaces here that no one else knows about.”
After passing through countless tunnels, Yang Cheon stopped before a stone wall that carried a slightly reddish hue compared to the others.
He placed his hand on the wall and spoke.
“It looks like a stone wall, but this is actually an iron gate made of material nearly identical to stone. Moreover, this iron is mixed with a rare treasure called Soft Phantom Iron. It is a priceless substance that can expand or contract depending on the amount of internal energy infused into it.”
“What?!”
“I only learned of it recently myself. The world truly contains many mysterious things.”
Yang Cheon raised his internal energy.
Internal energy infusion into the Soft Phantom Iron gate.
Oooooong. Rumble.
The reddish stone wall shrank slightly.
“Of course, because it is a rare treasure, the amount mixed in is extremely small. Still, even a trace amount allows for subtle size adjustment.”
Bu Seon could only open and close her mouth in astonishment at the sight she had never witnessed before.
Iron whose size changed when internal energy was injected? She had never even imagined such a treasure could exist.
Yang Cheon applied force with his hand.
Rumble.
The shrunken stone wall was pushed aside with a heavy sound.
Even if one knew the secret of this wall, pushing open such a thick and massive iron gate would require the internal energy of at least a Peak-level expert. It was clear that every detail had been meticulously designed.
“Come in.”
“Y-yes!”
Hiding her flustered heart, Bu Seon followed Yang Cheon inside.
The interior was darker than she expected. Like the rest of the Black Dragon Department, luminous pearls were embedded in the ceiling, but there were fewer of them and their brightness was far below average.
Bu Seon’s eyes widened.
“This is an observation room connected to the interrogation chamber.”
Yang Cheon pointed at one wall made of transparent glass.
Beyond the glass wall, two women were sitting and drinking tea.
“From this observation room, you can see into the interrogation chamber. However, those inside the chamber cannot see this side. Naturally, they cannot hear any sound either.”
“H-how fascinating.”
“The world is vast. For those of us living in the martial world, the pursuit of martial growth is a lifelong burden we must carry. But if you turn your gaze even slightly, you will find countless treasures and legendary phenomena beyond imagination.”
Yang Cheon laughed cheerfully.
Ever since he had neutralized the Shadow Emperor Divine Palm, he had become noticeably more relaxed—so much so that others were often startled by the change.
“One day, I plan to modify it so that sound from that side can only be heard from here. Perfectly clear. Whether it’s possible or not remains to be seen.”
“You are truly amazing.”
“Well, that’s beside the point.”
Yang Cheon jerked his chin toward the younger woman.
“What do you think?”
Bu Seon observed the woman with sharp eyes.
She could not sense even the slightest trace of the woman’s voice or aura. The only things she could assess were her posture and gaze.
A moment later.
“…She’s incredible.”
Bu Seon’s face once again filled with shock.
“That woman… she’s unbelievably strong. And she doesn’t seem much older than me…”
“She has not yet reached the Limitless realm. But with martial prowess like that at her age, she will surely be able to ascend to the Holy Heaven level within ten years.”
“……!!”
“She is the one currently evaluated as the closest candidate to inherit the position of the next Sword Empress.”
Yang Cheon’s eyes deepened.
The kind light in his gaze vanished, replaced by the blazing ambition of a conqueror who sought to dominate the world.
“I will seize the power of the Sword Empress through them. And that is not something one can obtain simply by being strong in martial arts.”
“……?!”
Yang Cheon looked at Bu Seon and continued.
“This master of yours has reached this point by eliminating and eliminating countless experts who once seemed untouchable. Over those decades, do you think I never once experienced frustration?”
“……!!”
“The world is wide and there are many strong people. People like Yeon Hojeong and that girl over there. However, the martial world is not a place where the strong win. It is a place where those who win are recognized as the strong.”
Little by little, vitality began returning to Bu Seon’s previously exhausted eyes.
Yang Cheon spoke in a stern voice.
“Do not try to surpass them. What matters is winning. If they are stronger than you, use any means necessary to exploit their weaknesses.”
“……”
“That is, if what you desire is not to become a great master, but a ruler.”