Even a Curious Caterpillar Rolls
They say even a curious caterpillar knows how to roll. It means even the most useless person has one talent. And Namgoong Juhee knew that saying was made for Yi Hayeon.
If Hayeon heard that, she'd pout and say, "Hee-ya, isn't that a bit harsh?"
But what else could you say? All Hayeon had done by Juhee's side was chatter away, filling the silence.
She hadn't shown any outstanding martial prowess or flashes of brilliant strategy.
Anyway.
When it came to sparring, Hayeon was a seasoned veteran.
Her skills as a merchant were top-notch too.
So when she calmly pointed out Juhee's flaws, Juhee's skills improved by leaps and bounds.
"Hee-ya, I heard you awakened the Three Calamity Sword Technique from the Lianhua Sect Master's teachings earlier."
"Yeah, that's what they say."
"Hmm... Should I call that impressive, or just late...?"
"Spit it out straight."
"I can tell just by crossing swords. Hee-ya, you've only now learned proper footwork and stance. You're a high 2nd Rate now, I suppose?"
It had taken one si-jin—about two hours—from pseudo-warrior to 3rd Rate enlightenment.
Then two more si-jin from 3rd Rate to 2nd Rate.
An unprecedented speed. And for a Peak realm expert to only now learn this? Unprecedented too.
So Hayeon's tone mixed praise and pity in equal measure.
"2nd Rate, huh..."
"Yes. As expected of a prodigy. You learn fast."
"Yeah... sure."
"Oh? Hee-ya, something bothering you?"
"Don't play dumb. You know it best."
"Hehehe. Right. At this rate, you won't catch up to me in ten days flat."
Juhee's growth was miraculous, no doubt. But time was short.
Nine days left until the Hobuk Branch.
She had to adapt to sparring, chain enlightenment to 1st Rate and then Peak, and match Hayeon's experience by then.
Even her grandpa couldn't pull that off.
"Hehe, Hee-ya. You remember, right? The winner at Hobuk Branch gets their wish granted."
"...Yeah?"
"What now? At this rate, you'll be granting my wish. You're not the type to break a promise, are you?"
A strange killing intent laced Hayeon's voice.
Juhee's arms broke out in goosebumps.
Something felt off.
"Speaking of which."
"Yes?"
"How about... a draw? My growth might be faster than you think. What do you say?"
"So cute. But no. You've been ignoring the wish I postponed, and you've been so cold to me lately."
"Was I cold?"
"Yes. I thought my heart would freeze. So this time, I'm being stubborn. Look forward to my wish?"
Oh shit, this is bad.
Juhee muttered to herself.
Hayeon's eyes gleamed with a subtle madness. No way it'd be a normal wish.
"That said, I won't half-ass the advice. Bets have to be fair."
"Thanks a ton."
"Now, stance again. The reason your sword lacks power is your center of gravity. Your feints are brilliant, but they won't win spars alone."
Juhee knew it all too well.
Her feints carried such thick killing intent they always turned into killing blows.
She couldn't use them freely, and calling them out ruined the flow and halved the power.
Proof? Hayeon had dismantled every bit of her Luk Hap Sword.
That was when it hit Juhee.
"...Ah."
"Hm? Hee-ya, think of something?"
"Yeah. You're fucked."
"Pardon? 'Fucked'? Ladies shouldn't use such vulgar words."
"Not the point. Oh, right. That's how it's done."
"Hee-ya?"
"Get in stance, bitch. I'm about to wreck you proper. And I'll make a real wish too."
"Hehe... Hee-ya, whatever you're thinking, you can't beat me in a spar. Even in a deathmatch, it's iffy now that we've crossed swords."
Hayeon's response to Juhee's baffling words was provocation.
Martial growth needed time, after all.
Even this generational prodigy took one or two si-jin per enlightenment.
So when Juhee's eyes sparkled like she'd figured it out, Hayeon was certain.
Bluffing. Adorable. Trying to snag a mental win.
"Talk big all you want. Come on, come on."
"Yes, Hee-ya. Then I'll show you my true skill."
And so their spar began anew.
Hayeon's horrific scream echoed soon after.
. . .
Hwangbo Un was holed up in his room, lost in thought.
Not jealousy over Juhee's talent. Not heavy worries about prying Hayeon off her side.
He'd thought about it, sure. But anyway.
Never had he felt so pathetic.
Wasn't sulking and avoiding a friend after one spar loss—the first as a man—the height of pettiness?
So just go see Juhee. Simple.
But not that easy. As a martial artist, his pride ran deep.
His martial arts—the root of that pride—had been crushed by her. Seeing her face might make him snap.
If Juhee knew, she'd say, "So what? And?"
But early twenties emotions were delicate. Beyond a girl like her.
"...Sigh. Idiot. Worrying won't solve shit."
Hwangbo Un grabbed a wooden sword tossed carelessly on his floor.
A tool for enemy counters. Specifically, his trump card against Namgoong Juhee.
It had failed.
"Let's go. Persistence is the key differentiator, right?"
He hauled his heavy ass up and stepped out.
Since the fight with Geom-gwi and Do-gwi, he'd trained without a single day off.
Today was no different.
Nine days to Hobuk Branch. He might catch Juhee yet.
One loss to a rival wouldn't stop him.
Clomp clomp.
Passing the inner courtyard, the sect master's office, heading to the Lianhua Sect's training ground.
"Kyaeeeeek!"
A horrific scream from the training ground.
Clear and pure voice—1st Rate or better.
Yi Hayeon's, obviously.
"...Intruders in Lianhua Sect?"
Hwangbo Un disliked Hayeon.
But he didn't dismiss her skills.
She'd piled elixirs from her merchant group's wealth into her inner energy. Her arts were high-grade, with tournament wins to prove it.
Only another Peak with vastly superior experience could beat her.
No one in Lianhua Sect but the Sect Master fit. Must be assailants.
Whoosh!
Hwangbo Un dashed off.
Hayeon dying? Inevitable. Her fate.
But Juhee by her side? Different story.
He'd never beaten her once.
If she died, at least give him one win first.
That was his logic.
"Namgung Sojeo!"
He flung open the training ground doors with heroic fervor.
Maybe play the dashing hero saving her in peril.
"Oh? Doryeonnim's here?"
"Guhhhh..."
"Yeon-ah, no exaggerating. You can go more, right?"
"N... no. Absolutely not."
What he saw: No assailants.
Just beaming, satisfied Namgoong Juhee. And groaning Yi Hayeon on the ground.
Obvious what happened, unless you're a fool.
"Namgung Sojeo? What happened?"
Hwangbo Un asked anyway.
The situation was crystal clear, but he wondered why she'd wrecked Hayeon that bad.
"Oh, nothing much. Yeon-ah was easing up on me, so I showed her who's boss."
"...Hee-ya, that's too much."
"Too much? Serves you right for showing off. Be grateful it ends here."
Hearing the motive, Hwangbo Un clutched his head, dizzy.
Namgung Sojeo doesn't get sparring at all.
Wrong, of course.
"Namgung Sojeo, you might not know, but sparring has rules..."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. No tricks. Warn before dangerous moves. I know that much."
"And you know that, yet did this to Yi Sojeo?"
"Misunderstanding. This is pure sparring result. Right, Yeon-ah?"
"This isn't sparring."
"Yeon-ah?"
"...Yes. She didn't break rules."
Hayeon answered grudgingly, but admitted it was sparring-shaped.
Hwangbo Un's curiosity piqued.
How'd sparring-blind Juhee wreck a veteran like Hayeon?
"Namgung Sojeo, care to spar with me too? Proper rules, not like yesterday."
Curiosity he'd soon regret.