An Arrow's Flight

After the sun rose once more, Yeon So-o returned to the Tongseong County branch of the Jeokcheon Merchant Group. Unwol welcomed her warmly upon her return.

"Did you have a good reunion?"

"Yes. He has changed quite a lot."

Yeon So-o did not mean it in a particularly positive light, but Unwol accepted it without much thought.

"That is often the case when people meet after a long time. Shall we set off again, then?"

"Yes, I believe I have prepared myself sufficiently."

"Excellent. Let us go."

As they ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠were about to depart in Lee Hak's carriage, Branch Manager Cheong Ong rushed over to bid them a hasty farewell.

"It was a true honor to accompany such esteemed guests, even if only for a short while!"

Cheong Ong bowed so deeply his waist practically folded in half. Lee Hak chuckled softly at the sight.

"I will be sending someone soon. If you are interested in working at the headquarters, feel free to join us."

Upon hearing Lee Hak's words, Cheong Ong's eyes widened to the size of saucers. He gaped like a fish for a moment before snapping back to his senses and shouting his gratitude in a booming voice.

"Thank you! Thank you so very much!"

With those final words, Lee Hak's carriage swiftly departed the town. Cheong Ong remained bowed until the carriage completely vanished from sight. Now that the opportunity of a lifetime—one he had yearned for throughout half his life—was firmly in his grasp, Lee Hak looked like nothing short of a god in his eyes.

Ah! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much!!!

With so many eyes watching, he could not openly display his undignified inner thoughts, but his hands and feet trembled with sheer ecstasy. Ultimately, unable to contain himself any longer despite his subordinates watching, Cheong Ong let out a roaring cry of triumph.

"Aaaaaahhhhh!"

"Lord Unwol, how did you find Tongseong County?"

"Thanks to the excellent hospitality of Master Cheong Ong, I rested very well."

"I am truly glad to hear it pleased you, Lord Unwol," Lee Hak said with a subtle smile.

We planned to travel by carriage all ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the way from southern Hubei to Dengfeng County in Henan, where Mount Song of the Shaolin Temple was located. There was not much time left until the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering. A normal carriage would have taken a considerable amount of time, but the horses Lee Hak had brought were said to be worthy of being called thousand-mile steeds.

Yeon So-o, sitting beside me in the carriage, silently agreed. She had ridden in countless carriages on her journey from Yunnan to this place, but she had never seen such magnificent horses.

As I watched the scenery pass by from inside the moving carriage, I felt a strangely persistent gaze from the seat opposite me.

Hmm?

When I casually turned my head, Yeon So-o, who was sitting across from me, hastily looked away.

...What is it?

Thinking it was nothing, I looked back outside, only to feel that persistent gaze once more.

...?

I waited a moment, then whipped my head around. Yeon So-o, who had been staring intently at my face, flinched in surprise and quickly turned her head to the side again. Feeling a bit awkward, I asked her,

"Is there perhaps something on my face?"

"N-No?"

"Hmm. Then why do you keep staring at me like that?"

"I... I wasn't staring."

"..."

Honestly, it was baffling.

What is she doing?

"Mmh."

Just to be sure, I turned my head away again, and without fail, I felt her eyes on me once more. When I quickly turned back, she didn't make any sudden movements this time, but her eyes, which had been stealing a sidelong glance at me, darted back to their proper place.

Feeling awkward sitting in silence, I decided I needed to start a conversation. After pondering for a moment, I asked her about the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering, which I had been curious about.

"Ah, by the way, you mentioned this is your first time attending the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering, correct?"

"Yes, that is correct."

I asked with a sly, mischievous smile, "Are you confident? I hear that exceptionally talented young rising stars from all over the land will gather there."

"Indeed. The Dragon and Phoenix Gathering is practically the only place where all the young rising stars can gather to fully showcase their skills and earn the recognition of countless people."

"You must be quite nervous."

"It would be a lie to say otherwise."

A hint of anxiety was indeed visible in her eyes. Yet, in stark contrast to that fear, she exuded an almost obsessive determination to achieve a great result. Hoping to ease her worries, I offered a word of comfort.

"Do not worry too much. Have you not worked incredibly hard up until now? The process is often more important than the result. Even if you do not achieve the outcome you desire, you have surely gained something from all your efforts. Is it not enough to remember that the time you spent was by no means in vain?"

Hearing my advice, Yeon So-o spoke with firm resolve.

"Of course, what you say is not wrong. However, I must succeed. I must obtain the title of Divine Phoenix—or at the very least, Sword Phoenix."

Looking at her, I asked with a serious expression, "Why is that? Is there a reason you must go to such lengths?"

She hesitated for a moment, then slowly opened her mouth, her voice dropping to a dark, somber tone.

"I was the youngest daughter of the Yeon family, a clan that practices martial arts of extreme Yang. However, because I was born with a Yin constitution, I was constantly despised by my family. My mother was also treated poorly because she gave birth to me, and so, even she grew to hate me."

"..."

As her heavy past began to unfold, I listened in silence.

"Even if my father wouldn't accept me, I wanted to be recognized by my mother. But in the end, that never happened. So, I hated them. I hated them so much I couldn't bear it. Once, I even confronted them."

A dark shadow cast over her eyes as she recalled the memory.

"I asked them, 'You are the ones who created me, so why do you hate me so? If you despise a life made from your own flesh and blood, then who on earth is supposed to love me?' But when my father heard those words, he didn't even spare me a glance. And my mother... she looked at me with utter disgust and said..."

Her breathing grew ragged, and she spoke in a voice heavy with pain.

"'We never wanted something like you either.'"

"..."

Hearing her bleak past, I was at a loss for words of comfort. As I remained silent, she continued.

"So, I left on my own two feet. I felt like I would go mad if I stayed in that house any longer. The reason I joined the Jeomchang Sect was simple. The fastest sword in the world. I wanted to outrun everyone else."

"Why did you think that way?"

"The reason is simple. I was always looking at people's backs from behind. I grew sick of living like that. I wanted to move forward faster than anyone else. And now, the time has come to prove that I have advanced far enough. That is why I must succeed. This is my chance to proudly show those who ignored and abandoned me that the child they threw away has grown this much, and now stands ahead of everyone else."

I looked at her with a deeply solemn expression, then asked, "And what do you think? Have you grown enough to outstrip everyone else?"

"I am afraid because I cannot be certain of that. I have only ever run forward. Yet, even though I ran without rest, strangely, there was always someone ahead of me. First it was my family, then my martial siblings. Now, I see the rising stars of other sects. Even if I surpass them, I do not know what lies ahead of them. Or have I even overtaken them at all? I have never looked to my side, so I cannot know."

"Could you not look around you a little as you go?"

Hearing my words, she asked back in a resolute voice, "Do you happen to know the essence of the Jeomchang Sect's swordsmanship?"

"...I do not."

"When we thrust our swords, we never look around. We only look at our target."

"..."

"Long ago, a certain sect leader of Jeomchang said this: 'We, the martial artists of Jeomchang, are arrows.'"

"Arrows..."

"An arrow must only look at its target. The moment it veers off course, it loses its meaning. I am the same. If I do not fly toward the target I have set, my life has no meaning."

"But is that not too harsh a way to live?"

"The world is inherently merciless. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠The only reason I can survive in such a harsh world is because I have a goal. But if I fail to hit my target and become useless, how miserable would I be?"

An agonizingly deep obsession burned in her eyes.

"I will hit my target, no matter what. That is the reason I was born as an arrow."

Suddenly, my own past flashed through my mind. There was a time when I, too, had run blindly toward a single goal. But after countless failures, I had ultimately broken. The crushing weight of putting in endless effort only to receive no reward had swept through my entire being, eventually forcing me to abandon everything.

And so, I spoke to her.

"If you fail to achieve your goal even with such a mindset, you will ultimately break."

"Then that, too, will be my fate."

"But..."

"Anxiety will soon become a fierce wind blocking my path. Strong conviction is the only bulwark that allows me to move forward."

Her eyes were trembling, if only slightly.

"Are you not afraid?"

She closed her eyes for a moment, then spoke to me slowly.

"Fear always preys on the weak. Therefore, there is no such thing as running away. If one wishes to escape fear, the only way is to conquer it and forge ahead."