The Day of Choosing Weapons

Cheongseong Sect’s mornings no longer felt entirely unfamiliar. The moment Seoryeong opened her eyes, she looked up at the ceiling. When she had first slept in this room, the unfamiliar scent of wood and incense had struck her first. Now it was different. The scent of pine drifting through the window. The sound of wooden swords from the training ground in the distance. Hwarin’s movements in the next room. The heavy presence of the ebony pole leaning against the wall. The broken spearhead resting by her pillow. All of it waited in its place.

Seoryeong slowly sat up. Her body felt a little stiff. Yesterday’s footwork training had left her soles and calves heavy, and the breathing exercises had made the inside of her chest strangely tired. It was still strange that her body grew this exhausted even without fighting. But she did not dislike it. Where it hurt was where she had learned. Seoryeong decided to think of it that way. Pain meant the body remembered. When the body remembered, it would move a little better next time.

She reached out and grasped the ebony pole. She did not lift it right away as she once had. First she drew a breath. As Elder Ungak had taught her yesterday, she tried to sink the breath downward. It still did not come easily. The breath kept circling near her chest, and the moment she lost focus her shoulders rose. Even so, she lowered it again. Shoulders down, soles pressed to the floor, she felt the weight of the ebony pole in her hands. The weight did not stay only in her hands; it sank a little toward her soles. That strange connection she had felt last night. Feet. Breath. Hands. Still faint, but clearly present.

Seoryeong lifted the ebony pole and slowly took her stance. She did not swing it. She simply held it. Yet even just holding it felt different from yesterday. Before, she had supported the weight only with her hands and arms. Now her feet helped a little. Her waist let the weight pass through. When her breath did not scatter, the ebony pole felt less heavy. No, the weight had not disappeared. It had simply found its place.

Seoryeong murmured softly, “The foundation is strong.”

Hwarin’s voice came from beyond the door. “Holding a weapon again first thing in the morning?”

Seoryeong answered without setting the ebony pole down. “I didn’t swing it.”

The door opened. Hwarin paused when she saw Seoryeong’s posture. Her gaze slowly traveled from Seoryeong’s feet to her hands. Until yesterday, whenever Seoryeong held the ebony pole her hands had always been the first thing visible—hands that looked ready to crush, arms that wanted to swing at once. Strength would gather in her shoulders, and her eyes would search for an opponent. Now it was a little different. Still crude, but her feet gripped the floor. Her breath had sunk a little lower. The ebony pole no longer felt as though it would fly out of her hands; it felt caught inside her body.

Hwarin spoke slowly. “You’re already using what you learned yesterday.”

Seoryeong nodded. “A little.”

“What is?”

“The weight is in my feet.”

Hwarin smiled. “You felt it well.”

“Praise?”

“Praise.”

Seoryeong set the ebony pole down with satisfaction. It was her first compliment of the day.

Hwarin stepped inside and examined Seoryeong’s hair. “Let’s tie your hair again today.”

Seoryeong closed her eyes for a moment. “Manners are hard to win against every day.”

“They are. Because you have to do them every day.”

“Fighting gets familiar if you do it every day too.”

“Manners will too.”

“Then manners are training as well.”

Hwarin stopped midway through picking up the comb and looked at Seoryeong. “You’re understanding quite well now.”

Seoryeong’s face grew faintly proud. Still, tying her hair remained frustrating. Her silver hair was long and soft and slipped easily from the hands. Hwarin gathered it with practiced movements and tied it. Seoryeong looked at her faint reflection in the window instead of a mirror. Silver hair. Crimson eyes. Neatly tied hair. It felt a little unfamiliar. Different from when she had first left the village. Back then she had simply walked while holding a wooden spear. Now she tied her hair in a guest house of the Cheongseong Sect, thought about manners, and learned footwork and breathing. It felt as though she had entered Murim. More precisely, it felt as though Murim was slowly touching her. She both liked it and found it frustrating.

Once her hair was tied, Hwarin spoke. “Before Elder Ungak’s training today, the Sect Leader has summoned you.”

Seoryeong lifted her head. “The Sect Leader?”

“Yes.”

“The strong person.”

“Don’t call him that.”

“Sect Leader Cheonghyeonja.”

Hwarin nodded with satisfaction. “Good.”

“Why is he calling me?”

“He wishes to see about your weapon.”

Seoryeong’s eyes changed at once. “Weapon?”

Hwarin sighed as though she had expected this. “Don’t get too excited.”

“But I am.”

“I knew you would be.”

“Will he give me a halberd?”

“No.”

Seoryeong’s face fell immediately. Hwarin held back a laugh. “It means he will decide what weapon you should learn. It does ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠not mean he will give you a real halberd right away.”

“Why?”

“Mak Cheol also said your body is not yet fully developed.”

“Yeah.”

“The Cheongseong Sect will likely make the same judgment.”

Seoryeong felt a little dissatisfied, but she remembered Mak Cheol’s words. Forcing a heavy halberd would first ruin her shoulders and waist. When she had asked whether recovery would fix it, Hwarin had told her not to use her body that way. Now she understood a little. When the body broke, movement slowed. When movement slowed, one could die. If one died, there was no next time. Seoryeong nodded. “Then a temporary halberd?”

Hwarin thought for a moment. “It might be, or it might not.”

“Is it about choosing a weapon?”

“Probably.”

Seoryeong’s eyes brightened again—brighter than when she saw meat. Hwarin thought this child was truly weak to weapons. No, not weak—simply too honest in her reaction to the word “weapon.” Especially “halberd.” When that word appeared, her eyes changed. That gaze was dangerous, yet strangely pure. Like someone searching for a lost hand.

Breakfast remained frugal. Seoryeong no longer showed much surprise at the meatless table. She simply drew a small breath before eating. There was no scent of meat. Of course there wasn’t. There never was. She picked up some vegetables and ate. Cheongmyeong saw this and smiled. “It seems you’ve adapted now.”

Seoryeong said, “No. I’m still enduring.”

Dogyeom paused with his chopsticks, then moved them again. Hwarin turned her head to swallow a laugh. Cheongmyeong eventually chuckled softly. “You said enduring is also fighting.”

“Yeah. No, we’re supposed to be quiet during meals.”

Seoryeong closed her own mouth. Dogyeom’s gaze softened a little. “You remember well.”

Seoryeong only nodded quietly. Speaking would mean she was not eating quietly. At that sight, Cheongmyeong had to hold back another laugh.

After the meal, Seoryeong followed Hwarin toward the building where Cheonghyeonja waited. The paths inside the Cheongseong Sect had grown somewhat familiar. Until yesterday every building had looked the same. Today she could distinguish them by scent and sound. The medical hall carried the smell of medicinal herbs. The dining hall smelled of rice and vegetables. The training ground smelled of sweat and wooden swords. Cheongheo Hall smelled strongly of incense and old wood. The building they headed to today was different. Less incense, more wind. It was a building connected to a small garden.

The disciple standing at the door saw Hwarin and cupped his fists. “The Sect Leader is waiting.”

Hwarin cupped her fists, and Seoryeong followed. It was a little more natural than yesterday. Inside, Cheonghyeonja sat by the window. The Sect Leader was as quiet as a mountain today. Elder Unso stood beside him. The elder with gentle eyes smiled at Seoryeong. “Come in.”

Seoryeong glanced at Hwarin and cupped her fists. “Yes.”

Elder Unso laughed. “Your greetings and answers are still a little mixed.”

Seoryeong tilted her head. “It’s difficult.”

“Yes. Knowing that something is difficult is also learning.”

Cheonghyeonja quietly regarded Seoryeong. “How is your training?”

Seoryeong thought for a moment. “Difficult.”

“What is the most difficult?”

“Breathing quietly.”

Elder Unso narrowed his eyes with amusement. Cheonghyeonja nodded. “It would be, for you.”

“Still, my head has become a little quieter.”

At those words, Cheonghyeonja’s gaze deepened. He looked at Hwarin. Hwarin bowed her head briefly. “Elder Ungak taught her breathing. We practiced letting sensations flow away.”

Cheonghyeonja looked at Seoryeong again. “A good beginning. Those with sharp senses must learn not to be dragged along by them.”

Seoryeong heard the words. Not being dragged by senses. It was similar to what she had heard during footwork. If you only dodge stones, the stones decide the path. If you only react to sound and smell, your senses drag you along. You must decide your own path. You must decide what sound you will leave behind. Seoryeong nodded. “Yes.”

Cheonghyeonja looked at the long wooden box beside him. Seoryeong’s gaze immediately followed. A wooden box. Long. It smelled of weapons. Several of them. Seoryeong’s eyes sparkled at once. Hwarin whispered softly, “Calm down.”

“Yes.”

But her eyes did not calm. Elder Unso laughed quietly. “An honest gaze.”

Cheonghyeonja gestured. A disciple opened the wooden box. Inside were various wooden long weapons. Short wooden spears. Long wooden spears. Staves. A wooden halberd with a slightly widened tip. A practice halberd shaped like a hook. And a blackwood staff with added weight.

Seoryeong held her breath. There were no real blades. No iron either. But there were shapes. Especially the wooden halberd. A wooden weapon mimicking a spearhead and side blade. Incomplete, yet a little like the weapon from her dreams. Lighter and simpler than Mak Cheol’s iron halberd. Yet different from any spear or the ebony pole she had held until now. Seoryeong’s hand moved of its own accord. Hwarin spoke quietly. “Ask permission first.”

Seoryeong stopped. Cheonghyeonja saw this and smiled faintly. “You may touch them.”

Seoryeong immediately picked up the wooden halberd. Weight settled into her hands. Light. Compared to Mak Cheol’s iron halberd, far too light. But it had shape. The protruding part like a blade at the tip. The structure that could hook sideways. A shape that could thrust, strike, hook, and push. Seoryeong held the wooden halberd with both hands and took her stance. Her feet spread naturally. Her breath sank a little. The weight in her hands felt different from the ebony pole. The ebony pole was simply heavy. This wooden halberd carried a little more weight at the tip. When swung, the tip would lag, and stopping it would require a more precise grip. Seoryeong’s heart raced. This was it. Not complete, but the direction was right.

Cheonghyeonja asked, “How is it?”

Seoryeong answered honestly. “Good.”

“Why is it good?”

Seoryeong looked down at the wooden halberd. Why. Because it was good. Saying that would be insufficient again. If Elder Ungak had been there, he would have told her to explain. Seoryeong tried to choose her words. “It can do many things.”

Cheonghyeonja’s gaze shifted slightly. Seoryeong continued. “It can thrust, strike, hook, and push. The ebony pole is good for striking and pushing, the spear is good for thrusting, but this has a little of both.”

Elder Unso nodded. “You sense it quite well.”

Seoryeong lifted the wooden halberd a little. “But it’s light.”

Hwarin immediately said, “It’s only a practice weapon for now.”

“I wish it were a little heavier.”

Cheonghyeonja smiled. “You like heavy things.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Seoryeong thought for a moment. Heavy things stayed in the hands. Heavy things pushed the air when swung properly. Heavy things pressed down on an opponent even if they blocked. Heavy weapons were close to the kind of fight she wanted. But now there was another reason. “Heavy things require feet.”

Hwarin’s eyes widened slightly. Elder Unso’s gaze also grew interested. Cheonghyeonja asked quietly, “Keep speaking.”

Seoryeong gripped the wooden halberd again. “If it’s light, only the hands move fast. If it’s heavy, the hands alone are not enough. The feet must support it, and breath must be there too. I felt that a little yesterday.”

The hall fell silent for a moment. Hwarin looked at Seoryeong. Seoryeong was truly learning. She was not simply asking for a heavier weapon because she liked heavy things. She had realized that a heavy weapon forced her to use her entire body. Cheonghyeonja slowly nodded. “A fine sense.”

Seoryeong’s eyes brightened. “Praise?”

Elder Unso laughed. Cheonghyeonja also smiled. “Yes. It is praise.”

Hwarin felt both deep resignation and a small laugh at the fact that this question now came naturally even before the Sect Leader of Cheongseong.

Cheonghyeonja told a disciple, “Bring something a little heavier.”

The disciple went inside and soon returned with another practice wooden halberd. It was darker in color and carried more weight at the tip. There was no iron, but it seemed heavier wood had been added inside. The moment Seoryeong received it, her eyes widened. Heavy. Still much lighter than Mak Cheol’s iron halberd, but far better than the first wooden halberd. Her wrists felt slightly pressed, and the tip lagged more. Good. Seoryeong took her stance. Hwarin immediately said, “Do not swing it.”

Seoryeong stopped. “Just once.”

“This is inside the hall.”

“Outside, then.”

Cheonghyeonja laughed. “Let us see it once outside.”

Hwarin looked at the Sect Leader. “Sect Leader.”

“Do not worry. I wish to see it as well.”

Seoryeong’s face brightened. Hwarin sighed. If even the Sect Leader was like this, she could not stop her. They moved to the small courtyard behind the hall. The courtyard was not large, but it was enough for one person to test a long weapon. Old pine trees stood around it, and the center had packed earth. Cheonghyeonja, Elder Unso, and Hwarin stood a little apart. Seoryeong stood in the center of the courtyard holding the heavy wooden halberd. She did not swing immediately. She placed her feet first. The footwork she had learned yesterday. There were no stones, but she looked at the empty spaces on the ground. Left foot. Right foot. She lowered her weight. She lowered her breath. Hands last. Cheonghyeonja’s gaze deepened. Seoryeong moved. First she thrust low. The tip of the wooden halberd moved forward. It was not light. The weight at the tip followed a little late. When Seoryeong tried to recover, strength entered her wrist for a moment. The weapon wavered. She immediately gripped it again. Next came a sideways strike. Whoosh. The air hummed low. The weight was good. But stopping was difficult. The tip wanted to keep going. Seoryeong took one more step with her foot and caught the weight. Elder Unso spoke quietly. “Her senses are excellent.”

Cheonghyeonja nodded. “However, the weapon is still leading the child.”

Hwarin heard those words and looked at Seoryeong. It was true. Seoryeong liked the heavy wooden halberd and her body received it well. But the weapon was still pulling Seoryeong’s flow a little. It was the danger Mak Cheol had spoken of. A heavy weapon was a greedy weapon. It could thrust, cut, hook, strike, crush, and push. Because it could do so many things, the person wielding it also grew greedy. Seoryeong could not yet fully control that greed. Seoryeong swung the wooden halberd in a large circle for the third time. It was not yet proper halberd technique. It was a mixture of what she had seen in dreams, what her body remembered, what she had learned swinging the ebony pole, and the habits from using a spear. But something was clearly there. It was neither simple staff technique nor spear technique. It mixed overwhelming strikes, thrusts, and the sensation of hooking and pulling. Whoosh. The wooden halberd drew a large circle. Seoryeong’s eyes brightened. Good. Truly good. The inside of her chest grew hot. Once more. Larger. Stronger. At that moment Hwarin spoke quietly. “Seoryeong.”

Seoryeong’s hand stopped. The tip of the wooden halberd was still trembling. She drew a breath. She had grown hot. Just now, she had wanted to swing a little more. She had wanted to keep spinning without stopping. That sensation was similar to the excitement before a fight. The weapon called to her. Do more. Do it harder. Seoryeong slowly lowered the wooden halberd. “I stopped.”

Hwarin exhaled. “Yes. Well done.”

Cheonghyeonja spoke quietly. “That is the first halberd technique you must learn.”

Seoryeong looked at the Sect Leader. “Stopping?”

“Yes. A halberd is long, heavy, and greedy. Stopping comes before swinging.”

Seoryeong looked down at the wooden halberd. Stopping again. Stop the hands, stop the feet, calm the breath, stop the weapon’s greed. To learn the halberd, the first thing was stopping. Strange, yet it did not seem wrong. Just now she had truly been pulled along. The wooden halberd had wanted to move more. No, it had not been the wooden halberd. It had been herself. Seoryeong nodded. “Yes.”

Cheonghyeonja smiled with satisfaction. “Use this wooden halberd as your practice weapon for the time being.”

Seoryeong’s eyes brightened completely. “You’re giving it to me?”

“I am lending it. It belongs to Cheongseong, so do not break it carelessly.”

Seoryeong nodded at once. “Yes.”

Hwarin spoke quietly. “Especially remember not to break it.”

“Yes.”

“Truly.”

“Yes.”

Seoryeong was so happy that her manners came out well. Elder Unso could not ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hide his laughter. Cheonghyeonja told a disciple to attach a small blue string to the wooden halberd. It was a mark that it was a Cheongseong Sect practice weapon. Seoryeong watched seriously as the string was tied. Was it her weapon now? No, it was borrowed. Still, she could use it for a while. A weapon with shape, unlike the ebony pole. A weapon close to a halberd. Seoryeong held the wooden halberd in her hands. The weight was good. The weight called to her feet. It called to her breath. And it made her hands cautious. Cheonghyeonja spoke. “I will tell Elder Ungak. From today, after footwork and breathing, practice stopping with this wooden halberd.”

Seoryeong bowed her head. “Yes.”

This “yes” was quite proper. On the way out of the hall, Seoryeong held the wooden halberd carefully. Hwarin saw this and said, “Do you like it?”

“Yeah.”

“A lot?”

“Yeah.”

“Then be even more careful. The more you like something, the more careful you must be.”

Seoryeong looked at the wooden halberd. The more you like something, the more careful you must be. Strange, yet it seemed right. She had swung her first spear however she pleased and it had eventually broken. Of course the spear had been weak, but it was also true that she had used it too forcefully. This wooden halberd could also break if used carelessly. Or it could hurt someone. Seoryeong lowered the wooden halberd a little. “I’ll be careful.”

Hwarin smiled. “Good.”

When they arrived at the training ground, Cheongmyeong’s eyes widened when he saw the wooden halberd Seoryeong carried. “Did that come from the long-weapon storehouse?”

Seoryeong nodded. “I borrowed it.”

Cheongmyeong examined the wooden halberd once around. “Wow, that must be heavy.”

Seoryeong’s face grew a little proud. “I like it.”

Dogyeom approached, looked at the wooden halberd, and slightly furrowed his brow. “They already allowed her to use a halberd form.”

Hwarin said, “The Sect Leader permitted it. However, he instructed her to practice stopping rather than swinging.”

Dogyeom heard this and nodded. “Then I can accept it.”

Cheongmyeong smiled at Seoryeong. “You’re finally moving in the direction you wanted.”

Seoryeong nodded. “Yeah. No, in the training ground it’s ‘yes’?”

Dogyeom thought for a moment and said, “For now, ‘yeah’ is fine.”

Seoryeong nodded. “Yeah.”

Dogyeom wondered for a moment why he was even making such distinctions, then gave up.

Elder Ungak was waiting in the center of the training ground. When he saw Seoryeong’s wooden halberd, he nodded as though he had expected it. “I heard from the Sect Leader.”

Seoryeong cupped her fists. “Yes.”

“Does it look good?”

“Yes.”

“Then you must learn it the harder way.”

Seoryeong lifted her head. “Why?”

“What one likes makes a person hasty.”

Seoryeong looked down at the wooden halberd. It was true. It had been that way earlier. She had wanted to swing more. She had wanted to keep moving. “Yes.”

Elder Ungak had the training ground floor draw another circle. Stones were placed as before. But today the gaps between the stones were a little narrower. And outside the circle, three wooden pillars had been set up. Elder Ungak spoke. “Today’s footwork will be done while holding the wooden halberd. However, you must never swing it.”

Seoryeong’s face hardened slightly. Just hold it? Walking between stones while holding a wooden halberd without swinging it. That was too difficult. Elder Ungak saw her expression and said, “If you felt it was difficult, then you heard correctly.”

Seoryeong closed her mouth. Another test. Holding a weapon she liked and not using it. The weapon was in her hands, yet she must not move. This was harder than simply enduring with empty hands. Elder Ungak continued. “A heavy long weapon ruins footwork just by being held. The center of gravity shifts, the tip lags, and the mind wants to use the weapon. Even in that state, the feet must not die.”

Seoryeong gripped the wooden halberd. It was certainly different. Compared to walking between stones empty-handed, her body was pulled to one side. Even the slightest movement of the wooden halberd’s tip disturbed her balance. She stepped into the circle. “Begin.”

First step. Weight shifted toward her right hand. Seoryeong immediately corrected it. Second step. The tip of the wooden halberd nearly caught on a stone. Seoryeong instinctively tried to lift it. Elder Ungak said, “Do not lift it. Change your foot.”

Seoryeong changed her foot. It felt awkward. Third step. When she tried to pull the wooden halberd closer to her body, strength entered her shoulder. “Shoulder.”

Seoryeong lowered it. Fourth step. Her breath rose. “Breath.”

Seoryeong lowered her breath. This was truly difficult. Thinking only about her feet was already hard, and now she held a wooden halberd in her hands and had to watch her breath as well. Feet. Breath. Hands. Yesterday she had felt they were slightly connected, but today the three seemed to fight each other. Her hands wanted to swing, her feet wanted to avoid the stones, and her breath kept rising. Seoryeong stopped. Elder Ungak asked, “Why did you stop?”

“The three are moving separately.”

“What are.”

“Feet, breath, hands.”

Elder Ungak nodded. “That is why you must connect them. Again.”

Seoryeong moved again. The first lap was a mess. She did not step on any stones, but her path scattered. She did not go outside the circle, but the weight kept shifting. The wooden halberd nearly touched the stones several times. The disciples watched quietly. Yesterday someone might have whispered. But today they did not speak easily. They too could tell. That training was difficult. Walking slowly between stones while holding a wooden halberd was far more demanding than it looked. Especially for someone like Seoryeong who moved by instinct.

Seoryeong walked the second lap. It improved a little. The third lap wavered again. On the fourth, her foot brushed a stone. Elder Ungak said, “From the beginning.”

Seoryeong stepped outside the circle and started again. A little irritation rose. Just because she brushed one stone, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from the beginning again. But those were the rules. It was training. Enduring was also fighting. Seoryeong walked again. Fifth. Sixth. Seventh. Sweat ran down her nape. She had not swung the wooden halberd, yet her arms grew heavy. Her soles burned and her thighs trembled. Her breath kept scattering. But at some point, the tip of the wooden halberd wavered less. Her body began to accept the weight a little. Place the feet first, lower the breath, and hold the weapon without letting the hands lead. Seoryeong stopped at the final part of the circle. Elder Ungak asked, “Why did you stop?”

“Here the stone and the tip are close.”

“So.”

“If I just go, the tip of the wooden halberd will touch. I have to change my foot only halfway.”

“Try it.”

Seoryeong shifted her right foot very slightly. It was a movement of less than half a step. At that moment the tip of the wooden halberd passed the stone without touching it. Seoryeong placed her final foot and stepped out of the circle. She had not stepped on any stones, and the wooden halberd had not touched any either. Elder Ungak looked at her for a moment. “Good.”

Seoryeong drew a breath. “Praise?”

“It is.”

Her third compliment today. Seoryeong wanted to set the wooden halberd down but did not. Training was not over yet. Elder Ungak pointed to the three wooden pillars. “Now it is time to practice stopping.”

Seoryeong’s eyes brightened a little. Was she finally going to swing? Elder Ungak immediately said, “You will not strike the pillars.”

Seoryeong looked slightly sullen. “Then?”

“Stop in front of the pillars.”

Seoryeong looked at the pillars. Three of them. Each had different heights and distances. “Swing the wooden halberd and stop one inch in front of a pillar. If you touch it, start over from the beginning.”

Hwarin’s expression grew serious. This was important training. It was also exactly the training Seoryeong needed. Riding the flow of a heavy long weapon yet stopping at the final moment. It was repeating with a weapon what she had done to a person during the spar with Cheongmu. Seoryeong gripped the wooden halberd. “One inch.”

“Yes.”

“If I touch?”

“From the beginning.”

Seoryeong nodded. She stood before the first pillar. She placed her feet, lowered her breath. She held the wooden halberd low. First swing. Whoosh. The wooden halberd moved sideways. Seoryeong tried to stop. Thud. It touched the pillar. Quite hard, too. The pillar gave a dull ring. Elder Ungak said, “From the beginning.”

Seoryeong looked at the pillar. She had touched it. She had meant to stop, but she had been late. The tip of the wooden halberd had wanted to keep going. No, her hand had been late. She took her stance again. Second time. This time she stopped too early. The pillar was a full span away. Elder Ungak said, “Too far. From the beginning.”

Seoryeong closed her mouth. Third time. A little closer. Still too far. Fourth time. Touched. Fifth time. Too far. Sixth time. The tip of the wooden halberd lightly brushed the pillar. “From the beginning.”

Seoryeong drew a deep breath. This was difficult. Truly difficult. Similar to stopping without hitting a person, yet different. A person moved and had a scent. A pillar did not move. So she had to be more precise. There were no excuses. The flow of swinging the wooden halberd was good. The sensation of pushing the air was good. But that final inch was difficult. Inside that one inch, power and stopping had to exist together. Seoryeong took her stance again. Feet. Breath. Hands. She did not look at the pillar. She looked at the empty space in front of the pillar. She would stop there. Whoosh. The wooden halberd moved. Seoryeong did not try to stop only with her hands. She pressed her feet to the floor. She held her breath downward. She slightly loosened her waist. The tip of the wooden halberd stopped in front of the pillar. Not exactly one inch. About two inches. But it had not touched. And it was not too far either. Elder Ungak said, “Good. Again.”

Praise was short and “again” came immediately. Seoryeong was growing used to it. Again. Again. Again. Training continued. First pillar. Second pillar. Third pillar. Different heights meant different stopping sensations. In front of a low pillar the weight pulled downward more, and in front of a high pillar her shoulders tried to rise. A close pillar was frustrating because she had to stop as soon as she began, and a distant pillar made the flow grow large and stopping difficult. Seoryeong made mistakes. She struck pillars, stopped too far, stopped too early and broke the flow. But she improved little by little. The disciples also watched while holding their breath. At first they might have expected to see a child with simple brute strength swinging a long weapon. But what unfolded before their eyes was far quieter training. Rather than swinging a weapon hard, stopping just before touching. To match that one inch, Seoryeong was sweating. Cheongmu also stood at a distance watching. The scent of medicine still lingered on his shoulder. He watched Seoryeong repeatedly stopping in front of the pillars and said nothing. He remembered the moment she had knocked him down and stopped. If she had pushed even a little more then, his wrist might have broken. Today she was repeating that stopping. Not a monster, but like someone learning. Cheongmu’s face was complicated.

When morning training ended, Seoryeong was nearly exhausted. She still held the wooden halberd, but her arms were heavy and her feet burned. Elder Ungak said, “That is enough for today.”

Seoryeong carefully set the wooden halberd down. She had not broken it. The pillars had been struck a few times, but the wooden halberd was fine. She examined the wooden halberd. A little dirt clung to the tip. Seoryeong wiped it with her hand. Hwarin saw this and smiled. “You’re cherishing it.”

Seoryeong nodded. “It’s borrowed.”

“Is that the only reason?”

Seoryeong thought for a moment. “Because I like it.”

Hwarin nodded. “Yes. I told you the more you like something, the more careful you must be.”

“Yeah.”

Elder Ungak had been listening to their conversation. He said nothing, but his gaze had softened a little.

At lunch, Seoryeong was truly hungry. Today she had done footwork while holding a wooden halberd and practiced stopping in front of pillars. She needed meat. She really needed it. But the dining table still had no meat. Seoryeong looked at the table and drew a very quiet breath. Hwarin asked, “What are you thinking?”

Seoryeong spoke softly. “Frugality is a strong enemy.”

Cheongmyeong immediately lowered his head. Dogyeom stopped with chopsticks raised. Hwarin eventually laughed. “That enemy will require a long fight.”

Seoryeong’s face grew genuinely sad. “It’s strong.”

After lunch, Seoryeong stopped by the medical hall. Yu Soha was sitting a little outside her bed today. The physician at the medical hall had apparently said a light walk was fine. Yu Soha had been leaning against the bamboo railing and smiled when she saw Seoryeong. “I heard you received a weapon today.”

Seoryeong’s eyes brightened. “Yeah. No, yes. A wooden halberd.”

She showed Yu Soha the wooden halberd she was holding. Yu Soha looked at it carefully. “It suits you very well.”

Seoryeong looked down at the wooden halberd. It suited her. She liked those words. “I like it more than light ones.”

“It looks heavy.”

“Yeah. That’s why I like it.”

Yu Soha laughed. “Very much like you, Lady Seoryeong.”

Seoryeong stood beside the railing. There was a small stone path in the medical hall garden. Without thinking, she looked between the stones. Perhaps because of yesterday and today’s footwork training, the stone path no longer looked like just a stone path. She could see where stepping would feel comfortable, where her feet would tangle, and where she could turn her body. Yu Soha asked, “What are you looking at?”

“The path.”

“You mean the stone path?”

“Yeah. I can see where to step.”

Yu Soha looked at Seoryeong with curiosity. “You absorb training into your body very quickly.”

“It’s still difficult.”

“Still, the fact that you’re starting to see it is important, isn’t it?”

Seoryeong nodded. She could see. At first she had only avoided stones. Now she could see the empty spaces a little. That might be the path. Yu Soha spoke carefully. “I’m going to try walking a little too.”

Seoryeong looked at her. “Are your wounds all right?”

“They said if I go slowly it should be fine.”

“Then slowly.”

Seoryeong set the wooden halberd aside and went to Yu Soha’s side. Yu Soha held the railing and took one step. Her body swayed a little. Seoryeong almost reached out to catch her but stopped. She watched to see if Yu Soha could balance on her own. Yu Soha swayed a little but did not fall. Seoryeong said, “Good.”

Yu Soha smiled. “Is that praise?”

Seoryeong nodded. “Yeah. No, yes.”

Yu Soha laughed softly and took another step. Seoryeong watched from beside her. Yu Soha’s steps were weak. But she moved forward. Rather than avoiding stones, making a path. Those words came back to her. Yu Soha was also slowly making her own path.

Afternoon training continued with breathing and stopping the wooden halberd. Elder Ungak first had Seoryeong sit and calm her breath. Then he immediately had her hold the wooden halberd and practice stopping in front of the pillars. “If your breath scatters, the weapon scatters too.” That was what he said. Seoryeong felt it in her body. When her breath rose, the tip of the wooden halberd wavered. When her breath sank downward, the tip wavered a little less. But maintaining it for long was difficult. Especially when swinging made her blood run hot, her breath rose. Then stopping grew late. Seoryeong repeated it dozens of times. Touched. Too far. Again. Stopped. Too far again. Again. One inch in front of the pillar. It felt as though an entire day fit inside that small distance. As the sun began to set, she finally succeeded once. Her feet found their place first, her breath sank downward. The wooden halberd moved. The air was pushed. Seoryeong did not stop only with her hands. Her feet, waist, and breath stopped together. The tip of the wooden halberd stopped exactly one inch in front of the pillar. It neither touched nor was too ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠far. At that moment the courtyard grew quiet. Elder Ungak said, “That is the sensation.”

Seoryeong looked at the tip of the wooden halberd while holding her breath. One inch. Truly one inch. She slowly withdrew the wooden halberd. Recovery was also a movement. The wooden halberd returned without wavering. Elder Ungak spoke clearly for the first time. “Well done.”

Seoryeong’s face lit up. It was the greatest praise of the day. Hwarin smiled quietly from the edge of the training ground. Dogyeom uncrossed his arms and nodded. Cheongmyeong spoke in a small voice with admiration. “She really does that in one day.”

Cheongmu was also watching from afar. He said nothing. But his gaze wavered. There was both jealousy and recognition.

That evening, another rumor spread through the Cheongseong Sect. The silver-haired child had received a wooden halberd. The Sect Leader had personally permitted it. Elder Ungak had made her practice stopping. And that child had stopped the wooden halberd one inch in front of a pillar. This time the rumor was not that the monster had chewed and eaten a person. The rumor was that the monster had taken up a halberd. Yet the disciples of the Cheongseong Sect now knew a little. That monster had spent an entire day practicing stopping even while holding a weapon. And she had stopped. That fact was more important than the rumor.

When she returned to the guest house, Seoryeong was completely exhausted. She held the wooden halberd as though cradling it. Hwarin saw this and said, “Be careful when entering the room. You’ll break the doorframe.”

Seoryeong immediately lowered the wooden halberd. “Yes.”

“Your manners are coming out well today.”

“Because I received the wooden halberd.”

Hwarin laughed. “Then does receiving something good improve your manners?”

Seoryeong thought seriously. “Maybe.”

“I must not tell Elder Ungak. He’ll have to give you something every time.”

Seoryeong’s face grew a little expectant. Hwarin immediately said, “Do not expect it.”

“Yeah.”

Once inside the room, Seoryeong stood the wooden halberd beside the ebony pole. Ebony pole. Wooden halberd. Broken spearhead. The weight inside the room had changed a little. The first spear was the past. The ebony pole was a temporary bridge received on the road. The wooden halberd was the direction she must go. Seoryeong looked at the three in turn. Hwarin brought tea and offered it. It was bitter tea again today. Seoryeong grimaced but drank. “Bitter.”

“It’s good for the body.”

“It’s even more bitter today because there’s no meat.”

“I’ll buy you some soon.”

“When?”

Hwarin thought for a moment. “When Elder Ungak acknowledges that you have passed the first gate.”

Seoryeong looked up. “He said I did well today.”

“But he did not say you passed the first gate.”

Seoryeong drank the tea quietly. Frugality was truly a strong enemy. But for the sake of meat, she had to pass the test. Of course meat was not the only reason. The wooden halberd. The path toward the halberd. The sensation of stopping one inch in front. That filled her entire day. Hwarin spoke. “You truly did well today.”

Seoryeong looked up. “Because I stopped the wooden halberd?”

“Yes. And because you endured even though you wanted to swing.”

“It was hard.”

“I know.”

“The weapon wanted to move.”

Hwarin quietly looked at Seoryeong. “More precisely, you wanted to move.”

Seoryeong thought for a moment. Then she nodded. “Yeah. Me.”

Admitting that was also change. The old Seoryeong would have simply said it was good. Now she could see a little that her own greed lay inside that good sensation. Hwarin spoke gently. “Recognizing that is important.”

“If I know, can I stop?”

“A little more.”

Seoryeong nodded. A little more. It was a phrase she heard often these days. She had become a little less dangerous. She had improved a little. She could stop a little more. She grew stronger little by little. Not bad.

When night came, Seoryeong lay in her room. But she could not fall asleep easily. The wooden halberd bothered her. Even with her eyes closed, its weight remained in her hands. The moment she had stopped one inch in front kept coming back. The moment the air split, the pillar drew near, her hand stopped, her feet held, and her breath sank downward. That sensation. It was similar to the sensation of releasing Cheongmu’s wrist, yet different. A hand that stopped to avoid hurting a person. A hand that stopped to handle the weapon’s greed. Both were acts of holding herself. Seoryeong slowly lowered her breath. As she had learned today, she kept only what was necessary and let the rest flow away. The sound of wind outside flowed away. The sound of disciples’ footsteps in the distance also flowed away. She kept Hwarin’s presence. She kept the positions of the ebony pole and wooden halberd. She kept the broken spearhead as well. And dreams came.

A crimson battlefield. But this time the weapon in her hands was clear. It was not a complete fire halberd. It was not a massive iron weapon either. The weapon in the dream existed somewhere between wood and iron. Like the current wooden halberd, it had form, yet it carried the heavy shadow of a future halberd. Seoryeong stood in the center of the battlefield. There were no pillars ahead. Instead there were enemies. Armored soldiers. Cavalry holding spears. Armed warriors holding swords. They charged. Seoryeong’s body wanted to move. She only needed to swing. She only needed to crush. She only needed to open a path. But the wind in the dream whispered. One inch. Seoryeong stopped. The enemies drew near. Her breath grew hot. The weapon cried in her hands. It wanted to move more. No, she wanted to move. Seoryeong knew it. Me. I want to swing more. The moment she admitted that, strangely, her hand grew a little quieter. Her feet gripped the ground. Her breath sank downward. The weapon’s weight connected from her hands to her feet. And at the final moment. Now. Seoryeong swung. The halberd moved. But this time it did not sweep all the way through. The strike that cleaved the battlefield stopped one inch in front of an enemy’s neck. An impossible stop. That enormous power, that enormous weight, stopped in the middle of a battlefield burning with blood and shouts. The enemies in the dream disappeared. Instead, something like Mak Cheol’s voice was heard. A heavy weapon is not something the strong lift. It is something lifted by those who know how to endure. Next, it sounded like Cheonghyeonja’s voice. Stopping comes before swinging. And Hwarin’s voice. The more you like something, the more careful you must be. Seoryeong looked down at the wooden halberd in the dream. No, she looked down at the halberd. It was not yet complete. But it had grown a little clearer. A weapon she would someday hold. That weapon was not simply for crushing enemies. It was something that made her endure, tested her, and made her stop. Seoryeong opened her eyes. Night was deep. The weight of the wooden halberd remained in her palms. The sensation of the training ground’s earth remained on her soles. A hot fire burned in her chest, but today that fire burned a little smaller. It had not gone out. It would not go out. But it seemed to have taken a little shape. Not a fire that spread wildly, but a fire that could be surrounded and contained by hands. Still hot and dangerous, yet a fire she could handle just a little. Seoryeong closed her eyes again. The wooden halberd stood quietly in one corner of the room. The ebony pole stood beside it. The broken spearhead rested by her pillow. Those three weights were making Seoryeong’s path. The first spear. The ebony pole on the road. And the wooden halberd toward the halberd. Seoryeong slowly exhaled. Tomorrow would also be difficult. There would probably be no meat again. But it was all right. Today she had obtained a weapon. More precisely, she had obtained the way to stop a weapon before the way to swing it. That alone made it a sufficiently good day.