Disciple Ceremony and the True Plum Flower Sword Art

Dang Soso, who had left the Tang family manor, came to the guest hall where I was staying and bowed her head politely.

"The initial report to the patriarch is complete, and before dinner, he hopes to have a moment to speak with you."

"I see."

I told her that since I was staying in the guest hall anyway, we could talk briefly before joining for dinner. She nodded, flashing a bright smile, and bowed deeply once more, expressing her profound gratitude.

"Please forgive my rudeness and accept me as your servant in gratitude for your help. The Tang family might have fallen to the blood ghosts' schemes otherwise."

"Even without me, Lady Dang could have handled it just fine."

Seol Mang snickered beside me, sending the message via telepathy. With a sigh, I told her to head inside already, then turned to Dang Soso.

"I'll be spending time with my disciples, so if you need to fetch me, just come to my room."

"Understood. It wouldn't be polite to keep a benefactor who traveled far without rest waiting anyway."

Dang Soso rose gracefully, her jade-like eyes sparkling as she offered a formal bow. As she departed, a faint sweet scent lingered around her.

...I wonder just how much of a mess Sichuan is in this place.

According to Seol Mang, the Emei Sect on the same Sichuan soil was definitely in chaos. Turned into a proper army, wielding bayonets and such. My head was already starting to throb at the thought.

"Master."

Hwa Ryeon's quiet voice came from beyond the door.

"Got it."

Seol Mang slithered down casually, telling me to chat comfortably with my disciples. I nodded, glanced at her briefly, then laid Seol Mang on my thigh for comfort.

"This is better, isn't it? Warm and soft."

Seol Mang smiled and stretched out languidly once more. A warm smile spread across my face as I stroked her, then called to Hwa Ryeon and Ji Yeon.

"Come in."

No sooner had I spoken than Ji Yeon and Hwa Ryeon entered my room.

"It's been a while, Master."

Hwa Ryeon said so with a bright smile. Her energy was neatly gathered, pure and serene. Gone was the corrupt, raging aura of the false Huashan; now, a gentle, restrained true Huashan energy swirled around her. Even a faint plum blossom fragrance wafted subtly. I returned her smile and accepted her greeting.

"Yes, it's been a while."

"Shall we perform the discipleship rite right away?"

Hwa Ryeon knelt gracefully and asked. Ji Yeon sat demurely beside her.

......

I fell into thought. Hwa Ryeon would eventually return to Huashan. More precisely, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she would drive out the false Huashan and establish a new true one. So, was it right for her to perform the formal discipleship rite here with me?

Once she did, she would officially become my disciple and carry on my will. Was that truly appropriate?

Ji Yeon, daughter of the Zhuge family and not a formal disciple but more of a companion—or watcher—hadn't performed the rite either. Yet Hwa Ryeon currently had no sect affiliation. No one else knew her circumstances and could take her in but me.

So, perhaps it was right for me to formally accept her.

As I pondered, Ji Yeon spoke up with a gentle smile.

"...Master, I believe it would be proper to accept Hwa Ryeon as a formal disciple through the rite."

I asked how she could say that without knowing the full story.

"Hwa Ryeon's reputation as an expelled disciple will only sink lower with time. If you, her benefactor from the Zhuge family and a great hero in Sichuan, formally accept her through the rite, it will prevent her from being dismissed as merely expelled to some degree."

She added that Hwa Ryeon could proudly declare me as her master anywhere, without any pangs of conscience. It was sound advice.

...Even if she'll return to Huashan someday, she's out of it now.

I could accept the rite now, teach her everything, and send her down the mountain later. That settled it.

I nodded and, following Ji Yeon's words, accepted Hwa Ryeon's discipleship rite.

"I look forward to your growth, Hwa Ryeon."

"Please call me Ryeon comfortably, Master."

"...Ryeon."

"Yes, Master."

Feeling a bit like a cradle-robber despite myself, I smiled brightly and turned to Ji Yeon beside her.

"Even though this lady only formally accepted Ryeon through the rite, that doesn't mean I don't consider you my disciple, Ji Yeon."

"I know. I can't leave my family, after all. But receiving your teachings hasn't changed, so I'll keep calling you Master."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Pride swelled in me as I watched Ji Yeon smile brightly. Hwa Ryeon, observing us, paused briefly before rummaging in her bosom and pulling out some manuals.

"Master, the Sword Empress gave me these manuals before I left."

"...!!"

At the word "manuals," even Seol Mang, who had been sleeping soundly, woke and coiled around my arm.

"...!!"

Hwa Ryeon startled in surprise.

First time seeing Seol Mang?

I tilted my head but soon explained.

"This is Seol Mang, the spirit beast I raised."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"N-Nice to meet you... It speaks...?"

Hwa Ryeon flinched slightly at that. Ignoring Seol Mang's chuckle, I picked up one of the manuals. The martial art inscribed there was.

"...?"

After "The plum blossoms of Huashan are eternal through the ages," the rest was incomprehensible scrawls. More like they had vanished. Since it was salvaged from a burning book, that made sense.

...I'll have to ask the Sword Empress about it.

She must know something after reading countless books. Thinking that, I flipped through to reveal the techniques listed.

From the 1st Form, Plum Flower Roadside, to the 24th, Plum Flower Ten Thousand Li Fragrance. For the first time since arriving in this wuxia world, I cheered at the true scent of plum blossoms.

...What I did before was incomplete.

I'd merely imitated Huashan's flower by feel, without knowing the proper method. But now, with the true manual, I could wield authentic Huashan swordsmanship.

"There are other manuals too... Would you like to check them?"

"Please."

Hwa Ryeon pulled more manuals from her bosom one by one. The Sword Empress must have judged it wise to sneak them out with Hwa Ryeon before Lee Hwa Ri discovered them.

A sound decision.

It was. Who knew what that cunning spirit beast might do next? Why try to burn Huashan's manuals in the first place? And why was Huashan doomed to destruction?

It was suspicious from the start—how the Blood Demon's great battle nearly wiped them out, only for something to take root and corrupt their spirit. And hadn't Seol Mang warned before?

Don't trust spirit beasts.

"We're at the Tang family—is that okay?"

"Heehee, thank you."

"......"

The spirit beast, ignoring me entirely, plastered itself to Ji Yeon and munched on Tang candy. Sighing as I thought she really couldn't be trusted, I rubbed my throbbing temples.

"I-Is something wrong?"

"No, no problems at all. Quite excellent, in fact."

In this tense situation where everyone looked like a strict parent asking what went wrong, I gathered up the manuals.

...Beast tamer, was it?

Records from a dead era. Forgotten martial arts of that time, and the broken jianghu of now. The gap felt impossible to bridge—where even to start?

The Blood Demon and spirit beasts... there might be some connection between them.

With that thought, I stretched languidly.