The Third Strongest Under Heaven
In the Central Plains Murim, whenever three people with ties to the martial world gathered, there was one topic that always came up.
Who are the "Three Supremes Under Heaven"?
The Third Supreme Under Heaven. The name sounded somehow absurd, like there was no real need to pick one. But with the top two so firmly entrenched, debates inevitably swirled around who could claim third place.
The First Under Heaven was, of course, the Sword Saint. Sword Saint Moyong Cheon. There was no room for argument. He had crushed the Cheonma, who had proclaimed himself the supreme master of the era and backed it up with his prowess.
So who was second? Coincidentally, the Cheonma himself. Again, no debate. The Cheonma had lost to the Sword Saint, not to Murim or the Imperial Court. Once an absolute ruler falls, those below him inevitably grow bold with rebellion or greed. Yet the Cheonma had crushed every uprising in the Magyo.
And the court? No matter how distant Cheonsan was in the west—farther even than Qinghai Province with its Kunlunpa—the court couldn't just sit idle after he slaughtered so many of their soldiers. But they had no choice. After the Cheonma's retreat, the Qinghai Governor defied the imperial order and led twenty thousand elite troops against him... only to be annihilated by the Cheonma alone.
Some say the palace cut off the governor to save face, or that imperial warriors had infiltrated his punitive force. The truth remained shrouded in mystery. Still, for all his overwhelming display, the Cheonma struggled to rebuild his organization, and the Magyo was slowly declining.
That left everyone wondering: who would follow the Sword Saint and Cheonma? Among those connected to Murim, the question sparked endless chatter.
Some named Shaolin's Sinseung. Others pointed to the palace's Yeocheong. Some championed Haedong Geomgak's Geomhu, Hebei Pengga's Dohwang, Namgung Sega's Sword Emperor, or even Wudangpa's Hyeon-hwa Do-sa.
With the Murim Alliance leader solidly holding tenth place among the Ten Supremes, rankings from third to ninth shifted wildly in endless debate. But it was all speculation—no one truly knew.
When did Hyeongyeong masters ever clash? At that realm, they avoided petty grudges and understood their roles as Murim's elders too well to act rashly.
The only way to reset the rankings was for a new Hyeongyeong expert from the younger generation to challenge them one by one, like smashing dojos, gradually proving their place through duels.
Someone beat Yeocheong. That someone lost to Geomhu. Naturally, Yeocheong ranked below Geomhu. Without such rumors or direct confrontations, their order remained unknowable.
Without such cases, that is.
"Mortal eyes can't keep up."
I arrived at the scene of the commotion, but all I could see were sparks flying where two blades of different hues clashed. In the open dueling ground, it was like a fireworks display—the clash of two Hyeongyeong masters unfolding in a battle beyond my sight.
"......"
Moyong Seol stood beside me, clearly tracking their every move with her eyes. Was it her swordsmanship path, or her sheer talent? She watched the two Hyeongyeong experts duel sword-to-sword without missing a beat.
Exchanges too swift for ordinary eyes. Yet amid them, I could clearly hear.
"Shameless...!"
"No, it's not!"
Even for Hyeongyeong masters, speech during combat was only a touch faster than normal.
"Have some shame, Geomhu!"
"It's Geomhui now, Senior Sister!"
"You're twice my age!"
"I'm seventeen—half your age, Senior Sister Yeocheong!"
Their conversation rang clear as they traded blows. Thanks to that, I could easily guess how this duel started.
"She didn't buy it."
As the Sword Saint had said, Imperial Sword Yeocheong had poured cold water on Geomhu's "Geomhui act." While everyone in Moyong Sega brainwashed themselves into seeing Geomhui as Geomhu's secret disciple, only Yeocheong exposed her true nature and shamed her.
The reason she picked the fight first? "A stronger swordswoman than her rejuvenates and acts like a disgraceful child—naturally, it ignited her jealousy."
As the Sword Saint noted. Geomhu being stronger than Yeocheong made sense, and the envy was understandable. What didn't was the urgency and impatience in their voices—
"Father."
"Yes, Seol."
"From what I see, Geomhui... seems to be losing ground to Yeocheong?"
And as Moyong Seol observed, Geomhui was indeed being pushed back.
"Isn't Geomhui's sword skill superior? Her talent too."
"Indeed."
"Could it be the Geukyang Jihwan?"
"The bodily changes from the Geukyang Jihwan play a role, but it's not the direct cause."
The Sword Saint turned to me.
"Physician Seok. You know why Geomhui is losing."
"......Even if she's losing now, in a week, Geomhui would win. This is just her weakened state."
Her figure wasn't fully visible, but fleeting expressions when she adjusted her stance or halted betrayed it.
"I've heard female masters can't perform at full strength during their... monthly suffering."
"Exactly."
Geomhui was afflicted with an "internal injury." That injury was why she yielded to Yeocheong—and why Yeocheong raged.
"This can't go on—"
"Sto—p!!"
Boom!
A massive cleaver struck like lightning between the two swordswomen, accompanied by a thunderous explosion.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
"Urk, Dohwang...!"
Dohwang intervened. His lush, cloud-like hair rippled in the dust and shockwave; even as some strands sheared off from their sword qi with sharp whistles, he paid it no mind.
"What unbecoming behavior before the juniors?!"
Even shorn, it was still lush.
"Yeocheong, sheath your sword! And you too!"
"......"
"Now!"
At Dohwang's roar, the two withdrew. Then they both turned complex gazes on him—as if his unscathed state, bar a few fluttering locks, defied comprehension.
"Senior's grown stronger."
The Sword Saint murmured softly.
"Regaining his pride brought enlightenment."
"......"
"The Geukyang Jihwan's effects manifest in diverse ways."
Dohwang might have lagged behind them before, but reclaiming his hair could have restored his youthful vigor too. Both he and Geomhu had changed dramatically.
Yeocheong, here to monitor Moyong Sega with her keen imperial eyes, couldn't miss it.
"Lady Yeocheong."
"...Sword Saint."
"Calm yourself. Shall we discuss details in the inner garden with Physician Seok and me? For Dohwang's sake—and mine—hold back for now."
As the Sword Saint shot Geomhui a sharp glance, she fidgeted, retreated, and bowed her head.
"Sorry. The pain got to me."
"That's why I said... not to say it."
I understood. For some, menstrual cramps after decades might be a blessing, a joy. For others, their absence at the right time brought hidden tears and sobs.
"Follow me, Yeocheong. Physician Seok, Seol—come along."
The Sword Saint wrapped things up and invited the somewhat calmed Yeocheong to the estate's inner garden.
* * *
A moment later.
"The timing was poor. Even I struggle to handle Geomhu's dramatics at times. Forgive us."
"...It's fine. You needn't apologize, Sword Saint. Whatever miracle befell this old woman, it's my fault for acting childish without considering my age."
Yeocheong replied to the Sword Saint in a composed tone. But her aura remained sharp, her intense gaze fixed on me.
"Grrrr...."
Moyong Seol clung tightly to my side, glaring daggers at Yeocheong and mustering her presence. But against a Hyeongyeong master's true vigilance, all she could do was grit her teeth and grip me harder.
Me? I just saw the young woman before me as a "patient."
"Physician Seok."
"Treating Gu-eum Jeolmok, rejuvenation, hair restoration—I follow that far. But Geomhu becoming Geomhui and gaining periods means... she can bear children now."
Seeing someone in a similar plight achieve the miracle of medicine stirred deep longing.
"I ask that you answer plainly what this Yeocheong desires, Physician Seok."
"Before I do, one question I must ask."
"What is it?"
Thankfully, she treated me as a physician. So I would face her as one healing a patient.
"Do you wish to regain a body capable of bearing children? Or do you yearn to carry and birth a child yourself?"
"To that, I answer thus."
Yeocheong placed a hand on her chest.
"It's not my damaged lower dantian as a martial artist I seek to heal."
Her abdomen had been wounded, damaging both her reproductive organs and lower dantian.
"Forgive me for the discourtesy to the imperial house, but I would forsake all my martial arts."
What did this woman—who rose to Imperial Sword despite her ruined lower dantian, drawing on her middle and upper—seek, even at the cost of her power?
"I only wish to bear a child for the husband I love. Not adopt from some concubine's womb, but one from my own."
"I get it!"
Moyong Seol shot to her feet, shouting.
"Physician!"
"It's decided."
I bowed to the Sword Saint and rose.
"With Young Lady Moyong's approval, I'll do my utmost for Lady Yeocheong's treatment."
No treating imperial folk as a Murim physician?
"If a miracle occurs, it will be the gods of medicine granting it to her earnest wish and love."
That's no physician's doing.
"I'll make it happen."