So, How Do I Begin?
People called Jeok Mu-ha a man possessed by martial arts.
They were often mistaken. He was not mad for training itself. Of course, he liked training far too much, but his real interest was martial arts as a whole.
That included duels, of course, but also the sorting of manuals, the maintenance of weapons, the gathering of elixirs, and even the recruitment of talent.
If he happened to spot a promising disciple while strolling through the sect, he would personally point out flaws in their technique or toss them a medicinal pill, just like that.
Perhaps because of that, the way Jeok Mu-ha pressed people strangely did not feel unfamiliar to me.
"Go on. Speak."
At his urging, I recited exactly what I had prepared.
"When Master executed the forms, the left foot seemed to turn outward, upsetting the balance, and the right arm holding the sword felt as though it had been lifted too high."
"Have you seen Falling Blossom Sword Art somewhere before?"
"This is my first time."
"And? If there’s anything else you noticed, speak plainly."
"It also felt as though the heart was moving ahead of the body somewhere."
I added that it was because he had deliberately slowed the forms for me.
Of course, I did not really think so. It was a lie, nothing more.
Jeok Mu-ha would not think otherwise either.
What mattered now was that when Master displayed his martial arts, his heart moved ahead of his body—and that I had perceived it.
"Ho!"
Jeok Mu-ha let out an exclamation of admiration.
"I heard you came up Mount Hua in miserable weather. Is your family perhaps one of martial people?"
"No. My family had no connection to martial arts."
"...Is that so?"
Jeok Mu-ha clicked his tongue in disappointment.
He did not seem fully convinced, but perhaps he had decided that, since the words came from a child, he could not press further.
This is actually better.
Showing talent would naturally make life easier for me going forward.
The reason I had pointed out the flaws in the Falling Blossom Sword Art Master had displayed was exactly this. I had wanted him to notice my talent and report it to the sect, and Jeok Mu-ha had happened to hear everything.
For him to confirm it in person could not have been better.
But had I perhaps gone too far by emphasizing the heart moving ahead?
The way Jeok Mu-ha was looking at me now was unsettling.
If things continued like this, it felt like I might be seized and presented before the Sect Leader, so I hurriedly turned my head toward Master.
"Master. Who is this man?"
"Ah, I was remiss in introducing him."
Master, coming to himself, stepped between Jeok Mu-ha and me to smooth things over.
"This is Elder Jeok Mu-ha of Mount Hua. In the martial world, he is known as the Blood Net Plum Sword."
"It is an honor to meet an elder of Mount Hua. My name is Yoo Sung-woon."
At my greeting, Jeok Mu-ha laughed heartily.
"Good, good. I was wondering if Yeon-woo might finally take a disciple, and now the reward has come at last."
He slapped my shoulder with an open palm.
He was the sort of man whose gestures were as boisterous as his personality, so it felt less like a pat than a blow.
Master continued the introduction.
"Elder Jeok is Mount Hua's Martial Hall Elder. Do you happen to know the Plum Blossom Sword Soldiers?"
"Yes. I’ve heard they’re Mount Hua Sect’s elite disciples."
"Indeed. Not only is he the Martial Hall Elder, he also serves as the commander who leads those Plum Blossom Sword Soldiers, the Plum Blossom Sword Commander. Setting aside the Sect Leader, he is the strongest master in Mount Hua, so remember that well."
"Understood."
Jeok Mu-ha was a master of the Transformation Realm, ranked among the upper echelon of the world's hundred greatest masters.
His skill aside, his eye for talent was superb.
Jeok Mu-ha slowly looked me over, then shifted his gaze back to Master.
"You called him Yoo Sung-woon, was it? His bones are good, and he seems to have a sharp eye for martial arts. Have you checked his inner energy and character?"
"I have something to report regarding that."
Jeok Mu-ha tilted his head.
"A report?"
"Yes. Would it be possible to meet with the Sect Leader? It won't interfere with the child's entrance ceremony."
"I see. When the initiation is finished, come with me to Seolmaegak. The other elders are gathered there as well."
"Thank you."
At their conversation, a chill crept up my spine.
Maybe because I had performed better on the entrance examination than I had in my previous life, I had drawn unnecessary attention.
It had been necessary, yes, but...
For some reason, it felt as though I were digging my own grave.
Master spoke to me in his gentle voice.
"Sung-woon. To enter Mount Hua, you must learn Plum Blossom Qi Gong."
Though I already knew that, I asked anyway.
"Plum Blossom Qi Gong?"
"It is Mount Hua's foundation art and inner energy heart method. I will help you learn it."
Master fetched a broom and swept away the thick snow piled in one corner of the courtyard.
Then he had me sit where he had cleared the ground and taught me how to take the lotus position.
"You're doing well, even though this is your first time."
"I'm confident in my body's flexibility."
"How commendable."
Master gently ruffled my hair as though patting the crown of my head, then went on.
"Plum Blossom Qi Gong is the first inner energy heart method created by our founding ancestor. Close your eyes, but don't miss a word I say."
"Yes."
"Do you know anything about inner energy heart methods?"
"Only that they're martial arts that build qi through breathing."
"That's a simple way to look at it. I'll explain them in detail later. For now, keep only that in mind. The purpose of training an inner energy heart method is to draw external energy into the body through the breath and store it in the dantian."
This was not limited to breathing alone.
It also taught you how to circulate your qi when taking pills or elixirs.
"From now on, while I explain the oral formulas of Plum Blossom Qi Gong, I will also send a stream of energy directly into your body to show you the path of circulation. You need only feel it and accept it. The path of circulation can, put simply, be called the meridians, so be sure to memorize it."
"Understood."
Even as I answered, my hips fidgeted for no reason.
At last, I’m learning martial arts again.
I had not even hoped for the inner energy I had built up before becoming a ruined shell to return.
If I could form my dantian again, I could endure anything.
Master sat in the lotus position and placed both hands against my back. After clearing his throat to steady his voice, he began his explanation.
"We begin. The first formula of Plum Blossom Qi Gong is called Mae-gae Hanseol. Literally, it means plum blossoms blooming in cold snow. Mount Hua is famous for its plums, and people often think of winter as Mount Hua's enemy..."
As he explained the formula, Master also sent a faint thread of energy from his palm.
It tickles.
The slender strand of energy moved through my blood and vessels, stimulating them as it went.
Even without knowing the meridians yet, this was how he was making me memorize the circulation path of Plum Blossom Qi Gong.
"Shim-su Cheong-jeong is advice concerning one's state of mind. A martial artist's heart must remain clear and still, and the righteous path’s martial arts..."
My breathing gradually changed.
The tightness in my chest eased, and I could feel even my strength slowly recovering.
The energy of the righteous path began to flow through my whole body. However, the qi I had absorbed into my body was still too weak to form a dantian.
It's a shame I can't form one right this moment, but there's nothing to be done.
Plum Blossom Qi Gong was a foundation art.
The speed at which it gathered inner energy was slow, but that was something I could make up for by training Violet Mist Divine Art or other heart methods later.
It was only after nearly half a shichen had passed that Master finally lifted his hands from my back. Sweat beaded at his chin.
"Even though it is only faint, performing the channeling of true qi for half a shichen is quite exhausting. Have you memorized all of the circulation and formulas of Plum Blossom Qi Gong?"
I nodded.
"Yes. I think I can circulate it on my own."
"Confidence is good, but if you misuse your energy, you could fall into qi deviation. For the time being, I forbid you from circulating energy on your own when I am not present."
"Understood!"
"I'm glad to hear such a spirited answer. In the beginning, there are disciples who struggle even to regulate their breathing after two months. You did well enough."
It was rare for someone to begin circulating qi immediately after entering Plum Blossom Qi Gong, so it was certainly something to be proud of.
If I had not once been a martial artist of the Transcendence Realm, I would have been able to enjoy this joy to the fullest.
Opening and closing my hands, I could feel that the strength in my grip had changed from before. My body also felt much lighter.
And yet I had not even formed a dantian; I had merely absorbed a little qi into my body.
The difference between an ordinary person and someone who could wield energy was truly this vast.
Master stood, brushing the snow from his robes, and said, "With this, your initiation is complete. Do you have any questions?"
"When will training begin?"
"Your fever has broken and your body is stable, so if you wish, we can start as soon as I return."
"I'll wait patiently."
"It won't take long. On the way back, I'll bring the wooden sword you are to use."
Leaving me with instructions to stay and mind the house, Master departed with Jeok Mu-ha.
I watched their backs until they blurred and disappeared from view.
The winter wind was cold, but I did not go inside.
Only after the eyes watching me had gone distant did I sit in the lotus position and begin breathing exercises to circulate my qi.
Building inner energy was a matter of diligence and nothing else.
The dantian, the vessel that held inner energy, was something that had to be formed as quickly as possible. The sooner, the better.
As I drew in the world's energy through my breath, I thought deeply about what I would do next.
So, how do I begin?
Unless something unusual happened, Mount Hua Sect forbade its disciples from venturing into the martial world until they were well past the age of twenty.
It was for their safety.
Before coming of age, the farthest their range of activity would extend was descending to Hwaum County.
To leave for the martial world quickly, I needed to raise my standing.
Fortunately, I had already thought of a method last night.
I need to restore Violet Mist Divine Art.
Everything in my plan began with restoring Violet Mist Divine Art.
If it became known that I had restored it, my standing within the sect would rise, and I would be able to extend my reach beyond the sect as well.
What's more, the sect would reward me with elixirs, famed blades, martial arts, and the like.
Unless I became the sect leader's direct disciple, I would not be able to receive all the support I wanted in martial arts, elixirs, or weapons.
If everything went as planned, even without becoming the Sect Leader’s direct disciple, I could still build the foundation I needed as a martial artist.
But how could anyone believe that the youngest of the third generation disciples had restored Violet Mist Divine Art?
And even if they did believe it, I would still have to explain how I had managed to restore it in the first place.
In my previous life, I had shut myself away in the Library for a full two years before I was able to restore Violet Mist Divine Art.
If I repeat the process in this life, that will be enough.
To do that, I would need to lock myself in the Library and examine the manuals of the martial arts personally created by our founding ancestor.
Of course I would need to study the Twenty-Four Style Plum Blossom Sword Art and the Seven Severing Plum Blossom Sword.
And in the end, I would have to examine the illustrated copy of the Mount Hua Sect's supreme art, Violet Mist Sword Art.
The problem was that, unless I was the Sect Leader's direct disciple, it was impossible to read them as a third-generation disciple.
Some martial arts, including the Twenty-Four Style Plum Blossom Sword Art, could only be learned by Plum Blossom Sword Soldiers.
Moreover, even the illustrated copy of Violet Mist Sword Art was not easily accessible to elders.
Only Jeok Mu-ha, who served as both Martial Hall Elder and Plum Blossom Sword Commander; Oh Joo-yup, the Library Elder; Jin Young-mae, the Law Enforcement Hall Elder; and the Sect Leader and his disciple could read it.
"No, Violet Mist Sword Art is a problem for later."
If I could produce some kind of result first, there would naturally be a way to gain access to the illustrated copy of Violet Mist Sword Art.
For now, the key issue was simply how to enter the Library.
First, I need to show my talent before a year passes.
Only then could the people of the sect mistake me for a talent capable of shaking heaven and earth.
But how?
Even I, who had been called a genius in my previous life, would not have been able to challenge the Library at such a young age unless I had been the Sect Leader's direct disciple.
Without some feat that could draw everyone's attention, it was impossible.
As I racked my brain over what to do, a figure appeared in the distance, dressed in Mount Hua's uniform.
Judging by the build, it was a young third-generation disciple.
There shouldn't be any third-generation disciple coming to see Master at this time...
Sitting quietly, I waited, and soon I could see more clearly.
The third-generation disciple was a girl.
She did not look to be even ten years old, and in her hands she carried a cloth bundle nearly as large as her own body.
Her beautiful features, paired with an expression devoid of color, gave her a strangely mysterious air.
The girl crossed the courtyard and stopped at the raised threshold, staring down at me.
The feeling around her eyes reminded me strongly of someone I knew, but I could not place it at once.
In any case, she was a guest. I lowered my head slightly in greeting.
"Hello."
"Ah... um, hello."
The girl looked a little flustered.
Glancing back and forth between me and the interior of the quarters, she tilted her head and asked carefully, "Is Yoo Yeon-woo sago not here?"
"He went out briefly with Elder Jeok Mu-ha earlier."
"Ah..."
"It seems your paths crossed. If you wait a moment, he should return soon. Would you like to sit?"
The girl nodded and sat down, placing the bundle she had brought between us.
Then she began to study me slowly from head to toe.
"What's your name?"
"My name is Yoo Sung-woon."
"I am... Ha Seo-hwa."
The moment I heard the name, my head snapped around like an arrow loosed from a bowstring.
Found her.
The person I needed for my display of talent had appeared before me.
Ha Seo-hwa was a third-generation disciple who had stood out from an early age just like I had.
And even apart from her talent, she was someone who naturally drew attention because she had Jin Young-mae, the Law Enforcement Hall Elder, as her grandmaster.
All I have to do is defeat one of the third-generation disciples people call geniuses in a duel, right?
A duel with her or anyone else was an idea I had never considered.
Why didn't I think of it immediately?
It was surely because I had spent so many years as a ruined shell, avoiding movement whenever possible.
While I was looking at Ha Seo-hwa, she seemed to have guessed my identity and said, "You're the child who took the entrance exam the day before yesterday?"
"Yes."
"...I see."
Ha Seo-hwa slowly got to her feet and stood before me.
As she gave me a careful once-over, she soon muttered, "Found you."
That was my line.