Rehabilitation Exercise
"What grudge does your main family have against this wench?"
"Even if I told you, would you remember? Name every single weakling you've tormented up to now. I'm one of them."
"..."
"Can't, huh? Then let's just quietly settle all those overdue grudges."
Yeon-gyun's mouth clamped shut at those words. It was clear now: some female martial artist he'd dismissed as insignificant back then had clung to that grudge tooth and nail, and now that the Yeon Family was on the decline, she'd come to exact revenge.
Asking her to reveal her name here wouldn't get him anywhere, and even if she did, if he—the family head—couldn't remember, it'd be utterly humiliating. The Yeon Family's reputation was already in the dirt; he had no desire to show such disgrace, nor the energy for it.
But still.
"The moment the Yeon Family's prestige waned just a bit, even riffraff like you come crawling out to settle scores. So, you sensed an opening now that our house has weakened?"
"You think I'd come if there wasn't an opening? Use your brain a little, us."
"...Hoo. I don't know where a wench like you rolled in from, but I don't even see the value in facing you myself. You'll lose your head to the hands of my Yeon Family kin and end up strung on a pike."
With that, Yeon-gyun turned his back as if there was nothing more to discuss. At the same time, the Yeon Family martial artists who had drawn their swords began encircling Ha-yeon.
"This gabby bitch shows up hiding her face under a bamboo hat."
"You won't die easy. We'll twist your face in agony first, then hang you on the pike."
Ha-yeon slowly backed away. The emboldened Yeon Family ronin—retainers, really—tightened the encirclement as they advanced.
"Yeon Family lords, no need to dirty your hands, right? Leave this to us."
"Yeah, yeah. If you take a sword cut and it festers, the steward'll chew you out for slacking."
"We'll play with her a bit instead. You weren't planning to let her go easy anyway, so this is more convenient for you all, yeah?"
The Yeon Family martial artists stepped back at that. It made sense—if they charged in overconfident and the bitch went berserk swinging wildly, they could end up with holes in their guts if luck soured. Plus, there was that undercurrent of disdain: why should noble Yeon Family warriors stoop to work mere ronin could handle?
As the Yeon warriors nobly retreated to watch from afar, Ha-yeon stepped forward.
"Never seen cowards dodge like this in my life."
She muttered, then swung her drawn sword in a wide arc. The trajectory sliced through empty air—nothing there.
"Hahaha! The bitch got scared preemptively and—"
Eh, no need for fancy descriptions here, right? No clichés about grunts not recognizing a master's strike, heads rolling. Boring.
Thud.Thump-thump. Heads harvested and tumbling.
No blood on her blade, but wanting to look cool anyway, Ha-yeon flicked her sword through the air and assumed stance.
"Come on. Let's see how far we gotta go before that heavy-assed family head shows."
First Form: Yeon Family Draw
Clang-clang-clang!
Kraaack!
Yeon-gyun pressed his forehead at the screams from outside. Those occasional yells were clearly from men, not that insolent woman from earlier.
How incompetent do you have to be to scream like that with all those guys? Unbelievable.
They must've let their guard down and gotten tagged by some blind lucky swing from someone ready to die. He'd said she wasn't worth his time; going out to help now would just bruise his pride. And those screams were from ronin, not retainers—no loss, no heartache.
"Steward."
"Yes."
"As you see, scum harboring grudges against our Yeon Family will keep coming. Prepare countermeasures."
"We can't stop them from coming. But catering to every grudge one by one will just pile up wounds on our warriors. I'll procure poison we can scatter for such intruders."
"Good. Do it."
Kraaack! Clang-clang-clang!
More noise from outside. Another man's scream this time—these idiots already down two?
Yeon-gyun's butt twitched in his chair. But he didn't stand. No one outside was calling for him, the family head.
If it were a Peak realm expert or higher, they'd bellow for him, right? Probably just a decent first-rate martial artist giving them trouble. A woman, at that.
Told them not to get cocky.
He chugged tea to soothe his burning gut at the thought of all those guys failing against one first-rate woman.
"Don't fret, family head. If the enemy's skilled, the impact of beheading her will be that much greater. Bamboo hat hid her moniker, but that level's gotta be somewhat famous."
"Right. When you cut her head, get her name and title too."
Clang-clang-clang! Kraaack!
"......"
"......"
Even the steward consoling him stiffened. That last voice was one of their first-rate Yeon Family warriors.
"...Useless fools."
"Family head."
"Haa... Guess I have to step in myself."
Pride be damned—if he sat here longer, he'd look like an idiot. Yeon-gyun rose, having slurped even the tea dregs.
"Let's at least see the face of the bitch who cut my kin."
Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang! Kraaack!Uwaaack! Family heeead...
Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang! Thud.Thump-thump-thump.
"....!"
Yeon-gyun drew his sword instantly, shoving the steward back and reaching for the door—but something burst through first.
Bang!Crash!
"Guh, heuk. F-family head..."
"...Chae-san..."
The warrior called Chae-san breathed his last. But Yeon-gyun couldn't watch.
"Hey. That guy's the one who lasted longest."
"...You bitch."
"Praise me. He shouted the Yeon Family name to the end. Hard to find loyal minions like that."
Ha-yeon swung her sword to shake off blood. In a messy brawl like this, some splatter was inevitable.
"You... Peak realm master, huh?"
"Dunno my own level. Doc said my body's nearing first-rate."
"How'd you do it."
"What."
"Why didn't the ronin freeloaders or Yeon retainers call me? Hiding traitors?"
"Just lopped heads before they could. Last one gave trouble, failed."
But whatever, not important. I aimed my gripped sword at him.
My muscles felt perfectly loosened after carving through so many—facing the family head here would be satisfying.
"What... what grudge against the Yeon Family justifies this."
"You threatened to cut off ten fingers."
"What?"
Yeon-gyun eyed Ha-yeon's hands. All ten intact, obviously.
"And said I wouldn't die easy. So I've got one life plus ten fingers' worth of grudge against your Yeon Family."
"That... what nonsense. You wrecked the place over hypotheticals that never happened?"
"Why's it nonsense? If I'd been weak, you'd have taken those ten fingers for real. No easy death either."
Lucky I was strong, or that's what would've happened.
"Gets more ridiculous the more I think. You get interest on top. Don't underestimate people."
Ah, but the ten fingers—I had drinking buddy Heon-u there, so special exception.
"Fine, ten fingers had a loophole, so I'll waive. Just pay one life's worth. Interest separate, got it?"
"You... you!"
"Oh, my life's pricey, FYI?"
First Form: Yeon Family Draw → Second Form → Third Form
Unleashing restrained yet murderous strikes to pressure the foe.
Yeon-gyun swung, his blade thick with intent to kill. Rough like a black path warrior's, but refined—not purely feral. Controlled fury.
Yeon Family Sword Method.
Ha-yeon parried verticals, horizontals, and the subtle killing intents hidden between, stepping with footwork.
The Eight Trigrams Steps she'd picked up sparring the slave.
Taoist warriors beyond Wudang knew it too, so counters were common knowledge.
"A Taoist!"
Spotting it, Yeon-gyun countered textbook-style. Cut the Fourth Form chain, straight to Sixth: Intersecting Dragon Belly Sword.
Ha-yeon canceled steps, swung the Great Pure Sword Method First Form stolen from the slave.
First Form: Great Pure
Purest Taoist sword qi suppresses the sinister dragon. No matter how it thrashes, bites, claws, heaven embraces it all.
Yeon-gyun slashed, stabbed, swung—no matter, his blade never touched her skin. As if it should be so.
"Grk! You can't block forever!"
"I can, so I do. What, you gonna keep missing? Swing to hit already!"
"Kraaack!"
Endless failures. Strikes fizzling. Posture crumbling more with each attack.
Frustrated, Yeon-gyun lunged deep. Then Ha-yeon unleashed the second form.
Second Form: Cloud Sever
Sword swings soft as clouds, severing Yeon-gyun's neck. Unreadable intent, illusory path, but the end held a severed cloud.
Thud.
Ha-yeon stared blankly at her hand that had cleaved the cloud, watching Yeon-gyun's head roll.
"Skills OP as fuck."
How'd I even do that?
Yeon Family warriors and hired ronin: dead.
Family head: just died.
Steward trying to sneak away: next.
"Bye."
"Sp-spare me! Please! I'm just a scholar who's never tasted blood, only ink!"
"Yeah? Bye."
"Wait! I know where the Yeon Family hides its treasures, ledgers, land deeds!"
Ha-yeon's swinging sword halted. The mysteriously precise blade hovered at the steward's throat.
Seeing red trickle between his collarbones, the steward freaked, prostrating.
"Spare me, and I'll give everything."
"Yeah?"
"Yes!"
"Lemme see then."
The real valuables are always hidden where only insiders know. If he saved hassle, why not spare him?
At that, the steward uncurled from his grovel, clasping hands politely.
"I know the spots. Happy to guide you, hero... please."
"Fine. C'mere, slave."
"You called?"
The slave approached from afar. His face sour, confused—after watching her casually wield Great Pure Sword Method.
"...Like the Great Pure Sword Method?"
"Jealous? I only learned First and Second anyway. Side-eye got me that much."
"Took me a week of instruction just to start those."
"Your talent's lacking, don't blame me. And no BS—Third Form would take years of sparring to copy, minimum."
No exaggeration. My old world's advanced qi arts didn't mesh easy here.
Murim refined sword essences to their tastes over ages. Basics First/Second? Maybe. Beyond? Gap too wide.
Especially Wudang's ancient Great Pure Sword Method, not some roadside trash. Inferior to founder Zhang Sanfeng's Tai Chi Wise Sword, but still elite.
Even for Ha-yeon, couldn't yoink that refined essence from a few spars.
"Without blueprints—manuals with annotations—hard for me to copy."
"Phew... good."
"Heh. Don't relax. Who knows if I suddenly grasp the core and steal it?"
"I'll never unfold Great Pure Sword Method before you again."
"Ack. Cheater. Slave acting cocky."
The steward kowtowed silently, ears plugged. That intruding youth resembled Nam-chang's noisy Wudang Cheong-yong too much.
No, not him. Pretending to know meant death. So this youth could never be Cheong-yong. Must stay ignorant.
"Ahem. To the unidentified young master and hero... we'll give all the Yeon Family has. Follow this lowly one."
"Yeah. Let's see what you hid so tight. Steward."
"Yes."
"Don't skimp. One secret per slash."
"....Yes."
"Good boy."