The Sword's True Freedom
“Sword Crazy Baek Do-san!”
At the sound echoing from within the inn, Cheonhwa’s eyes sparkled.
‘The same Sword Crazy Baek Do-san Father mentioned?’
Baek Do-san had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship. A figure respected across both orthodox and unorthodox factions, he was counted among the Wulin’s One Hundred Great Experts. His sword art followed no fixed forms or patterns, granting him a freedom of movement that could trouble even the strongest opponents on first encounter. Carelessness invited a blade through the heart. Cheonwoo had warned Cheonhwa to be cautious should he ever meet the man in the jianghu.
“Cease this disturbance and come quietly to receive your punishment.”
From the words drifting out, it seemed Baek Do-san had caused quite a serious incident.
‘Father said he was obsessed with the sword but not an evil man.’
“Come quietly? For whose sake? If anyone wants to die, step inside with your blade drawn. Stop flapping your lips and act.”
Even the Namgung Clan’s Azure Sky Unit would suffer heavy losses trying to subdue Baek Do-san, one of the One Hundred Great Experts. Namgung Jin, an elder of the clan, knew this well. He stood in stalemate inside the inn, yet he could not order his men to attack.
“Will you reject the wine of persuasion and drink the wine of punishment instead?”
Namgung Jin tried to end the matter with words, but Baek Do-san was a veteran who had weathered every storm the martial world could offer.
“How amusing. Who are you to speak of persuasion or punishment? Even a passing stray dog would bark with laughter.”
Cheonhwa approached a group of murmuring onlookers and asked, “What happened?”
“We’re not entirely sure, but it seems the man called Sword Crazy Baek Do-san has become a public enemy of the orthodox factions. The Namgung Clan came to arrest him, yet it doesn’t look easy.”
“A public enemy of the orthodox factions? So the unorthodox factions don’t consider him one? Only the orthodox do?”
“That’s right. He must have gravely offended the orthodox side, which is why the Wulin Alliance declared him an enemy.”
“Ah, so the people inside weren’t killed or injured.”
“As far as we know, the Namgung warriors cleared the inn before they moved in.”
Understanding the situation, Cheonhwa returned to Yi Ja-saeng. “This seems to be a martial world matter. We should leave before we get caught up in it. Another inn would be safer.”
“Yes. Let’s do that.”
Believing nothing good would come from entanglement with martial artists, Yi Ja-saeng turned to depart. As they left, he remarked, “Sword Crazy Baek Do-san is not an evil man.”
“You know him?”
“He was acquainted with your aunt. From what I heard, he was also on good terms with your uncle. He never let orthodox or unorthodox ideologies bind him; he simply met people and discussed the sword. He was deeply passionate about swordsmanship—so much so that people jokingly called him Sword Madman.”
“Then why did he become an enemy of the orthodox factions?”
“I don’t know. We’ve been too busy surviving to pay attention to martial world affairs. If we could meet So-ryong or Jin-hwa at the Wulin Alliance, we might learn more, but it’s been a long time since we last saw them.”
“Father, since we’re already out, why don’t we stop by the Wulin Alliance on the way and visit my cousins?”
“The Wulin Alliance?”
The headquarters lay in Hubei Province. Though adjacent to Anhui, the distance would make the schedule tight if they detoured.
“We can take the river route. It won’t take long.”
Using the Yangtze’s waterways, favorable winds could carry them from Anhui to Hubei in half a day. The detour would not be too burdensome.
Knowing how much Cheon-sang longed to see his younger siblings, Yi Ja-saeng nodded. “Very well. It has been too long since we saw So-ryong and Jin-hwa. Visiting them is not a bad idea.”
At the mention of meeting his cousins, Cheon-sang beamed. “You’ll like them too when you meet them.”
Cheonhwa answered with a gentle smile.
Kwa-da-da-dang!
A crash of combat erupted inside the inn. Moments later, one Azure Sky Unit warrior was hurled through the door, smashing it to splinters before tumbling across the ground.
“Kuhk!”
He lay groaning from the impact, yet no one moved to help him.
A figure emerged from the inn and bellowed at the surrounding crowd. “Who’s there?”
Baek Do-san’s thunderous voice sent the gathered spectators scattering in panic. His fierce aura swept over the Azure Sky Unit warriors, who swallowed dryly, fearing their final day had come.
“Did Elder Namgung Jin fall?”
Through the ruined doorway they could see Namgung Jin and his men sprawled unconscious inside.
“Which damned bastard…?”
Whatever had provoked him, Baek Do-san now snarled like a cornered beast, radiating murderous intent.
—It’s not a lie. You’ll know that once we talk. I only sent you a voice transmission because I heard you were close to my father and wanted to help.
Baek Do-san’s sharp gaze swept the area, yet he found no one capable of sending such a message.
—Father once said you seek the freedom of the sword in order to gain enlightenment.
The transmission startled him.
—Have you obtained what you sought?
“You… truly…”
Voice transmissions required knowing the recipient’s identity. Unable to identify the speaker, Baek Do-san opened his mouth to speak when another message arrived.
—If Father’s name slips out, it could cause trouble. I’ve heard the orthodox factions don’t exactly welcome him.
“Hmm…”
—Have you gained enlightenment?
Baek Do-san shook his head.
—As Father said, pursuing only freedom makes true enlightenment difficult.
“Only freedom is difficult?”
—All things in this world exist in mutual generation and mutual restraint. One cannot attain enlightenment through generation alone or restraint alone. That is what Father told me.
Baek Do-san’s expression hardened.
—Where there is freedom, there is restraint. Where there is restraint, there is bondage. To control that bondage, one must impose regulation. And only by finding freedom within that regulation can one understand the true meaning of freedom.
“Freedom, restraint, bondage, regulation… and freedom again…”
—From one comes many. That is the natural order. Within that order, by befriending nature and seeking freedom, one discovers what freedom truly means…
Baek Do-san closed his eyes, listening to the voice resonating in his mind. He stood motionless for a long while.
The Azure Sky Unit warriors watched him warily. Their elder and senior members lay defeated; they dared not act while he stood with eyes shut.
“He’s not sleeping, is he?”
“Did you forget what happened to the elder? He’s one of the One Hundred Great Experts. We’re no match for him.”
While the warriors hesitated, Baek Do-san took a single step, eyes still closed, and slowly drew his sword. The motion seemed almost sacred.
Wuuuung!
The blade sang.
The Azure Sky Unit warriors’ eyes widened to their limits.
“Th-that’s sword resonance…”
A blue aura enveloped the sword, tracing luminous patterns through the air as it moved.
“Get back!”
Yet the warriors could not simply admire the beautiful blue patterns. An overwhelming pressure filled the space, promising to tear apart anything that entered. They retreated hastily.
Baek Do-san’s sword dance became a fluid, unrestrained performance. Watching from afar, the Namgung warriors each felt something different—some glimpsed new insight, others received guidance on the sword, while some saw only meaningless movement.
As the dance grew fiercer, its influence spread. Buildings around the inn began to crack under the released energy. A little more and the structures would collapse.
A brilliant light burst from Baek Do-san’s body, swallowing the surroundings. When it faded, he had vanished.
“Huuuh?”
The Azure Sky Unit warriors stood frozen, unable to believe what they had witnessed.
‘Sword Crazy Baek Do-san’s enlightenment was passed on to the Azure Sky Unit.’
Among them, one warrior who had received a fragment of that enlightenment stood dazed, staring into the distance.
Meanwhile, Yi Ja-saeng’s party had moved to another inn and settled in. While the others unpacked, Cheonhwa met someone in a quiet corner of the establishment.
“So you truly are Cheonwoo’s son?”
It was Baek Do-san. Thanks to Cheonhwa’s help, he had achieved enlightenment and undergone rejuvenation, appearing slightly younger than before.
“Yes. My mother’s name uses the characters ‘Hwa’ and ‘Rin’ from the Yi surname.”
Baek Do-san’s eyes widened. “I heard the two of them fought to a draw.”
“I wasn’t born yet, so I don’t know the details, but they still get along well—sometimes even childishly so.”
“Is that so?”
“They argue occasionally, and each time an entire mountain disappears. It’s quite troublesome.”
Baek Do-san burst into hearty laughter. “Then you’re staying with the Haedong Merchant Group now?”
“Yes. Mother told me that if I ever needed help in the martial world, I should seek the Haedong Merchant Group. Their situation isn’t great at the moment, so I’m actually the one helping them. I’m learning the merchant trade while staying there.”
Baek Do-san nodded. “Did you learn martial arts from Cheonwoo and Hwarin?”
“I picked up a few things out of boredom, but nothing worth boasting about.”
Baek Do-san narrowed his eyes slightly. ‘No trace of training means one of two things: either he truly has no talent, or he has already surpassed the realm of returning to simplicity and reached the pinnacle.’
The pinnacle realm made one appear as though they had never trained at all—higher even than the rejuvenation Baek Do-san himself had achieved. Given that this youth had transmitted words of enlightenment, his skill could not be low.
‘Cheonwoo and Hwarin have sent a monster into the martial world.’
“Will you grant me a favor?”
“A favor?”
“Thanks to you, I gained enlightenment. But I don’t yet know the full extent of my new power.”
“So you want me to spar with you?”
Baek Do-san nodded.
Cheonhwa thought for a moment, then agreed—it seemed a simple request. “Before that, may I ask something? Why did you become an enemy of the orthodox factions?”
“That is…”
* * *
Jegal Clan!
At the midpoint of Mount Longzhong in Hubei Province stood the massive estate of one of the Ten Great Clans. The Jegal Clan prided itself on being the brain of the orthodox martial world and, alongside the demonic Sama Clan, was known as one of the Two Great Intellects of the jianghu.
Thunder Cave!
Before the Thunder Cave—strictly forbidden even within the Jegal Clan—a large crowd had gathered. Jegal Jung-gi, the current clan head, along with elders, department heads, and unit commanders, all stared at the cave entrance with anxious anticipation.
Udu-du-du-duk……
A powerful tremor shook the ground. Rubble fell from the cave mouth.
“Hmm…”
Everyone watched with a mixture of worry and hope. As the tremors intensified, their expressions turned to unease.
“Did he fail?”
“Young Master Cheon has not emerged yet. Please wait a little longer.”
From their conversation it was clear someone was inside the cave, attempting something extraordinary.
The tremors grew violent enough to threaten the entrance itself, then abruptly ceased. Silence fell.
The gathered crowd stared at the sealed iron door for a long moment before disappointment settled over their faces.
“It appears he has failed.”
At Elder Jegal Seong-gi’s words, Jegal Jung-gi let out a deep sigh. He rose and walked toward the entrance.
At that instant, a tremendous force erupted from the cave, hurling Jegal Jung-gi backward.
“Huuuuh!”
He gasped, turning his head away. Light streamed through the previously sealed gap in the door. With a heavy groan, the massive door swung open, and a young man of about twenty stepped out.
“Oh…”
The crowd’s expressions transformed from disappointment to pure joy.
The young man was Jegal Cheon, heir of the Jegal Clan. Five years ago he had entered the Thunder Cave to inherit everything the clan possessed. After five years of training, he had mastered it all and opened the iron door with his own strength.
When Jegal Cheon had entered, he had been younger. His appearance had changed greatly, yet his face remained the same—only more handsome and masculine now.
“Father, I greet you. Have you been well?”
Jegal Jung-gi nodded, studying his transformed son. “Have you obtained the Heaven-Relying Thunderous Mental Force?”
“Yes.”
Cheers erupted from the crowd.
The Heaven-Relying Thunderous Mental Force maximized the brain’s capacity. Created by the clan’s first ancestor, Jegal Yun, and perfected by the second ancestor, Jegal Liang, it had been passed down through generations. Few in the clan’s history had ever succeeded in obtaining it.
“You truly obtained it?”
“Yes.”
Jegal Jung-gi’s body trembled slightly. “Good. You’ve done well.”
Though the words seemed cold, Jegal Cheon felt the warmth behind them.
“Also, inside the Thunder Cave I found the long-lost Ten Thousand Thunders Heaven-Reaching Strategy Manual.”
Jegal Jung-gi spun around, staring at his son. His eyes demanded confirmation; Jegal Cheon’s gaze answered that it was true.
The Ten Thousand Thunders Heaven-Reaching Strategy Manual—Jegal Liang’s legendary secret art—had vanished generations ago and was thought lost forever.
“You found the Ten Thousand Thunders Heaven-Reaching Strategy Manual?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Beneath a jar of fasting pills in the fourth archive of the Thunder Cave.”
“You ate all the fasting pills in that jar?”
“Yes. I didn’t touch the pills in the other archives. While consuming the ones prepared in the fourth archive, I discovered the manual hidden beneath. Perhaps one of our ancestors hid it there as a prank and forgot to mention it, or maybe the clan faced turmoil at the time. Either way, I was fortunate.”
“Hmm…”
It was an absurd story.
“Well, the clan has faced dozens of crises. Someone must have hidden our secrets during one of them. You’ve worked hard.”
Jegal Cheon bowed to his father. “I will wash up and greet Mother. She has been waiting for my return.”
“Do so.”