A Substitute for the Real Thing
Baek Cheong paused for a moment, mulling over what she had just heard. She had heard the term Sword Fragrance before. It was said that when a sword cultivator reached a certain level, their aura would subtly carry a faint, lingering scent. 'But that's coming from me?' It was a topic that had popped up in the Mumyungbang threads, often discussed by the sword-cultivator users. She had understood the concept in theory, but since it lacked a physical manifestation, it had been hard to grasp. The fact that it was supposedly emanating from her own body was particularly baffling.
'Does something like Sword Fragrance really linger on a person?' Baek Cheong pretended to straighten her robe, letting her hand drift down naturally. Her hand came to rest beside her knee, and she carefully took a small, cautious sniff toward her collar. Since the robe had been provided by the Yeonha Baek clan, it was infused with the faint, lingering scent of the incense sticks favored by the main house. That was the extent of the fragrance she could detect. 'Well, it’s true that Sword Fragrance isn’t something you’re meant to smell with your nose, anyway.' Still, it was such an unexpected claim that she had sniffed herself without even thinking. Even if Sword Fragrance were radiating from her, there was no way for her to know it herself. It was a desperate attempt to see if she could catch even a whiff of it.
'He didn't say anything about it, though.' Baek Cheong retraced her memories. During the time she had received teachings from the Pacheon Sword Sovereign, she had never once heard the term Sword Fragrance mentioned. At their parting, he had merely replied that she had "sufficiently fulfilled the requirements." 'I suppose "fulfilling the requirements" meant I’d reached the point where I was practically leaking Sword Fragrance.' Only then did the weight of the Pacheon Sword Sovereign’s words truly sink into her young heart. He hadn't taken her with him, yet he had left her with a formidable shield of protection. And even though he had seen her hone her sword intent to the point of emitting that fragrance, he had remained silent about it—a brusque, taciturn nature that, upon reflection, felt surprisingly warm.
'He could have just told me.' Suddenly, she recalled the Sovereign’s smile—the one that had barely changed. He seemed blunt, but he simply hid his various expressions behind a stoic mask. However, she didn't have the luxury of sinking into deep contemplation. The banquet wasn't over yet, and she still needed to scheme for the New Spring Exchange Meeting.
Before long, the Sect Leader toasted the guests and brought his congratulatory speech to a brief close. The atmosphere of the banquet began to loosen. The sound of musical instruments gently filled the space, and maids moved between the seats. Among the guests, stories began to unfold one by one. There were scenes of people from Nascent Soul clans who had traveled from other continents clinking glasses with the local powers of the Southern Continent. At the Yeonha Baek clan’s table, an elder from another faction approached to clink glasses with her uncle.
As the banquet reached its peak, the Sect Leader gestured for the young children to be excused. "As the New Spring Exchange Meeting has begun within our sect, feel free to explore the grounds to your heart's content." At this consideration, the children who had been keeping their seats rose. One could see the children who had followed from various factions standing up and looking around with curiosity. Baek Cheong also slowly rose from her seat. Her uncle in the neighboring seat nodded and gestured for her to go on her way.
Baek Cheong immediately shifted her gaze toward the area where the inner disciples were seated. She made eye contact with her eldest brother, but strangely, he didn't even twitch. 'What's going on?' A natural question arose in her mind. Since Mongyo wasn't there, she had no choice but to move around through her eldest brother. Just as she was about to approach him to ask about Mongyo’s whereabouts, someone approached her from the side of the pavilion with quick, hurried steps.
"Young Miss Baek!"
Baek Cheong paused. She didn't need to listen closely to know who it was. There was no one else who would have a reason to approach her, an outside guest, in the middle of the hall. She turned her head, and sure enough, it was Jin Wi. Even though he had entered the Core Formation stage, his behavior hadn't changed. He seemed genuinely delighted, as if some sort of internal intimacy had developed between them. 'I suppose I have to greet him first.' Her plan to move toward her eldest brother had to be postponed.
"Senior Jin Wi, I hope you have been well."
Baek Cheong clasped her hands together and bowed politely to the Core Formation senior. Regardless of how she felt about it, she had to maintain proper etiquette in such a setting. "Congratulations on successfully finishing your seclusion and crossing the great threshold to reach the Core Formation stage in time for the New Year."
"Hehe." Jin Wi’s lips curled into an even wider grin. Realizing his composure had slipped, he cleared his throat to regain his dignity. "Ah, well, it’s nothing much." Jin Wi lowered his voice, mimicking the awkward tone of an adult. He had grown quite a bit since last year—he was a head taller—but his youthful face remained, making the act feel clumsy.
"In any case, I am quite pleased to see you again at our sect."
'Where did he learn to talk like that?' Baek Cheong was dumbfounded by his attempt to act serious. He seemed to be trying to play the adult with the confidence of his new Core Formation status, but hilariously, his gaze toward her was no different from last year. 'My brother was right.' She remembered what her eldest brother had told her long ago: that Jin Wi often brought her up and expressed a desire to see her again. It seemed her brother’s words were true. Not that it changed the fact that she thought of him as little more than a pebble on the roadside.
'Still, I can't be cold to him.' Baek Cheong pretended to accept his greeting warmly while looking for an opening. She had something she could ask him in her brother's stead. "By the way, Senior Jin Wi."
"Yes, Young Miss Baek?"
"Where is Senior Mongyo?"
Jin Wi looked a bit dejected that she wasn't asking about him, but he shook it off and shrugged. "Ah, Senior Sister is not in the sect due to some business. I cannot speak in detail as it concerns sect affairs, but she will return by the time the New Year banquet ends."
'So much for the plan to use Senior Mongyo.' Baek Cheong quickly weighed the situation. Her strategy to attend the martial contest through Mongyo had failed. Asking her eldest brother would only lead to him trying to stop her. After a moment of calculation, she realized Jin Wi would be a sufficient guide to replace Mongyo. 'A chicken is better than a pheasant, I suppose.' It was burdensome that he showed such intense interest in her, but she had no choice. She put on her most demure, lady-like expression and opened her mouth.
"Senior Jin Wi... actually, I would like to look around the New Spring Exchange Meeting, but since this is my first time at the Biun Sect, I’m not sure how to go about it."
Jin Wi’s lips curled upward, and he puffed out his chest unnecessarily. "Ah, I was just about to suggest that we look around the exchange meeting together, Young Miss Baek. I will lead the way, so please follow me."
Soon, Jin Wi strode forward with a confident gait. Baek Gyu watched the two of them from afar with a satisfied look. Seeing this, Baek Cheong felt pleased and followed after him. As they stepped outside the pavilion, Jin Wi explained the schedule. "Since today is the first day of the New Spring Exchange Meeting, only the academic fair will be held. Each peak specializes in different arts, so there are many places to see. Which art would you like to look at, Young Miss Baek?"
Baek Cheong pondered the question. She had learned various arts, but lately, her interest had leaned toward formations. However, she was also curious about how other alchemists refined their pills. "I’d like to see the alchemy side."
"Ah, in that case, I shall guide you to the Alchemy Peak."
Jin Wi nodded slightly and waved his hand. A mass of clouds gathered beneath his feet, lifting his body lightly into the air. "Moving between the peaks of our sect is faster by using the Cloud-Riding Technique." Jin Wi gestured again, and clouds spread out beneath Baek Cheong’s feet as well. They looked exactly like the clouds Baek Gyu had shown her before.
'I really do want that.' Watching him perform the Cloud-Riding Technique, Baek Cheong wanted it even more. She hadn't learned it yet, but just as she was wondering how she might combine it with her Spirit-Rain Technique, a question popped into her head.
"Senior Jin Wi, how many contribution points do I need to learn the Cloud-Riding Technique?"
"You need one hundred contribution points. It might sound like a small amount, but for an inner disciple, it usually requires about two months of missions."
Two months was not a short time. Moreover, that was the standard for an inner disciple residing in the main sect. In her situation, where the contribution point ratio was stingy, it could take a long time if she had to take on missions. 'The martial contest is my only hope.' Baek Cheong briefly pushed aside her brother's earlier advice in her mind. With the sole determination to get a free ride, she steeled her resolve.