The Hwasan Sect's Chengdu Branch

After parting ways with Ye Hajun, Han Yumae walked the streets toward her destination.

The Hwasan Sect's Chengdu Branch. The Branch Master dispatched here was a figure of elder rank — proof enough of how highly the main mountain regarded the value of Chengdu ever since Cheonmu Academy had been established.

At the entrance she confirmed that she had come from Hwasan, then stepped inside and was guided straight to the Branch Master's office.

"It is an honor to meet you, Branch Master. Han Yumae, thirty-seventh generation disciple of Hwasan, presents her respects."

"So. You are the child from Hwasan entering Cheonmu Academy this time."

"Yes. I will do everything in my power so as not to stain Hwasan's name."

"No need to be so stiff. Sit. Bring some tea."

At the Branch Master's gesture, Han Yumae took a seat and drew a letter from her robes.

"This is a missive from the main mountain to the branch."

"You must have been curious. You didn't open it?"

"How could I dare? I did not even touch the seal."

"Good. Have some tea while I look this over…"

The letter from the main mountain was an evaluation. It described how far this girl had progressed in Hwasan's martial arts and what level of martial artist she truly was.

Cheonmu Academy's stated purpose was free exchange among the younger generation of talents — yet a great sect on the level of Hwasan could never afford to ignore its reputation in a place like this.

That was why the one sent each time was a martial artist who represented her generation, and why the branch itself had been founded: to support her if her growth stalled or if she ran into difficulties within the academy.

Han Yumae knew this perfectly well. While the Branch Master read, she sat rigid with tension and could not bring herself to touch her tea.

How much time passed, she could not say. At last the Branch Master set the letter down and smiled.

"Hmm. The main mountain has raised another fine disciple."

Only when he spoke those words and lifted his cup did Han Yumae finally relax.

"You praise me too highly. I still have far to go."

"Not at all. At your age, this is excellent. Within the same generation, you will not find a true rival easily."

The moment she heard that, a certain young man's face rose unbidden in Han Yumae's mind.

"Branch Master… I have a question."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Before I arrived here, a small twist of fate led me to meet another prospective student who will also be entering Cheonmu Academy."

"Oh? From which sect?"

"He said he was of a mysterious single-lineage sect."

At those words the Branch Master's eyes twitched.

"A mysterious single-lineage sect… And? What happened?"

"Fate brought us together, and I stood guard for him while he circulated his energy. When he finished, impurities poured from his entire body."

Pffft—!

Startled, the Branch Master sprayed the tea he had been drinking. Han Yumae jumped.

"Are you all right, Elder?"

"Cough. Only that I was surprised and choked. This old body still lacks training."

He cleared his throat and checked with her again.

"What you saw — is it the truth?"

"Yes. In the middle of energy circulation, black, sticky, foul-smelling impurities suddenly poured from the skin all over his body. I saw it with my own eyes."

"Heavens…"

The Branch Master let out a long breath and stroked his beard.

"You didn't by any chance see multicolored mist or a lotus floating above his head?"

"Nothing of that sort."

"Then it was not full Marrow Cleansing. Still, the boy must have achieved some great accomplishment."

"I thought the same, so I sparred with him several times. Because of my own inadequacy, I lost every match."

Hearing this, the Branch Master offered a kindly smile and soothed her.

"Spars are like that by nature. One does not cling to victory or defeat; one learns from the other and grows."

"I know. Still, never winning even once has stayed with me to the end."

"…How many times did you face him?"

"About a hundred."

This time the Branch Master's reaction changed.

Losing spars to a first-time opponent was common enough. Certain martial arts were simply harder to counter on first encounter, and in any case these were only spars — not life-and-death duels. One would not normally brood over a few losses.

But never winning even once across a hundred spars was a different matter entirely. It meant the gap between the two of them was that wide.

Considering that Han Yumae had been chosen as the face representing Hwasan, the claim was all the more difficult to believe.

"Not even once…? What manner of martial art does this opponent use?"

"Since neither of us had entered the academy yet, we set internal energy aside and sparred with external techniques alone so we would not injure each other… His art seemed specialized in seizing techniques. He kept stripping me of my sword."

Han Yumae described Ye Hajun's martial arts to the Branch Master in as much detail as she had managed to grasp. The more he listened, the graver ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Branch Master's expression became.

A mysterious single-lineage sect, was it? Truly a martial art I have never heard of nor seen. Taking the opponent's weapon points to something heavily practical — which means it would be even stronger in real combat than in a spar.

He realized the situation was rather troublesome.

Gathering the younger talents of many sects at Cheonmu Academy had begun purely for the sake of exchange among the next generation. Yet no matter how young they were, those talents were the future of their sects — and their achievements inevitably became the reputation of those sects.

Great sects therefore had no choice but to send children worthy of their fame each time: disciples overflowing with talent, ones they would never be ashamed to present anywhere.

The usual rivals of such great sects were the disciples of other great sects. The real worry was the sudden appearance of a new expert raised by some reclusive master who dropped out of nowhere.

The Branch Master had already watched more than once as young seedlings, raised their whole lives on the pride of being disciples of a great sect, crumbled after feeling the gap in talent against a reclusive master's pupil who had appeared out of the blue.

And that is precisely why this place — the Hwasan Sect's Chengdu Branch — was established.

He pondered how best to steady this young seedling without breaking her, choosing his words with care.

"If what you saw is truly so, then countermeasures are possible."

"Countermeasures, sir?"

"The strength of a mysterious single-lineage sect is that no one else knows their arts. Once you grow familiar with them, however, you can always find a way to break them."

"I see."

"Moreover — have you ever considered why a great sect of the Nine Great Sects such as our Hwasan has held its place for so long?"

When Han Yumae could not answer readily, the Branch Master smiled and supplied the answer himself.

"Scale. Talented people gather, spar with one another every day, point out each other's faults, and grow together. No matter how outstanding an individual may be, it is hard to overcome the strength of a group."

Listening, Han Yumae seemed to recall something and asked,

"Now that you mention it, Branch Master — when we parted, that boy said something to me."

"What did he say?"

"About a form of the Plum Blossom Mountain Scatter. At the end, he asked whether the tip of the sword is not originally raised, but thrust out level."

"What…!"

This time he could not help but be ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠startled.

Only moments ago he had been extolling the advantages of a collective — yet Han Yumae's question smashed that advantage to pieces.

It is true: the final form of the Plum Blossom Mountain Scatter must be thrust out level for its power to reach its peak. The petals spread farther, the value as an illusory sword technique comes alive, and the lethality rises as well.

During spars among disciples, however, a level thrust was more dangerous, so for safety's sake they deliberately taught the form with the tip raised, blunting its power. And yet this boy had seen through it.

"Did you demonstrate the form many times during the spars?"

"Well… for the most part I could not even land a single exchange. Only from the day before yesterday did I begin to catch up a little, so I actually showed that particular form only two or three times."

"Truly only two or three times? No more?"

"Yes…"

The Branch Master covered his eyes with one hand.

Everything Han Yumae said was driving him toward a single conclusion.

A genius. Not some ordinary genius — talent on the level of a grandmaster has appeared.

If the boy possessed the eye to grasp both the core and the original form of a technique after seeing it only a few times, the matter was entirely different.

Already achieving a great accomplishment at such a young age, a martial art so practical that external techniques cannot even compare, and eyes that can reconstruct an opponent's original form after a brief look… What kind of madman is this?

He could not help wondering who on earth had raised such a monster. Even so, the Branch Master forced himself not to forget his duty.

"As for the form of the Plum Blossom Mountain Scatter… that boy is correct. Originally it is meant to be used level, but because of the danger during spars, we deliberately taught them to raise the tip."

"I see."

"He said he would be entering Cheonmu Academy as well?"

"Yes. We agreed to meet again inside the academy."

"Can you win?"

At the Branch Master's question, Han Yumae's face set with resolve. She gave a solemn nod.

"I want to win."

"That heart is the spirit of Hwasan itself. In this world there are far more cowards who flee at the sight of someone stronger than themselves — yet seeing that you refuse to break to the end puts this old heart at ease."

At the praise, Han Yumae bowed her head, looking embarrassed.

"I will speak to the others in the branch. If there is anything you need, say so at any time. Hwasan will help you achieve what you set out to do — that is what the Chengdu Branch exists for."

"Thank you, Branch Master."

"Good. Go and rest. You must be tired."

"No. Before enrollment I would rather review my own martial arts a little more."

Hearing that, the Branch Master smiled with satisfaction and nodded.

"Excellent. Someone there!"

"You called, Branch Master?"

"A child of Hwasan wishes to review her martial arts before enrollment. Guide her to the training hall."

"I will prepare it at once."

Once the man had left, the Branch Master asked Han Yumae,

"Ah — and the name of the boy you met?"

"He said it was Ye Hajun."

"Ye Hajun. Very well. Go on. If you need anything, speak up whenever you like."

"I am ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠grateful for your consideration, Branch Master. I will do my utmost."

After Han Yumae offered her farewell and departed, the Branch ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Master was left alone. He leaned back against his chair as if weary and waited until she had gone far enough.

A short while later, recalling his duty, he took up his brush.

Having finished the letter, the Branch Master called for someone at once.

"Deliver this to the main mountain."

"Yes."

Once the martial artist who had received the order departed, the Branch Master remained alone. He scrubbed his face dry with both hands and thought again of Han Yumae and the tale she had told.

If this boy Ye Hajun truly possesses the talent Han Yumae described, then for the first time in a long while I will have real work as Branch Master. Looks like I will be busy for a while.

As the saying went, an awl in a sack will always poke through — those of outstanding talent reveal themselves even when they try to hide. If Ye Hajun was the real thing, he would soon become the eye of the storm.

Then things would grow busy indeed.

Please let Yumae have been mistaken…

Even as he thought it, the Branch Master kept turning the three characters of that name — Ye Hajun — over and over on his tongue.