Chapter 3
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: It's Different Now
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Dusk was settling thickly over the training grounds.
From time to time, the clan's warriors shouted out their kiais as they honed the same set of movements.
The Flowing Cloud Sword and Flowing Cloud Step.
Combined with the Flowing Cloud Heart Technique, these were the most basic martial arts of the Seo Mun Clan.
"Young Master...?"
A-so kept glancing at my face repeatedly.
Even though the test subject was right there in front of us.
He alternated between looking at me and the warriors on the training grounds, fretting anxiously in the hope that no needless quarrel would break out.
"Six and a half forms, right?"
"Ah, yes. I think so."
A-so pieced together his memories to answer.
"Uncle Jeok-myeong said it's the pinnacle of martial arts. He's a warrior from the Black Wind Unit..."
It was common for servants to hype up their masters.
The brighter their master shone, the higher their own value rose. For retainers whose world was confined within the clan's walls, it was routine for the clan's martial arts to be exalted as peerless divine techniques. On the contrary, A-so's lack of exaggeration was the unusual case.
'He's still young, that's all.'
I surveyed the entire training ground.
It wasn't bad.
But it didn't satisfy me either.
My faint expectations had turned to disappointment, and my impression of the Seo Mun Clan's warriors could be summed up in one word: mediocre.
"Thank goodness it doesn't seem like you're planning to cause trouble..."
A-so secretly patted his chest in relief.
I could hear him perfectly, but I pretended not to notice.
The Seo Mun-ha of old had been weak against the strong and strong against the weak, so he must have clashed often with these warriors whose boundaries were ambiguous.
It was probably just one-sided feelings of inferiority.
While the warriors diligently trained day after day, sweating profusely, the scoundrel Seo Mun-ha had been too busy whoring and gorging to stand at the opposite extreme.
"Haat!"
The clan's duties were never easy.
The frontline warriors didn't waste even a moment of their time, devoting themselves to improving their martial prowess as martial artists before anything else.
"Hmm."
"What's wrong?"
They were warriors without flaw worthy of being called first-rate.
I had no intention of belittling their efforts, but honestly, there was something lacking.
"Do you know what a Sword Debate is? The kind martial artists often do."
Even if they didn't know the jianghu, they knew of wu.
"Uh, kind of... I think I've heard of it..."
A-so tilted his head, saying he wasn't sure.
"It's competing martial arts with words. They say it started as a pastime for scholars, but you can sharpen your eye by pitting forms against each other verbally. That's why even prestigious clans and the Nine Great Sects and One Gang sometimes hold them."
In simple terms, a Sword Debate was a form of imaginary training.
"Why do you ask?"
"The very fact that Sword Debates exist proves there's no such thing as a perfect form in the world. Every one has flaws and counters."
The fewer the flaws and the harder the counters, the superior the form.
Advanced martial arts encapsulated the profound principles and subtleties, and the sense of accomplishment from mastering such difficult techniques was unparalleled.
"In that sense, the Flowing Cloud Sword and Flowing Cloud Step have way too many flaws."
Not to mention their power as mere techniques.
"Do you really need to maintain the initial stance's form? Especially transitioning from the third to fourth form—if you pull your shoulder back and lean forward half a step, the shift between offense and defense would be much freer."
"......"
"Sure, the internal energy flow would change, but it's better than blatantly exposing flaws."
"I don't really get it."
A-so hung his head low.
I knew it. This was just a sigh born of disappointment.
'If I set expectations on my own and get disappointed on my own, how am I any different from those rotten eunuchs?'
I couldn't judge the whole forest from a single tree, but the Seo Mun Clan's martial arts bore the imprint of their pride entirely.
The clan's experts couldn't possibly be unaware of those flaws.
It was born of the martial artists' self-esteem and pride. But to me, their stubborn adherence to inefficient forms felt more stuffy and outdated than any tradition they cherished.
"Don't mind the nonsense. Anyone can spout anything with words."
I patted A-so, lost in thought, and turned to leave.
"Let's go."
I didn't want to stir up more trouble. A few were already listening intently to my words.
Spying on warriors' training was taboo to begin with. Even as the clan's third young master, without the position of a teacher, pointing out their direction wouldn't feel good to them.
"A-so...?"
I turned my head again.
Amid the stir that hadn't died down, another person had joined.
"Interesting words."
There stood someone I'd never seen before.
Alongside the boy with his head bowed low.
"Big brother?"
A girl approached with a bright smile.
Her unexpected form of address made her identity easy to pinpoint—she wasn't a woman, but a girl.
"Young-ryeong?"
"Just like the Old Physician said. Your mind's all foggy, huh? Not even recognizing your little sister?"
"Uh, yeah. Long time no see."
My fifteen-year-old half-sister.
Seo Mun Young-ryeong, the clan's pampered jewel, was an endearing girl with a round, soft face.
A-so tugged lightly at my sleeve upon seeing the girl.
It seemed the one he was worried about wasn't just any warrior on the grounds, and an awkward silence hung between us for a moment.
I needn't say it, but Young-ryeong curiously pursed her lips and quietly scanned my face.
The current patriarch's third wife, Jo Young-mi, had one son and one daughter.
Among my many siblings, I was a thorn in their side, but this relatively amicable little sister sent me an innocent look.
"Is there something on my face?"
She was too young to worry about factional strife among blood kin.
"If you have nothing to say, I'll be going."
"Ah! Your words and speech are so weird. For a second, I thought you were someone else!"
I scratched my head.
My speech aside, wasn't the greeting normal?
We might dislike each other, but we weren't blood enemies. I sighed inwardly at Seo Mun-ha's character once more.
"It's been so long since I got a greeting from Third Brother."
Young-ryeong folded her fingers one by one to count three years.
"Has it?"
"Hmm, your mind really does seem off. How's your body feeling?"
"I'm fine. Or rather, I am."
Seo Mun Young-ryeong wasn't weak; she was strong. By Seo Mun-ha's standards, she had a solid maternal clan backing and personal strength beyond comparison.
'Impressive even at the entry level.'
She had surpassed first-rate and reached peak realm.
Having the universal transmission realm within reach was undoubtedly remarkable.
Even children of prestigious families couldn't casually step into superhuman realms, as proven by the warriors who had shed blood and sweat for years. Considering her age, her genius stood out even more.
"Thanks for worrying."
Aside from that, speaking down to a sibling felt odd.
"What trouble did Third Brother get into this time?"
"Trouble?"
Seo Mun-ha's arrogance was reserved solely for the weak.
'Looks like the amnesia excuse is working...'
I'd tried changing my speech on purpose, but with no reaction, it seemed like it was just my own worry.
'Or maybe no one cares.'
Young-ryeong placed her hands on her hips and leaned in close.
"I'm asking if you heard some weird nonsense somewhere. Not a brothel... maybe a gambling den?"
"Can't you just say it plainly?"
Seo Mun-ha's misdeeds.
I didn't know specifics, but there were too many guesses.
"You said the clan's Flowing Cloud Sword and Flowing Cloud Step have lots of flaws."
"Ah, that."
She didn't seem particularly scolding.
"What if you spread weird rumors outside and Father chews you out?"
"I'll be careful."
I had no intention of blabbing anyway. Unless exposing family weaknesses brought benefits.
"...You're not just saying that again, are you?"
"No."
Young-ryeong eyed me suspiciously, cutting straight to the chase.
"Really?"
"Really."
Hard to believe easily, but she was persistent.
"Third Brother always has to brag about whatever he learns."
"Did I?"
"You did. Like how the courtesan at Phoenix Flower Pavilion has this face and that figure..."
The family disgrace was also her disgrace.
His exceptional self-esteem left me baffled.
"That's not something to tell your little sister."
"That's why I'm saying it."
She stated facts plainly, showing no malice, but sometimes innocence could be crueler than ill intent.
"Don't worry. Things will be different from now on."
They had to change.
I wasn't the old Yi Mok-yeom, nor the scoundrel Seo Mun-ha.
Personally, I preferred new jars for liquor—clean ones. Deep flavor was a bonus.
"Hm?"
Her smile brightened as if my sincerity got through. Conversely, shadows darkened on A-so's face.
"Y-Young Master."
A-so tugged my sleeve harder, urging me.
"Then how about showing it with actions?"
As if foreseeing Young-ryeong's follow-up.
"Perfect timing. I was just looking for a sparring partner."
"Sparring partner?"
"A healthy body houses a healthy mind, right? If you start training hard now, Father might look your way again."
"M-Miss, the Young Master just left his sickbed..."
Now I understood why A-so had been anxious.
"That's why you're always making excuses and putting it off till tomorrow, and look where it got you."
"Even so..."
"It's fine, right, big brother?"
There were plenty like her in the military. People who went beyond dedication to staking their lives on tempering themselves.
"You say the family arts have flaws, so let's check it out directly this time!"
Her stubbornness seemed a trait of the Seo Mun bloodline; the old Seo Mun-ha would have spurned even this last blood relative's goodwill.
"Sure."
Of course, now was different.
"Young Master! Miss Young-ryeong is the vice commander of the Black Wind Unit! Your wounds haven't even fully healed..."
I pushed A-so aside and pointed to the training ground.
"Here work?"
The Black Wind Unit members who had just finished training were smirking our way.
"We can move if you want."
Short acceptance made her beam like a child.
"Nah, no need."
"I'll only use Flowing Cloud Sword and Flowing Cloud Step. You might not remember, but you learned them all too, big brother."
No need to tense up that much.
Her face fell the instant she implied I wouldn't take it seriously.
"It's been seven or eight years since we sparred, right?"
Young-ryeong assumed her stance, wooden sword in hand as minimal defense. Rather than doubting her own skill, she probably lacked confidence in my frail body.
"Who knows."
"Exactly six and a half forms."
The Flowing Cloud Sword was like links chaining to the next form.
Young-ryeong could chain them seamlessly, but announcing precisely six and a half meant she was looking down on me.
'Can't blame her.'
Word was she took great pride in the family arts, so though she didn't show it, she might have taken my earlier critique to heart.
Thus, I couldn't tell yet if this was training disguised as a beating or venting masked as kindness.
Crack!
One thing was certain: the immediate result.
"Huh?"
Young-ryeong blinked in shock as her flaw was struck right at the start.
As if in disbelief, she lay sprawled in the middle of the training ground.