Chapter 78
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: The Warrior's Path
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The steep mountain path hugged a sheer cliff.
It wasn't particularly tall, but the vertical drop offered no purchase for human feet.
Yet Seo Mun Jeong-cheon leaped down without a moment's hesitation.
It was the shortcut to the inner courtyard.
His figure, tilting downward, vanished in an instant. Moving beyond ordinary perception, he descended the cliff with leisurely grace.
Such thoughts were fleeting.
Seo Mun-ha followed suit, traversing the seven-zhang cliff in a single breath and returning to the inner courtyard.
It couldn't compare to the void-stepping or aerial gliding of Seven Realm martial artists. Still, the two men's lightness skills defied mortal judgment.
Leaf-Walking Water-Crossing.
In other words, Water-Skimming Flight was the pinnacle of such arts, achieved only after mastering standing and stepping on water.
'He could probably manage Grass-Skimming Flight, or even Snow-Treading Without Trace right now.'
In Seo Mun-ha's eyes, Seo Mun Jeong-cheon was profoundly skilled in lightness techniques.
Excluding the Star Heaven Ten Seats and Seven Realm warriors, he was the strongest martial artist Seo Mun-ha had ever encountered.
"What has you so lost in thought?"
Upon reaching the training ground, Seo Mun Jeong-cheon flicked his gaze toward it.
"Pick one that suits you."
True to a sword clan, the training ground brimmed with countless blades.
Long and short, thick and thin, sharp and ornate—famed swords of every variety.
"I heard you favor the spear?"
The rumor hadn't spread far, but those in the know were aware.
Seo Mun-ha's true ultimate technique was the spear.
"I'm fine."
Seo Mun-ha selected a longsword of moderate length.
There were only two in the training ground—no need to mind onlookers—but he wanted to cross blades with his awkward father at least once.
Besides, the spear was a last resort.
Seo Mun-ha aimed to broaden his fundamentals and limits simultaneously.
"A spar won't make much difference anyway."
From that single prior strike, it was clear his opponent wouldn't hold back.
Each form was a killing blow—suited for life-or-death combat, not spars, and hard to calibrate precisely.
"Hmmm."
Were it the Star Heaven Ten Seats, perhaps otherwise.
A mix of satisfaction and regret crossed Seo Mun Jeong-cheon's face as he lightly gripped his own longsword.
'Our clan arts aren't inferior.'
In truth, sword or spear made little difference.
"Worry not. When the time comes, I'll explain everything."
Seo Mun-ha took his stance for the spar.
"Very well."
Seo Mun Jeong-cheon nodded simply.
Learning arts outside the clan didn't violate house law, but most techniques carried hidden obligations.
'I thought he'd need more convincing.'
Thus, origins must be verified.
That single word, rooted in trust, eased Seo Mun-ha's surprise. He quickly composed himself and faced his father.
Communication wasn't limited to words.
His aura differed vastly from lesser disciples or demon heads.
Who else fit the phrase "blade-like man" so perfectly?
"I'll go first."
Seo Mun-ha charged into Seo Mun Jeong-cheon's range.
A subtle azure glow scattered to the left.
Seo Mun Jeong-cheon turned his head. His footwork, shadow-like, drew admiration up to his throat.
'Fast.'
But it was the judgment piercing obvious flaws that stood out more than speed.
"The Five Elements... Water Qi?"
Seo Mun Jeong-cheon raised his sword.
Intercepting the seamless follow-up.
Claaang!
Sparks flew between the clashing longswords, the shockwave rattling the training ground.
Seo Mun Jeong-cheon knew every art of the Seo Mun Clan.
Mountain Shattering Heavenly Spirit Sword was no exception.
What impressed him was the boldness diving into an obvious trap—and turning defense-oriented Water Qi into offense.
'Hates to lose, just like Grandfather.'
To be precise, Seo Mun-ha preferred attack over defense.
The best defense is a good offense, yet he retreated without hesitation when needed.
This wasn't easily learned through effort alone.
With past-life experience, Seo Mun-ha instinctively knew how not to lose.
He seized and shook the flow even against stronger foes.
...But this opponent was unfavorable.
Guarding Tiger Blocking Sword versus Mountain Shattering Heavenly Spirit Sword.
Setting aside which supreme art prevailed, Seo Mun Jeong-cheon knew Seo Mun-ha, while the reverse wasn't true.
Boom!
Moreover, Seo Mun Jeong-cheon's skill and talent rivaled any genius.
In just two clashes, they gleaned much of each other.
Overall arts, inner power reserves.
Form spacing, tendencies, psyche, habits—divine prowess beyond shallow experience or talent.
'In that brief moment...'
Seo Mun Jeong-cheon couldn't hide his astonishment.
Successive surprises at Seo Mun-ha's swordsmanship fused with Five Elements Qi.
Masterful inner power control and chained forms.
Tree-like Wood Qi bolstered his frame; Metal Qi's rigidity offset inner power disadvantages. Water Qi scattered sword intents, Earth Qi absorbed remnants.
Then the two longswords locked in a cross.
Thud!
The ground around them cratered.
The meticulously laid training ground floor cracked in irregular lines, long and short.
Screeech.
The chilling scrape of blades made one's skin crawl.
Yet father and son, identical, didn't twitch an eyebrow.
Seo Mun Jeong-cheon was serious.
His left hand still behind his back suggested incomplete guard—like the prior mad demon.
Not one-sided instruction or favoritism—this spar felt timeless; he'd lost track of years.
He'd never even crossed swords directly with his other four children.
"Peak Realm at a tender age... Even seeing it myself, I scarce believe it."
Seo Mun Jeong-cheon felt joy tinged with melancholy.
"Thanks to Father's teachings."
"You can even offer honeyed words."
His sigh turned to a wry smile.
The student surpasses the master.
As filial duty demanded surpassing parents and teachers, but this predestined milestone came too swiftly.
'He's truly grown.'
He recalled the day Seo Mun-ha voiced his ambitions.
Before countless retainers, unflinching, claiming Peak Realm.
Many dismissed it as youthful bravado.
Yet Seo Mun-ha's aspirations transcended the clan framework.
His gaze spanned beyond Seo Mun Jeong-cheon and the clan—to the world.
Confirming this, Seo Mun Jeong-cheon revealed deep regret.
How treacherous the heart: once cast out, his son's change was welcome yet wistful.
Clang!
Seo Mun Jeong-cheon surged his true qi, shoving Seo Mun-ha back sword and all.
"Is the test over?"
Seo Mun-ha lowered his sword and asked.
Seo Mun Jeong-cheon burst into bitter laughter.
"You noticed?"
"You held back for my sake."
It seemed full earnest, but traces in the cyan glowstone proved otherwise.
"Then I'll ask plainly."
Seo Mun Jeong-cheon drove his reverse-grip sword into the cracked training ground.
Clang.
One matter remained.
"Is your desire for Peak Realm mere thirst for martial arts?"
A clear yet vague goal, the path thereto, and the conviction supporting it.
Alongside aptitude, he tested his son's definition—and conviction—as a warrior.
"..."
Suddenly silent, Seo Mun-ha met his gaze.
The meaning differed.
What is conviction?
His eyes asked; it echoed long-held inner turmoil.
"I've devoted my life to the clan."
"Yes, I know."
"I seek no understanding, but as you know, I lost your grandfather early."
Seo Mun Jeong-cheon revealed his conviction—to fill voids for a son lacking meaningful words.
"Great-grandfather long served as acting patriarch, filling the gap, but..."
An old tale.
Seo Mun-gyeol couldn't fully replace the late Seo Mun-sang. Naturally—no one could.
Young patriarch Seo Mun Jeong-cheon knew neither good nor bad fatherhood.
But one thing was certain.
A man leaving wife and child behind was a weak father.
From then, he aimed to be a strong one.
"All I knew and could be was a strong father."
Thus, to protect family, he gritted teeth, clinging to Six Great Clans status.
His flesh would age and fade, but achievements and renown endured.
A bulwark for kin.
For this, he spared no means, sweetly bearing family resentment.
"One question."
The mood sobered, yet both remained calm.
"What is a warrior?"
"A warrior?"
"What is a warrior's life?"
"A tough question. Ten enlightenments differ, as do ten definitions of warrior..."
Having pondered, Seo Mun Jeong-cheon answered himself.
"A warrior's life is death itself."
His view.
Some live in past, present, future.
Ordinary folk base on survival; blade-walkers face uncertain ends.
Thus, they predetermine it.
Separate from time: where, how to die.
Envision death, walk the path thereto.
Seemingly trivial to others, under self-set conviction.
"...I see."
Not Seo Mun-ha's conviction—but Yi Mok-yeom's.
Lifelong pawn to others.
Aspiring warrior, he reflected on past regrets.
"What do you hold?"
"I just want to live peacefully in a peaceful world... and die peacefully."
Unrealized, his start and end were set.
"With my people."
Nothing grandiose.
Care for elders, boast of wife, raise children, build household.
"Humble."
Seo Mun Jeong-cheon nodded.
Yet the hardest path.
Murim exists on karma; unbound, one must be world-supreme to attempt it.
A true thorny road.
"That's why Peak Realm."
Seo Mun-ha affirmed firmly.
"Satisfying answer?"
"Good."
Seo Mun Jeong-cheon drew his sword again.
"Come."
He gladly became an obstacle to surpass.
* * *
Having sweated freely, Seo Mun-ha bathed and changed clothes.
"Not bad at all."
Seo Mun Jeong-cheon gestured at his refreshed appearance.
"Body holding up?"
"You eased up at the end, Father."
Seo Mun-ha showed humility; Seo Mun Jeong-cheon chuckled.
A restricted spar from the start.
Not fully revealing arts' limits, he set aside regret and offered a hot teacup.
"Drink. Good for restoring energy."
Steam rose gently from freshly brewed leaves.
"Thank you."
No deep talk, but such care bridged father-son distance.
"When chance arises, let's cross hands again."
A "next" was progress immense.
"Yes, gladly."
Through the spar, Seo Mun-ha gained priceless insight.
Differing from Seo Mun-gyeol's—beyond arts as means or end, human essence.
Why wield the sword?
He grasped warriorhood somewhat.
"Life Tiger Grasps Power's Momentum, you said."
Moreover, Seo Mun Jeong-cheon peaked with the sword.
Facing him as warrior aided immensely.
"I'd like to witness it again."
Seo Mun Clan's history and weight.
His recent insight, wielding sword over hundreds—profound.
"Not fully formed yet. Still, glad it helped."
Even from Yi Mok-yeom's view.
Clink.
The two set down empty cups.
"However."
Ending small talk, Seo Mun Jeong-cheon raised the main issue.
"You truly ask nothing."
Test-questions and spar were mere prelude.
"Do you know why I arranged this?"
"At first, I thought personal."
"And now?"
"Clan matters, I presume."
Correct.
"In sum, I intend to entrust you a unit."
To lighten burden, casually stated.
"Among recent recruits, some real headaches."
Problem children unfit by house law principles.
Accepted due to talent shortage, prior losses unfilled.
"Can you handle it?"
A faint smile crossed blunt Seo Mun-ha's face.
"May I do it properly?"
Startled, Seo Mun Jeong-cheon recomposed.
"As you see fit."
"Understood."
They continued clan matters openly.
"Heard about Hangzhou?"
"Briefly."
Hangzhou in Zhejiang, tied to Jiangnan—paradise on earth, now Seo Mun Clan's worry.
"No word from your Uncle Jeong-ryong in ages."
Calm, serene words.
Yet ripples unprecedented.
'As expected.'
Seo Mun-ha saw his conviction.
His unchecked pursuits rested on years of Seo Mun Jeong-ryong's toil; more than blood kin.
"No situation allows contact."
Dead, or near-death.
Declining fortunes made either dire.
"Clan dispatched elites thrice already."
Core members all.
'Shows how he valued Uncle.'
Discipline and loyalty crumbled—no fence value. Internally, externally, couldn't abandon.
"Yet none returned."
"I see."
"No tidings. Scrambling for intel, but fruitless."
Not just Hangzhou interests and uncle.
"Surely Second Brother's safe?"
Affirming, Seo Mun Jeong-cheon swallowed a groan.
Second son Seo Mun-u, branch manager early on.
"Your thoughts?"
Even his life uncertain.
"I'd like your view."
Losing pillars signaled weakening as murim clan.
Despite fame, rotting inside.
"Young-ryeong and I are still green."
Eldest in Yunnan remained, but enigmatic rep; couldn't abandon seas-crossed Yunnan.
"Hard to seek outsiders' aid."
"Requires steep price."
"Fortunate if they don't expose our shame."
"Outcome's set."
They mulled silently.
"Thus."
Silence broken, Seo Mun Jeong-cheon voiced the plan.
"I plan to go to Hangzhou myself."
Thunderbolt from clear sky.
Unlike one facing parting, yet odd—Seo Mun-ha sensed anomaly.
"I'll ask you to protect the household separately."
Seo Mun-ha shook head.
"Rather the opposite."
Without hesitation, he stated.
"I'll go. To Hangzhou."