The Threshold of Seclusion
Late at night.
It was a particularly overcast night, with thick clouds shrouding the moon and stars.
Beneath the tangled night sky, inside Henan's most famous shaman house—known as the Misa Shrine—a woman clung to the wall, her head hung low.
"Uwooo-gh!"
She dry-heaved repeatedly, as if in agonizing pain.
Her back trembled violently, and her pupils shook like an earthquake, laying bare her wretched state.
Her name was Misa Seonnyeo.
She was currently the most renowned shaman in Henan.
The reason she had been reduced to this state lay with the very deity she served.
"Little deity... Little deity... Please... Why?"
She rasped, staring blankly into the empty air.
Floating there...
Krrr... Uuuuugh...!
...was the child deity she served, burying its face in its hands, trembling in absolute terror.
The violent fluctuations of spiritual energy radiating from the spirit directly assaulted Misa Seonnyeo, who hosted it.
It rattled her bones and caused her muscles to spasm repeatedly.
Her possessed body writhed in tandem with the deity's chaotic emotions.
"Ugh...!"
What on earth was happening? While the child deity was prone to frequent mood swings, this was different.
This is...
She had never experienced anything like this.
Never, since she had first received her calling and began serving the child deity, had the spiritual backlash been this violent.
Because of this, she had been forced to abruptly halt her fortune-reading sessions and close the shrine's doors.
What could it possibly be?
Searching for the cause of this sudden madness, Misa Seonnyeo recalled the events of earlier that afternoon.
After all, there was only one possible culprit.
...It's him.
The two bastards who had visited her shrine during the day.
The veiled woman and the young man beside her.
Misa Seonnyeo gnashed her teeth at the memory.
...It was definitely that bastard.
The reason her child deity was paralyzed with fear lay with him.
The woman said she was from the Moyong Family, right?
Even among the great Five Noble Families, she was said to be from the Moyong clan.
Given the influence required to bypass the shrine's strict reservations, she had to be a direct descendant at the very least.
As for the other one...
He was an exceptionally handsome young man. But the problem was...
His blue eyes.
The young man's eyes had been dyed a deep, striking blue.
Misa Seonnyeo knew exactly what those eyes signified.
In these lands, blue eyes can only mean one thing...
A wielder of the Moon Eye. Or...
Someone from the Blue Moon Sect.
The sect of the hero who saved the world, the greatest martial artist of all time.
He was highly likely to be a member of the Blue Moon Sect.
...But why?
Why on earth would her child deity be so terrified of someone like him?
Misa Seonnyeo could not comprehend it.
The moment they crossed paths with that young man, the deity had fallen into this state.
It refused to listen to her commands and had spent the entire day thrashing in agony.
The backlash of those seizures fell entirely upon her.
Such was the karma of one who hosted a spirit.
Wracked by the excruciating pain, Misa Seonnyeo was utterly helpless.
Which only deepened the mystery.
...What is he harboring?
What kind of entity was that young man carrying within him?
The child deity had shrunk back in terror the moment it saw him.
She knew it was being suppressed by something. However...
...I couldn't see it.
It remained completely invisible to Misa Seonnyeo.
For an entity to remain hidden from a shaman who hosted a deity meant only one thing.
...Its rank is far too high.
Even among spirits, its status was on an entirely different plane.
A higher deity she was not even permitted to lay eyes upon.
Or...
A higher ghost.
Whether it was a god or a ghost, it was a transcendent being that she could neither look at nor dare to offend.
And yet...
Why is such a high-ranking entity...
...lingering by that young man's side?
Judging by his reaction, the young man didn't seem to see it either.
No matter how violently the child deity reacted, the young man and the woman remained completely oblivious.
That meant they possessed no spiritual energy. Furthermore...
I couldn't sense any spiritual energy from them either.
Even to her trained senses, neither of them radiated a shred of spiritual power.
While it was technically possible to conceal one's spiritual energy...
...That is utterly absurd.
Such a feat was simply impossible.
There is no way that could be possible.
Spiritual energy was determined by the soul from birth.
It was fundamentally different from the qi used by martial artists. Controlling and hiding it at will was an impossible task.
No, to be precise, it wasn't that it was completely impossible...
...It's just that no one short of Him could ever pull it off.
She firmly believed that no ordinary mortal possessed the caliber to do so.
Controlling spiritual energy at will was a divine feat that only the master she served could perform.
"Cough!"
Misa Seonnyeo coughed dryly and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
Though no blood came up, her internal organs were in turmoil.
Her swollen hands were also a problem.
...Those wicked wretches.
The moment she had tried to kick the young man out to appease her terrified deity...
...the woman beside him had transformed into a literal demon and lunged at her.
She had never encountered anyone so vicious.
The sheer malice in the woman's voice had left Misa Seonnyeo utterly cowed for the first time in years.
...What should I do?
Because of them, she had been forced to close the shrine.
It seemed she wouldn't be able to perform any rituals until the child deity recovered.
This was going to cause serious problems.
It will disrupt the plan.
The task she was meant to carry out here would be delayed.
Dragging her exhausted, aching body, Misa Seonnyeo staggered toward her desk.
She had to send word.
Especially regarding that young man.
...There is something about him.
Something of an incredibly high rank, which even she could not perceive.
Whether it was a ghost or a god, she could not say.
But the young man was undoubtedly possessed by something unfathomable.
Furthermore...
If the young man himself is unaware of it...
...her master would surely view this as a golden opportunity.
With trembling fingertips, Misa Seonnyeo began to write.
The letter began with a specific salutation.
To the great Bow Demon...
By the time morning arrived.
I rubbed my tired eyes and sat up.
Dawn had fully given way to the morning.
I washed my face, changed my clothes, and stepped outside.
When I woke up, the bed next to mine was already empty.
Which meant Do-hyeong had already gone to train.
...That man is always so fast.
How could someone move so diligently without skipping a single day?
I had tried to beat him to it, but I had never managed to wake up earlier than Do-hyeong.
Smacking my lips in mild disappointment, I walked out.
I welcomed the cool morning breeze as I strolled along.
Just then, I heard a commotion near the entrance of Cheongwol Gate.
Glancing over, I saw a carriage preparing to depart.
It was a massive, luxurious carriage, and the flag fluttering atop it clearly identified its owner.
The Moyong Family carriage.
The Moyong clan of the Five Noble Families.
Their carriage was getting ready to set off.
It was blindingly obvious who would be riding inside.
As I stared at the carriage with a disinterested expression...
"Aren't you going to go over?"
Yoo Chun-gil spoke to me.
"Over there?"
When I asked what he meant, Yoo Chun-gil replied with a nonchalant face.
"Did the girl not say she was leaving?"
"She did. She's probably leaving right now."
"And you're fine not seeing her off?"
"...Hmm."
I scratched my cheek and looked at the carriage. Moyong Yeong-sun was nowhere to be seen.
She was likely already inside.
"It's fine."
I decided not to bother.
"We already said our goodbyes yesterday anyway."
We had said all that needed to be said yesterday. There was no need to repeat it today.
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
"Hmm..."
Yoo Chun-gil looked unconvinced, but I didn't care.
There's no point in lingering.
What would seeing her off accomplish? We had wrapped things up yesterday, so it didn't matter anymore.
Besides, we talked about it.
Moyong Yeong-sun had mentioned she would leave early in the morning, and I had told her flat out that I wouldn't be there to see her off. She had simply nodded, as if expecting nothing less.
That was enough.
Just then...
"Then why did you bother coming all the way out here to watch?"
Yoo Chun-gil pointed out. I frowned and retorted.
"What do you mean 'bother'? I just happened to wake up early and stepped outside."
"Right, as if I'd believe that."
"...No, seriously, it's the truth!"
I had genuinely just happened to wake up early, but Yoo Chun-gil merely smirked and scoffed at me.
Look at this old man... Is he trying to pick a fight?
I didn't know what was going through his head, but it was incredibly annoying.
Still, arguing wouldn't change anything. I stared at the carriage for a moment longer, then prepared to turn away.
Standing here watching was pointless.
Though I didn't agree with Yoo Chun-gil, I did find myself questioning what I was doing.
Let's just go train.
It was time for morning practice. Any further delay would be a waste of time.
Just as I was about to take a step...
*Creak.*
"Huh?"
"Hmm?"
Something emerged from the carriage.
The carriage window slid open, and a pale white hand reached out. I wondered what she was doing, when...
*Wave. Wave.*
The pale hand turned its back to me and gave a gentle wave.
It was unmistakably a farewell.
And there was no need to ask who it was directed toward.
"Hahaha!"
Seeing this, Yoo Chun-gil burst into hearty laughter.
"She is quite sharp."
"..."
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
"...Seriously."
I had clearly told her I wouldn't show up this morning.
Had she anticipated that I would be watching anyway?
It was absurd.
"She's terrifying. Truly terrifying."
I swear, she seemed to get more formidable every time I saw her.
With a sigh, I finally turned toward the training hall.
I didn't watch Moyong Yeong-sun's carriage depart.
There was no need to. We were bound to cross paths again soon anyway.
...Because of the Yongbong Association.
I had never participated in it in my life.
But given Moyong Yeong-sun's family and status, her attendance was guaranteed.
She knew that as well, which was likely why she could leave without any lingering regrets.
"Boy."
Yoo Chun-gil spoke as he watched me walk.
"Yes?"
"Wipe that smirk off your face. It is unsightly."
"..."
I immediately raised a hand to check my mouth. But my lips weren't curved upward at all.
"It was a joke! Bwahaha! I cannot believe you actually checked!"
"..."
Damn it.
"Hahahahahahaha!"
My face twisted in irritation as his laughter echoed continuously.
It was a truly unpleasant start to the morning.
I arrived at the training area.
I surveyed my surroundings. The place I had come to was starkly different from the training grounds I usually frequented.
It was dark, damp, and humid.
As I frowned at the unpleasant atmosphere...
"No matter how many times I come here, I still despise this place."
Yoo Chun-gil clicked his tongue, clearly sharing my distaste.
He was right. As I mentioned, this place was different from a standard training ground.
Even its name set it apart.
Wolryeonggwan.
That was where I stood. And this place was...
...the closed-door meditation hall.
A space built within Cheongwol Gate specifically for secluded cultivation.
"Sss."
I scratched my nose and smacked my lips.
"...Should I just not do this?"
Seeing the state of the place, regret began to wash over me.
The reason I was here was obvious.
"...I think I made a mistake agreeing to this."
Why else would I come to a closed-door meditation hall? I was here to enter seclusion.
I had requested permission from Wolseongeom to use the hall.
And Wolseongeom had granted it without a second thought.
My justification had been solid.
"I wish to train in preparation for the upcoming Yongbong Association."
That was the excuse I used.
Since Sinchang himself had personally mentioned me, and I carried the weight of representing Cheongwol Gate...
...Wolseongeom hadn't found the request strange and readily gave his consent.
"Ah..."
But did I really have to go through with this?
"...Do I seriously have to stay cooped up in there for a whole month?"
"Why? Are you afraid?"
"If I say I'm afraid, can I skip it? Because I'm terrified."
"Then you will just have to do it while terrified."
"Damn it."
I let out a long sigh. There were only two months left until the Yongbong Association.
Considering the travel time to the Martial Alliance, the actual free time I had was about a month and a half.
And during that window, Yoo Chun-gil had made a proposal.
He suggested I enter closed-door cultivation for about a month.
Seclusion.
I had heard it was a concept both familiar and fearsome to martial artists.
They said it was an absolute necessity if one wished to grow stronger.
To think I'd be the one doing it.
Still, I had accepted the proposal.
The reason was simple.
Because the old man was the one who suggested it.
He hadn't ordered me to do it; he had asked if I wanted to try.
That distinction carried weight.
If he had ordered it, it would have been because it was incredibly difficult, so he phrased it as a suggestion instead.
And the fact that he suggested it despite the hardship meant...
...that I stood to gain a great deal from this endeavor.
It meant that if I could just endure it, I would reap massive rewards.
And...
...I probably need to do this at least once for the sake of what lies ahead.
With the Yongbong Association just around the corner.
And especially since I was now in a position where I had to participate.
...It's for the best.
I figured it would be much better than wasting a month doing nothing.
"Phew."
I lightly touched the Sacred Sword at my waist.
"Let's go."
Steeling my resolve, I took my first step into Wolryeonggwan.