The Unwanted Heir and the Beggar's Logic
For some time now, the training between Suran and Soran had been proceeding in a rather peculiar manner.
"So, you take it from here, pull it all the way back, and then—just like that—you give it a little push..."
"A... a pull? A push??"
Confused by Soran’s nonsensical explanation, Suran struck a bizarre pose, completely at a loss.
Soran was, without a doubt, the being who understood the martial arts of the Divine Spear better than anyone else in the world, second only to the Divine Spear himself. However, the perspective of a spear and the perspective of the person wielding it were two entirely different things.
"No, that’s not it! You have to push it out more like this—whoosh!"
"Whoosh?"
If you were to ask someone to raise their hand, they wouldn't just flick their wrist while standing still; they would lift their entire arm. Because the human body is a single, interconnected system, every movement involves the entire frame working in harmony. But Soran, being a spear spirit, tried to explain martial arts without understanding this connection. Consequently, Suran was stuck doing unintentional stretching exercises, unable to grasp the meaning behind his words.
Since Soran kept telling her she was wrong every time she performed a move that he, from his peak-master perspective, considered obvious, she had no choice but to follow his instructions. She had to adjust every part of her body—the position of her arms and legs, even the angle of her joints—exactly as he dictated for every single movement. That was why she had remained in seclusion, avoiding the outside world while all sorts of events, from the Seo-won incident to the Heavenly Demon’s treasure map, unfolded.
"Hmm, I see."
However, as if to make all that previous suffering seem trivial, Seong-jin understood Soran’s words perfectly.
"So, you mean that in this state, the circulation path of my internal energy must be reversed, so I should breathe deeply to avoid disrupting the retrograde flow, relax my muscles, and keep my meridians open."
"That’s exactly it!"
After hearing Soran’s explanation, Seong-jin had reverse-engineered the flow of energy to grasp the intent behind the technique.
"...Exactly how do you get that kind of conclusion from 'pull' and 'push'?"
"Well, it’s not just a simple pull and push; it’s a pull and a push."
"...??"
With Seong-jin adding his ability to understand even the most nonsensical explanations, the progress of their martial arts began to accelerate rapidly. Soran, who had been constantly nagged by Suran, suddenly became full of himself.
"Ah, I suppose you don't know."
"Really, how does 'pull' and 'push' become a retrograde technique that reverses the flow of the Ren and Du meridians!"
"Is it still too early for you? When the time comes, you will realize it yourself."
"Soran, stop saying weird things and explain it properly!"
Suran’s frustration began to boil over, but regardless, their training was steadily moving forward.
On the other hand, Seong-jin’s training was a more personal affair.
"Adaptation to my changed body. Internalizing these sensations must come first."
Adapting to his reborn body and understanding the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. Seong-jin had already fully grasped the profound principles of the art itself. However, the true value of martial arts is only unleashed when they are performed with the correct intent, so he needed to follow the path of the Heavenly Demon’s mindset. But since this involved examining the Heavenly Demon’s internal energy settled within him through meditation, it was not something he could seek help from others for.
'Adapting the physical body, however, is different.'
Seong-jin’s Gi-gam (sense of energy) was heaven-sent, yet not truly heaven-sent. What he was born with wasn't a natural sense of energy, but a body that felt excruciating pain if the flow of energy went wrong. It was as if his sense of energy had been forcibly corrected due to the Nine-Yin Severed Pulse. That process was the result of his ceaseless efforts to survive; it was never something given for free.
Therefore, even though he had undergone a rebirth, Seong-jin couldn't just adapt in an instant with innate talent; he had to repeat the process of trial and error to correct his senses.
"Understanding is possible through a flash of insight, but internalization is achieved through repetition and mastery. It is rare for understanding to precede internalization, but that is exactly the situation I find myself in."
In other words, it was as if the sensations he had internalized until now had been reset by his rebirth. Of course, his past experiences weren't gone, so it was just a matter of adapting, but it wasn't easy.
"Then, shall we spar briefly?"
At the training ground of the Heavenly Martial Academy, Shin Suran picked up her spear and took a stance. She held the spear, and Seong-jin was empty-handed, but if one were to weigh the advantages and disadvantages, Seong-jin was actually at an advantage. Unless it was a life-or-death battle, the benefits of a weapon were negated, and Seong-jin had been able to indirectly study the spear techniques of the Shin Clan while helping Shin Suran with her training.
"Here I come!"
Almost as soon as that declaration reached Seong-jin’s ears, Shin Suran’s spear, having caught up to the sound, thrust toward him. Instead of dodging the flashing spearhead, Seong-jin stepped forward. He reached out toward the spearhead, exerting an attractive force. He twisted the direction of the blade to the side and slipped inside the shaft. He bypassed the reach of the spear and closed in with the reach of his hands and feet.
As it was a textbook maneuver, the Shin Clan, famous for their spear techniques, already had a countermeasure prepared. As soon as Seong-jin closed the distance, Shin Suran shortened her grip on the shaft and stomped her foot onto the opposite end of the spear. It was a force that one couldn't afford to take lightly, even if it wasn't a bladed weapon. Seong-jin grabbed the shaft and lifted his body as if doing a handstand to avoid the kick. It was a level of strength that could easily lift a boulder.
For martial artists with superhuman strength, a person's weight is not a significant burden. However, even if the proportion of weight in the exertion of force is reduced, if there is no footing to support it, one cannot put power into the strike. That is why techniques that lift the body are avoided in most martial arts.
Hwicheon (Returning to Heaven).
Shin Suran swung her spear widely to push Seong-jin away. Seong-jin did not resist the force and let go of the shaft. His floating body was pushed away as if thrown by the centrifugal force of the shaft he had been holding just a moment ago. The distance he had worked so hard to close was widened again. Moreover, since his body was floating in the air, it was a dangerous situation where it would be difficult to avoid being intercepted by the spear.
'Here.'
So, he threw his body into that composition.
'Stepping on the sky.'
The realization of Taoism reached all directions, and he unfolded the Drunken Eight Immortals Steps, which had also achieved the 4th level of mastery. Chukji (Folding the Earth). He unfolded the profound principle of running while folding the earth into the air. The compressed wind became a foothold, pushing Seong-jin forward. Heogong-dapbo (Walking on the Void).
Shin Suran had swung her spear widely to shake off Seong-jin, leaving her chest exposed. Normally, there would have been enough time for Seong-jin to recover his posture and for her to thrust the spear before he landed. But with Seong-jin stepping on the void and rushing in while ignoring the laws of physics, there was no time to defend.
In the end, Seong-jin’s hand-blade, which had launched a counterattack a beat faster, stopped in front of Shin Suran’s throat.
"Still lacking."
In theory, the Drunken Eight Immortals Steps should have allowed him to create a foothold anywhere, making Heogong-dapbo possible. However, Seong-jin, who had not yet fully adapted to his rebirth, could only perform Heogong-dapbo at specific points determined by the flow of the atmosphere. It was a level that could only be unfolded by taking the risk of a disadvantageous position and luring the opponent to a specific point. It had worked because it was the first time he had shown it, but it was a level of proficiency that wouldn't work against an opponent who knew it.
"Ahaha..."
Shin Suran gave a bitter smile as she watched him.
'Are you not satisfied even with this level?'
It was a level of perfection comparable to the Cloud Dragon Eight Forms of Kunlun, famous for changing direction in mid-air. The fact that he followed it up with words of regret was because the realm Seong-jin was looking at was that high. Apart from Shin Suran’s admiration for Seong-jin, she was also a martial artist. As a martial artist, it was impossible for her to feel nothing when she couldn't even properly master her own family’s martial arts and had to ask for advice, while someone of her own age was using such profound techniques that she couldn't even dream of.
A competitive spirit surged. The temperament that had captivated Yeong-myeong stirred.
"Let’s go one more time...!"
However, the rematch did not take place.
"Save me!!"
A scream was heard from a distance. Considering that this was inside the Murim Alliance, it was a puzzling event, but the two of them reacted instinctively.
They kicked off the ground, vaulted over the wall, and arrived at the scene to find a young girl being attacked by an assassin.
"Benefactor!"
No conversation was needed. As soon as Shin Suran saw the attacker, she threw her spear. The spear, thrown with her entire body pulled back like a bowstring, flew like a flash of lightning and pierced the assassin’s predicted path.
Thwack!
The surroundings froze instantly, centered on the spear stuck in the ground. The grass, unable to withstand the cold energy of Banbak-gwijin, shattered and crumbled. This was the same for the assassin who had been stepping on the ground; his legs froze, and he was stuck in place.
Hangryong-yuhoe (The Dragon Repents).
The assassin had no choice but to accept the strike that Seong-jin, who had landed immediately after, delivered.
"Are you alright?"
Shin Suran, confirming that Seong-jin’s strike had landed, immediately attended to the girl.
"Ah, the Flash Spear...?"
The girl who had been attacked was a face Shin Suran recognized.
"Miss Zhuge Lin?"
The girl who had recently been announced as the Young Clan Leader of the Zhuge Clan, one of the Five Great Clans. It was a case where the person who had declared until just before that she would drop out of the Clan Leader competition had pushed aside the most likely candidate, the eldest son, and taken the position of Young Clan Leader. In terms of being a hot topic, it was a bigger deal than the Baek-geomja losing to the Thunder-Roaring Asura, so even Shin Suran, who had been in seclusion, knew the fact.
"And even Warrior Joo?"
Zhuge Lin stared blankly at Seong-jin, who was returning after subduing the assassin.
"What happened? For the daughter of the Zhuge Clan to be attacked in the middle of the Murim Alliance?"
At Seong-jin’s question, tears welled up in Zhuge Lin’s eyes.
"Waaaah, Warrior Joo, please save me...!!"
As a grown woman began to wail, Seong-jin and Shin Suran were simultaneously flustered.
"It’s okay, you’re safe now!"
"Don't cry, tell us. What is the meaning of this?"
"That, that is..."
Zhuge Lin, who had opened her mouth while sobbing, told them the story of what had happened.
* * *
Zhuge Wujin, the Clan Leader of the Zhuge Clan, handed the position of Young Clan Leader to Zhuge Lin after his eldest son, Zhuge Hyuk, became incapacitated. Zhuge Lin had been acting as if she would give up the competition and help Zhuge Hyuk until just before. Zhuge Wujin, seeing Zhuge Lin at the scene where Zhuge Hyuk had completely fallen out of the succession race, mistook her for having orchestrated everything.
"Father seems to think I plotted to remove my brother, but that’s not what happened..."
Zhuge Lin’s lamentation began as they moved to a private room to avoid prying eyes.
"Ever since Father designated me as the Young Clan Leader, assassination attempts from my other brothers and sisters in the main family have begun."
To Zhuge Wujin, it was like this: The child who had been pretending to step down from the succession race had revealed her true colors, and she must have already finished preparing to silence the rest. If the winner was already certain, further competition would only harm the clan, so he decided to confirm the Young Clan Leader early. That was the beginning of all this trouble.
"Originally, even if it’s a competition for the Clan Leader, harming the clan is not tolerated. After all, this whole competition is for the glory of the family."
Even engaging in such fierce competition was ultimately to select an outstanding Clan Leader who would make the family prosper. If the clan’s strength was depleted in the process, the cost would outweigh the benefits, so it was originally not tolerated.
"Even so, the reason Father didn't punish me and made me the Young Clan Leader is because he thought I was capable of moving the Beggar Sect, including Warrior Joo, privately, but that’s impossible!"
If she were capable of moving the Beggar Sect privately, she would have brought results that exceeded the damage caused to the clan. In such a situation, punishing Zhuge Lin would mean losing both Zhuge Hyuk and Zhuge Lin, who had the Beggar Sect at her back. If she could move the Beggar Sect anyway, it wouldn't be difficult to suppress the opposition of other brothers and sisters even if she were declared the Young Clan Leader. However, all of this stemmed from a misunderstanding, and the reality was that Zhuge Lin had no power to block the checks of her brothers and sisters.
"Are they attempting assassinations even though the Clan Leader has already declared you the Young Clan Leader?"
"No matter how much Father has declared me the Young Clan Leader, if I die or become crippled, they have no choice but to pick a new Young Clan Leader!"
"If they aren't going to accept the outcome anyway, why do they compete?"
"Because after the Young Clan Leader is confirmed, until the clan’s resources are concentrated in earnest, it’s effectively just a hollow title."
The reason the Clan Leaders of the Five Great Clans are feared is that, unlike the Nine Schools and One Sect, they receive concentrated investment of all the clan’s resources. If she hadn't received that concentrated investment yet, being the Young Clan Leader was no different from the other candidates.
"Could you please help me until then? If you just save me, I’ll do anything!"
Seong-jin looked at Zhuge Lin, who was even kneeling and begging, and...
"I refuse."
He rejected her flatly.