Even as summer days arrived, not much changed about my daily routine.
If things changed just because it got a bit hotter, that would be stranger.
I simply felt time slowly flowing along with the changing weather.
“Hah.”
After finishing grueling training, while taking a brief rest.
Suppressing my slightly heated body, I looked straight ahead.
Unlike me, who was resting, the area before me was filled with heat.
The heat generated by the internal qi that martial artists were emitting.
*Clang—! Clang, clang—!*
Rough sounds rang out incessantly.
Mixed in with the wind, the air was thick with internal qi.
If you were wondering where this was coming from, it was the sound of Namgung Bia and Jamryong going all out in a spar.
If you asked why these two were sparring out of nowhere—
Ever since the day Baekryeongeom caused an incident, it had become a bit of a trend.
I watched with seeming interest.
‘This is a first, too.’
A spar between these two.
Jamryong and Namgung Bia.
In my previous life, they were geniuses who would never have crossed paths.
By the time Namgung Bia properly appeared in the Central Plains, Jamryong had already breathed his last.
Seeing those two fighting right before my eyes was simply fascinating.
Moreover.
‘Pretty brutal.’
The spar between the two was incredibly fierce.
It was the same during the last spar with Baekryeongeom, but this one felt different.
Because their realms were so similar, that aspect was all the more apparent.
Both were at the perfected peak.
They were still insufficient to surmount the wall to Transcendence, but they were at a level where they wouldn’t be called weak no matter where they went.
*Clang—!* As their blades clashed, sparks scattered into the air.
The traces left by the martial energy imbued in their swords were distinct as well.
Not to mention.
‘Fast.’
Perhaps because both were swordsmen focused on speed, their physical speed was impressive, and their judgment was remarkable as well.
My gaze turned to Jamryong.
Even though I didn’t know much about his martial arts, one thing was clear.
‘Looking at him now, his movements are extremely rough.’
For a Taoist practitioner, everything about him felt somehow rough.
Were all Wudang Taoists like that?
‘That’s not it.’
That guy was the peculiar one.
That much was certain.
Compared to other Taoist practitioners from different sects, he felt distinctly different.
You could tell just by looking at Yeongpung, called the Sword Dragon, as another example.
Though the Plum Blossom Sword Technique itself was a sword art that could not be used if one was rough,
Yeongpung possessed a neatness closest to the fundamentals.
You could say he had a feeling of being faithful to the basics.
In contrast, Uhyeok—
‘Is a madman.’
He moved about as he pleased, barely possessing the framework of the “Wave” that the Wudang sect pursued.
Perhaps this was also the reason why countless people gave Uhyeok the alias Jamryong.
Such movements were impossible unless one was a genius.
Deviating from the swordsmanship of the Wudang sect, he constructed sword paths as he pleased with only the framework, yet moved without issue while using them?
An ordinary martial artist would devote all their concentration to avoid being consumed by the framework of their martial art.
Jamryong was the opposite; that was why they called him a genius.
And this.
Applied equally to his opponent, Namgung Bia.
*Crackle—!* Lightning qi poured endlessly from Namgung Bia’s body.
Seeing that, I laughed in disbelief.
‘She’s increased again.’
The number of lightning arcs bursting forth had grown.
In other words, it meant Namgung Bia’s internal qi capacity had increased.
No, did she secretly consume some miracle elixir behind my back? Why did she keep growing every time I saw her?
‘Even her control ability….’
The unnecessary movements of the lightning qi branches had decreased.
It meant Namgung Bia was gradually becoming accustomed to controlling them, and furthermore.
‘The weight of the Hegemon Sword Form has increased as well.’
Her sense in using the Namgung family’s secret technique had improved, too.
Namgung Bia truly.
“Is changing day by day….”
“Isn’t she pretty?”
“Getting prettier…!?”
At the suddenly interjecting voice, I whipped my head around.
There, Baekryeongeom was smiling broadly, looking at me.
“Uwah!”
Startled upon seeing her, I widened the distance between us.
Having confirmed my reaction, Baekryeongeom made a hurt expression.
“…Look at you? Reacting as if you saw a bug?”
“What do you expect when you suddenly pop out…! You startled me.”
“If a bodyguard acts like this, what kind of bodyguard am I~! Do you think I go around like this? I move quietly.”
“Why would you do that to the person you’re guarding, though?”
“There’s a saying that to deceive the enemy, you must first deceive your allies.”
At Baekryeongeom’s cheerful words, I let out a deep sigh.
That wasn’t what that saying was meant for.
‘Why on earth does this woman act like this?’
She often popped out with a *poof!* like this, so I was frequently startled.
I looked at Baekryeongeom with displeased eyes.
Her smile, looking as if she enjoyed scaring me, was unbearably smug.
She wasn’t at least this bad when we first met… I don’t know how she ended up like this.
Some time had passed, so there had been changes in my relationship with Baekryeongeom as well.
In other words, it would be correct to say there had been a change in the way I saw her.
First, there was no problem treating her quite casually.
‘…What should I call this?’
From the standpoint of someone her junior, should I say she didn’t mind even if I acted up a bit, as long as it wasn’t harsh cursing?
Put nicely, she was magnanimous; put differently, she was a bit dull.
Once I realized that, I was able to treat her a bit differently.
‘Even if that weren’t the case.’
I examined Baekryeongeom’s shoulder.
It was the area where a restriction had been placed by mutual agreement.
‘To think she would really let me place one.’
Baekryeongeom had told me to place one if I didn’t trust her, so I did, but—
I hadn’t expected her to sincerely ask me to place a restriction.
A martial artist who had reached Transcendence should know how dangerous it was to have a restriction placed on one’s own body.
Yet Baekryeongeom accepted the restriction without a care.
Who knows if she readily accepted it knowing what I might do with it.
Of course, thanks to that, Baekryeongeom didn’t cause the same accidents as before, but—
Because of that matter, one change unlike usual had occurred.
“How does it look?”
“What do you mean?”
“Those two. Who do you think will win?”
Namely, Baekryeongeom had started talking to me much more frequently.
It was understandable since, as a bodyguard, she stuck close to me often.
The problem was that it had become a bit mentally taxing. As was Baekryeongeom’s personality, she would often ask strange questions.
Just like now.
‘Asking who will win?’
I had to slightly furrow my brow at Baekryeongeom’s question.
It was a difficult question.
Jamryong and Namgung Bia were remarkably similar in realm.
Both were at the perfected peak, soon to face the wall of Transcendence.
It was an outstanding realm for two people who had barely passed their coming of age.
‘…Even if you exclude me as an exception.’
I was an exception who had defied time. I was no genius to begin with.
Originally, the peak stage
was the average realm that a martial artist of a notable family reached around the age of thirty after repeated effort.
And if one recalled that reaching the perfected peak required another decade or so of effort from there,
one could understand why the current rising generation was called the generation of shooting stars.
In that regard, those two—
‘Have already surpassed the framework of the rising generation.’
Asking me to gauge who would win between such people?
‘…’
If they were mediocre, I wouldn’t know, but no matter how I looked, they seemed evenly matched.
However.
My gaze was fixed particularly on Namgung Bia.
*Crackle—!*
Along with intense sounds, a sword beam mixed with lightning qi left traces in the air.
As I said before, it was lightning qi incomparable to when I first saw her, but.
‘Hm.’
The lightning qi extending outward couldn’t penetrate Uhyeok’s vicinity.
It couldn’t break through the Wave that was the Wudang sect’s ultimate technique.
‘He deflects well.’
The flow that was said to be the fundamentals the Wudang sect sought to achieve, the very meaning of their martial art.
Uhyeok’s sword, though rough, did not stray from that meaning.
He deflected and absorbed attacks.
Uhyeok’s sword absorbed the sword beams Namgung Bia scattered and swung anew.
The extending sword qi rapidly shot forth repeatedly.
Namgung Bia’s delicate control was enough to take one’s breath away in admiration.
And Uhyeok’s spirit in deflecting and returning them was likewise incomparably astounding.
One could say it made a hollow laugh escape just from watching.
‘Damned geniuses.’
Anyway, so-called geniuses were never likable in any way.
Clicking my tongue inwardly, I focused on the match again.
The question of who would win that Baekryeongeom had asked.
I had said I didn’t really know.
But in truth, I instinctively knew.
My gaze turned to Namgung Bia just as before.
She continued the match without a single furrow of her brow. But I thought I knew.
This match.
“The Sword Dancer will lose.”
Namgung Bia would be defeated.
Hearing my firm answer, Baekryeongeom widened her eyes as if intrigued.
“Unexpected? You’re more decisive than I thought…?”
“Isn’t that why you asked me—because you think so too?”
When I spoke while looking at her as if displeased, Baekryeongeom smirked.
“I thought you would give a different answer since you favor your person.”
“This is separate from that.”
“Still, you don’t deny that child is your person, do you?”
…
I didn’t answer Baekryeongeom’s teasing words and turned my head away sharply.
The match was still ongoing, but my furrowed brows showed no intention of smoothing out.
‘Why is she like that?’
From the outside, there didn’t seem to be any major problem, but I, and of course Baekryeongeom as well, would know.
That something was strange on Namgung Bia’s side.
Her destructiveness and astonishing control were not the issue.
There was a problem with the match itself.
In the gaps of Namgung Bia’s movements, a barely perceptible inner demon could be felt.
How could such an inner demon be mixed into the life of a woman whose entirety was swinging her sword?
I was somewhat doubtful of that.
I recalled the Demonic Sword Empress of my previous life.
Her goal was solely to see the tip of her own sword, and there was no such thing as an inner demon on that path.
Then, why was such an inner demon mixed into the current Namgung Bia?
My eyes, having thought that far, turned to Baekryeongeom.
Perhaps recognizing my gaze, Baekryeongeom said awkwardly.
“Are you going to say something?”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
She would know as well.
It was after Baekryeongeom had simultaneously faced Wiseora, Namgung Bia, and Dangsoyeol.
That such an inexplicable change had occurred in Namgung Bia.
Did she feel something from that match?
Was that why she was experiencing such an inner demon?
Even if that were the case.
‘…’
There was nothing I could do.
There was also no reason to blame Baekryeongeom.
Rather than that…
‘Why do I feel relieved?’
Looking at Namgung Bia afflicted by an inner demon, I felt relief alongside worry.
Because in my previous life, she had chased after the tip of her sword without living a human life.
Did seeing her afflicted by an inner demon seem more human, making me feel she was walking a different life from her previous life?
‘Though it wouldn’t be pleasant from her own perspective, being bound by an inner demon.’
Namgung Bia, struggling with such inner worries, was instead giving me relief.
I also believed in her.
If it was her, she would overcome the inner demon without much difficulty.
Baekryeongeom, looking at me like that, pouted her lips as if displeased.
“I don’t like your expression.”
“All of a sudden?”
“I don’t like those eyes looking at her as if you’re proud. As if the person from back then….”
“Back then…?”
“No, nothing.”
Why did she stop mid-sentence?
While exchanging a few more words with Baekryeongeom.
*Clang—!*
With an ear-piercing sound, the match between the two ended.
The result was as expected…
The tip of Uhyeok’s sword was touching Namgung Bia’s neck.
It was her defeat.
At this, Namgung Bia looked at Uhyeok with widened eyes.
After confirming that much, I turned my back.
Seeing me like that, Baekryeongeom called out to me.
“Hm? Where are you going?”
“I’ve seen enough, so I need to go wash up.”
“Are you sure you shouldn’t go to her?”
“There’s no need. It would be better to leave her alone for now.”
If I intervened, I might be able to solve her problem for her, but—
I didn’t wish for that.
I wanted Namgung Bia to overcome it herself and stand on her own.
I believed she would surely do so.
The her of this life that I had seen was surely capable of it.
‘No, she could have done so in the previous life too.’
The Demonic Sword Empress could have done so as well.
I simply didn’t know.
The moment I tried to move toward the valley.
A whispering voice came from behind me.
“…You shouldn’t resemble him to this extent.”
“What did you say? Who do I resemble?”
“No, nothing. Ah, if you’re going to wash up, noona will wash you….”
“Not necessary.”
I snapped at Baekryeongeom in a disgusted voice and quickly left the spot.
That woman is definitely crazy.
Shaking my head, I disappeared toward the valley.
Left alone, Baekryeongeom looked at Goyangcheon’s back and smiled bitterly, whispering.
“You resemble him… too much.”
Her voice was filled with longing.
********************
Leaving Baekryeongeom’s nonsense behind.
I headed toward the valley to wash my sweat-soaked body.
When I roughly took off my upper garment, I could feel the damp sweat.
Ever since the Guyeomhwaryun Gong reached the 7th star, ordinary training wouldn’t make my body break a single drop of sweat.
Yet day by day, sweat was pouring down.
It meant the training was that hard.
Recalling the crazy old man who led this training, I frowned.
‘Crazy old man.’
Paejon was indeed a crazy human.
I didn’t truly feel it when he told me to pierce through a cave while using the Tuapacheonmu.
I only truly realized when the second training began.
I had been sparring with Paejon every single day without fail.
Since I started night training with the Dark King, I thought I might rest during the day, but—
“Until you learn the first volume. We will spar every day.”
The sparring never rested.
Moreover, there was another problem.
‘Spar while deploying Tuapacheonmu?’
It was outrageous.
I felt like I would faint from the pain as it was; in other words, it meant I had to get beaten while using it.
‘And here I am, doing it again.’
Twisting my throbbing body here and there, I let out a hollow laugh.
As expected, it hurt unbelievably.
‘Like a crazy martial art.’
Was it because the creator of the martial art was a madman?
The martial art itself was quite insane.
Just executing it brought pain.
Getting hit in that state doubled it.
Paejon said it was because I hadn’t fully unified with it yet.
Seeing this, I understood why Paejon had told me not to use it in actual combat without permission.
‘If I got injured while using this…’
My heart might stop from the pain alone, nothing else.
When getting hit by Paejon, I wondered if this was even right.
Thanks to that, I had to devote my entire mind to enduring the pain.
‘And at night like this… I play with the Dark King?’
Haha. Unbelievable.
They might as well tell me to die.
If sparring with Paejon was pain,
Then sparring with the Dark King was a nightmare itself.
‘Right. A nightmare. It’s a nightmare. Truly.’
Over the past month or so, since starting training with the Dark King, the number of times I died increased as time went on.
I died nine times on the first day; now it easily exceeded twenty.
Wasn’t this as if the Dark King was saying to me,
“No matter how hard you try, you cannot reach me.”
It felt exactly like that.
Perhaps because of that, I felt mentally exhausted.
Because there truly seemed to be no way.
‘Just what am I supposed to feel from this kind of training?’
Paejon seemed to want me to realize something through this training, but—
I couldn’t feel anything at the moment.
What was I supposed to realize while experiencing numerous deaths?
No matter how much I thought, I couldn’t know.
‘It’s difficult.’
My heart was tired, so my body felt tired too.
Forcibly ignoring my head growing exhausted from such thoughts,
I finally arrived at the valley.
Around the time I arrived, someone seemed to have washed first, as I saw them coming this way.
The moment we met, my eyes widened.
“Hm?”
“Ah.”
The other person was Wiseora.
Wiseora, whose hair was full of moisture, having just washed.
“Young Master…!”
Wiseora smiled brightly upon discovering me.
That smile was especially dazzling.
I recalled the time when Wiseora had been a maid, facing me with damp hair.
The moment I recalled that, I approached her and wiped Wiseora’s head with the towel I was holding.
“Ung? Y-Young Master? Ugh!”
“You have to! Dry it all! Before coming out!”
Walking around like this, how many men’s gazes would be staring? Where are you going looking so seductively for no reason?
Why doesn’t she get better at this even after all this time?
Wiseora, who had been letting out a slight scream, subtly entrusted her body to me as if she liked my rough hand.
Unbelievable.
“Do you like it?”
“Yes… I like it.”
“…Ah, I see.”
When she answered like that to my teasing question, I was at a loss for words.
While drying, I suddenly thought of something.
‘…Come to think of it, I should’ve just used heat to dry it.’
Using heat would be quick, so why was I doing this?
The moment I thought of it, I retrieved the towel and emitted heat.
For some reason, Wiseora made a disappointed expression at the heat.
“Dry yourself properly before going around. What are you doing?”
“I was going to dry it now….”
“That’s a lie.”
…
At my remark, Wiseora pondered and then nodded her head slightly.
Wiseora was still someone who couldn’t lie.
Perhaps because she was called out. Seeing her slightly sullen appearance, I smiled and asked.
“Want some sweets?”
“Oh…!”
At the word “sweets,” Wiseora’s eyes sparkled, but—
It was only for a moment before she quickly turned her head.
“I… I’m not a child anymore.”
“Then what was that reaction just now?”
“I didn’t react at all.”
It seemed she still liked sweet things.
But I couldn’t understand why she pretended not to like them.
Looking at such a Wiseora, I smiled inwardly.
Because my heart, clogged with thoughts, felt a little relieved.
Wiseora, seeing me like that, made a strange expression for a moment.
*Ssk—*
She carefully touched under my eyes.
Her hand was cold, perhaps because it had been in the water until just now.
“Why? Did something get on me?”
“No… it’s not that… Young Master. Are you alright?”
“Hm? What do you mean?”
“…You look very tired.”
Wiseora’s expression asking this was pitiful.
Hearing that, I had to be slightly surprised.
I look tired? Me?
‘Is it showing?’
No wonder everyone I met asked if I was having a hard time.
My expression must be somewhat strange.
Realizing that, I forced a smile.
“I’m fine.”
…
Of course, Wiseora had an expression of disbelief.
‘What can I do? I have to endure.’
If it’s hard, I endure. That was all.
“It’s just that I’ve been having nightmares lately.”
“Nightmares?”
“Yeah.”
Very terrible nightmares every night.
Even for me, so many deaths were a bit too much.
I’m tired.
That was the only sentiment I had right now.
Then, to Wiseora who was touching my cheek worriedly, I suddenly asked.
“You… no. Wiseol….”
“Yes?”
I was about to call her but suddenly closed my mouth tightly.
Why is calling someone by their name so difficult?
“It’s nothing… What do you think you should do if you have nightmares every night?”
It was a pointless question that came out.
Though it had nothing to do with the actual nightmares.
What did it have to do with anything, asking something like this?
I just changed the subject because calling her by name was embarrassing.
Not knowing my inner thoughts, Wiseora tilted her head repeatedly at the question.
Each time, her hair swaying was distracting.
“Nightmares…?”
“I just asked, so don’t worry about—”
“First, wouldn’t you try to wake up…? Since it’s a scary dream.”
At Wiseora’s words, I smiled slightly inwardly.
She was right.
If I knew it was a nightmare, I would try to wake up first….
‘Huh?’
At Wiseora’s words, something suddenly flashed through my mind.
‘If it’s a nightmare, you should wake up.’
For some reason, that feeling hit home hard.