Chapter 190
Yes.
The first memory that surfaced was a sword.
Not the blood splattering around, the head dropping to the floor, the robe embroidered with flowers approaching a little later, nor the middle-aged man’s smile.
A sword.
A sword shining white even in the darkness, holding moonlight, that was the memory etched on his first page.
* * *
“What?”
“Th, the sword……”
Jin Yeon, momentarily flustered, cut his words short, but the child wasn’t intimidated…… not at all.
“Sword?”
Tilting his head, he repeated the word ‘sword’ with a slightly awkward pronunciation.
He seemed unsure if he had said it correctly.
“Aigo. Master! Why are you getting angry at my junior fellow disciple!”
“When did I get angry? I’m just flustered. Alright, child. You want to see someone swinging a sword?”
Jin Yeon approached the child with a smile again.
The child nodded.
“Alright, I’ll show you. No, you’ll get to see plenty during the tournament. But before that, there’s something I need to ask. Do you by any chance remember where your home is?”
Seeing how quickly he can speak, he doesn’t seem to be from another country, so the possibility is increasing.
But the child tilted his head again, thought for a moment, then shook his head.
Actually, during the journey, he had vaguely understood, so he shook his head each time he was asked.
*‘I thought since he could talk now, he might have recovered some memories.’*
Seems like it isn’t the case.
“Name or age?”
“I don’t know.”
His pronunciation was awkward, but he answered properly.
“I see, understood. You’ll get to see plenty of swords once the tournament starts. And if you go to Mount Hua, you’ll be able to touch them to your heart’s content.”
He doesn’t know his origin, nor his name. The child was like a blank slate.
As if someone had completely wiped his memories.
*‘Was it due to shock? He clearly learned the language while coming here.’*
If so, he could be of high intelligence. Is he the child of a high-ranking foreign official?
Unknowns abound.
*‘There’s also the possibility he was an orphan from the start.’*
“Junior fellow disciple! Let’s go out and see the town instead of swords!”
“Yes.”
“Master! We can go out, right?”
“Let’s go out together. After a short rest.”
“That’s a bit……”
“…….”
Anyway.
“It would be good if you could recall your memories, but don’t worry too much if you can’t.”
He stroked the child’s head to reassure him.
“No, Master?”
* * *
Hyeonun was the youngest among his fellow disciples.
Being six years younger than the average age, and eight years younger than the eldest senior brother, he was used to being treated as the youngest.
Not all youngest ones turn out that way, but being showered with care and attention could sometimes make one grow up a bit cheeky.
Or.
“Wow, Master. Did you see that wall? Who paints things like that?”
“Look at those decorations. There are so many things I’ve never seen on Mount Hua.”
“What’s the best food in town? I heard you’ve been active in the Murim Alliance since you were my age, Master.”
“But did the sect leader give you enough expenses? How much do you usually get?”
He becomes overly talkative.
It’s good that his personality has no crinkles, but it’s hard on the ears.
So.
Thanks to that much talking, the child holding his hand now must have had his ears opened quickly.
Jin Yeon thought positively.
“But this building feels like a building inside a building. Closed off.”
As they were slowly heading outside, Hyeonun suddenly spoke after pondering.
“Oh. You can tell?”
“Yes. Is the Murim Alliance always structured like this?”
“It’s all different. It’s confidential, so I can’t tell you.”
“You’re just too lazy, right?”
“Correct. Still, this kind of structure is likely only here.”
It’s obvious why the lodging where they are staying is this kind of building.
It will be the residence of a new squad to be formed.
No need to go outside, and no one else will be coming in and out.
*‘Probably among the masters, I am of the lowest rank.’*
Seeing the person entering now, he was sure of it.
“It’s been a while, Elder Namgung Tae.”
The Namgung Clan.
Among the five most powerful families in the world, it is the foremost martial family.
Flanking the clan elder Namgung Tae, just as a youth and a child stood beside Jin Yeon, stood a robust, fine young man and a child brimming with confidence.
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Hyeonun of the Mount Hua Sect.”
“It’s been a while, brat. And nice to meet you, disciple of Mount Hua.”
“Elder, are you also…?”
“Yes, how could I refuse the Alliance’s request? Hahaha. Anyway, introduce yourselves. Cheon-ah, and Hwang-ah. This is the Plum Blossom Sword Saint.”
The two children beside Namgung Tae greeted Jin Yeon.
“And that child? Is he a third-generation disciple?”
Namgung Tae showed interest in the child standing beside Jin Yeon.
He exuded an air that said he wanted a proper answer.
The reason being.
*‘It must be because of that child.’*
The Namgung child with eyes full of confidence.
Namgung Cheon.
*‘For a few years now, the Namgung Clan has been widely spreading rumors that a prodigy was born.’*
Namgung Cheon is ten. He is similar in size to the child he took in. Namgung Cheon is a bit bigger?
Probably around the same age.
In any case, that’s why he’s interested.
Namgung Cheon is the eldest son of the young clan head. When the young clan head becomes the clan head, he will naturally become the young clan head, and destined to be clan head eventually.
“No.”
“Really? Then why in the world is he here?”
“Just a child we picked up along the way.”
“Tsk. This is why Daoist sects are no good. If I needed to, I was thinking of teaching him martial arts later.”
Upon hearing he’s not a gifted child of Mount Hua, he immediately loses interest.
Jin Yeon snorted.
Sparks flew from their locked eyes.
“Are you referring to the Namgung martial arts?”
“Yes. Since everyone is united for the greater cause, the council of elders has allowed some sharing.”
It’s nothing more than an attempt to build connections with geniuses of other sects, and yet he’s……
He talks about the greater good but the moment someone seems like they might block Namgung Cheon’s path among peers, he’ll check them.
“Then I’ll take my leave. Cheon-ah, I told you to befriend others, but there’s no need to associate with a child like that.”
What a personality.
*‘I can tell getting involved with them would be troublesome. Still, to take care of Hyeonun, I’ll need someone, so I’ll probably have to request the elders.’*
Jin Yeon, his skill is high enough to surpass a whole generation, so teaching wouldn’t be a problem.
But in situations like this, he can only yield to his seniors.
Because they are of the orthodox faction.
“Let’s just ignore them and go.”
* * *
Since he started speaking, the child’s speaking and listening skills improved day by day.
He was young, but not lacking in thought.
So he knew that his situation was strange.
But thanks to Jin Yeon and Hyeonun repeatedly telling him it was okay, he didn’t worry too much.
“That’s right. I’m an orphan too, junior fellow disciple. So don’t worry.”
“Yes!”
“Even though I’m an orphan, I’ve become this cool and respectable swordsman of Mount Hua. You saw yesterday, right? I suppressed my opponent in just five moves. Huh?”
“But couldn’t you have done it in three moves yesterday?”
The child asks with a smile.
“Ha! Here you go again!”
Hyeonun grinned broadly and looked at the child.
“You don’t know because you’ve never held a sword, but it’s not that easy. Do you know how many exchanges of moves it took?”
“Is that so!”
“Right! You need to learn the sword quickly so you’ll know how amazing this martial uncle is. Still, aren’t you proud of your martial uncle who made it to the quarterfinals? Huh?”
“Huh?”
“That’s not how you earn your junior fellow disciple’s respect, tsk tsk.”
“No, Master! I also want to cross swords with my junior, but you won’t take the child to the training ground, so it can’t be helped. Now that I’m entering the squad, we’ll be apart for a while, so I have to let him know the greatness of this martial uncle like this.”
“Hahaha. Your mind is rotten. Though, after seeing other junior fellow disciples of similar age, isn’t the child cute?”
“Yes, well.”
Hyeonun nodded sheepishly.
“Alright. Shall we go to the training ground then? He hasn’t formally entered yet, but it should be fine to teach him something like the Six Harmonies.”
That was also why the child didn’t have a name yet. Memories might resurface, and even if not, he would receive a Daoist name upon going to Mount Hua, so he couldn’t be given one now.
“Okay.”
The child’s eyes widened.
While watching the tournament, his desire to hold a sword had been growing stronger.
“Do you like it that much?”
“Yes!”
The child was picturing in his mind all the scenes of sword-wielding he had seen so far.
He wanted to unfold them.
There was no particular reason. He just wanted to.
Next, he wanted to go to Mount Hua.
The only people meaningful to the child only talked about their sect, so it felt like he already knew the geography of Mount Hua without having been there.
“Now, follow me.”
They loved the place called Mount Hua.
“Hmm…… I thought there wouldn’t be anyone at this late hour.”
At the training ground, Namgung Tae, Namgung Cheon, and Namgung Hwang, whom they had met the first day, were training.
Of course, the child didn’t care. He grabbed Jin Yeon’s hem and looked up.
“Alright.”
After a brief greeting, Jin Yeon handed the child a wooden sword.
“Now. Hold it. Oh.”
“He’s holding it correctly?”
“He observed well all this time. He’s definitely bright. Then from now, I’ll teach you the Six Harmonies. The Six Harmonies are……”
But the voice reaching the child blurred as if he had submerged into water the moment he held the sword.
The world around gradually erased.
All his nerves focused entirely on the sensation at his fingertips and the rough wooden sword connected to his hand.
And the child swung the sword.
The Six Harmonies Sword.
Following the sword of Jin Yeon that he had shown for the first time after arriving here.
But soon the child was pulled out of that world.
“Junior fellow disciple! Hahaha. Anyone would think you’ve fallen into a state of selflessness. You should listen well to Master and then swing. Seeing how much you like the sword, you definitely have the qualities to become a swordsman of Mount Hua!”
Hyeonun laughed. Jin Yeon also raised the corners of his mouth in satisfaction.
“Child, there, widen your stance a little more, and raise your arm higher.”
“Why? This is more comfortable.”
The child’s question was pure. There was no defiance or ulterior motive; he was simply genuinely curious.
As someone about to enter martial arts, having such a questioning attitude was desirable.
Jin Yeon pondered how to make the child understand and began explaining.
“Martial arts cannot just follow the heart of a child. The Six Harmonies Sword, like other basics, provides the most comfortable foundation for learning later techniques……”
Those learning the Six Harmonies are children. But when learning advanced martial arts based on the Six Harmonies, one learns after the body is fully grown.
Naturally, the Six Harmonies Sword is adjusted for when the body is fully grown.
But if you were to learn advanced martial arts with a child’s body at that age……
*‘Narrowing the stance a bit more and lowering the posture like that would be more……’*
The thought that it would be more comfortable flashed through Jin Yeon’s mind momentarily.
And the child mentioned comfort as well.
Was it coincidence?
*‘Of course, that child will also learn advanced martial arts when he grows up, so correcting him now is the right thing, but……’*
“Then……”
It was then.
“You. Let’s talk for a moment.”
“Ah, Elder. Understood. I’ll be back shortly, so you two play by yourselves.”
Jin Yeon went to the far side of the training ground with an elder of the Alliance, not Wudang.
And left behind, to Hyeonun and the child.
“Disciple Hyeonun? Congratulations on reaching the quarterfinals.”
“Ah, young hero Namgung. You also made it to the quarterfinals, right?”
Namgung Hwang came over bringing Namgung Cheon. Namgung Tae seemed to have joined Jin Yeon.
“Yes. May we talk for a moment? I’ve been getting to know the other participants, but you haven’t come out to the training ground……”
“Yes, well. We didn’t really come out to train, so we have plenty of time. Child, wait here a moment.”
Thus, the child and Namgung Cheon were left.
Without even glancing at the child, Namgung Cheon picked up a wooden sword and began training a little distance away.
The child paid no mind. Rather, he felt good.
As he held the sword again and focused, the world easily erased away.
Noise and surroundings disappeared, becoming silent and calm.
Then, faintly, the sword trajectory of Namgung Cheon wedged into his world through a crack.
His focus broke again, and the child watched Namgung Cheon’s movements with interest before opening his mouth.
“Why are you swinging like that? Are you also holding a sword for the first time, like me?”
That day.
The child experienced a spar for the first time.
And that spar.
Was quite easy.
The child thought at the time it was because his opponent was also a beginner.