"Disabled for life? Ha!"
The pale-faced young man looked incredulous at my words.
However, contrary to his reaction, he couldn't easily free his hand, and his expression grew increasingly stiff.
Even if I lack in other areas, I pride myself on the fact that, at present, my internal energy (gongryeok) is not inferior even when compared to masters who have surpassed the limits of martial cultivation.
At that moment, Yeo Yang-seon stepped forward and shouted.
"Senior! Stop it. How could you be so rude to our eldest brother?"
"The rudeness came from this side first. It may be just a dagger to everyone else, but to me, it's the only memento left by my mother."
My words left Yeo Yang-seon speechless.
She only knew it was something I treasured, but now that she understood the circumstances, she seemed to accept it.
Still, that didn't mean she stopped trying to intervene.
"Sigh. Then you should've just explained. Even if you learned from Master, our elder brother has been training for over seventy years. If this continues, it'll be dangerous. Elder brother, you too—please stop. Are you really going to go all out against the youngest disciple who's barely past twenty?"
At her words, the swordsman frowned and asked back.
"The youngest disciple? Just what are you all talking about?"
—Crack!
At that moment, cracks began to form in the floor where I and the pale-faced young man stood.
The rising power was too much for the wooden floor to bear.
The young man glared at me and spoke.
"Even if I wanted to stop, it seems the Master's new disciple doesn't feel the same."
"I told you to let go of the dagger."
"Isn't it ridiculous to just stand by when fellow disciples engage in insubordination?"
No sooner had he said that, he sent a powerful palm strike to my chest.
"Senior!"
Yeo Yang-seon cried out in alarm.
But of course, I wasn't so slow as to fail to respond to something happening right in front of me.
I also struck with a palm, and our powers clashed.
—Boom!
As our energies collided, a shockwave swept through the room.
Yeo Yang-seon was pushed back about five steps.
She couldn't hide her astonishment.
"To think he could match Elder Brother in strength…"
She must've thought I'd be no match for this pale-faced young man.
Even the young man's expression turned grave.
He was clearly unsettled by the fact that my power wasn't inferior to his at all.
But I hadn't even brought out my full strength yet.
"If you still won't let go, I have no choice."
—Crack!
I grabbed his wrist—the one holding the dagger—with a powerful grip.
I intended to break it in this state.
Then he raised his voice at me.
"Now I see how much effort the Master has invested in you. Fine. Let's determine who's more worthy of inheriting the Sunyang Temple's legacy!"
—Wooooosh!
Suddenly, something strange happened with him.
Though I had the upper hand in internal energy, a pure and serene force surged from within him, exploding in strength beyond belief.
'This is…'
—Crack!
My foot, which was on the floor, twisted the wooden boards as it slid backward.
Even the hand holding his wrist was being forced off by the rebound.
If my hunch was right, this shouldn't be possible.
The corners of his mouth lifted into a smirk.
"Seems you didn't learn this. Then take your arrogant hand off me!"
He generated a repulsive force.
At that moment, I closed my left eye and shifted my energy from the lower dantian to the middle dantian and activated Jin-Hyeol-Geum-Che (True Blood Golden Body).
—Hssss!
My body turned red-hot, and steam poured out as my blood circulated violently.
If I used Hyeolmahwa (Blood Demon Transformation) as well, I could increase my power even further—but this place was a Taoist sanctuary, so I couldn't make such a reckless move.
—Buzz!
"You!"
My hand, which had been about to be flung off by the rebound, stayed firmly in place.
His pupils shook at this phenomenon.
"What… what are you? How can the blood in your body…"
He figured it out just from the rising steam?
They say he's the swordsman's disciple—not just in title, but with insight that's no joke.
"You had something hidden too, huh? Fine! Let's see you hold out!"
He looked flustered for a moment, surprised by the mix of pure energy stronger than the lower dantian and Jin-Hyeol-Geum-Che, which pushes external power to its limits—but then he drew out even more strength.
'Ugh…'
With the surge of power, my internal organs felt like they were boiling.
So this was just a temporary measure after all.
But I still had a trump card.
'Namcheon!'
—Understood.
At my voice, the Namcheon Iron Sword began to draw itself from its sheath.
It was at that moment.
"Stop!"
A thunderous voice, like a lion's roar, rang out, and both I and the pale-faced young man clutched our ears and were thrown back.
"Urgh!"
"Ugh!"
What incredible power.
To think something like this was possible with just a shout—I clicked my tongue and looked toward the source.
It was none other than the Sword Immortal himself.
Walking toward us with his hands behind his back, the pressure he exuded was more intense than any master I had met so far.
Yet it wasn't brutal or oppressive.
It was warm and pure—an extreme embodiment of the righteous path.
'I'm not injured?'
Even more amazing was the fact that, despite being blown back mid-fight, I suffered no internal damage.
The same seemed to be true for the young man.
I had faced him in spirit before, but seeing him in person, he was on a different level.
—Unhwi!
'Sodam!'
Then I heard the voice of Sodam Sword.
Apparently, when we were blasted back by the lion's roar, the young man dropped Sodam.
I reached out, and the fallen Sodam Sword flew into my hand thanks to Okhyeong's ability.
—Clack!
As soon as it touched my hand, Sodam spoke in a tearful voice.
—Waaah! Unhwi, I was so scared I'd be separated from you forever.
It must've been really frightened.
I never had any intention of losing you.
That's why I came all the way to this strange place to get you back.
"Sigh."
Hearing approaching footsteps and a sigh, I looked up.
The Sword Immortal was looking at me with an expression of disbelief.
"How could someone so young…"
Before he could finish his sentence, the pale-faced young man shouted.
"And yet you still deny it? How can someone who hasn't learned your path commune with a sword like that?"
At his cry, the Sword Immortal turned to him and said:
"That's what I want to ask as well…"
"Still pretending? I don't want to hear any more of your excuses. If you want to erase me so badly, then do it. No, I'll leave the sect myself!"
—Flash!
With those words, the pale-faced young man ran out of the room.
The Sword Immortal rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand and sighed in disbelief.
"He lacks the Dao… He lacks the Dao. Even I… cannot help him."
He was blaming himself.
Yeo Yang-seon rushed over to him, dropped to the floor, and pleaded.
"Master, please don't expel Elder Brother. His resentment just burst out—that's all."
The Sword Immortal looked down at her with a troubled expression.
Then he turned his palm down and flipped it over.
Her prone body lifted upright on its own.
"You have a hard time."
Moved by his gentle voice, she said:
"I'll go find that foolish Elder Brother and bring him to beg forgiveness. Please don't hate him. Master, you know how pure-hearted he is…"
Pure-hearted, huh?
In my opinion, there's nothing scarier than blind obstinance dressed as purity.
Even if the path is wrong, such a person would believe their justice is absolute.
Sighing again, the Sword Immortal spoke to her.
"How could I ever hate that child? Go and soothe your elder brother."
At those words, her face brightened.
Seeing her like that, it was clear how much she cared for her elder brother.
Whether as a senior or as a man—that part was unclear.
"You stay here, disciple. If he sees your face again, he'll cause another scene. Then… Master, please wait just a moment."
With those words, she hurriedly ran out of the room.
Only the Sword Immortal and I remained.
I had wanted to speak with him alone anyway, so this worked out.
I had retrieved Sodam, and I was curious where this place was—and how he was still alive.
As the Sword Immortal approached me, he spoke first.
"Who are you, truly, to have mastered the Chilseong Hyeonmun that I never taught?"
"Chilseong Hyeonmun?"
When I asked back, he gestured toward the back of my right hand.
Apparently, the Chilseong Hyeonmun he mentioned referred to the Big Dipper mark on the back of my hand.
Others couldn't see the mark there, but from his gaze, he seemed to see it clearly.
So I bowed and said:
"Sword Immortal, I never imagined you were still alive."
"What are you talking about? Today is the first time I've ever met you."
"What…?"
I was speechless.
The first time?
Then what was that communication through the will you left behind?
—What's going on? Isn't that old man the very Sword Immortal you always talked about?
Yes.
And yet he's treating me like a complete stranger.
"You always talked about me?"
The Sword Immortal looked at Sodam Sword.
—...Huh.
"Ha!"
It wasn't a shocking thing, really—but hearing someone other than me converse with the sword for the first time, I couldn't help but exclaim.
—You really heard me, right? Unhwi?
"Yes, child. Seeing how strong the sword spirit is, your bond with your companion must be truly deep."
—You're really hearing me! You can hear my voice too, not just Unhwi's!
The boisterous voice made the Sword Sage chuckle.
Even the Namcheon Iron Sword seemed intrigued and asked,
—Did you say you're the Sword Sage? Can you hear my voice as well?
"Haha, truly a sword with a firm spirit."
—It's true!
Then, the Sword Sage glanced at the wooden case I was carrying and frowned.
Inside the case were the Blood Demon Sword and the Soul-Chain Sword.
I had completely forgotten that I had blocked their voices because they were constantly saying strange things.
Even though I couldn't hear them, the Sword Sage wouldn't have blocked their voices—so he could probably hear them.
At that moment, the Sword Sage's expression turned grave.
I wondered why, but then he muttered:
"Blood Demon?"
'!!!'
Hearing that word from his mouth, I instantly turned pale.
To someone like him—a Daoist—the Blood Sect or anything demonic might be considered a mortal enemy.
I had completely overlooked the fact that someone like him, who could hear the voices of swords, couldn't be deceived by anything.
"Master Sword Sage! Please, hear me out firs—"
But then, my body wouldn't move.
An invisible, formless force wrapped around my whole body like ropes and restrained me.
Even when I tried to summon my internal energy, I couldn't move an inch.
"Urgh!"
I knew he was hailed as the greatest swordsman in martial arts history, but this was monstrous.
He was handling someone who had transcended the limits—like me—as if I were a child.
—Unhwi!
—Let Unhwi go!
The Sodam Sword tried to dash toward the Sword Sage using Okhyeong's power.
But with a simple glance downward, the Sword Sage caused the charging Sodam Sword to fall straight to the ground.
—Clang!
"Sodam!"
—U-Unhwi, I can't move all of a sudden.
When I looked at the back of my hand, the Okhyeong mark was still glowing.
But it seemed that energy had been forcibly suppressed.
"Stay still."
With just a slight wave of his finger, the Sword Sage caused the wooden case to come apart, revealing the Blood Demon Sword and the Soul-Chain Sword.
"Swords filled with deep resentment and hatred."
The Sword Sage clicked his tongue while looking at them.
The creation of demonic swords (yo-geom) is entirely different from that of ordinary swords.
The Sword Sage recognized this instantly just by seeing them.
—Snap!
Both the Blood Demon Sword and the Soul-Chain Sword were pulled into the Sword Sage's hands.
He suddenly closed his eyes.
'Could it be… Cheongi?'
It seemed to be Cheongi (Heavenly Insight), one of the powers of the Big Dipper constellation.
That meant he was reading the memories of the swords.
It didn't take long.
Soon, the Sword Sage opened his eyes and frowned as he looked at the Blood Demon Sword.
"How could such a thing happen…"
I couldn't tell what he was so shocked about.
The Sword Sage turned his gaze from the sword to me.
"Are you a descendant of the Baek family?"
Descendant of the Baek (白) family?
He seemed to be asking if I was of the Baek bloodline, which the Blood Demon Sword came from.
I hesitated for a moment.
Should I reveal something I had never told anyone before?
But if someone like him could read the memories of swords without even forming a bond like I did, then he could uncover the truth easily.
If it was impossible to deceive him, it was better to tell the truth myself.
"I did inherit the blood, but from my mother's side. My father's side is the Jin family."
"Your mother's side? Hoo…"
Hearing that, the Sword Sage clicked his tongue.
"A strange thing, truly strange. Even if it's through your mother, for someone with Baek blood to end up in this place—Dohwaseon—is bizarre."
"What exactly do you mean by that?"
"Even so, someone not permitted shouldn't be able to enter Dohwaseon. I can't fathom how you got in."
He was saying incomprehensible things, which made it frustrating.
So I asked in return:
"...If anything, I should be the one asking questions. It's said that you transcended and ascended some six hundred years ago, and yet you're here, in this paradise-like place?"
"Me? Ascended?"
The Sword Sage looked genuinely puzzled.
His expression clearly said, "Why are you treating someone alive like a dead man?"
Tilting his head, he put down the Soul-Chain Sword and the Blood Demon Sword and approached me.
—Swish!
Then, he reached out his palm, and my immobile right arm rose by itself, placing my hand in his.
"Let's see how you came to master the Seven Star Mystic Gate. The truth will be revealed."
"Huh?"
—Grip!
The Sword Sage gripped my palm firmly.
Just like when he held the two swords earlier, he closed his eyes.
Was he using Cheongi—the ability to read memories—on me now?
As I wondered, the Sword Sage's eyes suddenly snapped open wide.
He looked shocked as he spoke.
"You… do not belong here!"
His voice was serious.
So I asked:
"What do you mean, I don't belong here? Are you saying it was a mistake for me to come to this place?"
To that, the Sword Sage looked dumbfounded.
"How could this be…?"
"Please, I beg you—tell me what's going on! I have no idea what's happening."
I didn't know anything. I couldn't understand what was going on.
Was entering this hidden, paradise-like place really such a terrible thing?
Then the Sword Sage looked at me and spoke in a deep, mysterious tone.
"This may sound strange… but the Sword Sage you know is the soul (백, 魄) of my future self—three hundred and fifty years from now."
'!!!'