Heaven-reaching True Qi, Blood Demon Lee Seojun.
Azure Sky Great Sea Namgung Hyeok.
Fist King Pae Jingwang.
What an overwhelming lineup of instructors.
Just seeing them gathered in one place made it painfully clear why martial artists from the major sects stood head and shoulders above the rest.
When Transcendent Realm masters speak, even a single word becos fuel for growth.
There’s simply no comparing those who receive such guidance regularly and those scraping by with second-rate instruction.
Even in this very gathering, the contrast was apparent.
Forr Green Forest Leader Jang Geuk was no weakling, but here, he couldn’t even bring out his credentials.
Intensive instruction from three top-tier masters?
That was sothing money couldn’t buy.
“Consider it an honor.”
Seojun grinned as he drew his sword.
“Let’s start with Big Sis.”
“...”
“...Miss Geum. That look you’re giving is kind of unsettling.”
“What did I do?”
“No, never mind...”
The reason he chose to start with Big Sis instead of Chunbong was simple.
“You know the Sword of the Boundless Azure Sky? I picked up a few things watching the old man use it.”
Namgung Hyeok’s brow twitched at the term old man.
“You gained insights from a single viewing? As expected from Heaven-reaching talent...”
“I’ve seen it more than once.”
At that, Pae Jingwang let out a snort.
“One duel counts as once.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Seojun brushed him off and kept going.
“I’ve seen three people use the Sword of the Boundless Azure Sky: Father-in-law, Big Sis, and this old guy. But the versions Father-in-law and the old man use differ significantly from the basic form.”
Namgung Jincheon’s sword was the empty sky itself. Namgung Hyeok’s was the sky that reflects the sea.
But what about Namgung Suah?
“Honestly? Yours is... kind of vague.”
“Hmm... Is that so?”
“Yeah. Not that it’s bad or anything. It works fine at the Peak Realm level, but that’s just my take.”
They say all martial arts ultimately converge into one at their peak. But that peak lies far off. Perhaps sowhere beyond the Profound Realm?
Until then, most martial artists sharpen their path toward a specific ntal image rather than a singular culmination.
Take, for example, the Primordial Sun-Moon Reinforced Qi or Wudang’s Taichi Wisdom Sword.
“I’ve never actually seen the Taichi Wisdom Sword, so I can’t say for sure. But Father-in-law says it’s tied to taiji, right? The Primordial Sun-Moon Reinforced Qi aims for the sa principle, so there should be many similarities.”
“I see... So Father’s sword chases the sky, and Great Granduncle’s chases the sea? That ans I need to find my own core imagery.”
“Wow, are you a genius or sothing?”
“Fufu, if you praise too much, I might get cocky.”
An arrogant Namgung Suah?
“Mmm, Seojun? Could you get so water?”
“It’s right there. Press hard.”
Hmm. Not bad.
“Brat, quit spacing out.”
“Oops.”
Seojun snapped back to the lesson.
“So I’m giving you an assignnt.”
“Find my aim?”
“That’s right.”
Seojun grinned.
“And I’ll show you what I an.”
This was the bait he’d laid down, wanting to demonstrate exactly this.
Drawing his sword, Seojun unleashed the Sword of the Boundless Azure Sky.
In his mind, he unraveled and rewove the verses of the form, layering in the imagery of All Rivers Returning to the Ocean.
Crack!
A stream threaded its way through the sky unraveling strand by strand.
His blade moved fluidly, tracing arcs through the air. Blue streaks followed, swelling and converging into a towering tsunami.
As space itself was dyed completely blue, Namgung Hyeok murmured in admiration.
“Incredible... He’s reinterpreted Azure Sky Falling Sea into his own form...”
He was right.
Seojun had etched Namgung Hyeok’s Great Sea into his own technique—but in his own language.
All Rivers Returning to the Ocean focused specifically on ‘rivers.’ It lacked the sea they would ultimately form. But this gave him the chance to include that ocean.
A successful crafting of imagery.
“Now, here’s the part that matters.”
He locked eyes with Namgung Suah.
“Watch carefully.”
He scattered the verses of the Sword of the Boundless Azure Sky once more. But this ti, instead of a vast sea, he inserted a single plum blossom.
Azure Sky Infinity.
The sky fractured. Sky fragnts followed his blade as it danced. As he raised his sword, they soared upward—
WHOOSH─────────!!
Amid the petals that filled the sky, Seojun grinned.
“See? It’s a little different from the Heavenly Plum you saw before.”
Heavenly Plum placed sky imagery inside the Plum Blossom Sword Technique, while Azure Sky Infinity placed plum blossom imagery inside the Sword of the Boundless Azure Sky.
“Heavenly Plum is about the plum blossoms in the end. Azure Sky Infinity is about the sky. Get it?”
Namgung Suah smiled brightly.
“Fufu, sorry. I don’t get it at all.”
“...What.”
That was... unexpected.
*A dejected Seojun sat hunched in a corner.
Jang Geuk, glancing at Namgung Suah receiving instruction from Namgung Hyeok, offered so comfort.
“Young Master, didn’t you once say that ordinary folks can’t follow your explanations?”
“But Big Sis isn’t an ordinary person.”
“Your standards are all over the place. Like that Azure Lightning Thunder Cultivation Art you made. Everyone seed to understand that well, so why not this?”
“That’s different. If soone couldn’t grasp that, they shouldn’t be learning martial arts at all. Even a neighborhood dog would get it.”
“Hmm...Would it be okay if I hit you once?”
“No, it wouldn’t.”
“Pity.”
Seojun grumbled but reorganized his thoughts.
Azure Lightning Thunder Cultivation Art...
That had been a foundational technique, which was why he could simplify it.
But higher-level martial arts weren’t sothing you could spoon-feed.
If he did that, the student would plateau, stuck forever at the level of his explanation.
He didn’t want Namgung Suah resenting him years later.
“Well... no helping it.”
He’d have to go step by step until she understood.
She hadn’t found her imagery yet anyway. Once she did, her growth would explode.
“So now it’s our Chunbubbie’s turn.”
Chunbong stood with arms crossed, frowning. Seojun grinned.
“The protagonist always shows up last.”
“...What are you even talking about?”
“It’s true.”
Seojun cleared his throat dramatically.
“Behold! The Chunbong Divine Art..!”
To be more accurate, it was the Chunbong Divine Art prototype.
The final version would probably be sothing like: Chunbong Divine Art FINAL REAL COMPLETE THIS IS THE END111123.”
“...What the hell is that?”
Chunbong briefly debated whether to be angry or pleased.
A martial art nad after her? Honestly, it made her kind of happy.
But still, “Chunbong Divine Art”? Was that really the best he could co up with?
“As you know, the na of a martial art is important.”
Seojun explained seriously.
“In a way, a martial art’s na is like the essence of the imagery it’s built around.”
The 24 Plum Blossom Sword Technique. The Sword of the Boundless Azure Sky. The Sword Form of the Emperor. Just hearing them, you knew what each aid to embody.
“So this one has to be the Chunbong Divine Art.”
A martial art solely for her. If soone else tried to use it, it wouldn’t just fail to unleash its power, they might imdiately fall into qi deviation.
“It’s a martial art made just for you.”
Seojun’s eyes locked onto Chunbong. Seeing herself reflected in his eyes, Chunbong nodded, dazed.
Thump, thump.
Her heart beat for no reason.
She patted her cheeks, which had beco flushed again, and nodded primly.
“...Hmph. Well, if you say so.”
That expression—
Seojun’s breath caught.
Chunbong, ducking her head shyly while gently nodding...
“Why is our Chunbong so cute!”
“Whaaa!?”
He scooped her up without warning, transitioned into a piggyback, and stomped the ground.
“Everyone in town! Look at our Chunbubbie!”
“I thought you were being serious, you bastard...!”
“I’m Geum Chunbong’s big brother...!”
Jang Geuk watched them with an odd look as Seojun ran off.
“To think this is the sa person from back then...”
He rembered that Seojun—the Death Devil who tore off and reattached arms like so horrific toy.
Yes, that had been a man worthy of the title “demon”...
Yet in front of that child called Chunbong, he appeared so childish.
“Maybe the future of the martial world rests with that child...”
Then again, that might be a stretch.
Jang Geuk shook his head.
*The entire day passed playing with Chunbong.
The next morning, just as Seojun was about to begin her delayed lesson on the Chunbong Divine Art, visitors arrived.
“Oh, we et again?”
“It hasn’t been long... I’m glad to see you again, benefactor.”
Hyeun smiled gently and offered a prayer gesture.
It was that secret monk friend—the one who’d graciously let Chunbong shave his head.
In hindsight, wasn’t this guy basically Buddha? Letting soone chop off your hair was beyond the magnanimity of ordinary people.
Though he wasn’t sure, this man might actually have at least one or two Buddhas living in his heart.
The other monk looked familiar too.
Jibaek, was it? The one who’d fought with him when the Qilian Sect Leader had appeared.
“You doing better these days?”
“Haha, just cultivating diligently.”
He’d looked half-dead on the battlefield. Now he seed sowhat better.
Seojun gave a crooked smile.
“So what brings you here suddenly?”
“We’ve co to deliver a ssage from the Murim Alliance.”
Hyeun glanced around and lowered his voice.
“It’s not exactly confidential, but... could we speak inside? Given the nature of the issue.”
“Of course.”
Seojun led them to a room.
He thought about serving tea, but then rembered he had never brewed tea in his life.
Still, I’m a Transcendent Realm master. I should be able to make tea.
So he just brewed tea based on intuition.
“Here you go.”
“Thank you.”
“I appreciate it.”
Hyeun and Jibaek each took a sip... and quietly set their cups down.
Curious about their reaction, Seojun took a sip himself.
“Hmm.”
He pushed the cup far away and smiled awkwardly.
“So, what’s this about? Is it bad news?”
“In a way, yes. The Murim Alliance finds itself in an unfortunate position. That’s why the two of us, who are acquainted with you, ca.”
Jibaek spoke, and Seojun tilted his head. He didn’t rember the Murim Alliance being all that involved.
“Did the Murim Alliance do sothing?”
“Well... that’s the issue. It’s about compensating for what they didn’t do.”
“Ah, I see.”
Thinking about it, that made sense. Those Murim Alliance bastards. The sons of bitches who didn’t even send support on ti.
“Still, I’m surprised. They’re offering compensation without even asking.”
“Didn’t you know? Miss Namgung sent them several long letters.”
“Oh.”
It seed that Big Sis had been angry, even though she hadn’t brought it up.
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