Chapter 2: Let’s proceed.
Drawn by a strange force, Jin Seong-un stepped into the storage shed.
“……”
Jin Seong-un, who normally didn’t get flustered over most things, blinked blankly.
It had certainly been a small storage shed.
Yet inside, an endless pitch-black space, like the night sky, stretched out before him.
And there stood four men and one woman, staring straight at him.
Their faces, attire, and ages were all different, but for some reason, they all looked as if they were enjoying themselves.
A brief silence.
Jin Seong-un searched for words for a moment before finally speaking.
“……Mm. What exactly are you doing in someone else’s inn?”
Because the man at the front had snow-white hair and beard, he decided to be respectful for now.
The sturdy old man placed a hand on the sword hilt at his waist and burst into laughter.
“Hahaha, someone else’s inn, you say! I have stayed in this space for hundreds of years—can you truly call it your inn?”
“……”
Jin Seong-un stared at the old man.
There was no doubt in his mind that this man was senile.
“Sir, where’s your home? I’ll escort you there. Please don’t do this in someone else’s inn.”
The old man’s attire was quite formal.
Even to the untrained eyes of Jin Seong-un, the sword at the old man’s waist was clearly no ordinary weapon.
Just as Jin Seong-un carefully reached to grab the old man’s wrist—
Whoosh—!
His hand failed to touch the man’s body.
To be precise, it passed right through him, as though touching smoke.
Jin Seong-un frowned.
Was this a dream?
He slapped his own cheek twice. The sharp sting made it clear this was no dream.
“You asked who we were, did you not?”
For some reason, the old man’s voice became solemn.
Jin Seong-un looked straight at him.
“……Yes, who are you?”
“Yeo Am. That is my name. Some call me the Sword Immortal.”
Jin Seong-un let out a sound of disbelief.
Among the countless aliases in the world, the title “Sword Immortal” was granted to only one sect.
The Wudang Sect.
One of the Nine Sects and One Gang, and alongside Shaolin, known as one of the two greatest orthodox sects in the world.
Even in the Wudang Sect, only the greatest master could bear the title of Sword Immortal.
How could someone of that level be here in an inn’s storage shed doing this sort of thing?
“If you are the Sword Immortal, then I am the Heavenly Demon.”
“Heavenly Demon? Are you saying that bastard is still alive?!”
An angry voice suddenly burst out beside them.
Jin Seong-un turned his head.
A man in a reddish long robe was glaring at him as though he wanted to kill him.
The killing intent in his eyes was so strong it made even the courageous Jin Seong-un’s spine tingle.
Then the self-proclaimed Sword Immortal waved a hand in the air and said,
“My friend, it must be the descendant of the Heavenly Demon you slew, not the same man himself.”
Clicking his tongue, the Sword Immortal stopped the red-robed man, then turned to Jin Seong-un.
“Understand. That Blood Demon shivers at the mere mention of the Heavenly Demon’s name.”
First a Sword Immortal, now a Blood Demon.
Jin Seong-un looked at the other three.
A man wearing a bamboo hat.
He looked about thirty, and the eyes visible beneath the brim brimmed with mischief.
A middle-aged man with a scar running from his philtrum to his chin, carrying a curved blade at his waist—perhaps he would call himself the Green King or Wolf King?
Lastly, a woman glaring irritably at the self-proclaimed Blood Demon.
She wore thin, flowing garments as though she were some celestial maiden.
Her beauty was so mysterious and captivating that if she had been outside instead of in this storage shed, she would have drawn the gaze of countless men.
“The young one does have an eye for beauty.”
The woman spoke with a gentle smile, as if reading his thoughts.
At the same time, the man in the bamboo hat spoke.
“What use are names or titles? What matters is that fate has brought you and us together, and that we are destined to be of help to one another.”
“I am not really someone who can help others.”
Born an orphan, he had lived his life working as a waiter.
That was the only thing Jin Seong-un knew how to do.
The Sword Immortal then spoke as if he knew everything.
“Jin Seong-un. Truly a fine name.”
“……How do you know my name?”
Ah, if he could read thoughts, then of course he would know.
Jin Seong-un accepted it with half-belief.
The Sword Immortal didn’t bother denying it and continued.
“To us, who left our regrets in the present world, you, who possess the Heavenly Martial Body, have come. How could this not be fate? We will grant you martial arts, and you, who live in the present, will set right our regrets.”
Jin Seong-un nodded.
“First of all, I do not have a Heavenly Martial Body. Second, I can barely take care of myself, let alone help others. Third, I repeat—what are you all doing in someone else’s inn?”
Jin Seong-un felt he had humored them enough.
Everything they said sounded either senile or like grasping at clouds.
At least, to Jin Seong-un, whose priority was simply surviving.
The Sword Immortal chuckled.
“That eccentric Blood Demon, the sly Divine Thief, the rational Merchant King, the Noble Enchantress, and I, the Sword Immortal—all have recognized you as possessing the Heavenly Martial Body. Who would dare deny it?”
“……”
This was insane.
That was Jin Seong-un’s honest impression.
“The Heavenly Martial Body is one born under the Heavenly Martial Star. The heavens themselves aid such a body to be filled entirely with martial prowess. Have you heard of the Heaven-Slaying Star?”
“……Yes, somewhat.”
It was an extremely famous star.
Those born under the Heaven-Slaying Star had a constitution that drove them mad unless they shed blood, and thus often became infamous demonic masters.
“The Heaven-Slaying Star appears in the world once every hundred years. The Heavenly Martial Star, however, may appear once in a thousand years, if at all. That is why most know of the Heaven-Slaying Star but not the Heavenly Martial Star.”
“……I understand. But I am far removed from this Heavenly Martial Star or Heavenly Martial Body business.”
He had once bought the Three Talents Sword Technique from a street stall in hopes of teaching himself martial arts.
He hadn’t managed to master even a single stance.
One black path martial artist who had appreciated Jin Seong-un’s courage had once tried to teach him martial arts, but after realizing his terrible lack of talent, the man had simply clicked his tongue in disbelief.
"That is only natural. Whether it is the common Three Talents Sword Technique or the most profound supreme martial art, its essence lies in being created for humans to learn. Therefore, it is simply clothing that does not fit you, who possesses the Heavenly Martial Body."
Srrrng–!
The Sword Immortal suddenly drew the sword from his waist. The Taiji-patterned ornament on the hilt swayed, catching Jin Seong-un’s eye.
The kindly and gentle impression of the Sword Immortal changed the moment he unsheathed his blade.
A spirit and resolve that seemed as if they could split even Mount Tai filled the air.
"How could a well hold a lake? Our teachings, as vast as the rivers and seas, will naturally be able to embrace you."
Saying this, the Sword Immortal swung his sword.
From the tip burst a black-and-white sword qi that seemed capable of cleaving the entire world, rushing forward with unstoppable force.
The vast space, like the night sky, trembled entirely.
What would happen if such a thing struck a person?
For the first time, Jin Seong-un thought—perhaps this old man really was the Sword Immortal.
While the Sword Immortal wore a triumphant expression, the woman approached and spoke.
"You must often wake in the night from the heat in your head."
"……Yes, that’s true."
"And you bathe even in the dead of winter without heating the water."
"……That’s right."
The corners of the woman’s lips curved upward.
It was such a dangerously bewitching smile that even Jin Seong-un, who had never had the time to harbor thoughts of a woman, flinched.
"When it keeps building up inside, how could it not boil over?"
As she said this, the woman gently pressed on Jin Seong-un’s shoulder.
It was an extremely soft motion, yet Jin Seong-un could not resist and sat down.
"Sit cross-legged."
Her voice carried an irresistible force. But rather than unpleasant, it felt strangely comforting.
"Close your eyes and observe your body within."
How exactly was he supposed to do that?
Regardless, her words continued.
"Begin from the Baihui acupoint. Gather the energy of Heaven and Earth there, and…"
After that came a flood of incomprehensible words.
Truly terms he was hearing for the first time in his life.
He could only intuit that these were things learned by those who practiced martial arts.
One strange thing was—despite not understanding what she was saying, Jin Seong-un found himself following her instructions.
After finishing her explanation, the woman softly lifted her hand from his shoulder.
"What I just taught you is the Women’s Moon Heart Method. It was originally created for women… but you’re prettier than most women, so it should be fine."
Jin Seong-un twitched slightly with his eyes still closed.
Had he ever met such a crazy woman?
The woman laughed as if amused.
"Hoho, of course I’m joking. I only thought that, as one born with the Heavenly Martial Body, you would be able to handle it."
She was right.
Jin Seong-un could feel the energy of Heaven and Earth gathering toward him.
To exaggerate a little, it felt as though he stood at the very center of the world.
The Sword Immortal spoke again.
"Even among us, Noble Enchantress’s cultivation method is surely the best, so do not practice it carelessly—focus all your mind on it."
How had it come to this, that he was learning martial arts?
It felt as though he had been swept into a rapid current, and before he knew it, here he was.
What if they asked something unbearably difficult or immoral in return?
The moment such a worry crossed his mind—
"Sword Immortal. With the title of Immortal attached to my name, do you think I would have you do such things?"
But there was also the Blood Demon among them.
And even the Divine Thief, a literal thief.
At that, the thief laughed heartily.
"Hahaha! I won’t ask you to steal anything, so don’t worry. And the cultivation method is merely something to commemorate our fate in meeting you. We can discuss any exchange later."
Oh.
In that case, there was nothing to worry about.
Jin Seong-un focused again on the cultivation method.
Meanwhile, the martial gods continued their conversation.
"Sword Immortal, sir. Embarrassing as it is to admit, the girl’s cultivation method is rather profound, so it will take quite some time."
"I am aware. Time has little meaning to us—what concern is it?"
"If he is dull-witted, it will take at least a year to use the method to form a dantian. An average talent would need four months, and a gifted one could finish in less than a month."
Of course, this was no ordinary dantian.
The internal energy built through the Women’s Moon Heart Method would surely surpass the common sense of ordinary martial artists.
Jin Seong-un, pretending not to listen, twitched his eyebrows.
If it would take that long, that was a problem.
He had posted a notice seeking a chef.
What if, in the meantime, an extremely skilled chef came by and left?
Just then—
"Huh."
Jin Seong-un opened his eyes.
The martial gods looked at him in puzzlement.
"Why already?"
Jin Seong-un scratched the bridge of his nose with his index finger.
That dantian thing—they were talking about—he felt like it was already done.
And it hadn’t even been one meal’s time.
The expressions of the martial gods grew grave.
They all approached and placed their hands on various parts of Jin Seong-un’s body.
Five different-colored energies surged into him at once.
Soon, they each let out a sigh.
"Heavens, how could this…"
"Even for one with the Heavenly Martial Body…"
It was an incomprehensible matter.
They had thought that, even surpassing genius, the Heavenly Martial Body would take perhaps fifteen days, maybe seven days and nights at best.
For aside from the Sword Immortal, none of them had ever seen the Heavenly Martial Body before.
Then, the man who had remained silent all this time finally spoke—the Merchant King.
Jin Seong-un had assumed, from the curved blade at his waist, that he was a wanderer or bandit, but his alias was Merchant King—a merchant, unexpectedly.
"Sword Immortal, I oppose teaching this boy martial arts. There is a chance he could become as dangerous as the Blood Demon and cast a shadow over the world once again."
"What did I do?"
At that, all eyes—including Jin Seong-un’s—turned toward the Blood Demon.
Under the sudden stares, the Blood Demon gave a displeased cough.
In the awkward atmosphere, Jin Seong-un suddenly spoke.
"There’s no need to worry so much. I haven’t even made up my mind yet."
At those words, all eyes turned back to Jin Seong-un.
The man in the bamboo hat, the Divine Thief, spoke in disbelief.
"You haven’t decided yet? Even after learning Noble Enchantress’s cultivation method, you don’t feel anything?"
"Hmm, I feel light."
Jin Seong-un replied simply, describing what he felt.
His body truly did feel lighter. A lot lighter.
It was as if he had been living all this time carrying a giant boulder on his back.
"You must want to learn more. Don’t you remember that sword qi the Sword Immortal showed earlier?"
"Yes, it was very impressive. Of course, I do want to learn. But there are two issues."
"……What are they?"
The Divine Thief frowned as he asked.
For an ordinary martial artist, the chance to become the disciple of even one of these five would be worth risking one’s life.
And here was someone being stubborn even when all five were offering to teach him.
"First, I don’t know what you will demand of me in return for martial arts, or how much. The only reason I want to learn martial arts is to live well. If it involves risking my life for your requests, then that defeats the purpose."
"Tch, really…"
The Divine Thief let out a hollow laugh.
It was the kind of laugh one gave when annoyed but unable to refute the point.
Then, the Sword Immortal spoke.
"I will not ask of you anything impossible. Also, there is no need to fulfill endless requests from us. Just once. One request from each person—that will be enough."
Jin Seong-un gave a small nod.
That was a fairly acceptable condition.
Now for the second issue.
He spoke calmly.
"I bought an inn yesterday. It’s a tremendous achievement I earned after working my whole life as a waiter."
"……And?"
"As I understand it, learning martial arts requires training all day long. Honestly, I quite like working as a waiter. And now, as the inn’s owner, I also have responsibilities."
"You’re out of your mind."
This time, the Divine Thief seized the opportunity to criticize sharply.
To hesitate over our teachings because of one inn?
While he was in the middle of such remarks, he felt a sudden heat on the side of his face.
The Sword Immortal and the Merchant King were glaring at him.
"Now, Divine Thief. There is no high or low in any line of work—how could you belittle a man’s life by calling it ‘just an inn’? Especially when you…"
The rest was left unsaid, but everyone knew.
A thief looking down on a waiter?
The Sword Immortal’s rebuke stabbed like a dagger, making the Divine Thief flinch, and the Merchant King’s gaze made him even more uneasy.
"Ah, Merchant King, you were a waiter yourself. I misspoke. My apologies."
A glint passed through Jin Seong-un’s eyes.
The Merchant King seemed different now.
Then, a question suddenly crossed his mind.
"Merchant King, sir."
"What is it?"
"Do you happen to know of the Ten Thousand Gold Manor?"
The Ten Thousand Gold Manor.
The largest trading company and clan in the world.
The legend of its founder had endured clearly for hundreds of years.
In fact, his story had greatly influenced Jin Seong-un’s life.
He had started as a waiter, opened an inn, then grew it into a trading association.
That association eventually became a merchant guild, and finally the largest and wealthiest merchant company in the world.
It was said the founder’s personal martial arts were also extraordinary.
Jin Seong-un stared intently at the curved blade at the Merchant King’s waist.
Then, the scar across the man’s mouth twitched as he smirked.
"Yes, I am the true master of the Ten Thousand Gold Manor."
"Let’s proceed."
"Hmm?"
"Whether you call it a trade or fate—let’s do it."
Since opening the inn, he had been quietly worried.
He knew more than most from his years as a waiter, but running an inn himself was a different matter entirely.
And suddenly, the best in this very field appeared before him.
The Merchant King, who had slightly opposed teaching Jin Seong-un martial arts out of concern for the risks.
Yet, as the mood shifted, a smile eventually appeared on the Merchant King’s lips.
Meanwhile, the other four martial gods felt an odd sense of defeat.