One Week: Not Too Long, Not Too Short
A week was neither long nor short.
It was too long to just let it pass idly and too short to immerse himself in anything profound. Seo-jun decided to keep living as he always did.
‘Do I really need to bend over backward just to look good to that old man?’
The answer was clear: he didn’t.
Coincidentally, news arrived that the Cheonin Elixir for Chun-bong and Namgung Su-a had been completed. It seemed better to focus his attention there.
Now turned into a de facto gathering spot, the Namgung Family’s exclusive training grounds provided the perfect place for Seo-jun to educate Chun-bong and Namgung Su-a about the Cheonin Elixir.
"You’ve probably heard this already, right? Unlike other elixirs aimed at increasing internal energy, this one focuses on physical enhancement, so it’s different from what you’ve taken before."
Pae Jin-gwang eyed the Cheonin Elixir with a peculiar expression.
“Physical enhancement? Just from a single elixir?”
“Don’t get any strange ideas; it won’t bulk up your muscles or anything.”
“What kind of strange ideas?”
“I mean, don’t go smashing things just because you’re a Fist King or whatever.”
“Do you think I’m crazy? I won’t do that.”
"Oh? That’s surprisingly reassuring."
"So you’re picking a fight now?"
After a brief scuffle with Pae Jin-gwang, Seo-jun managed to snatch the elixir out of his hands.
“This won’t do anything for you, anyway. You’ve already reached a level where your essence, energy, and spirit are practically doing tap dances on the edge of heaven. Drinking this would just result in, well… nice fertilizer.”
“I didn’t want it in the first place, you brat!”
“Fine, fine. I’ll take special care of you later, old man.”
"I’m doing just fine without you!"
Watching Pae Jin-gwang retreat, Seo-jun chuckled, then refocused on his lesson.
“Anyway, you know how taking the same elixir repeatedly reduces its effectiveness, right? That’s why the first time you take it is the most important.”
“As if I’m new to elixirs,” Chun-bong grumbled.
She had consumed plenty of them to treat her internal energy blockage. But this one was a bit different.
“Pay attention, Geum.”
Seo-jun stood between Chun-bong and Namgung Su-a, who were seated cross-legged.
“Think of this as me channeling internal energy as the Cheonin Elixir. Remember the path and sensation well; to draw out all the benefits, you’ll need to do this.”
Since Seo-jun understood the intricate workings of the Cheonin Elixir, he knew how to extract every last bit of its efficacy.
“Alright, let’s begin.”
The Absolute Stage was not far off.
After taking the Cheonin Elixir, Chun-bong and Namgung Su-a guided its energy to enhance their bodies.
The elixir aimed to harmonize with nature’s Five Elements, particularly focusing on balance. It was designed to help one achieve a balanced body, allowing the user to develop in whichever direction they desired.
It would take some time to absorb the elixir’s effects fully, so Seo-jun lay down in the training grounds, watching them.
Pae Jin-gwang, balancing on one finger beside him, asked, “Have you thought it over?”
“Nope.”
“What exactly?”
“Doesn’t really matter; I didn’t think at all, so it’s all the same to me.”
Pae Jin-gwang clicked his tongue, adjusting his posture.
"About the three areas Namgung Hyeok mentioned: trust, swordsmanship, martial arts."
“Wait. Namgung Hyeok?”
Seo-jun looked up in surprise.
“Are you… older than that old man?”
“Of course I am.”
“What the…?”
Just how old was this man? Namgung Jin-cheon wasn’t even 300 years old yet. If he was older than Jin-cheon’s great-uncle…
"Wow, you’re a walking corpse."
“What did you just say, you brat?”
Seo-jun quickly dodged a forehead flick that would make an ordinary man’s head explode, and shifted the conversation.
“Trust, swordsmanship, and martial arts… let’s skip swordsmanship.”
“Why would you skip that?”
“Well…, because I’m not confident in it?”
“What kind of swordsman says that?”
“I’m not exactly a swordsman.”
“What?”
“It’s not like swordsmanship is something you can just cruise through like inner energy techniques; I’m only decent at it.”
Pae Jin-gwang’s face twisted.
“More nonsense… It didn’t seem just ‘decent’ to me.”
“That’s what Father-in-law said.”
“Hm. In that case, he’s probably right.”
Admiring the “zombie” for his quick acceptance, Seo-jun sneaked in a bit of self-praise.
"Still, considering I’ve only held a sword for about two years, this isn’t a bad level, right?”
“Two years? Well… if you picked up the sword after reaching the Absolute Stage, you’d already have a solid foundation, so it makes sense your skills would develop fast.”
“I started with sword training when I began martial arts, though.”
“What? Didn’t you just say it’s only been two years?”
Pae Jin-gwang’s expression turned odd, as if he was doing math in his head.
The Fist King was notoriously bad at arithmetic.
“So yeah, I’ve only been training in martial arts for about two years.”
“Are… you serious?”
Seo-jun grinned.
These little deceptions always made his heart race.
Do they ever get old?
Never. Each time feels just as exciting as the last.
With a smirk, Seo-jun said, “Reaching the Absolute Stage in about two years of martial arts training doesn’t seem that hard, right?”
But the reaction wasn’t what he expected.
Pae Jin-gwang scowled, deep in thought, then finally spoke after a long silence.
“If you succeed and make it big, don’t forget Pa-ryeok-gwae-shin-mu. Remember I taught you that.”
“What?”
“Actually, why don’t we make it official now? Let me be your master from here on; I’ll take good care of you.”
Was this the wisdom of a centuries-old monster?
Seo-jun couldn’t help but be impressed.
Time flew, and soon the week had passed.
Arriving at the grand training arena of the Namgung Clan, Seo-jun raised his eyebrows at the considerable crowd gathered there.
Not only were there many people, but most of them were highly skilled martial artists.
Despite the shortage of manpower due to wars and other matters, such power still remained within the clan.
‘The strength of the Six Great Clans isn’t something to underestimate.’
As he was now, Seo-jun felt confident he could handle a force of tens of thousands of first-rate warriors without issue.
But hundreds of masters? That wouldn’t be easy.
He could pull off hit-and-run tactics, but facing the collective formations of a clan like this—ones designed to combine individual power into formidable group tactics—posed a challenge even to an Absolute Master.
While Seo-jun could handle it by blasting them from a distance with the Heaven-Reversing Sun and Moon Art, most Absolute Masters wouldn’t find it so straightforward.
"It is I, Namgung Hyeok, holding a senior position within the clan. I have summoned you here to determine whether Seo-jun, son-in-law to our clan head, is worthy of learning the Sovereign Sword Form, and furthermore…."
It seemed time had come, as Namgung Hyeok’s voice resonated across the grounds, amplified by his inner energy.
Namgung Jin-cheon, seated on a platform above, observed the proceedings, indicating his approval of this arrangement.
Standing in the center of so many watchful eyes, Seo-jun closed his eyes and half-listened to Namgung Hyeok’s speech.
‘Trust, huh… How are they going to test that?’
The question was soon answered.
"If anyone here opposes Seo-jun learning the Sovereign Sword Form, step forward and voice your objection. Seo-jun will need to provide a satisfactory explanation and secure the approval of more than half of those gathered here."
It was a little surprising.
Few would likely step forward and publicly oppose him in front of so many. Wasn’t this favorable for him?
Just as Seo-jun raised an eyebrow, a woman leapt out of the crowd.
“Huh? Auntie? When did you get here?”
“Oh, last night. Heard something interesting was going on, so I came by!”
Namgung Yeon grinned widely.
Namgung Hyeok, observing her, spoke.
“State your piece.”
“Ahem. I am Namgung Yeon, elder of the clan and the Master of Azure Sky.”
Namgung Yeon’s voice rang out loudly.
“Do you all know the feats my beloved nephew-in-law has achieved?”
She began recounting tales of his mastery over the Thunderous Lightning Heart Technique and the Thirteen Thunder Strikes.
She even mentioned his clash with the Qi Sword Master, though he didn’t know how she’d heard of that.
Being invited to speak out against Seo-jun had turned into an excuse for his aunt to brag.
To cap it off, an enthusiastic Namgung Young-bo chimed in unprompted.
“Our young lord is a god of alchemy…! He reversed the Five Elements formation, to… a reverse Five Elements! You know, that’s no small feat!”
Namgung Hyeok gave Namgung Young-bo a withering look.
“…Head of Cheonyak-dang, if you wish to speak, do so formally after Elder Namgung Yeon’s turn.”
“Ah, yes, sir!”
Seo-jun was beginning to feel embarrassed.
‘Is this their strategy to shame me to death?’
As he had no choice but to sit quietly and listen, Namgung Young-bo’s speech soon wrapped up.
The crowd began to murmur.
They knew of some of Seo-jun’s feats, but few knew the full extent.
"With this level of skill, we should add more to the Sovereign Sword Form and keep him bound to the clan for at least a decade. Becoming the foremost clan would be a breeze at that point."
“Shh. Keep quiet.”
“Is what I said wrong?”
“Still, it’s best not to speak recklessly in a place like this.”
As the murmuring continued, an elderly man stepped forward.
“I am Namgung Hyeon-cheol, head of the Law Enforcement Hall.”
In charge of clan discipline, the Law Enforcement Hall held a position of significant authority, and Namgung Hyeon-cheol’s words carried considerable weight.
The crowd instantly quieted as Namgung Hyeon-cheol began.
“I do not deny this young man has achieved extraordinary feats. However, the Sovereign Sword Form is traditionally reserved for the clan head and heir. By intending to learn it, you suggest a challenge for the position of heir. Is that not correct?”
“Is it?” Seo-jun replied.
“If you have no aspirations regarding succession…”
Unexpectedly, Namgung Yeon interrupted.
“Hey, you old geezer! What’s with the succession talk? Stop making a fuss and let him have it!”
"Be quiet, Yeon. Even here, your behavior hasn’t improved."
“You’re the one twisting things around! Keep doing that, and you’ll shorten your life.”
“I’ve lived long enough.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake! Fine, come on in!”
“…Release my collar, please.”
The whole scene felt like a large family reunion during a holiday.
This behavior might seem unbefitting of one of the Six Great Clans, but perhaps it was only possible because it was the Namgung Clan.
Their sole focus was the sword.
Unless they were a military force, it was rare to see such strictness.
This atmosphere was only possible due to Namgung Jin-cheon.
He hadn’t been granted authority; he commanded it alone. Unlike the modern military, Namgung Jin-cheon’s authority stemmed solely from his power.
A military force might have some exceptions, but there was no need to enforce rigid discipline beyond that.
In times of crisis, his hand would guide every decision.
In contrast to those who constantly imposed their authority out of fear of mutiny or insubordination, Namgung Jin-cheon’s influence was on another level.
‘Plato, are you watching?’
The philosopher-king was here.
Of course, not knowing much about philosophy, Seo-jun could only share a general sense of admiration.
“…Let’s stop here. It seems there’s no need to further prove trustworthiness.”
Namgung Hyeok, however, seemed to feel differently.
With a complicated expression, he looked over the members of the Namgung Clan, sighing deeply.
Apparently, the Namgung Clan had once been more disciplined, and the clan’s current state must have stirred up a range of emotions in him.
In any case, the test of trustworthiness ended on a surprisingly anticlimactic note.
There was no reason to prolong the ceremony, especially with so many already supporting Seo-jun. He had already proven his loyalty within the clan.
Thus, there was no need to draw out this spectacle in the name of trustworthiness.
Seo-jun, who had barely said anything, scratched his head.
“The second test is swordsmanship. Mastering the Sovereign Sword Form requires exceptional swordsmanship, so this too is necessary for qualification.”
Does it? Honestly, wouldn’t it be fine even without swordsmanship?
“Regarding the swordsmanship test… yes, what is it?”
Seo-jun raised his hand, prompting Namgung Hyeok, half-resigned, to grant him the chance to speak.
“Can we skip swordsmanship and go straight to martial arts?”
“……”
Namgung Hyeok seemed ready to abandon the whole affair.