Seo-jun returned to the Namgung family villa with Hwangbo Hyeji.
Thanks to Namgung Myung’s attempts at comforting her, Hyeji’s condition had visibly improved compared to when Seo-jun first saw her. However, she still didn’t look entirely well.
For that day, Seo-jun ensured she ate properly and got a good night’s sleep.
The Next Day.
The quarterfinals had now entered their third day.
On the second day, Hye-un had dueled Tae Byeok, with Hye-un emerging victorious. Today, on the third day, the duel between Un Baek and Yang So-hong was scheduled.
Surprisingly, Yang So-hong claimed victory over Un Baek.
The winner…! Yang So-hong of the Yongho Sect…! Seo-jun, having a friendly connection with Un Baek, had watched the match in person.
Yang So-hong’s victory was largely a matter of luck. While Un Baek had a slight edge in skill, Yang So-hong managed to turn the tide with a daring thrust that brought him the momentum needed to secure the win.
“A dragon rising from a shallow stream.”
An unknown late-stage disciple from a minor sect defeating a Plum Blossom Swordmaster from the Mount Hua Sect?
Luck aside, the fact that he had reached such a level was impressive.
“You’re one to talk.”
Of course, Seo-jun wasn’t exactly one to comment. Chun-bong, wearing a strange expression, glanced at him as Seo-jun shrugged.
“I’m an exception. Even I’m afraid of my own talent.”
“…You’re really infuriating.”
After arranging an evening drink with the disappointed Un Baek, Seo-jun returned to the villa.
The Start of the Hwangbo Hyeji Rehabilitation Project.
“Alright, my dear Absolute Peak friends.”
Gathered before Seo-jun were Chun-bong, Namgung Su-a, Namgung Myung, and Hwangbo Hyeji.
The four late-stage disciples looked at him as Seo-jun declared, “Come at me. You’ve already got your training regimen; we’ll just combine it with this.”
The last quarterfinal match would be between Chun-bong and Jegal Hwi. Seo-jun planned to use sorcery and formations to simulate their upcoming duel as part of the training.
Hwangbo Hyeji, her expression uncertain, looked around.
“Suddenly…?”
“When you’re overthinking, it’s better to move your body.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
Hwangbo Hyeji didn’t look thrilled. Lowering her head, she seemed self-conscious about the still-healing cut on her lips.
Remembering the bold and spirited version of her he had once seen, Seo-jun felt a pang of disappointment.
“Come here.”
At Seo-jun’s call, Hwangbo Hyeji cautiously approached him. Seo-jun reached out.
“Eep…!”
Hwangbo Hyeji flinched, but Seo-jun gently brushed his hand over the cut on her lips.
Her eyes darted around nervously, as if she couldn’t understand his intent.
Instead of explaining, Seo-jun unsheathed his sword and tilted it to show her reflection on the blade.
“It’s healed, isn’t it?”
“What… How…?”
Hwangbo Hyeji’s eyes widened in shock.
While the cut hadn’t been deep, healing it with a mere touch was beyond her comprehension. It felt less like martial arts and more like the mystical arts of an immortal.
“It’s just a little trick.”
The ability came from Seo-jun’s research into his own regenerative powers.
Though he hadn’t fully uncovered its source, he had figured out how to enhance the regeneration of wounds with internal energy. While he couldn’t heal severe injuries like magic from a novel, small wounds were no issue.
“Hwangbo Sojeo, you’ve seen it, haven’t you? My elder brother is truly extraordinary. How about giving it a try, as he suggested?”
“Ah… Yes, yes…”
With her agreement, it was time to push her to her limits.
“Hey, you. Come over here,” Seo-jun called out to Hwangbo Jun, who had been observing from a distance.
“Why me?”
“It’s your family. After this, you’ll need to handle her training.”
“Fair enough.”
It was a chance to review her martial arts technique and work on refining the Fierce Force Phantom Martial Arts he’d been putting off.
Even Pae Jin-gwang might need to try out a new technique or two.
“Huff… Huff…!”
Hwangbo Hyeji lay sprawled on the ground, her body twitching. She slowly lifted her head.
“D-damn it…!”
In the distance, Geum Hee was energetically swinging her sword.
Was she tireless?
They’d been sparring for two hours straight, yet Geum Hee was still giggling as she brandished her blade.
“Huff… How… does she… have so much energy…?”
Panting heavily, Hwangbo Hyeji slumped beside Namgung Su-a, who had seated herself on the ground.
“Geum likes playing with Seo-jun. To her, training is basically playtime.”
Namgung Su-a brushed back her sweat-drenched hair, the feminine motion drawing Hyeji’s gaze in a daze.
“Namgung Sojeo, aren’t you… tired?”
“Of course I’m tired. Just look at all this sweat.”
“That’s not what I meant…”
Hwangbo Hyeji hesitated.
Though she had lost to Namgung Su-a in the quarterfinals, she harbored no resentment. If anything, she felt admiration. Exchanging blows had conveyed more than words ever could.
Emboldened by Namgung Su-a’s warmth, Hyeji cautiously voiced her feelings.
“Things like… your family’s expectations… or your mother’s expectations…”
“I don’t have a mother.”
“Oh! I didn’t mean—!”
Hwangbo Hyeji panicked, but Namgung Su-a chuckled softly.
“I know, I was joking. Honestly… I don’t really feel pressured by other people’s expectations.”
“Really?”
“Instead, I sometimes feel ashamed of not living up to my own expectations. It’s not something I talk about often, though.”
Namgung Su-a stretched and stood up.
At that moment, Seo-jun was thoroughly outmatching Namgung Myung and Chun-bong.
It was time to reinforce their side.
“Want to join me?”
“…Yes.”
Hwangbo Hyeji stood up, determination in her eyes.
She was ready to take on Jegal Seo-jun, as he playfully called himself.
Seo-jun pushed Hwangbo Hyeji hard.
By the time the sparring was wrapping up, she still had energy left, so he added more training.
“One: I can. Two: I will. One!”
“I can…!”
“Two!”
“I will…!”
The harder he trained her, the more a smile spread across her face.
Honestly, it was a little unsettling.
At that moment, Seo-jun was sitting on her back as she performed push-ups, his internal energy amplifying his weight. It was far from a situation where one would smile.
Yet Hwangbo Hyeji’s grin only grew wider.
Could she be someone who enjoys the pain of training? Left alone, she might just train herself endlessly.
The more he learned about her, the less he understood Hwangbo Seorin.
What was so dissatisfying that she felt the need to pressure her daughter so relentlessly?
“Phew…!”
As Hwangbo Hyeji collapsed, Seo-jun pulled her up, helping her stand.
Though utterly exhausted, her expression showed a sense of accomplishment. A few more days of this, and she’d likely recover both physically and mentally.
Of course, whether she’d be grateful when the real hellish training began was another matter entirely.
“Chun-bong!”
“What?”
Chun-bong, freshly cleaned up, approached.
“Take care of her.”
“You’ve turned her into a ragdoll.”
Grumbling, Chun-bong lifted Hyeji effortlessly. Seo-jun smiled and ruffled her hair.
“My dear Chun-bong, you’re so kind.”
“Of course.”
“Go have some girl talk with Su-a and her.”
“Girl talk…?”
“Just chat.”
“Ah.”
Chun-bong nodded and carried Hyeji away.
With the training grounds suddenly quiet, Seo-jun sat down, deep in thought about martial arts.
Seo-jun sat on the training ground, lost in thought about martial arts.
‘I have a rough idea now…’
Ultimately, the specific form of the martial art didn’t matter much. What mattered was that Seo-jun understood the essence of what he was creating.
Currently, his focus was on refining the upgraded version of the Fierce Force Phantom Martial Arts. Since Pae Jin-gwang would be the one using it, the exact techniques could be left to him.
Still, even if Pae Jin-gwang was the ultimate user, the foundational framework of the martial art had to be solid.
After closely observing Hwangbo Hyeji’s martial arts during training, Seo-jun began writing out the essential techniques and movements in his mind.
‘Attaching it to the template of the Thirteen Thunder Sword Forms would work perfectly.’
Before long, Seo-jun had created a martial art he was satisfied with. Rising to his feet, he called out.
“Hey! Old man! Come out for a second.”
It was time for a gift.
The Result: Failure.
‘What is wrong with this guy?’
While Seo-jun successfully infused Pae Jin-gwang’s fists with qi, the technique ultimately proved useless.
Pae Jin-gwang had marveled at the qi enveloping his fists, even bouncing around excitedly as he tested it.
But the first time he punched, the qi itself shattered under the sheer force of his strike.
‘Breaking your own qi with your punch…’
How powerful was his strike for something like this to even happen?
In the end, Seo-jun had to send Pae Jin-gwang away with the promise of trying again later. The elder had left with a faintly disappointed expression.
The blow to Seo-jun’s pride was significant.
“If I can’t cover that old man’s punches with qi reinforcement, I’ll change my surname. Namgung Seo-jun or Geum Seo-jun should do.”
Clicking his tongue, Seo-jun made his way to Hyunwol Pavilion —a renowned guesthouse in Hanam and the headquarters of the Hao Clan’s local branch.
As he neared the pavilion, Seo-jun quickly spotted a familiar figure.
“Brother Baek! Over here!”
Un Baek from the Mount Hua Sect approached, chuckling.
“Well, this is unexpected. I was hoping for a celebratory drink, but I suppose it’ll have to be a consolation drink instead.”
“Hey, a Yongbong participant like you shouldn’t talk like that. Who knows, you might soon be called the Plum Blossom Dragon. ”
“Haha! Hearing that from Jin-Gijaecheon makes me feel pretty good.”
“Ah, Jin-Gijaecheon is too much. Just call me the usual.”
With a playful laugh, Seo-jun led the way into Hyunwol Pavilion.
Though Un Baek hesitated momentarily—it was a well-known pleasure house, after all—Seo-jun reassured him.
“I know the owner.”
“The… proprietor?”
“This is a Hao Clan branch, you know.”
“Ah, that’s true. Are you close with their branch leader?”
“Quite close, actually.”
“Well, that’s surprising.”
Given the Hao Clan’s position as an unorthodox organization, many righteous martial artists avoided associating with them to maintain their reputations.
“I don’t care about reputation.”
“Your little brother would be shocked to hear that. Ask anyone in the martial world about Jin-Gijaecheon, and they’d tell you otherwise.”
“Alright, alright. Let’s go.”
The two made their way to the top floor of the guesthouse, where Hyunwol, the branch leader, joined them. It wasn’t long before the three of them were enjoying drinks together. Hyunwol’s sociable nature made it easy for him and Un Baek to hit it off.
“One of my closest colleagues, Un Jak, was supposed to attend the Yongbong Gathering,” Hyunwol said. “But he entered seclusion after gaining an insight and couldn’t make it.”
“Ah, that’s a shame.”
“Well, not really. While he may have missed the chance to earn a title like Yong, I believe he’ll emerge from seclusion with something far greater.”
Seo-jun already knew this story, having heard it before.
Pouring himself another drink, Seo-jun asked, “By the way, have you heard anything about the Demonic Sect?”
“You mean their unusual movements?” Hyunwol asked.
Hyunwol nodded, but Un Baek tilted his head, clearly unfamiliar with the matter.
“They say things might escalate into a three-way war. What do you think?”
“Well… the leaders of the orthodox sects likely have better insight than the Hao Clan.”
“Do they?”
“They should. Most of the Sixteen Great Houses have their own intelligence divisions, and they’re also affiliated with the Beggar Sect.”
Un Baek chimed in, “I’ve heard rumors about demons appearing in Gansu, Ningxia, and Shaanxi recently.”
Hyunwol nodded in agreement, but Seo-jun was surprised.
“Really? I didn’t know that.”
Had he missed something in one of the meetings he’d skipped?
Seeing his confusion, Un Baek explained, “They aren’t significant figures, just minor demons below the Absolute Peak level. That’s probably why it didn’t come up in any meetings.”
“Ah, I see.”
Seo-jun’s eyes lit up.
This could be a good opportunity. If he had the time, he could head to those regions and capture a demon for study.
After all, he currently lacked a proper demonic martial art.
While he did have the Soul Absorption Technique and the Black Water Devil’s Palm, they weren’t true demonic arts in the traditional sense.
Besides, the Black Water Devil’s Palm was more of a palm technique than a fundamental art.
‘This is it. The seed of the Ten Thousand Demons Lord.’
If that mysterious woman from his past was right, he definitely had a talent for demonic arts.
Would it be easier to reach the Extreme Demon State first and then move on to the Hua State ?
Seo-jun’s grand ambitions filled his mind, his thoughts racing with possibilities.
“Chun-bong, once the quarterfinals are over, we’re making a trip.”