“That kid’s presence is downright murderous.”
Peng Chusan trembled. Seo-jun hadn’t even deliberately released his aura, yet his entire body tingled as if pricked by needles.
“He seems to have fully entered the Harmonious Realm.”
At Jegal Tong’s words, Peng Chusan nodded.
“From what I heard, it hasn’t been that long since he reached the Transcendence Realm… This is absurd.”
To spar against a kid like that?
Peng Chusan was rather proud of himself for not running his mouth carelessly.
“But for someone like that, he doesn’t seem to know much about the martial world.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course. You didn’t explain everything to him on purpose, did you?”
The reason why martial artists of the Harmonious Realm rarely involved themselves in war was simple.
Certainly, their sects were important to them, but in truth, they had no compelling reason to throw themselves fully into war.
Both the Black Lotus Union and the Martial Alliance had warriors at the Divine Ascension level.
No matter how much the lower ranks raged, completely destroying the opposing organization was an impossible task.
So why would martial artists of the Harmonious Realm risk their lives on the battlefield?
At most, such wars lasted decades, maybe centuries.
“No, I… I was afraid that if I brought it up, he’d become furious…”
“Ah, that’s true as well.”
Peng Chusan clicked his tongue.
“What a pity. He seems deeply wounded at such a young age.”
Even if his surname wasn’t Namgung, Peng Chusan could see that Seo-jun belonged to the Namgung Clan in spirit. His deep attachment to Namgung was evident, even to an outsider.
‘And after going through something like that…’
He wanted to offer words of comfort, but even that seemed difficult.
All Peng Chusan could do was hope—that Seo-jun’s blade would not turn toward the Martial Alliance.
The Martial Alliance was indeed filled with decrepit old men clinging to power, but it was also home to many who sincerely pursued righteousness and chivalry.
“I wonder how this war will end.”
Jegal Tong nodded quietly.
Sama Hyun’s office was in complete disarray.
Shattered furniture lay scattered across the floor, crumpled and torn maps mingled with dust.
“Nothing in this damn world ever goes as planned…”
Leaning back in his chair, Sama Hyun stared blankly at the ceiling.
Wasn’t there a saying—Do everything in your power, then leave the rest to fate?
No matter how much he, a mere mortal, struggled and bled to craft his plans, what difference did it make?
There was no need to even look to the heavens.
Before the martial artists of the Harmonious Realm, who stood as the very sky of Zhongyuan, no amount of strategy truly mattered.
In the end, they dictated everything with their martial prowess alone.
‘It’s over.’
His eyes shifted to the map.
The Gilyeon Sect had been completely erased without a trace. The remaining fronts were also collapsing.
At this rate, the Sword Sect would not be able to avoid destruction.
If the Gilyeon Sect, the Sword Sect, and the North Sea Ice Palace were eliminated from the Seven Black Gates, only four factions would remain.
Even the head of the Pa Cheon Household, Je Cheon-hyeok, had already perished…
‘At best, all I can do now is preserve the surviving factions.’
Sama Hyun let out a hollow laugh, as if he’d lost his mind.
Thud!
Just then, a subordinate rushed in.
“…What is it?”
“The former Sect Leader of the Sword Sect has returned!”
“What?”
Sama Hyun sat up abruptly.
“The Thousand Sword Lord?”
“Yes! He suddenly reappeared and has taken control of the sect…”
Sama Hyun’s eyes slowly narrowed.
The return of Sword Saint Geom Hyeon…
“And what about that one?”
“Pardon?”
“You know who I mean—Jin Gi-jaecheon. No… Myeolsa Cheon-gun.”
“He’s still rampaging. Because of him, the damage is extensive.”
Sama Hyun traced a line across the map with his finger.
“From here to here—pull back.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Abandon the small, insignificant sects. If that fool doesn’t know his limits and pushes in too deep, we’ll sever his head alongside the Thousand Sword Lord.”
The subordinate hesitated, his eyes darting.
“Will the Thousand Sword Lord agree to that?”
“I don’t know. But either way, that man is targeting the Sword Sect. A confrontation is inevitable.”
Heh… Sama Hyun let out a lifeless chuckle.
“Or, well… whatever happens, happens.”
After all, he could lose his head at any moment. The fact that he was still breathing was more surprising.
“This damn martial world… What can a mere mortal like me possibly do against those sky-walking martial artists?”
Sama Hyun cursed the heavens.
Why had the heavens placed him in this wretched world?
If not for martial arts—if not for those cursed warriors—he would have already united Zhongyuan under his rule.
‘Damn this world.’
His lament scattered into the void.
[Namgung Jincheon is dead?]
[Yeah. But instead, that Myeolsa Cheon-gun is running wild.]
[Didn’t Si Hyeol Mancheon die to him?]
[Indeed. It seems he had been hiding his strength.]
[How’s the grand scheme progressing?]
[…Not smoothly. The future Leader is getting impatient.]
[Keep things under control. We’ve already invested 500 years.]
[I know. I’ve personally overseen this for 300 years. Nothing will go wrong now.]
[Good. He is, after all, the savior who will cleanse Zhongyuan in blood. Accommodate him as needed.]
A low chuckle echoed.
[That’s enough. I’m leaving. Be careful. You saw what happened last time when the Sun was cut down.]
[That damn Divine Blood.]
[The righteous sects and demonic sects alike are wavering. The time is near.]
Click. One connection was severed.
[So cold-hearted.]
One by one, the connections faded, and the crystal sphere lost its glow.
“The Extinction God Cult… So, it’s finally time.”
A languid voice drifted into the darkness.
Seo-jun surveyed the desolate plateau. The battlefield, once filled with screams, was now eerily silent.
He kicked off from the blood-soaked ground, soaring into the air.
There were no Black Lotus Union warriors left. They were all dead.
All that remained was the blood seeping into the earth and the remnants that hadn’t yet been absorbed.
‘The next battlefield is over there.’
While orchestrating the war, Seo-jun also lent his aid to the Namgung Clan, ensuring its continued stability.
Physical distance no longer held much meaning for him.
Even battlefields far apart took him little time to reach, allowing him to move freely. Most days, he would return to the Namgung Clan in time for dinner.
Then, one day—
“If my lord is willing… could you perhaps assume the position of Grand Preceptor?”
Grand Preceptor?
Seo-jun raised an eyebrow at Namgung Myeong’s words. Grand Preceptor—he was fairly certain that was a title reserved for the emperor’s mentor.
In other words, it meant the emperor’s teacher.
“There was such a position?”
“Yes. In the Namgung Clan, the Grand Preceptor is the title given to the Clan Leader’s mentor. Normally, it’s just a symbolic position…”
“The Namgung Clan’s leaders usually learn martial arts from their fathers.”
Namgung Sua set down her brush and looked at Seo-jun. The dark circles under her eyes were telling.
“Most of the time, the direct descendant of the previous Clan Leader inherits the position, so the Grand Preceptor role is practically meaningless.”
“That’s right. It doesn’t hold any real authority.”
However—Namgung Myeong continued.
“If you were to take on the role, things would be different.”
Currently, the Namgung Clan had no martial artist in the Harmonious Realm. Seo-jun and Pae Jin-gwang were present, but strictly speaking, they were outsiders.
And since Seo-jun hadn’t yet married Namgung Sua, the distinction was even clearer.
But if Seo-jun assumed the position of Grand Preceptor, it would change everything.
A recognized martial artist in the Harmonious Realm would officially become part of the Namgung Clan.
“To be honest… this benefits only the Namgung Clan, at least for now.”
“Then let’s do it.”
“…Pardon?”
“That Grand Preceptor thing—you’re saying it’s a good thing, right?”
If it meant alleviating some of the burdens on Namgung Myeong and Namgung Sua, that was more than enough.
Seo-jun nodded without hesitation.
“Brother…”
Namgung Myeong bit down on his lip.
“But in the future, things will be different.”
“Hm?”
“Right now, the Namgung Clan will benefit from you. But one day, when we stand as the greatest clan in the world, we will be the ones to support you.”
His eyes burned with determination. Seo-jun met his gaze for a moment before chuckling.
“No need for that.”
All this talk about repaying favors and lending strength—it wasn’t necessary.
“We’re family.”
He had already received too much. Just the gifts from his future father-in-law were enough to make him Grand Preceptor ten times over.
“I haven’t lived long, but after spending some time in the martial world, I’ve realized—titles like the greatest clan or the Sixteen Noble Houses don’t mean much.”
They were nothing but empty labels.
Once you had people you wanted to protect, there was only one thing that truly mattered—
The strength to protect them.
But Seo-jun knew a method far easier than defending something.
Simply tear out the fangs of the surrounding beasts before they can bite.
If he acted recklessly, he might face backlash—but that was not a concern for Baek Seo-jun.
If there was backlash, he would bear it.
“Don’t push yourselves too hard. Take breaks when you need to. I’ll help however I can.”
Seo-jun grinned and scooped Namgung Sua into his arms.
“Kyaah…!?”
“Myeong, you should rest too.”
Namgung Myeong stood frozen, staring blankly at Seo-jun’s retreating figure as he strode away with Sua in his arms.
“…Yes, Brother.”
A faint sound escaped through his tightly pressed lips.
His vision blurred as he gazed up at the ceiling.
“I told you to take it easy.”
Seo-jun plopped Namgung Sua down on the bed after dragging her into his room.
Then, he grabbed one of the sugar-coated bing tang hulu Chun-bong always prepared on the table and stuck it into her mouth.
“Recharge your energy and rest for a bit.”
Crunch. The sugar shell cracked in her mouth, and the overpowering sweetness made her tongue tingle.
Namgung Sua gave a bitter smile.
“I am taking it easy, in my own way.”
“Not from what I can see.”
To keep her from escaping, Seo-jun sat behind her, wrapping his arms around her tightly. Namgung Sua wordlessly chewed through the candied fruit, one by one.
Seo-jun rested his chin on her shoulder and closed his eyes. The sound of her chewing was oddly pleasant.
Who knew how much time had passed when she suddenly spoke?
“What about Geum Mae?”
“Chun-bong? She’s training.”
“Ah…”
Namgung Sua flinched.
So that’s it.
Seo-jun instantly understood. Without a word, he lifted her into his arms again.
“In that case, how about swinging your sword a bit to relax?”
He didn’t wait for an answer. Without hesitation, he carried her straight to the training grounds.
Namgung Sua let out a sighing chuckle.
“Honestly…”
“Hup!”
Sensing her brother’s presence, Chun-bong abruptly turned her head mid-training.
“What the hell? What are you two doing without me?”
Her tone was exaggeratedly dramatic. Seeing Chun-bong act playfully, Namgung Sua finally let out a small but genuine laugh.
“…Alright. I told you I was fine, but I’ll humor you.”
She staggered over to the side of the training grounds and picked up a long greatsword.
“Try using that one too.”
At Seo-jun’s suggestion, Namgung Sua’s body tensed.
She hesitated, brushing a hand over the sword she always carried at her waist. Then, biting her lip, she unsheathed it.
Srring—
A noticeably shorter blade than her usual one emerged.
Wooong— The sword hummed. Namgung Sua stood still, closing her eyes.
Whenever she heard that sound, she recalled her father—how he would converse with his sword as if it were alive.
“…Haa.”
She let out a long breath. In her left hand, she held her father’s sword. In her right, her usual greatsword.
All the emotions tangled in her chest—
She swung both swords, letting them fly with frustration.
Shraaang—!
The blades sliced through the air, tearing into the training grounds.
BOOOOOOM—!
A massive cloud of dust exploded into the sky.
Seo-jun watched quietly.
If she can release some of her emotions like this, then that’s good…
Breaking something was always an effective way to relieve stress.
At that moment, Chun-bong leaned in and whispered.
“Hey, hey. Did you piss off Sua or something? She looks kinda mad.”
Then, as she giggled, her eyes suddenly widened in realization.
Wait. This bastard—!
Chun-bong’s mouth dropped open as she pieced something together.