"Inoohh! What are you doing!" Seeing Baekcheon rushing towards him at a mad speed, Cheongmyeong looked up at the sky with a dazed expression.
Ah, my fate.
Without a moment's hesitation, Baekcheon lunged at Cheongmyeong, swinging his sword.
Wait, this guy is using a real sword? What kind of grudge do those Baekja people have against real swords? Every time something happens, they pull out their swords and cause a ruckus? Even while he was lost in thought, Baekcheon's sword flew threateningly towards Cheongmyeong.
The sword, infused with energy, glowed a deep blue as it aimed for Cheongmyeong's shoulder.
Despite being completely out of his mind, aiming for a non-vital spot was a pass.
However.
"If you unleash your sword energy, you're dead anyway! You crazy bastard!" Cheongmyeong kicked the incoming sword away with his foot.
Clang! The clash of the sword infused with energy and his foot produced a surprising metallic sound.
Unable to withstand the force, Baekcheon tumbled backward.
"Huh?" Baekcheon, springing back up, looked at Cheongmyeong and his sword in disbelief.
It happened so fast that he couldn't even comprehend how he was thrown back.
"Tsk."
Cheongmyeong clicked his tongue and quickly checked on Yuiseol's condition.
With such a loud explosion nearby, it was clear...
"Are you okay?" Normally, with such a loud explosion, one would have been able to escape, but Yuiseol was still lost in her trance.
She's slow.
Too slow.
But right now, that slowness was a blessing.
It's not common for someone to swing a sword and fall into a trance.
In Buddhism, they even have a term called '탈각' (脱殼), meaning to forget oneself and shed one's shell to reach a new state.
For a martial artist, it is an incredibly important moment.
If she had woken from her trance because of this clash, she would have regretted it for the rest of her life.
"You! What are you doing! Do you not know how important a moment of 'no self' is for a martial artist?" Does he even know that? Cheongmyeong stared wide-eyed at Baekcheon.
No wonder he was angry.
"To disturb someone in a trance! No matter how lacking in common sense you are, there are things you can and cannot do! You reckless fool!" Baekcheon glared at Cheongmyeong with a murderous look in his eyes.
"It’s true that I don’t think highly of you, but I never thought you would be such a scoundrel as to disturb someone in a trance! I should have corrected your habits long ago!" Cheongmyeong let out a deep sigh.
No, man.
I didn’t disturb her; I helped her.
But how would you know that? It’s all my fault.
My own fault.
I understand, but it doesn’t sound good.
"Does someone who knows that draw their sword and charge?"
"What did you say?"
"What if that precious person gets hurt?"
"If you hadn’t countered…!"
"To die?"
"…."
Cheongmyeong replied bluntly, and Baekcheon seemed flustered, stammering.
"Are all the Baekja people crazy?" In this world, usually, sane people dominate, with a few crazies mixed in.
But it seems like the ratio is reversed with these Baekja folks.
So far, among all the Baekja people Cheongmyeong has spoken to, there hasn’t been a single sane one.
If Yoonjong had heard this, he would have been shocked, but what does it matter when he’s not here?
"Would I kill you?"
"You had murderous intent."
"…That was just in the heat of the moment."
"You drew your sword energy."
"…That, that was."
As Baekcheon flinched at Cheongmyeong's words, his face suddenly went blank.
Wait a minute.
According to Cheongmyeong, he had both murderous intent and drew his sword energy.
But how is that guy standing there without a scratch? Are we to believe that Baekcheon’s powerful strike was brushed off without any consequence?
"Step away from my sister!" Baekcheon's face hardened.
He spoke in a firm tone.
"I will no longer ask what you were doing. But right now, put down your sword and step back. If you don’t, you will face me not as a teacher, but as a martial artist today."
Good! Cheongmyeong's spirits lifted.
"Oh, really?"
"…."
Wow, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear.
"To the end, this guy…" Baekcheon gritted his teeth.
People need to put themselves in others' shoes.
If you think about it from Baekcheon's perspective, it’s completely understandable that he’s angry.
From his point of view, something that should not have happened is happening.
So, it would have been right to step back here.
The problem is...
Cheongmyeong licked his lips and subtly turned his head. 'If I just tweak this a bit more, something big might come out.'
Yuiseol was currently experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime realization.
It’s sudden, but realizations often come unexpectedly.
Some people spend their whole lives in seclusion and never gain a single insight, while others find enlightenment just while eating.
It’s not something you can achieve through effort or desire.
It’s simply a matter of fate.
And the greatest miracle Yuiseol gained was not entering a trance.
It was that Cheongmyeong was beside her at the moment she entered that trance.
Generally, those who fall into a trance forget themselves and become completely absorbed in their sword.
In that state, they may break away from the sword they know and unfold a new one, or glimpse a higher realm.
Therefore, no one should disturb someone in a trance carelessly.
If they fail to respond properly to a sword that has deviated from its path, a serious accident could occur.
But who is Cheongmyeong? He is the Grand Master who understands all the swords of Hwasan and has stepped into a realm that no one else has reached.
Although he has not yet manifested it in his body, his understanding of Hwasan swordsmanship is unmatched in the history of Hwasan.
Thus, he could intervene in Yuiseol's trance and lead her sword to a higher place...
'Why did that guy have to show up!' It’s awkward to guide someone in front of others.
If he messes up, things could escalate endlessly.
Cheongmyeong glanced at Yuiseol and licked his lips. 'What can I do? It’s your fortune.'
While it’s unfortunate that a master is needed to lead Hwasan, Cheongmyeong does not dwell on a ship that has already sailed.
However... 'Beating the guy who made me miss the boat is a different matter.'
Cheongmyeong took a few steps away from Yuiseol and glared at Baekcheon.
"Is that enough?"
"More."
"Tsk."
Cheongmyeong stepped back two more steps from Yuiseol.
"Is that enough now?"
"…Are you messing with me? You better step back properly. I will not allow you to harm my sister."
"Harm? Who’s harming whom? You’re the one causing harm here."
"Me?" Baekcheon’s voice was laced with anger, and Cheongmyeong found himself at a loss for words, looking up at the sky. 'Are they all hung up on formalities?' Yuiseol was like this too, and Baekcheon flares up at the slightest shortening of words.
If Confucius were to return alive, he would immediately take them as disciples.
"Yes, teacher. The problem seems to be with you."
Baekcheon glared at Cheongmyeong with cold eyes.
"I tried to understand your insolence in every way."
Oh? He’s been making a fuss trying to find fault and now he’s talking about being a gentleman… Ah, is that also his way? Anyway, why did such a thing come into the sect?
"But my patience has its limits. And there are those in this world who cannot be reasoned with."
"Wow…" Cheongmyeong exclaimed, and Baekcheon frowned.
"What do you want to say?"
"Oh, no, no. I’m just amazed."
"Amazed by what?"
"You wouldn’t understand if I told you."
A hundred years have passed, yet how can the same words come out as the senior brothers used to say? - It’s useless to talk to that guy. - It’s better to recite the Dao to a cow or a chicken than to discuss it with him. - If he can’t even fight, he won’t talk either.
People are all pretty similar.
If not, Cheongmyeong hasn’t changed at all in a hundred years.
As Cheongmyeong grinned in amazement, Baekcheon spoke sharply.
"Draw your sword. I will teach you what it means to have manners today."
"Is that okay?"
"You little!"
"No, no. It’s not that… I’m just saying, being hasty won’t help."
As Cheongmyeong joked, Baekcheon narrowed his eyes.
"What do you want to say?"
"Oh, no. I’m just worried. After all, you’re a teacher, and if you fight with a disciple, wouldn’t that hurt your pride?"
Baekcheon chuckled.
"Do you think I care about pride at this point? If you think the teachers or elders will protect you, you’re mistaken. At this moment, they cannot protect you either. The punishment can come later."
"That’s quite a manly thing to say."
Cheongmyeong nodded in agreement.
"But I have a better idea. Would you like to hear it?"
"…What kind of trick are you trying to pull?"
"Oh, no. It’s not that. We just swear an oath. That we won’t tell anyone about the fight that happened here."
"What?" Cheongmyeong grinned.
"I mean, even if I get beaten, I won’t tell the teachers. A man shouldn’t run off to complain just because he lost a fight. Right?"
Baekcheon looked at Cheongmyeong with a strange expression. 'What is this guy thinking?' After briefly checking his expression, Baekcheon said seriously, "It seems you’re trying to find a way out of this situation, but do you think I’ll let you off just because you say that? You…"
"No, that’s not it."
Cheongmyeong sighed in frustration.
"Let’s throw away all this teacher-disciple stuff and just keep it clean. No grudges. Wouldn’t that be better for both of us?"
"…."
"If we just make a promise, I won’t say a word about what happens to me, no matter what. If I do, I’ll do whatever you say. Of course, the same goes for you. What do you think?"
Baekcheon smiled subtly.
"You do have a manly side. Fine. If that’s what you want, I’ll swear. I won’t disclose anything that happens here to anyone."
From Baekcheon’s perspective, there was no reason to refuse that proposal.
The most troublesome part of hitting Cheongmyeong was the protection from the Unja and Hyunja factions.
If Cheongmyeong, under their protection, ran off to complain after being hit by Baekcheon, it would be a headache for him, no doubt.
But now, he was offering to eliminate that troublesome aspect himself.
There was no reason for Baekcheon to refuse.
However… he couldn’t shake off a feeling of unease.
"Then it’s a sworn agreement."
"Yes. You too, right?"
"Yes. I swear too."
"Then that settles it."
Baekcheon casually raised his sword and aimed it at Cheongmyeong.
"I’ll acknowledge that you have a manly side. In this duel, I am not your teacher, and you are not my disciple. And I will settle all the ill feelings I had towards you through this duel. You too…"
"Duel?" At that moment, Cheongmyeong’s crooked voice interrupted Baekcheon’s words.
Baekcheon looked at Cheongmyeong with a puzzled expression. 'Huh?' And Baekcheon saw it.
Cheongmyeong was smiling with a wicked face, completely different from before.
"Who’s the duel? You’re dead now, you bastard."
Cheongmyeong snorted and walked towards Baekcheon.