The divine sword and the wind that swept through the public martial arts competition were felt deeply within.
Even now, the sensations from that time remained vivid.
Though unseen by the eyes, the essence of the clear sky could be read through the sword.
My internal energy, the true essence, was mysterious.
It showed the realm of ascension without needing to be seen or felt by the skin. 'The essence of true energy is the great nature.
Perhaps it is enough to simply follow where it leads.' The cold touch of the hilt of the sword warmed as it approached.
Following the teachings of Ma Gwang-gyeol, the true energy surged from my entire body, beginning to release outside.
A sensation as gentle as a weak breeze.
I gazed at another tower standing tall beside the fallen bricks, accompanied by the soft wind.
Just by glimpsing the seams of the brick tower, a translucent image was formed in my mind.
I understood how much force and at what angle I needed to strike.
The force, environment, and target created a trinity, forming a single trajectory.
This is called the fighting path.
My breath settled.
My right hand, holding the sword in its sheath, rose.
The internal energy meant to boost my physical strength did not pull even a handful.
I simply swung leisurely, following the movement guided by the true energy.
In that moment, the world lost its color from my consciousness.
The twisting of muscles starting from the pectoralis major passed through the deltoids and biceps, reaching the flexor digitorum, sharpening the path of power like a sword, converging into a single sword path towards the tower.
Just before the strike, all the joints of my body were momentarily fixed.
The optimal moment and the best strike.
Thud! The sight of the fallen bricks resembled those beside the one that had been broken.
I had obtained Ma Gwang-gyeol.
All that remained was to hone it for practical use.
Jeong Yeon-sin struggled to contain the excitement bubbling within him.
As he sheathed the sword at his waist, he glanced at Ma Jin, who wore an expression even more intense than when he had fought with Cheongmyeong.
It was no longer surprising.
"What is this...?" "It seems we need to gain more practical experience. When life and death hang in the balance, to unleash Ma Gwang-gyeol, ordinary training won't suffice." "..."
"I understand now what it means to engrave it into the body. I have learned well."
Ma Jin, who was said to be the strongest among the seventeen members of the Divine Sword Society, remained silent for a while.
"That guy... is strange."
One of the masters from Ma Gwang-ik muttered.
He was a man dressed in blue, with the character for 'rough' tattooed on both shoulders and his back.
Everyone present wore the same martial attire.
About a dozen warriors were drinking at a lavish banquet.
Their faces showed they recognized him immediately.
There was no one else but the boy who had recently monopolized the discussions within Ma Gwang-ik.
"I've heard that a lot too. At least until I came here."
"They said he was a rare talent? How surprising."
"How many warriors have entered Ip Hwang City without hearing about that talent?" "I grew up in Ip Hwang City, so I wouldn't know."
Each person spoke with a hint of lightheartedness in their words.
The banquet hall, bustling with the presence of Ip Hwang City, was one of the most renowned in Yangyang.
No one bothered to circulate their internal energy to dispel the effects of alcohol in such a joyous gathering.
Those who were dedicated to training through abstinence had not even come out in the first place.
The master from Ma Gwang-ik, who had initiated the conversation, spoke again.
"Right. It's usually what ordinary people say about geniuses and rare talents. 'He's a strange one.'" "Exactly. He became ordinary after coming here. It doesn't seem good in hindsight."
A man with a flushed face, who had just spat out the remnants of his drink, chimed in.
He added, "But for us, that guy is the strange one, right?" The masters chuckled lightly.
"Has anyone seen the lord make that face?" "They say he already wields Ma Gwang-gyeol skillfully."
"Can't you tell just by watching him wield the sword? He's completely changed and has a presence. When he fought with Cheongmyeong, he looked like a wild beast raised without parents."
"I couldn't believe it even while watching."
While they were chatting about the absent boy, a relatively youthful-looking young man spoke up.
"I like the temperament of that friend from Seomyeo. He's not arrogant at all, given his talent."
"Sometimes he can be recklessly bold. But after going on a significant mission, you'll know his true character."
"Regardless, with that level of talent, the lord must have taken notice of him."
"He must have met the lord during the last visit to Ip Hwang City. If it were that person's eyes, he would have seen through him at once. There might be some arrangements in place."
"If there are no issues, he will likely become a master that people will mention first when discussing Ip Hwang City. He might soon rise from white to blue."
"That could be true, if he survives."
Several masters nodded in agreement.
"But... what those guys are saying is amusing."
While they were talking, one of the warriors from Ma Gwang-ik turned his head towards a wall.
The woman beside him smirked, her spirit rising.
"Isn't it just sour grapes? They were making a fuss about needing to bring either Seomyeo or Baekgirin to their lord, but in the end, they couldn't bring back even one."
Laughter erupted.
At that moment, bang! The wall beside them shattered.
The masters of Ma Gwang-ik, with true energy contained within, deflected the flying debris with chopsticks or cups.
It seemed they had laughed more than once, and their leisurely gestures contained the profound wisdom of their martial arts.
"I'm sorry to disturb the masters of Ma Gwang-ik while you are enjoying yourselves."
The warriors dressed in blue from Ip Hwang City stepped forward.
One man spoke, but despite his words, the hem of his clothes fluttered.
He was drawing up his true energy as much as he could.
"How about quietly leaving if you know? We were just starting to enjoy ourselves. Our youngest has remarkable talent."
The woman, who had already been exuding her presence, smiled sweetly.
Her sharp features and cold gaze formed a smile that seemed to provoke.
It was a face that could provoke even those who originally did not wish to fight to draw their swords.
"Is that a challenge, the Sun Lotus Sword Charm?" "I thought you from the Cheongcheon Sect would be the first to propose it. Even if you have some talent, isn't it obvious that there are limits in Ma Gwang-ik? Isn't that a challenge?" As the words progressed, the tone grew harsher, as if gnashing teeth.
With each passing moment, the tension escalated.
Finally, unable to contain her anger, the woman shot a glare at the warriors of the Cheongcheon Sect.
"Draw your swords. Let's see the famed Cheongcheon Sword Technique, the Eighteen Strikes."
"Bai Wei Li of the Sun Lotus Sword Charm! Mind your words!" "Who are you to command me? I'll break you within ten strikes, so come!" The banquet hall of Yangyang turned into chaos.
"Did you hear that the seniors had a clash with the warriors of the Cheongcheon Sect?!" Hyeon Won-chang burst into the room, flustered from the morning.
Jeong Yeon-sin, tilting his head, spoke.
"Isn't Ip Hwang City a place with its own laws? Fighting with martial arts outside the training grounds among the warriors of the same sect is grounds for punishment."
"When was the last time you checked the city's laws? It seems to be true. Everyone looked grim after the ban on going out was issued."
"What was the reason for the fight?" "Well, apparently, while they were drinking at the banquet, a warrior from the Cheongcheon Sect provoked them, saying that Jeong Gong-ja's talent would not bloom in Ma Gwang-ik."
"Are you saying they fought over something like that?"
"Gong-ja, you still don't know the martial world well. That's the essence of this realm! A trivial word can return as a sharp blade, and in the process of blocking and overcoming such things, one gains fame and traverses the martial world. Isn't it a good thing? The seniors of Ip Hwang City got angry for the sake of the newcomers! If it were me, I wouldn't know where to put myself!"
The envy was evident on the face of Ip Hwang Sin-hyeop. 'Did they just get angry because of some insults towards Ma Gwang-ik?' Jeong Yeon-sin was baffled by the incomprehensible words and fell silent.
Then he widened his eyes slightly. 'This is an opportunity, isn't it?' How much merit must one achieve to obtain the fruit of the Heavenly Tree, revered by all the noble families of the world? Surely, the help of companions would be necessary in that process.
While the trust of the people in the martial world is built on life debts, it wouldn't hurt to accumulate goodwill in advance as much as possible. 'It's a bit embarrassing and funny to have a calculating trust.' But first, he needed to survive.
Although he had not shown much to the lord of Ip Hwang City, he truly did not want to die young.
He had to eat the fruit of the Heavenly Tree.
"Now that I think about it, Hyeon Won's words are right. It makes me angry. That I alone caused the seniors to get angry and draw their swords."
Jeong Yeon-sin stood up abruptly.
"Exactly! That's it! As expected, Gong-ja is a righteous person!" 'Is that what a righteous person says?' Thanks to Hyeon Won-chang, who even clapped, he almost felt awkward, but he forced himself to create a calm anger and left the room.
The footsteps following him were not a mere illusion; they carried a sense of expectation towards Jeong Yeon-sin.
He headed to the training grounds of Ma Gwang-ik.
The sight of some seniors lounging around appeared even more disheartened than usual.
The ban on going out seemed to be a more significant punishment than expected.
For Jeong Yeon-sin, who had not even been able to drink a cup of alcohol for fear of affecting his internal energy, it was hard to understand their feelings.
"The youngest ones."
"There's no teaching today, yet you came all the way here to train?" "It wasn't necessary when I was at the white level."
"No, that's not right. At the white level, you should train even harder. That's the right attitude."
The seniors welcomed the two youngest.
Jeong Yeon-sin returned the greeting with a bow and walked straight to stand before Ma Jin, the lord of Ma Gwang-ik.
"Is there something blocking you? Feel free to ask."
Ma Jin, who had turned to think about how to teach him, spoke with a weary expression.
A master of such high caliber would not easily feel the fatigue of the body, so it seemed he had poured his heart into Jeong Yeon-sin as he had said before. 'Seeing this, it seems he will truly take it seriously.' Jeong Yeon-sin thought.
He opened his mouth immediately, feeling a bit more at ease.
"I want to spar."
"Sure. Choose anyone. Anyone will oblige."
Seeing Ma Jin respond while wiping his forehead, Jeong Yeon-sin shook his head.
"I want to compete against the Cheongcheon Sect, not Ma Gwang-ik."
In an instant, the training ground fell silent.
Everyone knew why he had mentioned the Cheongcheon Sect.
"It seems you heard about yesterday's events, but there's no need to be so agitated. Calm your mind." 'I wasn't agitated.' Ma Jin looked down at Jeong Yeon-sin, his face showing both confusion and admiration.
"What do you mean? I simply wish to witness the Cheongcheon Sword Technique that I have admired for a long time."
"You are not calming down at all. Overflowing blood and energy can be a problem."
However, the faces of the seniors from Ma Gwang-ik behind him did not show any signs of concern.
Many wore expressions of pride, as if they could not help but feel proud that their warriors were not inferior to those of the old sect.
The warriors of the battlefield, who would not be outdone by the masters of the old sect, already had shining eyes filled with pride.
The reaction exceeded what he had intended, sending chills down his spine.
He opened his mouth first.
"I wish to test the renowned sword technique of Ma Gwang-gyeol. Please grant me permission, lord." 'I can gain practical experience with Ma Gwang-gyeol, witness the rising sword techniques, and earn the goodwill of my seniors.' It was a threefold gain in one thought.
In fact, it felt as if the last part had already been achieved.
"Are you serious? Even though you are within the walls of the Divine Sword Society of Ip Hwang City, you are not Ma Gwang-ik. You have not learned the same martial arts as the Cheongcheon Sect, nor have you fought alongside them. They will not go easy on you."
"That is what I desire."
Jeong Yeon-sin's brief reply drew whistles from those around him.
"He has the demeanor to represent Ip Hwang City!" "I want to see him grow!" "If he can just hold on, he will be worthy of taking on the next generation of Ma Gwang-ik."
Among them, Ma Jin also nodded slightly.
Ip Hwang City was the center of the martial world.
It was a world where one revealed oneself through martial arts and spirit.
No master would look down on a fifteen-year-old swordsman who raised his spirit for the honor of Ma Gwang-ik.
"Very well. I will inform the lord of the Cheongcheon Sect."
A day later, the sparring between Ma Gwang-ik's Seomyeo and the warriors of the Cheongcheon Sect was arranged.
It was nominally an exchange duel.