"Truly impressive. An unbelievable level for one so young."
Ma Yeonjeok exclaimed, stepping forward as if he had discovered a supreme work of art.
As he scrutinized Jeong Yeonsin closely, the wrinkles on his face revealed his unhidden admiration.
The handsome boy beside him appeared noticeably uncomfortable.
"I pay my respects to my grandfather. Ma Gwangik, this is Jeong Yeonsin."
He spoke calmly, slightly bowing his head along with his greeting.
"......?" There was no sound until he lifted his head.
The air felt charged with tension—questions, confusion, curiosity...
The beard of Ma Yeonjeok, which covered the purple lapel of his robe, trembled slightly.
"You are...?" The former leader of the Divine Sword Sect, Ma Yeonjeok, was a martial artist of the highest caliber, standing at the pinnacle of the Baekcheongheukja hierarchy.
It was said that the intuition of those who reached the realm of ascension and opened the upper dantian was terrifyingly sharp.
Jeong Yeonsin, who had mentioned his grandfather, and the lightly smiling Lord of Ip Hwangseong exchanged glances.
It was impossible for nothing to come to mind.
"Jeong, Jeong family."
"It is my first time meeting you."
Unlike the astonishment spreading across Ma Yeonjeok's face, Jeong Yeonsin remained calm.
The people from his maternal family had never visited Sin Yahyeon.
They had not come even during his wedding, and after his mother passed away shortly after giving birth to him, there had been no contact.
It was a tale that could only be found in the gossip of the town—a daughter married into a family of lesser status, severing ties completely.
Naturally, only the name of the in-laws of the Ip Hwangma family remained.
"You are the son of my sister?" Looking to the side, Ma Jin's eyes widened in disbelief.
Now that he thought about it, they shared the same surname.
There was a reason Ma Yeonjeok and Ma Jin had not exchanged greetings.
Father and son, indeed.
"The martial families follow the patriarch's words as law. Did they prohibit meetings by family law?" Jeong Yeonsin thought, sensing that the family was high in status but lacked true roots.
He smiled faintly.
"You mentioned a master; it seems he is your uncle. Or perhaps a paternal uncle? I do not know the lineage of my maternal family, as I was a child cast out from a family that faced extinction."
"......"
"I understand. The black color of Ip Hwangseong. You likely had no leisure to visit a home without a sister."
It was a remark with a hint of sharpness.
Now that Jeong Yeonsin had begun to rise among the masters, his senses were keen.
He had heard the conversation flowing from the office of the Lord of Ip Hwangseong even before reaching the door.
"Ah, I hear you have a grandson."
"Lord, where would the blood of a mere commoner go? It would be fortunate if he does not become a disgrace to Ip Hwangma. This child is the successor. Though a branch, his talent is exceptional."
It was a grateful thing.
Just by looking at the troubled expression on Ma Yeonjeok's face, he could tell.
A master of the purple realm could likely guess Jeong Yeonsin's achievements at a glance, and he could also tell that they had overheard their conversation.
"Thanks to my maternal family, I survived the hands of the sect leader. That is enough."
He was steadily advancing as a master of Ip Hwangseong.
The Lord of Ip Hwangseong had recognized his potential.
He was fulfilling his duty, but that was as far as it went.
The Ma family seemed unaware that the Jeong family had fallen.
They had completely cut off their interest from that side, and now they did not want to awkwardly draw closer.
After all, he could achieve everything on his own, so why cling to them?
"Such complicated relationships do not aid in martial arts."
He needed to settle this matter here.
He looked at the deeply troubled face of the former leader of the Divine Sword Sect.
"...... Lord. May I have a private audience with that child?"
At Ma Yeonjeok's request, Jeong Yeonsin immediately interjected.
"He is the child of an outsider. As a martial artist of Ip Hwangseong, I pay my respects to the achievements established by my maternal grandfather, but any further private conversation would be burdensome."
"......"
Outsider.
It referred to a daughter married off, severing ties with her original family.
They had treated him that way.
What more was there to say?
"A family so desperate for a successor that they would adopt."
He did not want to create troublesome family matters while immersed in martial arts.
The experiences he had gone through while living in the Jeong family were enough.
The Lord of Ip Hwangseong, who had been watching with interest, slowly opened her mouth.
"Ma Gwangik, your spirit is commendable."
Her eyes slightly curved, creating a beautiful sight.
Jeong Yeonsin nodded slightly.
He felt a bit puzzled at having gained her favor, yet he felt relieved with her support.
It was then.
"I cannot accept this! How can such a person be a direct descendant of my grandfather? How can you be so disrespectful to the former leader of the Divine Sword Sect?"
The boy, who had been standing with an uncomfortable expression, suddenly erupted.
The anger in his eyes was fierce.
It seemed he was unaware that he stood before the Lord of Ip Hwangseong.
"Your approval is unnecessary. I am not a member of Ip Hwangma. I am Ma Gwangik."
Jeong Yeonsin remained calm throughout.
Suddenly, he recalled Hyeonwon Chang's words.
The martial world was a place where one introduced their own alias with a brazen face.
"How dare you!"
He inadvertently let out a chuckle, which seemed to be taken as provocation.
The enraged boy turned to his step-grandfather.
"Please allow me to engage in martial arts with him. I will prove that he has no value as a blood relative."
"There is no need to go that far."
Jeong Yeonsin replied.
"If you request a lesson, I can accept. However, I have no obligation to show my worth to you or your family. Such personal orders cannot even be given by the head of the family."
His words seemed to look down from above.
Jeong Yeonsin's white robe fluttered slightly as he stared directly at the boy.
Even without intention, the aura that flowed from him spoke of his strength as a master.
While Ma Jin remained silent, the boy, who seemed incredulous, raised his hand as if to strike at any moment.
"He has mainly practiced the martial arts of the family."
Jeong Yeonsin's eyes sparkled with interest.
He noticed the pair of swords hanging at the boy's waist.
At the same time, he regained his composure.
The moment the energy that had momentarily faded surged back, it proved his ability to control his internal energy.
"I apologize for my rudeness. I displayed a careless attitude."
He clasped his hands together and apologized to the Lord of Ip Hwangseong for revealing his energy recklessly.
Amid the confusion, Ma Jin wore a proud expression, while Ma Yeonjeok's face grew even darker.
"Let the quarrel end here."
She quietly moved her lips.
"Yeonjeok is like an old friend to me, and Seongye is a promising talent. The conflict between the two seems chaotic; it would be best for a martial artist to resolve it. State what you both desire. Do you agree with my opinion?"
Jeong Yeonsin gazed at the beautiful face of the Lord of Ip Hwangseong.
Her expression was difficult to read.
She smiled.
"Seongye. I know it will not benefit you. As a friend of the former leader of the Divine Sword Sect, I will grant you one request, regardless of the outcome."
"Is that so?" Jeong Yeonsin asked boldly.
She was referring to the fruit of the Heavenly Tree.
The smile of the Lord of Ip Hwangseong deepened.
"That is still difficult. Even if the retired Yeonjeok asks, it would be the same. He has already been compensated for his achievements as the leader of the Divine Sword Sect. However, I can pass on one of my secrets."
"Martial arts...!"
The prospect of being taught by a peerless master close to the world's best was astonishing.
It seemed that even the adopted child of Ip Hwangma found it extraordinary.
The expression of the boy beside the astonished Ma Yeonjeok was filled with greed.
If he won, he would likely demand martial arts instead of following his step-grandfather's wishes.
"I can see through your intentions. The maternal family is amusing. To take such a person as a successor."
He wondered if the boy's talent was truly that exceptional.
In any case, the conditions had certainly improved, so he nodded willingly.
"I will do it."
He headed towards the training ground behind the main estate.
The appearance of the Lord, who had come out for the first time in a while, drew attention.
However, no one dared to follow.
Ma Yeonjeok tried to approach subtly, wanting to say something, but Jeong Yeonsin boldly stayed close to the Lord of Ip Hwangseong.
She chuckled softly.
"Make yourself comfortable. This is a place for solitary practice."
Her training ground was incredibly luxurious.
The floor was anything but ordinary.
A line of various weapons, whose value could not be measured, stood in stone racks, and the vast floor was entirely made of marble.
It seemed a shame to step on it.
"This is the spoils obtained after defeating the Dae-ri Kingdom."
The Lord of Ip Hwangseong spoke of the Emperor's Divine Sword.
There had been several occasions where she erased the royal family of a small nation showing signs of rebellion or large factions.
That was why her name was never absent when discussing the world's best.
It was a mystery how such immense power could be contained within her slender frame.
"From here, it seems sufficient."
The Lord stopped quietly at one side of the training ground.
Her long eyelashes were picturesque, and the light green robe she wore fluttered gently in the spring breeze.
"Huh?"
Jeong Yeonsin paused for a moment.
Only then did he notice the treasured sword hanging at her waist.
Until now, he had perceived it not as a sword but as part of nature.
He realized that he was not at the level of merging with the sword.
"How chilling. What realm is that?"
At that moment, the Lord of Ip Hwangseong turned her head, and their eyes met.
Her red lips formed a smooth curve.
"You have a good eye."
"I apologize."
The boy standing beside Jeong Yeonsin in the center of the training ground sneered.
He had already donned a luxurious dark-colored sword suit, a fitting attire for the heir of Ip Hwangma, known for its martial arts.
"Have you lost yourself in the Lord's grace? You lowly one."
"Aren't you a branch?"
"How dare you..."
Jeong Yeonsin closed his eyes slightly, choosing not to respond further.
"I learned something from this mission."
The confidence gained from defeating the Blood Sword Sect was clear.
The fruit of the Heavenly Tree could be seized by oneself.
Martial arts training was said to be like climbing a thousand-foot cliff with bare hands.
This was the tale of righteous martial artists.
Techniques that harmed others and oneself, such as blood techniques or demonic arts, were not even considered martial arts.
Only by building martial arts purely could one reach the ultimate, akin to the practice of cultivating the Dao.
For Jeong Yeonsin, it was different.
It was not a steep cliff but a well-paved staircase.
He breathed in the realm of nothingness, akin to a fish swimming in the deep sea.
"Ma Gwangik is enough."
The wilderness of martial arts he was unfolding in Ip Hwangseong was like that.
It was so fertile that it was hard to imagine any lack.
He could sow the seeds he created and make anything grow.
Thus, he did not need Ip Hwangma.
"Come."
Opening his eyes, Jeong Yeonsin slowly gestured.
"Ah!"
The boy, who had been filled with rage, did not hold back.
He charged forward with a speed he had never seen before, kicking the ground.
"Vital energy is emanating from his entire body."
Thud!
He dashed in with astonishing speed and deflected the boy's extended fist with the back of his hand, feeling the immense power behind the strike.
In that instant, he had to greatly extend the strength of his elbow.
Whoosh!
The sweeping force of the strike tore through his clothing.
It seemed he had consumed some precious elixir, as his internal energy far surpassed Jeong Yeonsin's.
He immediately infused the principles of the Shikgyeong into his internal energy.
At the moment when the true energy of his entire body was needed, he overlapped it to amplify his strength.
From then on, it was a matter of sensation.
Following the path of Ma Gwanggyeol, his hand began to sever the boy's martial arts move piece by piece.
Thud! Thud! Bang!
The martial arts of Ip Hwangma were straightforward.
Each strike was heavy, yet the continuous flow of techniques did not cease.
It appeared as if he was fully exerting his strength, only for a burst of energy to suddenly erupt from the opposite fist.
As all the principles harmoniously intertwined, it could only feel even more powerful.
"This is what true strength feels like."
Despite his seemingly reckless demeanor, he had properly mastered the prestigious martial arts.
The occasional bursts of refined movements were quite impressive, enough to inspire new ideas in Jeong Yeonsin's mind.
"Why do you not draw your sword?"
"Because your martial arts are exceptional."
He casually replied while breaking the elbow strike like a leaf.
He was calculating.
After seeing the opponent unleash their energy, he realized such a thing was possible and began to awaken the method of using his true energy.
It was completely reversed.
"You!"
Bang!
The marble floor caved in.
A powerful wind surged from the punch that extended with the strike, but Jeong Yeonsin lightly evaded it like a leaf riding the wind and landed gracefully.
"I have also thought of true strength. Now, ten strikes should suffice."
A pale blue lightning spark flickered in his eyes.
From a distance, three masters were watching the martial arts match.
Seeing Jeong Yeonsin's movements reminiscent of a noble clan, they each wore different expressions, while Ma Yeonjeok furrowed his brows with a complicated look.
"Is he really saying he will finish it in ten strikes? No matter how exceptional his talent may be..."
"No. What he means is..."
After a moment of hesitation, Ma Jin struggled to speak again.
"He means he will create it in ten strikes, not finish it."